Our surprise interview is with Roc-A-Fella Records rapper Beanie Sigel. Beans just released his fourth album, "The Solution", on December 11. Many may not realize it, but he's worked with Bad Boy or with Bad Boy artists on a number of tracks, including the remix to Black Rob's "Whoa", "If I Should Die Before I wake" from Biggie's "Born Again", the remix to 112's "Dance With Me" and "Journey Through the Life" from Diddy's sophomore effort, "Forever".

His most recent work with a Bad Boy artist is what caught my attention, however. He brought Diddy along to sing the hook on "Shake It For Me" (originally labeled "Pass the Patron") a song that also features Ghostface Killah, another artist that has collaborated with Bad Boy a few times, and Peedi Crakk. It marks just the second time that Diddy has seriously attempted to sing on a track, following the top 10 hit "Last Night". The song is interesting in that, at first, it can be difficult to recognize that the voice you are hearing belongs to Combs.

In the interview, we talk about his initial connection with Bad Boy, his thoughts on posthumous Biggie albums and his work with Bad Boy, including "Shake It for Me".

You've been working with Bad Boy since before you had even released an album, on tracks like "Journey Through the Life" and "If I Should Die Before I Wake". How did the Bad Boy connection come about for you as such a new artist at the time?

I mean, just, like at that time, before I came out, I still was trying to look for a deal. I had a choice to go with either Bad Boy or Roc-A-Fella. So, me just being committed to Roc-A-Fella when I first... 'cause I didn't know it was going to be real with Roc-A-Fella at the time. So, I still was like, alright, they want to sign me, but just in case, I want to make sure I'm right.

So, you had Bad Boy as sort of a backup deal?

Yeah. In my head, I was like, well, if I don't sign with Roc-A-Fella, I'm gonna see what's up with Puff. So, I had a couple meetings with him or whatever. He gave me the opportunity to get on some tracks - Jay let him. He heard me rap, so he gave me an opportunity to be on some songs.

Besides yourself and Diddy, "Journey Through the Life" featured Joe Hooker, Lil' Kim and Nas. Do you recall recording that track and how it came together?

Yeah, actually, I was at the studio and I was doing a song for Puff. I was writing a song for Puff and he had a track - he let me hear a couple beats. We played the record in the studio - I just zoned out in there over at Daddy's House. I was gonna write the verse; write a verse for Puff, too. I don't know what I had to do - I had to leave - and I ain't come back to New York for a couple weeks. When I came back up, he said he was gonna put Nas on the track and Nas wrote the verse for him, so it was all good.

So, did you end up rapping the verse you wrote for him or was it a new verse?

No, it was a new verse. A new verse that I had that I had wrote for myself. I don't even remember the verse that I wrote Puff for that. I don't even think he heard it.

Especially with the albums that have been released after his death, everyone wants to be a part of a Biggie album. How did you get involved with "Born Again"?

With that joint, that early in my career, I wish I could have done a song with Big, you know what I mean? So, just me being young and just me being able to record songs with people like Puff wanting me to do records for him, I was excited.

But, now, my feelings towards that are just that - you know, everybody is such a fan of Big, they just want his legacy to live on. I don't think I would remake another Biggie song or whatever, just for the simple fact that me being a fan of Big, I still [have] it in my mind, like some of the records like, damn, if Big was alive, would he [have done] a song with that person?

Right, that's a feeling that some people have.

Yeah, me being a fan, so I just laid back off of that, 'cause I had opportunities to do other records, for Biggie Duets and stuff, but I turned them down.

I know what you're saying, but even with that track, though, that was a track produced by D-Dot, featured Black Rob, yourself, Ice Cube. All people that either worked with Biggie or really, I think, would have worked with Biggie - it's hard to say. But, how did that track come together as far as working at it? Did you go to Daddy's House or did you send your verse in? Do you remember?

No, I went to Daddy's House to do the verse.

Was it just you recording that day or was there someone else doing the track with you?

I think Black Rob recorded that day. So, we went in a, sort of, session.

On the subject of Black Rob, you also jumped on the remix to "Whoa" which was a big record. Now, how'd that come together? Was that the sort of thing where you sent in a verse or did you go down to Daddy's House - was it a big session?

No, I came to Daddy's House. I don't think Puff let music came outside [of] his studio. You gotta go there to record.

Now, another Bad Boy track you were was the "Dance With Me" remix for 112 which actually led to a video. How did you get involved with that?

Actually, when I was called to do that record from Puff, I wrote my verse and did the video within like 12 hours. Right after I wrote my verse, I was on a video set, like 4 hours afterwards. That was one of the craziest experiences that I [had] within the music [industry], me being an artist or whatever. Someone calling me for a song like, yo, I want you to do this verse and do the video for the 112 remix. So, I'm thinking I'm a do the verse and then the video [will] be on another day.

But, it was all within hours I had to be on set - like 10:00 that morning. And I ain't get to the studio, to Daddy's House, until like 1 at night. So, when I finished my verse, another six hours or whatever, I was on set doing the video.

That's pretty unique. I don't think I've ever heard of something like that happening before.

Yeah.

Now, shifting gears a little bit, last year, there was a DVD circulating where you said that Bad Boy rapper Ness was an official State Property representative. What does that mean and what is the status of your affiliation with Ness?

Ness, with him just being from Philly, he's apart of the Philly thing. Like, I would always f*** with Ness. Even if his deal with Bad Boy and his situation ain't go down or go right, he's always going to have a home with State Property. He can always come f*** with State Property.

Just to clarify, there's no paperwork there - it's just you and him are friends, both from Philly - respect each other, it's that sort of thing, right?

Yeah, yeah.

Have you worked with him on anything for his debut album?

No, not for his debut album. I haven't had a chance to work with him for his album yet. But, I will definitely do it.

Now, let's talk about your new album a little bit, specifically "Shake It for Me". I've listened to it and I like it a lot, it has a good sound. Now, I'm the biggest Diddy fan in the world, but if I hadn't known before listening, it wouldn't have been easy for me to tell that Diddy was actually singing the hook on that track.

Yeah.

Someone like yourself, you've been working with him on and off for almost 10 years now. I'm sure you've come to see him in a certain light. And now he's singing. Not just as an accent on tracks, but he's seriously going at it. What was going through your mind when you realized that?

I mean, I just thought it could be so big. Like, after hearing him with the Keyshia Cole record and I heard that and I was like, you know what would be crazy, man? If I could get Puff to do a hook on this joint. That s*** just went down - and he pulled it off! I'm a real fan of Puff, I believe Puff - I just like his drive and his determination - how he works.

So, do you think he's actually got it as a singer?

I think Puff actually got it at being Puff, you know what I'm saying? He can do anything.

From what I understand, it was your idea to put him on the track?

Yeah.

Were you in the studio when he recorded his vocals?

No, I wasn't there.

Do you see the track as a second or third single or just as an album cut?

Definitely that'd be a single. We definitely got to do the video for that. [We] definitely got to have a visual for that joint right there. I don't know when we're gonna push it as a single, but [we] definitely gotta have it.