"Shake ya ass! show me what you're working with!" When that raspy command started leaping out of radios late this summer, it seemed as if James Brown had kissed himself and popped out a brand-new hip-hop hit. That freaky flow doesn't belong to the Godfather of Soul, however: It's New Orleans rapper Mystikal channeling him on "Shake Ya Ass," the slamming first salvo from Mystikal's fourth album, Let's Get Ready . . .. "Shake Ya Ass" has already become the rump-shaking anthem of summer 2000, but it doesn't prepare you for Ready's dark entry into the mind of Mystikal, who's truly seen it all. He's been both a real soldier, serving in the Army in Desert Storm, and a No Limit soldier, serving under Master P. (He recently ended his contract with No Limit.) In person, he shows a side different from his thug image, flexing both a superstar charisma that would get Sisqo fans to drop their thongs, and a do-ragged sincerity that proves he's a Southern gentleman under the urban-warfare camouflage.

"Shake Ya Ass" has a classic James Brown vibe.

That's a compliment, because James Brown is the maaaan. It wasn't on purpose -- it just came out like that. I never imagined it would go over like it's going now.

Do you think James Brown would shake his ass to it?

I wouldn't want to see it, but I'm sure he'd do a move to it.

With Juvenile's "Back That Azz Up" and your "Shake Ya Ass," is there room for two songs from New Orleans about asses?

Definitely. That's what bounce music is: ass songs. Songs that make you shake your ass, pop your pussy, get your titties sucked.

Your album isn't all ass-shaking songs, though. "Ain't Gonna See Tomorrow" deals with your belief in God.

I grew up in a serious, strong Baptist background. That's what has me standing where I am. God walks with me throughout -- that's the head of my life right now.

After all the violence you've seen in both Kuwait and New Orleans, is it ever hard to hold on to your faith in God?

No, never. God works in mysterious ways. Everything happens for a reason. Like the death of my sister [Michelle Tyler, who was murdered in 1994]. That was one of the hardest things I ever had to deal with. But I never questioned God. It kind of felt like her death was his way of preparing me for my career. [Fans] are going to be a little closer to me on this album; they're going to know me a little more. I debated and debated over the song "Murder III" [about Tyler's death], whether I should leave it alone. But I had to do it. I owed it to her legacy.

You and Master P bonded over the death of siblings.

That's the story of everybody in New Orleans: If it ain't your immediate family, it's your cousin or your buddy -- if it's not you. That's something we all understand down here, so we bond and make something positive from it.

Are you still associated with No Limit?

I'm pretty much out. We did what we had to do, making No Limit a household name. And you'll definitely hear us doing records together in the future. People want there to be more to it. They're asking, "Did you have a fight?" It's like a movie with no action, and nobody gets killed. Nobody's gonna enjoy that shit! But, sorry, that's just how things go.

There's a jam on your record called "Rock N Roll." Do you listen to rock & roll?

As long as it has a tight-ass beat. What's that song, "I did it all for the nookie/The nookie/So you can take that cookie"? Limp Bizkit.

That shit's up my motherfuckin' alley. And that Korn got some tight shit.

The "Shake Ya Ass" video looks like it was influenced by the orgy scene in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut.

Exactly. I had to watch that movie, like, ten times when Little X, the director, told me he was gonna do that. It was as fun as it looked. In this field, I see a lot of girls, but I wasn't used to having them all in one room. I lost my cool a couple of times.

You got a song, "Big Truck Boyz." What's your ride?

I got damn near every sports-utility vehicle there is, from Navigator to Expedition, all the Range Rovers, Lexus. All trucks -- the bigger the better.

New Orleans rappers love their cars. What's up with that?

We're so country, we have fifty cars in one house! [Laughs] It's just that country in us. Shiiiiit!

You don't seem afraid to show your emotions in your songs.

My belief in God keeps me grounded and humbled -- compared to him, we're nothing. I'm quite secure: I don't have nothing to hide. The song "The Braids" is a statement: Despite all the trials and tribulations of the rap game, I'm still going to stand through this, shine and swing them braids. "The braids" are me -- I was referring to myself as the braids.

'Cause you're always swinging?

Definitely. You feel me?

MATT DIEHL
(October 14, 2000)