Spring Bling

Spring

Blingspecial edition

REDD EYEZZ // MIMS // MAGIC MIKE +USDA // SMITTY // UNK // WES FIF SUAVE SMOOTH // LLOYD // C-RIDE CAROL CITY CARTEL // & MORE BCR 2007 **special edition** Spring Bling

presents lil haiti’s own strictly business records redd eyezz

hurricane // MIMS // USDA // SMITTY +UNK // WES FIF // SUAVE SMOOTH LLOYD // C-RIDE // CAROL CITY CARTEL

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MIAMI PHOTO GALLERY

01 // Jim Jonsin, DJ Khaled, Pitbull, Stay Fresh, Lil Jon, & ladies @ Bongo’s for Rick Ross’ birthday party 02 // Stack$ & his father Cecile Barker @ The Forge 03 // Bu, Dirtered, & BANG @ Bongo’s for Rick Ross’ birthday party 04 // Fat Joe & his wife Lorena 05 // Benji Brown @ the Improv 06 // Guest & K Foxx @ Jimmy Henchman’s party 07 // Trina & Too $hort @ Bongo’s for Rick Ross’ birthday party 08 // Flo-Rida, Krunch One, & Scotti Boi @ Rollexx 09 // Kelis @ The Forge for Soul Kitchen Sundays 10 // Ladies @ the Improv 11 // Tigger looking for some new Kittens calendar models @ the 400 Club 12 // C.O. & Trick Daddy @ Santo’s for Miami Live 13 // The Runners & Fat Joe 14 // D-Boy & In- dianapolis Colts star @ Rollexx 15 // Brock, Cool, & Fentz @ Take One 16 // Redd Eyezz ignores the Cristal boycott 17 // Hulk Hogan & Anna Nicole Smith (R.I.P.) 18 // Tigger & Lorenzo “Ice Tea” Thomas @ the 400 Club 19 // DMX @ the Rollexx

Photos by J Lash 954-854-4008

OZONE | Kaye Dunaway www.myspace.com/djkayedunaway

aye Dunaway DJs for 102 Jamz in Or- Definitely. I like Wes Fif and Haitian Fresh. lando. She is also a member of the CORE Preacher is another one that’s coming up. Stick DJs, Murda Mamis and Pure Pain Records. 3000 seems to be doing his thing, too. KWith a love for breaking new records, KD fully supports the independent artist movement in You’ve lived in a lot of cities. When and why did Central Florida and hopes to bring new talent to you move to Orlando? the forefront of Hip Hop. The situation I was in prior to that didn’t work out so I moved to Atlanta and intended to get How long have you been mixing? my grind on and do the mixtape thing. I wasn’t All my life. My dad was a DJ and I used to watch even thinking about radio at that point. I had him do his thing. I really started getting into it sent a couple of resumes out before I moved around 9 years old. to Atlanta so they called me up about a month later out of the blue. They said they liked what When did you get your big break in radio? they heard. I didn’t even know anyone out here. I did an internship at V103 [in Atlanta]. A It was really luck. friend of mine that was already interning there brought me in. I was in college at the time at You seem to have a very strong opinion about Morris Brown College in Atlanta. I majored in the “Hip Hop is dead” movement. Care to graphic design. I got the internship and it was elaborate? my chance to learn everything. I learned pro- I don’t think Hip Hop is dead. Just ‘cause it’s not duction, promotions and programming. I got to popular in one part of the country anymore, that meet a lot of big names that are in radio today. doesn’t mean it’s dead. It’s just transforming right now. That’s what Hip Hop has always been Do you think it’s harder for a woman to make it able to do since its inception. It’s changing and in the DJ game? people gotta learn to change with it. A lot of No, not if you’re persistent and show that you’re people are getting older and aren’t learning to serious about it. At first it seemed kind of intim- adapt. They’re holding on to what they thought idating because everyone looks at it as a male Hip Hop was. Hip Hop is still doing the same thing. It does take some time to prove yourself thing it was doing back then. It’s freeing minds but once you get established and people know and giving people an opportunity to do some- you’re not faking it, it’s not hard at all. thing bigger than what they ever could have imagined doing with their lives. It educates You have several DJ affiliations. How do they people. It might sound a little different, but it’s help your career? doing the same thing. The first affiliation that I ever got down with was the Tech.Nitions. From there I met up with What projects are you working on? the Murda Mamis and the CORE DJs. Pure Pain I’m doing some R&B mixtapes down here. I’m Records in Georgia have really helped me a lot. doing a mixtape that’s going to feature a lot They have a lot of DJ affiliations. of Orlando artists. I’m going to put them on front ‘cause Orlando has a lot of talent and What are some of your favorite records to spin? they haven’t had the chance to showcase it yet. Right now, it’s the T-Pain record. I love anything I want to put them on blast so people can see by Rich Boy and the Swizz Beatz Record – I like what’s going on down here. spinning that record. Words by Ms. Rivercity Are there any local artists you are feeling? Photo by Terrence Tyson

10 | OZONE Kaye Dunaway www.myspace.com/djkayedunaway

OZONE | 11 magic mike

J Magic Mike” Hampton is a man that what I did for the game. needs no introduction. With decades “Dof experience and platinum selling What’s the best way for an aspiring artist to get records, the 40-year-old vet continues to be you to play their music? And what’s the worst blessed with success. Magic Mike currently mixes way? at Power 95.3, Antigua and the House of Blues The best way is to make a phone call and talk in Orlando. about it. I’m easy when it comes to playing music. The worst way is to try to give it to me Who was your favorite DJ growing up? when I am already spinning and tell me that it’s I really didn’t have one ‘cause there were no the shit and then harass me 20 minutes later DJs doing anything in Orlando at the time. The when I haven’t played it. No DJ in their right first DJ I could follow was Grandmaster Flash mind is gonna play a new song that no one in 1981. knows in the peak part of their set unless they planned it out. How do DJs from the South, East, Midwest, and West differ in styles? How has the recent RIAA crackdown on DJ Drama Most DJs in the South do a lot of mic checking affected the mixtape game? over the music but are not very technical. DJs It didn’t affect me because I haven’t done any from the West Coast don’t talk very much but are mixtapes yet. I know DJ Drama and he is a cool very technical. Some East Coast DJs can be tech- mofo and I know he didn’t need that stress. nical but if they aren’t, they use the mic to cover it up. Midwest DJs are not afraid to play multiple Do you drink while you spin and if so, what’s styles of music. They can play West Coast, South your drink of choice? Do you mix better drunk and East Coast. or sober? I drink a little bit but I don’t get crazy. It’s im- Name three rappers you believe will blow up in possible to get drunk when I spin. If you’ve ever 2007. watched me, you’ll know what I mean. I don’t BOB. Everyone else has already blown up in have a lot of time to drink until the end of the their own way. set. Most of the time I just drink beer.

Have you ever considered quitting the DJ game? Is Hip Hop dead? Why or why not? No, I can’t quit the game because I love it too Hip Hop in the state we grew up with is dead much. I have been spinning for almost 30 years and it’s sad. Nothing is being said anymore, now. It’s my life and it’s what I get paid to do. whether positive or negative. Back in the day if Political bullshit almost drove me away from it, we wanted to say something positive then we but the love kept me here. would throw on some KRS-One or Public Enemy. If we wanted the other end of the spectrum, we What has been the defining moment in your could listen to N.W.A. Now most of the choices career? are limited when it comes to personal listening. When my first 12” was released and it was suc- There will be a change soon though, mark my cessful, and also when my first LP went gold and words. then platinum. That’s what let me know that my name was out there and that people knew who Do you prefer to receive music on CD, vinyl, or I was. MP3? I prefer vinyl ‘cause that’s what I know and Are there any artists whose music you won’t love. I can say I’ve mastered Scratch Live play? though. I’m not a fan of CDs. I import them into Not really. I usually like everyone and get along my laptop. // with everyone. Most artists today usually have a deep respect for me because of my history and Words by Ms. Rivercity

12 | OZONE OZONE | 13 dj slym

s part of the Clientell Party Starters, the you to play their music? And what’s the worst Hittmenn DJs, Wilin DJs, Supreme Team way? ADJs, Dawgman Entertainment, ZoePop- Email it to me at [email protected]. pie Ent, 93.5 Clientell Radio, and a long list of Build a relationship with me so I know you by other affiliations, Alex “DJ Slym” Ducenord is face and name. The worst way is threatening me one of Orlando’s busiest DJs. At 22 years old, he at the club. I haven’t had a threat personally, already has a full club agenda at Tropical Magic, but I have heard about artists doing so. Roxy, Element and Club Legends. Name the top 5 classic songs that always make What’s the worst DJ job you’ve ever had? the crowd go nuts. I had to do a holiday party for corporate bank Juvenile “400 Degreez,” C-Murder “Fuck Them and they made me play 50s disco music. I’m me Other Niggas,” Lil Jon “Who You Wit’,” Khia “Don’t so I rocked it anyways. Trust No Nigga,” and OHB “Paralyze.”

What is the most money someone offered you to What other ventures are you involved with play their song at a club? Did you take it? besides DJing? $100. Hell yeah I took it; that’s a phone bill. I’m a future heavyweight promoter like Dawg- man. I help him with his shows in Orlando. I How do DJs from the South, East Coast, Midwest, have my own company Zoe Poppie Entertain- and West differ in styles? ment. We do a lot of things in Palm Beach. DJs in the South are crowd controllers. We like to talk and interact with the crowd. East Coast DJs Name at least 2 records you’ve broken and don’t really talk; they’re more about scratching explain how you can claim credit for breaking and battling. Southern DJs can get down in the them. scratching and battling, too. I broke Haitian Fresh’s “Season of the Zoes” and Supa Chino’s “Hayie” in Orlando. I’m on the Name three rappers you believe will blow up in underground in Orlando and we invited them 2007. down to hear it for themselves. If you call them, Wes Fif, Supa Chino, and Haitian Fresh. they’ll tell ya.

Have you ever considered quitting the DJ game? Is radio as crooked and corrupt as people make Why? Why did you decide to stay? it out to be? Yeah, because it seemed like all the hard work I’ve been on underground radio since I was 14 I was putting in, I felt that I wasn’t progressing years old. I tried working at a corporate radio with it. I later realized that I had my own fol- station and it wasn’t nothing like what I was lowing which were my Haitians and that I could used to. All I can say is we have fun on our sta- become the key DJ for my Zoes and take it to tion. We are not controlled by a group of super the next level. Not to mention I hooked up with rich folks that control everything we play. Dawgman in Orlando and got on the radio and everything took off from there. What’s the worst song someone asked you to play at the height of a crunk party? Are there any artists whose music you won’t “Cha Cha Slide.” Wow! play? Why? No, not really. If it’s jamming, then as a DJ I Is Hip Hop dead? Why or why not? have to play it, especially if it’s a club banger. No, Hip Hop isn’t dead. It’s just evolving. There I have to give my audience what they want. I are hundreds of thousands of hungry cats like can’t and won’t get personal unless that par- me who aren’t going to let it die before we can ticular artist does or says something about me get a chance to make a lasting mark in it. // or something that I represent. Words: Ms. Rivercity What’s the best way for an aspiring artist to get Photo: Alain Fleury

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raylo www.myspace.com/demdamndogs

aylo is a well known figure in the Palm clubless right now. Beach community, for several reasons. RNot only is he one of the top promoters Is the violence slowing down your business at in the area, but he is also creator of a notorious all? documentary that has launched a media frenzy. It sucks. The only thing that’s helping my busi- Raylo, along with his crew Dem Damn Dogs, has ness is that the news keeps running [footage been a target of harassment since they released from] our DVD so we’re selling more and more shocking footage of street life in Palm Beach. DVDs. We’ve been on the news for four months While most people think of South Florida as straight. It’s been in the Palm Beach Post, PBS, a sunny paradise, residents are well aware of everything. People on the DVD have been locked the crime and violence that city officials try to up for murder. conceal. Although efforts to drown the harsh reality have been made, without weights to hold How has the city tried to retaliate against you it down, the long kept secret has risen to the for putting out the DVD? Are they trying to shut surface. it down? The police have kicked our door in because they Introduce yourself and explain what you do. got an anonymous tip that we taped a murder. I’m part of a group called Dem Damn Dogs. We’re It wasn’t true. They’ve tried to get us, hoping DJs and promoters. We do it all, anything to do me and my partners are dirty. I’ve gotten pulled with artists or having a party. We also do the over in my driveway. They’ve searched our cars underground radio here. We’re the first and only and harassed us. This has been going on since ones to do it in Palm Beach County. We’ve been September 3rd when we released the DVD. doing it since 1994. You said that there are basically no clubs open What’s the name of your DVD series? in Palm Beach right now. Have the DJs in your Gangstas and Thugs. crew had to go to other cities to get work? Basically, yeah. Luckily we do a lot of stuff in Why is there such a big controversy surrounding Delray Beach – which is in West Palm Beach your Gangstas and Thugs DVD? County, and in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. We still ‘Cause it bruised the city’s Public Relations. It get booked in a lot of places but as far as West exposed the violence that goes on here and the Palm Beach, we’re scarred right now – half due gang problems in Palm Beach County. They’re to the violence, half due to the city. really upset because they portray Palm Beach County as a rich place where everybody is living How can people purchase the DVD or get more good – but they’re not. They portray it one way info about it? but reality was shown [on the DVD]. The tape It’s called Gangstas and Thugs – Hoodlife 2. It’s doesn’t lie. Everybody’s seen what’s really hap- in every Best Buy in the world. We have another pening in Palm Beach. one too called the Dem Damn Dogs DVD. They can go to www.myspace.com/demdamndogs to Speaking of the violence in Palm Beach, I hear see clips, or they can call 561-574-5980 and it’s really affecting the nightlife there. What’s we’ll mail it to them. That’s my number. You can going on? see clips, info on our new releases – we have We’re not at any clubs right now. It’s affecting one coming out on March 31st, the flyers, the it tremendously. It’s completely out of control newspaper article, everything’s on the myspace down here. We say prayers before the club lets page. // out. There’s no telling what’s going to happen in the parking lot. People get murked. We’re Words by Ms. Rivercity

16 | OZONE OZONE | 17 smittyWORDS & PHOTO BY JULIA BEVERLY

18 | OZONE our album was supposed to drop a Were you disappointed that people only got to while back through J Records, but it hear that one single and the album was never didn’t come out yet. Has that situation released? slowed down your momentum? Most definitely. It put a chip on my shoulder, YIt definitely slowed down my momentum, but honestly. Everything that happened to me in it’s also made me a better artist and prepared this whole stretch has given me an attitude and me for the game. I’ve learned a lot about a swag about my ability. When you first step into budgets and marketing and the political aspects the game you don’t know if people are going of the game; getting radio play. It’s not just to like you or not. We sit and write our rhymes about having a hit record anymore, which is and think it’s the hottest in the world, but when crazy. When I first started, it was all a talent the world gets ahold of it you don’t know what thing. The hottest records got the most spins. they’re going to say. It kind of gave me an edge, It’s not like that anymore, and I learned that by like, I didn’t get a chance to show everything I going through my trials and tribulations with had. So now I’m going to go harder. Go back to J Records. So yeah, it’s slowed down my mo- the lab and come with something even fresher mentum, but they still support me and I’m still and newer. signed with them. The average artist would’ve been dropped by now – we spent [over] a Are you scratching everything you had for the million dollars [on my project] and for them to album and starting over from scratch? still believe in me is a blessing. And I have been Nah, a lot of that stuff is still there, which is working – I haven’t been sitting on my ass, for powerful. A lot of that music is timeless. I have all the people who are like, “What happened to records that are two or three years old that are Smitty?” I’ve been grinding. I’m still dropping still relevant today. That’s what gives me a lot freestyles every week and still staying relevant. of confidence in the album. Don’t get me wrong, though, I have recorded so many new songs Do you think “Diamonds on My Neck” was the that I’ll have to replace some to keep the album right single for you? As an artist, you don’t realy up to date. But there’s still a good six or seven have that flashy, diamonds-on-my-neck type songs that makes up the core of the album of image. that’s basically the foundation. I’ve never been That song made me get into that realm. At the a radio-ingle type of guy. end of the day it’s almost like Jay-Z’s “Black Album” which was a classic, but the single was There was an interview on the internet where “Change Clothes,” you know? [The single] didn’t another artist criticized you for having a song signify the potential of the album or the type like “Diamonds on My Neck” and said yours were of artist he is. But you’re dealing with a system fake. that understands only one thing: record spins, Pimp C said that, and he actually apologized record spins, record spins. What that allows [later] in an interview. him to do is open up a lot of people’s eyes. We can try and fake it as long as we want but So were they real? the average person is not going to listen to an Oh, yeah. Everything is real. My jeweler is David, artist’s album unless he has a hit record out. in the diamonds district in New York City. You can put out a million hot freestyles and a million hot records but until you’re getting radio What’s with the new Jim Jones look you’ve got play, nobody’s gonna buy your record. A prime going on? example is my man Rich Boy. I’ve been down I’m going for the rock-star look. I’m just on hearing him and Polow since day one and I some other shit. When I’m in the studio, I feel knew the potential he had, but it took that one like people don’t relate to where I’m coming record for everybody to notice him. He’s always from musically because I’ve evolved so much been there; nothing’s changed. When “Diamonds during the trials and tribulations that I’ve gone on My Neck” took off, it wasn’t necessarily the through. When I first got signed I wanted a big record that best fit me, but I had to catch up to chain and this and that, but those things don’t it and reap the benefits. When I did that record, even turn me on no more. we were actually in the process of rolling with the Akon record [as a single]. Before I knew Along with the new style, you look like you’ve it, “Diamonds on My Neck” was already on the been working out lately. radio and in the clubs. When a record takes its Yeah, I play a little basketball. I actually got own legs and builds its own identity without the into a little scuffle in the club and I had to artist [promoting it], it would be dumb for me to rehabilitate. So while I was rehabilitating, why try to stop it. not lose some weight? >>

OZONE | 19 How has linking up with Bryan Leach’s new Robin Thicke on the hook, and a version with label Polo Grounds affected your situation with the original sample and we’re going to see J Records? which one comes out the hottest. Basically [Bryan] is just fresh blood over at J Records. He has definitely brought a new in- So you’re going to pull a Puffy move – take a hit tensity which has nothing to do with J Records. from the 80s and update it? There’s just a stigma when they put records out. [laughs] Why not? Actually, Felli gave me the If you send out a record from Def Jam that’s just record through Breyon Prescott. When I first alright, DJs are more eager to give it a chance heard it I didn’t get it, but then the Puffy in me just because it’s Def Jam. What [Bryan] has done came out and I started to write a record. It’s not is actually give a whole new face to J Records; a about being the best lyricist, it’s about mak- new identity. It gives me a chance to bring what ing a hit record, and that’s what people don’t I have to the table. understand when they say, “[Smitty] doesn’t sound like he’s from Little Haiti.” I think that’s Do you have a release date right now? the problem with the game today. These kids We want to do August, but we’ve been going and everybody are buying into the illusion and through so much. If the new record [“Died In the [fake] credibility of these people who really Your Arms”] takes off the way it’s appearing to have no validity in the streets. You’re buying take off, we could push the album back to June into what they’re selling. You’re buying into or July. their chains, their gold and their grills. These [rappers] are really doctors and lawyers, feel Was it difficult to get clearance for that sample? me? They could’ve went to any college they We got clearance, but they took a lot of the wanted to, but you’re buying into the swag. publishing, like 80%. Felli Fel’s production team You’re thinking that he’s hot because of his in Los Angeles produced the song. We have a swag, which really has nothing to do with the version with T-Pain on the hook, a version with music. //

20 | OZONE OZONE | 21 unk Words: Ms Rivercity // Photo: Earl “The Maverick” Randolph

fter creating one of the hottest the week this week. It’s a great look. dance tracks of 2006, Mr. “Walk It Out” is back with another club hit Do you think it’s catching on as quickly as “Walk Aappropriately titled “2 Step.” We sat down with It Out”? Unk to discuss the progress of his new song Yeah, actually I think “2 Step” is gonna be big- and video, along with his album and platinum ger than “Walk It Out.” ringtone sales. How does it feel to go to a club and see every- How’s the video for “2 Step” doing? body go crazy for a dance you created? The “2 Step” video came out great. They just Words can’t describe it. I’m glad people are showed it on TRL on MTV. It’s actually the jam of getting that energy and that urge to have fun

22 | OZONE instead of being in the club getting their head – like overseas. People all over the world are on chopped off at the end of the night. It’s good to Myspace. get that response off any record. Will you be performing during Spring Bling? Has Beatin’ Down Yo Block lived up to your Yeah, I’m going to be at Spring Bling. Friday, it’s expectations? going down. We’re doing “2 Step” and the “Walk My album is increasing weekly in sales. It’s It Out” remix. doing good. Do you have anything big planned for that Has promoting your album been harder than you performance? expected it to be? Hopefully we’ll get the Neptunes and Andre 3000 Promotions is always hard. You always got to and all of us together for the remix. That’ll be get out and do it right – radio stations, inter- a big thing if it goes down. Be on the lookout; views, messing with DJs. Promotions is a big Spring Bling we’re taking over. step as far as album sales. Do you consider your style of music to be Hip How many shows do you do in a week? Hop? I’d say close to fifteen or twenty shows. I have I consider my music to be Hip Hop, dance, crunk, like two or three shows a night. anything that keeps you motivated.

Since you’re touring and promoting the album, How do you feel about people saying that party have you had to put DJing on hold? records aren’t real Hip Hop? Man, I’ve been performing so much it’s so hard If they don’t like it, I know their kids like it. If right now. I wish I could find a way to get back you can’t beat ‘em, you might as well join ‘em. on the one’s and two’s. I’m doing shows every It’s a whole different market. day, so I’m just trying to take it one day at a time. It ain’t no thing though. How do you plan on keeping your music popular in the future? Which do you like better, DJing or performing? Just staying on my grind, doing my homework. I like performing better ‘cause it’s more interac- Now that I’m out doing a lot of shows, I get to tive with the crowd. When you’re DJing, you experience a lot of stuff and see a lot of differ- might not even get a chance to see the crowd. ent things that are going on in different cities. They got you hidden. It’s other ways people party, not just how they do in Atlanta. I’m gon’ keep putting out music to Does the performing and traveling ever get have fun. I’m just going to keep doing my thing. exhausting? Yeah, it does but it ain’t nothing like making What else is the Oomp Camp working on? money everyday. You just got to stay healthy We got a lot. We got the TV show on UPN. It’s and stay on it. It all works out for the best at got over 3 million viewers. It shows videos and the end. hot interviews. We got Big Korey’s album coming out called Lil League. That’s one of the youngest Is there anything else besides money that keeps dudes in the South. He brought me out on the you motivated? BET Hip Hop Awards. His single should be out Music, fans, Myspace, shows, a lot of stuff keeps this summer. We got Baby D’s album ATL’s Best me motivated. People come up and tell me they Kept Secret is coming out in a month or two. We love my songs. That’s what gives me the urge got another group album coming. to go back in the studio and make more good music. Anything else you’d like to mention before we go? You mentioned Myspace. How does it help your I just want everyone to logon to www.bet. career? com/106andpark and vote for my video to make It gives the world a chance to hear my music it number one. Shouts out to all my fans. Hit me or read my bio and how I came up, who I am. up at www.myspace.com/djunkoompcamp or Everybody wants to see you face to face but www.unkmusic.com to download the ringtone. Myspace helps a whole lot because you can The ringtone is platinum at 1.3 million and still hit a lot of spots where you can’t really reach climbing; iTunes is gold. I’m just blessed. //

OZONE | 23 Stick 3000

24 | OZONE riginally from Palm Beach County, Which one of your songs is your personal favor- now residing in Orlando, Stick 3000 ite and why? has been involved in the music To be real with you, I like “I See You” – the song Obusiness for a lengthy amount of time. He’s I did with KC. The reason I say that is ‘cause booked artists, written for artists, promoted when I wrote it, it was personal. It’s how you’re artists and now it’s his turn to be an artist. supposed to treat a woman and deal with a With radio play, packed shows, and a new song woman. If you got somebody you love, you’re featuring Plies, Stick is using his experience and supposed to do ‘em right. I love “Goon,” too. connections to get things done. That’s my street song. That’s for everybody that’s trying to get it and how we live every day. Explain your rap name and how you got it? It’s a toss up between those two songs. I got the name back in ’95 and I was just called Stick. There was a DJ out of Delray Beach, Where do you hope rapping will take you? Florida named DJ Red. He was in a group called I hope I make it to where everybody I mess The Pound Puppy DJs. Now they’re called Dem with ain’t gotta worry about nothing. I do that Damn Dogs. All of us used to be in a group. I now – I make sure my family and everybody’s was the only one that didn’t have a name so straight but at the same time, I can only do so they were just like, “We’re gonna call you Stick.” much. I’m trying to get on that level. As long as At the time I was like, “I don’t want that friggin’ the people keep telling me they love what I’m name. I ain’t that damn skinny.” But they said doing, I’m gonna keep giving it to ‘em. it fits me so it just stuck. You know, the ladies take it to a whole different level when they call What’s the biggest show that you’ve done so me Stick. far? It was last year at the Hard Rock Live with Lil How did you get into music? Wayne. It was like 3,000 people in there. That I’ve been in it all my life. I just loved music, shit there was crazy. That was when “Make It dancing, and all that growing up. As I got older, Rain Money” was real hot. I did a couple of big I used to book artists with my man Pupp and shows but I remember that one being crazy with Dawgman. I used to always write songs and so many people screaming and hollering. I did give ‘em to other artists. So, at the end of ’05, I bigger shows than that, but it was way back in decided it was time for me to do this. I was tired ’97. of booking artists and I knew I could outdo all them. The DJs in your area seem to really support you. What’s the best way to network with a DJ, in You have a song with Plies called “Goon.” Tell your opinion? me about that. Build a relationship with ‘em from the start. Buy I came up with the song. I was supposed to ‘em a drink; have a conversation with ‘em. Don’t hook up with Plies about a year ago. At the just give a DJ a CD and tell ‘em to play it. You time, I didn’t really have the right song. I had to shouldn’t have to pay a DJ. If you get in tight figure out the right song. Plies is always talking with a DJ and your music sounds good, they’re about goons, so I got up with him and said, “I gonna back it. Like my boys DJ D-Strong, DJ got the perfect song for you. We need to go on Nasty, J-Deezy, them boys got my back. I love ahead and do it.” He hit me up one day and was them. like, “Where you at? I’m ready to do the song.” He was in the O; he came over here and put it Do you have any other side projects you’re into down. We on a mission now. besides rapping? I got an audio shop called Rated Image. We Have you done any other collaborations? hook up cars. I also got my own promotions I did a couple of songs with KC – he’s with company. We got duplications centers and all The Runners. He was on the Lloyd Banks song that. My company is called My Money Entertain- “Karma” and he just re-wrote the hook for ment and I’m also with Clientell Music Group “Go Getta” with Jeezy and R. Kelly. 102 Jamz is with my boy Dawgman. always playing the song I have with him called “I See You.” It’s a love song. It’s real tight. But What’s the best way to contact you about your the song that put me on the map was “I Make services? It Rain Money.” I did that in ’05. I was the first www.myspace.com/stick3000 or www.Stick3000. person to make that song, I gotta make that com or 407-257-3290. // known. Every time I perform, I make it rain money; that’s what I do. Words: Ms. Rivercity

OZONE | 25 hen most Louisiana residents hear the word “hurricane,” their minds Winevitably drift to the painful memories of Katrina. But this Shreveport native is determined to change that. His maligned moniker, Hurricane, was given to him as a result his destructive battle-rapping skills; skills that not only evacuated his opponents’ pride, but also left the on-looking crowd in a disarrayed frenzy.

“Not to brag, but after each one of my battles I used to embarrass [other rappers] so bad that when it was over, people were just be silent,” exclaims the semi-humble Hurricane. “Every- body would be looking crazy, like, ‘What just happened? He destroyed ‘em.’ That’s why they named me Hurricane, because after a storm it’s silent.” Though he silenced opponents, Hurricane’s category 5 buzz had the opposite effect on industry A&Rs and led him to a major label record deal through Polo Grounds Music/J Okay, the streets are definitely feeling that Records, the brainchild of executive Bryan Leach track. So how is the music scene in Shreveport? (credited with discovering Lil Jon & the Ying We got a whole bunch of talent, but people Yang Twins, among others). Now, the Shreveport don’t know about it yet. We got a lot of people rap savior is set to emerge as an undeniable with talent that ain’t got exposed, so with me force determined to take the game by storm. gettin’ on, I’m trying to bring my whole city on You’ve been warned. the map. I’ma kick the door down for the rest.

How long have you been rapping? After Katrina hit, did you ever think about I’ve been rapping like 8 years, but I’ve been changing your name because of the travesty serious about it for like 6 years. that the Hurricane caused in Louisiana? Nah, ain’t nobody really look at it like that. A lot How did you get started? people that know I’m from Louisiana respect the On my side of town I was one of the first people struggle, so the name isn’t out of disrespect or to battle rap, so at the skating rink we used to anything like that. have battle contests. I used to go up there every weekend. I started getting a reputation around Tell me about your relationship with Polo here, and my manager 3 Feet was DJing up there Grounds and J Records, how did that come at the time. He took a liking to my music and about? started inviting me to all kinds of talent shows, My record was spinning in Atlanta before I even and he was on the radio, too. He was doing a had a deal with anybody. I met [DJ Smurf a.k.a. radio show with Hollyhood Bay Bay. We hooked Mr.] Collipark first. Now, I got a deal with Young up, and they put they resources with my talent Mogul and Polo Grounds Music/J Records and my and we grinded it out. album is executive produced by Mr. Collipark. Mr. Collipark heard my music in Atlanta and called How did you come with the “A Bay Bay” song? my dude Bay Bay, and we was down here on a Hollyhood Bay Bay, that’s my ace boon koon. He flight the next day. He came to the club, saw me got his own radio show in Shreveport and we perform, we kicked it, talked, got to know each was joking with him like, “A Bay Bay,” and the other a little bit, and we made it happen. After song became snappy, so I took it from there. that I started dealing with Polo Grounds Music So now, even when you ain’t talkin’ to him you who is distributed through J Records. So we can be like, “A Bay Bay.” I switched it from just linked it all together. somebody’s name to a slang anybody can use. If somebodys asks you, “You going to the club Do you have an album release date yet? tonight?” you can say, “A Bay Bay.” It just means We ain’t got no release date right now. We gon’ fa sho. do a DJ Drama Gangsta Grillz mixtape; we gon’

26 | OZONE Hurricane

WordsSea: Eric Perrin // PsHOTO: JULIAon BEVERLY

drop that in less than a month, so look out for Man, I’ve been doing three, four shows a week. that. That’s gonna lead you right into the album. I was doing that before I even had a deal. I been doing shows in Louisiana, Texas, and all How are you different from other rappers? surrounding areas. I’ve been doing three to four I’m trying to relate to everybody. I want every- shows a week for the last three months. body to be able to relate to where I’m coming from; the people in the hood to the people What kind of advice do you have for other livin’ the good life. I ain’t just rapping about people from small towns that are trying to make one thing, I’m real versatile. I got club songs, it in the industry and attract the attention of a songs that you can ride and bump, a little bit of major label? everything. It’s between a gangsta and a mack; It can happen. All you gotta do is put your city it ain’t too gangsta to the point where certain on the map. Rep your city to the fullest, rep people ain’t gon’ play it, but you still gon’ feel where you from. You gotta be proud of where where I’m coming from. White folks, gangstas, your from. If you represent to the fullest and and thugs gon’ be able to ride to this. get your city behind you, can’t nobody tell you can’t do it. They told me I couldn’t do it and Have you been doing a lot of shows lately? now I’m here. //

OZONE | 27 sean kingston Words // Ms. Rivercity

28 | OZONE t 17 years old, Sean Kingston has Right now I have a deal with Beluga Heights done what millions of other artists which is through super producer J.R. Rotem and have spent their whole lives trying Epic Records. We shopped around with a lot of Ato do – land a major label deal. As an artist labels and had a little bidding war going on but under Beluga Heights/Epic Records, Sean has we did the deal with them. I felt like Epic was a already shared the stage with Florida heavy- good situation. I felt comfortable; I felt at home weights like Pitbull, Trina, Trick Daddy and Pretty so we made the deal happen. Ricky. He’s even secured features from Akon, Baby Cham, Rick Ross and more. Now he’s ready How were you able to shop around for a deal? to release his first solo project. How did you make those types of connections? Myspace. I met J.R.’s brother through Myspace, Describe your style of music. which is crazy. I sent him three songs and didn’t I’d say it’s a little bit of reggae and a little bit of really think he was gonna hit me back but he rap – you know, international. listened to the three songs, called me back and flew me out. We started working and devel- Did you always want to be a musician or is there oping some tracks. When we found the right something else you wanted to do? three songs he shopped me around we made it I’ve been making music since the age of 8. It’s happen. something that has always been a part of me. I wrote my first song when I was 9 and I took What are some things that the music business it from there. Growing up, I wasn’t like the has taught you so far? regular teenager. I wasn’t really interested in It’s taught me to stay humble. When I first got going to the movies or playing video games. I signed, I thought everything was just going was always a music head. I would come home to come to me. But you gotta be humble, stay from school, do my homework, and write a new focused and make the right moves. J.R.’s taught song. That’s what I wanted to do since infinity. me a lot about the ropes so it’s a pretty good My grandfather was a big producer in Jamaica. situation. He did a lot of memorable stuff. He passed away the other day but he’s very big in the reggae Since you have an album coming out, is the culture. label scheduling a tour for you? They’re talking about a tour but I’m not sure if Who are some artists that you look up to? they’re ready to make it happen. They’re talking Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Biggie, Akon. I really like about putting me on the Chris Brown tour that’s Lauryn Hill. I’ve loved her since the Fugee days. coming up and the Bow Wow tour. That’s about She’s tight. it. It’s a good look. I just can’t wait for the album come out. I’m very excited right now ‘cause Tell me about the single “Colors.” What’s the the album’s crazy! story behind that? It’s a pretty dope record. It’s very different. We Do you want to venture into other areas of the sampled it from Ice T. J.R., my producer, remixed entertainment business in the future? the beat. We got The Game on it and Rick Ross. Yeah, I’d like to be a CEO. I started a label It’s a crazy record that the streets will like. called Time is Money Entertainment. I just got it We’ve got it on the radio. Khaled’s been blasting incorporated. I got an in-house producer that I it off in Miami and we’re getting great feedback. just signed to the label. We’re working with J.R. I’m just trying to make it big and follow in the What other songs will be on your album? footsteps of Jay-Z. I’m trying to be an entrepre- We got a lot of stuff. I got some stuff with Da- neur, sign some good artists, get a distribution mian Marley. I got stuff with Juelz Santana. I got deal and make it happen. It’s going good so a whole lot of songs with a lot of variety. When far. I also went to school for acting when I was I make music I do different stuff like catchy younger. I got a little bit of acting skills so I’d hooks, club songs, girl songs, party songs, like to make it happen with acting, too. whatever. Do you want to give out any contact info? How are you able to balance school and music? You can check out my Myspace page www. It’s doing pretty good. I’m actually at home myspace.com/seankingston for more informa- school right now. I have a teacher that comes tion on me. I also want to make sure I give a on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when we go to the shoutout to Epic Records, my manager J. Shapiro studio. It balances out really good. and J.R. //

What’s the situation with your record deal? www.myspace.com/seankingston

OZONE | 29 wes fif Words // Ms. Rivercity

30 | OZONE es Fif is an artist that has been jit, people like Dawgman, Dapa, and Mighty Mike on the verge for a couple of years let me know I’m out here doing it for him so he now. A street cat with a whole lot don’t have to struggle like we struggled when we Wof heart and a whole lot to say, Wes consistently was coming up. drops new bombs like clockwork. His most recent single “Haterz” featuring the young up-and- How old is your son? comer B.O.B. is full of the same fire that has He’s two years old. made Wes Fif an underground favorite. Have you been working with any artists from the What’s new with you? Orlando area lately? We pushing this “Haterz” single with B.O.B and Me and my homie Dee Boi just did something. I this Real Nigga Radio. I’m trying to get picked up just did something with a producer named Yung so somebody can cut the check. Chill. I got a couple more in the works. I really fuck with my dawg Dee Boi and my squad. Be- Is the RNR mixtape all original material or does sides that, I like to keep my shit in a close circle. it have known beats as well? I don’t really fuck with too many people ‘cause It’s all original production except one song it’s too many crabs. that’s on a Lil Wayne beat. The other 15 tracks are original. I didn’t want to do too much stuff The last time we spoke you mentioned that you on other people’s songs ‘cause I wanted it to get hated on a lot, and now you have a song be as close to an album as possible. I used like with B.O.B. called “Haterz.” Is that retaliation or fourteen different producers. venting? It’s reiterating what I said about niggas hating Why do you use so many producers instead of on me. If you listen to my verse, all I’m really finding a couple people that you vibe with? doing is telling them that you don’t gotta hate; I like to keep it diverse. I don’t want every song you can get out here and do what I’m doing. And to sound like the next one. Messing with a differ- then, the second part of the verse I flip it and ent producer might bring a different sound out I’m putting it in their face and giving them more of me. I adapt to a producer rather than do the shit to hate about. But we cool; we got goons same shit over and over again. and fire. If they want problems, they know how to find me. Where can people cop the mixtape at? Your local bootlegger or you can catch us at Did you like working with B.O.B.? any event, in any city. You can get it from me or B.O.B.’s a cool ass dude. I spent a lot of time in Dawgman. Decatur, where he’s from. We ran into him in Mi- ami for the Florida Entertainment Summit. I had Do you plan to work with Bigga Rankin again on been hearing about his shit and TJ Chapman put future projects? him onto my shit. Dawgman and TJ got together Oh yeah, Bigga Rankin is like a big brother to me. like bosses and set it up. We clicked. We’re two Every time I drop – I don’t care if I’m two times talented dudes so it wasn’t nothing. platinum in two years – every time I got some new shit that don’t make the cut on the album, Will you be performing anywhere during Spring I’m coming straight to Billy. He shows love so I’m Bling or BCR? definitely gonna show love back. I don’t know but I’ma be out there. You gonna see the posters, the wrapped van, the street How has the music scene in Florida grown, as far team with the RNR. We’re gonna be out there but as resources, since you started rapping? as far as the shows, I don’t know. I’ll definitely That shit is way better than it was three or four be on the scene. Words // Ms. Rivercity years ago when I started. It’s so many different outlets now. Before, when I started back in What’s next after that? 2003, it wasn’t no meetings to go to. It wasn’t no Come to Orlando Memorial Day Weekend and fuck people doing what they’re doing now, like DJs. I with CrunkFest – my nigga Dawgman’s birthday go to other states too and I’d say we’re the best. bash. We’re gonna do it real big. I got the album Besides Atlanta, we got the best market for DJs, coming this year called Insane. Make sure y’all magazines, and all that shit. hit me up onmyspace.com/wesfif. If you wanna book me, hit Dapa up 404-694-5063. All I gotta How do you balance between being a musician say is: Haters, kill yourselves. All you snake and being a father? niggas, we hear ya; we just choose not to say It’s real hard ‘cause when I be gone, I be missing nothing. // my lil’ boy. I got like a million pictures of him in my Sidekick so it’s straight. When I miss my www.myspace.com/wesfif

OZONE | 31 Suave Smooth Words // Ms. Rivercity

n artist under Fontana/Universal, Suave Smooth represents South Florida’s ever growing batch of talent. Along with his Ainvolvement in the Gangstas and Thugs DVD, his knack for producing club bangers has made him well known in the Palm Beach area.

32 | OZONE What’s new with you since the last time we single “Gangstas & Thugs” inspired the name spoke? for the DVD that Dem Damn Dogs put out. What I got a feature with Tum Tum in the making right made you write that song? now. I’m getting ready for Spring Bling and That song was recorded during the crunk era. that’s about it. That’s what gave me the motivation to do the song ‘cause I was really trying to make some- How would you classify your style of rap? thing crunk. The reincarnation of Florida. I’m basically bring- ing back what Florida had before it fell off. It’s How do you feel about all the attention the DVD more club with a new, gangsta edge to it. is getting? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Both, good and bad. It’s good for all the artists How do you feel about the Florida movement, as ‘cause it helps break more music. The FCC shut far as music goes? down the underground station so it was hard I think everybody has their time to shine. I think to break underground music. So the DVD started it’s Florida’s time to shine. You’re starting to using more underground music – not only local see more and more artists coming out of Florida artists, but underground artists in general. I and they’re not just blowing up; they’re going think they broke Lil Boosie on some of the other platinum. It’s the West Coast’s time to shine, too. DVDs that they did. But the mayor’s getting real pissed off about the DVD. As a matter of fact, it What role do you think you play in that move- was on the news again last week. They made a ment? statement that they’re building Federal cases I play more of the player role, not gangsta or [against] everybody that’s on the DVD. So that’s none of that shit. I’d say I play the role of a the bad part about it. A lot of my friends got 2007 Luke. Fed cases being built on ‘em.

Besides Luke, which other artists in the game do Are things getting any better in Palm Beach as you respect? far as the crime and violence? My favorite artists are Too $hort, 2 Live Crew, Everything is getting better. Really, the DVD Outkast, and 8Ball & MJG. seemed like a whole bunch of hype. I don’t really think it’s as bad as the DVD was making it Are you still promoting the single “Make It Hap- seem. I think that’s what was pissing the mayor pen” with 8Ball & MJG? off ‘cause people that wasn’t from Palm Beach Yeah, and because their album just dropped was thinking that type of stuff goes on a lot. recently and they’re pushing their single, we’re Everything is alright. It really ain’t no different going to use that to help push our single more, from any other place. too. How did you get the deal with Fontana/Univer- What else can people expect to hear on your sal? album? A lot of people think that it takes a lot of work I call it getting pussy on a CD. (laughs) to get a deal. My deal is great but I actually got Everybody’s coming out a lil’ too gangsta right my deal just by putting out singles. Everybody now. Ain’t nobody talking about being players kept asking me why I put out so many songs no more. Everybody talking about shoot ‘em up, but never put an album out. I dropped a new bang bang type of shit. I just wanted to bring single like every five months. Once one song back that player type shit. had a chance to get halfway out there, I’d have another song coming. “Pussy Nigga You Are you working on any new production? Don’t Know Me,” “What They Do,” “Gangstas Nah, I’ve just been producing for myself. I really and Thugs,” “Drop It To The Floor” – some of wasn’t going to get into that until after the al- the songs never really took off, some did, but bum takes off and when I have some free time. I always kept ‘em coming. They took off on mixtapes. Three years after I released “Pussy Who would you like to produce for if given a Nigga You Don’t Know Me,” somebody still had it chance? on their mixtapes and one of the A&Rs bumped I’d like to produce for Andre 3000. Anything into it. That’s how it happened. Before that, I off the wall or odd and crazy, like Too $hort or was doing albums like everybody else but they Justin Timberlake. Anything left field. never took off. It’s hard to push a whole album, especially when you’re underground. // The last time we spoke, you mentioned that your www.myspace.com/suavesmoothofficial

OZONE | 33 LLOYDWords // Eric Perrin

34 | OZONE &B sensation Lloyd is not your aver- What separates you from the other R&B dudes in age R&B dude. He has been cosigned the game? by such greats as Jazze Pha, Clive The great thing about what we do is that you RDavis and L.A. Reid, but still remains a humble can’t manipulate it. You either got it or you and modest man who is more concerned with don’t. It’s either sounding good or its not, so family and friends than fortune and fame. we’re just trying to go out here and make good Through all the adversity, Lloyd has opted to music and we hope the masses listen. It’s good stay loyal to Irv Gotti and The Inc, who have just to know that I got big brothers that got my back inked a new distribution deal with Universal. such as Jazze, Dallas Austin, and Irv; they’ve Hoping to restore The Inc’s once prominent really held me down. status, the confident crooner knows he has a lot to prove and is ready for the challenge. How have Dallas Austin, Jazze Pha and Irv Gotti influenced you? I know there have been some problems with The They feel that I am the future and they’ve Inc, are you still with Irv Gotti? encouraged that. They have surrounded me with Of course. Irv just signed a major distribution greatness; I feel that if I surround myself with deal with Universal worth millions of dollars. numb nuts then clearly I’ll end up one, but if I’m at a point in my career right now where a I’m surrounded by greatness then I’m surely lot of other labels were calling me offering me destined for it. Dallas gave me a room at the all kinds of things. I was ringing a lot of bells studio to perfect my music and that’s forcing and I wanted to show Irv that I was ready for me to work harder than ever, and with that the next step. I was ready for a video, I was help, I’ve spent a lot of time at the lab and have ready for a big marketing push, I was ready for really perfected my craft. As a young man, it’s an album, so when Irv called me and told me so overwhelming that they have all expressed to about his deal with Universal, he asked me if I me that they enjoy my music. Dallas and Jazze was riding with him. I was like, “Of course, but and Irv have all embraced me and my sound these other labels are pretty much offering me and they are helping me to possibly become a chance to control my own destiny and offering even greater than they are one day, if I work me a chance to open up my own company.” So I hard enough. asked him if he could do the same, and he said yes. At the end of the day if Irv was ready to So when is your new album coming out? move, I was gonna be ready to move with him. It will be out March 20th, and it’s called Street I sat down with my lawyer and renegotiated Love. my deal so I now own my own company, Young Goldie Music, and I got a lot to prove. How have you progressed musically since you first hit the scene? I heard you were with Sho’Nuff as well, how I think you are a reflection of how hard you does that work? work. So, the only thing that separates us is I’m managed by Sho’Nuff. Shout out to Jazze hard work. My biggest problem as a kid was that and Noonie Lee. A lot of people don’t think of I’ve always been really talented and sometimes Sho’Nuff as a management company, but they’ve I rely on my talent and I get lazy. Now I realize been doing a tremendous job with me. That’s that I’m a man and I gotta work hard. I’m trying my family over there. A lot of people don’t know to take everything in life more seriously, I’m that Noonie Lee actually started off as a man- trying to be on time everywhere I go, because ager of a lot of producers and writers. He owned I’m 20 years old now, I’m a man... a company called Noon Time and it was one of the most successful music companies in Atlanta and he decided to hook up with Jazze Pha and REAL, RAW, & UNCENSORED SOUTHERN RAP MUSIC form Sho’Nuff Records and through Sho’Nuff you’ve heard Ciara, Jody Breeze, Cherish and many others. KILLER MIKE JIM JONES POLOW BLOCK 8BALL Z-RO NAS & MORE

The rest of this interview was featured in the February issue of OZONE Magazine. Visit us online at www.ozonemag.com RETURNUGK OF THE KINGS

OZONE | 35 C-Ride Words: Eric Perrin // Photo: Julia Beverly

36 | OZONE arol City’s C-Ride may easily be one What makes you unique as a rapper? of rap’s best storytellers. You don’t The thing that separates me is that I try to make just listen to his music, you experi- music that’s not novelty music. I tell stories Cence it. Though he doesn’t profess to be a lyri- and plots. I like storytelling. A lot of rappers cist or a novelty rapper, what he does claim is rap about the same shit. To a certain extent we a style all his own. C-Ride delivers a trademark all rap about the same shit, but some people approach that is evident on all of his signature just gon’ take you on a ride, like C-Ride. I have tracks. True to the last part of his name, C’s mu- amazing storytelling skills and when you hear sic sends listeners on a lyrical ride; a fantastic it, I’ll make you love to listen. voyage laced with underlying beats and subtle hooks that accentuate his narrative raps. A lot of people get in the game and they don’t really have a passion for the music. How do you When you hear my music you don’t hear beats,” feel about that? says C-Ride. “You don’t even hear my words; you There are certain rappers that do have a pas- just see a vision.” Now the rapper that super- sion and they last. A lot of people get that producers Cool & Dre have personally co-signed fast money and they spend it and it’s over for is waiting on the world to see his vision. them. But if you look at the rappers that lasted over five years in the game you like who they You’ve come a long way in five years. How have are more than their music. You get to like the you gotten this far in your career? person more than the music, because of their I try to be better than whoever else, man. The passion. beat don’t even matter. At the end of the day I’m trying to make you press rewind and make Album sales have been at a drastic decline re- you say, “C-Ride is that nigga,” man. I got a gift cently. What are your thoughts on that and how but I’m going hard. do you plan on succeeding in album sales? That’s the record labels and the A&Rs’ fault Where are you from and how did you get because they signed these people. They’ve been started? doing the same thing they’ve been doing for I’m from Carol City. Dade County, Florida and I years, but the quality of the product went down. was caught up in a stupid ass life, trying to get That’s what made me want to go independent paid and I left Dade County for a while. I had first before I signed a big deal. But the major went to the A-Town and that’s where I really thing is coming so fast. The most important started rapping, in Atlanta. It was too many thing is to always, always, always, always make niggas rapping in Atlanta, and I was screamin’, good music. Always! That’s why I’m trying to “Dade County, Dade County.” So I had to move set myself up to do this right before I even start back to Dade County. I had made a CD and Cool to sign a deal, because record sales are not & Dre got a copy of it, I don’t know how because guaranteed for any artists if you’re not doing it I only made like 200 copies of it, but somehow the right way. they got it and liked it. One day I got a phone C-Ride call from them and it was on. So what are you currently working on? Words: Eric Perrin // Photo: Julia Beverly I already started pushing music on my website, That’s inspiring. You only made 200 copies and www.stashhousemusic.com. I got a freestyle CD it led to Cool & Dre calling you. How has it been I just wrapped up. People are always saying, working with them? “Why’d he get signed? His buzz ain’t as huge as It’s more than music, man. I’ve only been here everybody else.” So I’m putting out retarded for a few years, but it’s more than music. The amounts of music to show everybody why I’m Lord puts certain people in your life to take here. I got a freestyle CD coming out. I got you where you need to be, so Cool & Dre are my Coming From the Bottom: Part 3 coming out and brothers no matter what. Before any paperwork, that’s all original music. Everything I’m doing them my brothers and it’s goin’ down. They are you can get at my website, www.stashhouse- retardedly talented, retardedly talented. music.com.

The whole music scene in South Florida has Are you working on anything outside of music? really been booming, what are your thoughts on Of course the music is first, always. I gotta be the musical takeover your area is experiencing? the number one artist. If I put out the best mu- Of course Mr. Ross himself set it off in a major sic then I’ll be able to sell whatever else I want way. There were a lot of new artists that came to, too. When you hit 10 million copies then out last year and Rick Ross really put the scope you can sell anything: blank CDs, shoelaces, back on Dade County. Now I’m trying to do anything. But I gotta be the number one artist. everything I can to help out. That’s what I’m shooting for. //

OZONE | 37

| OZONE PUBLISHER: Julia Beverly

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER: N. Ali Early GUEST EDITOR: bcr2007 Ms. Rivercity **special edition** CONTRIBUTORS: Eric Perrin J Lash Randy Roper Section A PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR: 9 Miami Photo Gallery Malik Abdul 10 DJ Epps 12 DJ KD ART DIRECTOR: 14 DJ Dady Phatts Tene Gooden 16 West Palm Beach Map 17 Spring Bling EventS 18-19 carol City Cartel STREET TEAMS: 20 Daytona Beach Map Big Mouth Marketing & Promo 21 Daytona Beach Clubs Crazy Hood Productions 22-23 Boy Wonder Lex Promotions 24-25 Mims On Point Marketing & Promo 28-31 uSDA Strictly Streets 34-35 Tarvoria SUBSCRIPTIONS: 36-39 REDD EYEZZ To subscribe, send check or money order for $11 to:

Ozone Magazine 644 Antone St. Suite 6 Atlanta, GA 30318 Phone: 404-350-3887 Fax: 404-350-2497 Web: www.ozonemag.com

COVER CREDITS: Redd Eyezz, Hurricane, Smitty, & DJ Epps photos by Julia Beverly.

DISCLAIMER: OZONE does not take responsibility for unsolicited materials, misin- Section b formation, typographical errors, or misprints. The views contained 9 Miami Photo Gallery herein do not necessarily reflect 10 Kaye Dunaway those of the publisher or its 12 DJ Magic Mike advertisers. Ads appearing in this 14 DJ Slym magazine are not an endorsement 16 rawlo or validation by OZONE Magazine 18-19 Smitty for products or services offered. All 22-23 unk photos and illustrations are copy- 24-25 Stick 3000 righted by their respective artists. 28-29 Sean Kingston All other content is copyright 30-31 Wes Fif 2007 OZONE Magazine, all rights 32-33 Suave Smooth reserved. No portion of this maga- 34-35 Lloyd zine may be reproduced in any way 36-37 c-Ride without the written consent of the publisher. Printed in the USA. 26-27 HURRICANE

OZONE |

MIAMI PHOTO GALLERY 01 // The Baka Boyz 02 // Noreaga & Gotti on the set of Fat Joe’s “Make it Rain” remix video 03 // DJ Khaled, Baby, & Brisco on the set of Fat Joe’s “Make it Rain” remix video 04 // Al, Star Jones, Ray Lewis, & G Garden @ Lucky Strike bowling alley for Alonzo Mourn- ing party 05 // Fat Joe & Lil Wayne on the set of Fat Joe’s “Make it Rain” remix video 06 // Omar from The Wire with Bigg D @ Santo’s for Miami Live 07 // Zo & Omar from The Wire @ Santo’s for Miami Live 08 // Lynn, Jacki-O, & Michael Sterling @ Ivy’s for Bloodline DVD party 09 // Lil Wayne on the set of Fat Joe’s “Make it Rain” remix video 10 // Dwayne Wade & his wife @ Lucky Strike bowling alley for Alonzo Mourning party 11 // Guest & John Sal- ley @ Mansion 12 // Shakir Stewart & Ted Lucas @ Bongo’s 13 // Redd Eyezz & Hotboy @ Miami Live 14 // Irv Gotti & guest @ The Forge 15 // Krunch One & Trick Daddy @ Rollexx 16 // Lorenzo “Ice Tea” Thomas, Willis McGahee, & Ronnie Brown on South Beach 17 // Tony Neal & Trick Daddy @ Santo’s for Miami Live 18 // Drop & Jim Jonsin @ for Miami Live 19 // Carol City Cartel @ Bongo’s for Rick Ross’ birthday party 20 // Kia & Chaka Zulu @ Lucky Strike bowling alley for Alonzo Mourn- ing party 21 // Guest, Mike Epps, & Pacman Jones

Photos by J Lash 954-854-4008

OZONE | DJ Epps

J Epps is a member of the Shadyville DJs. He’s also an on-air personality and What’s the best way for an aspiring artist to get DAssistant Music Director for 103.5 The you to play their music? What’s the worst way? Beat. Epps works with several artists in Miami Communications, build relationships, take a including North & Agony. When he’s not spinning nigga out, get a nigga and my girl a drink, let’s in South Florida, Epps takes his skills abroad to get in the studio and kick it, do drops. The worst Europe and Asia. way is sending your homies with a $20 bill, telling me you’re the next hot shit and it’s really Who were your favorite DJs growing up? garbage, telling me you’re gonna do drops and I Kid Capri and Kool DJ Red Alert don’t anything. And the worst is when you play a nigga’s shit out of love and they don’t even What’s the worst DJ job you ever had? say thank you. I’m always turning my worst situations into the best ones. But my worst DJ job could honestly Are there any circumstances where a DJ should be when the club promotes that they have a get involved with artists’ beef? million dollar sound system and they only have Nope, unless you’ve been provoked like I was. CDs and no turntables or no monitors in the It’s not a DJ’s battle but a DJ should respect his booth. Get it together people! boss and don’t play his enemy’s music in front of them. 50 got beef with certain heads but I What is the most money someone offered you to don’t, until you give me a reason. play their song at a club? Did you take it? No one gave me a high offer and even if they What other ventures are you involved with did it’s hard for me to fuck up my show to put besides DJing? on something I never heard before. I don’t care I have the DJ Epps All Star Roster which includes if it’s the next big hit; your job is to get with the Tag Team Champions North & Agony, Caliba, me before my show and handle that. And don’t Traffik and the sexy twins Unique. I also have get mad when I reject it and don’t take it back a barber shop called New Day Hair Salon in ‘cause after the party, if my girl is not fucking Kendall. We have a clothing line called Hoodlife me on I-95 on the way home, then I’m popping Apparel. I handle marketing and promotions for in your CD. Bobby and Whitney did give me $500 G-Unit and Warner Brothers. I have Nightbreed- once to play a request. I took it. erz Entertainment that throws parties. I have the Grown & Sexy mixshow on 103.5 The Beat Name three rappers you believe will blow up in in Miami, Black Jam Radio in Germany, a Hip 2007. Hop show on www.w305.com, and a show with North & Agony, Unique and Caliba – not the DJ Whoo Kid on Saturday from 8 AM – 10 PM on Kaliba from Miami but Caliba of The Union. www.shadyvilledjs.net.

Have you ever considered quitting the DJ game? Is radio as crooked and corrupt as people make Why? Why did you decide to stay? it out to be? I’m in love with DJing. I never thought about I use it for my exposure. If a station tells me to leaving it, just trying to take it to the next level. start playing old school R&B, I like a challenge so I’m gonna do it. It could be corrupt when What has been the defining moment in your you hearing the same song every hour. As far as career? crooked, I don’t know about that. I stay away When 50 gave me a call and asked me to work from anything negative. // with him. Other rappers call but I never hear from them after, but this nigga cuts me checks Words by Ms. Rivercity and still has me on the team. Thanks, boss. Photo by Julia Beverly

10 | OZONE OZONE | 11 DJ kd

ormerly a DJ at 99 Jamz in Miami and I like to play everything, everybody. Variety is X102.3 in West Palm Beach, DJ KD cur- key. I don’t wanna think about who got beef rently spins at various nightclubs includ- with who. I wanna play everything. It’s good for ingF Chyna White, Ninety 9 and Perri House. It’s everybody that way. DJs don’t break records like Crack featuring Jobs and Hall of Fame Taking they use to. Ova are two of his most recent mixtapes. KD will be going on tour with his artist Jase in the near What artist shows the most love to DJs? & What future. artist shows the least love to DJs? I don’t know if I could say that one artist shows Who was your favorite DJ growing up? the most love. There’s a few I know that show Funkmaster Flex. Being born in New York, I love – Pitbull, Lil Jon, David Banner, Swizz Beatz, looked up to him. Wyclef, just to name a few. A lot show love but there’s some that don’t. What’s the worst DJ job you’ve ever had? Getting to a spot that didn’t have any equip- What’s the best way for an aspiring artist to get ment, no turntables, or a mixer. I had to wait for you to play their music? And what’s the worst these people to set it all up, and the idiot pro- way? moters was letting people in with no music on. The best way is to come correct. Make sure your music is hot and stay in my ear. If it’s not, I’ll What is the most money someone offered you to let you know. There’s nothing worse than a play their song at a club? Did you take it? dude with music that’s getting at you everyday, $50 to $100. Naw, I didn’t take it; I’d just play it. and when you finally get to hear it, it’s whack. Depending on who it was, I’d show love. Before you step to DJs or whoever, make sure your music is good. How do DJs from the South, East Coast, Midwest, and West differ in styles? How has the recent RIAA crackdown on DJ Drama Well, there’s DJs with the same style. Down affected the mixtape game? South has hype DJs that play the music fast, as I don’t think it affected it too much. I know cats well as DJs that rock playing up tempo, but not was nervous though. It all depends on where speeding through every record. The only thing I you are and what the state law is. You just have could say is, for the most part, skills in the clubs to do research. I gotta give a huge shout to don’t matter anymore. With the exception of a Darnella Dunham at R&R; she put a lot of that few DJs, skills are not a factor. in perspective. I still think it’s whack overall for tapes to be illegal. Have you ever considered quitting the DJ game? Why? Why did you decide to stay? Name the top 5 classic songs that always makes I did actually. It’s lots of politics. Sometimes the crowd go nuts. you’re wrapped up in it without even realizing Jay Z “P.S.A.,” C-Murder “Fuck Them Other it. Plus, club promoters try to rob you. For any Niggaz,” anything from Biggie, anything from DJ it gets frustrating period, but it’s a learning Tupac, and in Miami, Trick Daddy’s “Can’t Fuck process – fast for some, slow for others. I can’t Wit Me.” say I’m quitting anytime soon. Do you drink while you spin and if so? Do you What has been the defining moment in your mix better drunk or sober? career? I drink when I’m rocking, but not to mix better, Getting a slot on 99 Jamz. Radio was always a just to loosen me up to talk shit on the mic. dream of mine, so that was big for me. Without a drink, you might not hear a peep out of me. // Are there any artists whose music you won’t play? Why? Words: Ms. Rivercity

12 | OZONE OZONE | 13 DJ Dady Phatts

nown as an advocate for the indepen- one of their artists. That’s why I stick with the dent artist, Reginald “Dady Phatts” indies. They know that they need to go to the Benoit currently spins on WMBX X102.3 next level. Kin West Palm Beach. His Local Love show is an important outlet in the South Florida market. Name the top 5 classic songs that always makes He has most recently worked with Killa Kim and the crowd go nuts. DirteRed and is always on the lookout for hot Biggie “Juicy,” Mystikal “Here I Go,” Jay-Z new talent. “P.S.A.,” Slick Rick “Children’s Story,” Chaka Demus & Pliers “Murder She Wrote.” Who were your favorite DJs growing up? Kid Capri, Funkmaster Flex and Tony Touch. What other ventures are you involved with besides DJing? What’s the worst DJ job you’ve ever had? I have a promotions company called Phatt Lipp I was playing at this club and I was playing Promotions and I also plan parties. some hot shit and then the sound system blew. The party was done at the height of it. Name at least 2 records you’ve broken and explain how you can claim credit for breaking How do DJs from the South, East Coast, Midwest, them. and West differ in styles? Mims “This is Why I’m Hot” and Rick Ross As a DJ, you gotta cater to your crowd so you “Hustlin’.” With Mims, I got the record from DJ gotta play what’s hot in your market. In West Blackout who works with me at the station. He Palm, if you’re DJing in the clubs, you’ve gotta produced the record so I wanted to help him play Suave Smooth’s “What They Do.” out. I started to play the record in my mixshow. With Rick Ross, we were always good people so Name three rappers you believe will blow up in he came to my Local Love show and brought 2007. “Hustlin’.” I had to play that record like four Mims, Suave Smooth, and Killa Kim. times.

Have you ever considered quitting the DJ game? Is radio as crooked and corrupt as people make Why? Why did you decide to stay? it out to be? Yes, I did want to quit. I just got tired of the Radio is real crooked but there are some good music that is being put out. What made me stay people in good places. The only thing I don’t was the love and I feel Hip Hop will get better. like is someone telling my PD what to play in market in South Florida when he lives in a dif- What has been the defining moment in your ferent state. career? Seeing myself come from a street DJ to one of How do you use technology as a DJ? the top DJs in my city. The mp3 game has helped me a lot with keeping my music selection fresh and new I hit up What artist shows the most love to DJs? & What DigiWaxx and New Music Server all the time to artist shows the least love to DJs? get the new shit. Right now Mims show DJs a lot of love and Foxy Brown is an artist that shows no love. Do you drink while you spin and if so, what’s your drink of choice? Do you mix better drunk What’s the best way for an aspiring artist to get or sober? you to play their music? And what’s the worst I do drink but I don’t get drunk. I like to get a way? nice buzz. My choice of drink is Grand Marnier The best way is to come and talk to me and try and Coke. I mix the same drunk or sober. to build a relationship with me. The worst is to offer me money like I’m a prostitute. Is Hip Hop dead? Why or why not? Hell no, it’s not dead. It has changed and now How has the recent RIAA crackdown on DJ Drama it is for everybody. There are so many different affected the mixtape game? forms of Hip Hop. // I think DJs may not wanna do mixtapes with the majors because you can go to jail for promoting Words: Ms. Rivercity

14 | OZONE

Spring Bling

16 | OZONE Spring Bling 2007

LOCATION: Riviera Beach, Florida

Spring breakers from across the country gather in sunny Florida for BET’s weekend getaway, SPRING BLING ‘07. With whirlwinds of top performances by the best in Hip Hop and R&B, outrageous games, car shows, competitions, and newly added surprises this year’s beach fest will be the best yet.

SHOW HOSTS: BET VJ’s: Terrence & Rocsi (106 & PARK), Julissa (BET HOST), Alesha Renee & Lamorne (HOTWYRED), Danella (THE BLACK CARPET), Big Tigger (BET VETERAN), and more celebrity surprises

WHERE: Singers Island at Riviera Beach in West Palm Beach, Florida 33404

WHEN: Tapings - Friday, March 23, 2007 @ 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24, 2007 @ 11 a.m. Sunday, March 25, 2007 @ 11 a.m. Premiere Telecast - April 5th-8th 2007 (check Local Listings for Times)

AUDIENCE: Free audience ticket requests for persons 18 and older who

TICKETS: are able to present a valid state ID, school ID or pass- port may be submitted via email to [email protected] with the text “SPRING BLING” in the subject line. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

Make sure that you mention that you got your information from Black Beach Week for FASTER Service

When does the BET Spring Bling 2007 take place?

March 23-25, 2007 (Friday 10:00-7:00 PM) -- (Saturday 10:00 AM- 7:00 PM) -- (Sunday 12:00 - 5:00 PM)

SpringInfo gathered from: http://www.blackbeachweek.com/betspringbling.html Bling

OZONE | 17 CARTELWORDS & PHOTOS // JULIA BEVERLY

irst off, every artist that blows up from Minneapolis last night, so we ‘Tussed out. seems to come out with their own I got some clean coming but I’m not gonna fuck group, and not all of them are neces- with that til tonight cause I ain’t really trying sarily good enough to have their to overdose right now. That’s a whole ‘nother own album. So what makes Carol City issue. ODTV. Cartel different? Rick Ross: Overdose TV coming soon. Happy FTorch: Cause we’re the best. endings! Rick Ross: Listen, we’re the best, first and Gun Play: Nah, I ain’t got Overdose TV coming, foremost. It’s the big boss Ricky Ross. It took just a DVD. me a long time to get here, but the first thing I always said was, “When I get on, I’m going Happy endings? to return that favor and put the next man on.” Gun Play: That’s another interview. That’s And at the same time, it’s one of the best moves another movie. you can make as an entrepreneur. I got the Rick Ross: Gun Play is the black Tommy Lee. realest, wildest young niggas out of the hood and gave them an opportunity to see this thing So you’re self-destructive? come to life. That’s what Torch and Gun Play Gun Play: Very. [laughs] But we ain’t going to are all about. There’s a lot more dudes that get into all that. ride with us, but this is who we’re focusing on. We’re coming with the debut album Black Flag. I’m going to be your psychologist right now. It’s going to be legendary. We got everybody Gun Play: Nah, listen, I’m the underboss. Don’t on there. Cool & Dre, Jazze Pha, Young Jeezy, DJ worry about the drugs, that’s a whole ‘nother Toomp, a lot of people. segment.

You used to be driving the white-on-white; But you only named two. He said you’re on five now you’ve got the black-on-black and got an drugs. What’s the other three? album coming out called Black Flag. Why the Gun Play: You know, somebody got some fire switch? skittles, and I’m with that too. These niggas Rick Ross: Yeah, the white-on-white, that rep- blow them fat dirtys too. But that’s another resented the birth of my career. Now, the black- segment. Black Flag coming soon. I’m the un- on-black represents the death of the enemy. derboss, man. Ross took me, by the back of my neck like a little puppy, when I was a kid, and And your enemy is who? just basically showed me how to get money and Rick Ross: Man, a lot of bustas. Triple C, y’all how to interact with real niggas, real playas, better go get that album and you’ll learn. across the map. He molded my career and I fol- lowed him cause I knew he was a boss early. Gun Play, a lot of people have seen you performing with Rick at his shows, and you’re kind So he was kind of a father figure to you? of hard to miss. You’ve got a real unique look. Gun Play: Yeah, you know, it’s deeper than that. Rick Ross: You know, that’s cause he’s on five I got these C’s on my eyes, these black flags on drugs right now. That’s why he looks like that. the other side. I’m a fucking billboard. It’s [Carol [laughs] City Cartel] all over, you know?

What drugs are you on right now? So for the people who aren’t from Miami, let ‘em Gun Play: I’m on some yellow. That’s that syrup, know what Carol City Cartel is all about. that real good ‘Tuss, ya feel me? We just flew in Rick Ross: Carol City is all about money, man.

18 | OZONE The Big Boss Ricky Ross is so confident in his two up and coming lyricists, (l to r) Gun Play and Torch, that he’ll put a million on either of their success. When you hear Carol City Cartel’s music you’ll understand why it’s

That’s where the biggest players come from. The happy ending. But why are you talking about my biggest hustlers, the most gettin’-money niggas problems again? That’s a whole different issue... in the world. Gun Play: It’s all about the MIA. We rep the

MAC MALL,WEST CLYDEOZONE COAST:PLUS CARSON whole city of Miami. We most definitely rep Carol REAL, RAW, & UNCENSORED SOUTHERN RAP E-40, TURF TALK City, but the whole 305, we ridin’ with them. This is the city of dope. That’s where we come from.

FIGHT THE POWER: I heard Rick had to bail you out a couple days THE FEDS vs. DJ DRAMA ago. What was that about? THE SECOND ANNUAL The rest of this interview DJ ISSUE Gun Play: [laughs] Ooh, shit. Who told you about MIMS PIMP C LIL FLIP that? Yeah, I was fucking around on some shit is featured in the April THREE 6 MAFIA & THE SLIM THUG’s BOSS HOGG OUTLAWZ BIG BOI & PURPLE RIBBON RICK ROSS B.G.’s CHOPPER CITY BOYZ and almost missed my flight to Chicago the next issue of OZONE Maga- YOUNG JEEZY’s USDA CAROL CITY & MORE day for a New Years’ Eve party. You know, when zine. Visit us online at

CARTEL* RAPQUEST: THE* SCANDALOUS ULTIMATE RAP SIDEKICK ROADTRIP& HACKING MORE GUIDE I get the girl at the end of the night, that’s a www.ozonemag.com * GANGSTA GRILLZ WISHLIST

OZONE | 19 20 | OZONE DaytonaBeach club listing

Desert Inn Resort 900 N. Atlantic Ave Daytona Beach, FL 32118

Fuel Night Club 640 N. Grandview Ave. Daytona Beach, FL 386-248-8243

Razzle’s Night Club 555 Seabreeze Blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 386-255-6348

South Beach Night Club 1260 N. Atlantic Ave Daytona Beach, FL 32118 386-257-7431

OZONE | 21 Boy Wonder Words: Ms Riverity // Photo: Ernest Olds Jr.

22 | OZONE oy Wonder is a 20-year-old Brazil- down in my city first but I get hit on Myspace all ian rapper from Tampa, FL. He got the time about it. People are like, “I didn’t know his start in the music business as a you were Brazilian.” I got a song on the mixtape Bpromoter and soon discovered he had a hidden where I’m rapping in Portuguese, too. I’ve been talent for writing as well. Working with Tampa working on that. top dogs like Acafool and DJ Christion, Boy Wonder is quickly making a name for himself How supportive have the Tampa DJs been of in Central Florida. His new mixtape The Prince your music? features several remixes and an abundance of They’ve been cool. As long as it’s hot, they’ll originality. play it. Of course, it’s always gonna be a few DJs that are harder to get at, but if the people want What is your heritage? it, eventually they gotta play it. I’m black and Brazilian. What’s the deal with your mixtape with DJ Since you have such a diverse background, who Christion? were some of your influences? It’s fire. It plays all the way through. Christion Talib Kweli, Lil Wayne, Outkast and Michael Jack- got the music and put his touch on it. Me and son. When I was little, my parents used to sit me him are starting to work on a lot of stuff. I just in front of the TV. That’s when they used to play did the “Buy You a Drink” freestyle for 98.7. Mike heavy on MTV. Every time he’s on the air, he plays it.

Why did you decide to start rapping? How many songs on the mixtape have original I started off promoting for the Black Jack Boys production? here in Tampa. That’s when I started seeing how About three or four and the rest is jacked beats. the music scene works from the inside. I also I just wanted to show what I could do lyrically. I started DJing for them. With their stuff, it was can freestyle but I can also put a song together. a lot of ups and downs and bickering. With so I feel the only way to compare to rappers is to many people, they bumped heads a lot. It’s so put them on the same beat. easy if you got good music; you can make it. I seen so many people that don’t got good music What do you feel is your strongest trait as a be put in the right position. One day, Acafool rapper? called me to the studio ‘cause he wanted to That I’m Brazilian. There’s never been a Brazilian do a song for a new dance called the Jackson rapper to come out so it’s something different. Heights. So I went there and he thought I was good. He said if I came up with a third verse, I For those who haven’t heard your music, how could have the song. He kept feeding me beats would you describe your sound? ever since then. I wasn’t ever like, “I’m gonna be I’m real lyrical. Everybody says that with the a rapper,” but it just came out of the blue. way I speak and pronounce my words, I have a down South accent, but my punchlines and You used to play soccer, right? Why did you stop? flow are more Northern. I grew up listening to I just got burned out. I started playing as soon a lot of up North music, then in high school I as I could walk. My father played professional started going to the down South. My slang has a soccer in Brazil, and so did all my uncles. It was Southern swagger but I’m lyrical. just in my blood. When I was 13, I was the best player in the state and one of the best players Who are some people you’d like to work with in in the nation. Two years after that I stopped the future? ‘cause I was also playing basketball. Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas. He did a whole Sergio Mendes remix CD. Sergio Mendes is What do you like most about making music? an old Brazilian singer. I also want to work with Ain’t no rules. You can express yourself the way Timbaland. Me and Young Capone from Atlanta you want to. If you send out the right message, been supposed to link up. We’ve just both been it’s a lot of people you can affect. You can busy. We’re gonna get on something real soon. change a whole culture. What future projects are you working on? Do you have a large Brazilian audience? I’m doing more shows coming up in different Not yet, but as soon as we get it moving, I’ll cities. Be looking out. Check me out on Myspace start moving out. I’m going to get it locked www.myspace.com/boywonder813. //

OZONE | 23 24 | OZONE MIMSRandyR oper Words & Photo by

the music game. So at 18, 19 years old, I built another studio. And I started pumping ow were things for you growing up in tons of money to get it up and started. in New York? And that’s when the art of emceeing really Growing up in New York, I come H grabbed me. I was doing production but I from an area called Washington Heights. didn’t have anyone to rap over my beats so For those that don’t know it’s right above I chose to rap over my own beats. Because Harlem. Some people inside New York I dumped some much money into it, it don’t know where Washington Heights [is] started getting expensive. It became an at. Those that do know what Washington investment; it was no longer just a hobby. I Heights is about, know that Ait’s lot really of business a gotta make my money back, so I went out drug driven neighborhood. there and made it happen. goes on down there; not necessarily legal business. For me, growing up in an area At what point did you start getting a buzz like that was a blessing. The truth of the in New York? matter is that you learn a lot from the drug I feel like New York is really just a big pot. game. You learn a lot about money: How You’ve got thousands upon thousands of to count your money, how to keep your MCs. So in order to say you got a buzz in money, how to make money. How to be New York, it really doesn’t mean much to conscious about who to look out for. And me. A New York buzz comes with street you can always apply that into different credibility. A New York buzz comes with business aspects, around life. I took it and how many mixtapes you jump on. So applied it to music. I’m not saying I was a honestly, I don’t think my street buzz was drug dealer, but I was able to watch some on the same caliber as other artists. I went of the things that were going on around me to radio stations and tried to get my record and apply it to other areas [of my life]. played. I wasn’t the typical mixtape dude and I wasn’t the typical battle MC. Real What made you get into music? talk, I think my buzz really came about by I started DJing at 13 years old. My mom - building my relationships with radio, not bought me a DJ system. It wasn’t the necessarily doing the normal things to get greatest. It was a little belt drive turn a street buzz. tables, the bootleg mixer, and this is right before she passed away. I never grew up How did you come up with the idea for with my father. He lived down the block “This Is Why I’m Hot”? from me, and I went to visit him one time I think “This Is Why I’m Hot” came so around 9 years old. He passed away when naturally because I wasn’t focused on I was eleven. Around 9 years old I went trying get a radio single. A lot of pressure to visit him and I saw these turntables; comes from that. I sat back, went into he had the 12” Technics, the mixers and my own production studio that I have in everything. From the age of like 9 to 13, I my crib, and I played a beat. And the first can remember begging my mom to get me words that came to my head were, “Man, some DJ equipment. And right before she this is why I’m hot.” I freestyled. People are passed away [when I was] 13, she bought like, “Why did you repeat ‘this is why I’m it for me, for my 13th birthday. That’s how hot’ that many times?” It’s because I was ... // I got introduced into music. And then I freestyling it took that into engineering. By the age of f ured in the April issue o 15 I built a studio, a little preproduction Mims is also feat studio, and a little bit of equipment here OZONE Magazine. Visit us online at www. and there. I was engineering and producing ozonemag.com and eventually, I got good at it to where I wanted to invest a lot more money into

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SON HOTOS // ERIC JOHN words // Eric N. Perrin | P A’s Prepared to prove that Hip Hop groups are not dead, USD Corporate Thugz Young Jeezy, Slick Pulla and BloodRaw are ready to take you on one helluva trip.

28 OZONE 28 | OZONE (l to r) Slick Pulla, Young Jeezy, & BloodRaw

young jeezy slick Pulla Bloodraw

OZONE OZONE | 29 he calendar posted on the back wall of the lofty Corporate Thugz Entertainment office on At- lanta’s Northwest side is a virtual treasure map. It leads to riches. There is a color coordinated marking for almost every day of the month, directing the corporate thugs to different cities, Tdifferent events, different places to collect money. There are three colors that appear on the calendar; green, yellow and blue. Green indicates a Young Jeezy bounty, blue represents BloodRaw, and yellow means Slick Pulla. It is a simple yet effective system that helps organize and arrange the hectic sched- ules of three rappers who consider themselves brothers. But there’s a twist. This Spring, when USDA releases its first group project, Corporate Thuggin’, the colors on the calendar will collide, blending together to form a new hue: Gold. They wouldn’t mind platinum, either, but in the fairy tales, the chase is always for the gold. In USDA’s fable, however, the journey has been anything but a fairy tale ride.

The road to completing the Corporate Thuggin’ album was once more like a nightmarish expedition, spiraling out of control. In January 2006, BloodRaw had been picked up by US Marshals and put on trial in his hometown of Panama City, Florida, where he faced a possible life sentence for Federal drug conspiracy charges. “The whole family prayed because this nigga was facing a life sentence. It was either life or he was going home,” explains a now-exhaled Jeezy. “During the same time, Slick [Pulla] got shot and a lot of shit like that was going on.”

Then, in April, 2006, the USDA story got a lot better, “On April 6, 2006, I was acquitted, and by the blessing of God I’m here,” proudly proclaims BloodRaw. “There was a lot of niggas who held they nuts and counted me out, they say niggas was giving each other high-fives at the club, but this is destiny, homie. Can’t nobody stop this.”

It certainly appears destiny is on their side. Even with all odds stacked against them, the Corporate Thugz are in harmony. Jeezy, Slick, and Raw are now more focused than ever and all the tribulations

We thugs, if that’s what youw anna call us, in a corporate world. We’re adapting and getting money. { - bloodraw }

30 | OZONE have left the music unchanged. “It’s real street music, we been sticking to the same formula. It was the same thing coming in and it’s gonna be the same formula coming out,” affirms Slick. “It’s three great minds thinking alike for one common cause, and that’s to put the real back into this street movement, man. We gon’ give the people what they want.”

Jeezy has been giving the people what they want for a while now, but even he seems youthfully excited about the USDA project. “It’s just time for USDA. Niggas been hearing me scream that shit every since I been doing my thing, so now its time to hear ‘em,” says Jeezy. “I’m just excited to see the project come together and the album is hard is fuck. This shit is hard; it’s what the streets need.”

Young Jeezy

So the new project is called Corporate Thuggin’. Tell me a little about it? Young Jeezy: Ah, man, I’m excited about it. I finally get a chance to show the hood my niggas and these niggas really deserve it. [Blood]Raw; he had a lot going on, man. He was facing a life sentence, and this is like the second or third time this done happened since we’ve been trying to work on the project and complete it. Also, during the same time, Slick got shot and a lot of shit like that was going on, but those are my niggas. A lot of niggas get on and forget about their homies, but them my niggas and they really can rap, so I’m just excited to see the project come together and the album is hard is fuck. This shit is hard; it’s what the streets need. This gon’ be the record of the summer, period, hands down. Over here at CTE, we make records. We don’t make just singles, we make albums, shit you can ride to and live to.

Your Inspiration album just reached platinum status, so congratulations on that. I know you had high expectations. Are you satisfied thus far with your albums sales? Young Jeezy: Yeah, definitely, when you say a sophomore album, niggas normally fumble on that shit, and I really done me on that CD. I wanted to change it up a little bit, but at the same time I don’t wanna stay where I’m at. The shit is called progress. If you gon’ build a foundation you have to make progress. You’re not gonna stay on the first level of your house, you gotta step it up. A lot of niggas ain’t got the street credibility that I got or been through what I’ve been through, or can talk about the things I talk about. So I’m gonna be the best at it, let that be known, but at the end of the day, people grow with you. You get better and if you talk about real shit, they grow with you. But you still the same nigga. Ain’t nothing change but my boxers, homie, for real...

The rest of this interview is featured in the April issue of OZONE Magazine. Visit us } online at www.ozonemag.com

OZONE | 31 32 | OZONE OZONE | 33 Tarvoria Words by Ms. Rivercity

34 | OZONE arvoria has been singing all her life. good time. When it comes to Tarvoria as an art- She got her start in church and the ist, I’m a realist – a real life artist. I like to talk school chorus and has never stopped about things that are going on now. Everybody since.T Although she represents Daytona to the sings about love, I just do it in a different way. I fullest, Tarvoria is far from a local artist. She say what us women may be afraid to say. I may can be seen anywhere that’s popping and she talk to the guys the way they’ve been looking shares the wealth with those around her. Once for a woman to say, but they don’t expect us a month Tarvoria holds a showcase for aspiring to say those things. What we aren’t realizing as musicians in her hometown and she’s currently artists in the industry is that music is a message. working on a documentary. We have to make sure we deliver a message in our lyrics. That’s what makes me different. You have a busy show schedule. Do you have a manager or booking agent that helps you get You went to college, right? What was your shows? major? Elora Mason from E. Mason & Associates is my I went to Bethune Cookman College. I majored manager. in Business Management and Music Performance. As of right now, I’m on a break [from college] Do you think it’s necessary to have a good ‘cause I’m trying to do the music thing. manager as an artist? I think it’s very important to have a good man- Have you had any formal training as a singer? ager but you gotta at least be a go-getter for Yeah, back in the day I had an agent that taught yourself and have some know-how. But to have me how to be an entertainer, coached me, and a great management team, as well as be able to helped me develop my stage presence. As far as stand on your own two feet and grind, it makes my vocal abilities, I took some vocal lessons in it even bigger. college but that was pretty much it.

What are some of the pros and cons of being an Tell me about some of your singles. indie artist? My new single that’s out right now is called The pros of being an independent artist is “Probation.” We’re pushing that real heavy in you get to be the boss. You watch the money the streets. You know, everybody’s been in come in and you watch the money go out. The some kind of trouble or had to deal with the disadvantage to being an independent artist is law in some kind of way, or worked a job and that sometimes you don’t have the capital to had to be on a thirty day probation period just supply the demand and you need that major to get where they’re going. It’s a song telling backing for people to take you serious. It’s just everybody that’s out here grinding that you a harder and longer struggle to get to where gotta watch the way you grind ‘cause it’s always you’re trying to go. Being independent, you somebody trying to stop you from getting what learn a lot more. I’m thankful I’ve been able to you’re trying to get. do the things I’ve done and to have gone to the places I’ve gone without being attached to a Who produced it? major situation. I’d love to be signed to a major Gorilla Tek of the Drum Majorz. He also produced but if I’m never signed, it doesn’t matter ‘cause my single “Slide.” I’ve also worked with T Berry I know how to go and get it. On Da Trax, 88 Keyz out of New York, 9 Beats, and Crime Mob’s producer did a record on my If a major label were to offer you a deal, what mixtape called “Like Me.” As far as writing, I’ve would you be looking for? worked with Jim Jonsin, Khao, Stevie Morales, I’d definitely want to have the publishing. I just everybody. want the best situation that’s going to benefit everybody in my camp, to help us advance Is there anything else you want to mention? financially. I don’t want anything strenuous. I Stay on the lookout for the new R&B mixtape gotta have creative control. I need to really own hitting the streets April 10th. It’s called Nothin’ all my publishing but things don’t always go But Da Truth. I’m about to give y’all a lot more down the way you want ‘em to go. There’s never Tarvoria. I also want to shout out DJ Rell, DJ such a thing as the perfect deal, but I’m accept- D-Strong, Disco & The City Boyz, Cease a.k.a. Mr. ing it. As long as I get big money writing and Willie Mays, 386, and all of Feel Good Muzik. You the freedom to be Tarvoria, I’m good. can learn more about me at www.tarvoria.com. I value everyone’s opinion about my music so Words by Ms. Rivercity How are you different from other female artists? hit me up. // Everybody that knows Tarvoria as a person, knows that I’m real humble. I like to have a www.myspace.com/tarvoria

OZONE | 35 Redd Eyezz NEW MONEY words: n. ali early // photo: JULIA BEVERLY

36 | OZONE NEW MONEY

OZONE | 37 hat was the transition like for you going over to Strictly Business Records and taking on the responsibilities of a CEO? Making the transition was real smooth because my whole vision was to become a boss Wand become an entrepreneur, just do my own thing in this game. So coming over here, bossman on this side, he had the same vision I had. So it made the marriage a lot smoother. It was just a matter of being in a position and doing the day to day things to run a label and get it to the point where we were making some noise and we were being consistent with it. Over here at SBR I have the power to do whatever I need to do to get to the next level as well as have all the things that I need. All the avenues are there: staff, studio, computers. And, by me coming over here I started my own company - sorta like Lil Wayne – he got his own label and he’s the President of Ca$h Money. My situation is very, very similar with BIG Entertainment. I’m running my label and over at SBR I’m really giving all the guidance, how we should move, what feels right to me and [everything else]. r thing in that sense.

I know you’ve been handling your business on the street level, but what prepared you for SBR from a business standpoint? When I started out at Most Wanted Records and then ZOE Pound, we was always niggas out the streets so we had to learn for ourselves. I had to peep game from other artists and watch what they do. I had to go and get these budgets and go see the radio personnel. So every time I met someone, an A&R, somebody at the studio, I kept their number, kept the relationship and they built. So what I learned in this game is it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. I learned that I had to know these people. So I built relationships with these people and that prepared me for this. Being responsible for budgets prepared me for this. Me being a hungry artist prepared me. I was constantly training myself to do this. Even when people was [hatin’] tellin’ me to go back to what I was doin’ cause it wasn’t workin’, [I kept going.] But all the shit that I did in the past all the way up to this point is what got me up to this point. So I’ma continue doin’ it cause that’s what’s gettin’ me where I need to go.

How long did you fuck around with ZOE Pound? Shit, I was there since the beginning. We prolly started like in ’95 and somewhere in ’99 or 2000 I went on the road with Juvy. At the time I was workin’ on my solo project and Juve heard it. When him and Baby heard it, and I got on the Baller Blockin’ Tour, did a couple spots on the Ruff Ryder Tour and I was just doin’ my thing from that. Once I got on with Juve we became closer. When you with a nigga every day for three months, you eat, sleep, shit [together], you become close. It was five or six years before I went solo and started doing the Redd Eyezz thing.

38 | OZONE ying to cash These guys are tr an. That’s all it’s checks m k and I’m about: cashin’ a chec all for that. }

What was your role with ZOE Pound? I was an artist, but not just an artist. I did a lot of things, from graphics on the album covers, making songs, picking tracks, gettin’ the credits right on the album, making sure producers signed release forms, my ideas were very influential. I played A&R roles, all that. All the shit I did in the past is what I’m doing exactly right now. I was a big part of the Brother Marquis record, the Wu Tang album. The first single we came with, that’s me that made up that hook. When it came to the music I was everything.

What about outside of the music? Outside of the music? I can’t speak on outside of the music (laughs). All I know is music. That’s all I do. Outside of the music we was street niggas. I can’t lie. We was from Little Haiti and I ain’t gonna say we was angels. We wasn’t the nicest kids, but we wasn’t the kind that went lookin’ for trouble. We were more like the kind that defended our territory and defended what we believed in. But outside of music if I felt like I had a problem in the streets for real, my power was just as influential in music as it is in the street.

What’s your relationship like with them now? Right now I travel a lot. It’s still the same. The thing is I just be gone a lot traveling. All the artists are not here. It started off with four and it’s only one left besides me. I feel like I gotta get my foot in there and set it off for [us], or vice versa. If the Pound set off first then we get it like that. Who- ever get it in first. That’s the page we on. It’s love. One hand washes the other. And when I say get in first I mean whoever gets a big deal first, because I am ZOE Pound.

Being an original member of the Pound, how do you feel about other rappers calling it out in their rhymes, like 50 and Cam? People ask me that all the time, who’s side am I on and I like to say this: First of all, I’m not eating on either side. So there is no side. There’s no preference, because to me I know it’s no beef for real. From my understanding it’s not beef for real. If it was beef for real it would be a shooting. These guys are trying to cash checks, man. That’s all it’s about: cashin’ a check. I’m all for that. //

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