In the current music biz artists are getting dropped as fast as record sales are falling. One artist though is quite happy to be free of his major label. "I'm just happy to be free, man. I feel like I just got out of jail," an elated Chali 2na tells the BoomBox of being off Interscope, the home for Jurassic 5 for many years.

After two years of trying to, as he puts it, "get loose," 2na did just that. And the reason he's so happy to be away from the label that dropped Jurassic 5 prior to the band's breakup is 'Fish out of Water,' his solo debut, which is due in mid-June. "The crazy part about this whole experience is I started commissioning 'Fish out of Water' about five years ago," he says. "For the longest time I've been holding onto it, but it's gonna feel even better to get it off my chest."

He'll have a chance to share this summer when he heads out as part of the Rock the Bells fest, along with some friends from the album. "It's a trip," he says. "A lot of people who guest appear on my album are actually on this tour; Damian Marley is on my album, Talib Kweli is on my album, Elzhi, from Slum Village, is on my album. So to be able to actually do those songs is something I'm really looking forward to."

Does that mean there will be some collaborations on RTB? "I told Damien, 'Dude, come on, we gotta work it.' He's like, 'Alright, no problem.'"Another guest on the album heading out on RTB is Talib Kweli, who helps kicks the festivities off for what is a big celebration for 2na. "I have a single called 'Lock S--- Down' to get the ball rolling, and Talib came and laced it for me," 2na says. "It was cool, just some real rap s---, but it's really feel good party kind of stuff."

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