OZONE MAGAZINE I LIKE MY SPRITE EASTER PINK PINK EASTER SPRITE MY LIKE I MAGAZINE OZONE YOUR FAVORITE RAPPER’S FAVORITE MAGAZINE: 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! DEVIN THE DUDE MANNIE FRESH RICH BOY T-PAIN PLUS OZONE WEST: TOO $HORT THE FIXXERS MISTAH FAB DJ MAY 2007 2007 MAY DRAMA KEEPIN’ IT GANGSTA * 20 MOST REGRETTABLE OZONE QUOTABLES * FIVE YEARS OF OZONE PHOTOS * GROUPIE CONFESSIONS OZONE MAG // & MORE1 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! YOUR FAVORITE RAPPER’S FAVORITE MAGAZINE: T-PAIN DEVIN THE DUDE MANNIE FRESH RICH BOY DJ DRAMA **EXCLUSIVE** PLUS OZONE WEST: TOO $HORT THE FIXXERS MISTAH FAB 28 // OZONE WEST 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! YOUR FAVORITE RAPPER’S FAVORITE MAGAZINE: DJ DRAMA **EXCLUSIVE** T-PAIN MANNIE FRESH DEVIN THE DUDE RICH BOY PLUS OZONE WEST: TOO $HORT THE FIXXERS MISTAH FAB OZONE MAG //1 2 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 3 4 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 5 6 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 7 8 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 9 10 // OZONE MAG OZONE MAG // 11 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 // Jason Brown ADMINISTRATIVE // Cordice Gardner, Kisha Smith CONTRIBUTORS // Alexander Cannon, Bogan, Carlton Wade, Charlamagne the God, Chuck T, Destine Cajuste, E-Feezy, Edward Hall, Felita INTERVIEWS Knight, Iisha Hillmon, Jacinta Howard, Jaro Vacek, Jessica Koslow, J Lash, Jason Cordes, Jo Jo, Johnny Louis, Kamikaze, Keadron 90-94 MANNIE FRESH Smith, Keith Kennedy, Kenneth Brewer, K.G. Mosley, King Yella, Luis Santana, Luxury 106-107 DEVIN THE DUDE Mindz, Marcus DeWayne, Matt Sonzala, Mau- rice 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, Wendy Day STREET REPS // Al-My-T, B-Lord, Big Teach ANNIVERSARY FEATURES (Big Mouth), Bigg C, Bigg V, Black, Brian Franklin, Buggah D. Govanah (On Point), Bull, C Rola, Cedric Walker, Chill, Chilly C, 26 GREATEST HITS Chuck T, Controller, DJ Dap, David Muham- mad, Delight, Derrick the Franchise, Destine 30 STARTING LINEUP Cajuste, Dolla Bill, Dwayne Barnum, Dr. Doom, Ed the World Famous, Episode, Gen- 42 TRAINING DAY eral, Haziq Ali, H-Vidal, Hollywood, J Fresh, 44 FEELIN’ OURSELVES Jammin’ Jay, Janky, Joe Anthony, Judah, Kamikaze, KC, Kenneth Clark, Klarc Shepard, 46 FOLLOW THE LEADER Kuzzo, Kydd Joe, Lex, Lil D, Lump, Marco Mall, Mr. Lee, Music & More, Nick@Nite, Nikki 66-84 5 YEAR PHOTO SPREAD Kancey, Pat Pat, PhattLipp, Pimp G, Quest, Rippy, Rob-Lo, Stax, TJ’s DJ’s, TJ Bless, Tim 102-103 THANKSGIVING Brown, Trina Edwards, Vicious, Victor Walker, 94 REGRETTABLES Voodoo, Wild Billo, Young Harlem 98 NEGRO PLEASE 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 MONTHLY SECTIONS Phone: 404-350-3887 Fax: 404-350-2497 Website: www.ozonemag.com 110-112 END ZONE COVER CREDITS // DJ Drama photo by Blake 14 FEEDBACK Ribbey (special thanks to Everise); T-Pain, Rich Boy, & Don Cannon photos by Julia 18-19 RAPQUEST Beverly; Too $hort photo by D-Ray; Gorilla Zoe photo by Randy Roper. 24 CHIN CHECK DISCLAIMER // OZONE Magazine is published 108-109 CD REVIEWS 11 times per year by OZONE Magazine, Inc. 17 JB’s 2 CENTS OZONE does not take responsibility for unso- licited materials, misinformation, typograph- 22 MATHEMATICS ical errors, or misprints. The views contained herein do not necessarily reflect those of the 28 POLE POSITION publisher or its advertisers. Ads appearing 32 SIDEKICK HACKIN’ in this magazine are not an endorsement or validation by OZONE Magazine for products or 23-47 PHOTO GALLERIES services offered. All photos and illustrations are copyrighted by their respective artists. 34-40 PATIENTLY WAITING All other content is copyright 2007 OZONE Magazine, all rights reserved. No portion of 113 CAFFEINE SUBSTITUTES this magazine may be reproduced in any way 17 10 THINGS I’M HATIN’ ON without the written consent of the publisher. Printed in the USA. 12 // OZONE MAG DJ DRAMA pg 54-58 RICH bOY pg 60-62 T-pAIN pg 50-52 OZONE MAG // 13 Send your comments to [email protected] else will be held to a higher standard. Somewhere along the line you were exposed to something real and that has biased you for the better. Honestly there is no such thing as objective journalism. The only objective is to fool the masses into thinking what that media outlet wants you to believe. Allow me to get off my soap box, and get back to work, keep doing your thing. Stay true to yourself and although the load gets heavier the higher up the ladder you go, never let go of those two key elements: integrity and moral responsibility! - Rasheed Amin Chappell, [email protected] The DJ issue was tight! I want to give some advice to all the artists that want us DJs to play their music, like you asked in the DJ issue. If you artists out there want DJs to listen and possibly play your music on-air or in the clubs, here’s some ideas: Do a personal and very creative studio drop for the DJ you are trying to network with. Or, do a personal freestyle for the DJ on a current hit instrumental, studio quality of course, so that we can mix to it. People will still jam to it, and it gets your name out. Or, submit your JB, I just read OZONE for the first time last week. My boyfriend works in a single with the DJ’s name in the intro. If you do things like this, all DJs will barbershop and he brought home the March 2007 issue and I read almost take you more seriously. You’ll stand out from all those Myspace wannabes every page. It’s crazy. It was all new to me, how real it was. You’re writing and unprofessional artists that are out there. about what your readers really wanna know. My boyfriend’s got this chip – DJ Thailo, [email protected] (Orlando, FL) on his shoulder about white people cause he’s had some run-ins with white cops and stuff like that. We have a different outlook on things and he makes fun of me and calls me white cause I talk proper and don’t smoke weed. The DJ Issue was fresh. You’re reppin’ Chicago in here with two of the most When I showed him who was editor-in-chief of this hood magazine that he deserving: V-Dub and Boolumaster. Love it when people get it right. Good supports so much, he was in shock. I like that you’re doing what you know shit! and you’re not like some corny white girl tryna act. This obviously comes -Shala, [email protected] (Chicago, IL) natural for you and it’s cool to see a white girl with a magazine like this. I can only imagine how much negativity, hatred, and jealousy you must get from black girls. Thank Port Arthur, TX, for UGK. Pimp C, we need more men (not rappers) with – Toots Mickels ([email protected]) brains, not more jewelry in this “new” rap game. Thanks for standing up and letting people know the real deal in your Release Therapy article and how these labels are just the new plantation. I wish more rappers would You’ve done it again with the latest issue of OZONE magazine, with Rick Ross stand up and not just wait for a check. and Carol City Cartel and Young Jeezy and USDA on the cover, who continue - The Green Kang, [email protected] to make good music (regardless of people’s opinion of their overused cliché of drugs, cars, and women). I read the magazine from front to back in its entirety on a trip to NYC, and of course your JB’s 2 Cents section is always I think I speak for all DJs when I say thank you, OZONE, for showin’ us love. on point. I’m from the East Coast but I respect good music and I don’t care Out of all the Hip Hop magazines I’ve read, y’all are the best, no question. where it comes from. At this point in time it’s plain to see that the South is Hpefully one day I’ll be in there, but until then, keep holdin’ it down. DJ doing what they do. Much respect, because they deserve it, and that goes for Drama, keep your head up! your magazine as well because you and your staff continue to bring interest- - DJ Shawny Boy, [email protected] ing articles. I don’t see your mag as being biased because you also cover any artist from the East Coast that is doing something except complaining about the South. Like DJ Khaled’s blazing single “We Takin’ Over” that is exactly I just read the Pimp C article on mixtape DJs and that dude told it right. I what OZONE is doing, and I see it continuing to be that way because you don’t know about them Carol City boys, they seem to have little focus. I’m don’t bullshit or sugarcoat nothing. Also, I really respect Wendy Day’s work glad to see my nigga BloodRaw got some justice. He’s a humble dude. I’m ethic and all the information that she provides readers via OZONE Magazine.