Exclusive: Dres Talks Legacy & More In ‘The Choice Is Yours’ Doc

Dres
of
Black
Sheep
talks
at
length
with

HipHopWired
in
an
exclusive
interview
before
the
premiere
of

The
Choice
Is
Yours,
a
Paramount+
documentary
focusing
on
his
career
and
impending
new
project
with
beats
by


J
Dilla.

As
Hip-Hop
is
celebrating
its
50th
anniversary,
the
stage
is
set
for
many
in
the
culture
to
tell
their
stories
to
its
legion
of
fans
in
various
forms.
Dres,
born
Andre
Vargas-Titus,
one
half
of
the
iconic
rap
duo
Black
Sheep,
is
the
subject
of
a
new
documentary
film
from
Paramount+
named
after
the
hit
that
entrenched
them
in
popular
culture,

The
Choice
Is
Yours.
The
film
takes
a
look
at
Dres
reflecting
on
those
years
of
success
and
covers
his
journey
balancing
being
an
esteemed
artist
and
father
as
he’s
been
blessed
to
create
a
project
using
beats
from
the
legendary
J
Dilla.

HipHopWired
had
the
opportunity
to
sit
down
and
talk
with
Dres
about
the
film
and
his
experiences.
The
following
exchange
is
the
result
of
that
opportunity.

HipHopWired:

What
led
you
to
share
your
journey
in

The
Choice
Is
Yours?
How
did
that
process
get
initiated?

Dres:
I
wound
up
meeting
the
film
company
Versus
when
they
were
doing
Chi
Ali’s
documentary.
I
knew
it
was
a
really
dope,
creative
group
of
cats
where
I’ve
seen
them
work.
When
I
got
the
opportunity
to
kind
of
create
this
project…I
honestly,
in
my
heart,
knew
it
needed
documentation
but
didn’t
know
if
they’d
even
mess
with
it.
And
just
through
happenstance
[I]
wound
up
having
a
conversation
with
one
of
the
cats
from
the
company
to
which
we’re
both
kind
of
expressing
the
same
thing.
I’m
kind
of
expressing,
like
that
there’s
a
cool
opportunity
that
I
really
would
love
to
document
and
they’re
like,
“Yo,
you
need
to
document
this.”
(Laughs)
So
it
kind
of
happened
organically
like,
“Okay,
well,
sh*t”
you
know?
And
it
was
really
cool
because
they
just
jumped
on,
like
literally
within
that
week
we
were
moving.
And
we
haven’t
looked
back. 

And
it’s
been
quite
the
walk,
literally
with
COVID
in
between.
They’ve
worked
quite
a
bit
with
me.
It’s
been
this
amazing
thing
that
kind
of
got
to
take
place
really
organically,
and
they
really
understood
kind
of
how
I
wanted
to
present
it
to
the
degree
that
I
didn’t
want
it
to
come
across
as
something
that
was
manipulative
or
me
trying
to
take
advantage
of
something.
So
me
finding
out
who
J
Dilla
really
was,
was
really
important
to
me,
because
I
didn’t
have
that
relationship
with
him.
It
was
also
important
to
me
that
his
mother
knew
that
I
didn’t
have
that
relationship
with
your
son,
even
to
the
degree
that
I
needed
to
know
why
you
let
me
do
this
because
I’m
not,
I’m
not
tip
I’m
not,
you
know,
De
La
or
someone
that
you
know,
I’m
not
Erykah
Badu.
I’m
just
Dres.

All
of
that
stuff
was
really
important
to
me
to
be
conveyed.
I’m
already
grateful
for
the
opportunity
to
be
Dres.
But
to
get
the
opportunity
to
do
this,
at
this
point
is,
you
know,
[is]
everything
that
I’ve
been
looking
for.
I’ve
been
trying
to
find
a
way
to
get
on
current
platforms
and
introduce
new
music,
things
that
I’ve
been
doing
for
years.
This
is
an
opportunity
for
me
to
show
you
that
that
even
exists.
Because
from
here,
you
know,
you
turn
around
and
you’re
like,
“Oh,
sh*t,
there’s
projects?
All
these
collaborations?”
All
of
that
exists
from
this
platform,
but
it’s
not
like
it
hasn’t
been
there.
In
this
instant
gratification
culture
that
we’ve
acquired,
sometimes,
we
forget
yesterday.
It’s
all
good
though,
sometimes
we
get
reminded.

True,
true.
In
the
film,
you
just
exude
the
joy
that
you
have
for
your
art
and
music.
I
was
blessed
to
see
it
at
your
Rock
The
Bells
set
in
Queens
this
summer.
How
meaningful
is
it
for
you
to
hand
that
energy
off
as
we
see
in
the
film
with
you
building
with
the
students,
J
Dilla’s
program
and
building
with
Ma
Dukes
and
Toney
Smith,
to
have
that
displayed
with
you
handing
that
energy
off
to
the
next
generation
that
loves
you
and
your
music?

I
think
that
it’s
one
of
the
most
important
things—and
it’s
dope
that
you
even
pointed
that
out—because
as
an
artist,
I
think
it’s
important
that
we
lead
with
love.
I
think
as
individuals,
there
are
times
when
a
situation
has
to
be
whatever
it
has
to
be.
But
I
think
leading
with
love
kind
of
allows
it
to
be
reciprocated.
And
that’s
important
now,
here.
It’s
so
important
because
when
we
lead
with
anything
else,
I
think
that
opens
the
door
for
whatever,
that
anything
else
is
to
be
reciprocated.
And
I
want
to
receive
nothing
but
some
love.
So
I
always
try
to
make
it
a
point
to
come
from
a
place
of,
you
know,
like,
“How
would
I
want
to
receive
this?
How
would
I,
what
would
I
want
to
get
from
it?”
I
try
to
be
that.
I
think
it’s
afforded
me,
this
career,
it’s
afforded
me
a
walk
that
a
lot
of
people
can’t
pay
for.

Like,
literally.
I
go
to
any
place
in
New
York,
damn
near
any
place
in
the
world
and
kids
are
like,
“What’s
up
Dres?”
That’s
something
nice
to
say
to
become
positive
because
that’s
how
I
lead.
I’m
not
looking
for
ops,
there’s
no
issue.
You
know,
if
anything,
I’m
coming
here
to
bring
something,
and
that’s
where
my
head
is
at
with
it.
And
I
think
that
resonates
with
people.
And
I
think
as
artists,
that’s
part
of
our
job,
to
be
personable.
To
be
something
that
is
of
the
people.
I’m
of
the
people.
But
I
think
I
learned
that
a
long
time
ago,
to
be
a
voice
of
the
people.
Those
are
the
artists
that
I
respect,
in
coming
up,
the
artists
I
truly,
really,
really
hold
close
were
artists
of
the
people.
That’s
who
I
try
to
emulate.
Or
that’s
what
I
try
to
be. 

There’s
one
gem
that
you
dropped
in

The
Choice
Is
Yours
that
resonated
with
me
when
you
talked
about
just
the
creative
process.
You
said,
“That’s
the
sh*t
that
ages
you
when
you
stop
dreaming.”
And
I
think
it’s
poignant.
Given
how
Hip-Hop
turned
50
years
young,
you’re
one
of
the
esteemed
luminaries
who’s
keeping
its
music
thriving.
Like,
that’s
the
main
thing
that
you
want
to
share
with
everybody,
right?
Leading
with
love?

No
doubt,
like,
part
of
leading
with
love
is
being
competitive.
I
love
being
competitive.
I
equate
it
to
playing
ball.
Like,
“These
young
boys
can’t
hold
me,”
you
know?
(Laughs)
Like,
for
real,
for
real,
these
young
boys,
they
cannot
hold
me.
And some
of
these
other
cats
are
too
old
to
hold
me.
And
I
say
that
knowing
that
we
are
the
same
age,
right?
And
that’s
just
a
mental
thing.
That’s
my
mentality.
I’ve
always
been
of
the
mentality,
even
as
a
street
cat,
like,
ain’t
nobody
my
size
could
beat
me.
You
got
to
be
much
bigger
than
me
to
beat
me,

much
bigger
than
me
to
beat
me.
That’s
my
mentality.
I
can’t
see
somebody
my
size
beat
me,
it’s
impossible.
That’s
the
same
energy
I
bring
to
the
microphone.
Like,
I
got
something
for
y’all.
I’m
nice.
There’s
three
points.
I’m
Steph
[Curry].
That’s
good.
I’m
on
defense
now.
Because
that’s
what
I
work
with
mentally.
And
mentally,
I
think
it’s
important
that
we
stay
in
tune
with
that,
who
we
are,
and
who
we
grew
up
as.
Because
you
better
believe
physically
that’s
gonna
change.
(Laughs)

So
you
keep
that.
You
keep
that
mentality,
that
doesn’t
have
to
change.
You
can
stay
strong,
you
can
will
yourself
to
be
who
you’re
supposed
to
be.
This
is
what
I’m
supposed
to
be,
and
that’s
what
I’m
pushing
forward.
And
I’m
learning
to
shed
who
I’m
not
supposed
to
be.
The
things
I’m
not
supposed
to
accept;
I’m
learning
not
to
accept
them.
The
things
I’m
supposed
to
gravitate
to;
I’m
learning
to
gravitate
to
them.
The
things
I’m
supposed
to
stop,
it’s
hard
some
days,
but
you
know,
I’m
slowly
doing
less
of
that.
And
the
things
I’m
supposed
to
do,
I’m
slowly
doing
more
of.
But
I’m
keeping
the
mentality
of,
like,
“Yeah,
now
you
can’t
check
me.”
Like,
that’s
damn
near
impossible
to
say.
And
that
I’m
from
someplace
that
we
consider
golden,
I
think
it’s
important
to
be
able
to
illustrate
it.
I
can’t
tell
you
about
it
because
you
don’t
understand
it
when
I
tell
you
about
it.
I
have
to
be
able
to
show
you,
and
that’s
the
work
for
me.

That
leads
me
to
my
last
question….. When
are
we
gonna
get
to
hear
the
Dilla
and
Dres
project
in
full?
Can
you
shed
any
light
on
that?

Honestly
it’s
looking
like,
right
now
it’s
going
to
be
a
little
bit
of
piecemeal.
But
at
the
same
time,
I
think
the
film
is
going
to
put
me
in
a
position
where
I
have
a
little
bit
more
power
to
put
this
together
as
the
project
that
I
want.
And
to
do
it
how
I
want
to
do
it.
Because…the
world
we
live
in
is
very
different,
you
know
what
I’m
saying?
Especially
that
my
heyday
is
so
far
from
right
now.
I
hope
we
do,
I
hope
the
film
does
phenomenally
and
does
numbers
because
it’s
almost
like
I
have
to
prove
that
I’m
worthy
of
the
deal
that
I
want.

Aight
cool,
if
that’s
what
it
is,
that’s
what
it
is.
I’m
not
gonna
jump
out
the
window
and
just
throw
out
a
project.
I’m
trying
to
situate
it
so
that
it’s
really
dope
and
that
it
really
structures
what
I
think
is
warranted
at
this
point
in
my
career.
I’m
not
playing
for,
you
know,
down
the
line.
This
is
the
second
half
of
my
game,
for
real
for
real,
and
to
situate
myself
moving
forward.
So
I’m
trying
to
situate
that,
and
I’m
hoping
that
the
film
does
even
better
than
I
would
have
thought,
and
gives
me
the
leverage
to
situate
it
where
I
can
put
it
out
exactly
how
I’d
like
to.
But
there’s
a
lot
of
things
that
come
into
play
when
you’re
dealing
with
Dilla,
seriously.

He’s
done
so
many
different
things.
As
the
person
that
got
the
opportunity
to
do
this,
when
I
was
picking
tracks,
I
didn’t
know
the
history
of
each
track
I
was
picking.
I’m
just
hearing
tracks
and
pulling
the
ones
I
liked,
only
to
find
out
that
there’s
very
much
a
history
in
the
situations
to
some
of
the
tracks
that
I
pulled.
So
it
took
a
walk,
you
know,
finding
out
exactly
what
I
could
do
and
what
I
couldn’t
do.
It
was
that
involved,
It
was
quite
the
experience,
but
the
project
is
amazing.
And
there’s
some
amazing
guests
on
it.
And
like
I
said,
you
know,
slowly
you’ll
start
hearing
a
single
here.
But
as
an
entire
project,
I’m
still
in
the
midst
of
situating
exactly
what
I
think
it
warrants.

The
Choice
Is
Yours
will
premiere
on
Paramount+
Nov. 
21.