With the way that Edo G. has been holding down Boston for the past decade, he should be considered an honorary member of the World Series champion Red Sox.  Since his 1991 debut album Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto with The Bulldogs, the Roxbury native has built a lengthy resume that includes another album with The Bulldogs, a few solo projects, and various cameo and compilation appearances.  Though he had been on his grind since 1991, his album Truth Hurts in 2001 marked his return to the spotlight, boasting big producers and guest appearances to bring new listeners along.

This year, Edo G. has taken a back to basics approach.  His new disc, My Own Worst Enemy, is a must-have collection of ten songs  - seven of which are produced by Pete Rock – that glow with a 90′s throwback aura with their potent lyrics and solid production.  In an interview with HipHopSite.com, Edo G. talks about the new album, keeping up with the times, and how the game ‘don changed.

HipHopSite: How did the “My Own Worst Enemy” album with Pete Rock come about?

Edo G.: I basically reached out to Pete Rock; the album is ten tracks, he did seven of them.  I wanted to do a project that was different from the stuff I had done in the past.  I wanted to work with mainly one producer, and give a sound to a project.

It’s a lot more maturity on this album, and just the combination of working with Pete.  I got to collaborate with him on songs, and do different things.  From my last album, Truth Hurts, it was 2000 when I made that record, some of the songs were made in late ’99, it came out in 2001.  That was kind of big with everybody being a guest on the album.  I think the difference with this one, that was definitely a good album for me, and it was definitely a reintroduction for me back to the public, but this time I stick to the script.  I just do me, and not really have a lot of name brand guest people.  I just wanted to have a solid album with Pete, and make something real strong for the hip-hop community.

HipHopSite: This is your sixth album, your fourth full-length.  How do you manage to consistently put out album after album, still maintaining your style but keeping up with what’s going on?

Edo G.: Just by doing me.  The best way to maintain longevity in the business is to be original and to kind of stick to what made you popular.  I don’t try to switch my form or change to anything that’s going on.  And I’m still current with everything that I do because I’m still here.  I’m still out here with everybody, just like the rest of us.  I don’t think it’s too hard; some cats do get a little old-school sounding, and they get themselves dated, but that’s because they’re out of touch to what’s going on.  I think that as long as you’re in touch with what’s going on in this world, you can always be current (with your music).

HipHopSite: Why did you decide to get Pete Rock to produce the bulk of the album?

Edo G.: I’ve always liked his style.  On top of that, he hadn’t did a project for anybody in a long time.  There was the stuff he did for himself, but he hadn’t done stuff for just one MC.  I wanted to reach out to someone that had hot, hot production, but all of his stuff is still current, so that’s why I decided to work with him.

HipHopSite: Along with Pete Rock, you have some really well respected names on the album: Diamond D, Masta Ace, Krumb Snatcha, DJ Revolution, DJ Supreme.  How did you get all of these cats on the album, and what were some collaborations that stuck out?

Edo G.: Revolution is my man, I’ve known him for a little while; we had done some stuff before on my EP, and I definitely wanted to work with him for the new album.  Diamond D, he wanted to be involved with the project when he heard I was dealing with Pete.  He reached out, so I went to his crib, and picked the beat.  Me and Masta Ace did the trade-off thing (from appearing on Masta Ace’s A Long, Hot Summer LP), so that’s how I got him on the album.  My mans Jaysaun, he’s part of my team, so he’s all over the album.  I liked everything I did, and everybody I did it with.  I’m just happy with how it came out, and the short sweetness of it.

HipHopSite: Nowadays, a lot of rap albums have at least 15 songs, give or take a couple of skits.  What made you decide to make this album only ten tracks?

Edo G.: Because there’s so much garbage out there, that people don’t want to hear it.  The truth of the matter is, you only get paid for ten songs off of publishing anyway.  A lot of cats don’t really know what’s going on behind the scenes for their own records, so they don’t even know that.  You can put 15 tracks on there, and you’re only getting paid for 10.  I wanted to keep it short and sweet; I did the record deal with Fat Beats, and with them you’re only required to list ten songs, and that’s what I did.  I did ten songs I thought were good, and I thought that would definitely be enough.  With Pete doing seven, I didn’t want to overdo it.  I think it worked out rather good, it’s straight to the point.

HipHopSite: Let’s talk about some specific songs.  First, the Masta Ace joint, “Wishing.”  It’s sort of reminiscint of the Jadakiss single, “Why.”

Edo G.: We’ve all got wishes and dreams of the way we think the world can be.  The track is actually produced by my man Insight; DJ Supreme One did the original track, but we couldn’t clear the sample, so we had to have Insight remix it.  The original track had “wishing” all through the hook, it had a sample and it was pretty dope, but we couldn’t use it, so we ended up remixing it.  It’s just a track of cats wanting to get a lot of stuff off their chest.

HipHopSite: What about “Pay the Price?”

Edo G.: “Pay the Price” is produced by Pete.  We basically did that right in the studio.  In the two verses, I’m talking about a young girl that’s out there.  You see a lot of young girls stripping in houses and stuff; out here in Boston, cats have strip parties and stuff, I don’t know how they are where you’re at.  But it’s how I see a lot of young girls getting out there, getting fast at an early age.

HipHopSite: You’ve also got the song “Boston.”  A lot of people misconceive Boston, because all they know about is the Benzino situation.  How do you feel about the whole situation with Boston, and what’s really going on up there?

Edo G.: There’s a whole lot going on here.  The thing that happened with Eminem and Benzino, I think that was more of a publicity type thing that went on.  There’s some fat talent here, there a lot of people doing a lot of things.  Special Teams, that’s my crew.  You’ve got cats like Dre Robinson, Slain, Jaysaun, Akrobatik, Insight, doing things out here.  In 2005, you’re going to hear about a lot more cats in the mainstream, as opposed to just the indie side of things.

HipHopSite: You came out in ’91.  How has the game changed from when you came in to now?

Edo G.: I think it’s a progression.  The good thing about it is that just like with NBA players, every year the younger the cats get, the more money they get.  I think the progression, from a monetary standpoint, has changed definitely for the better.  A cat can come out now, and have one hit record and get rich.  So I think that aspect is good.  I think the only that sucks about the game is the way that the radio controls all powers.  That aspect kind of messes it up.