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Home , Arch Nemesis, Bigg D, Buck The World, Chopper City, Connected and Respected, Don Vito (producer)

TOOMISTAH $HORT,WEST FAB,OZONETRAXAMILLION COAST: PLUSJ-DIGGS,

OZONE MAGAZINE REAL, RAW, & UNCENSORED SOUTHERN RAP

THE FIRST ANNUAL

IT’S HARD TO BE LEGIT AND STILL PAY YOUR RENT DRUG ISSUE CRACKHEAD CONFESSIONS TRUE STORIES FROM RAP’S MOST DESPISED HEROES

B.G. LIL BOOSIE TWISTED BLACK JUELZ SANTANA YOUNG & MORE

MARCH 2007 BUCK * HOW ECSTACY* 20 REASONSBECAME *RAP’S WHY HOW WEED NEWESTTO ROB SHOULD ADRUG STASH& MORE BEOF HOUSE LEGALCHOICE TOOMISTAH $HORT,WEST FAB,OZONETRAXAMILLION COAST: PLUSJ-DIGGS, REAL, RAW, & UNCENSORED SOUTHERN RAP

THE FIRST ANNUAL DRUG ISSUE FEATURING B.G. PIMP C RICK ROSS LIL BOOSIE TWISTED BLACK JUELZ SANTANA & MORE CRACKHEAD CONFESSIONS LIL BOOSIE TRUE STORIES FROM RAP’S MOST DESPISED HEROES & TRILL ENTERTAINMENT * HOW ECSTACY* 20 REASONSBECAME *RAP’S WHY HOW WEED NEWESTTO ROB SHOULD ADRUG STASH& MORE BEOF HOUSE LEGALCHOICE 12 // OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG // 11

introduction

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julia Beverly

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER N. Ali Early MUSIC EDITOR Randy Roper FEATURES EDITOR Eric Perrin ART DIRECTOR Tene Gooden ADVERTISING SALES Che’ Johnson PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR Malik Abdul MARKETING DIRECTOR David Muhammad LEGAL CONSULTANT Kyle P. King, P.A. SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Destine Cajuste ADMINISTRATIVE Cordice Gardner, Kisha Smith

CONTRIBUTORS Alexander Cannon, Bogan, Carlton Wade, Charlamagne the God, Chuck T, E-Feezy, Edward Hall, Felita Knight, Iisha Hillmon, Jacinta Howard, Jaro Vacek, Jessica Koslow, J Lash, Jason Cordes, Jo Jo, Joey Columbo, Johnny Louis, Kamikaze, Keadron Smith, Keith Kennedy, Kenneth Brewer, K.G. Mosley, King Yella, Luis Santana, Marcus DeWayne, Matt Sonzala, Maurice G. Garland, Mercedes (Strictly Streets), Mike Sims, Ms. Rivercity, Natalia Gomez, Ray Tamarra, Rico Da Crook, Robert Gabriel, Rohit Loomba, Shannon McCollum, Spiff, Swift, Wally Sparks, OZONEHustlin’ WEST pg W12 Wendy Day DJ Profile pg W10 OZONE WEST CONTRIBUTORS D-Ray, DJ Back- Side, Joey Colombo, Toby Francis J-Diggs pg W24-25 STREET REPS Al-My-T, B-Lord, Big Teach Westside Story pg W8 (Big Mouth), Bigg C, Bigg V, Black, Brian Franklin, Buggah D. Govanah (On Point), Bull, Mistah FAB pg W14-17 C Rola, Cedric Walker, Chill, Chilly C, Chuck T, Controller, DJ Dap, David Muhammad, Delight, California Love pg W5-11 Derrick the Franchise, Destine Cajuste, Dolla Bill, Dwayne Barnum, Dr. Doom, Ed the World Youth UpRising pg W18-21 Famous, Episode, General, Haziq Ali, H-Vidal, Hollywood, J Fresh, Jammin’ Jay, Janky, The West is Back...Side pg W4 Joe Anthony, Judah, Kamikaze, KC, Kenneth Clark, Klarc Shepard, Kuzzo, Kydd Joe, Lex, Lil Release Therapy: Too $hort pg W6 D, Lump, Marco Mall, Miguel, Mr. Lee, Music & More, Nick@Nite, Nikki Kancey, Pat Pat, PhattLipp, Pimp G, Quest, Rippy, Rob-Lo, Stax, TJ’s DJ’s, TJ Bless, Tim Brown, Edwards, Kafani of the Baby Face Assassins pg W22-23 Vicious, Victor Walker, Voodoo, Wild Billo, Young Harlem

DISTRIBUTION Curtis Circulation, LLC

SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe, send check or money order for $11 to: Ozone Magazine, Inc. Attn: Subscriptions Dept 644 Antone St. Suite 6 Atlanta, GA 30318 Phone: 404-350-3887 Fax: 404-350-2497 Website: www.ozonemag.com

COVER CREDITS photo by Ray Tam- arra; Lil Boosie & Trill Fam photo by King Yella; Kafani photo by D-Ray; Tax Holloway photo by Julia Beverly.

DISCLAIMER OZONE Magazine is published 11 times per year by OZONE Magazine, Inc. OZONE does not take responsibility for unsolicited materials, misinformation, typographical errors, or misprints. The views contained herein do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or its advertisers. Ads appearing in this magazine are not an endorsement or validation by OZONE Magazine for products or services offered. All photos and illustrations are copyrighted by their respective artists. All other content is copyright 2007 OZONE Magazine, all rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publisher. Printed in the USA.

14 // OZONE MAG contents

COVER STORIES Young Buck pg 74-77 Lil Boosie pg 98-100 INTERVIEWS Juelz Santana pg 68-69 Twisted Black pg 44 Rick Ross pg 92-93 Pretty Ricky pg 73 Pimp C pg 96-97 Fabo pg 106-107 B.G. pg 86-87 FEATURES X Files pg 32 The Inspiration pg 78 The World Is Ours pg 36 Up In Smoke pg 64-65 What’s In A Name pg 84 The Burning Question pg 30 Under the Influence pg 79-83 Crackhead Confessions pg 50-53 How To Rob A Stash House pg 38 They Must Have Been High pg 101 20 Greatest Drug-Related Movies pg 34 20 Reasons Weed Should Be Legal pg 28

SECTIONS MONTHLYHustlin’ pg 40 DJ Profile pg 46 Feedback pg 16 End Zone pg 112 Chin Check pg 26 JB’s 2 Cents pg 19 Industry 101 pg 42 Mathematics pg 24 Rapquest pg 20-21 Roland Powell pg 19 Sports Profile pg 102 The Elements pg 113 Producer Profile pg 48 CD Reviews pg 108-109 Photo Galleries pg 25-49 Patiently Waiting pg 54-62 feedback

Dope editorial, JB! I read the whole thing and it was very articulate. I feel you 100%. Keep it lit for the South! - DJ Devro, [email protected] (Oakland, CA)

Damn JB, what’s up with your 2 cents this month? Do you like New Yorkers or not? You talk shit about New York but you stay having New York niggas in the magazine. This month you got Nas, Freekey Zeekey, Jim Jones… come on. - Ackmon The Kid, [email protected] (Brooklyn, NY)

Hey JB, your 2 Cents column in the January/February issue of OZONE with the Underground Kingz, and Pimp C, was refreshingly truthful in its perspec- tive of how New Yorkers are generally haters. More than a little bit, they feel like they’ve got sole ownership or domination in the game because they were the birthplace of the culture. I too have experienced the hostility of hater- ism numerous times. The most significant was when I spent some time in Dallas, San Antonio, and DJ Screw’s old stomping grounds of Screwston (R.I.P.). When I brought back some chopped and screwed mixtapes to Melbourne, Austrailia, I continually heard from the backpacking segment of the Hip Hop fans that it This might be old by now, but I feel what you are saying. I recently picked up the wasn’t “real” and would die out in due time. I’d rather see everybody get down October 2006 issue of OZONE Magazine and I found your 2 Cents article to be very together and represent their region and see profits on all levels. That’s my colorful and informative about what happened backstage at the OZONE Awards. nickel’s worth of thoughts and I’m eagerly anticipating the next OZONE. You had some very good points and I could relate to what you were saying. - Paul Vanselow, [email protected] (Southern California) People really don’t know what it takes to make an event - big or small - be suc- cessful. I just want to let you know that there are people out here that are thank- Polow da CON is whack. How is he gonna be from the South and hatin’ on the ful for people like you, and I am one of them. It takes the nobodys to pull things South? That dude should take his fuck-ass back to the West coast. We don’t want off for the somebodys. So please keep up the good work and I will be looking him here. forward to seeing your future work. Your article has made me add OZONE to the - Alexander Cannon, [email protected] (Atlanta, GA) list of magazines that I read now. You also have motivated me to keep on track doing what I love to do and to never give up. Stress comes and goes in everyone’s How did Block get on the cover of Ozone? I mean, that dude straight, but a everyday life, so you’ve got to deal with it and keep going. Thank you! cover? I think you shoulda put Killer Mike or SL Jones on the cover before Block. I - Shannon Erica, [email protected] question some of your cover but OZONE is still the shit. Every year Ozone keeps getting better. I’m happy to see y’all doing your thing. I second that motion! I couldn’t have agreed more with your editorial talking - Ian Priester, [email protected] (Atlanta, GA) about the relationship between ambition and sex. The most powerful, wealthy, driven and historical figures in the world have a lust for life. What makes you feel more alive than sharing life with someone? Even if the connection is momentary, the electricity created when two people are attracted to one another and can ex- press it sexually is out of this world. “All things in moderation” is true to a point, but life happens every day, so why can’t sex? If the two people involved have an understanding of what the relationship is, have fun! I don’t think the sex game is only privy to those in the entertainment industry. The higher you go in society, the more people you will be around who are just as ambitious or they wouldn’t be there. Students fantasize about the teacher, the teacher about the principal and the principal the superintendent. It’s a crazy cycle. Keep doing your thing. This is my first time reading your magazine. I like the emphasis on safe sex. Children need to hear that there are consequences to every act, no matter how alluring it may seem at the moment. - Rasheed Amin Chappell, [email protected]

You’re really gonna ruffle some feathers with JB’s 2 Cents this month. No disre- spect, but the South controls the clubs in New York, L.A., Chicago, and all the major and minor markets because we party and have beats with soul. It’s rare that you get songs like Jim Jones’ “We Fly High (Ballin’)” that really cross over into the South from New York. But even if Jim hadn’t got the South, Jim and Dipset already have a fan base and sell tons of records. These New York rappers and DJs that are complaining need to gain a fan base, make good records, and form an alliance with Southern rappers and the rest will happen. This game is about relationships. The South ain’t complaining, the West ain’t complaining. Everybody gets a chance. Like says, hating makes the situation worse. Great piece, JB. - DJ Kool Laid, [email protected] (Boyle, MS)

Gillie The Kid is the hater of the year? You got to be kidding me. Gillie pulled lil fella’s hoe card bad. I know is from the South and you got to love him, but come the fuck on. Lil Wayne’s ass could barely form a sentence in the days and now he’s with complicated metaphors and all that. Lil Wayne has an East Coast flow now! If anybody goes back and listens to the Suave House compilation, you’ll hear Gillie on like four songs. Lil Wayne took dude’s complete swagger! The DJ Kurupt mixtape of them two proves it as well: Lil Wayne is Gillie’s clone! Period. - Adam Murphy, [email protected] (St. Louis, MO)

I loved your February’s 2 Cents. That’s right, tell them folks to c’mon down here to the South. We’re getting money. You gets much respect JB, because Screw music is an art form. - DJ Supa C, [email protected] (Houston, TX)

16 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 17 18 // OZONE MAG JB’s 2 CENTS

upac said it and it’s still true: It’s a dirty game, and you got to be careful who you fuck with and who you don’t fuck with. TI got a lot of good advice this month. I’m tryin’ to do it right in 2007.

Oh, yeah, it’s true, I packed up all my shit and moved to Atlanta. I’ll always be a Floridian at heart, but sometimes you’ve got to cut 10 Things I’m Hatin’ On ties to grow. By Roland “Lil Duval” Powell Disclaimer: This is really what everybody else is sayin’. I I have a few questions for my readers. know I’m dead wrong, but I’m hating anyway. First, if you don’t know me, what would possess you to call my cell 1. New Years phone after midnight on a holiday “just to say hi” and to find out “how to I’m so tired of people sayin’, “This is my get [your artist] in the magazine”? I really would like to know. year.” Nigga, you been saying that for the last six years. Secondly, I realize that being a “successful” female has gained me a lot of female fans and readers, and I appreciate them. However, I do wonder: 2. Clear Air Force Ones Why do I get ten emails every day from female “models” with their pictures These shoes should be abolished and if you attached? If you read OZONE, you would know that we are a rap magazine, see a nigga with some dirty socks on, slap So, yeah, I kinda have this thing not a model magazine. I don’t want pictures of random “myspace model” the shit outta him. for sitting on rapper’s laps. Here chicks filling up my inbox. Do I look like I like women? I don’t. If I wanted I am with Polow in Atlanta... to see ass and titties, I’d look in the mirror. I know Source, XXL and all 3. Sway from MTV them have their little “eye candy” sections. We don’t, because this is my I know I ain’t the only one wondering what shit and I like men. We got too many complaints when we printed “male the hell is in his hat. I think there’s a midget model” pictures, so if I can’t look at half-naked men in OZONE, y’all can’t in there controlling his brain like Men in look at half-naked women. Sorry. Black. Lastly, I really would like to know why people call our office asking for our 4. People That Think They Been Through A mailing address and then as soon as you start to give it to them, they say, Lot “, let me go find a pen,” and put you on hold for ten minutes. People always think their life has been so Impersonating John Lennon hard and say, “You don’t know what I’ve with Scrappy in Milwaukee... It’s been a while since I blasted anybody in my editorial. It could be that been through.” I hate hearing people ’m getting nicer, but more likely, it’s just that most people have learned this. A 12-year-old nigga going to a private not to piss me off. If you live in Orlando, I would advise you to never do school and living with both parents told business with that fat beady-eyed faggot True who runs 407 Motoring rim me this. shop and thinks he’s better than everyone else cause he’s supposedly from Jersey. He owes me $2400 and everything about him screams “bullshit” 5. Realtors so I should’ve known better in the first place. There’s a few people in jail This is a prime example of niggas doing who owe me money but I won’t kick them while they’re down. HotFlyerz. what they see everybody else doing. First com ($500) and a guy named James Harleston with Street Gossip ($3,000) people wanted to be in entertainment (and are two more bullshitters who you should avoid. Same with MC Qua and still do), now everybody wants to be a real In NYC with my favorite rapper... another Houston rapper who I won’t name yet. Warlock Records is full of estate agent. There’s more realtors than shit, but then again, aren’t all record labels? The cheapest muthafucker in houses now. Miami, Abebe, who runs a multi-million dollar recording studio, has been dodging me for four years to avoid paying the $520 he owes for an ad. The 6. Club Security Guards list goes on and on but I won’t name the others yet because of the slight I shouldn’t be bigger than the security possibility that they’re actually going to pay me. guards at yo’ club. How am I supposed to feel safe? I’m quite popular all of a sudden, but rappers, listen: If you weren’t tryin’ to hit years ago when I was a lil’ anonymous photographer hangin’ around 7. Tyra Banks your show or video shoot, don’t try to hit now that I got a lil’ magazine. She kills me with all this undercover shit. Bringing in the New Year with If you were a visionary, like me, you would’ve seen the potential and the She’s been a man and a stripper, but the one Young Buck in ATL... power and tried to holla back before I knew better and possibly succeeded. where she was homeless took the cake. We It’s too late now! You’re not getting a free cover, either, so don’t ask. all know damn well she still ain’t gon’ give nobody shit on the streets. Next month we will holla at the DJs (the Aphilliates got raided earlier today by the Feds for “bootlegging”; I would like to say on the record 8. Stank Breath Females that I think that’s bullshit) and introduce you to a bunch of new people at I don’t care how fine you is. If yo’ breath OZONE who are much more enthusiastic and much less burned out than I. smell like ass, don’t speak to me. Shit, that’s making me sound old. Anyway, as they say, it ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at, and right now ATL is a great place for us to be. 9. Niggas With Receding Hairlines Don’t try to blame the barber cause your & winning a bet in Jacksonville - Julia Beverly, [email protected] hairline is so far back it’s on another nigga’s head. I know a nigga with a bald head who’s still got a bald spot. Young f/ R Kelly “Go Getter” 10. Country Ass Towns f/ & Attitude “Role Models” Don’t you hate it when a nigga tells you Lloyd f/ Andre 3000 & Nas “You (remix)” jb’splaylist about something in their town that no one Fantasia f/ Big Boi “Hood Boy” else gives a damn about? This girl told me, “Get On My Hype” David Banner “Hey Girl” “Did you know that Thomasville is the home Young Jeezy “Bury Me A G” Miss B “Grown Man” of the watermelon-spitting seed contest?” YoungBloodz f/ Jacki-O & Busta Rhymes “Whole Lotta Ass” Mike Jones “Mr. Jones” T-Pain “Mr. Downtown” Dat Boy Aim “This My Year” www.myspace.com/rolandpowell

OZONE MAG // 19 RAPQUEST OZONE HITS THE STREETS TO SEE WHAT’S POPPIN’ IF YOU FEEL THAT YOUR CITY IS MISREPRESENTED, OR NOT REPRESENTED AT ALL, HIT US UP at [email protected], IN: The word from the Nappy is that Indy Idol winners The Block have taken off with a vengeance and their mixtape is hitting stores soon. The war between 625 Entertainment and the other artists in the city is heating back up. Even DJs out here are beefing. DJ Panic is hitting the scene extra hard right now and others don’t like what he’s doing or the way he’s doing it. DJ Balo is starting to really heat up the streets with his mixtapes. Jim E Mac, G Stack, & Keylo G, some of the OGs in the city, have hooked up with DJ Panic and put out some super hot mix tapes. The Hype Magazine has kicked off their monthly showcase series. – Lucky the Promo King ([email protected]) NASHVILLE, TN: There’s a petition floating around Nashville being by local talent, demanding that the radio stations support local music. In addition to that Clear Channel non- sense, damn near every Titan football player has either a label or an . Pac Man had an album release party, but has no album. And what’s the deal with Cashville’s Prince All Star? Where is All Star’s debut? Why does Lil Wayne mention Curren$y in all his interviews and never mention Star? And why is the whole city waiting on All Star’s next mixtape and not Young Buck’s Buck Tha World? - Cory Sparks ([email protected]), Janiro ([email protected]), Jo Jo ([email protected])

MEMPHIS, TN Producer Antonio “2Shay” Parkinson has taken on the role of Chairman of the Memphis Music Commission (MMC) after Rey Flemings stepped down. MMC has also launched “ND Radio Show” for local artists on K97 hosted by Devin Steel. Club Changes has re-opened after failing to reapply for a liquor license, and plans on regaining new business with a fresh start. Watch out for Gangsta Boo’s controversial single “Queen of the South” where she CHATTANOOGA, TN: blasts other female rappers. Memphis artist Miscellaneous says he’s now washed his hands of the beef with Yo The club scene was dead until First Gotti and plans to continue with The Memphis Movement and bring unity among local artists. Memphis rapper/ Fridays at The Whole re-emerged to heat producer Mr Sche, nominated for best producer and best album, was selected to perform at the 2007 SEAs. up the nightlife, along with weekend hot –Deanna Brown ([email protected]) spot Deep Blue and Club Dominques’ new Saturdays. Three Chattanooga residents are nominated for multiple SEAs: WJTT personality Ms. Magic and mixtape/mixshow DJs Dutty Laundry and Wally Sparks. Local rap hustler D. Cooley appears on two singles with Knoxville artist Mr. Mack. DALLAS/FT. WORTH, TX: Entrepreneur Jermaine Harper continues catering to the upscale crowd with his own Harlem Entertain- Club M5 is the newest nightlife spot ment, and Dutty Laundry and Big Daryl have opened up their lifestyle shop 3D Urban Music & Movies. in the city for the partygoers, ballers, One of Wally Sparks’ four new mixtapes, Cocaine Cowboys with Rick Ross, is receiving critical acclaim. and boppers. Tum Tum’s “Caprice Music” – DJ Wally Sparks ([email protected] ) aired as the new joint on BET’s 106th & Park and Lil Peace’s “Hit Da Dance Floor” grabbed the attention of local radio stations. Chase Pat’s “Rep Da Grove” is the anthem being sung word for word in every club and DJ Drop’s Kingz of The JACKSON, MS: Kitchen is still the hottest mixtape in the Often overlooked and underestimated, we get money here just like in streets. Big Tuck’s album Tha Absolute any other city. We break records and contribute to your record sales. Truth is in stores now, while Mistalong, David Banner ended ’06 right by sponsoring a Christmas toy drive, Coby Savage and Philly Station are buzz- and Boo da Boss Playa kicked off ’07 right by collaborating with The ing in the streets. Bo-Leg and Twisted Aphilliates for The Drugstore mixtape. The Vikings’ defensive back Fred Black got locked up – stay strong! Smoot suffered a broken jaw in a car accident which totaled his Rolls – Edward “Pookie” Hall ([email protected]) Royce – get well soon! Buffie the Body is coming soon to Upper Level. - Tambra Cherie ([email protected]) & Stax ([email protected])

AUSTIN, TX: BAY ST. LOUIS, MS: Carnival Beats, producers of “Still Tippin’,” “Back Then,” and Nels Sports Bar & Lounge, the Gulf Coast’s hottest entertain- “Sittin’ Sideways” brought out the heat on the ‘Pac’s Life ment venue, proves that the Mississippi sound is still very album and now are working with Chingo Bling. DJ Rapid much alive post-Katrina. The success of Block Boi Volume Ric and the Whut It Dew family just released Whut It Dew 4, 1 featuring David Banner prompted the early release of which includes the “Pullin’ Up” music video DVD. Top Dollar Block Boi Volume I: Katrina Survivor. Dub G is nominated for Clothing, originators of the famous “Whut It Dew” shirts, the Southern Entertainment Awards. SwampRoot videos is opened their retail store on the eastside. DJ Bounz’s Mind- highlighting talent from the Mississippi Gulf Coast at www. set Vol. 2, hosted by Rasaq and Tum-Tum is in stores now. youtube.com/crossroadsentllc with their Life After The Storm Basswood Lane’s single, “Ciabiata Bread,” is receiving a big mixtape featuring G’No, Lil Camile, Duece Double 0, and The response from the streets and demanding radio play. SwampRoot Klik. - O.G. of Luxury Mindz ([email protected]) – DJ Deliyte ([email protected])

HATTIESBURG, MS: Miz Smurff continues to blaze the airwaves with her new track “Ooh Yeah,” while awaiting the Southern Entertainment Awards where she’s nomi- nated for several awards. Urban super-club Hi Hat 2000 has been closed due to unknown reasons. Deeman a.k.a. Big Daddy, the afternoon jock on WILD 106.3, is preparing Volume 2 of his Hustlin’ Slow mixtape series with crazy never-heard exclusives. A routine traffic stop on the highway near Hattiesburg revealed 300 pounds of that good green in the rear of an 18-wheeler; law officials connected dozens in trafficking ring that spans from the A to H-Town. Producer/artist GMB continues to grind, preparing his still-untitled second release. - DJ Big Brd ([email protected])

20 // OZONE MAG CINCINNATI, OH: WASHINGTON, DC: Even in a city where 2006’s homicide rate reached Another year has passed and D.C. is still looking for that breakout rapper to put the city on the map. an all-time high of 85 - amidst the shoot-outs, The D.C. hip-hop scene bubbled crazy in ’06 and right now all eyes are on Wale. Since linking up with curfews, and beef - there is still some real music. former Roc-A-Fella Records VP Kenny Burns and his upstart Studio 43 imprint, the former Source “Un- For all y’all who have been frontin’ on Hi-Tek, signed Hype” has been building quite a regional following while developing into a mainstay on area WIFZ 100.9 let him speak out. And although Tek radio rotations with his go-go sample looped singles such as “Dig Dug.” He headlined the New Year’s made it clear that money ain’t the only thing that Eve party at Platinum Nightclub and performed with on the Budweiser Select Series. motivates him – he’ll work with you if you got – Pharoh Talib ([email protected]) real music – the money helps too. Tocka has the hottest mixtape of the year, which can be found VIRGINIA BEACH, VA: on every bootleg table in the city. They don’t The Clipse threw their album release party and “made it rain” on ev- bootleg bullshit. Deaf Boy Records is back in ef- eryone in attendance. They also dissed Lil Wayne live on the radio and fect since the release of the Notorious Bobby. audio from the interview made its rounds on the internet, creating mass – Judy Jones ([email protected]) hysteria. Fam-Lay is gaining speed in the market thanks to heavy radio support. New Orleans import Derrick Tha Franchise a.k.a. Young Fame (that’s me!) flooded the streets with the mixtape seriesEar 2 Tha Street. – Derrick Tha Franchise ([email protected])

RALEIGH, NC: It seems that 2006 was the year for Young Real here in the capital city of Raleigh. After having several hot joints hit the North Carolina airwaves, the streets are waiting to hear the next thing coming out of the Haz Camp. There are a few other MONTGOMERY, AL: NC hopefuls looking for a favorable nod in ’07: Original Sin (Durham), P-Batters Lil Boosie zoomed through and the crowd made “weather like Katrina.” (Raleigh), Josie Mo (Durham) and J-Khrist (Fayetteville). The streets in North Security had to regain control of the 900+ attendees before the show Carolina are buzzing with the hype of the possibilities for 2007. could continue. Grand Hustle producer Khao has closed the doors to his - Big K ([email protected]) studio because “it ain’t makin’ no money.” Meanwhile, Michael London is the certified COO for Longmoney Entertainment’s new studio. Are the COLUMBIA, SC: Dirty Boys still together? Well, they tore up the stage together, perform- Columbia has quite a few nominees in this year’s Southern Entertain- ing something old, something new and acting an ass with Mr. Blu. ment Awards. Hot 103.9 is nominated for Radio Station of the Year, as – Hot Girl Maximum ([email protected]) well as radio personality Neek, record promoter Rob-Lo, and DJ B- Lord. Club Evolutions keeps it crunk every weekend with the hottest DJs – Frosty.com, Big Gee, B-Lord, , and Phat Boi – while hosts TALLAHASSEE, FL: such as Neek, Venom, Charlamagne Tha God and D. Stretch keep the Everybody’s getting ready to go back to school (FAMU, FSU, parties live. Lim’s Fashion in the Columbia Mall has all the gear you and TCC), and preparing for Demp Week and the first TJ’s DJ’s need, and when Lim’s closes for the night, you can stop by Swagger Tastemakers Only record pool meeting. Blazin’ 102.3 FM kicks Clothing Company, where the doors don’t close until midnight. off a new show in February with Tallahassee residents like T- – Rob-Lo ([email protected]) Pain, Shawn Jay of Field Mob, Pleasure P of Pretty Ricky, and Thrill da Playa of the 69 Boyz. DJ Butch of the County Boyz has a new single that’s firing up the clubs and radio stations, CHARLESTON, SC: the uptempo track “U Ain’t Crunk U Trippin’.” One time for Lil Boosie is coming to our newest hot spot, the Weekend Pub, with DJ B-Lord Young Jeezy and Lil Boosie, the hottest artists in the streets. and DJ Kub spinning. The streets are buzzing about legendary Charleston rapper – DJ Dap ([email protected]) Pachino Dino’s new single “Tear The Club Walls Down.” Pachino recently returned home after serving time for various charges. DJ Kub is preparing to drop Mix or Die Vol. 3: The Best of The Chuck, and the city’s #1 gentlemen’s club Bada Bing will be bringing in Flavor of Love’s Eye Candy, Deelishis, to host the birthday bash for the club owner, Spence. – DJ B-Lord ([email protected])

ORLANDO, FL: JACKSONVILLE, FL: With ’s state senator found guilty of felony Believe it! The tour rolled through but the most exciting thing grand theft, the Orlando city commissioner being that happened that night was the Duval Boyz getting jumped. They held it down arrested for bribery and the release of Sho Boy’s though. Hip-Hop Hell had its fourth annual freestyle battle. Strife won, again. Terrorist Threat mixtape, Mickey Mouse is to sure Y’all were well-behaved at the Ghetto Grammys, but I can’t say the same for the to give the city back to the streets. Smilez, one OZONE party at Da Real Ting Café. Them heffers got to fighting so security maced half of the rap group Smilez & Southstar, released the whole club. Now that my lungs have recuperated to check out Swordz, Beckett Smilez Runs Orlando, the official charity event and the Duval Boyz. “Outside Pussy,” “X,” and “Hayie” are buzzin’ in the streets of mixtape. The new Spiff TV DVD hit stores, and R&B Jacksonville, as well as the Grind2Shine DVD and Swordz’ Street Album. singer KC plans on shooting a video shortly while – Ms. Rivercity (www.myspace.com/msrivercity) still finishing up with production duo The Run- ners. Mrs. Johnson’s soul food restaurant recently moved from the slums of Parramore to the up and coming development of Church Street. MIAMI, FL: – Destine Cajuste ([email protected]) Everybody from , T.I. and his fiance Tiny, Venus and Serena Williams, , Kelly Rowland, Solange Knowles, Nick Cannon, , , Lindsay Lohan and Scott Storch brought in TAMPA, FL: 2007 right here in the 3-0-5! After 20 years of doing every job at We might be in the middle of some major players, but don’t count us out. 99 Jamz, Derrick B became the program director. Big Lip and Supa Call it a comeback for Tom G with his hit for the ladies, “Nympho,” featuring Cindy celebrated six years of running the radio game! Promoter MVP. Everyone and their mama wants to put Tampa on the map. Aych is doin’ extraordinaire Michael Madd sent out a massive email insulting the it and doin’ it well with his weekly open mic night at Da Cypher, giving local afternoon jock at 99 Jamz, Lorenzo “Ice Tea” Thomas. Will there be artists a chance. The Olivia Fox Morning Show and DJ H-Vidal are both off the a reply and who has a bigger email list? The hottest song in the air at 95.7 The Beat, just like that! Can we get a warning next time? streets is Poe Boy’s Brisco with “Opa Locka.” – Tamara Brown ([email protected]) – Supa Cindy ([email protected])

OZONE MAG // 21 22 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 23 mathematics by Wendy Day of the Rap Coalition www.wendyday.com

MARKETING ictionary.com defines marketing as the “ac- wonder if he’s fallen off or if the label isn’t behind the project very soundly, tivities of a company associated with buying leading to the wrong assumption that the project may not be good). Dand selling a product or service. It includes Label employees spend weeks and months developing plans to reach the advertising, selling and delivering products to consumer in new and exciting ways that cause the artist to stand out. David people. People who work in marketing departments Banner’s team chose to give away three scholarships inside of his CDs, so 3 of companies try to get the attention of target lucky fans would buy a CD that allowed them to collect $10,000 towards go- audiences by using slogans, packaging design, ce- ing to . This was done at a time when other artists were giving away lebrity endorsements and general media exposure. rims, chains, and other material possessions, so the scholarships not only The four ‘Ps’ of marketing are product, placement, stood out, but it got the press talking about how it stood out (free public- price and promotion.” ity). I could also mention the good karma involved in giving out scholar- ships, but this isn’t that kind of article. Many people believe that marketing is just about advertising or sales. However, marketing is everything a company does to acquire customers and Independent labels, because their financial resources are smaller, have to maintain a relationship with them. Even the small tasks like writing thank- target smaller areas (perhaps 5 cities or 3 states in a region to begin with) you letters, playing golf with a prospective client, returning calls promptly and spread their messages a bit slower than a major. Since independent and meeting with a past client for coffee can be thought of as marketing. labels don’t care about first week sales (they only care about how many The ultimate goal of marketing is to match a company’s products and ser- CDs have sold in total before they put out the next release), they can work vices to the people who need and want them, thereby ensuring profitability a project region by region over a period of, say, nine months to a year and for the company. a half - time doesn’t matter because the project is seen as new in each new territory they move into. Independent labels also have to make certain their In the music business, labels figure out who will buy their CDs (target mar- marketing dollars are well spent because there are less of them to spend ket) and the best way to reach that market. With the increase of downloading than a major label spends. Since indie labels are smaller and closer to the and P2P music swapping, figuring out who will actually buy CDs grows harder streets, they often make better decisions on where to spend their dollars. everyday. Once a label figures out who will buy the CDs, they then focus Major labels are so large, and have so much bureaucracy involved in the on the areas where those people live. Independent labels focus on small decision-making process, that if they start to go in a certain direction, and regional areas and target them a few at a time, while larger major labels it isn’t working, they have difficulty stopping and re-focusing. An indie focus on key markets nationally and blitz them simultaneously. This is why label can stop on a dime if a certain plan isn’t working and change their first week sales are so important to major labels – it gives them a gauge of focus within a few days. how much more effort to make for a project. For example, if Young Jeezy comes out and sells 352,000 CDs in his first week, it tells Def Jam that there Since they’re working one region at a time, a smart indie label knows that is demand for his project. If a major label releases another artist and the national magazine ads and national commercial spots on BET aren’t as project only sells 30,000 CDs, this tells the label that demand for that project helpful to them. They can focus on regional magazines and regional or is not very high. The label, being interested in focusing attention where local ad buys on BET. This allows them to expand their ad messages slowly the bulk of profits are, would shift their focus from a project that only sold region by region. This way, if a project like Lil Keke is selling well in Texas, 30,000 CDs to one that had the ability to sell more, often bringing that less by the time the label expands to Atlanta, it’s not seen as an old project be- successful project to a grinding halt. An indie label, on the other hand, would cause the ads have been running for months. The ads can also be targeted see sales of 30,000 CDs as a success because they spent less money and have towards the market they are reaching. Once Lil Keke solidifies his fan base lower overhead, so they’d continue working that project as long as the sales (as he did years ago), it becomes time to expand his project nationally. By kept rolling in. the time the new Keke project drops in 2007 through Swisha House, every- one across the US knows who he is and is aware of him from his regional Once a label focuses on the areas where the potential target market are, independent projects over the past ten years. This also is more financially they then figure out the best way to reach that market so they can get feasible for the artist because it allowed him to collect independent money their advertising, publicity, street team, and promotional efforts directly in over the years before coming through a major label and taking that kind of front of those potential consumers. For example, a label would market and pay cut. It allows the artist to expand his or her career into larger arenas, promote an CD much differently than they would a Young Jeezy such as touring, TV and film, and endorsement deals. As his image expands, CD, because it is a different core audience. Sometimes labels look at similar so will his bank account. projects and what they’ve done in the past to market a newer project. For example, a fan of Mos Def or Common would also be a potential fan of Talib Image is everything in urban music, especially rap. If an artist is not seen Kweli, so a label may pull up the sales track record for Mos Def and Common as legitimate and authentic, he or she doesn’t have a chance at success. when plotting the areas to attack for a Talib project. Labels often look at This is why so many outsiders who come into the music business fail. They similar projects to see what they’ve done and where their success has been. don’t understand that sales come from fans who find the artists believable and real. This is why basketball players who become rappers don’t succeed, Once a label has found whom to reach and where to reach them, the most and why the American Idol type rap stars never become real stars. A key essential part of marketing is figuring out “how” to best reach the consumer. part of marketing is spreading the word of the rapper, but also within the If a Young Jeezy fan isn’t sitting at home watching PBS’ The Lehrer Report, confines of his or her image. Keeping a consistent message surrounding then advertising a Jeezy release during that news show would be a waste that image is key. Marketing Jeezy the way someone more commercial is of marketing dollars. But if a Jeezy fan is watching Rap City on BET, then it marketed would never work because it would dilute his strong street image. makes perfect sense to spend money on commercials during Rap City, three Marketing an artist like the way Jeezy is marketed would never work weeks prior to the CD’s release, and a few weeks after (if the budget for that because Nelly isn’t seen as a hard street figure - he’s more commercial. exists). Remaining true to the artists’ character while expanding the reach of the message is key! Marketing is the ability to reach the key audience in a way they will under- stand and relate to, and in an environment that will catch their attention. People often ask why some labels have more success than others (it’s not The problem with advertising during Rap City on BET is that every other rap rocket science to see that Def Jam and Interscope are better labels for rap with similar music is trying to reach those same viewers, all at music than Koch or Capitol), and my opinion is that they understand how to the same time. When a viewer is bombarded by the same shit day in and day market rappers better. In some cases certain labels spend more money to out, they begin to tune out, reducing the effectiveness of that advertising. achieve success, but spending in the right places is really where the value This doesn’t mean that a label can skip BET ads during Rap City, because is in marketing any product, especially something as intangible as an artist. sometimes the absence of something creates a negative association (for Sadly, a label can move onto the next project if they drop the ball (as they example, if Jeezy ads weren’t seen on BET prior to his release, a fan may often do) but the artist only has one career. The stakes are very high! //

24 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

03 // and Killer Mike @ The Royal for 05 // Dr. Dre, Governor, Bishop Magic Don Juan, Irv Gotti, Dee, and Swizz Beatz @ Justo’s Mixtape Awards (NYC) 02 // DJ Clark Kent and Greg Street showing off their 11 // kicks 8Ball, Pimp C, and MJG @ Primetime04 (Atlanta,// Peewee GA) and Young Jeezy @ The Royal for CTE’s New Years Eve party (Atlanta, 09 // GA) 01 // 06 // DJ Demp, Elora Mason, DJ Dr. Doom, Tony Neal, & TJ Chapman @ Plush for the Ghetto13 Grammys // Devyne (Jacksonville, Stephens, Scrappy’s listening party (Atlanta, GA) 08 // Hi-C and Young Buck @ WJHM 102 Jamz (Orlando, FL) 15 // DJ Drama and & DJ Wildhairr @ the Dirty South Hip Hop Awards (Dallas, TX) 10 // Duval’s Finest and Ms. Rivercity @ Da Real Ting Cafe for OZONE & Point Blank party (Jacksonville, FL) FL) 07 // Rick Ross & Trina @ Opium Gardens (Miami, FL) 12 // Lil Scrappy and @ Onyx for Tony Neal’s birthday party (Milwaukee, 17 // Bigga WI) Rankin, Sir Knight Train, 19 // Bobby Valentino and @ Woodruff Arts Center for the Sneakers Ball (Atlanta, GA) 14 // Stack$, DJ Q-45, and Haitian Fresh @ Florida Entertainment Summit (Miami, FL) Antonio Tarver and guest @ Splurge Fashion Show (Tampa, FL) 16 // Models @ The Venue for Jim Jones’ Christmas Eve (New Orleans, 21 LA) // and Hustle House records Steve Rifkind, and David Banner @ Justo’s Mixtape Awards (NYC) 18 // J-Bo and DJ Tito Bell @ The Temple for Lil Scrappy’s release party (NYC) Dynasty and Dr. Doom @ Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) guests @ Onyx for Tony Neal’s birthday party (Milwaukee, WI) 23 // 20 // Slick Pulla & BloodRaw @ The Royal for CTE’s New Years Eve party (Atlanta, GA) and Shane @ Tropical Magic for Young Buck’s concert (Orlando, 22 // Kydd FL) Joe & Chad Brown @ Cream (Augusta, GA) Baby Boy @ Bayou Classic (New Orleans, LA) Edward Hall (05); Eric Perrin (03); Julia Beverly (01,04,06,08,09,12,13,15,18,20,23); Kydd Joe (22); @ Best Buy for his in-store signing (Jacksonville, FL) Photo Credits // Leon (07); Luis Santana (11); MalikRivercity Abdul (14,17); (10); Swift Marcus (02); DeWayne Terrence (16,19); Tyson (21) Ms.

OZONE MAG // 25 chin check by Charlamagne Tha God www.cthagod.com

POST-HOLIDAY BLUES spent most of the holidays drunk off Georges my black people. Vesselle Champagne and Silver Patron mixed Iwith Sprite and Lime Juice. Being that I was The holidays led me to another conclusion: T.I is one of my favorite emcees raised a Jehovah’s Witness and now claim no of all time! He has officially been placed in my Top 5 greats. I have been a particular religion (though I do study Islam), the fan since I’m Serious but I’ve had King and Urban Legend in the CD player holidays are an excellent time to get drunk and over the holidays and I just fucks with his music. I can’t wait for his next reflect on life because my mind is not filled with album T.I. vs T.I.P. the clutter of what to buy people on the holiday created by the powers that be to increase economic Last but not least I want to give a R.I.P to South Carolina native James revenue at the end of the year, commonly known to Brown. He was born in Barnwell, SC. Don’t get it fucked up. Because of him most people as Christmas. I know to say it loud, “I’m black and I’m proud!” I also want to give a R.I.P. to Saddam Hussein. That was my brother in the name of dictatorship. Plus, I thought a lot over the holidays and one thing in particular I did think about he died like a lot of my ancestors did, so in some strange way I feel like we is that fact that HIP-HOP IS NOT DEAD! I’m not about to make this a North vs. share a bond. South thing because that is not the case. I will say this to all New Yorkers or hip-hop purists who think hip-hop should be regulated strictly to New York: Yes, I have had a little too much Silver Patron. The bottle is starting to look Maybe the years of inhaling the fumes of paint from when you used spray like some sort of cologne that I might as well splash on my neck because I cans to paint graffiti on the subway has caused a chemical imbalance in your smell like I been swimming in it! // brain. Or maybe it’s the spinning of your head on a cardboard box on the concrete that has you not thinking logically.

If hip-hop had been regulated to just New York, then the genre of hip-hop would have truly died a long time ago. If hip-hop had just been a New York thing, the music would have been just a fad that would have passed already. It would have never become part of mainstream pop culture if it had been regulated to just New York. Without the contributions of other regions to hip- hop, you would not have had great artists like Outkast, , Eminem, Dr. Dre and .

And most importantly to New York, on March 21, 1966 a man was born in Houston, Texas. This man was introduced to DJing at Prairie View A&M in Prairie View, Texas. This man went on to become one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time and if you ask me, he was the sound of New York hip- hop for years. This man was known as DJ Premier. Feel free to quote my last few lines when you’re debating with one of those die-hard New Yorkers who believes hip-hop should only live in New York.

Nas’ statement that Hip-Hop is Dead is not a ridiculous statement if you look deeper in to it. Hip-hop is an art form and art is a reflection of life. In real life, people are mentally dead. How else do you explain the increase in murders all throughout America? How else do you explain the increase in gang violence, the glorification of the drug culture, the degradation of our greatest natural resource: black women?

If morality, spirituality, and the value of life or death is dead in black culture, then so is the art form that we use to reflect ourselves. When the statement “Hip-Hop Is Dead” is made, we need to look at the bigger picture, which is the death of our beautiful black minds.

Over the holidays, I also thought about that show Rob & Big that comes on Massa’s Television (MTV). As soon as I see Rob, I’m gonna slap the shit outta him. I’m not going to slap Big because he’s like Lenny from Mice and Men: a huge simple-minded dumb fuck who doesn’t even realize that the white man is not laughing with him, but at him. Rob is taking advantage of poor Big. I don’t even think Big realizes he’s cooning, shucking, and jiving for the pleasure of Rob, his massa, who he truly believes is his friend. That’s why as soon as I see Rob, I’m going to put him in a scorpion deathlock.

I thought about Michael Richards a.k.a. Kramer over the holidays. I’m not mad at him for his racial tirade on stage at the Laugh Factory. You know why I’m not? Because I’m not a hypocrite. I call my people niggas all the time, so how can I be mad when somebody else does it? We have desensitized a word that can never truly be desensitized. To people who know the baggage that word carries, hearing someone like Michael Richards say it causes pain be- cause it’s a hurtful word. “Nigga” means “nigga” the same way “bitch” means “bitch.” “Nigga” is cool if used in the presence of your homies, but if a white man calls you that, it’s wrong? “Bitch” is cool if you talking to one of your homegirls, but if I call you a bitch I’m calling you out? See, I’m confused. Until I rid myself of using these words in everyday language to describe my black people I won’t be mad at the next person for using them to describe

26 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

03 // 05 // Julia Beverly, AP, and 02 // Slim from 112, Oozie, and Big Gipp @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA)

04 // Bryan Michael Cox and friends @ his birthday celebration (Atlanta, GA) 09 // Lil Hen, Midget Mac, & Dirt DigglaModels @ @King John of Hendersonthe South 01 // Keyshia Cole and her sister @ The Royal for Young Jeezy’s New 06 Years // DJ Eve Q45, party Brian (Atlanta, Sealey, GA)TJ Chapman, Haitian Fresh, and Shyboy @ Florida Entertainment12 // Summit (Miami, 14 // Dion Page and Jim Jones @ Scotch Mercedes, Kaye Dunaway, and Jay Love @ Tropical Magic DJ (Orlando,Jay Faire andFL) DJ Kay Slay @ Justo’s Mixtape Awards (NYC) 16 // Tom G, guest, and 08 // 11 // Sandman & Slick Rick @ 95.7 The Beat’s Old School Show (Tampa, FL) Don Adams @ Onyx for Tony Neal’s birthday party (Milwaukee, WI) Young Cash and G-Mack @ FL) 07 // DJ Irie and 360 @ Mansion (Miami, FL) 18 // 10 // Sun getting a new tattooLil Chris, (Houston, Nook, TX)and Lil Scrappy @ The Temple for Scrappy’s album release party (NYC) 20 // Ken and Marcus Tour (Jacksonville, FL) 13 // The hoodie trend is really out of control, isn’t it? (Orlando, FL) of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ birthday 15 // J-Bo, party Crisco Kidd, Maricia Magana, DJ Jelly, 17 //and Don Juan @ The Temple for Lil Scrappy’s album22 release // Pikahsso party and(NYC) Slick Rick @ Dallas Live Bonnet Studios (Atlanta, GA) 19 // The Ludacris Foundation visits the Adamsville Recreation Center for Luda-Christmas (Atlanta, GA) Manny “Neg” Simmons @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, 21 // Butch FL) Hartfield, Uptown Angela, and Young Jeezy @ Bayou Classic (New Orleans, LA) @ Club Continental (Birmingham, AL) 23 // Kinky B and Carbon 15 @ The Royal for Young Jeezy’s NewDJ YearsJay Faire Eve (08);party Edward (Atlanta, Hall GA) (22); Eric Perrin (04,19,20); Johnny Louis (07); Julia Beverly (01,02,03,0 (Dallas, TX) Photo Credits: 5,13,14,15,16,18,23); Keadron SmithSandman (10); Malik (11); AbdulTerrence (06,17); Tyson Marcus (09,12) DeWayne (21);

OZONE MAG // 27 20 REASONS WEED SHOULD BE LEGAL by Matt Sonzala ([email protected])

20 // The Wrong People Are Getting Rich Atlantic, high priced hotels and hassles at the border just aren’t worth it With marijuana laws in their current state, the only people (that we to be able to smoke a few blunts without fear of being arrested. Actually, know of) who are getting rich are the illegal growers and the dealers on the it is worth it. Go to Amsterdam, see how they do it, then come home and street. If marijuana were legal and controlled like alcohol, it could be taxed write a letter to your congressman, organize a demonstration outside your and that revenue would be used for positive things like saving art programs governor’s mansion and plant a few pot seeds on the White House lawn. in our public schools or maybe helping the victims of natural disasters (yes, Seriously, go there and you’ll see what a free society really is. I’m being sarcastic). 09 // Bad Movies Are Mysteriously Better While Stoned 19 // The Government Is Wasting Time, Money And Dude, it’s true. Like, I was totally into Super Troopers one night af- Resources ter smoking half a bag of Purple Nurple. Then it came on again one Sunday For real. As taxpayers, we pay billions of dollars each year to prosecute and afternoon when I didn’t have any weed and I kicked a hole in my television incarcerate non-violent drug offenders. set. Now I have no TV. 18 // In God We Trust 08 // Nagging Bitches And Belligerent Assholes Aren’t As On every dollar bill printed in the United States are the words “In Annoying When You’re High God We Trust.” If we trust God so much, why is a plant illegal? The Bible says Because you simply don’t care what they have to say. You are stoned, they that God gave us all seed bearing plants to use. In its current state, most are not. They can get lost in your fog. places can’t even grow marijuana to use its hemp fibers and other non-psy- choactive properties, like its oils that could possibly be used to run a car. 07 // Muthafucking Cocksuckers Like Bill O’Reilly and (Young Buck adds: “God made weed. Man made beer. Who do you trust?”) Ann Coulter Might Try it and Become Human I’m convinced that these uptight, warmongering cunts would quit rallying 17 // Our Prisons And Probate Courts Are Overcrowded our nation’s lowest common denominators in Satan’s direction if they’d take With Non-Violent Drug Offenders a toke of one of God’s greatest gifts every now and again. Marijuana opens How many people reading this have a friend or friends currently in jail or on up portals in your brain that makes things like war and the destruction of probation for possessing marijuana? To incarcerate a person for using a drug our planets natural resources seem like bad ideas. Some people need that. is draconian and ludicrous. At worst a non-violent drug user might need help with his/her addiction. At best these pigs just need to leave us alone. 06 // People Should Have The Right To Make Their Own Decisions Regarding Their Bodies As Long As They Are 16 // Some Of These Fools Need Something To Balance Not Hurting Anyone Else Out Their Ecstasy/Cocaine/Alcohol Induced Psychosis In what our leaders like to call a “free society,” no grown man or woman People like drugs. People use drugs. People sometimes abuse chemically should be subject to the discretion of another if he or she is not inflict- based/altered drugs, and those drugs make them crazy. Marijuana can help ing harm on anyone else. In the case of marijuana, most users are not bring their crazy asses back down to earth. Valium works too. even harming themselves. Except maybe blunt smokers. That stank fuckin’ pseudo tobacco leaf can’t be good for you. Neither is paper, get some glass, 15 // All Marijuana Use Is Medicinal hip-hoppers. Oops, I’m being judgmental, sorry. I say this because I, personally, need it. 05 // The Police Use The Law To Easily Shackle Minorities 14 // It’s Been Proven To Ease Symptoms Such As Nau- And Our Youth In General To The System sea, Appetite Loss, Or Chronic Pain You’re on papers, he’s on papers, she’s on papers, and that’s the way they Some components of marijuana have been shown to be comparable to like to see you. Quite often, in a car full of four teenagers, one person is most analgesics and are much safer to ingest than opiates like morphine or probably going to have a joint. That person and possibly everyone else in codeine. It’s also been known to stimulate appetites in people - for example, the car will be fingerprinted and at the very least entered into the local AIDS patients - who lose their appetites due to a mixture of other drugs and police database, whether convicted or not. for cancer patients who receive chemotherapy. 04 // We Already Learned This Lesson 13 // It’s Less Toxic Than Cigarettes, Less Debilitating When alcohol was illegal, people certainly did not stop drinking. Than Alcohol They just did it like people today smoke weed, behind closed doors, ille- According to editors of the prestigious Lancet British medical journal: “The gally. This gave power to folks like Al Capone and other ruthless gangsters smoking of cannabis, even long-term, is not harmful to health... It would be who, like today, killed cops and members of their communities. Prohibition reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat... than alcohol or tobacco.” didn’t work then and it doesn’t work now. REFERENCE: Deglamorising Cannabis. 1995. The Lancet 346: 1241. Editorial. November 14, 1998. The Lancet. They said it, and I agree. 03 // Canada Decriminalized It And Their Streets Are A Lot Safer Than Ours 12 // It’s Easier For A Minor To Get Than Alcohol Or ‘Nuff Said. Holland’s are as well. In fact, Canada and Holland are two of the Cigarettes safest countries in the world. I could be wrong, but I’ve never seen a dude in a high school bathroom with a case of beer and some bottles of liquor trying to sell his wares to young 02 // Drug Use Is A Public Health Issue, Not A Criminal children. But throughout my personal school experience, I was offered weed, Offense on campus, during the day, many times by some dodgy individuals. Quite Putting people in cages and making them piss in cups does not help. It often, I took it. hurts, and annoys. 11 // Go Fight Some Other Crime 01 // There Needs To Be Some Distinction Between Hard Our police need to concentrate on finding murderers, rapists and And Soft Drugs drunk drivers, not dudes who like to smoke weed and watch a lil’ Napoleon There’s a huge difference between the effects of marijuana and other drugs Dynamite before falling asleep on the couch. like crack, heroin and crystal meth. Some states in our nation recognize that fact, and others don’t. A couple rooms full of pot plants do way less 10 // We Shouldn’t Have To Go To Amsterdam destruction to a community than one fool with some cocaine in a pot on his It’s a nice place and all. I personally want to settle down and raise stove. It’s true. I know it, you know it, we all know it, and we have to work my children there. But for the average American, the long flight across the for a change.

28 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

03 // J-Shin, Bigga Rankin, & Lucky Leon, Collard Greens, Mac, Ru, & Flip @ 08 // 02 // DJ Envy and Lil Scrappy @ Justo’s Mixtape 05 // Awards (NYC) Lil Wayne @ Kings of the South Tour (Jacksonville, FL) 07 // 10 // DJ Shakim & DJ Wally Sparks @ Bow 01 // Chamillionaire signing autographs04 // Ms. Asia,with TheLil Hen, Beat & 98.5 Young (San Cash Antonio, @ Plush TX) for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) J-Baby & Mansion (Miami, FL) TJ Chapman, Tony Neal, & DJ Q45 Jim@ Florida Jones &Entertainment Gary LaRochelle Summit @ Scotch 12(Miami, // YoungBonnet FL) Buck, Studios Yung (Atlanta, Joc, MC GA) Hammer, & Shawty Lo of D4L @ Club Onyx for 06 // 09 // Young Jeezy signing OZONE autographs @ his scholarship Headliners (Columbia, SC) 14 // 16 // Elora Mason, Don Adams, & Isis Young Buck & DJ D-Strong @ WJHM 11 //102 DJ Jamz Jay Faire (Orlando, & DJ RedFL) Alert @ Justo’s Mixtape Awards (NYC) Pimp C, Slim from 112 & his lady @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) 18 // Shot Out & DJ King Ron @ Plush for the Ghetto Wow concert (Chattanooga, TN) 13 // Duval County Rockstars @ Da Real Ting Café for OZONE & Point Blank Keyshiaparty (Jacksonville, Cole & Kerisha FL) Smith @ The Royal for Young Jeezy’s Tony Neal’s birthday party (Milwaukee,15 WI)// 17 // Tony Neal & Cheryl Moss @ Club Onyx (Milwaukee,20 // WI) 23 // Jim Beam @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys winner announcement (Atlanta, GA) 22 // Big L & Stally @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) @ Club Onyx for Tony Neal’s 19birthday // Tony party Neal (Milwaukee,& Swordz @ WI)Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) 21 // Rich Boy & G Raw @ WJLB (Detroit, MI) New Years Eve party (Atlanta, GA) DJ Jay Faire (11); DJ Wally Sparks (10); Eric Perrin (14); Julia Beverly (04,08,09,12,13,16,20,22,23); Kool (Jacksonville, FL) Photo Credits: Laid (21); Luxury Mindz (01); Malik(05); Abdul Swift (06); (02); Ms. Terrence Rivercity Tyson (03,18,19); (07) Randy Roper

OZONE MAG // 29 THE BURNING QUESTION // by Eric Perrin & Mike Sims A candid discussion on cannabis’ legality will always spark a debate. OZONE breaks it down, lights it up, and passes it on for you to decide.“YES. WEED SHOULD BE LEGAL SO I COULD CARRY IT ON THE PLANE WHEN I TRAVEL.” - DJ DRAMA (ATLANTA, GA)

30.7% said NO, marijuana “NO. IF IT WAS LEGALIZED, THE WHOLE WORLD should not be legalized WOULD BE LAZY AS HELL AND NOTHING WOULD GET he debate as to whether or not America’s ACCOMPLISHED.” - WARREN (CHICAGO, IL) favorite drug should be legalized remains Ta sticky situation. Pot proponents argue “YES. IT’S JUST A NATURAL HERB, AND IT FEELS that marijuana is far less harmful than alcohol GOOD.” - PRESTON (ATLANTA, GA) or tobacco and that legalization should in fact occur, while those who oppose the herb feel “YES. IF IT AIN’T HARMING NOBODY AND AIN’T that cannabis is criminal, despite the fact that KILLING NOBODY, IT SHOULDN’T BE AN ISSUE. most Americans have sparked up at some time I DON’T FUCK WITH IT, BUT THAT’S JUST ME. TO in their lives. In fact, according to a 2006 survey EACH HIS OWN. IT’S LEGALIZED IN OTHER PLACES, conducted by The U.S. Department of Health and SO WHY NOT HERE? IT’S LEGAL IN AMSTERDAM Human Services, nearly 30% of all Americans AND THEIR CRIME RATE IS LOWER THAN OURS. between the ages of 18 and 25 use marijuana IT’LL PROBABLY SLOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWN. regularly. Marijuana accounts for over 35 billion THEY’LL BE TOO GODDAMN HIGH TO DO SOME dollars in (illegal) sales per year, making it the SHIT.” - TRAE (HOUSTON, TX) most profitable cash crop in the United States, far surpassing the three largest legal crops: corn, “YES. LEGALIZING WEED WOULD CUT DOWN ON soybeans, and hay (the legal hay). Regardless of ARRESTS.” - HERMON (DALLAS, TX) its legality, marijuana is as big a part of American culture as baseball or baked apple pie. Since this “YES. WEED SHOULD BE LEGAL, BUT IT’S AN is OZONE’s first annual Drug Issue, our curiosity 69.3% said YES, marijuana UNHEALTHY SUBSTANCE JUST LIKE ALCOHOL AND led us to conduct a survey of 420 random Ameri- should be legalized SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH. FOR EXAMPLE, NO cans’ opinions on whether or not weed should be SMOKING AND DRIVING!” - KRISTEN (CHICAGO, IL) legalized. “YES. THERE’S PEOPLE WHO REALLY CAN’T FUNC- TION PROPERLY WITHOUT IT. IT HELPS CALM THEM DOWN.” - MISTAH F.A.B. (OAKLAND, CA)

“NO. MARIJUANA SHOULD NOT BE LEGAL BECAUSE THERE ARE ALREADY ENOUGH LEGAL DRUGS. THE RESULTS ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO ARE THE ONLY DRUGS WE Out of 420 participants surveyed, 69.3% of participants favored legalization NEED.” - JANELLE (LOS ANGELES, CA) Out of 373 participants aged 18-34 surveyed, 72.1% (269) of participants favored legalization “YES, BUT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO USE IT FOR ME- DICINAL REASONS.” - BIG MAN (NEW ORLEANS, LA) Out of 47 participants age 35+ surveyed, 46.9% (22) of participants favored legalization “WEED WILL NOT BE LEGALIZED, BUT IT SHOULD BE DECRIMINALIZED. IT’S A GREAT MEDICINE, AND PRODUCTS MADE FROM HEMP ARE MUCH MORE COST-EFFICIENT. ANYTHING THAT ONLY REQUIRES A SEED, SUN AND SOIL TO GROW IS LEGAL IN MY THE GREAT DEBATE: GOD’S EYES, SO FUCK WHAT THE GOVERNMENT THINKS.” - KILLER MIKE (ATLANTA, GA) It’s Better Off Illegal “YES. IT’S THE CALI WAY OF LIFE.” - MARY (PASA- The sticky stench of Mary-Jane funk can be DENA, CA) Legalize It detected at every nightclub, bar, and black Ever heard of someone checking into a rehab movie theater in America and it’s supposed to “YES. EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE COPS, ARE center for weed addiction? No? How ‘bout a death be illegal. Just imagine if the government was ALREADY DOING IT. IT MIGHT AS WELL BE LEGAL.” related to toking up? Still nothing? That’s because, to legalize the plant that has inflicted damn - NICOLE (CHICAGO, IL) boys and girls, pot isn’t a drug, it’s a substance; near all of America? It would be complete and the same as tobacco or liquor or maybe even utter chaos. Niggas would be rolling blunts “NO. IT SHOULD NOT BE LEGALIZED. I’M FROM less harmful. Cigs and spirits are concoctions of everywhere from daycare centers to church JAMAICA, AND MARIJUANA MAKES UP HALF OF man-made ingredients that can lead to addiction, basements and sending lil’ Jimmie to the MY COUNTRY’S INCOME. IF IT WERE LEGAL, WE while you can pick weed right off a plant. What do corner store daily to pick up a swisher and WOULDN’T HAVE NO MONEY. MY CUSTOMERS you think was in the Indians’ peace pipes? Listen, a sack. Not to mention that the entire rap WOULDN’T HAVE NO MONEY, EITHER, BECAUSE weed is illegal because it’d be impossible for Uncle industry would go out of business; there would MOST OF THEM SELL WEED.” - MARK (ATLANTA, Sam to put tax on it. It’s not because it’s a gateway be no more reefer sales to fund indie labels, no GA) drug. You won’t be a walking zombie after you fire more weed-men turned emcees spittin’ rhymes one up, and if you know someone who has some about sellin’ high times, no more summer “YES. IF PROZAC AND VIAGRA ARE LEGAL, WEED herb that will make you sit on Pete’s couch for 11 jobs for your local high school hoodlums and SHOULD BE TOO. THE ONLY SIDE EFFECT IS THAT hours, nigga, I got five on it. Mary Jane sedates thousands of Americans would be laid off when IT MAKES YOU HUNGRY, HAPPY, AND SLEEPY.” - DJ you; it slows down your motor skills a smidge, Zip-Loc’s stock plummets. Lastly, if weed was B-LORD (FLORENCE, SC) might get a little temporary loss of memory but it’s legal, the government would tax it so much not a hallucinogen, and despite the habits of most that a sack full of sticks and stems would end “YES. THE ONLY REASON IT’S NOT LEGAL IS BE- rappers and those who in engage in day-long up costing more than a pound of dro does CAUSE I CAN GROW THAT SHIT IN MY BACKYARD.” Madden tournaments, it’s not addictive. The Ameri- today. So, America, if you enjoy cuddling with - JOHN (WASHINGTON, DC) can people should feel free to indulge. kush, pray that marijuana never gets legalized.

30 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

03 // Rich Boy, Tay, & Bibi Guns @ Headliners (Columbia, SC) MC Hammer brings back 02 // Lil Scrappy & DJ Prostyle @ The Temple (NYC) 08 // - 05 // Guest, J-Nicks, & Rahman Grayson @ The Tabernacle for Young Jeezy’s album release concert Mistah FAB & Willie the Kid @ Justo’s 10Mixtape // BloodRaw Awards & (NYC) Kim Ellis @ Plush for the Ghetto Gram 01 // & @ Doppler Studios (Atlanta, GA) 07 // - D-Tec, Collard Greens, & crew @ Southern Explosion (Charleston, SC) 09 // Big L & Pimp C @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) 04 // DJ Juice, Traxamillion, & DJ Tito Bell @ The Temple (NYC) Slick Pulla, Young Jeezy, & Young Buck @ The Royal for CTE’s NewD, Years Supa EveChino, party & Jordan (Atlanta, (Atlanta, GA) 06 // 12 // 14 // DJ Wally Sparks, DJ Montay, & Unk @ 17 Bow // Wow concert (Chattanoo Steve Bellamy & Trick Daddy @ the memories @ Club Onyx 11for // Tony Young Neal’s Buck birthday & Baby party@ Tropical (Milwaukee, Magic (Orlando,WI) FL) 16 // Kool Laid, , & Rich Boy (Detroit, 19 // MI) mys (Jacksonville, FL) 21 // DJ Scream & DJ Bobby Black @ Scream’s GA) 13 // Sandman, Doug E. Fresh, Coop, and H-Ringer @ 95.7 The Beat’s Old School Show (Tampa, FL) The CORE DJs crew @ Club Onyx for Tony 18 Neal’s// Bigga birthday Rankin party& Rich (Milwaukee, Boy @ Plush WI) for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) ga, TN) 15 // 23 // BOB & DJ Khaled @ Florida Entertainment Summit (Miami, FL) @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys 20 (Jacksonville,// Katt Williams FL) & Marcus Stroud of the Jacksonville Jaguars @ Club Deep Blue (Jacksonville, FL) Silver Foxx (Jacksonville, FL) 22 // Mercedes & Kaye Dunaway @ Tropical Magic (Orlando, FL) birthday party (Atlanta, GA) DJ Scream (21); DJ Wally Sparks (14); Eric Perrin (04,05); Julia Beverly (01,02,06,08,09,10,12,15,18,22); Kool Laid (16); Malik Abdul Photo Credits: (11,23); Ms. Rivercity (17); Randy Roper (03); Sandman (13); Swift (07); Terrence Tyson (19,20)

OZONE MAG // 31 the files True experiences with the infamousx love drug that has the country rollin’ // as told to Mike Sims ([email protected])

Case 1 //// The Horny Nightmare Case 2 //// Indecent EXposure

When I initially took ecstasy, it was the best time of my life. But It’s kinda funny now that I look back on it. I had been drinking for a few the day after was the worst time of my life. I was with a friend of hours and had smoked a blunt. I popped two pills after that. I had fucked a friend who I didn’t know very well. I was in my senior year [of with X before, but only like a half a pill, so I was kinda nervous. I was with high school] and it was the first hot weekend of the year, so we three other niggas and we ain’t have no plans so we just decided to go to decided to go out. A guy from my school was having a [local] college. and I talked my friend into going. I went to a private school in the suburbs and she went to a public school in the city. We didn’t hang You don’t feel it at first, but by the time we got there I was higher than out with the same crowd and were really nothing alike. a muthafucker. The Kappas was havin’ this lil’ party. Usually, I get horny when I’m rollin’, but at first I was just high and talkin’ to people; random We were completely sober when we got to the party, but it was niggas and damn near every bitch in the room. I think people could tell out of control. There were like four kegs and people were outside I was fucked up and people was just chillin’. I think I made some people smoking weed. My friend went to the bathroom upstairs and she nervous but most people was just laughin’ at me. The party was kinda bor- said she saw kids snorting coke and I wasn’t even surprised. We ing. I was wildin’ and I was like, “Yo, ya’ll tryin’ to drink or somethin’? Say were just drinking with some kids from my school and I took a the word, and I got ya’ll.” couple hits of some weed. This guy who was like the unofficial drug dealer at my school gave me an ecstasy pill. So I go to the liquor store by myself and I’m trippin’, tellin’ myself to just steal some drinks. So I’m going down the aisle and all of a sudden I just I don’t know why I took [ecstasy], but grab a whole bunch of vodka and run out the door. I broke about eight I did and I just got really friendly. My “I DIDN’T HAVE bottles but I got like five in my arms and the nigga at the register was [guy] friend who was throwing the ANY STDs, watchin’ the whole time. He picked up the phone to call the law. And I had party had taken one too, so we were BUT I DID GET money to just pay [for the liquor] but I was trippin’. just being really flirty and touching each other. So we walked to a grassy PREGNANT AND I’m driving back and I was high, drunk and rollin’. My adrenaline was part of his backyard and were giving HAD TO GET pumpin’ and I was really feelin’ the X. I’m thinkin’ the drink is gonna make each other massages. AN ABORTION. all them hoes in the party feel like me. I’m going about 80 in a 35 [MPH I DIDN’T HAVE speed zone] tryin’ to get back to the party. I hit a parked car on the way The crazy part about it was that we into the housing complex. ended up having sex on the grass in A CLUE WHOSE plain sight and no one really noticed. BABY IT WAS. IT When I got back to the party, someone else had already bought some I guess that’s a sign of how crazy WAS AWFUL.” liquor to the party. Niggas started taking shots of that cheap ass vodka I the party was. I’m not normally that had. I was takin’ shots and feelin’ them hard. For real, I was kind of out of sexual of a person at all, but the X control. I was talkin’ to this girl who wasn’t really talkin’ to nobody else at just made me so horny. I just had to have [sex]. I didn’t really even the party. I was asking her to rub my head and I kept huggin’ her and kis- like the guy [that I slept with at the party] and I had a boyfriend sin’ her on the cheek. I just started grindin’ my dick on her side and I was at the time. tellin’ her shit like, “Oooh, this feels so good,” and “I don’t even wanna fuck, I just wanna do this all night.” I think she liked it, but people was I ended up having sex with three different people at the party startin’ to look so she was stuntin’, trying to play it cool. I kept fuckin’ with without a condom. One of the guys came in me, and I had just her and she finally left. started having sex that summer. [Before that night] my boyfriend had been my only partner. “SHE HAD ON Then I found out that the girl I was rub- THOSE LITTLE bing my dick on was there with her man. After that party, I got a reputation as the biggest whore at my CHEERLEADING So this nigga was trying to fight me and I school. My boyfriend, who I actually did love, cursed me out and SHORTS, LOOKIN’ was so high I tried to give him a hug. We broke up with me. My friends stopped talking to me. It was the GOOD AS SHIT. I were asked to leave the party. worst point in my life. I wanted to transfer or get my GED, but my mom wouldn’t let me. I got tested and I didn’t have any STDs but PULLED MY DICK I went home and called this girl I had I did get pregnant and had to get an abortion. I didn’t have a clue OUT AND STARTED been talking to for like a week. I was whose baby it was. I didn’t go to my prom. It was awful. BEATING MY MEAT feelin’ her. I said I wanted to come by and RIGHT IN FRONT OF watch a movie or something and she said I had worked my ass off my whole high school career, so I thought okay. I got over there and she had on I deserved to let loose [at the party], but it ended horribly. [Once HER. SHE WAS LIKE, those little cheerleading shorts, lookin’ I got to] college, I felt stronger because of what I’d gone through. ‘WHAT THE FUCK good as shit. I pulled my dick out and I rarely even go home during breaks [from college] because I feel ARE YOU DOING?’ started beating my meat right in front like that part of my life is over. That experience really scarred me AND I SAID SOME- of her. She’s like, “What the fuck are you so I don’t want to be reminded. I only go back to see my family, THING STUPID doing?” and I said something stupid like, but besides that, I don’t want to be there. LIKE, ‘DO I MAKE “Do I make you horny?” For those people who want to try X for the first time, I can’t say YOU HORNY?’” She just looked at me with this disgusted “don’t do it” because experimenting is a part of growing up. There look on her face and said, “Get the fuck are so many stories that make X seem awesome. If you do try it, out of my house.” So I go home and I’m drinkin’ orange juice cause it keeps have people around you that are really your friends and will stop the high going. I just watched TV the rest of the night. you from doing anything stupid. You can die from it. You should definitely do it with your boyfriend or something because you will I did feel stupid the next day. I’ve had some real good times with ecstasy, be in the mood for some lovin’. and some bad ones. I’ma keep taking it every now and then.

32 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

05 // 02 // MJG, 8Ball, & Montana Trax reppin’ OZONE @ Primetime (Atlanta, Jacki-O & Remy Ma @ Plush for 04 // Mojoe, Raheem DeVaughn, & Mr. Blakes 07@ Gypsy// Tea Room (Dallas, TX) 09 // Trick Daddy @ ’s birthday party 12 // DJ Jaycee & Tity Boy @ Club 112 01 // Nelly and @ The Tabernacle for Young Jeezy’s 06 // M-Geezy album release & Hoetester concert @ Plush(Atlanta, for GA)the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) GA) 03 // FUP Mob @ Club Onyx for Tony Neal’s 15th DJ Anniversary party (Milwaukee, WI) DJ 151 & Alju @ Da Real Ting Café 11for //OZONE Jody &Breeze Point &Blank Gully party @ Justo’s (Jacksonville, Mixtape 14 // Sakeya AwardsFL) & friends (NYC) @ Splurge Fashion Show (Tampa, FL) DJ B-Lord, Rashaun, & DJ Tazz @ Hipnotic08 (Florence,// SC) 19 // Coach K & - the Ghetto GrammysYoung (Jacksonville, Jeezy & AD FL) Berry @ Bayou Classic (New Orleans, LA) 10 // Lil Scrappy & David Banner @ Justo’s Mixtape Awards (NYC) (Chicago, IL) DJ Clark Kent, Jason Geter, & Greg Street 16 // The@ Woodruff Bay in NYC: Arts Guest, Center DJ for Tito Sneakers Bell, San18 Ball // Quinn, (Atlanta, Traxamillion, GA) DJ 21 Juice, // DJ &H-Vidal guest @& DJThe B-Lord Temple @ for Club Lil NuVibeScrappy’s (Summer release (Atlanta, GA) 13 // 15 // Papa Duck & BSU @ Tropical Magic (Orlando, FL) 20 // Cham & Jim Jones @ Opium Gardens (Miami, FL) Hollywood, DJ Q45, & Big Koon @ Florida Entertainment Summit Pimp(Miami, J & FL) his wife @ Tropical Magic (Orlando, FL) party (NYC) 17 // 23 // his mom @ The Royal for CTE’s New Years Eve party (Atlanta, GA) ton, SC) 22 // Lil C & Clay Evans @ King of the South Tour (Jacksonville, FL) Photo Credits: DJ H-Vidal (21); EdwardAbdul Hall(17,23); (04); Marcus Eric Perrin DeWayne (01,05); (10); Julia Ms. BeverlyRivercity (02,03,06,07,11,12,13,15,16,18,19); (08); Rohit Loomba (09); Terrence Leon Tyson (20); (22) Luis Santana (14); Malik

OZONE MAG // 33 20 GREATEST DRUG-RELATED MOVIES by Randy Roper ([email protected])

x The Godfather Trilogy (1972, 1974, 1990) x Friday Trilogy (1995, 2000, 2002) This crime drama staring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino is set in the years No one made a one-day adventure out of smoking weed like Craig (Ice Cube) 1945 - 1955. Don Vito Corleone (Brando) is the aging head of a drug orga- and Smokey (Chris Tucker). When Craig loses his job on his day off, Smokey nization family in New York. When Vito Corleone is shot by drug dealer Virgil comes through with some herbal stress relief. But when they smoke up a Sollozo, Vito’s son, Michael (Pachino) leads the family into a mob war against dope dealer’s weed, Smokey and Craig have to come up with the dealer’s Sollozo. The sequels follow the Corleone family through the ‘60s and ‘70s. money by 10 PM. Throughout the day, their encounters with neighbors and family members make Friday a smokers’ (and nonsmokers’) classic. Although x Up In Smoke (1978) Chris Tucker wasn’t around for the sequels, Next Friday and Friday After Next, Comedic duo Cheech Martin and Tommy Chong were getting high long before Mike Epps filled in to keep the blunts lit and laughs coming. Craig and Smokey lit their first blunt. This duo starred in ten movies in the ‘70s and ‘80s, most notably Up In Smoke, which all focused on getting high. x Gridlock’d (1997) One of the last films starring ,Gridlock’d is based on two x (1983) friends’ - Spoon (Shakur) and Stretch (Tim Roth) - attempts to kick their This rags-to-riches story stars Al Pacino as Tony Montana, a Cuban im- drug habits after a friend overdoses. They find themselves being chased by migrant who rises to the top of the drug game in Miami before greed leads drug dealers and the police as they travel to various offices to enroll in a to his untimely demise. Scarface is arguably the most popular drug-related government detox program. movie in hip-hop and pop culture history. The Geto Boys, Nas, , Public Enemy, and Fat Joe have quoted and sampled lines from the movie. x Half Baked (1998) Rapper Brad Jordan also adopted his Scarface moniker after the film. Before Dave Chappelle made millions with his own show on VH1, he co-wrote the comedy Half Baked and played weed-head Thurgood Jenkins. When x King of New York (1990) Kenny accidentally kills a police horse, Thurgood and his stoner homies sell In this film starring Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne, and Wesley weed to bail their buddy of out jail. But things get dangerous when rival Snipes; crime boss Frank White (Walken) returns home from Sing-Sing prison dealer Sampson Simpson realizes Thurgood’s business is cutting into his and begins to eliminate his drug lord competitors. In a Robin Hood-meets- profits. New-York-drug-trafficking twist, White uses the stolen money and drugs to finance a hospital for the needy. But White’s downfall is fueled by renegade x In Too Deep (1999) cops that get frustrated in their attempts to arrest him. The Notorious B.I.G. LL Cool J plays drug kingpin Dwayne Gittens who’s so powerful he calls referred to himself as “the black Frank White.” himself “God.” Omar Epps plays undercover cop Jeff Cole, who joins Gittens’ organization in an attempt to bring down Gittens’ Cincinnati drug ring. Cole x The Goodfellas (1990) begins to befriend Gittens as he moves deeper into the empire and Cole soon The Goodfellas, starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci, directed by finds himself in over his head. Martin Scorsese and based on the Nicholas Pileggi book “Wiseguys,” is based on the true story of three decades of a mafia family. The movie follows the x Traffic (2000) life of Henry Hill (Liotta) as he grows from an Italian kid in Brooklyn to a Traffic follows the war against drugs through four different perspectives - a mafia member in the Lucchese crime family. user, enforcer, trafficker and politician - that are all connected. Linking the storylines provided a detailed look at the drug underworld from all aspects. x City (1991) In the first theatrical feature film by director Mario Van Peebles, Nino Brown x Requiem For A Dream (2001) (Wesley Snipes) and his Cash Money Brothers organization rule crack dealings In this film based on Hurbet Selby, Jr.’s 1978 novel, four individuals get during crack cocaine’s rise in New York City in the ‘80s and ‘90s. This film, addicted to everything from heroin to cocaine to diet pills. Requiem For A from the to Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter, has had a heavy Dream depicts the effects of substance abuse, and the ills that occur as a influence on hip-hop culture. Ice-T’s starring role as an undercover cop is result of drug addiction. credited as his breakthrough performance. x How High (2001) x Deep Cover (1992) This comedy lands hip-hop’s favorite smoking duo, and Red- Police officer Russell Stevens (Laurence Fishburne) goes undercover to bring man, at Harvard University after the tandem smokes magic weed that helps down a drug kingpin in Los Angeles. Along the way Stevens finds himself them score high on their college entrance exam. The duo keeps the weed in too deep as he’s forced to kill and assist in the very drug trades he’s at- burning, and turns Harvard upside down in the process. tempting to stop in order to keep his cover. The movie is best known for Dr. Dre’s song “Deep Cover” from the film’s soundtrack, where then-newcomer x Blow (2001) Snoop Dogg popularized the line “it’s 187 on an undercover cop.” Based on the true story of George Jung, Pablo Escobar, Carlos Lehder and the Medellin Cartel, Blow follows the life of drug smuggler Jung (Johnny Depp) x Carlito’s Way (1993) as he becomes rich by introducing America to cocaine. Jung was reportedly Al Pacino (yeah, he plays all the bad guys) is Carlito “Charlie” Brigante, a responsible for handling nearly 85% of the cocaine supply that entered the Puerto Rican ex-con who has just been released from prison. Carlito prom- US in the ‘70s. That’s a lot of blow. ises to stay away from the drugs and violence that landed him in prison, but while running a nightclub, his past sucks him back into the street life. x Paid In Full (2002) Produced by Roc-A-Fella Films, Paid In Full is about Ace (Wood Harris), who x Sugar Hill (1994) works at a dry cleaner but later becomes a major drug dealer in Harlem When drug dealer Roemello Skuggs (Wesley Snipes) decides to quit the drug during the height of crack in the ‘80s. Ace, along with partners Mitch (Mekhi dealing business he established with his brother Raynathan Skuggs (Michael Phifer) and Rico (Cam’ron), learns that you can’t sell drugs forever. The best Wright) and start life over with his girlfriend, he soon finds that walking part is watching Cam’Ron (back in his chubby days) murk Mekhi Phifer. away from the drug game isn’t as easy as it sounds. x State Property I & II (2002, 2005) x The Basketball Diaries (1995) Two other Roc-A-Fella produced films feature Beanie Sigel and his gang of This film, based the book of the same name, is the true story of high school reckless drug dealers as they get rich by taking over Philadelphia’s drug basketball player Jim Caroll (Leonardo DiCaprio). Caroll has dreams of be- market. Problems surface when Beans’ rival Dame (played by the “cakeahol- coming a basketball star but his drug addiction leads him down a dark path ic” himself) tries to get Beans out of the picture. Good acting is at a minimal of crime and drugs on the streets of New York. but the movie spawned the tagline “You either get down or you lay down.”

34 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

03 // Haitian 05 // Mick 02 // Wyclef performing @ Mansion (Miami, FL)

04 // Klep, Destine Cajuste, Somaiya, & Wilk @ Brian Michael Cox’s birthday party (Atlanta, GA) 06 // Bigga Rankin, TJ Chapman, T-Roy, DJ Drama & Ms. and Dynasty Jeanise @ @ Plush The Royalfor the for Ghetto Lil Scrappy’s Grammys listening 01 // Lil Scrappy and Shawty Lo of D4L @ Club Onyx for Tony Neal’s 15th DJ Anniversary party (Milwaukee, WI) 09 // Fresh, Ramza Aleem, & Yella Fella @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys 08 // Swizz Beatz @ Justo’s 11Mixtape // Bishop Awards Magic (NYC) Don Juan &14 Pookie // Rich @ Boy Club & PolowCrystal’s Da for Don the @ MackillenniumDoppler Studios Ball (Atlanta, (Dallas, Boogie, Bibi Guns, Julia Beverly,DJ J-Nice & @Polow Club da112 Don (Atlanta, @ Doppler GA) Studios (Atlanta, GA) 07 // 18 // Trick Daddy & Baby on the set of (Jacksonville, FL) 13 // Lil Boosie & the Hustle House family 16 // (Jacksonville,Guest, Mighty FL)Mike, Dawgman, Wes Fif, Haitian Fresh, & Stix 3000 @ Florida 10 // DJ Red Alert & Lil Scrappy @ The Temple for his album release party (NYC) party 20 // The Business @ Adamsville Recreation Center for TX) 12 // Big Gipp & Pimp C @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) GA) 15 // KottonMouth & Stubb @ Club 17 // Blue Deuce for Poppithe Dirty & Young South Cash Hip Hop@ Da Awards Real Ting (Dallas, Café TX)for OZONE & Point22 // DJBlank Charlie party Hustle, (Jacksonville, DJ Scream, FL) & DJ Frogie @ Scream’s birthday party Entertainment Summit (Miami, 19 // FL)Citty & Yung Joc @ Club Onyx for Tony Neal’s 15th DJ Anniversary party (Milwaukee, WI) “Tuck Ya Ice” (Miami, FL) 21 // Bigg D & Tony Neal @ Florida Entertainment Summit (Miami, FL) Luda-Christmas (Atlanta, GA) 23 // DJ Chela remembers Justo @ the Mixtape Awards (NYC)DJ Scream (22); Edward Hall (11,15); Eric Perrin (04,09,20); Johnny Louis (02); Julia Beverly (01,05,06 (Atlanta, GA) Photo Credits: ,07,08,10,12,14,17,19); Leon (18); TerrenceMalik Abdul Tyson (16,21); (13) Ms. Rivercity (03); Swift (23);

OZONE MAG // 35 THE WORLD IS OURS: HIP-HOP’S INFATUATION WITH bySCARFACE Jacinta Howard

for your actions when you see a glamorized version of your lifestyle being played out on a big screen and millions of people cheering for you. Sure, Scarface was a soldier, but the nigga also died at the end.” n 1983, Brian De Palma introduced the world to Tony Montana. While Scarface earned several Golden Globe nominations and was embraced Still, a blood splattered Tony Montana, lying dead in his own home, cocaine Iwhole-heartedly by mainstream movie goers, the tale of a poor dish- painted over his tortured face, isn’t the scene that makes rapper’s videos. It’s washer turned filthy rich drug-dealer has been adopted, embraced and to a the wealth and endless power - the “fuck the world, give me mine” quotes large degree, emulated by the Hip Hop community. that are flocked to, while the consequences of his choices and lifestyle is largely ignored. From larger than life movie posters and airbrushed vehicles to jackets, t-shirts and video games, Scarface has blossomed from a well-made film “At the end of the day, you gotta realize that it’s a movie,” Miami-based rap- into a full-blown ideology. The rags to riches story, fostered by a hustler’s per Pitbull says. As a fan of the movie, he suggests that Scarface shouldn’t relentless ambition and street smarts, is one that Hip Hop artists and listen- be taken so literally, but rather taken for its entertainment value. “The ers easily identify with. reason it’s had an impact on Hip Hop is because it embodies the whole noth- ing-to-something struggle.” However, Garnes believes gangsta personas like “From running numbers to moonshine runs and after hour juke joints, black Tony Montana’s are defensive mechanisms that allow Hip Hop heads to cope folks have often utilized the underground economy,” says Edward Garnes, with racism and the realities of being second class citizens in America. counselor and founder of from Afro to Shelltoes (afrotoshelltoes.com), an organization that strives to bridge Hip Hop’s generational gap. “Scarface is a “Scarface’s mythology is like cultural armor protecting folks from oppressive hood hero because it is the ultimate underdog story. Hip hop is about making systems,” he contends. Still, Phonte believes Hip Hop’s affinity with the film a way out of no way, and Scarface’s rise to power is linked with the struggle is understandable, even if misguided. “I think most rappers identify with the of black males dealing with poverty, despair, and limited life chances.” whole ‘against all odds, win at all costs’ mentality of Tony’s character, which is admirable,” he reasons before reiterating, “but the nigga died at the end.” The same capitalist system that Al Pacino’s Tony Montana successfully raped to bear a profit seed is the very one that the Hip Hop community has It’s a point that Garnes says people would do well to remember. “There is a consistently tried to overtake. Both Tony and Hip Hop fans (namely the black difference in dying fighting for freedom versus being killed for white powder community) have been subjected to systematic poverty, tagged before ever and bullshit.” // getting a fair chance to thrive. Using his instincts and smarts to elevate him- self into a position of wealth and power, Tony’s fearlessness and ambition — his balls and his word — became more than a mantra. Trick Daddy’s Scarface- “The driving element of Scarface is access to power,” says Garnes, who has themed living room worked alongside Hip Hop critic and activist Kevin Powell and rapper Killer Mike. “Hip Hop has always looked for its piece of the pie, so a story of a dishwasher rising to a drug lord will always be appealing to folks who relate to being locked out of conventional institutions.”

In theory, the idea of a man overcoming obstacles to realize his vision is inspiring. However, two points of the story simply can’t be denied—the first being that Tony was a drug dealer who was often ruthless, and two, he’s eventually murdered. Though these two realities have been glossed over by the countless rappers who have quoted Tony Montana in their music “SCARFACE GAVE US and tacked huge posters donning his image on their walls, its impact A TWISTED IDEAL simply can’t be denied. TO LIVE UP TO. IT’S HARD TO FEEL “Movies like Scarface sort of legitimized criminal activity for REMORSE FOR YOUR cats who were already doing it,” ACTIONS WHEN YOU reasons Phonte of the rap group SEE A GLAMORIZED Little Brother. “So instead of a street dude feeling like, ‘Yo, maybe I should VERSION OF YOUR leave this shit alone,’ they would LIFESTYLE ON THE be more prone to be like ‘Fuck that, BIG SCREEN AND son, I’mma go out like Scarface - he was a soldier!’ because Scarface gave MILLIONS OF PEOPLE them a sort of twisted ideal to live CHEERING FOR YOU.” up to. It’s kinda hard to feel remorse - PHONTE OF LITTLE BROTHER

36 // OZONE MAG PHOTO: JULIA BEVERLY PHOTO: PHOTO GALLERIES

03 // G-Mack - Lumidee & friends @ The Temple for Lil Scrappy’s release party (NYC) 02 // 09 04 // Sandman, Dr. Ice of UTFO, DJ Charlie06 // Teddy Chase T, ofTJ theChapman, Cold Crush Bigga Brothers, Rankin, Ecstasy& DJ Irie of @ Whodini Florida @ Enter 95.7 08 // DJ H-Vidal & Acafool drunk @ IHOP (Tampa, FL) 01 // Ivory Orr, DJ 151, Malik Abdul, Julia Beverly, guest, & DJ Q45 @ Da Real Ting Café 13 // Rollo, Pupp, 05 // Guest, J Holiday, & Lump @ Bayou Classic (New Orleans, LA) & Derek Washington @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) 10 // DJ Chuck T fires back at the haters @ the Apollo for Justo’s Mixtape Awards 15 // - The Beat’s Old School Show (Tampa, 07 // Young FL) Jeezy & Young Buck @ The Royal for CTE’s New Years Eve 12 party // BSU (Atlanta, & Haitian GA) Fresh @ Tropical Magic (Orlando, FL) tainment Summit (Miami, FL) 14 // Ms. Rivercity & Kim Ellis @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, 19 // Jay FL) Exclusive Lil Scrappy shows off his new Zone 3 tat @ The Temple for his album release party (NYC) // 16 // Karen & Coleone @ Da Real Ting Café for OZONE & PointDJ Don Blank Juan party & Young (Jackson Buck (NYC) 11 // Hoopz & King Yella on the set of Trill Entertainment’s movie shoot (Baton Rouge, LA) 21 // Tarvoria, Dawgman, & Mighty Mike @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) 18 // Jermaine Dupri & Nelly 20 // @ Hannah The Tabernacle Kang & Greg for YoungStreet Jeezy’s@ SneakerNels album & CoreyBall release (Atlanta, Hill @ party Onyx GA) (Atlanta, (Milwaukee, GA) WI) Gorilla Zoe, Trae, & Yung Joc @ Club Onyx for Tony Neal’s 15th Anniversary (Milwaukee, WI) 23 // PPT & Viz @ Gypsy Tea Room (Dallas, TX) ville, FL) 17 // & MC Hammer @ Onyx for Tony Neal’s 22 // 15thElle CastroDJ Anniversary & Willie the party Kid (Milwaukee,@ the Apollo WI) for Justo’s Mixtape Awards (NYC) @ WJHM 102 Jamz (Orlando, FL) Photo Credits: DJ H-Vidal (08); EdwardYella (11); Hall Malik(17); EricAbdul Perrin (06); (18); Marcus Julia(04); DeWayne BeverlySwift (22); (05);(02,03,07,09,12,13,15,19,20,21,23); Terrence Ms. Rivercity Tyson (14,16); (01) Sandman King

OZONE MAG // 37 How to rob a stash house by killer mike

irst of all, never rob a trap house. her cut. It really depends on what the to get out. Man, you got to be ready down. That usually works, but if they Rob a stash house. With a trap stash house brings in. She definitely to get into a small twin engine plane don’t shut the fuck up, put their ass in Fhouse, you only stand a 50/50 gets at least a 5-10% finder’s fee. So and get out of the country. If you get the water face down. By the time they chance that there’s going to be dope if you come up on a $120,000 lick, you away with the right amount of bread, finish gasping for air, they’ll shut the in there, and it’s almost a 100% know, that’s $12,000 for her at 10%. he could be wanting to kill your dog, fuck up. The oven is always good, too. chance that there’s definitely going to That ain’t too bad. $12,000 just to talk your bird, anything, everybody. So When you turn on the oven people be guns in there. shit and get taken out to dinner? you got to prepare for that, you gotta get afraid and start telling you what have your escape route. you wanna know real quick. Usually If you’re robbing a trap house and it So you convince her to put her mouth there aren’t small children at stash ain’t no guns in there, you’re robbing to work. Not literally, but you know, You’ve got to research who you are houses, but if they are, threatening to a crack house, in which case you ain’t just put her mouth to work and use targeting. If you fuck around and try kill them works. The kids usually cry. gonna get nothing but apple bags some conversation and see if she can to hit somebody like the great Mr. Just give them a good yell. That kinda and used rubbers layin’ around. If you get in this guy’s head. Hopefully, what Terry White, oh my God, your fuck- shit usually works. Especially with the robbing the stash house, then you’ve you want is a peaceful lick. You want ing neighborhood might be gone women, if you tell all the women, “I’m sat outside for a few weeks. You done the ability to make it seem like him tomorrow. Terry White was one of the gonna kill all the kids and next it’s watched them come and go. You know and the gal just got caught slippin’ on most influential hustlers to ever run you,” they usually get to talkin’ real their schedule, and you know when a date. You want to make it seem like through [Atlanta]. Shit ain’t been right quick. Guys usually don’t talk as quick. the work is there. Stash houses usu- she done got knocked over the head since we lost Terry White and I ain’t Be prepared to shoot somebody in the ally ain’t protected by a lot of people, just like he did. But if all else fails and seen good crack since we lost Charles ass or ankle. If you’re gonna shoot either, and they’re usually protected gets raw, just bring a lot of Black. somebody in the ass or ankle, make by the stupid cousin, brother, sister, heavy duty industrial plastic, cause sure you take a potato with you or a or brother-in-law of the muthafucker you will be putting his ass in the two-liter bottle to tape to the edge of who’s really making the money. ground in a hole somewhere. I hope the gun if you don’t have a silencer. whatever he hid in his stash house “the Atlanta way is It’s easy to stake out a stash house. In was worth it. TO Put a Bitch On If everything goes wrong, the plan a black neighborhood, shit, just hide B depends on where the stash house in the Cadillac that’s parked across Don’t wear solid black [clothes], cause Him: You work out a is. If it’s in a white place, you better the street in the front lawn. If it’s in all blacks aren’t the same color. It’s situation with your have a white girl driving. Police don’t a Latin neighborhood, just hide in the best to go with a brown or a dull grey, pull over white girls. I always like to Chevy drop-top ’64. It’s America, so cause those colors blend in a little homegirl. if she can have someone driving who looks like people mind their own business any- better at night because they’re flat help YOU, you can a square. I want my getaway car to way. If you got a girl with a rental car and they don’t throw light back out. be a Honda Accord or a Camry. They with some light tint or a girl with a And wearing all black is very suspect help her achieve fast as fuck, they real quick just out nice car, you just drive her car or have anyway. You look like either a robber her dreams of of the factory. An Accord or Camry you drive her there and the next day or the police, so your ass can get shot can get out quick, but they blend in. you have another girl – or you and a regardless. freedom from the It’s so many Accords on the street. homeboy. You usually gonna work in Don’t drive your Chevy with the rims. a two to four man tandem. That way Watch out for the dogs, man. Not the pole and seven inch That’s a big mistake we make robbin’ you’ve got two up front and two in red dog police, the real dogs. The heels a lot quicker.” the stash house. If your Chevy has back, or one in the car and three in pitbulls. A lot of times, it makes more Courvoisier on the side, you’re gonna the house. You’ll always need a real sense to just kill the dog before you When it comes to robbin’ a stash be pretty easy to find on Bankhead. top-notch team. You’re gonna need go rob the place. It makes a lot more house, always take somebody who to watch it for at least a solid week. sense to just go on and feed that speaks Spanish. Most stash houses Don’t call real names [while you’re If it’s a stash house, you gotta watch fucker some antifreeze on a Monday these days are manned by our Latin robbin’ the stash house]. Really, man, that bitch for a month, depending on before you go. Always try to eliminate brothers. Just to make sure nobody don’t say nothing before you go in. what they’re stashing. the dogs, man. Get the dogs out of is getting killed over bad translation, People always say that you need to there. definitely take a Spanish interpreter. bring duffle bags [to bring the stash You’ve got to follow the trap captain If you’re robbin’ a heroin stash house, out], but it ain’t that serious most of from the trap house to find the stash Remember, the stash house is the take an Asian or an Arab interpreter. the time. If it ain’t busted down or house. The trap captain is definitely ultimate lick. The advantage of rob- You’ve got to know your drugs. broke down, you’re just takin’ it out takin’ the money to somewhere, and bin’ the stash house over a 7-11 is in the same shit they got it sittin’ in. bringin’ the work in from somewhere. that cocaine sells all day, but slushies If the girl is really on her game, there Most guys ain’t smart enough to hit So he’s really who you follow. You don’t. And who’s going to report that ain’t no need to bust in the place. I’m the big stash house anyway. They ain’t really scopin’ the house out, their [cocaine] got stolen? Problem is, not the fuckin’ police. I don’t really only hit the ten-brick house. It ain’t you’re scopin’ out the trap captain my good friend from East India [at the want no thrills, I just really want my nothin’ but twenty pounds. Twenty and his moves. 7-11] is not going to send out a goon shit to be kinda easy. Like, “It’s me, pounds is nothin’ to carry. squad to come find you, your mama, surprise!” Like a [Yung] Joc song. I The best thing to do – the Atlanta your fat-ass sister, your lazy girlfriend would rather find out where the stash I’m not a fan of the whole take-the- way – is called PBOH: Put a Bitch On and your beautiful kids. But the guy house is from the girl and get some- safe thing. Fuck that. The safe gets Him. You work out a lil’ situation with who owns the stash house will most body good at breakin’ and entering. opened. I’m not a dynamite expert. your homegirl in the club and you tell certainly do this. Most stash houses are not going to Somebody has to give up that com- her about this guy, the trap captain. have an alarm, cause they’re not tryin’ bination. Always bring a low-caliber You help her understand that if she Before you even consider robbing a to have the police accidentally pop gun just in case you got to shoot can help you get a little closer to him stash house, make sure you have a up there. somebody in the ass. Bring a .25; and where he’s at, you can help her passport. Make sure you are familiar bring a .38; bring something espe- achieve her dreams of freedom from with the smaller airports in the area. So you get your men in there, and you cially for ass shots. You shoot ‘em in the pole and seven inch heels a lot If you’re in Atlanta, that would be tie up whoever needs to be tied up. If the ass because you’re pretty sure you quicker. Understand? The incentive Dekalb-Peachtree Airport to the North somebody is real extra loud, run a tub aren’t gonna kill them and it’s gonna for her is some muthafuckin’ money. or Charlie Brown Field, that’s Fulton full of water and tell them that you’re hurt enough that they can’t sit down. You sit down and discuss how much is County Airport. You got to be ready gonna put their ass in there face You want them to remember you. //

38 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

- 05 // Wyclef performing @ 02 // Jordan, Supa Chino & Pat Nix @ Dawgman’s Florida Classic car show 08 //(Or Trina

Young Buck & Tony Neal of The CORE07 // DJs Bibi become Guns & friends Polow Daagain DonHustle (Milwaukee, @ Dopper House Studios RecordsWI) (Atlanta, & Trick Daddy GA) @ Best 04 // 10 // Adept & DJ Red Alert @ The 01 // Young Jeezy, Coach K, & Kinky B @ The Royal for CTE’s New Years Eve party (Atlanta, GA) 12 // 03 // Pretty Ricky reppin’ OZONE (New Orleans, LA) DJ lando, FL) Rico Owens, Pookie, & DJ Suga Bear @ Southern Whispers (Greenville, MS) 18 // 06 // 09 // Riskay & Young Cash @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, 14 // Coach FL) & Pupp @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville,20 // Mansion (Miami, FL) 11 // Chill da Million Dollar Man @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) & Lil Wayne @ her birthday party (Miami, FL) 17 // MC Wickett Cricketet, guest, & Sun @ Matrix (Houston, TX) 13 // Yung Joc & DJ Drama @ Club Onyx (Milwaukee, WI) Buy for his in-store autograph signing (Jacksonville, FL) 22 // Young Jeezy & Josh of Hellaflow @ The 16 // Big Gipp & Big L @ PrimetimeShakir Stewart (Atlanta, & GregGA) Street @ Woodruff Arts Center for the Sneaker Ball (Atlanta, GA) Temple for Lil Scrappy’s album release party (NYC) 19 // FL) 15 // Oddz & Endz @ WJHM 102 Jamz (Orlando, FL) 21 // Dre & Jim Jonsin @ Florida Entertainment Summit (Miami, FL) Jelly & DJ Devro remember Justo @ the Apollo for the 23 Mixtape // Double Awards T & Tum (NYC) Tum @ the Dirty South Hip Hop Awards (Dallas, TX) Kaye Dunaway & Young Buck @ WJHM 102 Jamz (Orlando, FL) Tabernacle for his album release party (Atlanta, GA) Edward Hall (06,23); Eric Perrin (22); J Lash (08); Johnny Louis (05); Julia Beverly (01,04,07,09,12,13,14,15,16,18,19,20); Keadron Smith Photo Credits: (17); Malik Abdul (21); Marcus DeWayne (03); Ms. Rivercity (02,11); Terrence Tyson (10)

OZONE MAG // 39 hustlin’ self-made moguls

NATURAL BORN HUSTLA: DEMETRIUS “KINKY B” ELLERBEE hile winding through traffic in the Midtown section of Atlanta on the way to Corporate Thugz Entertainment (CTE) to interview Kinky B, I Wwondered what kind of partner would a trapper-turned-rapper actual- ly have. My mind rejected scenario after scenario of the type of person Young Jeezy would partner with. I half expected a southern version of Damon Dash (I like Damon, so that’s not a bad thing) but more gangster.

Nothing prepared me for the brilliance of Kinky B, a 29-year-old CEO running the hottest label in the country. Kinky is a charismatic guy with an incredible sense of humor and the office staff looks up to him like a father figure with a healthy combination of fear and respect. Kink is cool, humble and very laid back with a devotion to doing good business. The office was bustling, and CTE shares an office complex in a warehouse district with other success stories: Hitco, Def Jam South, Dirty South Studios, etc. Inside Corporate Thugz his partner happy, and since they truly love each other as brothers, this is Jeezy’s management company, Emanon Management (No Name spelled isn’t difficult to do. Their 13-year friendship has allowed them to see each backwards) headed by Coach K and Yusef, and a strong team of CTE market- other’s strengths and weaknesses and they consistently have each other’s ers, street promoters and a slew of interns all working feverishly to keep the backs. “We are truly brothers from another mother,” explains Kink about record label chugging along. CTE is a hotbed of activity — but unlike most his best friend, Jizzle from the bottom of the map. “We are an artist and urban labels, it’s organized and structured lacking the usual chaos that usu- businessman team. The best of both worlds.” ally plagues rap record labels. I asked Kink about his management style. He listens to people and hears Kinky B, born Demetrius Ellerbee, is a tall dark-skinned man dressed in everyone out. He remains humble with no ego, and realizes that everything stylish street wear. Wearing a colorful “I LOVE MONEY” hoody with matching worth having is a team effort. He respects everything he has and is thankful Bathing Ape sneakers and blue jeans, Kink greets me with a smile and a hug. everyday for what he has been able to achieve. He is still excited about He exudes warmth and has that Southern charm that instantly relaxes those working with people that he never thought he’d ever get to work with. It around him. He also reeks of money - from the white Lamborghini parked still floors him every time he sits down and politics with Jay-Z or LA Reid. outside the front door, to his array of top of the line gadgets spread out There was a bidding war for Young Jeezy and Corporate Thugz. L.A. Reid across his glass desk that keep him in constant communication with his team immediately saw the value and did the deal for the entire CTE label, beating and with the Def Jam staff. out Atlantic and Warner Bros. “L.A. Reid is a genius. He created success with a brand new artist that no one co-signed (Young Jeezy), but who had the Kinky was brought up in Macon, a rural town about 90 minutes south of streets, and he resurrected the career of that year too. We just Atlanta. Like most rural areas, it is very poor. Kink partnered with Jeezy early really appreciate the opportunity to prove ourselves,” says a humble Kinky on, running the streets. You can hear his respect and affection for Young B about his mentor. Jeezy as he talks about their goals and aspirations for the company, as well as where they’ve been and where they are going. But don’t get it twisted, When asked how difficult it is to run a label, Kinky B doesn’t flinch. He says they are not just friends. They are business partners and are not afraid of it was different from everything he’s ever done before so it was challeng- hard work. CTE is the hardest working label in urban music since 1998 when ing, but challenging in a positive way. “It’s hard, but I love it. I learn new Kink entered the music business. It started as a hobby locally in Macon. stuff everyday. Each day is different from the previous one and I get to In 1999, they decided to get serious about starting a label, and took their work with artists I respect,” reflects Kink. Corporate Thugz is more than just name from a phrase they heard Jay-Z say about corporate thugs. They felt its superstar, Young Jeezy. There are solo rappers Slick Pulla, Blood Raw, this summed them up precisely. How ironic that a few years later their label Roccett and 211. The groups signed to CTE are ReRene - a female R&B trio would be signed to Def Jam with Jay-Z as the CEO. from Eastpoint in Atlanta, and Penzo, a soulful R&B male duo from Atlanta.

As I asked Kinky what his personal goals are in this industry, he cites the ca- Slick Pulla was signed to the label because of his demeanor and the fact reers of L.A. Reid and Chaka Zulu (new president of Interscope) as his guiding that his swagger was different from most. He has a mellow tone and light. He has watched L.A.’s career over the years and admires the positive his flow is rare for the South, which caught everyone’s attention at CTE. moves he has made. Kink considers L.A. Reid (CEO of Def Jam Records and BloodRaw, a rapper from Florida, was signed backstage at a show in former owner of LaFace Records) his mentor, and would like nothing more Dothan, AL. Kinky B saw him perform one song, “Represent,” and signed him than to run a major label one day. I asked Kink if he’d go to Harvard and get on the spot, saying it was the hardest song he’d ever heard. He was also an MBA like L.A. Reid did to run Arista Records, and he said he’d do whatever attracted to BloodRaw’s rough street image (BloodRaw was acquitted of he had to do to be the best. Federal drug charges last year).

So where did the name Kinky B come from? When Kink was in middle school, Over the years, Kinky has discovered that he blends in well with the cor- he made a healthy income renting porn flicks to the other kids for $5. “It porate world and can equally relate to street dudes. This is a gift because was my hustle! It was how I made money to buy gear and kicks when I was very few people can blend into all surroundings and environments as easily. 13 or 14 years old,” says Kink with no embarrassment in having a history When asked what the secret to CTE’s success is, I expected him to give the in trafficking in porn. I like this in-your-face honest quality of Kinky B’s standard answer of giving the people what they want, but Kink responded because it was his reality and he dumped it out there for me to deal with it without missing a beat that “marketing creates revenue and CTE supplies as I saw fit. He seems to have the attitude that if you like him, that’s great, good product that can be marketed easily.” While focusing on building but if you don’t like him, well, that’s fine too. It’s a Tupac quality and it’s the brand every step of the way, they put out career artists. They had a found in the most secure and well-adjusted people, but rarely exists in the joint venture in place with Def Jam long before Jeezy sold 2 million CDs of music business. Thug Motivation thanks to guerilla street marketing tactics that drove two mixtapes street platinum: Streets Iz Watching sold 400,000 copies in October Kink realizes that the music business is not just about selling CDs, but also of 2004 and Trap Or Die followed right behind it, selling 250,000 in February entails keeping shareholders happy. He keeps the company structured and of 2005. And it looks as if they are now celebrating all the way to the bank running smoothly while assembling the best team possible to succeed. He with a man named Kinky B leading the charge. // is focused constantly on how to become stronger and build better brands (the artists’ and CTE’s brands). He also realizes the importance of keeping - Wendy Day (Photo: Julia Beverly)

40 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

02 // Snipe, Baby Boy, Anthony 05Murray, // Sun, & JGar Prince (New Jr., Orleans, & Bone 10 // 04 // Guest & Papa Duck @ Tropical Magic (Orlando, FL) 07 // Young Buck & Lil Scrappy @ Club Onyx for Tony Neal’s 1315th // SuDJ- 01 // Rich, Savales, Maricia Magana, Bibi Guns, & Hen-Roc @ The Temple for Lil Scrappy’s album release party09 // DJ(NYC) Venom & DJ Toomp @ Quarterly Explosion (Charleston, SC) LA) 03 // Hen-Roc & DJ Prostyle @ The Temple for Lil Scrappy’s album release party (NYC) 12 // T.I. & Peewee @ King of the South Tour (Jacksonville, FL) 06 // DJ Quest, Tony Neal, & DJ Khaled @ Florida Entertainment Summit (Miami, FL) 17 // Young Cash & Haitian @ Matrix (Houston, TX) 08 // M-Geezy & guest @ Plush 11 //for Cordice the Ghetto & Kisha Grammys @ Club (Jacksonville, 112 14(Atlanta, // DJ Q45, FL)GA) guest, DJ D-Money, & Florida Boy @ Da Real Ting Café for19 OZONE// J Holiday & Point & Anniversary (Milwaukee, WI) 16 // Chopper City Boys Gar & Snipe with B.G. (New Orleans, LA) Revo @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) 21 // BloodRaw & Josh of Hellaflow @ pastar J-Kwik, Young Cash, & Teddy 15 // ClientellT @ Plush Family for the @ GhettoTropical 18 //Grammys MagicYoung (Orlando,Cash (Jacksonville, & Baby FL) Cash FL) @ Da Real Ting Café for OZONE & Point Blank party (Jacksonville, FL) Blank party (Jacksonville, FL) 20 // Bibi Guns & San Quinn @ The Temple for Lil Scrappy’s album release party (NYC) Fresh @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) 22 // Guest, Big Gee, Gorilla Zoe, & Bigga Rankin @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) Grand Hussle @ Bayou Classic (New Orleans, LA) The Royal for CTE’s New Years Eve party (Atlanta, GA) Eric Perrin (09); Julia Beverly (01,03,07,11,13,17,18,20,21,22,23); Malik Abdul (04,06,15); Marcus DeWayne (02,16,19); Ms. Rivercity Photo Credits: (08,10,14); Shoeb Malik (12)

OZONE MAG // 41 industry 101

KEVIN BLACK WARNER BROS. RECORDS n record industry circles, you will very seldom hear people say Kevin streets, the clubs, the colleges and come up with new guerilla tactics. It Black’s name without hearing the phrase “always bet on” in the middle. ain’t just being someone with a big mouth and bullhorn going to a football I“Promotions” and “guru” are a couple other words that are synonymous game saying, “We here!” with his name. With a resume that includes companies like Death Row Re- cords, Virgin, Interscope and now Warner Bros, Black has become a sure bet What’s the biggest mistake that you see other promotions people making? in the game. Not being properly educated on the mission you are trying to accomplish. Some people like to put the cart before the horse and hustle backwards, you The Bronx native got his start in the industry as a bag handler for Run-DMC. can’t do that and expect to succeed at what you’re doing. I’d also like to tell Since then he has used his magnetic personality to forge fruitful relation- people to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. My forte is market- ships with everyone in the industry from the ground floor janitor to the ing and promotions, but I try to dip and dive in all aspects of this business. Jimmy Iovines of the world. OZONE caught up with Black in his Los Angeles I want to keep learning, never stop learning, when you do that you get office as he gears up for a new year and a new challenge. stagnant, old and frail.

Working for Run-DMC during the Fresh Fest had to have been a dream job for What other advice do you have? you. Why did you really choose to pursue a career in the music business? You should be a walking promotions man at all times. You should never To keep it real with you, when I saw all them muthafucking girls running to spend most of your time in the office. You should go from the streets to the Run-DMC, I said, “This is the business I need to be in.” I loved the music, the suites and back again. I’m not afraid to go in the streets. I’m still young, I parties and seeing the women jump up and down. I just wanted to be a part love the clubs. I’m what you call a new age executive. // of it. That’s why I first got into it. It wasn’t about the money. Words by Maurice G. Garland How have you been able to stay in the business so long? Photo by Julia Beverly Because of my Four F’s theory. First F, you’ve got to be Friendly. Let people know that you’re that type of guy. Second, you gotta be Focused. Keep your eye on the objective; know what you gotta do to get where you want to be. Third, you’ve got to be Firm. No one wants to be around a jellyfish. Know your answer, how to explain it, know why you said it, and know what people need to hear. The last F, you’ve got to know when to say Fuck it. Sometimes the mountain is too high to climb.

Are you saying it’s okay to give up? I’m not saying to give up, I’m saying know your parameters. Know that if you’ve got seven bullets you can’t shoot eight times. Know what you’re do- ing and know how to get there. If you’re saying you need nine bullets and the gun only holds seven, you gotta think things over, reconfigure and get your mission done with seven bullets.

Your first promotions job was as the National Director of Promotions at Death Row. Many artists have spoke of their experiences there; what was yours like? It was fun, to be honest with you. It prepared me for the beast this business is today. I have nothing bad to say about Death Row or Mr. [Suge] Knight, because I was diligent and young and wanted to run the streets. I learned a lot over there. One thing about Mr. Knight, he didn’t put shackles on you. If you did promotions, he wanted you to learn as much as you could. Publish- ing, A&R, everything.

What were some of the highlights of working there? Breaking new artists because everyone there at that time was brand new. The only known person was Dr. Dre. Everybody was brand new so I loved getting with my new artists. That’s been my history, breaking new artists. Doing that lets people know that you have substance. Don’t get it wrong, I love the known artists, but breaking new artist lends more credibility to your resume.

Why did you leave? It was time for growth; that was the same reason I just left Interscope. You want to grow in this business. If water doesn’t move, it becomes stagnant. In this business if you don’t move you become frail and broke down. I just wanted to grow financially, mentally and businesswise.

Since you’ve been doing promotions, with all of the technological changes over the years, has your job gotten easier or harder? It’s both. It’s more difficult because you’ve got to work 24/7; you’ve got to know where you’re shooting and how far. It’s also easier because you’ve got different vehicles to get things done, but you have to know how far the vehicle can go. You’ve got to know the internet, new media, mobile, the

42 // OZONE MAG PHOTO GALLERIES

03 // Sakeya & models @ Splurge 06 // Supastar J-Kwik, Tony Neal,09 02 // Famous, Chamillionaire, & Cocked & Loaded (San Antonio, TX) 05 // DJ Black & DJ Drama @ Club Onyx08 (Milwaukee, // Cool & Dre WI) @ Opium Gardens 11(Miami, // M-Geezy, FL) 13 // Pimp C, Julia 01 // DJ Jelly & Lil Scrappy @04 The // Young Temple Jeezy, for his Kydd album Joe, release & TuTu party@ WPRW07 (NYC)// Montana(Augusta, Trax GA) & Big Gipp @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) 16 // Duval Big Du, MJG, & 8Ball @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) Fashion Show (Tampa, FL) 10 // Cheryl Moss & Don Adams @ Club Onyx12 // for Tony Neal’s 15th DJ Anniversary (Milwaukee, WI)18 // The CORE Models & DJ Dr. Doom @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) 15 // BJ, King Yella, , & Foxx (Baton Rouge, LA) // & DJ Whoo Kid @ Justo’s Mixtape Awards (NYC) 14 // Bishop of Crunk & friends reppin’ OZONE 17 // (Atlanta,Trae, Young GA) Buck, & Tony Neal @ Club Onyx (Milwaukee, WI) Young Cash, & Terrence Tyson @ Da Real Ting Café for OZONE & Point Blank party (Jacksonville, FL) 19 // DJ Prostyle & Bibi Guns @ 22 The // Mercedes Temple for & DJLil Dr.Scrappy’s Doom @album Plush release for the Beverly, & Big Gipp @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) County Rockstars @ Da Real Ting Café for OZONE & Point Blank 21 party // Supa (Jacksonville, Chino & guest FL) @ King of the South Tour (Jacksonville, FL) Morgan Lewis, Candice Jai, & Janii @ Club Onyx for Tony Neal’s 15th DJ Anniversary (Milwaukee, WI) Roger & Big Du @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) party (NYC) 20 // Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) Eric Perrin (13,14); Julia Beverly (01,05,10,12,16,17,18,19,20,22); King Yella (15); Kydd Joe (04); Leon (08); Luis Santana (03); Luxury Photo Credits: Mindz (02); Ms. Rivercity (06); Swift (09); Terrence Tyson (11,21)

OZONE MAG // 43 prison diaries

TWISTED BLACK wisted Black, otherwise known as the “Screw Hustler,” has been drop- ping in Texas for over a decade. Already well-known on the Tunderground scene, he landed a deal with TVT Records off the strength of his single “I’m A Fool Wit’ It” which is steadily gaining airplay in the Dal- las/Ft. Worth area and beyond. But his career progress was abruptly halted when he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Twisted Black adamantly denies the charges against him and points the finger at a crooked cop; he reached out to OZONE from his prison cell in West Texas to tell his side of the story.

I heard that you were sentenced to life in prison. Is that true? Nah, nah, I haven’t even been sentenced yet. I’m trying to get my appeal started. I’m trying to get out on a bail bond before [sentencing] in February.

You were convicted of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Are the charges against you true or false? Oh, they’re definitely false. False. They’re totally fabricated. I done messed around and got a crooked cop mad at me down here in Odessa, TX, a crooked cop by the name of Mitch Russell. He conspired to put a case together against me. He had eight different people whom I’ve never met before, ever, come up to the stand and say they bought drugs from me. They were all inmates. They were already locked up trying to get a deal cut.

What motive would he have to fabricate a case against you? Was it because of your status as a rapper, or did he have something against you personally? There’s an artist who was signing to my label who caught a case. Once he now. Me and my big mouth should have just been quiet. I should have left caught his case, me and my big mouth recorded the confidential informant. them and their snitch alone. I put it on a CD who their confidential informant was and after that [the crooked cop] came after me. Have you been able to get anything positive out of the situation? It’s all bad, I ain’t got nothing good up out of it. It’s all bad, for real. The So basically you put somebody’s name out on a record and now it’s coming only thing that may be good is that you know who you can count on. back to haunt you? Exactly. I named a snitch who brought down a buddy of mine that I was You actually have a deal with TVT, right? Have you been in contact with looking to sign and that’s how my name got tied up in this mess. I ain’t them? never sold nobody no drugs. [The people who testified against me] ain’t Yeah, I talked to them just yesterday. I’m staying in touch with them and at never seen me before a day in their lives. Literally, the FBI made these al- this point they’ve been very supportive. They got the “Free Twisted Black” legations up. campaign. Steve Gottlieb personally called my wife to let her know that he was behind us and they’re still putting out my project Street Legend. So I One of the witnesses testified that you were making so much money off drug definitely gotta give a shout out and a thank you to TVT for that. I got three sales that you were using hundred dollar bills to light your cigarettes. kids and a wife so my whole family has been turned upside down behind Nah, hell nah. That ain’t even my style. I need a hundred dollars too bad to this whole ordeal. be burning hundred dollar bills. That’s exactly what one of the clowns that testified said, that me and him were up in the club burning hundred dollar People say the street game is the same as the rap game. Is that true? bills. I had never seen him before in my life ‘til he took that [witness] stand. Identical, as much as I could tell from what I’ve observed of the street ac- tivity. I’ve never been a part of it too much but from what I’ve observed it’s Did your rap career have an impact on this case? Do you think the jury was identical. It’s about who you know. You can’t trust nobody and you gotta biased against you because of the fact that you rap? make sure you’ve got your bases covered. I sure do think so. I think that’s why the guy targeted me. They even tried to get some of my lyrics permissible in court. The judge wouldn’t allow it, but You said that you’re appealing your case right now? they still ended up doing it. I’m in West Texas and they kinda do it the way they Immediately. I’m appealing it so fast they couldn’t even get the gavel wanna do it down here. My appeal goes through another court, thank God. down in time. I had two of the best lawyers out of Fort Worth, TX, but we’re looking to find the best appellate lawyer for my appeal. They messed up What were some of the lyrics they used against you? on a couple legalities. I can’t say it over the phone because they’re prob- “I cooked my way to the top, all I need is a Pyrex pot.” That’s one of the ably listening to this phone call, but there are a lot of credibility issues. quotes that they used [laughs] against me, but of course you know how we Everybody they had testify against me were inmates trying to cut a deal [to talk in our raps. We talk about everything. They definitely wanted to quote lessen their sentence]. me on that and they wanted to quote interviews. They even monitor these phone calls [from the prison], so if they want to use it against you they can. Aside from the appeal, what do you expect to happen at the sentencing? Just being realistic, my minimum [sentence] is ten years. I can go down In Pimp C’s interview after his release from prison, he said that the Texas there and take the drug program and all of that stuff and be out of there prison system was inhumane. What kind of facility are you in right now? in 6 or 7 years. Within the next six months to a year I’m looking to be back I’m in a federal detention center, and the conditions are okay. It’s a little dif- [out] on appeal, but worst case scenario, they gon’ give me a life sentence. ferent than where Pimp was, but I’ve been there too. Ten to life.

What could you have done differently to avoid being in this situation? Is there an address you want to give people to write to you? I overstepped my boundaries. I got a big mouth. I hate snitches so much and Tommy Burns, #27-17. The address is PO Box 1588, Odessa, TX, 79760. // I put my mouth on one of the snitches and this is how they serving me. They know I’m gonna win the appeal but they put my life in such disarray right - Julia Beverly (Photo: Matt Sonzala)

44 // OZONE MAG flix B.G. reppin’ for Baby & Lil Wayne?… 01 // 02 // …& Young Buck (New Orleans, LA) 03 // Mike Jones @ The too?? (Orlando, FL) 04 // DJ Toomp Box car show (Houston, TX) 05 @ Quarterly Explosion (Charleston, SC) // Ms. Asia & friends @ Rick Ross concert 06 // Kenny & DJ B-Lord (Jacksonville, FL) 07 // Sakeya @ Hipnotic (Florence, SC) 08 @ Splurge Fashion Show (Tampa, FL) // OZONE’s Eric Perrin & Randy Roper @09 Quarterly Explosion (Charleston, SC) - // Bishop of Crunk @ Florida Entertain 10 // Oozie @ Primetime ment Summit Skip Cheatham & (Atlanta, GA) 11 // Uncle Pauly @ Club Blue for Big Tuck’s 12 // album release party (Dallas, TX) Raheem DeVaughn @ Gypsy Tea Room 13 // Danny Bew @ Southern (Dallas, TX) 14 // OG Whispers (Greenville, MS) Ron C & Money Waters @ Dirty 15 South // Lil Hip Hop Awards (Dallas,16 TX) // Big Gipp @ Chuckee (Atlanta, GA) 17 // B Rich Primetime (Atlanta, GA) 18 // & Kawan Prather @ Sony (NYC) Rohit Loomba & Trick Daddy @19 Twista’s // Pimp birthday party (Chicago, IL) G & Shoeb Malik @ King 20of //the Jason South tour (Jacksonville, FL) Brown @ The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s 21 // Rico listening party (Atlanta, GA) Owens & La Chat @ Southern Whispers 22 // Mick Boogie & (Greenville, MS) 23 // friend @ Doppler (Atlanta, GA) Big Frank @ Phat Wheels (Greenville, E-Class @ Dirty South Hip MS) 24 // 25 // Buc, Hop Awards (Dallas, TX) Rico Owens, & Young Peezee @ Southern Whispers (Greenville, MS) 26 // La Chat & crew @ Southern 27 // Stay Whispers (Greenville, MS) Fresh @ The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s 28 // listening party (Atlanta, GA) Houseman & Big Bank Hank @ 29 The // Box car show (Houston, TX) Guest, DJ Sense, & Willie the Kid @ Brian Michael Cox’s30 birthday// George party (Atlanta, GA) Lopez & Doc @ Dirty South 31 Hip // JT Hop Awards (Dallas, TX) & Patti @ Dirty South32 Hip // HopJ-Baby Awards (Dallas, TX) & guest @ Best Buy for Trick Daddy in-store (Jacksonville, FL) 33 // Guest & Julia Beverly @ The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s34 listening// Cindy party (Atlanta, GA) Hill & Baby Boy (San Antonio, TX) 35 // Carl Lewis on the set of Trick Daddy’s “Tuck Ya Ice” DJ Drop @ (Miami, FL) 36 // the Dirty South Hip Hop Awards Camron, (Dallas, TX) 37 // Dukwon, & guest @ Rick Ross38 concert (Jacksonville, FL) // Yayo @ Club Blue for Big Tuck’s album release party (Dallas, TX) Carl Photo Credits: Lewis (35); Edward Hall (11,12,13,14,21,23,24,25,2 6,30,31,36,38); Eric Perrin (04,06,08,20,27,29,33); Julia Beverly (02,10,16,17,22); Katching Casez (15); Luis Santana (07); Luxury Mindz (34); Malik Abdul (09); - Marcus DeWayne (01); Pro motivation (03,28); Rohit Loomba (18); Terrence Tyson (05,19,32,37)

OZONE MAG // 45 dj profile by Eric Perrin

DJ J-NICE ATLANTA, GA is Myspace page claims that he is Atlanta’s Number 1 Crowd Motivator.” Given the fact that he is the resident DJ at one of Atlanta’s perennial Hpowerhouse nightclubs, Club 112, it might be an accurate statement. DJ J-Nice has been in the game since the mid 90s and doesn’t plan on forfeiting his number 1 spot anytime soon.

Tell me about yourself I got started basically my freshman year in college, in Baltimore, MD. I went to Morgan State University. I’m originally from New York, but I grew up in Baltimore and DC.

And you have ties to the West Coast too, correct?

Yeah, I was DJing for the Lakers. I got in the game DJing for Shaq at 112, JULIA BEVERLY PHOTO: when it was the old school 112, the after-hours 112. Shaq’s cousin Mark kept coming to 112 all the time, and Shaq came out with him one time and heard ation. Like Lil’ Jon, he’s been the same person every time I’ve seen him. me DJ. His cousin was like, “Yo, we bout to do these events throughout the NBA season. Do you want to do it?” Of course I was like, “Hell yeah!” It was As a DJ, were you offended with Nas’ “Hip-Hop is Dead” statement? history after that. I was with him when we won his first three [championship] Naw, for Nas to say hip-hop is dead is his own opinion. It’s just evolved. rings. New York used to have all the major artists and all the hot music; now they’re lucky if they’ve got three hot artists. If I was an artist from New York I’m sure you’ve had some pretty unique experiences DJing. What inspires you I might say hip-hop is dead, too. You gotta look at it from his perspective. to spin? What makes you enjoy your job? That’s a New York perspective, but if you look at everybody down South, we What makes me want to go to work every day is just the people’s response think it’s alive and running right now. to the show that I put together. I’ve done tours and I’ve worked with a lot of the top artists in the game, and it just makes you feel so good when people Who do you think is the next artist to blow up? cheer when you’re first coming on. I feel real good when people appreciate To be honest, there’s so many new artists that are out there. I’ve heard so my musical selection and how you put it together. It’s a wonderful feeling. much hot stuff I couldn’t even pinpoint on one person. Young Sean, Big Ooh, Sometimes it’s hard for me to go from laying around chilling at the crib, to and P Stones are crazy. My artist Envy, she’s singing crazy. I play a lot of “Aw, man, I got to go to work.” But when you step in and put that first record new music at 112. I pretty much control what I want my people to hear. Ev- on and say your name and everybody cheers, all that tiredness goes away. erybody that comes to 112 is from somewhere else. It’s not like a local club; It’s a straight adrenaline rush. it’s a tourist spot. When you come to 112, you expect to hear something different than what you’re hearing at home all the time. For me, everybody If you had to classify your style as a DJ, what would it be? Do you prefer always will look and expect to hear something new and different from me. Serato, CD’s or vinyl? I consider myself an entertainer. I grew up on vinyl so I’m not just a DJ that What are your thoughts on the situation with Young Buck and DJ Will? sits around all day and presses buttons and is just playing music with a We got partial information. I wasn’t there to hear the whole story, you hype man. I’m an entertainer, I do everything myself. I go in there, I use the know, so I’m getting two different sides of it. Young Buck is saying that it microphone I perform, and I work with the artists. As far as Serato, honestly, was some disrespectful stuff going on and Will was saying it was disre- I think they made Serato for older cats that’s been in the business for a spectful of Buck to grab him and choke him up, but at the end of day, I minute, because we went through those days where we were lugging 8 or 9 know Will, and the people at BME, they’re family to me. So regardless, I’m flight cases up and down stairs and going into small DJ booths and things of gonna support the DJs, because it could’ve been me in that situation. that nature. Serato made it easier for us, but just because you’re using Serato doesn’t mean you’re a good DJ. Say for instance, an artist is at 112 who has beef with another artist with a hot record. Would you play the other artist’s record? Since the hip-hop scene in Atlanta is so deep, there are a lot of DJs and a lot I don’t know. First off, I like controversy because it sells records. So really, of rappers. Does that help or hinder you as a DJ? that’s a hard question. Yes and no. If they ain’t from Atlanta then I would Well, I got to Atlanta before Atlanta was popping. I’ve been here for almost play it, but if they’re from Atlanta then I wouldn’t do it. For instance, when 10 years. [I moved here because it] was good for business and it was a great and Jeezy was beefing I pretty much played both sides. They place to live but it wasn’t poppin’ music-wise like it is now. Back then, it was both made diss records, but I didn’t play Gucci Mane when Jeezy was in the all booty shaking. Now I’ve seen new artists evolve. I remember when T.I. club, or Jeezy when Gucci Mane was in the club. You gotta play it as political was broke and big headed coming in 112 late, beggin’ to get on the micro- as possible because it’s rough out here in these streets. There’s a bunch of phone, and now look at him. loose cannons walking around with the artists that are just looking to show loyalty. You got cats that might knock you out so that once everybody runs How do you feel about artists who blow up and then forget about the DJs up out the club the artist will be like, “That’s what’s up. That means you’re who helped make them who they are? down for me.” So you just gotta be political. Will sent out a big email blast We’ve had that conversation with a few of the artists here in Atlanta and to to everybody [about the situation], but if you’ve been in Atlanta, you’d tell you the truth, I think it’s really foul. Trust me, when they need you and know that there have been many times when DJs got their ass whooped. they’re trying to get their record played, they’ll do anything and everything Y’all just ain’t hear about it. they possibly can in their power to get you to play that record. They’ll give you their direct cell phone number and tell you that they ain’t gon’ never Changing topics, what can we look forward to from DJ J-Nice in the future? change their number. They be like, “Whatever you need, just pick up the I have so much that I’m involved in right now. I just signed a deal with the phone and call me. You ain’t gotta call my manager, none of that.” Then, new marketing and management company, Michael DeNiro Marketing and when they blow up, their numbers change. They ain’t taking your calls and Management, and Loose Cannon Entertainment. I just signed a deal with the managers are like, “Well, nah we can’t help you with that.” But it’s all Emerge International, they got a new clothing line and they’re involved about longevity in this business. The DJs will be around much longer than with the official NFL Super Bowl Gala. I’m out on the road right now doing the artists. Whenever they’ve got another album coming out, they’re gonna events from Carmelo Anthony, Ron Artest and Jermaine O’Neal. We also got be right back to needing us. I think it’s foul and it shouldn’t even be like a big deal on deck with Toys R Us for this program called Toys N the Hood. that, but there are a few artists who are still mad cool regardless of the situ- We’re doing big things. 2007 is really gonna be a big year for me. //

46 // OZONE MAG 02 // flix Chamillionaire (San Antonio, TX) 01 // 03 // Slick Rick @ Dallas Live (Dallas, TX) - Too $hort @ Brian Michael04 // DJ Cox’s Chuck birthday T & Char party (Atlanta, GA) lamagne Tha God @ Quarterly Explosion 05 // Jim Jones @ King (Charleston, SC) 06 // of the South Tour (Jacksonville, FL) 07 // Pimp C @ Primetime (Atlanta, GA) T-Roy @ Best Buy for Trick Daddy in-store 08 // Magic City’s Sinna (Jacksonville, FL) showing off her article @ Young Jeezy’s album release partyBenji @ the Brown Tabernacle & friend (Atlanta, GA) 09 // on the set of Trick Daddy’s “Tuck Ya Ice” Headkrack @ Dirty (Miami, FL) 10 // 11 // South Hip Hop Awards (Dallas, TX) 12 // DJ J-Nice @ Club 112 (Atlanta, GA) Al Harrington of the Indiana Pacers (Los Mojoe @ Gypsy Tea Angeles, CA) 13 // 14 // Supah Mario @ Room (Dallas, TX) Dollar & A Dream Studios (Greenville, MS) 15 // Fat Bastard & Tum Tum @ Dirty South Hip Hop Awards (Dallas, TX) 16 // Kaspa and Young Sean @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) 17 // Curren$y & Love @ The Venue for Jim Jones’ Christmas Eve concert 18 // Double R on (New Orleans, LA) the set of Trick Daddy’s “Tuck Ya Ice” DJ Bigg V & La Chat (Miami, FL) 19 // @ Southern Whispers (Greenville, MS) 20 // Director R. Malcolm Jones on the set of Trick Daddy’s “Tuck Ya Ice” 21 // DJ Raj Smoove (New (Miami, FL) Love, Jim Jones, & Orleans, LA) 22 // Star @ The Venue on Christmas Eve 23 // Bossalini @ (New Orleans, LA) Dirty South Hip Hop Awards (Dallas, TX) 24 // Family Affair (St. Louis, MO) 25 // DJ @ The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s26 listening// DJ Black party (Atlanta, GA) 27 // @ Onyx (Milwaukee, WI) Young Skrilla, , and- Jack Black @ Club Ice Age (Hous ton, TX) 28 // Guest & Byron Trice @ Rick Ross concert (Jacksonville, FL) 29 // 4-Ize @ The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s listening Coach Cognacparty (Atlanta, GA) 30 // @ Club Blue for Big Tuck’s 31album // release party (Dallas, TX) Big Rush and Ted Lucas on the set of Trick Daddy’s “Tuck Ya Ice” Hittmenn DJs (Miami, FL) 32 // @ The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s 33 listening party (Atlanta, GA) E of Trill Images @ Primetime // Tom G @ (Atlanta, GA) 34 // Splurge Fashion Show (Tampa, 35 // Trophy Models @ Club FL) 36 // Ice Age (Houston, TX) Haitian Fresh @ TropicalReppin’ Magic (Orlando, FL) 37 // Music Industry Connection @- Quarterly Explosion (Charles ton, SC) 38 // D-Tek & DJ Venom @ Quarterly Explosion (Charleston, SC)

Photo Credits: Carl Lewis (09,18,20,31); DJ Jam-X (12); Edward Hall (02,04,10,13,1 4,15,19,23,30); Eric Perrin (03,08,25,29,32,37); Julia Beverly (06,11,26,33,36); Luis Santana (34); Luxury Mindz (01); Ms. Rivercity (16); Marcus DeWayne (17,21,22); Promotivation (27,35); Tammie White (24); Terrence Tyson (05,07,28)

OZONE MAG // 47 producer profile by Randy Roper

MOUSE BATON ROUGE, LA ouse’s production has been bangin’ on airwaves and in clubs across America for the last few years and you probably didn’t even realize it. MAs the in-house beatmaker for Trill Entertainment, this 22-year-old handled the bulk of the production for Webbie’s album Savage Life and Lil Boosie’s album Bad Azz. He’s the man behind Webbie’s hit singles “Bad Bitch” and “,” as well as Lil Boosie’s breakthrough single “Zoom.” And if you noticed the charismatic individual singing the hook in the “Zoom” video with the red hoodie on, that’s him.

But Trill’s go-to-guy isn’t just a producer. He works double duty as a Trill En- tertainment rapper in the group Three Deep with fellow group members Phat and Shell, while he continues to stack up production credits. As part of the Trill Entertainment feature, we spoke with the producer that has everyone zooming (even the little kids zooming), to talk about his role within the Trill family, his rap group and why Foxx is the next big thing to watch for in the Trill regime.

First off, tell me about where you’re from? I’m from Baton Rouge, LA. It’s cool out here, bruh. You just got to get on your grind and get it out here.

Where did you get the name Mouse from? Man, I been had it since about 6th grade. I was skinny with some big old ears.

When did you start making beats? KING YELLA PHOTO: When I was little, my partner got a keyboard for Christmas. I used to go over there, get on the keyboard and drop some beats. The next Christmas, my be on this Trill Fam album that’s coming out. We’re gonna show off on there. people got me one. Matter of fact, Webbie, before he got with Trill, he heard Trill Fam consists of Three Deep, Foxx, Boosie, Webbie, Big Head and Soulja some of those beats. That’s how I got started, and I upgraded from there. Boy from Mississippi.

Did you know Webbie before he heard your beats? Are there any artists that you’d like to work with that you haven’t already? Yeah, me and Webbie went to school together. He didn’t stay in school. He’d I got a lot of people that I want to work with. I’m always gonna work with come for a little bit and get kicked out, but that’s how I know him. B.G. because he’s one of the first niggas who came and hollered at me when I was still just a local thing. I still got a little ways to go, but he was What’s the process like for you when you’re making a beat? still one of the first that came and hollered at me on some national stuff. I might hear a tune in my head and I just build around it. Gotta have the 808 I’m feeling T.I., Trick Daddy, a lot of people. I couldn’t even name them. in it, boy. I love that sub. Anybody. Anybody that wanna do some things.

What was the first beat that you had on a Trill Entertainment project? Do you have any advice for other producers trying to come up in the game? Well my first time selling a beat, I sold it to [Trill] and that was that “Swerve.” Yeah, when you’re original they’re gonna feel you the most. Just make sure But that was my first time selling a major beat. Then I came with “Bad Bitch” you do you and sometimes you’re gonna have to sacrifice. You’re gonna and “Give Me That,” but that “Swerve” was the one that got me in the door. have to grind it out, you gotta start from somewhere. It might pop off fast for you, it might not. Make sure you have your own sound. Don’t copycat How did it feel watching your beats blow up like “Bad Bitch” and “Give Me nobody. Just do your thing. That” did? That’s cool, bruh. I like that, especially when those checks come back. That Do you have anything within the Trill camp that you want to talk about? makes it even better. That just makes you wanna do more singles and stuff I’m gonna talk about the artist we got, Foxx. I had scooped up Foxx from like that. the block cause he was from the same hood as my little partner Handy, who got killed in a car accident. While I was working with Trill, I was working Are you working with anyone outside of Trill Entertainment? with my homeboy Handy. He did a couple songs with Webbie, and he was I worked with B.G. a lot. I worked on his last two albums that dropped. But close to getting signed to the Trill team before he got killed in the car ac- I’ve been basically doing in-house. We got a lot of artists. And I’m in a group cident. But his little homeboy, Foxx, he’s on the Trill label now. He’s doing that’s coming from Trill called Three Deep. Matter of fact, we got a song out good. I know the people are going to like him. Foxx got a song right now right now called “Do It, Stick It” that’s getting radio play out here. called “Swipe It Down.” He’s about to drop something soon.

So you’re a producer and a rapper? What is it about Foxx that people are going to like? Yeah, I’m coming on the artist side. I’m really gonna let these youngsters Man, Foxx is going to talk about stuff that’s gonna make you laugh. He’s do their thing, but I’m in [the group] with them. For me personally I like the one of those rappers that talks about stuff you wanna listen to all day long. producer [side]. That’s just me. If everything else fails, I’m gonna always get But it’s serious stuff. It’s gonna be good to listen to. It’s good entertain- behind the keyboard and make beats. So I like the producer side better. But ment, but it’s real though. [as an] artist you show your skills with your mouthpiece and people can hear you. They can feel you, but at the same time they can feel you when you’re Do you have anything else that you want to say? making beats. I was working at Popeye’s and Church’s [Chicken] when I was 16. So you never know what the next person will do. The nigga working at Wal-Mart Tell me about the group that you’re in. might be the next nigga to do something. So you can’t sleep on nobody. Well it’s me, a dude named Shell from New Orleans and my partner Phat. I know how to fry some chicken. [laughs] That southern backwoods fried Shell is 19, Phat is 14 and I’m 22, and we’re called Three Deep. We’re gonna chicken, you heard me? So don’t sleep on nobody. //

48 // OZONE MAG flix DJ Drama @ The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s 01 // 02 // Young listening party (Atlanta, 03 // GA) Lil Scrappy @ The Jeezy (Atlanta, GA) 04 // DJ Prostyle @ Royal (Atlanta, GA) 05 // Chris, Rico, & Adam The Temple (NYC) 06 // Big Tuck @ Dante’s (St. Louis, MO) @ Club Blue for his album release party Charlamagne Tha God, (Dallas, TX) 07 // - Grouchy Greg, & Steve 08@ //Quarterly Killer Mike Explo @ sion (Charleston, SC) The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s Crown Royal listening models party (Atlanta, GA) 09 // 10 // Montana Trax @ (New Orleans, LA) 11 // Madface Primetime (Atlanta, GA) Gary & Bigga RankinC.O. @ Tropicalon the set Magic of Trick (Orlando, FL) 12 // 13 // Daddy’s “Tuck Ya Ice” (Miami, FL) Ladies @ Splurge Fashion Show (Tampa, 15 FL) 14 // Tax Holloway (Atlanta, GA) // Reppin’ 92.7 The Beat 16 @// BestBaby Buy Boy, for Trick Daddy in-store Melvin Foley, & guest (San Antonio, TX) 17 // Hoetester & Pimp G @ Plush for the Ghetto Grammys (Jacksonville, FL) 18 // Trae @ Club Onyx for Tony 19Neal’s // birthday party (Milwaukee, WI) DJ Magic & DJ Wildhairr @ Club Blue for Big Tuck’s album release party DJ D-Money & DJ (Dallas, TX) 20 // PLO @ Club Deep Blue (Jacksonville, The Strangerz @ Rick Ross FL) 21 // 22 // C-Loc, show (Jacksonville, FL) JuJu, & Jonny Cash @ Club M5 (Dallas, TX) 23 // Dizzy, Chantel, & Mone @ The Venue for Jim Jones’ Christmas24 // Eve concert (New Orleans, LA) D-Tec & Kaspa @ The Tabernacle for Young Jeezy’s album Pimp release G, J-Baby party & (Atlanta, GA) 25 // his son, & Dirt Diggla @ King of26 the // South Tour (Jacksonville, FL) Fat B, Spark Dawg, & Money Waters @ Club Blue for Big Tuck’s 27album // J- release party (Dallas, TX) Que @ Club Ice Age (Houston, TX) 28 // Wine-O @ The Box car show 29 // Slick Rick, (Houston, TX) Headkrack, & guest @ Dallas Live Julia Beverly & (Dallas, TX) 30 // Ms. Rivercity @ Da Real Ting Café for OZONE & Point Blank party 31 // La Chat (Jacksonville, FL) @ Southern Whispers (Greenville, MS) 32 // Collard Greens, guest, & Charlamagne Tha God @ Quarterly Explosion (Charleston, SC) 33 // The Replacements & Matthew Verden @ The Royal for Lil Scrappy’s listening party 34 // Triple T @ (Atlanta, GA) Phat Wheels (Greenville, MS) 35 // Puerto Rican Mike, Chase Pat, & Small Soldier @ Club 36 // Models M5 (Dallas, TX) @ The Venue for Jim Jones’ Christmas Eve concert (New 37 // JuJu & Fam Orleans, LA) Life @ Club M5 (Dallas, TX) 38 // DJ B-Lord @ Hipnotic (Florence, SC) Carl Photo Credits: Lewis (12); Edward Hall (06,14,19,22,26,29,31,34,35 ,36); Eric Perrin (01,03,07 ,08,14,24,32,33,38); Julia Beverly (04,10,11,17,18,30); Katching Casez (02); Luis Santana (13); Luxury Mindz (16); Marcus DeWayne (09,23,36); Promotivation (27,28); Tammie White (05); Terrence Tyson (15,20,21,25)

OZONE MAG // 49

The crackhouse is the only“ place you

can go to lay down and keep from getting raped, cause the last time I was around here I was fighting every night so I wouldn’t get raped. I have “ to try to look like a boy to keep from “getting raped. I threw my wife to the ground and made her lose her baby just [because I wanted] to get drugs when she was six months pregnant. I asked her “for $20, and she wouldn’t give it to me.

True Stories from HIip hop’s most despised heroes Words & Photos by Eric Perrin ([email protected]) 50 // OZONE MAG didn’t really believe we were going to go crackhead hunting. It was contact with crackheads, because staring at the pitiful pain in their dull gray simply an idea I tossed around during our “Drug Issue” editorial meeting eyes can cause even the most exuberant of moods to deflate. Ithinking no one would agree, but obviously I was underestimating my So I’d always tried my hardest to have as little interaction with the legions of ubiquitous editor, Julia Beverly, a 25-year-old white girl from the home of rock-head rodents that infested as possible. Disneyworld, whom I’ve learned finds adventure in adversity. But, this night was different; opposite, in fact. Our sole mission was to find It was a frigid Sunday night in Atlanta. I was watching the Chargers vs. Chiefs stories of addiction from perhaps the most despised people in America. As we game hoping I wouldn’t receive the text from JB signaling that it was time for ventured out into Atlanta’s “Historical” West End District, equipped with an our mission to begin, but by 9:45 PM we were on our way to pursue crackhead abundance of blankets and boxes of snacks to give away, I listened to their confessions. stories and recorded their involuntarily chopped and screwed voices on the same tape recorder that I’ve used to interview some of hip-hop’s royalty. I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Like most people who live in the hoods of ATL (the infamous “Crackheadz Gone Wild” DVD was filmed a block from And then it hit me: Maybe our society has been hypocritical in our treat- my apartment), I’ve had my share of crackhead run-ins. There was the time ment of crackheads. After all, these are the same people who have funded a a crackhead threatened to sue me for accidentally throwing a wet garbage plethora of independent record labels we all know and love; they are the for- bag on top of his head while he was eating rice inside the trash compacter, gotten remnants of rap who have helped turn so many trap stars into emcees. or the time a crackhead adamantly tried to sell me a buy-one-get-one-free Any true hip-hop fan should pay occasional tribute to the crackhead, for they coupon to Chick-Fil-A for $5, or the day a skinny, Uncle Ruckus looking sev- have been just as influential to the culture as Afrika Bambaataa or Kool Herc. enty-something year-old crackhead tried to fight me at the Citgo for jokingly Let’s not forget that crackheads provided the original funding for some of our asking him for money right before he could twist his chapped lips to ask me favorite lyrical legislators like Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls, Young Jeezy, T.I., , the same question. Killer Mike, Cam’Ron, Juelz Santana, and countless others.

But during all my experiences with dope fiends, I never went out of my way The money that was begged, hustled, and stolen by crack crazies has contrib- to actually speak to a crack addict. It was always a crackhead trying to ex- uted to some of the best music our generation has heard. You may ridicule tract money from me and me trying to ignore the crackhead as best as pos- and look down upon the crackhead who sleeps in the street by your favorite sible. Throughout a three month span last year, I didn’t leave my house one club, but more than likely, the money he spends to free-base has financed time without being bombarded by hit-hungry hypes looking to collect cash the bass in the beats that emanate throughout that same club. for crack. It got so bad that I began to inadvertently study their methods of approach so I would know how to effectively evade contact with them. I can’t understand their addiction, or why they would choose to smoke their lives away. But that night, I did respect them as humans, and sincerely I would speak loudly into my cell phone even though no one was on the listened to what they had to say. I decided that our crackhead hunting mis- other line, just so I could attempt to pump gas in peace. I would hold my keys sion would serve as OZONE’s way of providing the often happily forgotten in hand while walking, just so they wouldn’t dangle in my pocket, enticing entities of our culture with an opportunity to express themselves. Some of desert lipped, cactus teeth crackheads to ask for the “spare change” that they their stories are graphic, many of them are disturbing, and all of them are heard clinging in my pocket. Most effectively, however, I would avoid all eye unfortunate.

john

daniel

new york gregory mary dwayne

meesha

OZONE MAG // 51 Daniel Charles

y name is Daniel Wise. I’m from Dorchester, MA. I’m 52 years old. I’ve Charles’ story is perhaps the most riveting of all the stories we heard that been doing drugs off and on since I was 17 or 18 years old. I started night. The look in his eyes as he revealed his experience with drugs, HIV, and

Moff just playing around with it, but the chemical imbalance got me gay prostitution was frightening. Speaking to Charles was like a scene from a hooked on it. My body liked that feeling. Most people start off with marijuana. horror movie; you know what’s going to happen next, but it doesn’t make the I’m 53, so I started smoking marijuana back in the 70s, but in my lifetime I’ve thought of it any less horrifying. done all of ‘em, and that isn’t anything to be proud of: heroin, cocaine, crack, any type of over-the-counter drug, beer, all of them. y name is Charles Carver. I’m originally from Kentucky, I’m thirty- seven years old, and I’ve been smoking crack for almost twenty years. “ If you think you’re strong enough to say “I’m just gonna try it,” don’t fool MI’m divorced, depressed, upset, and angry. Drugs have taken me to a your damn self. Excuse the “damn” but it’s just that damn serious. Drugs are a level that I never thought I would be on. Since I’ve been on drugs, I have serious thing. You have a tendency to withdraw from friends, family members, contracted the HIV virus. That was through male prostitution, with men and life. But I guess God just put an extra taste of mercy on me so maybe I can be women, and that was something I never did until I started doing drugs. an example tp someone. I’ve done every drug there is to be done, even down to snorting fumes from paint thinner.

It’s sad when you get hooked on that chemical imbalance. You don’t have Since I’ve been on drugs, I contracted the positive guys - especially blacks - that even care when you’re on it. Some- HIV virus through male prostitution, with times you wanna get off drugs but you don’t have family members to just men and women, and that was something I give you a hug or a little kiss on the neck or something to give you encour- never did until I started doing drugs. agement and let you know that it doesn’t have to always be that way. To be

honest, it’s the white people who help the most. If I ask a black person to lift I had went to Miami to prostitute, and at first it was to white women, because me up or to help me get off drugs, not even for money, just help, they look at they think black men got big, long dicks, so white women liked me. At first I

me and say, “Get the fuck out my face.” was only prostituting to them, but then I started getting more money from “men; mostly black men and white men with money, so that’s what I did for drugs and money. And I was married. My wife was trying to figure out where “ I had been getting all this money from for drugs. She had no idea I was - prostituting. Fuck ‘em! Fuck the young rap guys. They focus ing on the wrong thing, the jewelry and the Me and my wife were married for almost 18 years. I just got divorced January bling-bling. What about the hunger-hunger, of this past year. Drugs has taken me to a level that has forced me to move what about some of the guys that are hooked away from my family. They don’t even know that I’m HIV positive; [not] too “on what they sold us? many people know [Editor’s note: Charles did not want to be photographed for this reason]. That’s something I try to keep to myself but I also try to share it with young people that I see starting out on drugs. This is not the way of life; this is not what is positive. It’s not cool, and it’s not fun. They don’t understand how hard it can be dealing with drugs. I think for most people [on drugs] the hardest part to overcome is the depression. You’re okay For me, it was [fun] when I first started cause it wasn’t a everyday thing, but when you’re high but when you’re coming down you’re in a depressed, stupid the more and more I did it, the more and more it became an everyday thing. stage. And a lot of people doing drugs were already a little mentally handi- I had to have it. I’ve never stolen anything from my mom or my sister or capped before they started, so drugs makes them do even more stupid things. anything, so I thank God for that, but I have taken things that did not belong to me and I’m not proud of that. I do have a [criminal] record. People can do a lot of bad things, and drugs ruin some people’s self esteem to the point where [how you feel about your] appearance is out the window. Right now in life I am a weakling. You know, I’m trying to get myself back A job? Some of ‘em can’t spell a job, and a job takes too long. You need to together. I’m trying to do the things that I need to do to take care of me, get high right now, you can’t wait for a job. I’ve seen people do pretty much because now I have no choice but to take care of me. Everybody always says anything imaginable to get drugs. It hurts to see some of the things they do, you’re supposed to look for your family for help, but when you can take care especially the ladies. I’ve seen many of them suck a banana if you know what of yourself you need to take care of yourself. I mean. And in Atlanta, I’ve seen guys suck a banana, and that’s really, really pathetic. Charles takes a slight pause, looks down at his hands where he is gripping a mini-size bag of Cheez-Nips that we offered him and continues with his story. Daniel goes on to tell us that he’s been in Atlanta for years. He claims to have bought drugs from multiple rappers and has no respect for trappers turned I’m homeless. This is the first thing I’ve eaten today, but I do the best I can to rappers. maintain myself and to keep my pride up. It’s not good, the place where I’m at, but the skills I have, I can’t go back to because of the HIV. It’s something I have no respect for the rap singers. I have no respect for them because they that I cannot do. forgot who they come from. They help put dents in a lot of peoples’ lives. They’ve torn away families and they don’t bring nothing back to the people Charles seemed to be very educated and articulate compared to most of the whose lives they helped destroy. They could just bring back 50 peanut butter other drug addicts we spoke to that night. As he spoke of his HIV infection sandwiches or something to help, but that never happens. Fuck ‘em! Fuck the there was no added emotion, no distress, no reservation. He seemed as if young rap guys. They focusing on the wrong thing, the jewelry and the bling- life had taken its toll on him, and his HIV-positive status is just another nail bling. What about the hunger-hunger, what about some of the guys that are deeply hammered into the already sealed coffin that had become his life. hooked on what they sold us? If those guys would just donate $20 apiece that He spoke very calmly, almost peacefully as he described his future with the could change some of our self-esteem. They’re glorifying the wrong things disease that will leisurely eat away at his immune system until the day his and most of them are about three-quarters illiterate. They only rap to hide slow dance with death concludes. that illiteracy. I say fuck rap. It’s nothing positive. When I found out I had HIV, I was in jail, and they was doing free testing. Daniel is a man who clearly knows his life is in shambles and makes no When I found out that I had been infected it kinda hurt me because I know excuses, but the one thing he does ask for is an opportunity to give advice to it was all just because of drugs. I grew up in a good family, and once I tell our readers. them about my HIV, they ain’t gon’ have nothing to do with me. I’m not on medication, but I’m going tomorrow to for a T-Cell count. So far, my T-Cells I got one message and one message only to the people that read this maga- are good, but my health is not as good as it used to be. I try to maintain and zine: Don’t even try drugs. Never, ever think that your mind is strong enough. keep a positive aspect on life, because that’s something that I have to do. Don’t think you’re gonna just dibble into the pie one time and then just walk Tomorrow I’m going back to the [rehab] program that I was in to see if I can away; it never happens. I’m an alumni of Boston College. I majored in Busi- get back in it. One of the rules is that if you leave three times, you can’t come ness Administration and Psychology and drugs still got my ass. Don’t fuck back. I’m praying that they allow me to come back. It’s not something that I with drugs. That shit fucks your brain up. want, it’s something that I need. That’s all that’s gonna keep me alive.

52 // OZONE MAG The power of parenthood is evident as Charles’ demeanor on life took a Then when the churches close down and you ain’t got nothing to eat, you drastic turn towards optimism when be began thinking about his children. His have to be extra careful. If people that’s homeless ain’t got nothing to eat, speech exuded hope that, based on his circumstances, was very unrealistic. some of the guys will start snatching pocketbooks or whatever they can get they hands on, and you just have to fend for yourself. They told me people have lived twenty years [with HIV] before they con- tracted the AIDS virus. I want to be one of that lives fifty years. I My life day-to-day consists of trying to find a place to sleep whenever I can, just want to see my grandchildren grow up, and pray that I’ll live to see my try to eat, find some water, try to get a few dollars from some guy so I’ll be great-grandchildren. I have eight children. Four of them are my stepchildren able to go inside somewhere and wash up. but they’re still mine, cause I raised them and they call me “daddy.” They still love and care about me and do what they can for me, when they can. And it’s A lot of the people that’s out here on drugs are not [on drugs] cause they gon’ hurt when I break down and I tell them about my HIV, but I gotta take it wanna be. You’re out here with nowhere else to go and nothing else to do, one day at a time. Thank God my wife doesn’t have HIV. and you’ve got people always offering it to you, so eventually you’re gonna give in. My advice is please don’t try it, cause once you try it, I don’t care how The message I have to tell people about drugs is: Don’t do it. There’s nothing many times you stop, you’ll always go back. The slightest little thing that in it. It’s not grand, there’s nothing about it that’s good, nothing. It takes hurts your feelings or make you feel bad will make you go back to it. So the you to the lowest point. My life is the lowest you can get, living on the street, best thing to do is to try to stay away from it. don’t know when you’re gon’ get something to eat, that’s not a good thing. Digging in the garbage cans, drinking water that goes down the side of the road just to have something to drink. Going to the restaurants eating out of Dwayne the dumpsters off napkins where people have blown their noses on, and then threw it on the plate, then you go through and just scrape it off, trying to clean it as best as possible just to eat, that’s my life. It’s not grand, it’s not started off on the street at the age of 12. My dad was in the penitentiary fun. There’s nothing about it that I could recommend to anybody. I would not and my mom, the white man put her on the drug. I started smoking crack turn drugs onto my worst enemy. I threw my wife to the ground and made her Iwhen I was 16. I had just come out of training school and my partner, lose her baby just to get drugs when she was six months pregnant. I asked supposedly my friend, led me to it. It was just regular weed at first, and then her for $20, and she wouldn’t give it to me. We got into a big argument, and they start lacing it up [with crack] like the Miami boys do, and that’s how it when I got ready to go out the door she grabbed me and tried to stop me and went down, man. A lot of boys got caught up in it when we were teenagers. I slung her to the ground. I didn’t realize exactly what I was doing because I When they started lacing it they were like, “This is the new high. This is what’s was high, and when she fell to the ground she cried and said, “Oh, I’m bleed- going on now. People ain’t smoking regular weed no more, we sprinkling it ing.” I didn’t know what to do so I ran out the door. And that was gon’ be my down.” I’ve been smoking crack for 18 years now. only daughter. I have all boys - well, two step-daughters - but none that’s my own. That would have been my only [blood] daughter, and I killed her. Is crack ever hard for you to come by? Is it hard to come by?! Do you know why so many black gentlemen are in the penitentiary today? It’s because they get on crack and it’s so hard for them to Mary get some more that they commit a crime.

y name is Mary. I’m 44 and I’ve been doing drugs on and off for about What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to get crack? ten years. At first I used [drugs] for a painkiller and then I started Sell somebody some fake crack. using every time I got my feelings hurt, or had bad relationships. It M What does fake crack consist of? seemed like nothing was going right in my life. I just kept getting hurt and so for the pain, I use crack. Sheet rock, candle wax, corn meal, goody powder, a whole lot of different things, that’s real talk, man. I been smoking dope for 18 years, and I done The most painful thing for me to deal with is family, relationships and so- seen people [overdose], I done seen muthafuckas fall out. The first dude I called friends. My best friend had the nerve to sleep with my fiancé the week seen die from crack was when I was in a house, and dude was nervous. Next of my wedding, so that took me for a loop and I always try to kill myself. thing I know, he just fell out. And they throwed him out the front of the Normally, Thanksgiving or Christmas, I be so depressed that I try to commit house. He had died before they even threw his ass out the house, though. I suicide. This past Thanksgiving is one time that I didn’t do it, but Christmas ain’t know these people, I was just in the house smoking. ain’t here yet. My birthday just passed. I don’t get nothing for my birthday. I have six kids. All of them are grown and I don’t know where none of ‘em at How does the whole crackhouse thing work? but one; one of ‘em is in Iraq. When I did get in touch with one of my daugh- Shit, you gotta pay the house. If you coming in somebody’s house to smoke ters she always ended up cussing me out or just treating me very [badly] and dope you got to pay them for it. I can’t handle it. I’m very emotional and very sensitive. How much? I live on the streets or go from house to house as long as I got a few dollars $5 a night. to get in. Tonight I’m looking for the girl that got my shoes and my coat. I got on somebody’s else shoes and somebody else’s coat. Hopefully I can find How many people are usually in there smoking? some money to pay to get in somebody’s house to lay down for the night. If Shit, about ten or fifteen. All kinda shit be going on. not, I’ll be sleeping outside. The crackhouse is the only place you can go to lay down and keep from getting raped, cause the last time I was around here How much do you spend on crack in an average day? I was fighting every night so I wouldn’t get raped. I have to try to look like a I done spent $300 since Friday. boy to keep from getting raped. It ain’t nothing easy. Damn, where do you get that kind of money from? Mary does a good job of trying to look like a man. She was dressed in an I know how to talk to people, especially white folks. I love them. I go up oversized jean jacket and pants, a doo-rag, and a facial expression that sug- there by The Ritz Carlton and Hard Rock Café and Hooters and tell ‘em I just gested her life was beyond repair. did six months and just like that they give you $20. I ain’t been to sleep since three days ago. One of my friends got killed. She got in the car with two guys and I never seen her no more. The next thing I know they found her body. It’s not nothing Do you have one consistent drug dealer? easy out here in these streets, especially being a woman because guys try Naw, I be buying from everybody. every chance to take advantage of you. I’ve been raped several times, that’s why I try not to look like a woman. Now some of these women out here is Do you ever worry about somebody giving you some bad stuff? really cracked out, worse than me, and they don’t care. They just loose, and Naw, I know what it is. I told you I’ve been doing it 18 years. what I mean by loose is, anything goes. Some of ‘em don’t even wear un- derwear. They might have on a little short dress or a miniskirt, and wherever How would you describe the high? they fall down at, or wherever they get high at they be telling the guys to Geeked up. Seriously, when I hit a rock, I start looking on the ground, looking come get it, just so they could get high again. They might turn 50-60 tricks for change so I can get that feeling again. It’s a good feeling, it’s a real good a day just to get drugs, so that makes it hard for the women that ain’t like feeling. But don’t ever smoke it, cause you will not have shit. // that, and you know, you get raped. It ain’t no joke trying to be fighting just to - Kisha Smith, Kenneth Brewer, and Alexander Cannon also contributed to this make it to the next day and go through the same thing all over again. article.

OZONE MAG // 53 PATIENTLY WAITING

CAROL CITY ijuana, but his strongest influences come from the group. “They’re two of the best artists in the game right now. When you listen to how they formulate those words, it makes me really want to CARTEL catch up to them and work harder.” It’s this work ethic that has MIAMI, FL kept Triple C together for so long. For most hip-hop groups, the concepts of loyalty and longevity “I see the same hunger in them that I have,” Ross states. “We are hard to master. For Miami’s trillest trio – Rick Ross, Gun Play come from the same hood and I respected their hustle – being Murddock and Torch – the concepts are second nature. Over the able to get in the studio and do three or four records a night past nine years, Triple C has gone from surviving the streets of and keep it original, gangsta and fly at the same time. That’s Miami to enjoying the successes of Ross’ platinum solo album real important.” Ross compares Gun Play to the black Tommy of Miami Lee and says nobody in the game can compare to Torch’s word to becoming a family. play. “Everybody had their own lane already and over time we After fleeing the Castle Hill Projects in the Bronx, New York, Torch complimented each other. It’s a lot of energy in their delivery. found himself under the astute guidance of Rick Ross. Torch credits Port When I was on the Jay-Z international tour, we was backstage Ross as one of his biggest mentors saying, “That man kinda raised and everybody was exchanging verses. Jay looked at me and me. I met him back in ’98 when I was evading a charge. That’s looked at both of them and was like, ‘This is real hip-hop right when we founded Carol City Cartel. I learned everything about this here. I see the vision.’ He was impressed. Most dudes lean on the music from him and much more.” With the addition of Gun Play, leader, but with these dudes, I gotta stay on my toes when we’re Triple C was complete. in the booth.”

It’s easy to give up and part ways after hustling as a collective for so With their forthcoming album long, but the Carol City Cartel has plenty of motivation to progress. is bringing everything he can to the table, including top shelf Torch says, “My little boy keeps me focused – making sure he’s production and top notch collaborations.Black Flag The debut project will eating good and setting up the future where he don’t gotta struggle. feature Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, Junior Reid, 8Ball,nearly , complete, Cool & Ross I’m trying to make sure he don’t grow up in the type of atmosphere Dre, DJ Khaled, Yung Joc and Brisco. Each member believes their I did.” Gun Play finds inspiration in everything from money to mar true-to-life stories and synergy of styles will be felt by the masses. “We’re the best,” Rick boasts. “That’s from The Boss.”

Words: Ms. Rivercity ([email protected]) - Photo: Terrence Tyson

“WE’RE THE BEST.”

(l to r): Torch, Rick Ross, & Gun Play

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“EVERYBODY IN DETROIT IS- TAX STUCK. IT’S ALL ABOUT SELL ING DRUGS AND KILLING. HOLLOWAY DOWN HERE IN ATLANTA ATLANTA, GA THEY LIKE TO PARTY.” ven though he knew Tax Holloway’s inter view would appear in our Patiently Wait Eing section, D-Boy Entertainment CEO Don Adams insists that his lead emcee is any - thing but patiently waiting. “What nigga you - know that’s patiently waiting has hoes patiently waiting on him from a balcony overlooking - the city of Atlanta from they condo at the 12 Hotel?” inquires Adams. However, regardless of what his bank account may contain, or the confidence his label has in him, Detroit na tive Tax Holloway still feels much pressure to succeed in the rap industry. - “I got deadlines to meet. If I ain’t out doing a show or at the club promoting, I’m in the house just writing. I ain’t in the streets, I ain’t partying or bullshitting; I’m work ing,” Tax says. “I wake up early in the morning and go straight to my pen and - my pad. I’m staying on the grind, work ing hard. I got a lot of pressure on me.” - For Tax, pressure is inevitable, especially when your face has graced billboards all over the country and you’ve been billed as perhaps the next rap savior from a city stuck in the shadows of Marshall Mathers. “It’s been a lot of artists that came out of the D, but I don’t think they heard nothing that sounds like me,” he theorizes. “I’m different from what they’ve heard already, and after my project, I believe Detroit is gon’ be looked at a different way.”

Like many aspiring artists from around the country, Tax has made the pilgrimage to hip-hop’s modern mecca of At lanta. The drive from Detroit, MI to Atlanta, GA is about - 723 miles; approximately 11 hours, but according to Tax, the difference in the mental ity between the two cities is a murder ‘bout todancing happen vibe. when If about youyou goleave selling to athe club drugs club.stuck in andAtlanta, I’ve in killing. onelived everybodymindstate,” through Down“I keep here allmyis says enjoyingthat. rapsin Tax. Atlanta I based was “Everybody theyselves. really onthey my likemucha lifehustler, Backin to and Detroit harderparty. home, myI really It’stopast,is it’sstuck.escape. more sold butprobably drugs,It’sIof ain’t a all - and it’s all real. I came to Atlanta to get peace of mind. Down here I get to enjoy myself a little bit.”

Atlanta is learning to enjoy Tax as well. He is successfully integrating his past experiences growing up in Detroit with the peace of mind his had found in A, and his positive approach to the game will guide him the rest of the way. “I just try stay away from the negativity,” he concludes. “I stay positive, that’s why I ain’t classified in the same category as all the others.”

Words: Eric Perrin ([email protected]) Photo: Julia Beverly

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PATIENTLY WAITING HUEY ST. LOUIS, MO

ven with several successful rap acts, St. Louis is still a slept-on city. Before the days of Nelly and the St. Lunatics, many people didn’t know anything about the city with the Arch. But in the year 2000 that all changed. Many people billed ESTL as an inevitable hip-hop hub, but in recent years The Lou has been severely overshadowed by Atlanta, Houston, and Miami. Jive recording artist Huey, however, believes he can provide a much-needed push to the slowing Midwest Swing movement.

“Nelly had his time, Chingy had his time and now I feel like it’s the youngster’s time. We’re about to try to give them a run for they money,” Huey contends. Formerly known as Baby Huey, the 19 year-old St. Louis star is aiming for both industry and city supremacy. Thus far, he’s done well in his efforts. He has captivated his entire city and much of the country with his infectious lead single, “Pop, Lock, Drop It,” which is what initially attracted the attention of “BRING ME A BEAT, industry exec TJ Chapman of THAT’S ALL I CAN TJ’s DJ’s. SAY. I WAS BUILT FOR THIS.” “I started out making beats. I wasn’t planning on rapping, but I wrote a few verses and I kinda liked it, so I kept on doing it. The record ‘Pop, Lock, and Drop It’ started in the clubs and it got so big that DJs had no choice but to play it on the radio. When TJ Chapman came to St. Louis it was number 1 as far as spins in St. Louis. He told [Jive A&R] Mickey ‘MeM pHiTz’ Wright about me and two days later Memph was on a plane - on his way to The Lou. He came and got me, flew me to New York, then two weeks later I did a showcase and then I signed the paper.” And just like that, Huey became one of Jive’s biggest 2007 prospects. His Jive debut Paper is slated for release sometime in 2007 and according to Huey, it’sNotebook a classic.

“Notebook Paper be a whole package; is athere’s crazy notCD. gonnaIt’s gon’ be a topic that’s left out,” he says confidently With some of the biggest names in the game featured – like Jazze Pha, , Lloyd and T-Pain - Huey has much to prove. His biggest challenge will be show ing that he’s not just another teen prema turely touching the mic. - “I’m versatile, man,” he contends. “I got the- streetness, the consciousness, the club bangers, the ladies’ love, the life struggles; everything. It’s going down. Hip Hop is definitely not dead, and if you listen to me, I’m gonna show ‘em. Bring me a beat, that’s all I can say. I was built for this. I’m ready for whatever is coming.”

Words: Eric Perrin ([email protected])

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TUM TUM Tum Tum likes to let his work speak for him and has released a DALLAS, TX string of mixtapes in the last year including Tum Thousand and Six All this is leading up to his T-Town/Universal major label debut and allas record label T-Town Music is trying to put Dallas on titled Down South HeatFuck You Pay Me the map in 2007 much in the way Swishahouse branded Eat or Get Ate . , just to name a few., Dthe Houston sound on the rest of the nation’s ears. They “The album is gonna come out March,” he says. “We still deciding have been consistently been making noise in the Dallas area with artists like Big Tuck and the DSR. Now they are preparing on the first single, but I already got a video out there for ‘Caprice to release the national debut of Tum Tum, a Dallas rapper who Musik.’ We got about five singles that we’re trying to choose doesn’t mince his words and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. He’s from right now and that’s a beautiful thing when you have to often been quoted saying, “You might not like my thoughts and make a decision between that many hits. I’m gonna have some opinions, but they’re mine, and I could give a fuck about a rabbit of my Dallas people on it and I’m also gonna have some people ass rapper getting mad over my shit.” from outside of Dallas. I’m gonna have Carnival Beats on there, they did a lot of stuff for Mike Jones. I’m gonna have Jim Jones Tum Tum’s had this straight–to-the-point attitude almost as and Trae on the album, and we’re talking with and long as he’s had his name. “Shit, it’s just a name I’ve always had. Cool & Dre right now to finish it off. I trying to do about five Everyone calls me Tum Tum. Granny gave me the nickname and more songs and then get ready for the release.” everyone just ran with it,” he laughs. He’s trying to make sure that the rest of the rap world gets to run with that nickname. With Tum Tum’s video for “Caprice Musik” currently gaining air play on MTV2 it will only be a matter of time before he and other “People out there are gonna know my name from these mixtapes Dallas artists bring their sound to the rest of the world. we got out. I’ve got Words: DeVaughn Douglas ([email protected]) a lot of noise.” Return of O-Tumma - out there and that made

“THAT’S A BEAUTIFUL THING WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BETWEEN THAT MANY HITS.”

60 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 61 PATIENTLY WAITING HAITIAN FRESH DAYTONA BEACH, FL

f you can get one person to love your music, you can get a million,” Haitian Fresh wisely asserts as he explains the inspiration behind his craft. “This rap industry is very hard, but I’ve created my own lane.” By holding it down for his “Ihomeland, this Port Au Prince native has earned the loyalty of many followers. From his Creole-laced lyrics to his Hai tian colored outfits, Fresh has made it clear he’s not abandoning his heritage; he’s embracing it.

“The Haitians are pushing me so hard. I get hundreds of emails from people saying they’ve never seen somebody rep Haiti like that. I took the whole country and put it on my back and went through everything with them. I have a lot of American fans, too – hood people, street niggas – telling me they like what I’m doing. Knowing you can change people’s lives through music – that’s just a feeling you can’t buy,” Fresh asserts. According to the U.S. Census, there are nearly half a million Haitians residing in the United States, - which equates to a very substantial potential audience for Fresh.

This unique audience has supported his every move. He’s released a mixtape with Bigga Rankin, hosted a project for DJ Smallz, bro ken into radio via Orlando’s “I GET 102 Jamz; and recorded two - music videos – one with the HUNDREDS Bethune Cookman College OF EMAILS marching band. It’s an airtight FROM resume, complete with a ring PEOPLE tone deal through Hi-Flitones. com. Although Fresh has SAYING opened shows for Young Jeezy, THEY’VE T.I., Slim Thug and a ton of oth NEVER SEEN ers, his performances are enter SOMEBODY taining enough to stand on their - own. Fans may come to see the - REP HAITI Snowman or the King, but they’ll LIKE I DO.” never forget Haitian Fresh.

He says, “Anything can happen at one of my shows. I might throw out five thousand dollars; I might jump off the stage; I might cry – it’s never the same.” While other rappers try to remember their lyrics, Fresh has mas tered the art of crowd reaction. He’s even thrown one of his gold chains to - the crowd.

With his unyielding work ethic and high energy, Haitian Fresh has become a Florida favorite. Currently, he’s working with some of the sunshine state’s top producers, including Jim Jonsin and The Runners. Known as the king of network ing, Fresh has gained support from nearly every influential DJ in the Southeast; and he remains humbly thankful to outlets such- as The CORE DJs and TJ’s DJ’s which have aided him in his efforts.

As Haitian Fresh races down the fast lane of success, he’s always reminded of his ultimate objective. “I’m doing something that’s never been done before and it’s on a positive note. I’m letting everyone know it’s the Zoes, which is also the name of my album.” Season Of The Words by Ms. Rivercity ([email protected]) Photo by Terrence Tyson

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PRODUCER AND FORMER CRACKHEADJ-SWIFT LEARNED HIS LESSON THE HARD WAY WORDS // MAURICE G. GARLAND ([email protected]) PHOTO // MATT BASS

ifteen years ago, music producer Juan “J-Swift” Martinez had it all. A dustry because I was like, “Fuck them. If I can’t have creative freedom I ain’t mansion, a family and a bright future. He gained critical acclaim for fucking with y’all.” So by 2000, I was only fucking with niggas that knew Fproducing every song on The Pharcyde’s classic debut album Bizarre I was dope. I did shit with the , , , and Gonzo Ride II The Pharcyde, but had a falling out with the group by the time it was from Kaution. I had another son in 1999 and things was getting rough. By released. He went on to do remixes for Prince and songs with Chaka Khan. 2001 I was smoking rock cocaine, but it was occasionally. It wasn’t knocking But after a couple traumatic experiences, his occasional weed smoking for me over yet. By 2003 I was broke and my mom almost died in a car accident creativity turned into smoking crack cocaine to escape reality. and was on life support. That’s when I started smoking every day. Four months after that, my ex-wife couldn’t take it anymore and she kicked me By 2003, J-Swift had gone from living in a mansion to living under a tree, to the curb. That fucked me up. I was with her for 10 years at the point with pimping women and selling dope to sustain his addiction. Remarkably, he two kids by her. I really didn’t give a fuck anymore. I was disgusted with the never lost his musical talents (he even owned a recording studio at one industry and my life. So I was just in the studio, which I had made my home, point) and continued to record music in the midst of his poverty and addic- smoking every day like it was going out of style. tion. A lot of us know how it feels to hit a blunt, and some know what it’s like do A documentary entitled 1 More Hit is slated to be released in March 2007. It cocaine. But what does it feel like to hit a crack pipe? will chronicle J-Swift’s bouts with addiction and will also reveal him getting With weed, you get a creative rush, you get focused, it hones into your spirit, clean and piecing his life back together. OZONE caught up with J the day it’s like a conduit for creativity. Snorting cocaine is social; you’re talkative after his 35th birthday to get a fraction of the roller coaster that is his life. and horny. When you smoke rocks, you forget about everything. Everything disappears. I was suicidal so I wanted to forget about everything. But when When did you start having your bouts with illegal substances? you take a blast it’s a short high, so short sometimes that five minutes later I’m an artist so I’ve always been experimental. In 1994 my father died, and you wanna take another hit. Fortunately for me, since I was still smok- that’s were my depression began. He was my idol, so me not being able to ing weed, I started putting the crack in the blunt so I was okay. But then set him up to live his last days in comfort, for his sacrifices he made, that I stopped caring and started smoking crack straight up. I never created messed me up. I had a son of my own by then, but then I closed my deal anything smoking dope. It made me think I was escaping, but I wasn’t. It’s with Tommy Boy and it was a dry period for me in getting production work. like going on a roller coaster. You get shot up in the air, you’re suspended in That’s when I started fucking with cocaine. I did a remix for Prince around the air for a while and then you come down. that time and I bounced back and got a budget and had my production com- pany up and running in 1997. But the industry was changing into the beast it When did it grow into an addiction? is today. The labels were telling me I was played out, telling me to do what By the time I was living in my studio and not with my ex-wife. I had a was hot at the time. They wanted me to be like Timbaland. I said, “Fuck that. girlfriend who smoked too. It was a necessary thing, I had to have it. I was I’m an artist so I’m going down with the music.” I got backlash from the in- in a bad mood if I didn’t have it. Nothing else mattered. I was losing my

64 // OZONE MAG How long did this attack last? “I stopped caring and started They started fucking me up around 3 AM and beat me for over an hour. They smoking crack. I never had me laid out on the floor. They hauled out most of my equipment and came back and beat me some more. I passed out; then I woke up and felt created anything smoking them hog-tying me. I was tied down from 5 AM til 1 in the afternoon. 1:30 dope. It made me think I is when I got loose for the third time and escaped. One of them was still ’t.” there and he had dope on him. The police got mad because I wouldn’t press was escaping, but I wasn charges. I just didn’t want them in my place anymore. I wasn’t tryin’ to UP IN SMOKE snitch on them. studio be- What did you do after you got kicked out of your place? cause I was I went back to my ex-wife’s house to recover. She gave me one month to get depressed and didn’t want to see right and get out. By June of 2003, she said I gotta get out. So now I was in nobody. She started smoking ridiculously. Crack is so powerful. This the street. I got up with this black chick who ended up being my girl. We was old guy told me it’s like the ocean - you can get in and get wet, but if you living in the street, under a tree. I took my computer to my engineer to hold get in too deep the riptide will wash you away and you can’t get out. It was for me. But when I was in the street, she started hoeing for me too. I started an addiction for me, but it never got to the point where I was stealing from selling dope too. I kept some money to sustain my habit and the other part people or selling my equipment. But I did get robbed. That’s how I lost my to go record. That’s when I called Shana [close friend and 1 More Hit direc- studio. tor]. I knew her for years. She wanted to do a film on me back when I was 22 with a mansion. I called her asking for money for dope. She asked me where What happened? I was living, and I told her on Ira and Hollywood. She came over in a Hum- This guy came looking for me to do a remix for a single. I had no phone, so mer, she sees where I’m at and rolled the window down. She sees me under he just tracked me down. My studio was a mess. He saw me in there with a tree asking what I’m doing. I tell her I live here, come on in. She gave bottles of piss everywhere because I wouldn’t leave. I’d send my girl out for me the money to do what I had to do. When I got in the car I popped in the crack, or I’d get it and come right back. But, he gave me a single deal, and CD and she was blown away. She asked if I could get cleaned up if I could when he gave me that job I had hope. I finally had an opportunity to do come with an album. I said shit yeah, but I got arrested right when we was me. I was so happy he believed in me, I did two songs for him. In exchange gonna start. I spent ten days in jail. After I got out she started filming me he paid my studio’s rent for six months. My studio was in the middle of everywhere I went. By this time I was staying in a hotel, but my girl started Hollywood, so I could look out the window and see the pushers, smokers, smoking crack behind my back. She was hoeing and not coming back, and prostitutes, all of that. But, when , I went off to record the we ended up getting kicked out of the hotel. Shana was filming all of this singles and left my girl at the studio. She would let anyone who had dope in stuff, but I was still going to the studio recording. the studio. So one day I came home, and all these people were in my studio. I’m like, what the fuck is this? She was offering them a haven to get high as How were you still recording with a crack habit? long as they got her high too. So, she let these Crips in my studio, and when My main addiction was hip-hop; that’s what saved me. God first, hip-hop they saw what I had it was on. One came back later, with an excuse saying second. he left his coat. He happened to rap and he wanted me to work with him. He put me in a twist where I couldn’t refuse him, because he had fronted Having been an addict, how do you feel about music that seems to glorify me some dope. So one day he came over, and I wasn’t finished with what I drug use or selling? was doing for him. He had some guys with him; they were strapped and they Really, rap has always been wrapped around drugs. Even the terminology, beat me down, hogtied me for six or seven hours in my own studio. They people say they’re dope or that’s dope. It was always wrapped around drugs, jacked me for most of my stuff. They thought they took my computer, but but it wasn’t as dominant. What happened is that a couple hustlers blew up, they took my monitor and keypad. They left the hard drive. If I had lost that, and these suckas followed them. That’s the bad thing about the industry. It’s I wouldn’t give a fuck about nothing anymore, because all my masters were not the rappers, it’s the industry. Two niggas blow up talking about dope, there. Thank God for that. They hid me behind my file cabinet at one point. so the label want to sign ten more who sound like them. I just thank God People were coming by asking where I was at; they had their foot on my that I can show the hypocrisy of this industry. There’s a lot of celebrities neck telling me that if I said anything they’d snap my neck. I got loose twice that smoke dope, but do it like I used to, occasionally, every couple months. and they tied me up again. Later in the day, they left one Crip in there, he But if you have a depression and smoke enough, you will get trapped. I got was cleaning my place like it was his. I escaped for a third time, slipping out friends that do heroin, but are functional drug users. of my clothes, and got security. That was the last straw for the landlord. He kicked me out after that. Through all of this, at what point did you get embarrassed? When I was living in my studio, I was very embarrassed and secretive. I didn’t want anybody to know of my addiction. But once I lost my studio and saw how people with drug problems in jail were treated, I realized that it was bullshit. I was hanging out with people in the industry and hearing them make crackhead jokes while I’m behind closed doors smoking.

Now that you’re clean, do you think you will ever slip back into that phase of your life? I’m not a hypocrite and I won’t swear on any- thing. Just let “yes” mean yes and “no” mean no. I don’t smoke right now and I’m glad I don’t. I’m happy. I struggled with addiction over the last two years, but for the most part I’ve been a good man. I don’t want to put my foot in my mouth, I’m not gonna say what I’ll never do again. I don’t know what life is gonna bring, all I want to do is help people who have addictions. I know what it’s like to not care. I want to show them that there is a way out.

In addition to 1 More Hit, J-Swift will be re- leasing an independent album, Negro Knievel, this summer.

OZONE MAG // 65 66 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 67 juelz

Do you think the younger cats are losing respect for the older cats? santanaWords by Rohit Loomba & Mike Li ([email protected]) It’s not so much the respect, it’s just the way people are brought up now. Ev- Photo by Ray Tamarra erybody wants to be the boss. Just like the rap game; everybody wants to be the king. Everybody wants to be the boss and that’s why a lot of crews break How big is crack in the hood right now? up. Every crew needs a leader. Everybody has to follow their position and play their part. The new generation just wants to come up too fast because In the hood right now I think that crack is definitely huge, but I don’t know they don’t want to be hustling for somebody else. how huge. I would say the drug game is definitely a lot slower than it used to be. I don’t think there’s less users, but the hustler’s game has changed. Do you think they’re just not prepared? Back in the day you had a lot more organization and a lot more teamwork. You had leaders, and then you had soldiers, and people played their posi- I definitely think they’re not prepared. You got dudes that are not even tions. Nowadays everybody wants to be their own hustler. Everybody will get hustlers. They just sell drugs. Harlem is like the mecca of people coming from $20,000 and then sell it himself. He doesn’t need a boss. He just wants to do everywhere. People are just like, “Yo, who got it?” Back in the day, there was it himself. Everybody is their own hustler. It’s just like the rap game. People organization. If you came asking [for drugs] they’d send you to the right who don’t even rap are stepping in a booth just because they think it’s easy. person. Nowadays, you could run up on a little kid and ask them, “Yo, can you A nigga could come on the block right now and be like “Yo, I need 10 bricks,” get [some drugs]?” and they’ll tell you they got it. All of a sudden, they sell and a nigga who never even sold crack in their life will be like, “Yeah I can drugs. But that’s not hustling. Hustling is like playing basketball or rapping; get that for you.” The game is just crazy right now. It’s still big, but it doesn’t you have to know everything about it. You have to know the streets and have the impact that it used to have. It’s more spread out. understand the game or you’ll definitely get caught up.

68 // OZONE MAG What is a drug dealer’s job? now. People don’t realize that there really isn’t an “I” in team. Whatever you do, whether it’s selling drugs or whatever, everybody has to play their role. A drug dealer’s job is to deal and watch out for the police. There are defi- A lot of people don’t like to be role players. A nigga can’t respect the fact nitely rules and regulations to the game, but I think a lot of people are just that there’s always going to be somebody getting more money than you. playing it their own way. It’s just like the CD game. The price of CDs keeps Whether it’s the nigga you’re working for, or the nigga he’s working for. So going down because everybody is cutthroat. Everyone is competing with each somebody’s always working for somebody, unless you’re Pablo Escobar. other. And going back to the drug game, everybody is playing cutthroat. Back in the day, it was like points. There were a set amount of points on every Do you think they’ll ever be anyone at the Escobar level again? block. Everybody on Broadway had it for this price and everybody on another block had it for another price. You might be able to get it for a dollar or two I don’t see anybody getting to Pablo Escobar’s level. Not in this day and age. cheaper if it was your man. Now it’s like a personal seller selling a whole It’s not organized right now. The trust is not there. Nobody trusts anybody to brick and only making $25 or $100. To me, that’s not hustling. I don’t really the level where one person can get that kind of power and control, especially want to go too much into detail. But for example, [ecstasy] pills, back in the in New York City. But Pablo was in his own country, so he was like the presi- day, could have gone for $12. You’d get it for $6 and sell it to your peoples dent. He built his own jail. I don’t see anybody getting to that level. You will out of town for $12. Now, some people are just trying to make a quick buck. definitely have people that come up and become leaders in the game. But I You might get the pills for $6, and sell ‘em for $6.25. don’t think it’s ever going to be like it was back in the days where you had your Alpos, your Rich Porters, your Nicky Barnes. Do you think drug dealers make less money now than back in the day? What would you consider the golden age of drug dealing? Oh, hell yeah. The game is fucked up. You can go ask any hustler. They are making less money. Back in the day you had one boss and ten guys working The 80s, man, the Reagan era. That’s when crack really took over because it for him, but now everybody wants to be their own boss. So the money is still was the affordable drug. Cocaine was a more expensive drug, but crack was there, but it’s more spread out. The game is just so fucked up that it looks accepted in the ghetto. When crack got out, it became a problem. In the 80s, like the money isn’t there. Niggas that aren’t dealers are trying to deal now, that’s when the whole thing evolved. Everybody was getting their hands on so that’s fucking up the money. You got these niggas cutthroating, taking the it. You could get some of the purest coke and cut that in so many ways and money away from the real dealers out there. They’re making it bad for the from there came crack. Then, it all goes back to the organizations. real niggas who do know the game and just want to take care of business. How do you make sure you get out of the game before it’s too late?

Well, you can’t go backwards. It’s all about how you play your cards. The - game is to get in and get out. It’s not for life; a real hustler knows that. Get it while it’s good. If you go in, you have to be sure that you can get out. Some people get locked up fast, because they just sell drugs. The good dealers “[HUSTLERS] AREN’TTHEY TRYING DON’T TOREALIZE BE ORGA know when it’s getting to a point where it’s kind of crazy. You just know; NIZED RIGHT NOW; hustler’s instincts. The streets are always talking. THAT THERE REALLY ISN’T AN ‘I’ IN TEAM. WHATEVER YOU DO, WHETHER IT’S SELLINGYou have a track called “I Am Crack.” I definitely had my run-ins. I wasn’t the kingpin, but I definitely wasn’t DRUGS OR WHATEVER, EVERYBODY HAS TOsmall time. I call myself “crack in the flesh” just like and them call PLAY THEIR ROLE.” themselves the murderers; they want to say that they’re murdering the game. That song “I Am Crack” is just explaining all the different ways that I am equivalent to crack. Tell us the difference between a hustler and a dealer. What’s your recipe for crack? A hustler and dealer are the same thing, but there is a difference between a hustler and a guy who sells drugs because he has the opportunity to sell Everybody has their own recipes. It’s all about what you do when you get in drugs. That’s like a nigga that gets in the studio and raps just because he’s that kitchen. Some people cook it in the microwave, but I’ve never done it like standing next to me, Juelz Santana. He’s not a rapper. He’s just my man. And that before. I remember one time, I was out of town. I was with my dude - I you can hear with a lot of these dudes, they just put their man on. It’s the can’t mention any names - and I was about to cook up some weight. He says, same thing on the streets. You may know a big hustler. He has everything “Yo why don’t we put this shit in the microwave? It’s better!” We were like, set out the right way; he knows what he’s doing. That doesn’t make you “What the fuck are you talking about? Put what in the microwave?” I’ve heard a hustler. That doesn’t mean you can go to people and say, “I sell drugs about it being done. I’ve never really thought people actually did it like that. because my man is the biggest drug dealer.” That doesn’t mean you know the I heard the real Ricky Ross did it like that. game like that dude knows the game. And that will lead you to the position where you get caught up. The seller is there for a quick buck. He doesn’t care Let’s switch subjects to weed real quick. What sets good weed apart from bad about the work he gets. He doesn’t care if it’s bad coke or not. Whatever it weed? is, he doesn’t care if the customer comes back. A dealer is trying to keep his business going. That’s the mindset of a real hustler. A normal guy will keep I probably smoke every day, probably more than anybody. No bullshit. I copping an O, make a few hundred dollars and spend it getting fresh. That’s smoke entirely too much. Weed would have to be grown good. I’ve person- just his mindset. A real dealer sees the bigger picture and he’s not just trying ally dealt with more coke and crack when it was my days of dealing. I think to make a quick profit. weed is more common for people to sell than crack. People who use crack use weed and people who don’t use crack use weed. Purple Haze is a lot of What other changes do you see in the hustlin’ game these days? money. Back in the day you had the skunk and to make any money you had to sell a lot of it. Now you have Purple Haze that is seven thousand dollars a Having more hustlers in the game definitely creates more tension. That’s pound. Now definitely, me coming across a lot of weed, it is deceiving to the why I feel like there’s more violence than money. A lot of old dudes that eye. You just have to smoke it. I look at the weed they sell in High Times and know the game came up in the 80s when they had that traditional system. they have some crazy looking weed that has no THC in it. You definitely have They got locked up and now they’re coming home and the young kids don’t to smoke it [to find out]. It can look good and smell good, but it may not be have respect for the old ways. And at the same time, the old guys don’t have good. If you’re going to buy some weed, you have to take the time out to go respect for the young kids. That’s a problem right there. Niggas who don’t and smoke it. know the game get mad because they don’t know any better. If that’s that nigga’s block and he’s known for being there, you’re supposed to get dealt What are some rules you followed when you were selling? with when you get on his territory. These young niggas feel like, Yo, I grew up here, so I can be here. They feel like it’s everybody’s block. Now you got Never bring that stuff in the house. Don’t bring too many people in. It was like 24 kids that grew up together and they’re all hustling. No organization always just me and my dude and my other dude. Never let anything get in the and they’re all getting money. People aren’t trying to be organized right way of money. //

OZONE MAG // 69 70 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 71 72 // OZONE MAG pretty ricky

ife is pretty sweet for Slick ‘Em, Pleasure P, Spectacular and Baby Blue. Okay, you guys are definitely known for making music the ladies want to The four Miami Maverix, better known as Pretty Ricky, have success- hear, but do you have anything for the fellas on this new one? Lfully made created their own lane in the music game. Their style, which We always do something for the fellas. Everything we do is for them too, Pleasure P describes as “pop, R&B and rap all mixed in one,” is as distinctive because the fellas ain’t gotta really say anything. All they gotta do is pop as it is marketable. The brothers have parlayed their industry success into an that Pretty Ricky CD in and press play and the girls just gon’ relate to it. It entertainment empire. They have plans on releasing several acts under their makes life easier for the fellas. new record label, Bluestar Entertainment, as well as a clothing line and their sophomore CD, Late Night Special. We recently caught up with Pretty Ricky to So your first single “On the Hotline” has done pretty well so far? discuss the group’s business ventures, the Scream IV controversy and their Yeah, the video is all over BET. It’s on the countdown and it’s hot. Baby Blue new album. directed the video and we got a lot of input on this project, too. That’s why I can say the project is going a lot better, because it’s a 50/50 thing with us Tell me about your new CD. and Atlantic. We’re signed to our own record label which is Bluestar Enter- Late Night Special is basically an extension from the first album,Bluestars . tainment International. Bluestars was a lot of pre-recorded music and with this album we got a chance to take our time and actually give the ladies what they want. We’ve A lot of critics have trouble defining your style, but would you say that you had more time to organize the album and we’ve been around the world. guys are more rap, R&B, or pop? We’ve been through different experiences and stuff, so it’s gonna be crazy. We all three, we’re all three in one. That’s what’s so phenomenal about us, We actually did two albums again this time; a clean album, one you can find we got all three characteristics. We’re pop, R&B, and rap. It’s just all mixed in at Wal-Mart and then one you can find in record stores. So for the parents one. The fact that you got three rappers and one singer in a group, period, that’s concerned out there, you can go get the Late Night Special from Wal- is just phenomenal. A lot of people try to do it, but they don’t know how to Mart for your daughter. We’re kinda beating them to the punch, so we don’t do it like us. If you gon’ try to imitate us then you gotta lot of work to do get that animosity that we always get where they say, “Aw, they raunchy.” because Pretty Ricky is just some characters within ourselves. That’s what So parents, you gotta pay attention to what your kids listen to, cause if you people like about our group. We’re media trained but we don’t act like we’re did, then you wouldn’t have no problems with Pretty Ricky. We’re just artists media trained because we don’t care about none of that stuff. We’re just at the end of the day. But our new record is phenomenal. I’m gon’ say that rough. We’re ready. myself. I think it’s gonna be the best album out this year. When people refer to you four as a boy-band, how does that make you feel? That’s a pretty bold statement. What exactly makes Late Night Special the Is that an accurate classification? best album of the year? Ain’t nothing wrong with being a boy-band. Boy-bands make money and We’ve actually stepped it up and we’re growing older now. We got a lot more if it don’t make money then it don’t make sense. So if you wanna say boy- to talk about and it’s a crazy album, but a different crazy. You’ll see. band, say that. If you wanna say group then say that. But whatever we are, our fans know. So we don’t really care. We don’t get caught up in those Record sales have been down a lot this year. Are you afraid at all of a wordings. Say whatever you wanna say about Pretty Ricky, but at the end of sophomore slump, in terms of sales? the day, your sister, daughter, or woman loves us. I’m gon’ tell you the truth. I mean, our first album was a good album, but our second album is gonna top it a whole lot. We really ain’t stuttering that The industry can be kind of tumultuous at times. What have you guys learned sophomore blues stuff because we’re talented young men and we make good about the business in the few years you’ve been in the game? music that our ladies love. We don’t really care about this album sales thing We just learned that in the industry you can make a whole lot of money if that’s going around because Pretty Ricky’s gon’ sell no matter what. you do things the right way. We got our clothing line coming out, Pretty Clothing. We got our two groups coming out. One is named Buttercreme. I know last year at The Scream IV tour, you guys had some of the parents a That’s the girl version of Pretty Ricky and then also we got Meat and Bones. little upset by “giving the ladies what they love” in terms of some of your Our older brother, Rick Ravish, he’s in that group too. What we learned from stage antics. the industry is that you just gotta milk it, so we got our groups coming out, Everything was just over the top. People overreact to what we do, I mean, the clothing line; we’re writing movie scripts right now. You just gotta milk it you’ve never seen some guys on stage with boxers on? I don’t really think til you can’t milk it no more. that’s all that bad compared to somebody on the stage getting naked. I ain’t saying no names, but you know. Everything was taken a little hard on us. If How does your relationship as brothers influence your music? we grind, people start overreacting, but we’re just artists putting on a show. It’s more convenient because we could actually argue, fuss and fight and then get along ten minutes later. As opposed to being with someone you don’t know, in that situation, you’re always gonna take it personal because you didn’t grow up with that person. The good thing is that we all know each other. I know what he’s gon’ say before he say it and he know what I’m gon’ say too. So it’s a better vibe.

There are a lot of groups that end up disman- tling and have pretty ugly break-ups. Do you ever worry about how your business situation will affect your bond as brothers? Our bond is going to always be there, even if we eventually do our own thing or whatever, we still gon’ be together no matter what. That’s just how we roll.

I know your dad used to be kind of strict on you guys in terms of messing around with females. Has that changed at all? We’re grown men now, so he just sits back and helps us businesswise to make sure everything is right. But as far as that, we got our own lives. //

- Eric Perrin (Photo: Ray Tamarra)

OZONE MAG // 73 BUCK WILD It’s Buck vs. the World and the Cashville Captain Young Buck doesn’t plan on throwing inin thethe whitewhite toweltowel anytime soon.

Words: Eric Perrin ([email protected]) Photos: Ray Tamarra

74 // OZONE MAG oung Buck is a misunderstood man. His entire rap career has been came in the game being, and that’s myself. So for me, it’s no pressure to sell plagued by misconceptions of mass proportion, but he insists it’s all records. No, I’m not trippin’ off the beef shit. My shit is real and at the end of Ypart of his plan. “I’m thuggin’ with a conscience,” the 25-year-old the day, this album is gonna really show the growth of Buck, the coming of G-Unit veteran states bluntly. “Even though my moves seem loose can- age of Buck. non, believe me, they’re thought of before they’re made and I know how to handle the repercussions.” Three years of probation and 80 hours of commu- G-Unit has been in the mainstream for about four years now, so what are nity service following the infamous incident at the VIBE Awards proves the you guys doing to stay on top? Cashville Captain is no stranger to the consequences of his combat. However, Everybody stays with one foot in the streets and one foot over here in the his latest (alleged) duel with DJ Will may prove to the entire rap industry industry. It’s that simple. And it ain’t really hard when you come from an that rappers’ beef should not be a DJ’s dilemma. And this March, when Young environment like I came from. I come from Cashville, most of my crew comes Buck releases his sophomore mission , the Core DJs may show from the east coast, but we all come from those environments where murder, the Guerrilla Unit clean-up man his biggest fear; that the Buck stops here. robbery and shit like that happens on a day to day basis, so it ain’t hard for YB, however, maintains that the entire incident was a misunderstanding and us to relate to each other. Keeping a foot on the streets and keeping a foot that the allegations of him attacking DJ Will at an Atlanta nightclub are com- over in this industry makes us stay on time with our music. pletely false. “I swear to you on my child’s life, and on every piece of blood in your body, Buck ain’t touch nobody,” says the man who is reportedly A lot of people are looking at you as kind of the savior for G-Unit. banned from ATL’s Hot 107.9 as a result of the incident, “The love and support I am, . I’m the clean-up man. I’m gonna tell you that off real, and that I’ve always got from the Core DJs, I think I won’t lose none of that on it ain’t any ifs, ands or buts. They looking at me as the savior and I am the outcome of all of this.” the fucking savior. I ain’t gon’ bite my tongue about it. It ain’t hard to see. I’m the clean-up man. When the army got a special mission that they need 50 Cent’s top recruit is taking the optimistic route in regards to his relation- handled, I’m that one nigga that they call in to handle the situation. Even ship with the DJs, but is even more optimistic on the outcome of his new though they got a crew of niggas, there’s always that one nigga to just lean CD, which has received rave reviews and has been hailed by critics as the his head back and kick that door down. possible revival of G-Unit Records. Following severe sales strikeouts by Tony Yayo and , G-Unit is in desperate need of a designated hitter to Why do you think some of the other G-Unit artists such as Lloyd Banks and salvage the win. “They’re looking at me as the savior,” he says. “I am the Mobb Deep haven’t sold as many albums as projected in the last year? fucking savior. I ain’t gon’ bite my tongue about it. It ain’t hard to see. I’m I think overall, the sales in hip-hop is low. If you look and you really fol- the clean-up man.” low the numbers in music, you’ll realize that there’s other artists besides Lloyd Banks that had big numbers anticipated for their first week of sales First off, do you wanna clarify your situation with the Core DJs in response that just didn’t happen. You got major chain stores that are closing down to their “Young Buck boycott” that was sent out in response to an incident such as Towers due to the bootlegging and all that. I think that the whole between you and DJ Will? bootlegging thing and all of that came in effect heavy, especially because Shout out to all the Core DJs, first of all. It was a big misunderstanding with a lot of artists have put out sour music, so the fans feel like they’re gon’ go the situation that happened and it’s getting worked out right now. They’ve download the shit before spending money on it. always been supportive of Young Buck and I ask for them to stay focused and stay supporting Young Buck. Don’t let a situation so small, such as what It seems as if G-Unit gets targeted extra hard by the bootlegging epidemic. happened, a big misunderstanding, cause the devastation of you taking I feel like we get caught by the bootlegging thing so hard and the bottom away from my career, which is a lifetime that I’m here for. At the end of the line is that the standards are set so high for G-Unit that the average fan of day, wounds are meant to be healed. G-Unit is used to seeing these hellacious, big ass numbers come across, and the minute they see a gold plaque it’s like “Oh, shit, is the Unit over?” But So we won’t see any more DJs getting hurt because of artist beef? really, gold is considered good in this game. Half these artists in the game That situation wasn’t created behind artist beef. All the DJs and all the fans never get to see a gold plaque. But we ain’t goin’ nowhere, bruh. Our bread are left to go off of is the story that they’ve gotten from one individual. I is real long and then outside the money thing, we rapping and dealing with choose not to say nothing because I’m gonna let y’all get the story from this game from the heart, meaning that if you take the money away from however you choose to get it, and do your own math and your own judg- this shit, we’ll still do it. ment. I know what went down and I can straight up and down tell you, I ain’t put my hands on nobody. I hear G-Unit didn’t get invited to the BET Hip Hop Awards this year. What’s up with that? So for legal reasons you can’t really speak on it? To me there’s no explanation for that and knowing no reason why, maybe it Not even legal reasons; it’s just that I choose not to keep any problems wasn’t enough metal detectors or some shit like that. Maybe it’s some kind going on. I don’t want to create a problem with the DJs or with radio. All I’m of inside political games that’s going on, or maybe it’s a problem within gonna say is that I didn’t put my hands on nobody, and nobody out of my BET’s staff that someone may have with G-Unit. And if so, if it’s a way for it entourage put they hands on nobody. If you could show a tape or anything be worked out, now’s the time to work it out, because I’m looking forward of that nature that shows me or anybody out my entourage putting they to longevity in this game. BET is a foundation channel not only for black hands on you, then I’ll be guilty. But I swear to you on my child’s life and on entertainment, but for hip-hop in general. I need BET’s support, but I also every piece of blood in your body, Buck ain’t touch nobody. need BET to understand me as a person. For me, it was a little deeper than any other member of my crew because for a lot of them it was just another Okay, moving forward, tell me about your new album? award show. It kinda meant a little more to me because it was in the South Man, that shit crazy. Straight up for real, this new record here, it’s like, I ain’t and I felt like my presence should have been there, even if it was just hand- holding nothing back. With my first album I feel like I was almost rushed ing the next man his award. You can’t say down South or dirty South without and I still got a classic out of that. I rushed with my Straight Outta Cashville mentioning Young Buck. because I was trying to meet a date then, but with this album, I’m more comfortable. I have more time to prepare the album and to work with artists Not too long ago at another award show you had on a shirt with a knife on I really fuck with in the streets and shit like that. So this one right here is by it that read, “Don’t make me do this.” What made you wear that shirt? far better than my first album. I can tell you that much. That was a way of me getting at the police. Before I got to go to that award show right there, they had me go through a lot of different bullshit due to In what ways are the two albums similar? that whole Vibe Awards incident. Before I got to go to the awards, the police Well you still gon’ get that same street feel with this one right here. That was giving me a hell of a bullshit ass run-around. They was following me, street shit, that gangsta shit, that’s really what follows with me. But at the they was doing all kinda calls into the office, saying I gotta do this and that, end of the day, I realized that “Shawty Wanna Ride Wit’ Me” was the biggest even where I sat, I was surrounded by undercover police officers and shit record that I had on my first CD, so I cater to the women. I gave the hoes - I like that. So I just felt like, let me make these bitches do they job a little mean, the ladies a couple more records, [laughs] but you know with music, I bit more. Especially since they coming with this shit on they mind, like I’d look for growth. I don’t think no fan wants to continue to buy the same thing be coming to an award show to fucking stab some fucking body? With what over and over; so for me, I’m always looking for ways to reinvent myself as went down at the Vibe Awards, the only reason I felt like I was able to walk an artist, but stay the same nigga. I know they love me for this nigga that I away from a situation like that was because I didn’t come in the building

OZONE MAG // 75 looking for no shit like that. I came in there to check out some of them fine ing in a lot of these beef records, people might honestly think that a nigga ladies and get my award like any other real nigga would. But if you put me playing when he say some of these things and I’m not, man; honestly, on my in a situation where I feel like my life or any of my loved ones lives are in life. I got a life to protect, a child to wake up everyday to see. It’s not even danger, then I’m gonna do whatever it takes to protect that. I’m thug- halfway a game. It’s not even a piece of a game to me. So I choose not to gin’ with a conscience. Even though my moves seem loose cannon, believe include that shit on my album. So when you The World, you won’t me, they’re thought of before they’re made and I know how to handle the hear these nigga’s names. repercussions. So you’re through with all the beef? You’ve been pretty vocal against Cash Money recently. Why’s that? I’m gonna be honest with you. There was a situation that just passed a few The whole Cash Money question thing came about when I was asked on Kay days ago. I was going to White Tracks Studios in New York City to pick up Slay’s radio station about the whole kissing incident. With me being a part a CD. I saw a few Interscope people that I had seen around before and I of Cash Money and whether or not I had ever witnessed it and things of that asked them, “Yo, who’s here?” and they were real nervous-like, and I felt nature and I answered it with the truth, which wasn’t hard. I felt like that like, damn, something ain’t right. I went upstairs to get my CD and I seen question was pretty much simple and plain because it was something that somebody else from Interscope that I know and damn if he ain’t answer me. was done by them cats in front of me, but also in front of a lot of people. So I knew something was kind of funny so I go on upstairs and my manger got I answered it. The question that always follows that is, Is it a problem or do a two-way saying, “Game just pulled up outside.” So I’m like, oh, shit here I have beef with them? and my answer is, “I don’t have no problem with Cash it go! This is the opportunity. I finally have a chance to get close enough to Money, I don’t have no problem with Wayne or Baby.” I’m not saying that them guys is gay or none of that. I just answered the question when I was asked the question. I was just saying that the whole man kissing another man thing is something that ain’t really in a nigga nature. That ain’t part of my thang, my swagger. I heard you’re trying to sign Gillie Tha Kidd, who is currently Baby and “I’M AT THE POINT RIGHT NOW WITH THIS Wayne’s biggest nemesis. I’M SEEING SO If he’s available, shit, I’m trying to sign any artist who got a report card WHOLE RAP SHIT WHERE to pretty much follow-up his music and is really living what he’s spittin’. TRYING TO I’m in the process of building my own label which is Cashville Records/G- MANY PRETEND SITUATIONS GO DOWN Unit South, and I was asked the question, “Yo, would you ever work with THAT I’M ALMOST LIKE A FAN Gillie Tha Kidd?” I ain’t got no problem with him. I actually heard his music through mixtapes and I’ve been around for a lil minute so we done bumped FIGURE OUT WHAT PART OF THIS SHIT IS heads, at the end of the day if shit was possible, who knows? I’m keeping my REAL AND WHAT PART OF THIS SHIT AIN’T.” head focused on my album which is Buck The World, cause I know a lot relies on this.

You and 50 Cent are both strong-minded businessmen, and you work closely together, so have you two ever have any conflicts or problems from a busi- ness standpoint? Well, nah. I’ll tell you one time we almost bumped heads. It was a situation regarding The Game. It was a minute ago. I think Game was making phone calls to ’s phone before the beef really just took off, but it was already pretty much known that Game wasn’t no longer a part of G-Unit. He was calling my homeboy Spider Loc and I heard him say, “I’m throwing in the white towel. I don’t want no problems. I’m through with this situation and dissin’ the Unit and all that.” So I took it as if maybe homeboy’s serious. I could hear it in his voice. I said let me go head and get at 50 and see if I can make a nigga come to terms with this beef shit. So I got at 50 and I was like, “Yo, I got this nigga Game on Spider’s phone talking about he wants to throw in the towel and shit like that,” and 50 was like, “You know what Buck, I’m gon’ have to take a check on that. I ain’t fucking with it.” I was feeling like, “Hold up, this nigga Game is trying to show his other hand, at least pay attention to that.” I’m pretty good at voicing my opinion and I said it to 50, “Yo my nigga, damn. Maybe you might be a little too hard on niggas.”

Yeah, 50’s been known to be relentless when it comes to beef. Yeah and he was like, “Nah, Buck, my reason for not responding to that is because next week you’ll hear Game on the radio right back on the ‘fuck you’ mode. So I’m not even gonna put myself out there to even see which way it’s gonna go.” And I swear to you on my daughter’s life, it wasn’t even a week, bruh. It was fucking the next day, Game was on the radio in LA pushing his whole “Fuck G-Unit” thing. It was kind of negative for me because I was pretty much getting upset with 50, my homeboy, on behalf of another nigga who got a fucked up situation with the Unit and the shit came out just how 50 said. That’s what really fucked me up, but I’m at the point right now with this whole rap shit where I’m seeing so many pretend situations go down that I’m almost like a fan trying to figure out what part of this shit is real and what part of this shit ain’t.

What are your current thoughts on The Game right now? Shit, I just think that at this point, nobody’s interested in hearing about this situation. I think it’s been enough put out there from our end, from Game’s end, from everybody about this beef shit. I feel like it’s enough that’s been put out there that the streets can do their own math about who’s real and who’s fake. For me, too much energy has been devoted to the situation and I come from the gutter. I come from the streets for real and by me participat-

76 // OZONE MAG “THE DRUG GAME AND THE RAP GAME IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME BECAUSE YOU GOT SO MUCH MONEY INVOLVED IN BOTH OF THEM AND YOUR LIFE IS CONTINUALLY BEING THE LINE.”

music, but the drug game and the rap game is pretty much the same because you got so much money involved in both of them and your life is continually being put on the line in both. When you’re in the Buck’s private stash streets you’re constantly watching your back for the next man, whereas in the rap game, you’re constantly see how real this shit really is. So Game pulls up and I’m upstairs waiting on looking over your back for the next artist who wants your spot. the cats to bring me my CD and I guess he had a session that was downstairs or whatever; so I got my CD and I come out of the session and I see a couple There are a lot of drug dealers who become rappers and aren’t necessarily of his homeboys. They had spotted me and one of ‘em jumped quick on his regarded as “real” emcees. What do you feel about that? chirp phone. He was chirping some cats and I was sitting there finna get on It all depends on the person. Drug dealers who turn into real rappers are the elevator, but he went to chirping cats and taking the stairs. So shit, I the ones who actually got involved and played the game of really being a went to take the stairs with him, straight up. I followed him down the stairs, hustler, who really washed the pot themselves or who actually closed the and I move right if you understand what I’m saying, period, not just in New zip-lock bags, because they got a real story to tell. I think that’s pretty York, but with my life, period. I come downstairs, and here it is. I see four or much why my city is some much behind me, Cashville, Tennessee, because five Black Wall Street cats and I’m like, “What’s up, niggas?” and nobody said my home understands the things that I spit. They can identify with me and it nothing. So I go down a few more flights of stairs and it’s more Black Wall matches up to the life I’ve lived. My city has always supported Young Buck, Street niggas and I’m like, “What’s up, niggas?” Ain’t nobody really saying and they still do. nothing. Ain’t no fuck you looks or nothing. I didn’t hear “G-UNOT,” I didn’t even hear a “Fuck you, Buck” or none of that. It was me, my homeboy Tick Why do you think ecstasy has become so popular in hip-hop? and another one of my homeboys. It was three of us and probably 11 or 12 Aw shit, because it’s involved around sex, and sex is a high selling thing. A of them. lot of pill poppin’ shit ends with some fucking. Ecstasy in a sense is brand new to a lot of people, especially the young ones. They’ve really taken the Did you see Game? drug and made it more popular, but I would like to say this, about any drug: I was looking over to see if Game was around cause all his crew was around If you’re gonna do a drug, don’t let the drug do you. but I didn’t see him. Nobody was around. So I go outside and I was just about to get in my vehicle and I see a couple of cats peeking behind the car. What do you think the hardest part of your life as an up and coming rap Where I come from that means shoot, but instead of running away from the mogul is? bullet, I would run to it and that’s pretty much what I did. I was trying to When you come from the streets, going into corporate America, it’s like they come see what it was and niggas went they own way. From my understand- got a fence up and a gate with a fucking padlock on it. So coming from the ing, Game had jumped in a cab or whatever and pulled off and ended up streets and going into corporate America is two different things. Corporate getting pulled over or some shit. I don’t know if it was the incident where America don’t really agree with what the streets has to offer and most the they said he was impersonating an officer or not, but that was around the time corporate America don’t agree with the person that the streets make. same time as when he was leaving from that studio. So my whole thing is maintaining my same personality, and not changing as a person to make corporate America understand that I got the knowledge So if you would have ran into Game that day, what would you have said to and the know-how to carry a company as well as being a good artist. That’s him, if anything? where I’m at right now. I’m in the middle of a bidding war with a couple of Honestly, I wasn’t coming looking for a problem. I wasn’t even aware that different labels. They starting to understand me a little bit, but I’m still open Game was in the same studio that I was in. But if we were to bump heads, as far as moving my label. I don’t know if my shit is going to Def Jam, Atlan- with the way he’s expressing his feelings of, “I don’t have a problem with G- tic, Universal or where it’s going. Being that my shit is Cashville Records, I Unit,” I don’t know how it could have went. I don’t do or make moves to sell can take label outside of Interscope, and a lot of labels have been hollering. records; I make the music from the passion and love of this music. My whole I wanted to name my label G-Unit South Records, but as a brand, Interscope thing for Game is, “Get your money, partner. As long as you say there are no would still hold that name G-Unit. You knew Jimmy wasn’t gon’ let you get problems and you don’t want no problems, then there’s no problem. But, if me and the brand, but I also wanted to start something new, my own thing. there’s ever a problem, then niggas is available for it. Other than that, you I’m the President of the label and 50 is the Vice-President, so being an artist get your money, and we get our money.” Actions speak louder than words amongst what I got going is kind of like the best of both worlds. and that’s the only real nigga way I can put it. Getting back to your new album, how many records do you need to sell in Kind of changing topics a little, since this is our first annual drug issue, why your first week for Buck The World to be a success in your opinion? do you feel the drug game and the rap game are so closely related? In my opinion, even if I didn’t sell one record my first week, I’m already suc- Shit, it’s no difference, man. It’s just more money involved. Well, I can’t even cessful, man. Honestly, with all respect to every nigga who quotes his num- say that because it’s a lot of money involved in both. It’s almost the same bers in sales, I’m looking to pretty much shock myself. I don’t know what I’m rules that apply in the streets as in rap. If you use the same drug dealing gonna sell. The anticipation of Buck is strong. I’m just looking to outdo my tactics with the same mentality as you use to get rid of that shit, then when last numbers. In my last first week I did like 270,000 and I think the streets you get into this industry you gotta apply that same hustle to sell your want me to do more. I think I’m gonna do way more than that. //

OZONE MAG // 77 The Inspiration JEEZY THE SNOWMAN REDEFINES HIMSELF AS A MODERN-DAY ROBIN HOOD by Eric Perrin ([email protected])

Young Jeezy presenting the scholarship winner Keosha Morgan with a $2,500 check

he excitement inside Benjamin E. Mays High School auditorium went from slight flurries to a massive blizzard Tas the anticipation of Young Jeezy’s appearance grew in intensity. Jeezy was coming to town and both the students and staff couldn’t have been more inspired.

The scene was much different a little more than a year ago. In 2005, Young Jeezy froze critics and burned haters when he reached double platinum status and became the hottest rapper in ATL. He would go on to be so hot that he literally melted the competition and surpassed Frosty as America’s favorite Snowman. Jeezy’s clever marketing and attire was so revered by high school students that hoards of teenage fans nationwide flocked to their nearest flea market or hood clothing store to purchase shirts adorned with the Snowman logo. School officials around the country weren’t as thrilled by what they looked at as the “abominable snowman.” A bitter snowball fight commenced. Jeezy was blindsided by the MAURICE G. GARLAND PHOTO: criticism but not frostbitten. The CTE front man maintained his composure and never lost his cool, and eventually the controversy thawed stations and preparing for his album-release party and concert later that out. day, he took the time to sign an autograph for every student present at the school’s auditorium. A year later, instead of being bitter towards high school administrations, Young Jeezy realized his vast influence on American youth and sponsored “It wasn’t about me and it wasn’t for no publicity or nothing,” Jeezy says. “I a scholarship contest. He hoped to encourage college-bound high school just wanted to inspire some kids that are doing positive things. They inspire students to stay inspired. “The Young Jeezy Inspiration Essay Contest” called me, so I wanted to inspire them. I love to do that type of thing; that’s what I for high school students to write essays on the things that inspired them the do. I’m trying to be like Robin Hood. That’s my new name, Young Jeezy a.k.a. most. Robin Hood.” //

“When I was in school a lot of cats I looked up to and respected didn’t do things like this. If they had, maybe I would’ve been a little more enthused about what was going on in school,” explains Jeezy. “I just wanted to help The Winning Inspiration Essay these kids get excited and inspired about the whole school thing. There’s by Keosha Morgan a lot of kids out there that are really unfortunate, so hopefully the contest could give them some hope.” he difference between a great man and an ok man is what inspires him to take that extra step towards greatness. I live my life to be the best His plan worked, and as a result, Jeezy received thousands of essays from Tperson that I can be, and my inspiration for that greatness is a group inspired Atlanta-area high school students. He personally selected the of teenage girls who have faced many challenges in their lives, but work winner, Keosha Morgan, a senior at Mays High School who wrote about her hard to overcome them. Every other Saturday I spend two hours at a group experiences working with sexually exploited girls. home for sexually exploited girls, most of who are African American, helping them to heal through writing. While many people may say that it is my job to It was a chilly Wednesday in December when Young Jeezy appeared at teach these girls how to write and express themselves creatively, I feel that Benjamin E. Mays High School in the Adamsville section of Atlanta. He stood it is not them who learn from me but the other way around. Dealing with on the stage, casually dressed in a white thermal shirt and blue jeans, and issues such as abandonment, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, and depression presented Keosha with her $2,500 prize check to be used towards college. has helped me to become passionate about devoting my life to educating people about the epidemic of teenage prostitution. My inspiration does not “Her essay was heartfelt,” admits Jeezy. “It was real touching, and that’s why come from a civil rights leader or anyone famous, but from a group of face- she won.” He hopes that his efforts will inspire other rappers as well. “Hope- less girls that many people frown upon without hearing their stories, and fully, I can inspire a lot of other artists to get out to the schools and add to living their lives. I’m not pushed to greatness by any superficial means, but what I started. I always try to give back. I normally try to go through the six powerful girls helped me to strive to do better, and to give people who pep rallies, but I had been working on the album and on the road so much are ultimately silenced a voice. I do this not for recognition or praise, but that I hadn’t had a chance to get out recently. I just wanted to do something so that I can continue my work with girls like this in the field of social work to give back to the community.” and journalism, helping to tell their stories. I want to inspire others the way that these girls have inspired me. I know that many people might enter this Proving that rappers positive efforts often go unnoticed, almost no media contest with the thoughts of the two thousand dollars but I enter it with the outlets were present that day. And even though Jeezy had just released pride of having educated at least a few more people about teen prostitution, his own Inspiration project a day earlier and was busy promoting at radio which is my true inspiration.

78 // OZONE MAG .

e Caffeine/// hooked

Found in: Tea, coffee, cola, soft drinks, chocolate, energy drinks, diet pills, certain pain medication hop - c

he Where it comes from:

hip Caffeine is found in the beans, leaves, and fruit of over 60 plants, as it serves as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills harmful insects which feed on them. t have

History: Humans have been using caffeine since the Stone Age, when they discovered that chewing the seeds, bark, or leaves of certain plants would make them more alert and kept them awake longer. that

en r What you probably didn’t know about caffeine: 10G of pure caffeine is a deadly dose. drugs In its pure form, caffeine is a white, bitter tasting crystal, powder-like substance u 10 What it does to your body:

top It is a stimulant that causes changes in the chemicals in the brain. It affects the part of the brain that slows down nerve

impulses and the causes of drowsiness; therefore the brain becomes more alert. Caffeine also increases the levels of

the dopamine in your brain, which improves your mood.

fl Facts - Over 450,000,000 cups of coffee are consumed in the United States every day

defines - Caffeine is the world’s most popular and common drug. - 90% of American adults consume caffeine daily n

The HIGHlights: It makes the brain more alert and keeps you awake. In a society where 72% of Americans don’t get the OZONE I Unde recommended amount of sleep, caffeine is vital. By Eric Perrin The DOWNside: It can make you jittery, and other side effects include difficulty sleeping, headaches anxiety flushed face nausea, and accelerated heartbeat. No long-term effects of caffeine have been discovered. Scale of addiction or dependency: 5/10

CIGARETTES/// Also known as: Squares, jacks, Newports, Joe, cancer sticks, etc.

Where it comes from: Tobacco is a short leafed plant grown primarily in warm climates. Although China is currently the largest producer of tobacco, the plant is indigenous to North and South America.

History: Cigarettes originated in Spain when bums and beggars began picking up the cigar butts that were left on the street by rich men. The street urchins then wrapped the remaining tobacco from the old cigar ends they found in paper and Although some of smoked these “cigarettes.” these drugs are legal Facts - Approximately 5.5 trillion (5,500,000,000,000) cigarettes are produced globally each year and accepted by - An estimated 1.3 billion people in the world smoke cigarettes mainstream soci- - In America, 35% of men and 22% of women smoke cigarettes - 420,000 Americas die from cigarette-related illnesses every year ety, these prescrip- - Nicotine is more addictive than crack cocaine or heroin tions aren’t the kind - 80% of smokers begin smoking in high school or younger - Americans spend $65 billion on cigarettes every year you’ll find behind the - 5 times more Americans die due to cigarettes than AIDS, murder, car accidents, suicide, and drug overdoses combined

counter at your local What you probably didn’t know about cigarettes: Walgreens or Eckerds. - The nicotine in cigarettes is so toxic that children and pets can die from eating cigarettes or cigarette butts OZONE’s pharmacy - Allstate Insurance Company estimates that each cigarette smoked shortens a person’s life by 10.7 minutes school is street certi- The HIGHlights: The nicotine in cigarettes is a powerful stimulant that temporarily improves alertness, memory, and mood. Cigarettes fied and guaranteed provide the user with a relaxed, calming sensation. They release the “feel-good chemicals” in the brain the same way to provide you with heroin or morphine does. valuable insight on The DOWNside: the highlights and Cigarettes have been linked to heart disease, birth defects, strokes, emphysema, and throat, tongue, and lung cancers. Lung cancer has only a 16.4% survival rate and cigarette smokers are 25 times more likely to get lung cancer than downsides on some non-smokers. Cigarettes advance the aging process, causing wrinkles in the skin and graying of the hair. In addition, of hip-hop’s biggest smoking cigarettes is bad for virtually every part of the body and significantly decreases a person’s life expectancy. influences. Scale of addiction or dependency: 9/10

OZONE MAG // 79 Unde r I n fl Alcohol/// Also known as: liquor, spirits, package, drank, booze, hooch, sauce

u Where it comes from: Alcohol is created by fermentation of fruits or grains with yeast and sold in package stores, liquor stores, grocery stores, bars, gas stations, etc.

How it works: en When a person drinks alcohol it is absorbed by the stomach, enters the bloodstream, and circulates to all the tissues. Alcohol is absorbed almost immediately and allows more negatively charged particles to enter brain cells than normal, which slows the brain down and affects judgment and physical responses. t he History: Archaeologists suspect that wines made from grapes existed more than 10,000 years ago, long before Jesus turned water to wine. It is also believed that beer has been in existence even longer than wine. Historians speculate that prehistoric

c nomads made beer from grain and water even before learning to make bread.

Facts - Approximately 14 million Americans, or 7.4% of the adult population, are technically considered alcoholics - Alcohol is a factor in more than 50% of all fatal car accidents in America e - In America, college students spend more money on liquor than on soft drinks, tea, milk, juice, coffee, or books com- bined (an estimated $5.5 billion dollars)

What you probably didn’t know about alcohol: The human body produces its own supply of alcohol naturally on a continuous basis, which is essential to sustain life.

The HIGHlights: Aside from the fact that alcohol generally produces feelings of relaxation and cheerfulness, alcohol in moderation can actually be beneficial to your health.

The DOWNside: Alcoholism is the largest drug problem in the America. Long-term, heavy alcohol use is the leading cause of illness and death from liver disease. In the United States alcohol is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths per year, mostly from car accidents involving drunk driving. Scale of addiction or dependency: 7/10

Marijuana/// Also known as: weed, cannabis, pot, reefer, grass, bin laden, green, kush, sticky, indo, herb, hemp, bud, Mary-Jane, ganja, hash, dro, trees, dank, hay, chronic, and many, many others.

Where it comes from: Marijuana comes from the plant “genus cannabis” which is a flowering plant that is believed to have originated in the northwest Himalayas.

History: e Dried marijuana leaves were found with a 2,800 year old mummy from the Tang Dynasty in China. Marijuana has been smoked by humans since the Stone Age between 5,500 and 10,000 years ago.

Facts:

c - According the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 28% of all Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 smoke marijuana on a frequent basis - Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in America - Marijuana is by far America’s largest cash-crop, grossing over $35 billion (illegal) dollars annually t he What you probably didn’t know about marijuana: - According to the Merck Index, 12th edition, in order to overdose on marijuana you would have to inhale 40,000 times more THC than it takes to get high and you would have to smoke it all at once. en

- The U.S. Federal Government has released information saying that the potency levels of marijuana have risen anywhere from 10 to 25 times since the 1960s.

u The HIGHlights: Marijuana promotes a feeling of relaxation and creates an enjoyable, stress-relieving sensation for the user.

The DOWNside: Marijuana has been associated with, but not proven to cause, problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem-solving, loss of coordination, increased heart rate, and anxiety. fl Scale of addiction or dependency: 7/10

80 // OZONE MAG n I Unde r Ecstasy/// Crack Cocaine/// Also known as: Main ingredient: Rocks, work, candy, dope, ready-rock, crunch & munch, cookies, wicky-stick. MDMA or methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine Where it comes from: Also known as: Cocaine comes from the coca leaf plant that is grown in many Central X, pills, E, The love drug, The club drug, The hug drug, designer drug, pink and South American countries. Crack was born in the United States and is pig, Cadillac, lollipop produced by dissolving powdered cocaine in a mixture of either water and baking soda, or water and ammonia. The mixture is then cooked until it turns Where it comes from: solid. The solid substance is then removed from the water, dried and broken Illegal scientists create ecstasy in laboratories. up into chunks called rocks.

History: How it works: A patent for MDMA (ecstasy) was originally filed on Christmas Eve 1912 by the Crack is smoked in small glass pipes often called straight shooters. The rock German pharmaceutical company Merck. Ecstasy was originally patented as a is placed at one end of the pipe and the other end of the pipe is placed in drug for the army to use to control bleeding from wounds. In the 1950s the the mouth. A flame is then held under the rock, as the rock is heated, it melts U.S. Army tested ecstasy on animals and later, the drug was used by psychia- and burns away to vapor, which is inhaled as smoke. The drug is absorbed trists to treat patients. Ecstasy first became popular as a street drug in the immediately into blood through the lungs, and it reaches the brain in about gay dance clubs of the early 1980s and became illegal in the United States five seconds. The effects are felt almost immediately after smoking, are very in 1985. Ecstasy, however, grew in popularity in the sexually charged rave intense and do not last longer than five to fifteen minutes. The average time scene of the 90s. Ecstasy has now become one of the most popular drugs in taken to reach the peak high is around 1.4 minutes. hip-hop. History: Facts Crack hit the streets in the 1980s and started an epidemic. The first news - In 1994, The United States’ Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reported only report about crack appeared in the New York Times in November 1985 and one ecstasy-related death. In 2001, however, 78 ecstasy-related deaths were within a year there were 1,000 newspaper articles and 400 television broad- reported in America. casts on crack cocaine. At its peak, 1 out of every 20 Americans used crack. Crack use has been rapidly declining since the 1990s. - 5.5% of 19-22 year olds in America use ecstasy Facts What you probably didn’t know about ecstasy: - An estimated 7,840,000 Americans age 12 or older have tried crack at least Ecstasy is considered a love drug and increases sexual desire, but is not good once in their life for sexual performance. In fact, ecstasy users often report difficulty with achieving orgasms or erection. Many people mix ecstasy and Viagra to make -Nearly 90% of people arrested for Crack offenses are black a drug known as “sextasy.” -The average prison sentence for low-level crack dealers and first time of- A common side effect of ecstasy is excessive jaw clenching; pacifiers or lol- fenders is almost twice as long as the prison sentences for rapists lipops are often used to prevent teeth grinding. -In 2005, the DEA seized a total of 118,270 kilos of cocaine The HIGHlights: One user described being high on Ecstasy as similar to being in love. It cre- What you probably didn’t know about crack: ates a general feeling of happiness and openness to the world. X makes the The chemical name for Crack is benzoylmethyl ecgonine. user feel optimistic about life and has been known to heighten the senses, especially the sense of touch. Ecstasy users also report strong sexual desires. Crack cocaine is the only drug in which the first offense of simple possession can trigger a federal mandatory minimum sentence. Possession of 5 grams of The DOWNside: crack will lead to a 5 year mandatory minimum sentence. “Simple possession One main problem with Ecstasy is that it is usually manufactured in labora- of any quantity of any other drug by a first-time offender, including powder tories by criminal drug dealers, not chemists; therefore you can never be sure cocaine, is a misdemeanor offense punishable by a maximum of one year in what you are taking. There are thousands of different types of X tablets and prison.”- (21 U.S.C. 844) virtually each one has different ingredients and strength. The most common unwanted ingredients in ecstasy are aspirin, ephedrine, caffeine, speed, and The HIGHlights: many over-the-counter medicines such as DXM, which is the main ingredient Crack produces as euphoric sense of happiness and increased energy. in cough medicine. Although it may not sound too bad, the amount of DXM in one tablet of ecstasy can be up to 14 times more than what is used in cough The DOWNside: syrup. Occasionally, stronger drugs such as cocaine can also be present in The high produced by crack lasts less than 15 minutes and is sometimes fol- ecstasy tablets. lowed by discomfort, depression and a strong craving to get high again. Side

effects are twitching, paranoia, and sexual impotence. Crack causes the body Perhaps the biggest danger with ecstasy is the risk of death or coma from to break down and is responsible for heart problems, lung trauma, tooth

either dehydration or water intoxication. Dehydration occurs because ecstasy decay, and many other problems including chemical changes in the brain that interferes the body’s natural cooling down process. It blocks the blood can lead to mental illness. vessels near the skin, preventing the body from releasing heat, and since X e c en u fl n can mask the body’s normal thirst and exhaustion responses, drinking a lot Scale of addiction or dependency: 9/10 I

of water is necessary to control dehydration. However, too much water is equally dangerous and can lead to water intoxication. Water intoxication is when a person drinks too much water and drowns their insides, which dilutes

the blood and causes swelling of the brain.

Aside from the above dangers, ecstasy can also cause confusion, halluci- he t r nations, sleep problems, anxiety and paranoia, extreme depression, and Unde decreased ability to process serotonin which is vital to sleep and general well being. Scale of addiction or dependency: 3/10

OZONE MAG // 81 Unde r I n fl Heroin/// Also known as: H, smack, heron, junk, black tar u

Where it comes from: Heroin comes from the opium poppy which is primarily grown in South America, Asia, and Mexico.

en How it works: When heroin enters the bloodstream, it makes its way to the brain where it is transformed into morphine and alters the chemicals in the brain to create and strong and long lasting high.

t he History: In July 1897, a German chemist at Bayer created heroin as a medicine 11 days after he invented aspirin. Between 1898 and 1910, heroin was used as a morphine substitute and cough medicine for children. c Facts - 3.5 million Americans age 12 and older have used heroin at least once in their life

- The average heroin addict spends between $100-$200 a day to support their addiction e - Heroin withdrawal symptoms last between 7-10 days

What you probably didn’t know about heroin: The word “heroin” comes from the German word “heroisc,” which means heroic. The drug was given this name because people on the drug reported feeling like a superhero when on the drug.

The HIGHlights: After an injection of heroin, the user feels a surge of euphoria and a pleasurably strong “rush” about 7 seconds after injection. The rush is accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin and a heavy feeling in the arms and legs. After the peak high, a drowsy state follows.

The DOWNside: Heroin overdoses can be fatal, and abuse can cause serious health conditions such as collapsed veins, infec- tion of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease, pulmonary complications, pneumonia, depression, and respiratory problems. Infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis can be contracted by sharing needles. Scale of addiction or dependency: 10/10

Oxycodone///

Also known as: Oxycotton, hillbilly heroin, percs, Oxycontin, oxy-good, percocet, Oxy 80, blue.

Where it comes from: e Oxycodon is an opiate that comes from the poppy plant

History: Was FDA approved on December 12, 1995 for treating chronic, severe pain. c Facts - Every year there are over 900 overdose deaths of oxycodone

t he - Nearly 3 million Americans age 12 and older have used oxycodone for non-medical uses at least once in their life.

What you probably didn’t know about oxycodone: en Oxycodone is just as powerful as heroin and affects the central nervous system the same way. Oxycodone rob- beries have often occurred at pharmacies where the robber demanded only Oxycodone, not cash.

The HIGHlights:

u Produces a relaxing, euphoric feeling similar to heroin.

The DOWNside: Side effects include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, slow breath- ing, seizures, dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness, coma, confusion, cold or clammy skin, small pupils and involuntary leg movements. fl Scale of addiction or dependency: 8/10

82 // OZONE MAG n I Unde r Crystal Meth/// (crystallized methamphetamine)

Also known as: Crank, meth, go-fast, crystal lite, fizz whiz, barney dope, eraser dust, cristy, chalk, glass, life or meth.

Where it comes from: Made in illegal labs by criminal chemists, laboratories producing Crystal Meth have been found in homes, garages, motel rooms, and even pick-up trucks. The main ingredient in Crystal Meth is ephedrine, however other ingredients include lye, ether, iodine, draino, brake fluid, lighter fluid cold medicines, lithium from batteries, hydrochloride, acid, ammonia.

History: Crystal Meth was first made from ephedrine in 1919.

Facts - For every pound of Crystal Meth produced, 5 to 7 pounds of toxic waste remains. Most of the toxic waste is dumped into rivers, streams, sewage systems, or simply the ground.

- 10.4 million Americans age 12 or older have used Crystal Meth at least once in their life

- The relapse rate for Crystal Meth users is 92%

What you probably didn’t know about Crystal Meth: $5 worth of Crystal Meth can keep you high for up to 24 hours.

The HIGHlights: Crystal Meth creates a euphoric feeling, and causes the user to be energetic and alert.

The DOWNside: The drug also makes the user feel paranoid, incoherent and self-destructive. The most common side effects of Crystal Meth are anxiety, emotional mood swings, paranoid delusions and hallucinations. Violence and self-destructive behavior are also common. Overdose is a big risk with Crystal Meth. Symptoms of overdose include fever, convulsions, and coma. Death can result from burst blood vessels in the brain, or heart failure. Many users also suffer severe brain damage. Scale of addiction or dependency: 10/10

Mushrooms/// (psilocybin)

Also known as: Magic Mushrooms, zoom, fungus among us, ‘shrooms, caps, rooms, copper tops, gods flesh, hippie flip, Mexican mushrooms, dat pooh pooh.

Where it comes from: Psychedelic Mushrooms can be grown naturally in the ground in any country in the world. They are grown from mushroom spores.

History: Various cultures have eaten psychedelic mushrooms dating as far back as 7000 BC, Native American’s built shrines and tributes to magic mushrooms as they believed them to be sent for the gods. The first documented use of “magic mushrooms” was in 1799 when an English man in London went picking mushrooms in a garden for his family’s breakfast. He included the mushrooms in the meal which led to his whole family being high.

What you probably didn’t know about mushrooms: Mushroom spores which are used to grow psychedelic mushrooms aren’t illegal in any US states except California, Florida, Idaho, and Georgia.

Facts: - Out of the over 2500 different types of mushrooms, only 2 species contain the active ingredient in magic mushrooms - A mushroom high can last between two and six hours

The HIGHlights: Magic mushrooms change the way you perceive the world; they can make you see music and hear colors. They have been reported to cause bliss, relaxation, and wonder. People describe the feeling as being closer to God.

The DOWNside: Mushrooms can cause hallucinations, paranoia, and many users report having bad trips which are similar to living a nightmare. Mushrooms do more mental harm than physical harm as they can cause fear and provoke odd behavior such as jumping off of rooftops and running from imaginary gremlins. Scale of addiction or dependency: 2/10

The statistics quoted in this feature were gathered from the following sources: National Drug Intelligence Center, U.S. Department of Justice, National House- hold Survey on Drug Use and Health, US Sentencing Commission, Special Report to the Congress, and Reports by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) “Tidal Wave” and a “plague.”

OZONE MAG // 83 WHAT’S IN A NAME? ([email protected]) 20 Rappers With Drug-Affiliated Monikers // by Mike Sims

x Rick Ross x Yo Gotti Rick Ross the rapper is a Def Jam up-and-comer who spits Who knows where the “Yo” came from, but John Gotti was tales of coke sales in the M-I-Yayo. The West Coast’s “Free- once the face of the Italian Mob. The Teflon Don reveled way” Ricky Ross is the man credited with introducing crack in the media spotlight and openly scoffed at the justice cocaine to the world and birthing an epidemic that still to system, proving once again that defiance is revered among this day ravishes the black community. today’s go-getter’s.

x Scarface x Capone N’ Norega The Texas legend choose the pseudonym of America’s One of most prominent rap duos of all time were influenced favorite bad guy. Tony Montana murdered at will, made a by two of the G.O.A.T. in the dope game. Al Kapone dibbled fortune off of yayo, and two decades later, still manages to and dabbled in a numbers of illegal rackets from alcohol to have a cult of followers. prostitution on his way to a hostile takeover of the Cicero, Illinois government in the 1920s. Manuel Noriega was a x Tony Yayo Panamanian general who was involved in cocaine traffick- Yet another Scarface aficionado, Yayo seemed to be more ing and money laundering and eventually was extradited famous in the pen. With an album that ended G-Unit’s string to American federal court where he was convicted of these of platinum success, 50’s bag handler has sank back into crimes and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail. the trenches. x Spliff Starr x Young Dro The Boo Boo to Busta’s Yogi pledges his affection for the The significance of the Atlanta rapper’s name akin to potent spinach with his moniker. Perhaps Spliff thinks a little too marijuana is not certain; suffice it to say that he is fond of highly of the green stuff; he and Bus’ must have been high getting high and he is… young? to play patty cake with each another in the “Touch It” remix video. x Pusha T Considered by many to be the better half of The Clipse, Pu- x Notorious B.I.G.’s alter ego “Frank White” sha T saturates his listeners with grim, creative and varied “A nickel bag is sold in the projects, I want in!” Francis White methods of moving powder. The “Pusha” claims he hails ruled the Big Apple with an iron fist and it was only fitting from a lineage of street pharmacists including a grand- that Biggie took the name of the King of New York. mother reminiscent of Madam Queen from “Hoodlum.” x Nas’ alter ego “Escobar” x U.S.D.A. If you used coke on the West Coast in the late 60s, to the Not the U.S. District Attorney, but the United States Dope early 70s, it probably came from Pablo Escobar. God’s Son Boyz of America is the correct acronym for Jeezy’s crew. adopted the name as a symbol of his dominance in the rap Don’t expect them to have a dental plan nor a 401k. game.

x x Chyna Whyte The rapper formerly known as “Baby” choose a not-so- Lil’ Jon’s crunk female counterpart gets the ladies juiced up subtle title that alluded to him being a champion of moving to beat a bitch with a bottle. That uncut “China White” coca kilos or “birds.” will do that to you.

x 8Ball x Alicia Keys No, he’s not talking about the last black ball on the pool Yeah, you ain’t know? Pianos ain’t the only keys Alicia’s table. 8Ball is the street term for an eighth of an ounce of pushin’. “Fallin’” wasn’t about no nigga, it was about fight- the white stuff, the typical amount per bag carried by your ing a cocaine habit. [That’s a joke, for those of you who take common street hustler. this shit too literally]

x Trap Squad Boyz It’s quite obvious that they are from the same hood as D4L and Dem Franchise Boyz; it sounds like they all share the same producer and rhymebook. But fuck it, “Tea Bag That Hoe” is one of the greatest songs ever!

x Read between the lines on this one. Is he talking about the actual highways and byways of pavement, or does the name appertain to the most frequent route of drug trafficking?

x Beanie Sigel Before the portly Philly rapper took over, there was Ben Sigel, the Brooklyn-born thug who found an oasis in the desert. Las Vegas became “Sin City” only after Sigel, who was known to rub elbows with the Hollywood elite, and his pals invested millions of dollars in a luxury resort.

x Fiend We’ve all encountered a fiend at one time or another. They’re recognizable by a bedraggled look that will have you giving cautionary looks over your shoulder. Why the former No Limit rapper choose this self-destructive pen name is beyond us.

84 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 85 FOUR YEARS AFTER GETTING THE MONKEY OFF HIS BACK, FORMER HEROIN ADDICT B.G. SPEAKS ON NEW ORLEANS’ DRUG OF CHOICE & HIS PROMISING FUTURE AS A SOBER CHOPPER CITY BOY WORDS: JULIA BEVERLY // PHOTO: MARCUS DEWAYNE

86 // OZONE MAG ince you’ve been clean for four years now, what advice can you give to me doin’ that anyway. They know my abilities and they know I’m bigger than people that are struggling with drug addiction? that. Niggas wanna see me alright cause they know I represent New Orleans SMan, fuck. I can’t really speak on no other drugs but heroin. Me, I just right. I give New Orleans a good look so niggas wanna see me straight. can’t get loaded and get money at the same time. I was getting money but I wasn’t doing all the other things I wanted to do because of that bullshit. Do you think you rap better when you’re high or sober? Honestly, you ain’t even gonna be able to tell the difference. Rap is just What got you hooked on heroin in the first place? in me. Rappin’ is in my heart so I could be high as a kite or sober as a That was just the thing to do down here in New Orleans. Man, that was like muthafucker and I’ma still rip it. I mean, fuck, I recorded Chopper City In The weed. Niggas are sittin’ on the porch on dope. Ghetto loaded, I recorded Checkmate loaded, I recorded Chopper City loaded, I recorded It’s All On You Volume 1 and 2 loaded. Bein’ high or sober don’t How old were you when you first started? make no difference. I was like 15. One of in the hood had got killed and he used to snort dope. The night after the funeral I was like “fuck it” and everybody in Now you just smoke weed to get that creativity going in the studio? the hood was like, “We gon’ snort a pack for our dawg.” So I snorted an L Yeah, I smoke weed. I might take a shot of Patron now and again but it ain’t and it was some real shit ‘cause my uncle had passed. That night I ended up nothin’ major, you know? fuckin’ a hoe and [the heroin] kept my dick hard so at first it was like Viagra to me. After that it became a habit. Do you think weed should be legal? Fuck, I mean, in certain parts of the world it is. At what point did you realize it was an addiction? I realized about a month afterwards, cause I was doin’ it every day. I wasn’t So if you were the president, would you make it legal here in the United struggling [financially] so it really ain’t dawn on me. Other people could States? slip but I couldn’t slip cause I was the breadwinner. I was fresh in the game. It’s some people that need it, so you know what? I think I would. This was the beginning of my career when I was snortin’ dope, and I was the hottest nigga in the game. Switching topics a little, you made up with Baby, right? How did that come about? Did your family or anyone close to you confront you about your addiction? I mean, we aight. You know, he had a death in the family and I knew his sis- Yeah, once they found out. I hid it for a long time. It wasn’t all the way ter personally. Me and Tamara grew up together. Me bein’ the type of nigga out there. I was ridin’ in Lexuses and Benzes and had apartments and shit I am, I ain’t know no other way but to put the bullshit behind and call him like that crackin’ at a young age so muthafuckers couldn’t tell me nothin’ and reach out with my condolences. If it was vice versa and someone on my anyway. side of the family had passed, I would expect him to do the same thing. For that type of situation I had to put my pride to the side and reach out, and So you think the fact that you were young and making money and you were he respected me for bein’ a stand-up nigga like that. After that, we talked, a celebrity made it worse? and he said some things I felt as though I needed to hear. I said some things Yeah, yeah, yeah, that made me go harder. The average muthafucker gotta that he felt he needed to hear. I’m doing my thing and he’s doing his thing get it how he could get it but I had access to so much money at that time and we’re moving on with our lives. I’m getting older and more mature. It and muthafuckers was just givin’ it to me for free cause of who I was. was what it was. He played me, but fuck, I’m still here so I ain’t trippin’.

How much were you spending on heroin? Or were people just givin’ it to you Right. So you’ve hooked up with T.I. for your next album? off the strength? Yeah, T.I. is producing my next album with me on Atlantic. We moved Chopper Naw, I ain’t even gonna look for no handouts. I’ma be my own man. But me City to Atlantic, and T.I. really pushed a lot of buttons for me at Atlantic. It being so caught up, I’d score about a quarter or an eight from the homie for was falsely advertised that I had already signed a deal with G-Unit, so T.I. about two weeks. I used to go hard, though. I used to do a gram a day. called me to congratulate me on my G-Unit deal. I was like, “Man, I appreci- ate you callin’, but that ain’t for me yet. I’m still negotiating with three dif- How did you get clean? You went to rehab? ferent people right now.” And he was like, “You ain’t signed yet? Man, what I went to this rehab in Los Angeles that was like the number two rehab would it take to get you over here at Atlantic?” I shot him some numbers and place in the country. I was there for 30 days and it cost $30,000. It was like he was like, “Hold up, man. Don’t sign nothin’. I’ma call you right back.” He my heart had quit cause I had did it for so many years and kept getting the called me right back and put Craig Kallman [from Atlantic Records] on the same results. I was ready to quit and I just needed that little boost. I shot phone. Craig talked to my people and flew me to New York and I signed. out there [to Los Angeles]. I had been in and out of rehab all my life since I was young. In and outta rehab; in and outta jail, so at that point I was pretty Even on that “I’m Straight” record you and T.I. sounded like you have good much tired. chemistry. Yeah, we get down together. He seen that on my Life After Cash Money Why do you think that rehab program worked for you but the other ones album. I was a fan of I’m Serious and Trap Muzik so I tried to reach out to didn’t? him for my album and he reached back out to me when he was doing Urban It wasn’t really that rehab. It was me. You could go anywhere but if it ain’t Legend. We just built a friendship. When I’m in the A we kick it and when in you [to quit], it ain’t in you. It wasn’t the rehab, it was me. You just gotta he’s in the N.O. we kick it. We just got cool and did some business together. stay focused, spend time off, and not be in that same environment. [Being in Outside the business that’s my nigga so we’re just tryin’ to come together rehab] kept me out of that environment for thirty days and that helped me and make noise. get my thoughts together and focus. I wasn’t being a good role model to my son. I wasn’t being a good role model to my fans. I wasn’t being the nigga What’s going on with the Chopper City Boyz? that I am and it was really takin’ away from me. You already know. I still got my independent situation with Koch so I’m rap hustlin’. I got their album comin’ out soon and all of them are independent Even though you’re clean now, have you noticed any longterm effects that artists so I’m just getting my entrepreneur on. I’m the executive producer the drug had on your body? on all my own projects, so I’m just hustlin’ and I got more to come. And I I mean, shit. I find myself real happy, but I think my brain is fried. My brain ain’t exclusive to nowhere so you might have Chopper City artists comin’ off gotta be fried after all the shit I done ran up in my body. I know I ain’t got Koch, you might have Chopper City artists comin’ off Asylum, you might have the body of a 26-year-old, but I’m good, though. Chopper City artists comin’ off Def Jam. If it ain’t about money I ain’t fuckin’ with it. Do you think heroin is still a major problem in New Orleans? Most definitely. Man, muthafuckers wouldn’t even understand unless they It’s you and four other guys in the group? were down here. Our murder rate is like the worst in the country. It’s January Yeah, it’s my little brother Hakim, VL Mike, Snipe, and Gar. I nicknamed New 16th and we done had 13 murders already [this year] and most of the people Orleans the Chopper City back in 1995. They got Chopper City boys nation- that got killed were under 17 years old. I don’t know, it’s just something in wide, so that’s just my movement. I look at everything. I look at how I the water down here. could market them and how they could work in certain situations. I look at demographics and all that. My brother, he’s like me all over again. He got his Are you ever tempted to do it again? Do you run into situations where people own style and his own swag, but he could study everybody and put it all into offer it to you? one. Gar, he a lil’ storyteller. Slim, he could cross over. He could be a ladies’ Naw, niggas don’t even try me like that. I’m too well respected for that. Bein’ man, he could be a thug, he universal. Mike, he just street; raw. He’s ghetto the nigga that I am and that I come from the streets, niggas don’t wanna see fabulous for real. //

OZONE MAG // 87 88 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 89

WHITE ON WHITE ’S M-I-YAYO INFAMOUS RICK ROSS SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT

& photo words julia beverly

here’s a DVD out there saying that the original Ricky “Freeway” Ross, a you think that’s true? What are the similarities and differences between the drug dealer out of California who is currently incarcerated, took offense two? Tto you using his name. Did you have a relationship with him? Why did Of course there a lot of similarities in the game because of the people you’re you decide to name yourself Rick Ross? dealing with, but at the same time it’s totally different. There are absolutely A lot of the media outlets circulated that information, but I’m from the no bounds on the street. If you have to take advantage of somebody else to South. I’m from Miami. I’m not gonna say that I’ve never heard of him, but make a dollar [in the streets], that’s what you’ve gotta do. But in this [music] he didn’t have an impact where I was from. I’ve heard of a lot of [dealers]. game, it’s an opportunity to clean your hands. I suggest all real hustlers and I just flipped my name around and the streets felt it so that’s why I ran with all real street niggas take advantage of that. Take advantage of being in it. I been running this for the last six years. If anything, he should call and this [music] business and conduct business properly. If you’re a true hustler, thank me for getting him on BET’s [American Gangster] and all the extra challenge yourself and step up to the plate and conduct yourself as the next exposure that he’s getting. I’ma keep it real; in my line of work and where I P Diddy or the next Jay-Z. come from, I don’t want to hear no excuses on why you ratted. If you’re an informant, you’re cut off from the real niggas. That’s the way it goes. I ain’t Do you think drug kingpins are people that should be looked up to and got no disrespect towards him, but once I took off or whatever, he did start glorified? trying to call me. All I know is that he ratted. I don’t know anyone he ratted Nah, I’m not gonna say that. But as for the people that I recognize that’s in on so I could care less. I don’t know him and I don’t owe him nothing, but my life, I respect them for the honorable things that I witnessed them do on if anything, if he was a real dude, let’s get up and get some real money. But the streets when they had the opportunity. I acknowledge legendary dudes, other than that, being an informant and contacting niggas from jail, voices the real dudes that set trends and made things happen, and when it was from the past, that’s what I’m hearing on the street. I haven’t even seen the time for them to sit down they didn’t rat and didn’t testify. I acknowledge DVD but I hope he keeps selling them and making some money. people that I knew personally in my life and had love for. I don’t just glorify nobody because [they had] money. Money is no reason to glorify a man. If So you didn’t name yourself after him? I’m around a man who has a hundred million dollars compared to my four Just to be clear, no, I did not name myself after the West Coast dealer Ricky million, that don’t make him a better man than me. Money is not the reason, Ross. I’m from Miami. Ten years ago, do you think they were talking about it’s the actions that a man takes to get where he’s at that makes you have him in Miami? Did you hear about him ten years ago? respect for him.

No. What are your thoughts on the movie Scarface – why do you think it has Hell naw. You didn’t know about him ‘til a few years ago, after Rick Ross become so influential in the hip-hop community even though he died at the blew up. It’s a lot of bullshit, but just to keep it G, it’s all good. I ain’t trip- end? pin’. I’m grinding, I’m winning, and he needs to do the same. I wish him the The reason why I fell in love with the Scarface character is because he has best whenever he gets released. so much in common with me and the black race from the ghetto. He came from another country and was deported. We have a lot in common with that. Of course you blew up off the single “Hustlin’,” and that word itself has a He started with nothing. He might not have done it in the best way, but a drug connotation. What’s your definition of a hustler? lot of times, where we come from you don’t have a choice. The area where Somebody who turns nothing into something. A hustler, a go-getter, and I come from, you’ll be selling heroin just to try to get some money. To see that’s how I define myself. I got a multi-million dollar situation and I’m him start from nothing and build a multi-million dollar empire and have the staying focused. I want money every day. I have an appetite for more, and I possibility of going legit – that’s something a lot of people don’t acknowl- just can’t settle for second. A lot of times a real hustler ain’t got nothing but edge about the film. Scarface had the opportunity to go legit. He had the a dream, but to turn it into reality takes a real man. opportunity, and that’s what you pray for. Every real G prays that once you get a few million in the game and you get that opportunity to go legit, you A lot of people say the rap game and the drug game are the same thing. Do handle your business.

92 // OZONE MAG What do you think has changed about the drug game since your days of hustler to a legal hustler? How does the money in the drug game compare to hustlin’? the music game? When I was coming up, all the in my community took care of the Every hustle has its ups and downs, but now I’ve got an accountant. I was hood. Now, niggas that are hustlin’ are getting money and trying to shine on blessed by God to have this opportunity to have a huge music career. I the hood. You’ve got to shine with the hood. went platinum on my debut album and I’m closing my label deal for my crew [Carol City Cartel]. We’re finna close another situation with Def Jam. We Took care of the hood in what way? Isn’t it a little hypocritical if you’re just signed Flo-Rida over at Atlantic with my partner E-Class and Poe Boy putting poison in the community and using some of the profits to give away Entertainment. We’ve been blessed to take off and we’re just trying to keep toys at Christmas or something? focused and treat this like our last opportunity. We’re doing our thing. We got Nah, that ain’t what I’m talking about. In the projects we used to be in, bank accounts and checkbooks now. everybody up there is on welfare. So just for somebody to come through and give your mama that extra $40 for that tank of gas or extra grocery money, You got the IRS now too. it’s giving them a boost. It ain’t about being hypocritical, cause everybody’s Yeah, yeah, yeah. They know I’m rich now. When I walk in the bank they call getting money. You either getting money or you ain’t. If you don’t want no me Mr. Ross, you know? money, go sit down somewhere. Go get a job and do what you do. But if you want some money and you’re gonna be out here, you might as well just go Ecstasy seems to be the newest drug of choice in the hip-hop community. Do get it. you think cocaine is going out of style, so to speak? That’s one thing I’ve been watching for the last six years or so. It’s been a Have you seen any of your close friends or family deal with drug addiction? lot of different drugs; “fads,” that’s what I like to call ‘em. I ain’t trippin’. Yeah, I done had people that was on drugs in my family. But that’s just the You know, ecstasy makes you happy and leads you to girls, but that’s old way things gon’ go; you gon’ have the strong and the weak. It’s a sad situ- shit. Niggas been poppin’ bottles of Cris’ and putting roofies down at the ation that I’ve watched in my own life, and it’s just something I had to live bottom so when a hoe goes to drink she doesn’t even know. That’s shit nig- with. It was one of the downsides of being poor – having drug addicts in gas been doing; that’s old school shit. So a lot of them muthafuckers just rip your family, having no educational funds, having no father figure. It’s a lot and run, doing whatever they wanna do. I just stick to my kush, man. of aspects that could trigger somebody to just say, “Fuck it. I’m gonna go ‘head and get out here and sell dope. If I get caught, fuck it.” Is there anything you’d like to say to the rest of your football team and all the other people that weren’t as fortunate as you and are locked down right When you were hustling were you ever tempted to get high off your own now? supply? You already know. I wanna shout out Black Boy, Fonzo, Terry, Renzo Brown, Nah, I wasn’t tempted to try it. Since I was thirteen I was smoking marijuana Antwan King, Black Doc, you know, it’s so many people that’s jammed up. I and once I started, I already knew [not to try cocaine]. Drug addiction hit send all my homies little gifts and money. At Christmas time, I tried to send my home so close, I think that’s one of the main reasons I didn’t even try everybody I knew that was locked up a grand. Around Christmas time I gave cocaine. out close to $25,000 just to make sure everybody respected what I’m talking about. I just want to thank them for keeping it real and keeping me out of Are you addicted to marijuana? the system, first and foremost, and I just want them to keep their heads up. I love to have marijuana. I love it. I’ve been smoking a long time now, so Their day to shine is gon’ come and Lord willing, I’m gonna be here to hold am I addicted? I might be. Do I miss it? Yeah, I get jammed up in situations ‘em down. where I can’t smoke. That’s just my thing, something to help me deal with my lifestyle. When you were hustling did you ever have a moral issue with the product you were selling? Did seeing the effects of drug addiction ever give you a Do you think weed should be legalized in the United States? guilty conscience? I’m gonna keep it all the way real. I’m in the airport just leaving Cali and as Never. The fact was, I was already suffering from the effects of being poor. far as I’m concerned, it is legal [in California]. You can walk in regular stores Just imagine, every day you wake up and it’s nothing positive to look at. and buy it. You can get prescriptions. I don’t see no problems with California. There’s nothing positive going on at all. You don’t want to go and sell drugs. The only difference between Cali and Miami is that you can legally walk in You just wanna get a car with some working AC and help your mama out. a grocery store [in California] like it’s Publix and buy [marijuana] and ride My mama is just retiring this year. I’ve been watching her work two or three around with it and it’s legitimate. So what’s going on? We just need to keep it jobs my whole life, so when I was younger, to be able to come to the table all the way real. The United States needs to keep it all the way gangster. and give her $300 or $400, that was big for me and it meant a lot to her. Of course she wouldn’t want me out there [hustling] for that, but I had to do What about cocaine? Do you think cocaine should be legalized in the United what I had to do. States? I wouldn’t even entertain that question because I know it’ll never happen. I Have you been arrested for anything drug-related? just wish there were other ways for niggas to get money. That’s what I hon- Yeah, I got my first case when I was 15 years old. I caught a gun charge estly wish for, from the bottom of my heart. I wish there were other ways for in Opa-Locka. But I’m one of them big fat niggas who likes to sit back and real street niggas to get money. The way this shit is set up, it’s just not easy. smoke my trees and dictate everything that’s going on around me. I’ve I could’ve been a statistic also. All my homies got life sentences. Damn near always been real easy-going, but my name done been brought up in a lot my whole football team that I graduated high school with is serving time, of things. I’ve been through the whole system. I did county jail time, all of and the football team was supposed to be the guys with the bright futures. that. I just went and got [Carol City Cartel] Gun Play out of jail two days ago. We’ve been doing that, and it’s just too much. That’s the last place you gon’ Do you actually know “the real Noriega”? get money at; in the jail house. Manuel Noriega has been doing Fed time in Miami since he got picked up in Panama, and I know dudes in there that’s doing time with him. Whenever I Do you think the jail system is set up to rehabilitate drug offenders or does holla at them I used to always ask them, “What’s up with the boy Manuel?” it actually make the situation worse? He listens to DJ Khaled [on WEDR 99 Jamz] locally so I started putting his Man, you get more time for a kilo of cocaine than for shooting a man’s name in remixes and shit like that. It’s just a way of us saying, you know, brains out. It always comes back to the way the structure is set up. Major- “What up,” since he’s been in my city so long. ity of the time, just look at the numbers. Like my man Jay-Z said: Men lie, women lie, but numbers don’t. If you look at the numbers and the ratio of Obviously cocaine has had a large effect on the city of Miami. According to the black men that’s going to prison, it’s clear to see that it’s messed up. Pitbull, everything in Miami is named after cocaine: Brickell, the Keys, etc. How do you think Miami would be different without cocaine? Do you think the United States government is waging their “war on drugs” in If you really do your research and do your homework on cocaine, that’s what the wrong way? supported the fast life of South Beach. All the clubs on the Beach, all the Yeah, the war on drugs should go down the same way you went over there Columbian drug lords. When we talk about the other side of the bridge in and got Saddam [Hussein]. You gotta go over there and get the narcotics Miami, that’s the M-I-Yayo, that’s the city that Yayo built. On South Beach it before it hits the inner cities. After it gets to the streets, it’s only gonna ain’t a secret that niggas don’t run that shit. The Russian mob owns that shit sacrifice one kind of people. but they fuck with us cause they’ve got to. They let us throw our parties in the club and all that, but we all know what that shit is built on. Anything else you’d like to speak on for the drug issue? Yeah, to all my black brothers out there: Stay free, get money, keep God first How has your financial situation changed since you’ve gone from an illegal and your dreams will come true. //

OZONE MAG // 93 94 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 95 “THE WORST DRUGS I’VE SEEN PIMP C ARE CIGARETTES PUTS YOU UP ON GAME AND ALCOHOL. DON’T THINK IT’S & EXPOSES THE FAKE ACCEPTABLE JUST HUSTLERS BECAUSE IT’S IN A PHOTO & WORDS: JULIA BEVERLY PRETTY PACKAGE. BEWARE OF THE hat’s your thoughts on the history of drugs in America and the “war on drugs”? PRETTY PACKAGE.” WI was watching The Wire last night on TV and I heard a muthafucker say somethin’ on there that made a lot of sense, and it pertains to what we’re talking about. He called it “The War on Drugs,” right? But don’t all wars come to an end? It ain’t no war on drugs cause this shit ain’t got no ending. It ain’t no war on drugs because if there was, they would be stopping that shit before it comes into this country. There’s synthetic drugs being made in labs, but ain’t none of that other shit grown here in this country. Somebody’s letting this shit in here. If they can stop terrorists, I know they could stop dope from coming into this country if they wanted to. I don’t think they want to stop drugs from comin’ into this country because drugs are a way to control certain types of people. That’s just my opinion because that’s what I’ve seen. It’s like population control. If you ain’t have drugs, you wouldn’t have all these dope fiends and people locked up on dope charges. In the state of Texas, prison is big business. The government is eating off people goin’ to jail. So I see what they’re doing. If they really wanted to stop that shit, they could stop it. You’re gonna always have people that abuse shit – prescription drugs and things of that sort – but I don’t go along with that “War on Drugs” shit.

They try to stop kids from using drugs with those anti- weed smoking commercials, and before that, the “Just say no” campaign. Do you think those are effective, or what would be a better way to discourage young people from trying drugs? The only thing young people respect is the truth. Lying about a certain thing because you don’t want them to do it isn’t gonna make time I couldn’t live without marijuana in my system. But [last night] I was ‘em stop. The thing about marijuana is this: anything that’s smoked turns in the club, standin’ by 8Ball, a well known rapper and a friend of mine, and into carbon monoxide, which is bad for you. If marijuana was being eaten or I knew he was smokin’ that good weed cause just standing there made my ingested in other ways, it’d be different. But personally, I haven’t heard of head hurt. I have found in my experimentation with drugs that all of them nobody eatin’ a whole bunch of weed and dying. Have you? have bad side effects. Some are immediate, some are long term, but all of ‘em are detrimental to my success. All that shit is not productive. All of ‘em No, I haven’t. are a waste of time and money. But I hear of people dying from cocaine all the time. I’m not sayin’ that weed is supposed to be legal. I’m not saying that little kids should be smoking When you made the decision that you didn’t want to do any more drugs, was weed. What I’m sayin’ is that the commercials should tell people why it’s it hard to stop? really bad. Don’t make up fabrications about it because once the kid detects Well, it was different drugs at different times. I went through phases and I the lie, they’re gonna throw out everything else you have to tell them. got to a point where I was just done with it. And weed was good to me. I smoked marijuana for years. I just got to a stage where I wanted to be in Besides weed, what are some truths that young people should know about control of my surroundings and know what’s going on. I don’t need nothing drugs? to make me feel relaxed. Everything else besides weed has been processed in some kind of way. Once it’s taken out of its natural form, the shit is toxic. What other drug besides Does smoking weed make you a better rapper? Do you think it increases your weed is not processed? Cocaine is processed. Heroin is processed. I’ve never creativity? seen a poppy plant or a coca leaf. At times. I can’t speak for other people but me, I’m more creative and I get more work done when I’m level-headed. At the same time, I make good I don’t know how much detail you want to get into, but in last month’s issue records high. I just may not make ‘em at the speed that I could’ve made you talked about the fact that you have used other drugs besides weed. What them [if I wasn’t high]. But different strokes for different folks. If you want appealed to you about them? Why did you decide to try drugs? to smoke that stuff, that’s fine. I’m not being hypocritical. Do you. But if I It depends on which drug you’re talking about because in my lifetime I’ve see somebody putting something in their body that I know is the devil and I done a whole bunch of shit I ain’t have no business doing. Some I did just to know it’s gonna fuck them up, and they’re a friend of mine, I’m gonna give do it, others I did cause I thought I liked it. I’ve experimented with drugs like ‘em [advice] one time. If they’re a grown man or a grown woman, they can a lot of people in our culture down here in the South. Some I liked, some I make their own decision about whether to put the devil in ‘em or not. I don’t didn’t like, and some I became fonder to at different points in my life. At one knock nobody for what they decide to do.

96 // OZONE MAG “ALL DRUGS HAVE BAD When you rapped about having “a pocket full of stones,” did you really have a pocket full of stones? SIDE EFFECTS. SOME ARE At one time I did. I was riding in the car and my man was driving. There was a dude in the back I didn’t really know. The police got behind us and IMMEDIATE, SOME ARE the muthafucker [in the back] says, “If the laws pull us over, I’m runnin’.” So I look over at my man, like, what the fuck is up with him? Dude in the LONG TERM, BUT ALL OF backseat said, “Man, I got a trunk full of guns, and a pocket full of stones.” So that’s where the hook to that song came from. I just learn from life ‘EM ARE DETRIMENTAL experiences. I can’t speak for everybody else, but as far as me and Bun was concerned, we hustled to get in that studio. We didn’t have nobody to TO MY SUCCESS. ALL OF finance us so we hustled, and at the end of the month we gave our money to ‘EM ARE A WASTE OF TIME the studio man. Overall, how big of a problem do you think drugs are in the black community AND MONEY.” or the rap community, and what do you see as possible solutions? Well, most of the people in the rap community are from the black community or the Latino community. It’s a minority thing. It’s not just a black problem, it’s a Puerto Rican problem, a Mexican problem; it’s a second-class citizen problem. Most of us rappers come from not-so-great backgrounds. There ain’t no solution to the problem unless we eliminate [drugs]. We as minori- ties don’t have the power to eliminate drugs from our communities. If they could stop terrorists from dropping bombs then they can stop that shit from coming over here. Stop that shit from coming over here and then there won’t be a market for cocaine. Stop all that poppy seed from coming across the water and there won’t be no market for heroin.

Are you sure that wouldn’t just make the demand greater? At first, yeah. But after a while it would die out. If the demand is there but there’s no supply, it’ll go to something else. Do I ever think drugs are not gonna be here? Hell naw. They’re making too much money. They’re mak- ing money in the hood where they cut it at. They’re getting money from muthafuckers getting locked up. There getting money from rehab centers for people who got a little bit of money. And then there’s HIV. People under the influence of cocaine are more likely to have unprotected sex. These are facts; this isn’t something that I just made up because it’s my opinion. So, hell naw, they’re not gonna stop selling dope.

It seems like ecstasy is rap’s newest drug of choice. Do you think cocaine use is decreasing? Coke has its ups and downs. It has surges and then it dies down. But from what I’ve seen, nobody’s slowing down with their use. But the X pill? Are we talking about the real X pill or the street X pill with pictures and shit on it?

What’s the difference? Pharmaceutical ecstasy, with MDMA, is different than the street ecstasy with them goddamn Nike signs and Mercedes Benz symbols stamped on ‘em. They’re totally different. If I remember correctly, the real X was a pharma- ceutical drug. That shit on the street has got all kinds of stuff mixed in it. It’s cut with all kinds of different alloys and stuff. Muthafuckers don’t even know that they’re taking cocaine and heroin in a pill form. I never liked Is that something you see often in the rap industry? that muthafuckin’ pill, even when I did take drugs. That’s some lil’ punk-ass Yeah, it’s widespread drug use in the rap community, but there’s widespread dope. That’s for people who wanna take drugs but don’t want the stigma of drug use in our culture. Young people take drugs, and most rappers are in taking a real drug. their 20s and 30s so I don’t think they’re doing drugs because they’re rap- pers. They’re young people in America and it’s easy to put your hands on So you tried X and didn’t like it? anything you want to put your hands on. When something’s not available, I never liked that shit. That’s some punk-ass shit. I don’t like no drug that I you can’t use it. If all the cows were extinct, we wouldn’t be eating steak. can’t eat and come down off of. That’s an unnatural high. I heard Jay-Z say that these pills are like the new crack. They cost the same as crack. I never Why do you think our culture is so fascinated with music about cocaine? That liked that raggedy muthafucker. I never liked pills. I got a bad trip off it. I seems to be every rapper’s favorite topic. took it a long time ago and it just wasn’t for me. You gotta know your limits Off top, most of these niggas don’t know what they’re talking about. If I and how far you can go. But yeah, it’s very exciting to people. They pop ‘em showed them some cocaine or some china white they wouldn’t know that like M&Ms. That shit made me feel like I was on a trip I couldn’t control. Shit shit from a hole in the ground. If you hear an average muthafucker on a never made me want to freak or nothin’, it made me sweat like I was on record talkin’ about selling cocaine, give him half a brick and some baking some shit that I ain’t have no control over. I don’t like to be out of control. soda and a Pyrex and tell him you’ll be back tomorrow. They won’t even Some people like that feeling, and some people need that shit to do what know what to do with it. They’re romanticizing and fantasizing about some they do. I don’t need that shit. If I wanna do something, I’m gonna do it shit that’s not all that romantic. So that’s the first thing. The second thing is whether I’m high or sober or I really don’t want to do it. But, hey, I’m not that I ain’t never known no drug dealer or straight up d-boy that was suc- gonna knock anybody. If you do it and it makes you feel groovy, then do it. cessful that was high. That goes against all the rules of the game. If you’re I’m not a hypocrite. If you wanna do it, do it. gonna be a dealer you can’t be a user. Some of these rappers might tell you that they’re rapping from past experiences and they can be high and do all Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers for the drug issue? this other shit, but some of the shit they’re talking about doesn’t add up. It’s Some of the most dangerous drugs can be found right at Eckerds and CVS. hard for me to believe that niggas from different parts of the country got Just because it’s sold by a drugstore doesn’t mean it’s not harmful; I think cocaine for $10,000 a key. I know what [cocaine] prices are in different parts that’s a misconception. The worst drugs I’ve come in contact with is nicotine of the country. I keep my ear to the street, and it’s hard for me to believe in the form of cigarettes, and alcohol. If you research them and compare certain niggas. It’s just unbelievable. I call them dudes Hulk Hogans. That’s them to other drugs, they’re just as harmful as PCP and heroin. Don’t think where the wrestling in this game comes in. But at the end of the day, it’s all it’s acceptable because it’s in a pretty package. Beware of the pretty pack- entertainment. Who said it’s supposed to be real? age. //

OZONEOZONE MAG MAG // // 97 97 our debut album Bad Azz was highly anticipated because of the buzz you’ve created with your mixtapes. How is the Yalbum different from the mixtapes? It’s more of a nationwide sound, you know what I’m sayin’? It’s more nationwide, but the same old Boosie. I still got the same heat on there. The same people busted my album, Webbie and Pimp C. It’s just a nationwide input.

Did Pimp C have a lot of input on your album? Not really, he was just motivating me throughout the [record- ing of the] whole album. He’d be like, “Don’t stop. Keep doing your thing.” That’s my motivator. LIL BOOSIE Is he a father figure to you? Yeah, he’s a mentor to me. Before Pimp went to jail we were hanging together, making music. I’d just chill with him at his The South’s best-kept secret talks mama’s house. When he went to jail that just let me know that no matter how much money you’ve got you still got the law about getting sober, going mainstream, out there. and why Bad Azz is the “sickest double You said that your album is the best since Tupac died. I really do think so, man. The effect I have on people is like disc since Tupac done passed away” ‘Pac. So many people tell me that to the point where I’ve gotta believe it. They tell me, “You’re the next Tupac.” I was thinking my third album should be called Young Pac. Everybody com- pares me to Pac. Everybody says that. Man, I saw how they had Pac in the studio all the time. That’s how I work. I do three of Words // Julia Beverly Photo // King Yella four songs. All day. I’m just like Pac because I say what I want. I love my mama like Pac. Pac made me love rap music and Pac touched me when he rapped.

What are some of the deeper topics that you get into on your album? I speak on my sickness, diabetes. I speak on diabetes a lot. I speak on my family issues coming up in the hood. What makes me different is that I don’t just rap about being a gangster, I rap about what made me want to be a gangster. I talk about what made me wanna be hood and what made me rap. I tell life stories. I explain my raps better than a lot of people.

What made you want to be a gangster? Just seeing all the gangstas in the hood with all that money, all the fine girls, all the cars. I just wanted to be like then. I wanted to be a gangsta. When I found out how to make money it wasn’t no turning back.

What do you think it’ll take for you to expand your fanbase beyond the South to the whole world? I need more TV time. You know, if I was on TV every day like Omarion or somebody like that, shit, I’d have the world like Pac. I’m that deep. If I was on TV like T.I. and them, man, it’d be over. That’s all I need. Some TV time.

Do you think it’s harder to get on TV being from a small city like Baton Rouge? Really, this is only my first major label album. So even though a lot of people know about me, at the same time, a lot of people don’t know about me. I think by my third album I’ll be passin’ up 50 Cent.

What are some things you want to get into aside from music? I wanna act. I wanna be an entrepreneur. I have a lot of things I Even on your album, you mentioned all the rumors about you overdosing, want to do. A lot of things depend on this album. I have a movie that’s sup- dying, not showing up for shows, beefing with Webbie, etc. posed to be coming out and I’m trying to shoot this Boosie Bad Azz movie. That comes from me and Webbie not having shows together. People get mad when they see me and don’t see Webbie. People wanna see us together. You seem like you’re a little less fucked up these days. Have you made an Sometimes people call for bigger money but some people want just me or effort to stay clean? just Webbie. We have to do separate shows so that’s how all that shit got I laid off a lot of shit this past year. I got to [a low] point where I felt like I stirred up. People talk about me because a lot of people saw me come from was by myself. When Webbie dropped [his album], man, I felt like the major the slums and don’t wanna see me make it. So they’re gonna player hate me label had forgot about me. I was really thuggin’ in the streets, flippin’ keys. I anyway. was really doing this shit. Nobody wants to put no money behind somebody who’s still in the streets because they don’t know if they’re gonna die today What are some of your favorite songs on Bad Azz? or tomorrow. Now, [the label got me] in the studio and they got me away I got a song called “I Remember” that’s real deep. That’s like some of the from my city. They got me handling my business, connecting with people, realest stuff I remember coming up. That was a song I really liked, and meeting all kinds of people. This is my new life and I gotta stick with it. of course I liked that song “Smokin’ On Purple” cause I do smoke a lot of

98 // OZONE MAG “WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT IS purple. THAT I DON’T JUST RAP ABOUT BEING A GANGSTER, I RAP ABOUT Who produced your album? Mouse did most of my beats. Mouse and BJ, we stick with them at all times. WHAT MADE ME WANT TO BE A We ain’t payin’ nobody $500,000 for a track that sounds like everybody else’s. That’s part of our success. We’ve got our own sound from everybody. That’s GANGSTER. I TALK ABOUT WHAT what makes us special. MADE ME WANNA BE HOOD AND Did the area you’re from in Baton Rouge feel any of the effects of Katrina? Not much. When it first happened it was a lot of people down here [from New WHAT MADE ME RAP. I TELL LIFE Orleans]. Most people went to Texas. I saw a lot of homeless people getting STORIES. I EXPLAIN MY RAPS kicked out of trailers after six months. A lot of people couldn’t get their lives together. I saw a lot of homeless people hurting, man, but Baton Rouge is BETTER THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE.” pretty much back to normal now.

OZONE MAG // 99 “WHEN WEBBIE DROPPED [HIS ALBUM], MAN, I FELT LIKE THE MAJOR LABEL HAD FORGOT ABOUT ME. I WAS REALLY THUGGIN’ IN THE STREETS, FLIPPIN’ KEYS. I WAS REALLY DOING THIS SHIT.NOBODY WANTS TO PUT NO MONEY BEHIND SOMEBODY WHO’S STILL IN THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW IF THEY’RE GONNA DIE TODAY OR TOMORROW.” Photo // Terrence Tyson

How would you describe Baton Rouge to someone who’s never been there Webbie won Slept On Artist of the Year at the first annual OZONE Awards. Do before? you feel that you’re slept on too? It’s mostly family, man. It ain’t no gangbangin’ or nothin’. Your family is like Yeah, we are slept on a lot. Man, Webbie had a platinum album. I think we’re your gang. It’s mostly family oriented. There’s not too many big buildings, the most slept on in the game. We’re the most slept on artists because at our but we up on game. We getting money down here. People love me; Baton concerts people know our words word for word. You don’t know too many Rouge is my city. Everybody loves me. The kids love me. Everybody needs to people that do so many songs per concert and everyone knows the words. come down here. We got some nice little clubs, and we got the two colleges We’re slept on a lot. with the most women: LSU [Louisiana State University] and Southern [Univer- sity], the black college. We got all the women. If you don’t know about Baton Are you on tour right now? Rouge, you need to check it out. I’m on promo tour right now. Every city, I’m doing radio drops, in-stores, retail. I’m just working right now. They got me working everywhere. You mentioned that you can’t go platinum in Baton Rouge because there aren’t as many people living there as there is in New York. You kinda adopted Yung Joc’s motorcycle dance for the “Zoom” video. Were I’ve been to New York a couple times. It’s just their weather, we’re not used you worried that it would be too mainstream for Lil Boosie fans? to that cold weather they be getting. I was worried at first but it just fit the hook of “Zoom.” People did it for me whenever I went to shows so I had to go with it. Do you think your music is “real hip-hop”? Or country rap tunes, like Pimp C says? What’s the next single? I think my music is one of a kind. I wouldn’t know what to call it. I guess I’m gonna drop “Set It Off” next. It’s gonna be one of my major club bangers. it’s Boosie music, cause I touch everybody in every city, every ghetto. If you My third single is gonna be “Distant Lover,” for the women. listen, you’re my fan. It’s not like nobody’s gon’ listen to me and not like me. It’s hard to not like me. I guess it’s like street music. Is there anything else you’d like to say? If you’ve never heard of Boosie, give me three minutes in your CD player, Do you think it’s harder for people up North to relate to your music because give me three minutes in your CD player and I promise I’ll be your favorite you have a strong accent? rapper and your best friend. Go buy the DVD in stores now. I’m the next one Not really, cause I’m not like Mystikal. I don’t rap that fast. I don’t think it’s coming up in the game. I’m the next Diddy and the next Jigga. I got the hard for them to understand me. I’m like Pac in Milwaukee, man. Anywhere I talent and I got the time to do it. So if you’ve never heard of Boosie, give me go, Lansing, Michigan, wherever, people love me. They understand me. a try. //

100 // OZONE MAG G r e a t U n d e r - T h e - I n f l u e n c eT M Ho m Ee n tY s I n M R a Up H S i s t T o r y H A V E B E E N H I G H by Randy Roper ([email protected])

n life, people often do things that make you wonder what the hell they were Lil Wayne and Baby Kissing thinking?” Many of these brain-dead moments happen under the influence. This OZONE Drug issue is teaching us that ecstasy pills will make ICelebrities aren’t immune to these questionable, moronic and sometimes people do outrageous things. We’re passing Weezy and Baby’s kissy face career-ending incidents. Let’s take a look back at some brow-raising events. on those X pills. There’s no other way to justify grown men kissing on the mouth, even if the Birdman is cutting the checks. Winning An Oscar Yes, we are as ecstatic as the next person about these boys from Terrell Owens Trying To Kill Himself Memphis winning an Oscar, but good googly moogly, nothing about “It’s In September 2006, T.O. allegedly tried to kill himself by overdosing Hard Out Here For a Pimp,” has Oscar nor winner written on it. On the late on pain killers, but prior to popping a bottle of pills what was T.O. doing? night tip, someone on the Academy Awards committee may have been smok- You guessed it, probably getting high on another substance. Fabo wasn’t ing some purple haze and sipping on some sizzurp. the only one seeing spaceships that night. Young City Charged With BB Gun Armed Robbery Ron Artest vs. Detroit Pistons’ Fans Chopper was charged with robbery from a case back in September The NBA is the only major sport that doesn’t test its players for of 2001, but he was probably high when he committed the crime. And when marijuana. If it did, more than likely they’d find something illegal in Ron he missed court in 2002, he was probably high then too. We’re happy Chopper Artest’s system. Artest’s brawl with the Detroit Pistons’ fans is a testament is past all those legal issues and has signed with Cash Money. But truth is, to that notion and if that’s not enough Ron Artest’s rap album (if you want Baby was probably high when he signed the “Making The Band” outcast. to call it that) is borderline Crackheads Gone Wild. The Ying Yang Twins Fashion Fiasco Jacki-O Shoplifting Have you seen the new publicity images for the Ying Yang Twins’ You can only feel sympathy for this poe little rich girl. She filed for latest project? D-Roc looks like a confused black china man, while Kaine is bankruptcy and was caught stealing clothes from a high-end department ridiculously trying to pull off a punk rock look, complete with a spiked dog store. We’re not saying she’s a crackhead, but that move was “crackish.” collar. Needless to say, it’s not a good look. The Twins look like they don’t I guess her nookie is real good, but her credit must be terrible. Maybe have any damn sense, but their stylist must have been taking pulls of the Shawnna and Remy will lend her some money now that they’re a female su- kush to come up with these get ups. per group - or, this trio might be rolling blunts and lifting panties together. Dr. Dre’s Detox Hiatus Nas Signing to Def Jam We’ve been waiting on Detox for years. I wouldn’t hold my breath Hip Hop Is Dead was critically and commercially a success, but Nas’ waiting on its arrival, even with a September 2007 release date. Dre’s first decision to sign the dotted line with Def Jam and his is still two albums were titled The Chronic and Chronic 2001. A lot of chronic can puzzling. Did Kelis slip something in Mr. Jones’ weed? I think so. It’s hard to deteriorate your short-term memory. Dre probably records for the album, rule the world when Jay-Z is the boss. smokes a blunt and forgets where he puts his finished tracks. Lil Wayne Arrested For Drug Possession Michael Richards Dropping the N-Word Weezy learned a valuable lesson last year: it’s okay to get high, but We’ve seen the footage of Michael Richards losing his damn mind never get high and leave your stash out in the open. Last August Wayne was at the Laugh Factory. To drop the N-bomb in that manner Richards had to arrested after an employee at the Twelve Hotel in Atlanta saw a gallon-size be high off of something. And we’re not ruling out the possibilities of crack bag of what was believed to be marijuana in the rapper’s hotel room. either. T.I. Going to Cloverland Looking For Lil Flip Mike Tyson Biting Off Holyfield’s Ear Picture Tip and P$C riding on 24s, listening to Trap Muzik, playing Mike Tyson’s sound bites generally have “I’m high” written all puff-puff-pass and hunting for leprechauns in Cloverland. Were Tip and over them. This guy threatened to eat Lennox Lewis’ children and bit off company high in search of Flip? To search for a man in his own hood with- Holyfield’s ear. Of course a major side effect of smoking weed is “the munch- out looking to give him a Publishers Clearing House check sounds like an ies,” so we see where these random acts of cannibalism stem from. idea conceived during high times. Without a doubt the stash was most likely in Tip’s Louie knapsack. George Bush’s Slow Response to Hurricane Katrina Bush has proven time and time again that his Internet hasn’t always R Kelly Pissing On A Minor been connected during his tenure. Bush’s slow response to Hurricane Katrina Fried chicken and cornbread are causing young girls to physically may be his biggest blunder of all and it’s probably safe to bet George W. develop quicker and confuse the hell out of horny grown men (i.e. R Kelly). was somewhere smoking some of that purple stuff when Katrina turned New But the 14-year-old on the infamous R. Kelly sex tape wasn’t all that devel- Orleans into a gigantic fish bowl. He’s the president, so he shouldn’t have a oped, Robert. Chalk this one up as another e-pill popping experience. Who problem getting that presidential kush. Georgia Bush wouldn’t be the first really gets off by pissing on women? Kells was high enough to think that he President to fess up to the pot smoke. Bill Clinton can attest to that. could literally put his whole damn head in it.

DMX Behind the Steering Wheel Foxy Brown Attacking Two Manicurists DMX has a history of traffic violations, drug possession and an inci- Foxy, without a doubt, has been involved in some bizarre run-ins. dent where he allegedly stole a car and impersonated a federal agent. It’s a Whether she’s spitting on hotel workers, flipping her Range Rover or taunt- well-known fact that Earl Simmons loves to get zooted. We understand X, it’s ing judges in court, Foxy is presumably too high for her own good. But dark, hell is hot and getting high is therapeutic. Just refrain from smoking Inga’s altercation with two manicurists in Manhattan in August 2004 was and driving 100 mph. her shining moment. Foxy was given three years probation and anger man- agement counseling. Maybe drug rehab should have been included. Beefing with Bow Wow and Lil Romeo’s dispute was one of the most laughable Lil Wayne Saying He’s Better Than Jay-Z beefs in hip-hop history. And when Master P stepped in to stick up for his Yes, Weezy’s lyrical prowess has developed impressively over the son, we knew he was probably back smoking on that Ghetto D. Master P’s last few years (stop, Gillie) and Jay-Z may have bruised a few egos with solution to the Bow Wow/Romeo feud was to have the two rappers box it out his “hip-hop savior” comeback. But Weezy F. claiming that he’s better than in the ring on Pay-Per-View. But viewers would probably have to get high to Jay-Z is as farfetched as that fake Bow Wow/OZONE interview. Young Carter enjoy watching such randomness. A better solution would be to have the two might very well be bound for Shawn Carter status, but he’ll have to domi- rappers battle each other. On second thought, we’d hate to see things get nate a few more summers before we put him in “best rapper ever” debates. ugly if Bow Wow started styling on Romeo. Weezy, we know you’re getting high. It’s cool, keep the trees burning. //

OZONE MAG // 101 sports

RON ARTEST By Eric Perrin

any rappers have proclaimed themselves “King,” but only Ron Artest I played ball with Young Buck before, and Young Buck is nice. If me and truly is one. Even if his lyrical skills aren’t regal, his $6.2 million dol- Young Buck was from the same hood, it’d be like this: Young Buck can play Mlar contract the NBA’s Sacramento Kings ensures that Ron is royalty, at ball but he really raps, and I can rap but I really play ball. You got guys like least on the basketball court. Master P who rap and he tried to make it playing ball. He wasn’t really good enough, but he pursued it. Some people could do both, but I don’t think In October 2006, Artest released his debut CD, My World. To call it a flop anybody from the rap side has crossed over into athletics like athletes have would be an understatement. Even with appearances from the likes of Diddy, crossed over into music. Deion Sanders did it big with that one song he had, , and Mike Jones, Artest’s album sold only 343 copies in its first week “It Must be the Money.” People were really feeling that. of sales (that’s 6,000 less than Kevin Federline). Still, Artest is persistent. “I’m ‘bout to drop my next album soon, and this time I’ll make sure I put out Speaking of money, I know basketball pays you a lot more than rap. But the music the right way,” says the confident, conflict-prone rapper/athlete aside from the money involved, which would you rather do, rap or play ball? who two years ago requested time off from the league to promote his rap Both. In basketball, people don’t realize that there’s a lot of wear and tear CD. Only a few weeks later, he received the longest suspension in the 61- on your body. When you play really, really hard every night, eventually you year-history of the NBA for his part in Pacers vs. Pistons brawl, an incident wanna take a rest. With rap it’s more mental. Jay-Z is almost 40 years old that has gone down in the books as the worst squabble in spectator sports and he’s still rapping, and people are still feeling him. You can last longer history. in rap. For example, when Michael Jordan was on the Wizards, he was still pretty good but you could tell he was getting old. Controversy can be used to sell records, but the negative attention sur- rounding Artest and his role in fiasco did nothing but give him a “bad rap” Which do you find more challenging: spittin’ 16 bars, or scoring 16 points? with the NBA and its fans. The sports world laughed at him and harshly I think rap is more challenging because there’s more politics and whatnot criticized the aspiring rapper, while the oft-fickle and unpredictable hip-hop surrounding it. You got the internet making it hard to sell records, and the heads failed to embrace him or his music. Still, Ron rebounded. Since being haters and everything. Rap is way more challenging than basketball, just traded to the Kings, Artest seems to have become a more focused athlete because of everything involved with it. With basketball, when you get on that with a more realistic perception of rap. Artest, who ironically averages 16 court, nobody can really stop you. They see you every night and if you’re points a game, enjoys spitting 16 bars just the same. He’s determined to win, good, people are going to notice. In the rap game, it’s way more political. both on the court and in the booth. If a guy’s got a hotter song than you, that’s all based on politics, fans, and Soundscan, and it’s hard to get noticed because the game is so monopolized. Tell me a little about your CD. The project started about 3 or 4 years ago, when I was trying to figure out West Coast rap has been on the rise lately. How is the Hip Hop scene out what type of album I wanted to come out with. I like music so much but I there in Sacramento? first just wanted to put out a couple of my artists, so I put out Allure. Allure It’s a lot of people out here trying to make it. It’s harder to get on the radio used to be signed with Mariah Carey and , and I put out their because they’re not in a big city. A lot of people are rapping and still have album, but it kinda flopped. It was a really good album, but the label didn’t regular jobs, and I respect that. It’s always good to have a second plan. give it no push. Then my album came out. It kinda flopped, too, but now I’m Don’t just rap. You gotta work and rap, or go to school and rap, or play ball ‘bout to drop my next album soon. I’ll make sure this time to put out the and rap. Whatever you do, you always gotta have a backup plan. music the right way, but you know, it’s a grind. I’m in my early stages right now. It’s no different than anybody else who took a long time to be success- That’s good advice. So why should people go out and support your rap ful in the entertainment business. career? I think people should go out and support me because I love the music I know you’re originally from New York and there seems to be kind of a New and it’s really got nothing to do with money for me. A lot of people say I York vs. the South feud brewing. What are your thoughts on the East Coast shouldn’t rap or think I can’t rap, but I do it for myself. Anybody who is hat- and the South? ing on me, I’d say fuck all them niggas. And if it’s a girl hating on me, fuck I definitely don’t have no beef with the Southern rappers. I like the South’s that bitch. If you’re feeling me, go cop my album. Regardless, I’m still gonna music, and I really think music is music. You got Eminem; he’s from Detroit grind. // but he’s rapping like he’s from New York. You got Lil Wayne sounding like he’s from New York, and you got guys like the Dipset who sound like they’re from the South at times. 50 Cent also sounds like he’s from the south at times. I think people try to make it real controversial, but it’s all music.

What kinds of rappers have inspired your music? I’m more influenced by storytellers. I’m always in different clubs, so when I sit back to relax and chill , I like to listen to storytellers like Lil Wayne. Eminem is also a good storyteller, and Nas is the master of Hip Hop right now.

There have been a few other NBA players that have tried to pursue rap. How do you compare to some of the other guys such as Shaq, Kobe, or Allen Iverson? I think Shaq is the only one that’s real smart about it. He put out a single and he ain’t even put out no album. He was real strategic. Shaq always puts out his albums at the right time. That’s why that one time he went platinum and was so successful. He actually made a profit from rap. He sold a million records and they were only projecting to sell between 200,000 and gold. His other albums didn’t sell as many records, but he still profited off them. It’s important to stay in the [music] game. A lot of people get sidetracked, but it’s not just basketball players. There’s a lot of people that get in the game and waste so much money that they don’t wanna spend no more money or time on the music.

Yeah, but there is a connection between sports, especially professional basketball and Hip Hop.

102 // OZONE MAG

104 // OZONE MAG D-BOY ENTERTAINMENT

From trappin’ in the hoods of Detroit to owning a “majorpendent” we ain’t in the industrial age like we were in the 80’s when it first came record label, Don Adams tells us just how real the game is. out, we got too many informants. The FBI got that technology and it’s a no win situation. Back in the days, we didn’t know what we was up against. How did you get started with your label, D-Boy Entertainment? So you really don’t wanna be out there right now, if you ain’t got your I got started in the dope game, that’s how I first got started. I started out money by now, you ain’t gon’ get it. I got a lot of homies doing 20, 30, 40 in Detroit, East Side, hustlin. Everybody in Detroit know about me. I’m years. Its kinda like what Jeezy said, “With drugs they’ll send yo ass outta official, check my track record. I sold dope, a lot of dope. I can talk about space.” That shit real as fuck. it because I already did five years and when I got out I just switched it up. Now I do real estate. I flip houses like I used to flip them birds, but I’ve What do you think the average crack sentence is? been doing entertainment since before I got locked up. I’ve always loved 30 years. That’s common. The average time for my homies is 20 years. I hip-hop. I think its an art form where we can express ourselves. did 5 years myself. I was caught up at the wrong place at the wrong time, you know, I was unfortunate. But I was a stand-up dude, I ain’t tell on What makes your label different from other independents? nobody. I ain’t gon’ get caught up selling drugs again and get sent up in Number 1, we’re a majorpendent. That’s an independent that moves like space. a major. We do everything that a major does and more. What percent of rappers who claim to sell drugs do you think are Why do so many people come from the drug game to the rap game? lying? It’s the culture, the drug culture and the rap culture is the same. In hip-hop Probably 75%. About 25% actually sold drugs. You ain’t sell no real dope you can still dress they way you wanna dress, you can still be like a dope if you only sold $200 sacks, I don’t count that. If you tried one time and it dealer, unlike if you working at a corporate office where you gotta be in a ain’t work out, or if you just seen your homeboys doing, then you’re not a suit and tie and stuff like that. real dope dealer.

How’d you get started in the dope game? For a drug dealer to be legit, how much profit margin do they have I got started in the dope game at 11 years old. I started selling dope for to sell, in your opinion? a crew called the Chambers Brothers out of Detroit. I started off selling For a low level drug dealer, you should be at least grabbing a big eight. crack, I sold crack before I ever sold weed. I wasn’t a good weed seller. If you a mid level guy, you should at least be getting a bird. And if you on a bigger level, you should be at least selling a bird a day. Shit, I made How much money can people make if they’re really doing it big? over $200,000 a week, consistently. I took care of a lotta people, stacked It ain’t no limit to how much money you can make in the dope game. money, bought things. I $20,000-$30,000 dollar chains. The most expen- When I first started, I stayed in the spot all day selling crack and back sive purchase I ever made in cash was a house. then, the crack house I was sitting in was doing like 50,000 in one day selling nickel rocks. Shit, we used to just have lines of fiends. It used to be In your opinion what’s the worst part about selling drugs? a line all the way around the corner. That was back in ’85 when it was at You’re destroying your community and you’re destroying humanity. That’s the peak of the epidemic. It was crazy. worse than the possible jail time. We had people; ex-doctors, lawyers, and women selling they bodies for $10 rocks. I seen crack heads sucking Did you the police try to stop the operation? dog dicks for a rock. I done seen muthafuckas rob for crack, fuck every- Yeah, they tried to stop it. They tried to raid and stuff like that but at that body in a room for a rock, all kinds of irregular stuff to get crack. time everything was just so new. Back then it was so out there that when people asked you what you did for a living, you was like, “I roll, I sell Looking back on your time as a drug dealer, do you think it was dope.” Now if you do it, you gotta hustle low key. You don’t wanna be out worth it? there like that cause you’ll get busted. It was so new back then that the It wasn’t really worth it, cause its other ways to make just as much. Drugs Government didn’t know how to handle that. As long as you didn’t get is really just a trap. Its guys that made 300 million dollars for doing white caught with nothing on you then you was cool. There wasn’t no conspira- collar crimes and they only got 18 months, if you get caught with a ounce cies, or Rico Laws, 48’s, or CCE’s (Criminal Continued Enterprises). of crack, they give you 360 months. If you sell crack, it’s a hundred to one. One gram of crack is equivalent to 100 grams of coke. 10 grams of crack What’s the most important aspect of being a good drug dealer? is equivalent to 1000 grams of coke. If you gon’ sell and be major in the game then you really gotta fly low key, because now its space-age hustlin’ going on. We in the information age, - Eric Perrin

OZONE MAG // 105 cd reviews

the sound. The mood and sound of the album sticks to the gritty, basement feel of The New Danger, and yes, it still sounds like he’s doing whatever the hell he feels at the moment. But he does everything from beat-jack the GZA and UTP to rhyme over beat-machine creations that sound as if they came straight from a home studio on Bankhead. Easily, the strongest cut is his Ying Yang Twins concert favorite “U R The One,” but his swag on “Undeniable” and the dark Chemically Imbalanced narration on “Murder of A Teenage Life” are what make this album another TVT Records well-rounded release from Hip Hop’s renaissance man. – Maurice G. Garland In case you haven’t noticed, the Ying Yang Twins are the most recognized duo out of Atlanta besides The Mighty O. So on their fifth studio album Kaine and D-Roc tear a page from Dre and Big’s book and split the album into two parts. The first half is for the YYT fans of yesteryear who fell in love with rompish strip club anthems. The titles “1st Booty On Duty,” “Jack It Up,” “Jigglin’” and “Big Boy Liquor” should let you know what to expect. The “musical” half of the album has YYT experimenting musically but not lyri- cally. Wyclef mans the boards on most of the songs, but outside of the lead single “Dangerous,” “Family,” and “Leave,” it’s nothing spectacular. After the Crook By The Book: well-rounded United State of Atlanta, you’d probably expect a better album The Fed Story from the Twins, but Chemically Imbalanced is actually very calm and stable. Sony – Maurice G. Garland Project Pat has one of the most recognizable voices and deliveries in Hip Hop and his latest album is more proof as to why he’s everyone’s favorite rapper that no one wants to admit to. Songs like “What Money Do,” “Cause I’m A Playa” and “You Like” go down as instant favorites courtesy of Juicy J and DJ Paul’s doing the best sampling since their mid-90s underground tapes. There are plenty of Hypnotized Minds’ trademarked repetitive hooks on deck too. Throughout the album Pat comes across as being the most fluid he’s ever been on the mic, any time away from the microphone is not evident anywhere on this CD. Even though his creative juices go sour on Baby Boy Da Prince tracks like “Crack A Head” Crook By The Book is still a good read. – Maurice Across The Water G. Garland Universal Republic It’s not often that you hear a voice out of New Orleans that didn’t drop from the No Limit or Cash Money tree. Not only does Baby Boy Da Prince have to emerge from their shadows, but he has to shine at the same time. His national debut Across The Water introduces him as an artist who sounds very polished, able to make singles with ease. From beginning to end Baby Boy takes his bounce music roots and meshes it with a care-free attitude that forces the listener to give the new jack a fair shot. Unfortunately, at Big Tuck times Baby Boy falls into stereotypical N.O.-blingster mode, but he more The Absolute Truth than makes up for it with airy songs like “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.” He Republic also shows that he can make songs with a wide range of artists including Lil Boosie on “The Way I Live” and Nina Sky on “They Don’t Know.” Across The Right now the only person that seems to be rocking mics in Dallas is Terrell Water is a solid release from a Katrina survivor who will swim before he sinks Owens, but Big Tuck hopes to change that. While Tuck is far from the best in the rap game. – Maurice G. Garland rapper, he has a skill that a lot of his lyrical peers lack; he can make a song. , songs like “Bottom Bitch” are straight to the point concep- tually and are produced very well. Same goes for the less offensive “Ain’t No Mistaken” featuring his fellow Big D native Erykah Badu lending vocals from her underground gem “Danger.” Tuck also hops on I-45 South to hook up with Paul Wall on “Dippin’ In Da Lac,” Chamillionare on “I Know U Want That” and Slim Thug on “Tussle.” The Absolute Truth never comes across as a big lie, but every moment here doesn’t make you a believer either. – Maurice G. Garland Trick Daddy Back By Thug Demand Atlantic When Trick Daddy had Dollars at the end of his name, he rapped like he didn’t have any. Then when he dropped it, it seemed like he started rapping like he had a lot of them. Criticized for losing some of his edge on his last album, Trick re-emerges with strong piece of work that both new fans and hardcore ones can enjoy. While the album has more cameos than you’d expect from a 8Ball & 8Ways Ent. Trick album, he never lets it leave his possession. This also ranks as perhaps Light Up The Bomb the most diverse Trick project to date production-wise. Standout tracks 8Ways Entertainment include the single “Bet That,” “Chevy” and “10-20-Life,” but he is at his best on “Tuck Ya Ice” featuring Baby. – Maurice G. Garland If the album title and the picture of 8Ball blowing out smoke on the cover aren’t dead giveaways, let us be the first to inform you that this album will get you high (and drunk). After spending the first half of the album “Swervin’” off that “Purple Stuff” before its “Time2HitDaClub,” Ball and the crew come down from their highs to finish off a solid effort. On “This Ain’t That,” MJG joins the party to give listeners the player shit they expect. But it’s the exceptional performances by Ball’s stable of artists that make this CD a respectable product. You can feel the hunger and intensity of these new Mos Def jacks in every verse, especially on “M Gang.” Light Up The Bomb is definitely Tru3 Magic a good burn. – Maurice G. Garland Geffen With a five-year gap between his first and second albums, it’s surprising to get a third Mos Def album just two years later. What’s even more surprising is

106 // OZONE MAG mixtape reviews

Grand Hustle Presents In Da Streetz Volume 4 Grand Hustle/Atlantic A lot has changed since the third installment of the now classic In Da Streetz, crew to a bonafide record label, andDivide and Conquer shows why Drama is but fortunately Grand Hustle’s sound hasn’t. Volume 4 attempts to pick up placing all his bets with the newcomer. Throughout the mixtape WTK’s smooth where they left off in 2003 with plenty of braggadocio and dope boy freshness. flow and witty wordplay displays a profuse swagger that even entices Busta As usual T.I. leads the charge, sounding more like his former self than the Rhymes to stop through and approve the passing of the torch to The Kid. WTK international GQ-esque star he has become. The beautiful thing is that he pulls shines brightest on cuts like “Money and the Power,” produced by Don Cannon it of without sounding like he’s reverting. Mac Boney delivers a trunk-rattler on and “Live at The Regal,” where he showcases his vast lyrical skills. Drama “Work” while Young Dro continues to shine on “Grand Hustle Mafia.” Alfamega should be proud; WTK has the streets paying attention. – Randy Roper crafts a just-above-average but pretty clever song with “Da One.” Unfortu- nately, the rest of the crew doesn’t show much growth or potential. Big Kuntry sounds equally cool and boring on “Fuck Being Famous” featuring B.G. while Xtaci comes off very confusing on “Who You Calling A Bitch?” While you won’t find classics resembling “What Kinda Nigga Is You” or “In Da A”Volume 4 still has music for the streets. – Maurice G. Garland

DJ Drama & Gemstar Da Goldenchild Star Studded Contrary to popular belief, South Carolina does have dope rappers. And Gemstar Da Goldenchild is a perfect example of a South Cack artist that can hold his own alongside the industry’s best. This mixtape from the Lexington, Chamillionaire SC native is 75 minutes of punchline-packed rhymes that you wouldn’t expect Mixtape Messiah 2 from a Dirty South emcee, where lines like “Since a Juvenile I’ve been Hot Boy, Chamillionaire might have been the biggest underdog to rise to the top in ’06. getting that Cash Money” come early and often. Most rappers drop mixtapes But after his major label debut The Sound of Revenge sold 1.3 million copies, full of freestyles over jacked beats, but Gemstar’s Gangsta Grillz is full of you can’t call King Koopa an underdog in ’07. To keep the streets clamoring brand new album-quality songs, produced by the SC rapper himself. With the until his next album Ultimate Victory hits stores, Cham released the sequel to exception of a couple contrived pop records aimed at females, Star Studded is his now classic mixtape, 2004’s Mixtape Messiah. Part 2 might not reach the one of the better Gangsta Grillz to drop in recent months. – Randy Roper record-setting sales numbers of Part 1, but the second installment does eclipse the quality of its predecessor. Cham lyrically devours instrumentals like Nas’ “Hip Hop Is Dead” and Pac’s “Picture Me Rollin” and makes them his own. “Ri- din’ Overseas” featuring is a “Ridin’ Dirty” remix as potent as the original. “Roll Call Reloaded” humorously features Cham imitating 20 Texas rappers from Pimp C and Slim Thug to Lil’ Keke and Mike Jones over Bun B’s “.” Judging from MM2, Chamillionaire doesn’t plan on letting platinum plaques and Clinton Sparks, awards impede his revengeful growth as an artist. – Randy Roper Kay Slay & Saigon The Return of the Yardfather By now we should be over Saigon’s “the South is slow” comments from last year. If you’re still hung up on that, you’re missing out on one of the most insightful newcomers to enter the rap game in years. Sai, who fell back on recording while getting HBO money during his reoccurring role on the hit series Entourage, returns to drop a mixtape brimming with betterment David Banner themes (“Desperado”), positive messages for the people (“Dreams”) and oc- Spare Clips casional threats so ignorant listeners can hear him (“Don’t Do That”). Saigon’s b.i.G.f.a.c.e. Entertainment debut album The Greatest Story Never Told is one of 2007’s most anticipated On the low, David Banner has a deep catalog. He’s a rapper, producer, and releases, and The Return of the Yardfather emphatically unveils the reasons just in case you wondered, has been dropping music since the mid-90s. Even why. – Randy Roper though the only Crooked Lettaz-era song on this mixtape is “Get Crunk” featur- ing Pimp C, Spare Clips gives the listener a better appreciation of Banner’s universal skills. “Talkin’ Shit 2” featuring S.K. & Marcus showcases Banner’s production skills as he flawlessly loops a T.I. line over light horns. Banner’s rolodex comes in handy on “Let’s Roll” featuring 8Ball and Mr. Magic and “Who DJ Aaries & Marshall Law You Fuckin’ Wit” featuring Trick Daddy and Rick Ross. On “45” he borrows from Productions ‘Pac’s Thug Life classic “Str8 Ballin” and crafts a beat good enough to make Hood Hard: Back to the Snoop Dogg actually rap - for real. While Spare Clips has occasional stints of Block monotony, it still showcases Banner’s diverse talent. – Maurice G. Garland Comprised of brothers Rico Law and BigYo, Mar- shall Law Productions give us another reason why Memphis is one of the most musically gifted cities in the country. The duo’s production leans away from the M-Town’s typical crunk sound and more towards its soulful side. Standout tracks like “Laughing at MCs” featuring Thorough, and “Half Dead” featuring J Boogie, prove that lyrics are a priority as well. DJ Drama, Big Mike Even though most of the songs have features, BigYo, the rapper of the group, & Willie The Kid works well with all of them and still manages to shine on his own with cuts Divide and Conquer like “Back To the Block.” Rhymes about struggle, independence and disdain Drama’s Gangsta Grillz imprint is hot enough for Dram to put a platinum chain for empty-hearted rappers make up most of the CD. Although a couple and Paul Wall grill on his grandmother and pass Rapping Granny off as the missteps like “Pimpin’” sound out of place, Marshall Law reminds you what Aphilliates Music Group’s lead artist. Luckily for Dram and rap fans, AMG won’t is supposed to sound like. – Maurice G. Garland have to go that route. Willie The Kid is leading the transition for AMG from a DJ

OZONE MAG // 107 G E E K E D U P

faboWords by Eric Perrin

108 // OZONE MAG G E E K E D U P Can you tell me a little bit about your new CD? geeked up. It’s just like a muthafucker; it’s a person, a place, a thing. You know I’m working on geek music. what I mean? I’m geeked about this situation. “Hey, man, I’m geeked the fuck up,” that could mean you’re high or just spazzing like a muthafucka. Or it could I heard a song that you did with R. Kelly. I don’t think it has been released yet mean that you’re just mad. It don’t make no difference. It ain’t got nothing to but it was “The Gorilla Song.” Is that going to be on your new CD? do with no drugs. I know a lot of niggas that don’t do drugs that be geeked up. Nah, I ain’t worked with him so far on my CD, that’s gon’ be on his new CD. Okay, so on your new project Geek Music, what can we expect? We’re doing our first drug issue and I know in the “Laffy Taffy” song you said I’m going to muthafuckin’ Mars. I’m going to crank up a god damn spaceship, something like “I pop, I roll, I stop, and go,” so can you tell us a little bit about and I’m gon’ get the fuck on. It’s gon’ take me higher than the sky; ain’t no po- your experiences with ecstasy? lices, ain’t no critics, ain’t no paparazzi. They probably can’t afford no spaceship, I plead the Fifth. so they gon’ have to look for somebody else. If I get on a spaceship and get the fuck away from all these haters then that would be good. That’s what my Okay, well why do you think ecstasy has been such a big issue in hip-hop? new project is about, gettin’ the fuck on. If you want me to listen to something I plead the Fifth. different other than what you done heard, or what these other muthafuckers been claiming to, cause you can’t claim shit. I thank Curtis Blow, Fab 5, and I heard some rumors about you leaving D4L and going solo completely. Is that James Brown, because they really worked hard. I don’t thank no cat who got on true? a jumper or a hoodie who don’t know what slavery was, like my ancestors who Nah, ain’t no leaving D4L. It’s a label, an organization. There’s a lot of cats didn’t know how to read. You gotta know where I came from too before you that’s gon’ be coming behind me from the D4L clique. Everybody working on open your mouth. they’re solo project right now, so nah I ain’t left the group or nothing Why do you think you have so many haters and critics? Out of everybody in the group you have definitely stood out the most and have I don’t give a fuck. If anybody hates on me, they kids going to break out in boils attracted a lot of attention in the industry/ Why do you think you have been so and then they gon’ catch AIDS. If you hate on me then I don’t fuck with you. This successful from a solo perspective? shit is like a job. The industry is my job, so if this nigga ain’t gonna give me no Basically, I worked hard. I put out a lot of different things, but everybody’s got job then I don’t think he got shit to say about me, especially if I ain’t never met their own flavor, though. People do it in their own way. Everybody’s got their him. He could eat a dick, straight up. own different crowd. Me myself, I’m a little more outspoken, I’m probably the most colorful out the group, but it takes a lot to make a car go. In your opinion, who is the best rapper in Atlanta right now? Fabo. I got the number 1, 2 and 3 songs on all 3 Atlanta radio stations. My new Being that you’re the most outspoken one in the group is that why you - song called “Tat It Up” with The Alliance is number one right now. I got the, [Interrupts] I’m geeked up. That’s what the geek is in your trunk. I used to hear “Look at Her” record with One Chance at number 2, and rolling in at number that type of music before I found out that you couldn’t get in the industry un- 3 is “Scotty.” Those three songs be going back in forth between the top three less you was a nigga who knew a million syllables. I dropped out of school in spots. Check it, right to this day we could listen to the radio. Just today, to make the eighth grade, I don’t know nothing about no ooochalogical intricate black another cat mad, I won a bet for $500 dollars about 2 hours ago. I gave it to my Americalaka oooochachloca geography ookaeotomy. I don’t know nothing about momma. I’m just having fun. all that shit, man. [starts singing/rapping] Just give me a drink and a bottle of brew. I’m geeked up under the bottle [yells] HOW YOU DO THAT, I turned the seats So do you think party music the alternative to trap star music? sideways in the back, [yells] HOW YOU DO THAT, I got a elephant in the truck with I don’t listen to no damn party music; I listen to geek music. If it sounds good me, man. HOW YOU DO THAT, different gangstas, different colors do that. [stops it’s soul music. Shit that you just don’t just play one or two times, it’s shit that singing] You know what? That’s the shit that I’m used to. I’m cool with that, so when you play it one time you just gotta play it again and again. That’s what they got theirs and I got mine. That was geek music, this is geek music, man. geek music is. Every song on my CD, you just gotta play it again and again. You That’s what geek music is, saying whatever the fuck you want to say when you gotta hear that shit one more time, like, “What the fuck did he just say right want to say it. Pulling down your pants down, gettin’ locked up, paying that there?!” little bond, getting outta jail, going over to that little freak’s house, bust her ass open, come home smoking on one of dem big purp sacks, lay it back, go to So the new thing in rap is moving to the corporate side. Can you see yourself in sleep, get up, go to the studio; that’s what the fuck geek is. That’s what the fuck a suit going to work everyday doing the corporate thing? I chose to do. I do got on a suit. I work for the city. Atlanta is my city. The sanitation man wears Dickies, the garbage man wears Dickies, the damn postman wears Dickies. A lot of people refer to being geeked up as being high on ecstasy. Does that The doctor; I’m the doctor. They call me the doctor in here. I work all day, every mean - day. I get paid from Dickies. I wear Dickies all day every day and I wear different Where I’m from being geeked up means you smoke crack. I take the reverse of colors, and they cheaper, too. Go tell that nigga, that when we wearing them everything that they think is wrong and I make it right. That means that every- red monkey jeans and all that shit, that’s when its time to pay the rent. If that thing you think is fucked up feels good to me. damn water bill is past due and he ain’t did no muthafuckin’ show, then he gon’ be fucked up. Look at me, my Dickies cost $48 and I wear Fila. Forever I Love So from your experience, what does it feel like to be on X? Atlanta, 2 for $89. I got it, but that other nigga gon’ be standing outside on the I plead the Fifth. front porch with them pills you keep talking about in his pocket.

Okay, from a general perspective, do you think the ecstasy epidemic in hip-hop Okay, so is there anything you want to say to all the readers of OZONE? is here to stay? I don’t want to say nothing to them. I want to thank OZONE for giving me the I plead the Fifth. opportunity to represent the geek and once again, I want to say, “Fuck you, George Bush.” I want to say, “Pray, bin Laden, cause I’m coming for you, too.” I Ok so what can you tell me about then? got a bounty out on the devil and I want to say, “Hating devil, kiss my ass.” If I get high off my ideas. [singing] I’m starting to see spaceships on Bankhead! you want me to go on and on, I will. I’m geeked up right now. [stops singing]. Nobody’s trying to understand what I’m saying. I got kids, I don’t want my kids growing up listening to the same thing I’m listening to on Nah, I’m good, man. Thanks though. the radio, that’s why I don’t listen to the radio, I live in my own world, and ev- I want to say to all the cats out there that are really trying to get it: Be origi- erybody around me lives in their own world. I make music for cats who grew up nal, man! Be original all the time, you know what I mean? If you don’t be an away from here. If you wanna call it gettin’ high, then that’s what we’re gonna original, you can’t do more than what the last muthafucker did before you. And call it. My motto is, if you don’t get high then fuck you. That’s how we live. It if you represent for what somebody else already represented for, then you ain’t don’t make no difference what type of drugs you do. You don’t even gotta be on gonna to get no farther then where the fuck he is at. So don’t be stupid. Quit no type of drugs. The geek is for your own choice. If your girlfriend gets on your making music for your homeboys and all that. Make it sound good to the world nerves and she just got you riled up to the point where you might walk outside because you need to talk to everybody. If everybody willing to listen then they and just slap the shit out of a nigga, that means you’re geeked up. She got you will say something good, because they’re listening, too. //

OZONE MAG // 109

end zone Jim Jones live

Location: Jacksonville, FL Venue: Jacksonville Arena Event: King of the South Tour Date: December 17th, 2006

Photo: Terrence Tyson

112 // OZONE MAG