Four years ago, when Scarface dropped Emeritus, he said it would be the last album in a long, illustrious career that included well-regarded works like 1994′s The Diary, 1997′s The Untouchable and 2002′s The Fix. But just like Jay-Z, Too $hort and other MCs who have pledged to walk away from rap, the Houston lyricist just couldn’t stay away.

Face’s follow-up Rooted is on the way, and when the former Geto Boy moseyed up to “RapFix Live” on Wednesday, he firmly replanted his hip-hop flag. Rap retirement is clearly a foregone feeling, as the man born Brad Jordan breaks down the significance of his new album title. “It’s just a structure that’s gonna be there. It’s like a concrete pillar, you can’t get it out the way, it’s there, it’s grounded,” he says of Rooted. “It’s just a structure that can’t be moved and that would be me.”

The veteran MC estimates that the LP is about 98 percent done, but Face is also a well-documented perfectionist; if he could, he’d tinker with an album for years before releasing it. “You’re gonna see an album this summer,” Scarface promised, before humorously backtracking, “or this fall, winter.”

When Rooted does arrive, it’ll feature vocal contributions from Akon, Cee Lo, John Legend and Jadakiss and production from Virginia beatsmith Nottz and underground favorite Jake One. Ultimately Scarface credits California producer Ervin “EP” Pope with helping to refine Rooted. “I got some good stuff. EP saved the project,” he said of the producer who has crafted beats for Ne-Yo and Game. “I just sent him my whole album, that’s how much I cared if he leaked it or not, but instead he finished the tracks, he put the hooks on, he put some instruments in and he made the album. I appreciate EP for what he did.”

As reported by MTV

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