Pastor Troy is as much a staple in the south as fried chicken and cornbread. No one can say that they haven’t stepped into a club and heard a Pastor Troy song. With almost seven years in the rap game and six albums to his credit, it is only right to say that Pastor Troy is back. Newly departed from Universal Records, Pastor Troy is hitting the industry hard. He explains everything from his new beef with Lil Scrappy, up and coming movie plans, and the strategy behind his three album year; all the while assuring his fans that the Crunk brand is still the same and he’s staying true to the game.
Sunny: When did you start rapping?
Pastor Troy: I started rapping back in 1996, during my senior year of high school.
Sunny: How did the name Pastor Troy come about?
Pastor Troy: My homeboy called me Pastor Troy, because he said it sounded like I was preaching when I was rapping. And I dug it real hard like, “Hell yeah, that sounds cool.” My father is a pastor, but I never thought of using Pastor Troy as a rap name.
Sunny: What’s the best way, for someone who’s never heard of Pastor Troy or your legacy, to describe your music?
Pastor Troy: My music is Crunk, you know! It’s that real strong club music, real stress reliever music, you know what I mean. You got some stress to get rid of, just listen to some Pastor Troy,
and you’ll be alright.
Sunny: Being the son of a preacher, how did your father feel about your music?
Pastor Troy: He down with it. He’s down with me 110%. It’s not like he gonna sit up and listen to my CD’s or nothing like that, but he do support the fact that I’m trying to do something positive.
Sunny: Do you ever face criticism from Christians who don’t agree with your lyrics?
Pastor Troy: If they so Holy about it, they don’t need to be listening to my lyrics.
(Laughter)
Sunny: People give you a lot of credit for starting Crunk music in the south. And you got to admit, your style has never faltered from the beginning to now. Do you agree with that?
Pastor Troy: It’s cool… I enjoy it. I enjoy the props they give me, but I understand it was a group effort. It wasn’t something that only one person could do by them self, you know. I take it all in stride. I just appreciate the music and the whole foundation.
Sunny: So how does it feel to hear Lil’ Jon call himself the King of Crunk?
Pastor Troy: It’s interesting… but those boys know all about me. They know what I do. Now, some people rile themselves up. Some people gotta say things for them to believe it.
Sunny: Alright then, let’s talk beef. You’ve been rumored to have been beefing with everyone from Master P to Big Sam of the East Side Boyz, then Trick Daddy, Lil Jon, and now Lil Scrappy! What’s going on with all the beef… all the hate?
Pastor Troy: I just love it! That’s what the whole music thing was started on.
Sunny: What’s up with you and Scrappy?
Pastor Troy: I’m just his elder and I hate him… how he portrays the game. I just despise it – yuck, it makes me sick to my stomach. When I know this little boy, this lil dude, act like he ain’t never listen to a Pastor Troy song. And I made you! I made you have a job. If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t have a job. It’s a competitive game… just a competitive game.
Sunny: Back to the music, you did about three or four albums with Universal Records. What happened with them?
Pastor Troy: It was cool. It was just time for me to get up out of there. It wasn’t all heartfelt or any of that. I was just done with my contract obligations. It’s like jail. They tell you that you can leave today or you can stay. Which one are you gonna take?
Sunny: So, who are you signed to now?
Pastor Troy: I’m doing my stuff independently. I’m working with 845 Entertainment. It’s more for the streets. I got more control. I catch the wind over there and I get freed up to do it.
Sunny: You dropped two new albums this year, “Money & Power” and “Stay Tru”. Why did you drop two albums?
Pastor Troy: I’m about to drop a third one, so ask me why I drop three albums in one year. It’s just as an independent like that. It’s hard to get gold or platinum numbers off one album in one year. But you can reach those types of numbers off doing like three albums in one year. Like with three albums, “500,000 sold is 500,000 sold.”
Sunny: What is the name of the third album?
Pastor Troy: The third one is going to be called, “Pastor Troy: By Voice or By Choice.”
Sunny: The new single off the “Stay Tru” album is “Police Can’t Break it Up”. Will you be shooting a video for it?
Pastor Troy: Naw, that album is a real straight forward independent album. We might need to shoot something for it. But it’s been in the streets, and the streets are buzzing off of it. Other than the album being in stores, the bootleggers take half of the money, fucking up the record sales.
Sunny: With the new album, fans have noticed that you sound more like you did on your “Face-Off” album. Why is that?
Pastor Troy: That’s because I am independent now. I’m not sitting in board rooms with old white guys dissecting my music.
Sunny: So the old Pastor Troy is back?
Pastor Troy: Hell yeah, the old Pastor Troy is back. I’m Pastor the Disaster, the one they love to hate.
Sunny: How do you feel about the large commercial success of Crunk music?
Pastor Troy: It’s crazy. I think it shows the success of guys like me. Like I lurk around in the water and eat up everything I want to.
Sunny: Where do you see Crunk music in the future?
Pastor Troy: I think it’s going to keep on going and going, because people love letting off frustration and that’s the type of music it is. I do shows every weekend with people dying for Crunk music.
Sunny: Are there any other projects that you’re working on?
Pastor Troy: Yeah, we are working on some movie things. We got this one called, “You Got the Heart?” It’s going to be cool. We trying to jump that off for the first of the year. Hopefully we can start on it in the next couple of months.
Sunny: Will DSGB be getting back together and releasing some new material?
Pastor Troy: Yeah, all us boys getting together now. A lot of us boys are working on solo projects, but we still down as a group.
Sunny: Anything else you would like to add?
Pastor Troy: Get the “Stay Tru” album, look out for the “By Voice or By Choice” and to everyone else, I love yal’!
