Defsounds

After weeks of rumors, it has been confirmed that Joell Ortiz is not on Aftermath Records any longer. The rumors first started swirling when Bishop Lamont, a fellow Aftermath artist, had said in an interview,"From what I heard I think (Ortiz) got dropped...I think dude got dropped 'cause of the whole Interscope thing." In a recent interview Ortiz was asked about the "Ups and Downs" video that ends with Ortiz getting his release form from Aftermath in the mail and he revealed that he actually asked to be released from the label. “I can’t afford to wait. I got a million people waiting on me to come out,” Ortiz says in regards to the release request. “I would have been cheating myself if I would have to sit there and wait (on Aftermath). I have momentum now and I need to take advantage of it now. I need to be coming out with a new record ASAP.”

However, he says that he is still working with Dr. Dre. “Those are my records still,” Ortiz said when asked what would happen with the material that was intended for an Aftermath release. “You are still going to hear me on a Doctor beat! Everything is beautiful.” In regards to the statement that Bishop Lamont had to say about him, Joell said, "“I checked the interview (with Bishop Lamont) and it was just someone speaking on a situation that they know nothing about,” Ortiz stated in regards to the interview. He also mentioned that he and Lamont have only spoken a couple of times and there’s no hard feelings.

“Me and Dr. Dre deal how me and Dr. Dre deal,” Ortiz said. “They deal how they deal. I wouldn’t comment on him but he commented on me. It’s all good. He just didn’t know what he was talking about.” No matter what anybody is speculating, Joell doesn't want his fans to think he is bad shape. “I want people to understand that I got money in my pocket. I’m working with Dr. Dre. I got a mixtape coming out that’s ridiculous…I got a bidding war going on without trying to create one. I’m feeling good!”