This song is available for download now, for FREE, from courtesy of MurderCap Records and Virus at AimeStreet.com

Interview with Jerome Almon by Patrick McNamara on 3/25/08

PM: Jerome, I want to thank you for taking the time to give me a little background on this song.

JA: Not a problem Rick, its important that the truth comes out about this mayor.

PM: Jerome.. How did the song "Strawberry Letter 313/IF I DID IT" came about ?

JA: My lead rapper THE VIRUS and I were watching the news coverage of the media storm surrounding the whole Kwame Kilpatrick/Tamara "Strawberry" Green scandal. I told THE VIRUS that we needed to put out a song that captured the mood of the streets and the citizens of the metro area on the whole sordid mess.

PM: The song is outstanding. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you I listen to a lot of hip hop & rap, but the song immediately grabbed me. It has a great hook, a classic sound, yet I think it will appeal across musical genres.

JA: The song had to measure up to the standards of our heroes Led Zeppelin and The Clash, capturing the energy of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, while driving the political point home as only The Clash could. I drew up an outline for the song and put myself in the role of Strawberry's assassin-how he was thinking, and instructed THE VIRUS to start writing lyrics. The song by The Brother's Johnson "Strawberry Letter 23"-produced by the legendary Quincy Jones was chosen by me as the sample we would use. Putting the beat together on the fly and creating the lyrics as we went along, the project had the feel of how it was done in the old days when you had to be good and you had to get it right-no tricks-no where to hide musically. As a result of that tension and pressure, we took a situation that was a lump of coal and turned it into a musical diamond-destined to reach platinum status.

PM: No doubt the song has that potential. Are there any major record labels looking at the song or in contact with you for distribution.

JA: We are having conversations with Virgin Records right now.

PM: To me, the song captured all the sex, lies, and criminal activity -the listener FEELS they were there as it went down. What has the response to the song been locally ?

JA: The song was immediately sought out by the local radio stations-both AM and FM- unheard of in this day and time. The response from the metro Detroit was reminiscent of the gold age of Detroit's musical supremacy -MOTOWN. The song added to the current list of great artist from Detroit like Kid Rock, Eminem, and D-12 in keeping the music alive. "Strawberry Letter 313/IF I DID IT" raised the bar, stepped up the game, and crossed all lines musically.

PM: I love the covers you came up with the CD. What was the thought process in putting that together ?

JA: We wanted to create a cover that matched the intensity of the song and the modern day Greek tragedy unfolding before the eyes of the world. That mean a trip to an old friend from Detroit running one of the largest design firms in America- Ryan, or as we in the crew call him Ryan the Great. Ryan grew up in predominately Irish neighborhood in Southwest Detroit, and loves Detroit, and is brilliant at capturing Detroit in all its good, bad, and the ugly in an unmatched way. Ryan took the song and designed the cover as he listened to the lyrics- the result is MAGIC- a CD-POSTER that allows the listener to capture the entire colossus of an event with one glance-it is both shocking and hypnotic at the same time. The visual carpet does match the musical drapes.

PM: What kind of feedback are you getting to the song?

JA: The song has been met with critical acclaim and most importantly has been given credit with giving strength to many of the brave people who love Detroit to step forward and provide the information to the media and authorities regarding the tragic death of Tamara "Strawberry" Green. Bottom line is the song has given the city hope, brought respect back to Hip Hop as being a relevant art form as it acts as the ghetto CNN-giving the world the scandal direct, unfiltered, and unashamedly.

PM: Jerome, I want to thank you again for taking the time to talk to me about this song and this issue…

JA: Your welcome, anytime.

Lyrics to Strawberry Letter 313/If I Did It

Yea... Thirty-One Third MurderCap

Strawberry, baby all you need is direction

Let me by your angel, and I'll be your protection

Don't you wanna chill in that VIP section

Ride in the brand new Nav or that Lexus

Ugh, I gotta pause for a second

I'm thinking about you baby and the nigga getting restless

Sumptin bout a red bone beauty gettin naked

All black thong with an ice style necklace

Holla at your boy, I got major clout

Politic'in, I'm gonna show you what the game about

I'm at the crib, so I laid it out

Fuck the hood Strawberry, I'm gonna show you how to make it out

Now use a red bow baby, yea red like a rose

We can be together, long as you keep your mouth closed

And you can get money, cause girl I got dough

But you gotta keep my business on the low

(keep it on the low)

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Its kinda hard when your dealin' with stress n' no effect

Cause the whole damn worlds trying to stab me in the back

And no change in the game sometimes it seems strange

Player hatin niggas wanna kill you like Kane

Player hatin bitches wanna getcha last name

If you knock that ass up, then she get a little change

Sucking on your dick like a candy cane, till the family came

And now you wonder why she act deranged

Keep your head on straight

Cause bitches has you locked in a cell like nasty nate

Yea, now that's a little half backed

You need to get your shit and move on and keep her eagle eye straight

Nine millimeter tha eata like a pita

If that girl a ho, then like a ho I treat her

Never beat her, never greeter

Or feed no mo cheese, the chester the cheater

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I can't believe what I'm seeing I'm watching the head lines

Man these allegations gonna get me some fed time

I'm mad I gotta do something quick

Or maybe I can tell the truth, but then they know I ain't shit

Gotta make her disappear dog no exceptions

Find out where she lives and conceal the weapon

Take her out for ya mayor and get to steppin

Everything will be cool, under my discretion

I'm stressing, I'm never going to learn my lessons

Keep looking for them girls in dem skimpy dresses

And my wife don't know man, no confessions

I'm gonna keep moving on, yea countin' my blessings

I'm the man in the hood, I'm running the whole thing

Why they coming at me, my Nigga is so strange

Its the Nigga in me dog, I know that I won't change

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