Yukmouth, nee’ Jerold Dwight Ellis III, literally burst onto the music scene as one-half of the platinum-plus, Bay Area rap duo Luniz. The group is most famously known for their popular marijuana anthem, “I Got 5 on It,” which samples the Club Nouveau classic, “Why You Treat Me So Bad,” and appears on their platinum-plus, ’95 debut, Operation Stackola. 1998 saw the release of the Oakland, California, pair’s sophomore effort, Lunitik Muzik, which spawned the Raphael Saadiq assisted “Jus Mee & U,” and “Hypnotize,” a fiery duet with Redman. Shortly thereafter, Yuk split from his, then, partner-in-rhyme, Numskull, taking his Smoke-A-Lot imprint down south to J Prince’s Rap-A-Lot Empire. Thugged Out: The Albulation, a, then, ground-breaking double CD, was the self-proclaimed “Worldwide Mobb Figga’s” first solo outing, selling over 500,000 units, and garnering favorable reviews from fans and critics alike.

The Bay Veteran / Grammy nominated rapper, Yukmouth is back in play with his latest effort, sixth solo collection, Free At Last. The album, and follow-up to last year’s star-studded The West Coast Don, is laced with all them Godzilla Goons; including, Messy Marv, Choppa Young City, Mistah F.A.B., 2Eleven, Roccett, Curren$y, Dru Down, Lee Majors, Richie Rich, Beeda Weeda, Agerman, Shady Nate, Kafani, C-Bo, Stevie Joe, Philthy Rich, Chop Black, Country Black, G Stack, Lucci, Lil Hyfe, as well as The Regime. Standout tracks are plentiful, most notably, the Jannine V assisted “The Hard Way,” “Smell It On Me,” with Young Money’s Gudda Gudda, Tity Boi from Playaz Circle & D-Gloder, and the just released “official” lead offering, “The Life,” a bangin’ collabo with Ya Boy, Jay Rock & vocalist London, which should be taking over all internet, radio, and video outlets any moment now.

Flash forward over the course of the last eleven years, and four records, later, and Yuk, who also moonlights as a member of the Thug Lordz, alongside the above mentioned C-Bo, is back …. RAPINDUSTRY.COM caught up with the Bay vet to see what’s on his plate for 2010..

what up mayne?

Just gettin’ to the money — You don’t GRIND, you don’t SHINE!

Whats going down with the new album free at last? who’s all involved on the project? guest appearances, etc..

Well, FREE AT LAST has a slew of artists on it, like, GUDDA GUDDA/TITY BOI/CHOPPA YOUNG CITY/CURREN$Y/MESSY MARV/L.E.P. BOGUS BOYS/2ELEVEN/JAY ROCK/YA BOY/MISTAH F.A.B./ROCCETT, etcetera. So, it’s a well rounded album. And, far as me spittin’, the GAS STATION is back open on ni99az — Nothin’ but 91 octane!

What’s the whole vibe with this one? What can fans expect?

It’s a SUMMER album! All types of different subject matter on this album. I took it back to my THUGGED OUT/GODZILLA shit, so (it’s) for my fans that’s been missing that OLD YUK, SPITTIN’ HELLA HARD — I’M BACK!

Hows Smokealot doing? Any new cats on the roster? What should we expect from you and your camp for 2010/2011?

Well after, my album is the THUGLORDZ: THUG MONEY album, with me and C-BO as a group. Then next, is me and DJ FRESH: THE TONITE SHOW album. Then, to finish the year off, is THE REGIME: DRAGON GANG album. That’s me and my whole crew rockin’ out! So, it’s gonna be a busy year for SMOKE-A-LOT RECORDS.

You still in with the the Rap Alot camp?

I’m not on RAP-A-LOT RECORDS no more, so i have no clue.

Where you staying at these days? LA, or the Bay?

I’m back and forth from the BAY to L.A.! Those are both my homes. 

What’s bubblin in the Bay?

The BAY AREA is on a INDEPENDENT MARATHON right now. We all puttin’ out projects, and gettin’ dat INDIE MONEY — BAY UP!

Whats your take on the whole music biz? dipping music sales, etc..

The music bizz is FUCKED UP right now! The recession got ni99az stressin’, and not spendin’ the money they used to spend on music. So, sales are low, and record labels are giving out these shady azz 360 deals because they ain’t makin’ money off record sales no more. So, it’s real fuckin’ UGLY right now!

The South has had their dibs for a while now.. where do you see it going next? The West is due!

I see it comin’ back to THE WEST. When DRE drop DETOX, WE BACK! 

Whats the deal with Numskull, Hows he doing?

NUMSKULL is locked in jail right now, so all we can do is pray for my ni99a and his family. When he gets out, we doin’ THE LUNIZ REUNION ALBUM for all the HATERS who thought we broke up the group…BOOM!

You’ve had quite a bit of differences with a lot of rappers out there back in the day.. Any beefs with anyone lately or you cool? That whole Suge “parking lot” thing was b.s. or what? You ever get that chain back?

No more BEEF with anybody! All my BEEFS all squashed, from THE G-UNIT to the MASTER P beef. I’m good! Far as SUGE, we also good, and all dat TMZ shit was BULLSHIT! I got jumped and robbed, but it didn’t have nothin’ to do with SUGE, PERIOD! The POLICE got mad because I wouldn’t PRESS CHARGES. So, FUCK ‘EM!

Besides the new album, what else can fans expect from Yuk?

Like I said, after FREE AT LAST is THUGLORDZ: THUG MONEY/THE REGIME: DRAGON GANG/THE TONITE SHOW/U.G.A.: PASSPORT DVD & CD/U.G.A.: VOLUME 3 DVD & CD…So, I got a lot of shit on my plate right now — SMOKE-A-LOT, and ya DON’T STOP!

Who’s officially all in the Regime these days? whats on deck?

Next for the REGIME is our album DRAGON GANG, comin’ late October/early November! So, we finally puttin’ the fuckin’ album out after 13 years of MOBBIN’ dis shit! So, fans be ready for THE DOUBLE ALBUM comin’ from THE REGIME: DRAGON GANG, late 2010!

Heard you getting into a movie role? “5001” or something?

Yup, yup, I got the new movie out called FIVE-K-ONE, starring CLIFTON POWELL and MELVIN JACKSON, JR., from HBO THE WIRE. I play the HITMAN in the movie. It’s about a KINGPIN gettin’ snitched on, then paying to have the snitches KILLED. Great movie! HOOD CLASSIC.

Any last words?

Yeah, I wanna shout out all my fans for holdin’ me down over 16 years in this shit! I appreciate Y’all, and I’m gonna keep GASSIN’ shit! FREE AT LAST in stores NOW — ONE HUNID!