Godfather Don – 1997 On The Go Interview

Posted on by Robbie Ettelson

Those that have worked with the Godfather describe him as “eccentric”, and this bugged-out article that Max Glazer put together for On The Go magazine around nine years ago. A couple of tracks to go along with it – “Hazardous” from his 1991 album showcases Don rocking three different techniques on one song, while “Piece of the Action” demonstrates his more recent style over a buttery Betty Davis loop. While some seem to favor his early album and his demos, tracks like “Action” and “Seeds of Hate” are some of his finest as far as I’m concerned.

Godfather Don – Hazardous [Hazardous, Select, 1991]

Godfather Don – Piece of the Action [twelve inch single, Hydra, 1997]

35 thoughts on “Godfather Don – 1997 On The Go Interview”

  1. I remember you already had a post on Don a couple of months ago and in the comments there was a heavy discussion going on about what Don has been up to lately. Does anybody know? Back then some dude who seemed to know him talked about Don having become a reborn Christ or something. I would definitely love to see this guy coming back, because I always liked his style of production and rhyming. “Styles By The Gram” is a bomb too.

  2. early godfather don was more like pharoahe monch, perhaps not as animated in his performance, but the wordplay was stylistically similar. I’d say that “styles by the gram” is his best song, although those you posted are really good too.

  3. Great post, thanks Robbie. Does anyone have Don’s “Dope Connections” that they can post? I think it came out in 98 or 99’…really dope track…

  4. i remember that issue of on the go really nice…don in that 97 era was the ish to me…

  7. “early godfather don was more like pharoahe monch”

    He sounded like him on ‘raise it up’ w/ Ultra Mag.

  8. Anybody got know where I can download (legally or otherwise…I’ll pay!) a copy of Gpdfather Don’s album “Diabolique”?

    I need that.

    Peace

  9. “Does anyone have Don’s “Dope Connections” that they can post?”
    “Anybody got know where I can download (legally or otherwise…I’ll pay!) a copy of Gpdfather Don’s album “Diabolique”?”

    ^ Stay tuned.

  10. Not the most informative interview…

    I saw a documentary called “digging in the crates” or something like that, it had Don as well as showbiz, Mr Walt and others and he def seemed a bit of a odd ball. At one point he gets so excited about whatever record hes talking about he starts pretending to faint. Seems like a funny guy.

  12. Don is the man. He’s good peoples too. I haven’t talked to him in a long while. Here’s a funny story of how I met him:

    In January of what must have been ’94 (?) Ultramagnetic MCs had a show in Chicago (w/Jeru). At the time I was the Wildpitch Street Team Rep there so I was there to help out. At the show Don and Keith wanted to go get some drinks from the cornor store so we all jump in my car and I pop in a tape. This song comes on while we are just talking then they both get very quiet. Don’s says, “this guy sounds just like me”. Keith says “yeah, man he really sounds like you”. They are both like “who is this?”. I’m sort of laughing thinking they are kidding around. They keep asking and I finally know they are serious so I say “That is you” (not to mention Kool Keith had also rhymed on the song). They are like what is this? I’m like this is that Raw Breed song with you, Keith, and Mele Mel (“Rampage Outta Control”). They are both like “oh yeah”. Then the tell me that one day they were
    just walking down the street and passed the studio where Raw Breed was recording and those guys saw them and were like come drop a verse. They said they just went in kicked whatever and left and never thought about it again…ha. That was back when they were going the group name Agents of Chaos, although they said they changed names every few weeks…ha

    Anyway, from there me, Don and Keith stayed in touch for years. When I started a magazine, Caught In The Middle, in ’95 they both were writers for me. Kool Keith had his own column called the Rhythm X Files and Don did a interview with Bobitto. Unfortunately we went out of biz after two issues so didnt’ get much from them but it was fun.

    Also in ’95 I was going to do a Don feature in the 3rd (never completed) issue of the mag so he had this new demo called lab works and he told me that he only made three copies; me, bobitto, and the a&r at big beat (cause they were thinking of siging him at the time). Then his studio or his car (cant’ remember which) got robbed with a bunch of his masters and sessions so all those songs got lost. Those were some of his best works to me. I just recently ripped those all to me computer. I’ll send Unkut a couple of my favorites to post up here.

    As far as releases, “Seeds of Hate” and “Styles By The Gram” are two favorites. I think might have some crazy freestyles of his two. Yeah, like the classic one on Stretch Armstrong dissing Trendz of Culture…ha.

  13. He’s a nice guy. I was on a trip to New York getting stuff together for an early issue of Fat Lace, and me and Dan Large were walking through the garment district, when we see this guy stood outside a building having a smoke. It was Don. He was outside the office in Manhattan where he works as a children’s clothing designer. We introduced ourselves and he took us into the office. We made a date for dinner, and hooked up later with him and his boy Big Lance for a meal. Two of the nicest guys ever. Don loves the ladies, however, He was chatting up any sweetie he saw in the street.

  14. hydra records was supposed to release an album of unreleased godfather don material….i saw a promo of this supposed album fro sale on ebay and the winning bid for it was like 104.00,i hope this shit comes out sometime….

  15. T.S this was mentioned in the last Godfather Don segment. I got that Hydrabeats thing on MP3. Its instrumentals.

  16. “the classic one on Stretch Armstrong dissing Trendz of Culture”

    Ha…talk about your “Forgotten Beefs”!

    “Don loves the ladies, however, He was chatting up any sweetie he saw in the street.”

    At least he wasn’t stalking ’em.

  18. the one i am talking about has unreleased godfather don and scaramanga songs and unreleased CENNOBITES songs too…….

  19. Caught in the Middle was dope, I got the 1st issue, I can’t remember if I ever saw the second.

    Since no one’s mentioned it, I have to: “7 Degrees of Elevation” = greatest song of all time (maybe)

  23. I’ve been up on Gadfather Don for years. I had a friend who was an artist who worked with Godfather Don. He said Godfather Don also plays rock on a bass guitar and is an ill artist. I believe it because my friend’s artwork is incredible. I commissioned him to paint a portrait of me and my wife.

    Anyway, here’s a funny story. I was coming home from one night back in like 95/96 and I saw a $10.00 bill on the floor. I took it to Beat Street on Fulton ave and used it to purchase Don’s “Piece of the Action/with Seeds of Hate on the B-Side. It has the instrumentals too!! I still have it a play it. It’s so advanced that cats today stil haven’t matched its brilliance in the beats or the rhymes. I read an interview in this old mag where he said he had like 50/60 songs with Kool Keith. They must have been tight once.

    So yeah, hook me up. I need Piece of the Action and Seeds of Hate in a digital format.

  26. Kev, that “Slave of New York” track is killer. The Trendz diss is a some funny shit too.

  27. Still waitin’ on anyone with a copy of “Diabolique”, but in the meantime I just need a clean digital copy of B.I.G.K.A.T.Z. with Scaramanga….. PLEASE!…. ANYONE!

  31. Even though I’m by no means such an expert as Robbie is, I’ve recently posted some tracks from his “Diabolique” album.
    My record-collector ethics don’t allow me to post a whole album (if you like it, buy it!), but still… there’s quite a few joints that might deserve some long due recognition.
    Props to Robbie & sorry for the badly hidden spam
    One

    P.S. Don’t worry about the language, just click on the link.

  34. So how y’all like “The Nineties Sessions”? Great album if you ask me.

  35. Would you have any suggestions on how I can contact him? I’m willing to pay him for a verse.

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