PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Julia Beverly

MUSIC REVIEWS: ADG, Wally Sparks

CONTRIBUTORS: Bogan, Cynthia Coutard, Dain Bur- roughs, Darnella Dunham, Felisha Foxx, Felita Knight, Iisha Hillmon, Jaro Vacek, Jessica Koslow, J Lash, Katerina Perez, Keith Ken- nedy, K.G. Mosley, King Yella, Lisa Coleman, Malik “Copafeel” Abdul, Marcus DeWayne, Matt Sonzala, Maurice G. Garland, Natalia Gomez, Noel Malcolm, Ray Tamarra, Rayfield Warren, Rohit Loomba, Spiff, Swift

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1516 E. Colonial Dr. Suite 205 Orlando, FL 32803 Phone: 407-447-6063 Fax: 407-447-6064 Web: www.ozonemag.com Cover credits: Trillville photo by Julia Beverly; Memphis Bleek & Young Gunz photo by Eric Johnson. OZONE Magazine is published eleven times annu- ally by OZONE Magazine, Inc. OZONE does not take responsi- bility for unsolicited materials, misinformation, typographical errors, or misprints. The views contained herein do not necessar- ily reflect those of the publisher or its advertisers. Ads appearing in this magazine are not an endorse- ment or validation by OZONE Maga- zine for products or services offered. All photos and illustrations are copy- righted by their respective artists. All other content is copyright 2005 OZONE Magazine, all rights reserved. No por- tion of this magazine may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publisher. Printed in the USA. Hate it? Love it? Send your comments to: [email protected]

OZONE reserves the right to edit comments for clarity or length.

JB, I read your article on BET, and I wanna tell complishment. Much respect to OZONE! – Ms. is a threat to cops and security guard-types. In you, man, keep bussin’ they ass! That’s a real Rivercity, [email protected] (Jackson- my eyes, all that happened was you being in- reality check for their ass. We need more writ- ville, FL) vited by some friends of yours in the rap game, ers to do the same! – Greedy, greedy@mycin- and BET was hating cause you was cool with gular.blackberry.net (Jackson, MS) Yo, OZONE, don’t sweat the negative feedback them. I’m with you. Fuck puss-ass BET. Wait til from people who were mad that their favor- OZONE gets their own channel. – Q904balla@ JB, I loved your “2 cents” editorial. I must say ite artist wasn’t on the MTV Jams/OZONE 25 aol.com (Jacksonville, FL) I’m quite impressed because you’re a girl and Greatest Southern Artists list. I’m not too sure love hip-hop (no disrespect towards your female what it was based on, but I’m glad someone at I’m a fan of your mag, for real. I read JB’s cur- abilities). You are now my new role model for least took the time to recognize the fact that rent 2 cents and I’m glad you got vindication 2005 and forever. Love the magazine. You get we Southerners have what it takes. On another and are still willing to forgive and forget with two thumbs up. Congratulations on your recent note, free Pimp C! That was a really good look that whole BET situation. – Rad-Z, raddness@ awards, and I wish OZONE the best as it grows doing an article on that cat. I miss the UGK mycidco.com (Deland, FL) to become even more successful. – Trell Bol- combo even though Bun B is holding it down. ling, [email protected] Hopefully this mag will blow up to the point I checked out your May 2005 edition, and I must where people ain’t buying The Source, VIBE, say again that the “all of the above” journalist Fuck BET! Ha ha. I loved your editorial. Damn, and all those other New York mags that are out has done it again. You were holdin’ it down in JB! You really impressed me with the way you there. Jax got your back. – [email protected] your 2 cents section. I’ve always hated the way handled BET and their staff of haters. That re- (Jacksonville, FL) BET handled their business. They are begin- ally took some balls. BET should be trying to in- ning to suck. You should do an article on that terview you! I know it ain’t easy being a female I read your editorial about BET. That’s some real new Marques Houston video that they banned in the industry, especially being a white female. bullshit. That was some hating-ass shit. Being from BET. They play all kinds of shit, like Nel- It’s a whole lot stacked against you and your that you’re white, I’m laughing because I would ly’s “Tip Drill” with him sliding a damn credit success, so for you to have taken your magazine think the cops wouldn’t sweat you like that. But card down a chick’s ass crack, but as soon as from nothing to what it is today is a huge ac- you are a part of hip-hop, and anything hip-hop a naked man appears on TV with the camera

“[After I got out of prison], hip-hop is the same shit, different toilet. Four labels, two radio stations, one video station. And if you ain’t in cahoots, then you are already fucked from the beginning - bottom line.” Ras Kass, The Source (June 2005)

“I’d never have surgery on my face. I’ve never seen that work out for anybody. You should leave your face alone.” – Lisa Marie Presley, Blender Magazine (June 2005)

“Niggas look at me like, ‘Why Prospect and Geddy never came out?’ Maybe they never came out because they never went into the studio and made an album. Maybe they didn’t want to work.” - Fat Joe, XXL (May 2005)

“[Dave Mays’] heart pumps pink kool aid. For all his love of the ghetto, he never learned lesson one of surviving in the hood:[Benzino’s under] no circumstances are you to ever give your lunch money to a bully. It is far better to take the ass-whoopin’ than to be personal ATM.” – Reginald Dennis interview on hiphopdx.com

“[Lil Flip] is on some real gay shit. He a cake for real. He a hoe-ass nigga.” - Slim Thug interview on sohh.com y morning and “Mario is my new boyfriend. You see what he’s singing about? Respect your girl - not, ‘Hey, bitch.’ I wake up ever think, How did I end up in this hip-hop shit?” – Kimora Lee Simmons, Vanity Fair

“People need to stop trying to do a hundred different things and pick what they do really well and own it, wear it, and master it.” – Steve Stoute, Vibe Magazine (May 2005)

“Southern hip-hop, in everything we do and everything we say, it comes back to love. And I think love’s twin brother or love within itself is pain. Because the only reason why you love something is because it has an ability to hurt us. All the stuff we talk about in our music is pain, whether we want to admit it or not. From the hoes in the club to the shooting and the bustingy up untilto diamonds now.” – inDavid our hands. We shine because we felt bad for so long. Our self-esteem was beaten into the ground from slaver Banner’s foreword to Tamara Palmer’s book Adventures in Dirty South Hip-Hop all the way down to a nigga’s penis, shit gets shut down! What’s up with that? Not hot at all. No female fun whatsoever. I think MTV is get- Man, I don’t know what to write. I ting more viewers than BET, and that’s a damn really don’t know how I can top last shame. Hip-hop is getting bigger, but where month’s “fuck BET” rant. In fact, I the fuck are we going to display it if we can’t wish people would kick me out of events air it on a network for the people who created more often so I’d have something to write it - Black Entertainment Television? - Danielle, about. A lot of people loved that BET editorial. [email protected] One person that emailed me even had a pretty good suggestion: after I make my first mil or so, I might fuck I just got the new issue of OZONE in the mail around and start my own TV channel. Watch out, BET. and I read most of it already. I actually skipped I’m plotting right now. Females will watch my channel XXL and Scratch to get to the OZONE. My favor- instead of BET because I’ll have some decent male hosts ite part is always your “Industry 101” section. (no Ray J’s). We all know the ladies really run shit. Do you have a deal with Blackberry? Cause if not, you’re giving them free press. They bet- In my BET editorial, I didn’t name names, but at the ter give you a free phone and accessories since time I didn’t know so many other people (including oth- you’re plugging them. And by the way, I read er media) felt the same. So, I’ll say it now: Fuck Marcy your 2 cents, and I’d like to point out that Via- Polanco. She needs to be fired from BET. com also owns BET so they have a monopoly on the two biggest media avenues for music: BET I’m not speaking to one person in particular, but I’d like and MTV! - Dajie, [email protected] (West to give a shout out to the magazines that go through Palm Beach, FL) each issue of OZONE and call all our advertisers trying to get money out of them. Let me give you a hint when I just happened to see your magazine for the it comes to advertising solicitation: we don’t call people first time in the Affiliates’ office yesterday.- IY and ask them for money. They call us. If your shit was as our “Fuck BET” article is so hilarious. Keep up hot as ours, they’d call you too. the good work! - Leighton, lakeshow@mycin- gular.blackberry.net (Atlanta, GA) I was the quiet smart kid in school, like, borderline nerdy. Used to sell the test answers for $5. Back then, they didn’t listen to me, now I’m hot they - well, you know the rest. I get calls What’s up, OZONE? I’d like to say first off that at all hours of the day (and night) that go like this: “Hey JB! This is [insert name of person I love your magazine. I read it all the time. I don’t know] with [insert incredibly stupid name of a record label I’ve never heard of]. We I’m not a rap artist from Tampa, but I love met at [insert event I don’t remember]. We want you to do an interview with [insert name of the local talent. I think everyone from Tampa: artist I’ve never heard of].” Tampa Tony, KRazy, Rated R, and Tom G are all okay artists. But on the real, everybody in the A magazine by itself cannot create a superstar. If you don’t believe me, look at Benzino. A streets and hoods of Tampa knows that Tango magazine is a reflection of the community. If you’re hot, we’ll come find you. Simple as that. a.k.a. The Tan Man is the best rapper around Of course, you should stay accessible, but harassing editors generally doesn’t work. here. You need to put him in your magazine. Big ups to you, OZONE! - Big C, biggcinne@aol. Or, you could try the Gucci Mane method for free publicity: diss a rival rapper, then kill anyone com (Tampa, FL) who comes after you. Of course, there are bothersome side effects like murder warrants you might have to deal with. But, your label and publicist will be happy as hell when they bond Correction: In last month’s “Industry 101,” the you out on your album release date! studio number for Ray Seay’s The Vault was listed incorrectly. The correct number is 305- Kids, don’t try that at home. 956-9435. It’s a scary thought to think that I have some sort of power. In fact, I learned this month that I have more power than I thought. Apparently, I single-handedly got an entire security team fired and my entire staff trespassed from a club I haven’t even been to since last year. You see how we have like, forty million pictures in each issue, right? There was one photo in last month’s issue of a few rappers taken at a well-known Orlando nightclub. One of them was pointing a gun directly at the camera. Anyway, apparently the club owner wasn’t too happy about the negative publicity generated from the image, and shit hit the fan.

Hey, Elliott at XXL! I know you see OZONE coming up strong! I know you’re running out of shit to write about too, now that your Destroy The Source mission is nearly complete. Time to play defense. Say hi to G-Unit for me. Ha! But pay no attention, I’m just talkin’ shit cause y’all never send me any damn freelance work. At least VIBE appreciates me.

Hey! It’s finally June. Happy birthday to me. By the time you read this, I’ll be 24. I’ve been waiting six months to accurately quote T.I.’s “Tha King”:

I’m [queen] of the South but there’s fifty states I’m gon’ spread out and eliminate who’s in the way I’m 24 today, give me ‘til I’m 28 I’ll be ruler of all that I survey, and not just in the States

- Julia Beverly ([email protected])

Guilty pleasures: 50 Cent “Just A Lil Bit” & Nick Cannon f/ Anthony Hamilton “Can I Live”

Young Jeezy f/ Jazze Pha “Then What” David Banner “Play” Smilez & Southstar “Found Out” Young Cash “In My Chevy” Brooke Valentine f/ Miss B & Remy “Girlfight (remix)” Joss Stone “Spoiled” Gucci Mane f/ Mac Bre-Z “Go Head” Young Jeezy “Street N*ggas” Frayser Boy f/ Mike Jones & Paul Wall “I Got Dat Drank” Fats f/ Maceo “Nextel Chirp” Memphis Bleek f/ Swizz Beatz “It’s Like That” Mike Jones “Back Then” 01: Wyclef and Buggah @ a Florida Marlins’ game (Miami, FL) 02: Trick Daddy and David Banner @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 03: Eddie DeVille, Chingo Bling, and friends reppin’ OZONE on the set of Paul Wall’s “Sittin’ Sideways” (Houston, TX) 04: Young Cash and Brisco @ Crobar (Miami, FL) 05: Teach, K-Foxx, and M-Dot at 99 Jamz (Miami, FL) 06: B5 reppin’ OZONE @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 07: Prince Markie Dee, Nina Chantale, and Trick Daddy (Miami, FL) 08: Chris of the 727 Boys and Webbie reppin’ OZONE @ the Underground (Tampa, FL) 09: KC, Rashad Tyler, and Slim Goodye @ Club Paris (Orlando, FL) 10: LaLa and Slim Thug @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 11: Boy Wonder and Mr. Bigg Time @ Club Troy for the Hittmen DJ’s Showcase (Miami, FL) 12: Noreaga showing off his personalized t-shirt @ House of Blues (Orlando, FL) 13: Big Gee of Boyz N Da Hood and DJ Chill reppin’ OZONE @ Stu- dio 7303 (Houston, TX) 14: Ted Lucas and Pitbull (Miami, FL) 15: Bigalow, Reese, & P Boy Stone reppin’ OZONE @ Junkyard 2 (Canton, MS) 16: Three 6 Mafia and Frayser Boy on the set of “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 17: Trick Daddy, Jae Millz, and Chingy @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 18: Mike Jones teaches some white folks how to sip “dat drank” on the set of Frayser Boy’s video (Houston, TX) 19: Mob B and the Lake Road Boys reppin’ OZONE (Orlando, FL) 20: TJ Chapman, Gorilla Tek, and T-Pain @ Club Troy (Miami, FL) 21: Roy Jones Jr. and Wally Sparks reppin’ OZONE... and what is going on behind them??? (Chattanooga, TN)

Photo Credits: Carmen Davis: #21 J Lash: #07,14 Julia Beverly: #02,03,04,05, 10,11,15,16,17,18,19,20 Keadron Smith: #13 KG Mosley: #08 Malik Abdul: #06,09 On Point: #01 Spiff: #12

12 OZONE JUNE 2005

01: Brooke Valentine and Amerie @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 02: The Outlawz reppin’ OZONE @ their release party (Atlanta, GA) 03: UTP reppin’ OZONE @ Southern University’s Springfest (Baton Rouge, LA) 04: JC, DJ Dirty, and Felisha LeBlanc reppin’ OZONE on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 05: Mike Jones shooting pool during lunch break of Frayser Boy’s video (Houston, TX) 06: Kevin Black and Marques Houston on South Beach (Miami, FL) 07: Pat Nix, DJ Wal-Gee and Willie Fischer @ Club Paris (Orlando, FL) 08: Smilez and Southstar reppin’ OZONE @ the Blue Room (Orlando, FL) 09: Aziattik Black and Marcus. @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 10: Freeway and Peedi Crakk performing @ Tabu for Big Earl’s Birth- day Bash (Orlando, FL) 11: TJ Chapman and Kaspa @ Club Troy (Miami, FL) 12: Tha Union reppin’ OZONE on South Beach (Miami, FL) 13: Money Mark and DJ Kool Aid @ Perfect Rack (Houston, TX) 14: Bedo and KC @ House of Blues (Or- lando, FL) 15: Grandaddy Souf and Frayser Boy @ his “I Got Dat Drank” video shoot (Houston, TX) 16: Tank and fans (Mi- ami, FL) 17: P$C’s Big Kuntry, Memphis Bleek, Roland Powell, and P$C’s Mac Boney @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 18: Butta Smoove, Chill Will, Freeway, and Peedi Crakk by the OZONE truck (Orlando, FL) 19: Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul, Jim Jones, and Juicy J @ Paul Wall’s “Sittin’ Sideways” video shoot (Houston, TX) 20: DJ Doc, Aziattik Black, and Sonic @ Junkyard 2 (Canton, MS) 21: Xzibit, Ras Kass, and Trick Daddy (Miami, FL)

Photo Credits: Dove: #01 Iisha Hillmon: #02 J Lash: #06,16,21 Julia Beverly: #04,05,09,11, 12,13,15,17,19,20 King Yella: #03 Malik Abdul: #07,08,10,18 Spiff: #14

14 OZONE JUNE 2005 Disclaimer: These interviews are anonymous, so we cannot verify if they are true or not. All So it sounds like there was a lot of details (cities, club names, hotel names) have foreplay. been removed. These stories do not necessar- Well, we were really rushed because ily represent the opinions of OZONE Magazine. they were leaving to go to the next These stories did not necessarily occur recent- state, and I was on my way [back home]. ly, so if you are currently seeing one of these So, during that initial encounter, there fine gentlemen, no need to curse him out. was some foreplay. The actual conver- These stories are from different women. sation started the night before when it was time to leave the afterparty. We had If you have a celebrity confession, send an planned to hook up the night before but email to [email protected] and we kinda lost track of each other. So we talked will reply with a phone number where you can about the fact that the night before was basi- call anonymously to be interviewed. cally like a missed opportunity.

NELLY: Did he have a girlfriend at the time? Did you talk about stuff like that? How did you meet Nelly? We talked about my career goals, and a little I have a friend who’s a fashion stylist. She does bit of his background. He’d tell me about life some work in the music industry, and I was on the road or whatever. At the time he was working with her and went with her on some kinda poked me, like, “Girl, you better go get popular, but he wasn’t as popular as he is now. business trips. She was working with some your man!” I went to his room just to say bye He was kinda leery of some of the things that people that were associated with a tour Nelly and we ended up sleeping together. came along with being famous. At the time I was on. was working on my degree and he thought it The girl in our last groupie confession about was really good that I was in college. We talked Basically you met him through work. Nelly didn’t have a good experience with about previous jobs he’d had and his back- Yeah, more or less. It was actually at an af- him. ground playing baseball. Getting into music terparty when we first met. We’d went to the My experience is completely contradictory to was basically like an accident for him. concert and I met Nelly at the afterparty. what she said, because I didn’t find that to be true. As a person, he’s incredibly charming. Do you still see him? You don’t have to give a specific date, but Every other word is “sweetheart.” I found him I’ve seen him from time to time, and some- how recent was it when you met? to be really personable and respectful. To me, times we do have sex. We’re basically friends Several years ago. he’s a good person, and the sex was excellent. with benefits.

When you met was it a friendly vibe or sex- The other girl said he had a small dick. What’s his situation with Ashanti? ual? That’s the one part of her story that was semi- From my understanding of the situation, they It was definitely a were trying to make a friendly thing, but we relationship work but were really attracted “[Nelly] was some of the best sex I’ve ever experienced it didn’t seem like it to each other. I wasn’t was serious enough sure if I wanted to go in my life, to be honest...He’s a talker. He asks a lot of for him to stop sleep- there. We communi- questions and talks throughout the whole process.” ing with other people. cated for the next few I probably shouldn’t weeks and I continued have even said that, to go with my friend to various cities. Every accurate. The size isn’t that great. It’s short and though. From what I know, he cares about her. time I was at a show or an afterparty, we were wide. Maybe like six inches. It’s wide, though, just going back and forth on a friendly basis. so maybe it looks shorter than it is. I think she Have you slept with any other rappers be- was exaggerating a little bit, but yeah, I wasn’t sides Nelly? Why were you hesitant to “go there”? impressed by his size either. No. This was an exception for me. When I met I don’t know. I was just thinking it was bad, him, I knew who he was, but I definitely wasn’t and I probably shouldn’t. Because of how I was So the sex was good? a fan of his. I had never purchased a Nelly CD. raised, I guess. It was some of the best I’ve ever experienced I was just attracted to him physically, because in my life, to be honest. He’s really consider- he’s my type. I’ve been approached by other You didn’t want to sleep with him because he ate. He’s a talker. He asks a lot of questions and rappers, but I definitely don’t plan on sleep- was a rapper? talks throughout the whole process. He’s very ing with them. I don’t agree with sleeping with Well, it wasn’t so much because he was a rap- considerate and concerned with your feelings. every famous person or entertainer that you per. It was mostly because we just didn’t know meet, but I guess some people might read this each other that well. What kinds of questions did he ask? story and consider me to be a groupie. Before he did anything, he’d ask, “Is it okay if I Did he tell you why he was attracted to you? do this? Can I touch you there? Do you like this?” Would you be offended if someone called you We talked about it at a later date, as far as Stuff like that. He asked me, “Are you gonna a groupie? what the initial attraction was. Part of it was cum? How can I make you cum?” He’s definitely I don’t think I’d be offended, but I wouldn’t just how I look. Later on he told me that it was a talker throughout. agree with them. A groupie is a person who because I wasn’t really chasing him. pursues someone for the sole reason of their Since it was a good experience, did you wish fame. I don’t think that describes me. I’m not Did you see a lot of girls chasing him? you’d slept with him sooner? looking for anybody’s money. I have an estab- Definitely, yeah. No, I was glad that I waited so long. I think the lished career and a college degree, so I’m not fact that we did wait so long was part of the out here sleeping with rappers to get money. At what point did it become sexual? reason that it even occurred, like, that was part A few weeks after we initially met, he had of the reason he was attracted to me. If I had to If the sex was good and y’all were friends, another concert date and we were flirting at do that over, I probably wouldn’t change it. why not try to develop a relationship? the afterparty. We were staying in the same I know who he is and I know that I could never hotel, and everybody was up late. I got back Do you think he asked questions like that to really try to have a one-on-one relationship late and eventually just went to sleep. The protect himself from any false accusations? with a rapper who gets panties thrown at him next morning me and my friend were say- You know, make sure you wanted the same on a daily basis. A man is only as faithful as ing goodbye to everybody from the tour. thing he wanted? his options, and he’s got plenty of options. If We’d gotten really familiar with most of Yeah, I think part of it was self-preservation, I’m gonna call somebody my man, I’d like to the people on the tour, and the artists but some of the questions went above and be- be able to spend time with them more often. knew who we were. I had the chance to yond that. I think his nature is just that he likes I didn’t go into it thinking he was gonna be my go say good bye to Nelly and my friend to talk during sex. future husband.

OZONE MAY 2005 15 01: Gotti and Game @ House of Blues (Orlando, FL) 02: T-Pain and Teddy T @ Club Troy for the Hittmen DJ’s showcase (Miami, FL) 03: Doc, TJ Chapman, and H Vidal @ Manilla (Tampa, FL) 04: Slim Thug riding in style on the set of the “I Ain’t Heard of That” remix video (Houston, TX) 05: Video models reppin’ OZONE on the set of DMX’s “Pump Ya Fist” (Miami, FL) 06: Tampa Tony and Plies @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 07: DJ Khaled, Ebony Eyez and David Banner @ Spring- fest (Miami, FL) 08: Jody Breeze reading OZONE (Tampa, FL) 09: Lil Wyte and Paul Wall on the set of his “Sittin’ Sideways” video shoot (Houston, TX) 10: Legend the Great and D-Rocc @ Plush (St. Louis, MO) 11: H Vidal and Tori Alamaze (Tampa, FL) 12: Wally Sparks and Spike Lee (Chattanoo- ga, TN) 13: Acafool and Proof @ Ludacris’ concert (Tampa, FL) 14: Khia reppin’ OZONE @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 15: Trina and friends (Miami, FL) 16: Unique and Luc- Duc @ Club Troy for the Hittmen DJ’s showcase (Miami, FL) 17: Boyz N Da Hood and Miss T in the French Quarter (New Orleans, LA) 18: John Tucker, Paul Wall, Frayser Boy, and Mike Jones on the set of “I Got Dat Drank” (Hous- ton, TX) 19: Raekwon and Bizmar- kie @ Mansion (Miami, FL) 20: P. DIddy, Rob Love, and Smitty @ Crobar (Miami, FL) 21: Benz and Boo da Boss Playa @ Junkyard 2 (Can- ton, MS)

Photo Credits: H Vidal: #03,11 JC: #10 J Lash: #15 Julia Beverly: #02,04,06,07, 09,16,18,20,21 KG Mosley: #08,13 Malik Abdul: #05,14 Marcus Jethro: #17 Sophia Jones: #19 Spiff: #01 Wally Sparks: #12

16 OZONE JUNE 2005 You guys have a new album coming out? Kane: (rapping) I got a ten-foot pole that’ll go in yo’ hole / Take yo’ soul, make nut come out yo’ nose / Ha, ha, ha, fall all on yo’ clothes, bitch / Now that I got you in the bed, I’m gon’ pull yo’ hair / Snatch yo’ ass up out of here, I’m gon’ pull yo’ hair.

Interesting. Kane: Me and D-Roc got something for these niggas. For every nigga, I’m gonna spit a rap on y’all cause I’m gonna tell y’all that. Gang- sta like Frank Nitty, don’t want the keys to my city like P Diddy / I just wanna rep for the neighborhood / So when you slide through my city I can always keep the word that the fla- vor good / Now I don’t sell this and I don’t sell that / But I dwell where them boys get them cell cases at / To a thug that might be thinkin’ young grip ain’t street / You ain’t gonna up your ranking if you worryin’ bout me / Your mind on the decline, your line on thin / If you don’t find something to do wit’ ya time you won’t win / I ain’t tellin’ y’all fuck nig- gas again / Y’all can’t fuck with the Ying Yang Twins / They hated on me before I got a grip / I got it now but still they don’t give a fuck / I’ll be a fool to think that y’all like me / I bet it’s some niggas that don’t know me that wanna fight me / Ain’t too many niggas that can rap that excite me / A lot of these niggas (l to r): Kane and D-Roc walk around here tryin’ to bite me / You can’t recite me and you might not like me but don’t “Pull Yo’ Hair”? What inspired you to cut your hair off, D- dislike it, get like it BITCH! D-Roc: Everything. We got a gospel song on the Roc? D-Roc: Yeah, what he said. album, an Al Green remake. Kane: He wanna be the Ying, and I’m gonna stay Kane: We got a war song on the album for the the Yang. So now that we’ve all heard “Wait,” we are soldiers called “Ghetto Classy.” D-Roc: Nah, I cut my hair, cause, don’t I look waiting to hear what your album is gonna D-Roc: We got a song called “Live Again” with cute? (laughing) Nah, cause I wanted to go sound like. Maroon 5. That’s for the strippers that are tired on more of a business look. Don’t I look cute D-Roc: It’s gonna sound like what he just said. of working at the strip club? though? Our album is called U.S.A.: United States of Kane: Me and my brother wrote the song. I wrote Atlanta. It’s gonna explain that you better the hook and Maroon 5 sunt it. I’m just lettin’ You’re going for a different look and a differ- understand Atlanta after you hear this al- you know before it get out. We wrote that song. ent sound this time around? bum. We made an album for everybody that You want me to sing the hook for you? D-Roc: Yeah, yeah, yeah, cause you gonna see a thinks Atlanta is just about crunk music. It’s lot of business comin’ out of Ying Yang this year not. You’ve got people that go to church in Sure. like HANNNNNNNNNH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our business Atlanta, people that work in Atlanta, people Kane: She stuff off in this lil’ room (room) / Wit’ gonna be on point like HANNNNNNNNNH!!!!! that sell dope in Atlanta, you got skrippers in nothin’ else to hold on to (to) / Her life is in a Atlanta, you got bums in Atlanta. Atlanta is lil’ box (box) / She wondering, will it ever stop? What kind of business ventures do you have not just crunk, but still, people been getting (stop) / Life of a stripper / I’m so sick and I’m coming up? crunk in Atlanta since I was zero years old. so tired of this club / I keep crying every night D-Roc: Everything! Everything I put my hands Twenty-six years I’ve been getting crunk in At- cause the years pass me by / I give up, I’m all on. I’m tryin’ to make it go gold. I might open lanta. Crunk has been the way of Atlanta since in / My whole life is full of sin / This road is a up a soul food restaurant. I might open up a Atlanta been Atlanta. dead end / I wanna live again. But it sound like Laundromat. Hey, I might do anything. Ying Kane: I don’t consider crunk to be a move- Maroon 5 wrote it. I told my momma, I was sup- Yang gonna venture off this year. Just be on the ment. I just consider the East and the West posed to be a white boy (laughing). Hey, since look out. I might make my own car and call it coast and then there’s the South, cause we this is for OZONE, since I did the hook I’m gonna Yingsu. wasn’t making enough noise to be like them. go ahead and do the rap. So now life goes in a full circle. D-Roc: This is live and direct. Who else is featured on the album besides D-Roc: HANNNNNNNNNH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kane: From the nipple to the bottle, never sat- Maroon 5? Kane: Life don’t go in a boomerang. isfied / But the money got you doin’ things to D-Roc: Man, you got me on the album, and my D-Roc: HANNNNNNNNNH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mess up your pride / But you really just tryin’ brother on the album (laughing). Nah, we got Kane: So now it’s time for the third coast to to get by / Every day you lookin’ up in the sky Mike Jones on the album, Lil Jon, Teedra Mo- get they fair shot. / Sometimes shit gets so hard it really have ses, Pitbull, Jacki-O, Anthony Hamilton. United D-Roc: HANNNNNNNNNH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you bothered / First you sigh, then you cry States of Atlanta in stores June 28th. Bet when Kane: Cause the East coast and the West coast up a whole puddle of water / It seem like shit you buy our album you gon’ be satisfied. I ain’t been controllin’ the game since it started. ain’t never gonna end / Merry-go-rounds turn to even got a copy of the album yet. I been wait- D-Roc: HANNNNNNNNNH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! whirlwinds / Wait ‘til it turns into a hurricane / ing for a copy my damn self. My boss man won’t Kane: The third coast in there now. Don’t If you see joy, you got to see pain / Shit in the give it to me, but when he do, ain’t nobody get mad. We got 63% of the game. world ain’t ever gonna change / Even when you gonna know. D-Roc: HANNNNNNNNNH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! die, it’ll be the same / You ain’t lookin’ at my Kane: We puttin’ it down for our folk at OZONE Kane: And it ain’t because we fake. circumstance / Jobs ain’t callin’ so you forced to as only we can. It’s the Ying Yang Twins, we D-Roc: HANNNNNNNNNH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dance / Hopin’ and prayin’ for a second chance doin’ a lot of things so we got to cut the time Kane: Like my homie Jeezy says: real / Just wanna put back on yo’ pants / Walk out short. So now it’s time to say goodbye / To all talk, nigga! the club and throw up yo’ hands / Tired of be- our OZONE friends / Thank you from D-Roc ing disrespected by a man / Sayin’ this shit ain’t and Kane / And we make the Ying Yang Twins What other types of songs do you right for you / A nigga been yellin’ all night for / Gone! have on there besides the “intimate you / Gotta do what’s best for you / Walk up to club music” songs like “Wait” and the club and tell ‘em YOU’RE THROUGH! - Interview and photos by Julia Beverly

OZONE JUNE 2005 17 01: Ray J, former boxing champ Ray Bell, and Roy Jones Jr. @ Power 94’s celebrity bball game (Chattanooga, TN) 02: Cool Runnings and the Hittmen DJs @ BCR (Daytona Beach, FL) 03: T-Pain and Akon @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 04: Lil Keith, DJ Chill, and Mike Deazel (Houston, TX) 05: Bizmarkie, Too Short, and Freestyle Steve @ Mansion (Miami, FL) 06: DJ Chill and X-Trct (Hous- ton, TX) 07: The Unusual Suspects’ Big D and Jim Jonsin reppin’ OZONE on South Beach (Miami, FL) 08: O-Eazy and Butta Smoove reppin’ for the OZONE truck (Orlando, FL) 09: DJ Laz and Pitbull at the Bad Boy Latino wel- coming party (Miami, FL) 10: Faith Evans reppin’ OZONE @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 11: Reese and Boo da Boss Playa reppin’ OZONE @ Junkyard 2 (Canton, MS) 12: On the set of Paul Wall’s video shoot for “Sittin’ Sideways” (Houston, TX) 13: Flava Flav @ Club Empire (Tampa, FL) 14: Mike Jones fans waiting for autographs (Houston, TX) 15: Paul Wall and Juicy J reppin’ for that siz- zurp (Houston, TX) 16: Michael Watts, Mike Jones, and Coach @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 17: 112 and David Banner @ the Sheraton (Miami, FL) 18: Roc-A-Fella’s Peedi Crakk, Young Gunz, Tierra Marie, Freeway, and Memphis Bleek @ 99 Jamz (Miami, FL) 19: Stay Fresh, TJ Chapman, Felisha Foxx, Gorilla Tek, T-Pain, and the Nappy Headz @ Club Troy for the Hittmen DJ’s showcase (Miami, FL) 20: Trick Daddy and Memphis Bleek @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 21: Stone, UTP, Partners- N-Crime, and Juvenile @ Firestone (Orlando, FL)

Photo Credits: Carmen Davis: #01 J Lash: #09,17 Julia Beverly: #03,04,07,11, 12,14,15,16,18,19,20 Keadron Smith: #06 Malik Abdul: #08,10 Sandman: #13 Shoeb Malik: #02 Sophia Jones: #05,21

18 OZONE JUNE 2005 When did you start rapping? Oh, I got into rap when I was like ten. I start- ed writin’, rappin’, you know, and once I was about 14, I was hot. I’m 21 now.

Was that when you hooked up with Trill? I was already like the hottest in my city before I was with Trill because I was with C-Loc and the Concentration Camp. C-Loc had gotten in a little trouble, and Trill came and snatched me up.

C-Loc is back out now, right? Yeah, we just did another song together called “Take A Picture.”

Are you gonna be doing another project with him then? Nah, I’m loyal to Trill now, I just did it for him when he came home because he put me in the game.

And you ran into a similar situation with Trill, because Pimp C got locked up. Yeah, but our CEOs, Mel and Turk, they had to step up.

Isn’t Pimp C supposed to be coming home soon? Yeah, he get out at the end of the year.

Do you think that’s gonna be a big boost for your label? Do you plan on recording with blowed us up even more. But we solo artists, lum, do you think you’ll have to switch up him? though, you know. your style yo sound a little more commercial Yeah, as soon as Pimp come home, we gonna or radio-friendly? go back to the studio right off top. Do you think people were confused which It’s still gonna be all the way gutter. I got a songs were yours and which were Webbie’s? couple songs on there for the ladies, four or Do you think that people like C-Loc and Yeah, I really think so. You know, I think they five songs about the struggle and the hustle, Pimp C get the credit they deserve on a na- was confused. But we on the big screen now, so four or five songs about the headbussin’. Every tional level? they know. album I drop, you can just put it in and let it Yeah, in certain people’s eyes they get credit, drop. That’s why they be waiting so anxiously but most people don’t know. It wasn’t like it Do you plan on putting any more albums out for me to drop. was supposed to be. But that’s why they got together? me now. I’m taking it to that level. I’m gonna We dropping his album in July, you know, and Do you plan on putting out a mixtape or any- take over that. my album in August. Then we’re gonna drop Trill thing ahead of time to promote your album? Family Volume One, kinda like Cash Money Mil- I might put out that Bad Ass Holdup. I don’t When is your next album coming out? lionaires. That’s how we’re gonna come with know, it depends on how good my boy Webbie’s It’s coming out August 5th. It’s called Boosie that. album is doing. Bad Ass. Who produced most of your album? Your in- Is there tension between you and Webbie? What was the situation with Mr. Magic and house producer Mouse? Nah. We got our differences, but you know, Roy Jones Jr.? You and Magic had that song Yeah, Mouse. It’s mostly my in-house dude. You that’s what makes us raw. Everybody got our called “I Smoke, I Drank,” and Roy took you know, we probably gonna be getting some more differences. Webbie, he’s the wild type. I’m off the song and put it out nationally and it tracks from Mannie Fresh. laid-back, big dawg status. Webbie is wild. blew up. I guess Roy Jones is the boss or whatever. They Who else is featured on the album? Since you’ve gotten your deal with Asylum, just took me off the song. It wasn’t no big Mostly just Webbie, and I’ll probably put Camron did you make any major purchases? Any hous- deal, though. and Juelz Santana on there. Maybe Joey Crack es or cars? too, I don’t know yet. I got a couple cars. I got a 745 Beemer, I got So you’re cool with Magic now? that new Magnum, I got that new Monte Carlo, Yeah, we straight. It ain’t no beef or nothing. You’ve got some East coast dudes on there, that race car. I got a couple Cadillacs. That wasn’t his call, you know. trying to switch it up a little bit. Yeah, I’m trying to get that New York market, So you’re the man in Baton Rouge. I heard you were on the radio talking about that Cali market. I might do something with Mya. Yeah, I been the man in Baton Rouge since I was how you were gonna sue Roy. It’s jumping off right now. I just did the video like 15, since I was in C-Loc’s camp. As soon as Nah, man, I’m too real to sue somebody. I for “Ain’t Got Nothing,” me, David Banner, and they heard me, I was hot. We kept dropping al- ain’t gonna sue nobody. I got people that owe Magic. That’s hot right now, you know? bums. I been the man, they love me in my city. me right now, but I ain’t gonna sue them for Everybody that knows me knows I’m not telling a couple G’s. I’m already getting money like Do you think you and Webbie are gonna be the no lies. They 100% behind me. that. ones to put Baton Rouge on the map? Yeah, every hood that we go through, they love Is there anything else you want to say? So when you first came out you were a us. We got real love, you know what I’m sayin’? Free Mystikal. Rest in peace Lil Ivey and my solo artist? We’ve got our music on a national level. We sell- grandmother, she kept me focused. They al- Yeah I was the first solo artist on Trill. I in’ 45,000, shit, we got 10,000 CDs at a time with ways told me I was gonna be a good rapper. And put out my first album on Trill, it was the 40 states behind us. We gonna take it to that my album Boosie Bad Ass comes out August 5th, For My Thugs CD. Then after that, me level, you know? We gonna be like Pac and Biggie the first single is “Super Fly” and the second and Webbie came with that Gangsta like some of that shit. single is “Fresh Cut.” Muzik and people started really lik- ing Webbie too. Us together, it kinda Now that Trill has signed a label deal with Asy- - Julia Beverly (photo: King Yella)

OZONE JUNE 2005 19 01: Trina, Tigger, and DJ Khaled (Miami, FL) 02: Models reppin’ OZONE (Miami, FL) 03: Indio, Da Sick One, and Big Earl @ Tabu for his birthday bash (Orlando, FL) 04: Janky, Sherry, and Aziattik Black @ Junkyard 2 (Canton, MS) 05: Barry from the movie Life, Juicy J, and Darius McCrary from Family Matters on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 06: Chill Will, Freeway, and Peedi Crakk @ Tabu for Big Earl’s birthday bash (Orlando, FL) 07: Sean Paul of the YoungBloodz and Oozie @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 08: Mike Jones never stops promoting (Hous- ton, TX) 09: Twisted Black performing @ Club Troy for the Hittmen DJ’s showcase (Miami, FL) 10: 8Ball reppin’ OZONE @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 11: Kristi Jordan and Troy Marshall reppin’ OZONE on South Beach (Miami, FL) 12: DJ Epps reppin’ OZONE @ Club 112 for his birthday party (Miami, FL) 13: Brian McKnight and friends on Orange Ave. (Orlando, FL) 14: Gaby Acevedo and David Banner @ Spring- fest (Miami, FL) 15: Felisha Foxx and Young Cash reppin’ OZONE @ Club Troy (Miami, FL) 16: Greg Street and DJ Jelly @ the Ying Yang Twins’ press junket (Atlanta, GA) 17: Camron, Jigga JT, and Juelz Santana (New Orleans, LA) 18: John Tucker, Paul Wall, and Three 6 Mafia on the set of “Sittin’ Side- ways” (Houston, TX) 19: Reppin’ OZONE on the set of Paul Wall’s “Sittin’ Sideways” (Houston, TX) 20: Warner Bros. staff (Miami, FL) 21: Luc-Duc, Paul Wall, and Teddy T @ Konnections (Hous- ton, TX)

Photo Credits: Bogan: #02 J Lash: #01,20 Julia Beverly: #04,05,07,09, 11,14,15,16,18,19,21 Keadron Smith: #08 Malik Abdul: #03,10,12,13 Marcus Jethro: #17 Spiff: #06

20 OZONE JUNE 2005 Talk about your new compilation, Young, Fly & Flashy, Vol. I. It’s just letting everybody know that we are continuing what So So Def has always been. We live off young, new niggas that’s flashy and fly. TYoung, fly and flashy is just the motto of So So Def. From day one, that’s how I came in. “Money Ain’t A Thing.” The whole overall thing was to put people in that mentality. So So Def is going to continue no matter what home we’re in. So to start off our new rela- tionship with Virgin and as our new home, why not put this out, let everybody see the new artists? So the Afroman continues to shine. That’s the mindset of it, but it got more in- depth as I started looking at it, because at first I was coming with new artists off the gate like my man Young Capone. But if I come out with a new artist that nobody knows, it’s going to be a little harder to do than to come with an established artist. And I was looking around for the established artist and I couldn’t find one, and then I looked in the mirror and the established artist happened to be me. So I took out a record, “Gotta Getcha,” that I did for my album The Green Light that was sup- posed to come out through Arista. I said, This record is smoking. It should have been came out. I made this the first single of Young, Fly & Flashy Vol. I and I put myself back on the block as an artist.

You’ve got several new artists, like Young trepreneur, I just rolled reckless. Now I got a job life into, it’s all going to be meshed together. Capone, T. Waters, Slim. What was it about and I got to make sure I keep everybody in line You got to turn your cell off. You got to learn these artists that made you sign them? as well as myself. to break it down. A lot of people look at me Everybody came to me individually, as me strange, but you have to. At this point, my girl- looking for my gang. What can you bring to How did you get the position at Virgin? friend is from the most famous black family in the gang? You never have enough guns. T. Wa- It came from shopping around a deal for me, music and people are always trying to be in her ters was an artist whose cousin was pushing looking for places to go. I wanted a position like business as much as possible whether because him heavy at Magic City. I’d see his cousin this. I wanted to be the President or CEO of one of her brother or brothers. And you can never and he’d say I should listen. I never listened. of these companies. That was my goal. I was tell who’s there for the right reasons. When it I never listen to CDs that people give me at looking to be more in control. I feel like I bring comes to my private life, I just shut everything strip clubs because nine times out of ten it a lot more to the table than just making records down. ain’t no shit that you want to hear anyway. and giving some advice. I never got a shot to I would take the CD but never put it in. But show people. What do you say to people who say that if you persistent like that, eventually I’m go- Southern hip-hop is a fad? ing to check you out. He went over the top. What are some of the lessons you’ve learned I don’t know what that means. What’s the defi- He was really persistent. Every week. I finally over the years in this business? nition of a fad? A fad is only 2-3 years, to me. put the CD in and I heard this kid’s voice, and Business is business. That’s the biggest one. I made Kris Kross records in ’92. It’s 2005 right I’m like, where he from? I couldn’t imagine he That’s a lesson that you got to really understand. now. That’s 13 years. That’s no fad. This is here was from Atlanta the way he sounded. Then I That’s like shooting someone in cold blood. I had to stay. The kids in the South, they don’t care. started hearing a lot of country slang as well a friend named Mohammed Bell, Kool’s son from This is good music. This is what they want to as a lot of up-top slang. Right now, to me 50 Kool & The Gang. Me and his son were best of hear. If you go to the South, they don’t care Cent sound like a New York country dude. I friends and he had an artist named ROCC that about 50 Cent being #1. They want to hear felt like, this is what the industry’s missing. was signed to So So Def before. ROCC was a great some of that country music. They don’t care if That’s what Biggie had. He had the connection artist but we hit a snag in the business side. We Usher sold eight million records. So what? The between the South and New York. He had that weren’t on the same page with his records. Loretta Twins sold 20 million. Country music down pat. He spoke the same words that MJG When I left Columbia, I left that artist with has its own world. That’s how Atlanta’s going & Eightball was talking but he was still from them. It was all business. I can’t snag my life for to be in a minute. You go to Nashville and they Brooklyn. I signed T. Waters. Young Capone is something that don’t work for us. It wasn’t like I got their own publishing companies. I feel we a little more lyrical than the average crunk cutthroat him. Business is business. I don’t make should have our own publishing companies in artist. Most crunk artists just yell and scream money unless I put out product that sells. A lot Atlanta. This city is musical. I’m not going to at you. Capone is the epitome of young, fly of people want you to put out records just to stop until I see that it’s like that. Until every- and flashy. He doesn’t have a record deal and put them out. “That’s my man, put him out. You one in the world understands that Southern mu- he’s popping shit about how fly he was and my man.” There’s guilt when you have to drop sic is a non-stopping movement and Atlanta is how he’d take your girl. I liked it. It spoke to somebody, but it’s business. Hopefully, you can the new Motown. me as young, fly and flashy. He fit that gang. get past it. Anybody that’s young, trying to be an Slim was a young artist from Queens that I executive, you have to understand that. You have a three-year contract with Virgin, so brought to Atlanta. He got the flair of the what’s your three-year plan? South with the dialect of New York. How do you keep your business and personal My plan is to make Virgin become hot as far as lives separate? culture and music. Now, people want to work Do you have a lot more responsibility as I’m learning how to leave my pagers off, and turn for Virgin. Artists want to sign to Virgin. That’s head of Urban Music at Virgin? my phones off. In life, every room has a door. I something that wasn’t going on before I came. A lot of new responsibility. You got to look at it like the Matrix going down the hallway. People was telling me, “You gonna ruin your watch everybody. You got to watch your If you open the door and bring your phone in career [going with Virgin].” Now I’m sitting in whole staff and make sure they doing there, you’re bringing all the other shit that goes my office, niggas trying to get jobs. Sending me they job. You got to stay on top of along with the phone in there, into your house. demos. So Virgin is a place that people want to them. You got to watch your numbers, And the next thing you know, it’s all going to be be because of me. Now I just got to sell some the money you’re spending. As an en- in your house. And it’s going to turn your private records.

OZONE JUNE 2005 21

Not too many rappers have a story like Rich Boy. After getting his song played on a lo- cal radio station in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama, Rich Boy met up with Polow of Jim Crow and was soon signed to Interscope. Currently working on his debut album, he’s been in the studio with Kanye West, Timba- land, Jazze Pha and Needlz. And he’s only 21.

In addition to music, his resume also boasts a short stint at Tuskegee University studying mechanical engineering. In addition to be- ing a rapper, Rich Boy also makes beats. As a young producer, Roy Jones Jr. was one of his clients. Ready to follow in the footsteps of his influences: UGK, 8Ball & MJG, South Circle and Crime Boss, Rich Boy is ready to let the world know that Alabama rappers got game too.

What’s the hip-hop scene like in Mobile, Ala- bama? It’s more of a local scene, local artists. Every- body watches 106th & Park. Everywhere you go, you’ve got someone trying to make it. I’ve been rapping for two years. I was trying to make it in school but I just wasn’t feeling it. Around the time Ice Cube had “Today Was A Good Day” out, I used to freestyle, but I was never serious about it.

What was your first performance? came out. Every time I hear a beat, I try to vibe because he gave me this chance on this big la- My first performance was actually in Puerto with it. bel. At the same time, it’s very competitive be- Rico with Mannie Fresh for the Mixshow Power cause they have the big guys over here like 50 Summit last year at Club Arena. It was back- What was it like for you growing up? Cent and Eminem. So, I have to try my best to wards for me because I know you’re supposed My childhood wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good ei- give them the best material to the point where to start off doing local performances and ther. I’d say it was somewhat in-between. I had they won’t look over me. I have to stand out. talent shows, but I got a deal before I had a bad days and good days. I wouldn’t say it was the It’s an everyday fight. chance to perform locally. slummiest of the slums. I’ve seen people killed, all the dope. I seen all the negativity but I also How did you hook up with Mannie Fresh? How did you get a deal so easily without go- had a positive side. My mom always tried to keep I was messing with Jazze Pha because Polow ing through the local circuit? me in church. She balanced it out. gave him my CD. So Jazze Pha flew me out to a My homeboy Polow from Jim Crow hooked it Cash Money session because he wanted to meet up. When [Jim Crow] were hot, they were What do you think you’d be doing today if you me. He introduced me to Mannie Fresh and we coming through Mobile to the radio station. weren’t rapping? hooked up. Fresh wanted to work me ever since I know DJ Nick@Nite [from WBLX] because I That’s probably why I’m not in prison today, be- then. He stuck to his word. He wanted to work took my CD up there for him to play. He was cause of my mama. A lot of my kinfolk got locked with me and he made it happen. playing one of my songs, “Cold As Ice,” and he up so it was an example before me. I took that as called me when Jim Crow came through the a lesson. I did a lot of stuff where if I got caught Did Polow produce the majority of your al- station. Me and Polow hooked up. Jim Crow I would be locked up. bum? were with Interscope. When Polow heard my Polow produced a lot of the album. But he’s not CD, he flew me down to Atlanta to work with Didn’t you used to be called Lil’ Rich? How’d the type of producer that wants to just put all him and Bubba Sparxx. They put some mon- you get your name? his records on there. We came up with the best ey behind studio time for me and we did a I got the name Rich Boy because my daddy of the best. demo. Polow went to Jimmy Iovine and Jimmy owns a liquor store in the middle of the hood, loved it. We got a deal. We didn’t even have and people call him Rich. So, the people in the So your first single is called “D-Boyz,” right? a meeting. neighborhood would always say, “That’s Rich’s What’s the concept of the video for that boy.” That’s how I came up with the name Rich song? Do you think you were signed because the Boy. It might sound like it’s glorifying the drug game, South is so hot right now? but it’s really not. It’s not glorifying drug boys. My style of rap, I switch it up a lot. I don’t Do you feel pressure to come out strong, be- It’s telling drug dealers who are already in the feel like I’d be stuck if I came out any other cause there aren’t any major rappers that dope game, here’s the rules. It represents how time. It’s not really about the South being hot. have come out Mobile? everybody wants to be a drug dealer these The way my music is, it’s more of a universal It’s a lot of pressure. A lot of people think it days. The kids look up to the drug dealers more thing. I got songs that sound like you probably would feel good, but it keeps your mind work- than they look up to people who graduated couldn’t pinpoint my location. ing. Every morning I wake up and I feel like I got from college. to do something for the hometown. They never I heard a few of your songs and they have a had anybody on TV representing them. It’s big Do you think that’s a big problem with hip- real party vibe. What other types of songs for the city [for me to get signed to Interscope]. hop today? do you have? They probably feel better about it than me. I’m I feel like some rappers do give a positive im- Most of the topics I talk about on my songs just trying to stay focused. age, but some give off a negative image. But, are street characteristics, things I did on if people are buying their CDs, that’s what they the street, or seen first-hand. It’s just Getting signed to Interscope is big. They’re want to listen to. You can listen to the negative rapping about stuff I can relate to as far basically the biggest hip-hop label that’s out stuff, but it all depends on how you’ve been as the streets of Mobile, Alabama. All of there right now. raised. If you’re raised right, it won’t rub off them, they give a different vibe. De- I feel like it was destiny. I feel sometimes that on you. pends how the person feels when they God put me here for a reason. I feel like I do hear it. Sometimes a party vibe just have to deliver a positive message sometimes - Jessica Koslow (photo: Julia Beverly)

OZONE JUNE 2005 23 In our May 2005 interview with BME artist and Lil Jon protege Bohagon, he said, “I ain’t no country bump- kin. A lot of people have this perception of the country that I’m trying to erase. People see videos of the country where niggas playing with pigs.” Field Mob, who featured a pig in their video, apparently took the comment as a personal insult and dissed Bohagon during their concert at The Firehouse in Columbus, Geor- gia. We spoke with Bohagon, Field Mob’s Shawn Jay, and the concert promoter (101.3 The Beat’s Program Director DJ Controller) to find out what really happened. (interviews by Julia Beverly)

SHAWN JAY: BOHAGON: What did Bohagon say Was your statement in OZONE about that started this beef? pigs intended to be a Field Mob diss? I heard he said some- Nah. I didn’t say their name. I just thing in XXL? said that because, when everybody It wasn’t XXL, it was finds out where I’m from, they auto- that beautiful OZONE matically assume that I’m like [Field Magazine. And it’s crazy Mob] and link me to them. People cause I was just tellin’ think we kick it the same way. All I Jazze Pha the other day was sayin’ is that you ain’t gonna see that I liked [Bohagon’s] no pigs in my video. [Field Mob] took music. And I seen him it differently, and they came to my at Body Tap and he said city and disrespected me. what up to me but he was actin’ funny. Then I go home and read They dissed you at a concert in Columbus? the OZONE Magazine and he’s in there talkin’ I did the birthday bash with one station there, and [Field ‘bout people havin’ pigs in their videos. Mob] was on the other station dissin’ me that same evening but I wasn’t listening so I didn’t know nothing about it. I get DJ CONTROLLER: Are you sure his comment was supposed to to the club that night and me and my folks go to VIP, and What did you see happen at the be a diss to you? Bubba Sparxxx had a pig in all I hear is, “Fuck Bohagon, fuck you, you pussy nigga!” concert in Columbus? his video too. Maybe it was just a general Shawn Jay said I just wanna be like Field Mob, I can’t rap While Field Mob was doing their statement. like them. He said, “Don’t hide, come see me.” He in my show, they took a long pause and We started that country shit, even though city, sayin’ this! In my hometown, my backyard! talked about Bohagon like a dog. [Bubba Sparxxx is] my dawg, we still did it They said they represent the South, first. I don’t give a fuck. I never made any sly So it turned into a physical altercation? and don’t appreciate Bohagon doin’ remarks that [Bohagon] woulda thought was Yeah. magazine interviews putting down supposed to be a diss to him. Real niggas do the South. When they came off the real things. Was anyone injured? stage, Bohagon’s entourage met I wasn’t injured. I’m good. I know what went down, but I them with blows. And y’all got into a fistfight in Columbus? ain’t tryin’ to put their business in the street. I ain’t tryin’ What happened exactly? to make it like no Flip and T.I. shit. I ain’t tryin’ to be rap- Was it an all-out fight or a minor Shit, I’m still pretty. I left with all my jewelry pin’ about them. We had a disagreement, and if they ready scuffle? after fightin’ ‘bout four of five of them boys. I to let it go, I’m ready to let it go. It’s on them. They disre- It was way beyond a minor scuffle. ain’t fight with Bohagon; we never had a fight, spected me, and that’s why the shit happened. I ain’t like I We saw Bohagon’s entourage suc- let’s clear that up for the record. Do I look like got some vendetta against them niggas. cessfully whoop Shawn’s ass, how- I was fightin’? You see me. I’m very pretty. I’m ever, Field Mob’s entourage did my biggest fan. So whatever story y’all wanna You were cool with them before? considerable damage to Bohagon put out there, it’s cool. I’m good. I still got Yeah! We had just kicked it a few weeks before. Smoke had too. Smoke kinda ran out of the ac- all my jewelry on. I just wanted to clear that come to a show I did at Chocolate’s, he was on stage with tion. up, because you know how the internet is. me and shit. I seen Shawn Jay at Body Tap a few weeks Allhiphop.com must not like me, cause they ago. Did security or police get in- keep lyin’ on me and puttin’ some bullshit out volved? there. But it’s all good, cause I’m still pretty. Yeah, he mentioned that, and he said that it seemed like There was no police involvement, It’s no beef. I have no beef with the nigga. you had an attitude or were kinda cold towards him. but the club security had to pull Hell naw. When I seen [Shawn Jay] at Body Tap, it was a several people apart. So if Bohagon walked by right now, would party Greg Street threw. It was packed to capacity. I was y’all be able to have a civil conversation or high as hell. I dapped him up and kept it moving. I definitely Being the promoter of the event, would it be a fight? ain’t dissed him at the party. I got love for them cats. Why did you feel like it was a negative A fight? No, for what? I heard people were would I be out here disrespecting him? I just let people know situation for your station or for comin’ up to my label the next day tryin’ to that I’m not gonna have pigs in my video. I ain’t wish no ill the city? squash the shit, and I’m like, what are you will on them or nothing. Regardless, if he felt like I ain’t I think it was negative for hip-hop tryin’ to squash? There’s no beef. He didn’t show him no love at the Body Tap, I dapped him up and said shows across the board, because say anything to me. I’ve still not talked to Bo- “What’s happenin’.” I ain’t disrespect him. Like, the towns we already catch hell trying to get hagon. You good, homie! Come see me! I’m we’re from are like 30, 40, 50 miles apart. I don’t need to venues and insurance for these good, I’m excellent! But don’t be tellin’ no be dissin’ these cats, cause we reppin’ the same area. type of events. I really hated to see lies on me. I did start this country shit. Niggas these guys that are looked up to by be tryin’ to sound like Smoke and shit. Every- It sounds like everybody’s ready to smooth over the situ- our listening audience demonstrate body be tryin’ to bite that country shit, but ation. What’s the chances of you sitting down and talking that type of hostility and lack of we did start it. to Field Mob and resolving things? self control. I actually talked to Smoke the other day on the phone. It Anything else you want to say? was like a six-way call. I told him I ain’t got no problem Anything else you want to say? I ain’t no hater. Buy Bohagon’s album when it with them, but at the same time, I’m a man and you can’t Bohagon personally called me comes out. Buy it! I can’t believe that nigga disrespect me. the next day to apologize, and dissed me, though. That’s what hurt me ‘bout I thought that was big of him. it. He wasn’t even near me and I was showin’ Anything else you want to say? He said it wasn’t his ambition this nigga love, biggin’ him up! Ask Jazze. I want everybody to know that I ain’t got nothing but love to be out here with that type Ask a real nigga how I’m showin’ this nigga for Field Mob. I was put in a position where I ain’t have no of hostility, but the fact that love, and then I’m reading the magazine, like, choice. They put me in that position. I was actually a Field he was being disrespected what!? Yeah, I got a pig in my video! I’ll have Mob fan. I disagreed with the pigs in the video, but aside and there was 2,000 people another one if I want to! Why do another nigga from that, I’m a Field Mob fan. in the place, he felt like he worry about how I get my paper? had to do something.

24 OZONE JUNE 2005

Who exactly is Greg Street? From the radio to the studio to the clubs, Greg Street is a radio personality, DJ, and entrepreneur.

Where are you from? I’m from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, which is about ninety miles from Jackson. Me and David Banner are boys from back there. I started doing radio after school and when I graduated I started working for the radio station full-time in Hattiesburg. I left school after my sec- ond year and got my break working at 93 WLBX in Mobile, Alabama, which is like a legendary station in the South.

How did you end up here in Atlanta? I left Mobile in 1990 and went to Houston, DJing at Magic 102. I moved to Dallas in 1992 and then Atlanta in 1995. In 2002, I started DJing in both Dallas and Atlanta. I was flying back and forth be- tween the two cities. Now it’s 2005, and 40,000 sky miles later, I’m back in Atlanta full-time. I’m still doing some stuff in Dallas as far as consulting, but I’m moving back to Atlanta full-time to go back to V103. That’s the station I’ve been working at since 1995. Seven years full time, three years part time.

Aside from radio, what else do you have going on? I’ve got a lot of projects jumpin’ off. The celebrity car/bike show DVD is coming out soon. It’s a mixtape/soundtrack with a DVD. It has footage from the car show in Dallas in 2004 and Atlanta’s car show in 2005 over Easter weekend. Everyone was at the car show in Dallas – Mannie Fresh and Baby, Jermaine Dupri and Bow Wow, Ci- ara, Boyz N Da Hood, Young Jeezy, Slim Thug, and a lot of athletes. At the Atlanta show of course we had Bobby Valentino, the Young Gunz, Memphis Bleek, Young Jeezy, T.I., Big Boi, Evander Holyfield, and Xzibit. The DVD is designed for guys who have screens in their cars. We’ve got a couple more celebrity events and concerts coming up. The parties are gonna be crazy. It’s a whole movement coming back to the ATL.

When you were traveling back and forth between Dallas and At- lanta, how hard was it to maintain both markets? It wasn’t that bad. I did a hot club in Dallas called Club Blue on Friday nights, so I’d stay up all night, catch the 5:30 AM flight to Atlanta. Get in around 9 AM, go home, take a nap, then go to the radio station around 5 PM. I’d go on the air at 6, spin at The Bounce and Pin-Ups, then go back to Dallas on the 3 o’clock flight and be at work in Dallas by 6.

Were you living out of a suitcase the whole time? I didn’t have to pack because I had houses in two cities, so all I had to do was take my backpack and car keys. I’d leave one car at the Atlanta airport, fly to Dallas, get my other car, go to work, then come back to the airport and fly back out.

Coming from a small market like Hattiesburg to two major mar- kets is a huge accomplishment. How do you think you were able to pull that off? Prayer. You’ve got to believe in what you’re doing. You’ve got to be honest with yourself: do you have the talent to do what you want? Are you a slick enough marketing person to make it happen? You’ve got to be creative, not just doing what everyone else is doing. For all the Mississippi people out there, me and David Banner are com- mitted to doing a project. We’re gonna do a Mississippi album of all new artists and put it out there underground. We gonna find the hottest artists all through out the Delta and put together an under- ground Mississippi album, and he’s gonna do the tracks. We gonna team up wth the different radio stations in Mississippi to find the talent, bring them all into Jackson, and judge it to pick the winners to be on the album.

Aside from DJing abilities, what do you think are important skills to have in radio? Marketing is very important. You’ve got to do things to brand your name and be out here in the community, for real. I do scholarship funds, after-school programs. I take kids every year to the White House, the Smithsonian Institute, Tuskegee, Disney World, stuff like that. People can tell if you’re real or fake, so if you’re able to really connect with the community that makes you stand out.

Do you want to give out any contact information? GregStreetCarShow.com or GregStreetOnline.com.

OZONE JUNE 2005 27

What’s the name of your new album? Don P: You talkin’ about the issue with Pimp C on the cover, right? All I Don P: Trillville Reloaded. It’s goin’ down. gotta say is that when Pimp C gets out, that shit is gonna be on!

Walk me through some of the songs on the album. What’s the concept Do we have features from the rest of the BME family on this album? of the songs, and who’s featured on them? Dirty Mouf: Yeah, we got E-40, Lil J from Crime Mob, and Lil Jon, of L.A.: Well, the intro is us three lettin’ you know that we’ve been gone course. and now we back. We’re household names now cause of “Some Cut,” and we just tryin’ to let people know where we been and where we tryin’ How many tracks did you produce for this album? to take you. Don P: I think I only did two on this album cause I’m saving my tracks for Trilltown Entertainment. Besides, Lil Jon is the king. Fuck that. Go After the intro, what’s the first song on the album? ‘head, Jon. Don P: ”Speak Nothin’ Less,” produced by ya boy Don P. Doin’ it real big. I think Dirty Mouf’s verse on this song is one of the hottest verses on How exactly did you get the sound effects of the creaking bedspring the album. Y’all gotta check that song out, that shit is jammin’. It’s off for “Some Cut”? the chain so make sure y’all get that. Number three is the “Yeah” song Dirty Mouf: We was at L.A.’s house and, you know, we just had the re- with Three 6 Mafia. You know, it’s my trademark “Yeah.” I had it on the corder up under the bed and it went down. first album, the Trillville/Scrappy album. They was all asking why I say “Yeah.” So you were all in the room together? Don P: Nah, we had slipped it up under the bed and he ain’t even know How is it different than the Lil Jon “Yeah”? it was in there. Don P: (demonstrates the difference between his “Yeah!” and Lil Jon’s “Yeah!”) Then I got the “A” and the “Yeah’s” that I’ve had for years, but I don’t know if I believe that. It sounds a little too crisp on the re- niggas try to take my “Yeah’s.” cord. Don P: Anything can be done in the studio. It wasn’t really even intended Do you consider crunk music to be hip-hop, or do you feel like it’s to be used on a song. IT was gonna be a “skeet” but then Jon was like, something totally different? “We need to get that on a song.” So we put it in the beginning, and L.A.: Crunk music is its own general character, ya feel what I’m sayin’? there it was. That’s what it is. Crunk is crunk. So you guys are getting a lot more cut now. So if somebody up North was like, “Oh, I don’t fuck with Trillville, Don P: I’ve been gettin’ cut. that’s not real hip-hop,” what would you say? L.A.: Yeah, ain’t nothing changed but the range, you know? Dirty Mouf: Sounds good to me! That’s crunk! Don P: I mean, I love hip-hop, man. I’m a DJ too so of course I play hip- Speaking of cuttin’, I heard there was a mixtape coming out about hop records. DJ Corleone. Don P and your, uh, bedroom habits. Don P: Yeah, yeah. There’s a little mixtape. AIn’t nobody really paying Do y’all listen to East coast artists? attention to it, so I don’t really wanna blow it up. I ain’t even gonna Don P: Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, I love Jadakiss. respond to it. It’s a lot of mixtapes where people try to single me out, Dirty Mouf: Wu-Tang. I guess because I be doin’ some cra- L.A.: Shawn Carter, holla at ya boy. zy shit other than just rappin’. I be producing and all that shit, and nig- What do you think about 50 Cent “The hood ain’t cool. A lot of gas just try to call me out for some battling Jadakiss and Fat Joe? reason. Everybody knows what the Don P: Shit, they doin’ they thing. people try to make it seem like real is. When I take my shit to the Dirty Mouf: Doin’ they thug thizzle. staying in the ghetto is cool, but streets, then niggas wanna change L.A.: Definitely. their minds and shit so I’d rather just Don P: They rappin’ on records and that’s where a lot of people are not even speak on it. A lot of niggas they doin’ it good, fa sure. got mixtapes out about us. That shit forced to be. Once you get that don’t mean shit, cause niggas ain’t Are y’all on good terms with every- makin’ no money off it. I come out one right now, or are we gonna hear chance to move out the hood, with my own CD about me and it’ll any diss records on this album? sell more than these niggas talkin’ Don P: I doubt it. Ya know, if I’m gon- that’s what you do.” - Don P ‘bout me. na diss somebody, I try to bring it to the streets if it’s a real problem. I really don’t want to waste my time, What’s the first project coming from your label Trilltown? but you might hear something from me on a mixtape or something if I’m Don P: We’ve got the Trilltown Mafia coming out this summer. That’s just trying to warn a nigga. Montay C, Big Mill, and T-3. Trilltown Mafia will be out this summer. There’s been a good response to them already. When y’all were beefing with Lil Scrappy last year, he made a com- ment that y’all were from the suburbs to diss you. Do they have the same type of sound as Trillville? Dirty Mouf: Everybody from the suburbs. Can’t be in the hood too long. Don P: It’s a lot of the same, but a little different. They still in high Don P: Your whole goal is to get out the hood. The hood ain’t cool. A lot school, so they crazy cool. of people try to make it seem like staying in the ghetto is cool, but that’s where a lot of people are forced to be. Once you get that chance to move So it’s kinda like when y’all first came out. out the hood, that’s what you do. You can always go back to your hood. I Don P: Nah, kinda like Crime Mob, but a lil’ different. I did the beats, so always ride back through my hood. But where am I gonna park my truck you kinda get a little chance to feel my vibe. with 26’s at? Not in the hood! That shit gon’ get stolen. Is that an independent project, or are you doing it through BME? How long have you had the name Trillville? Don P: Yeah, we’ll probably set it up so it’ll come out through BME and Forever. As long as we can remember. Warner Brothers.

There’s a lot of people using that term. There’s Webbie and Boosie’s Anything else you want to say? label Trill Entertainment, Treal from Mississippi with Reese & Bigalow, Dirty Mouf: Trillville Reloaded coming real soon: June 21st. the group Treal from Orlando… L.A.: New album, new album, new album. Don P: That’s the originators of trill, Bun B and Pimp C, that’s they thing Don P: Shouts to my boy Eric from BME with the shirts and the shades. so of course they gonna have a label called Trill. But we got Trilltown He do a lot more than that too, but this is what I like the most besides Entertainment. him callin’ me, wakin’ me up at six to catch a flight. OZONE Magazine, we got the cover, yeah! The group Treal had some comments about you guys in the last issue of OZONE. Do you have a response to that article? - Interview and photos by Julia Beverly

OZONE JUNE 2005 29

What is your job title? zon Wireless, Guiness Extra Stout, Hen- Big Mouth Marketing and Promotions is my company. nessy, New Balance, Reebok, Alize, and I’ve been self-employed for about six years now. Seagram’s Gin, to name a few. The music I’m the fusion between the record labels and the game has always been consistent, but the corporations and the streets. I understand my mar- corporate shit keeps my lights on. The labels ket, so I’m able to pull the trigger on projects and ain’t gonna pay you shit, and you’re waiting help corporations connect the dots. Basically, I sell three months for a check. If you know how to street credibility. hustle, you can make side money. With most of the labels I work with, I have personal relation- And you also manage Pitbull, right? ships with the artists and their management. If I guess my title is manager, yeah, but we’ve also Lil Scrappy’s on a promo tour, for example, you got Team Pitbull, Pitbull Productions, which is an- can leverage things out for yourself. These labels other company within itself. I’m just a team player. be tryin’ to pimp niggas, and they’ve got a hundred “Manager” is just a title. I play my position, like, interns working for them for free. They want you to whatever I need to do so we can win as a team. Me be on call 24/7. I don’t regret working at a label, and Pit are here to win. I just want to see homie go though, because all this stuff helped open up the over the top. I’m tryin’ to get Pit that other money doors for me. – that money outside of the music. Big Mouth seems to be extremely organized. How Did you go to school for marketing? did you develop your business structure? I went to school for business administration, mar- I pay attention. I sit back and watch the labels and keting, and advertising, but I never really finished. corporations. I look at their structure and watch Actually, first I went to school for culinary arts. I what works and what doesn’t work. Not having a love cooking, but when I started doing it as a ca- Big Teach structure at all just doesn’t work. If you’re trying to reer, it took the love out of it for me. I was working win, you’ve got to have some kind of structure. We in a restaurant, but I was also doing security with Big Mouth just have a good team. I’ve got so much shit going my dude Duberry at this club. They’d let me set Marketing & Promotions on that if I’m all over the place with it, it’s not gon- up a picture booth, do promotions, whatever. I was na work. Pit had a big year last year, and Pit’s work just hustling, trying to get in where I fit in. When I outside the box. Luke’s been through ethic is just crazy. You can ask anybody and they’ll walked away from my job with the restaurant, they a lot of challenges in his career, so if tell you, a lot of success comes to his team too. If just saw that I had charisma and was willing to work. you can pass six months with Luke, he has an idea, we pull the trigger on that shit. We I was in the streets, dealing with people. I loved it he’s a good dude. Once he sees that appreciate TVT and everything they do, but we do and I went hard with it. It was like a crash course you want to learn, he’ll show you. our own shit too. We don’t just sit back and wait for in promotions. I learned the market real quick. Luke taught me the importance of re- things to happen, we go look for opportunities. There’s a difference between record label promo- lationships. I went on tour with Luke; tions and club promotions. If you’ve got a club night we did like 35 cities. It was different As Pitbull’s manager, do you have to play the bad every week, you gotta go hard every day all day. than working for a big label like Def guy sometimes? You’re pretty much working 18 hour days, 7 days a Jam. We had seven people on staff do- Well, we deal with a lot of people, and you have to week. It ain’t no rest, but you learn your market. ing everything. And that’s how I met separate the personal from the business. We take He did the straight hood parties, so I learned quick. Pit, working with Luke. Me and Pit was care of our people, but we’ve got bills to take care He took me through Carol City, Liberty City, and I on tour together, so we have the same of too. When people deal with Pitbull directly, be- just built good relationships with people. I’d see mentality, the same grind, the same cause of certain relationships, sometimes I have to the dudes out there with the record label promos, hunger. We understood each other. be the asshole and put my foot down just to make the wrapped trucks. These dudes were getting big When Pit’s contract was up, he started sure niggas ain’t tryin’ to take advantage of the re- accounts, but I’m in the hood, everywhere, all day, doing his own thing. After 9/11, ev- lationships. We’ve got roles to play. I’m Pit’s man- and I ain’t seen these dudes. Me and my team were erything got crazy across the board, ager and Purple is his road manager, and we have like, hold up, we need to get that money. I started and everything slowed down. Luke our own system. We go to the club, we have fun, trying to make relationships in the music industry. shut down the promotions depart- but at the same time we have somebody posted up I’ve never been, like, a dick-riding type of dude. ment at the label for a few months so by the DJ booth making sure our records is getting I’m not star struck or anything. If I see an artist I started doing my own thing. I wanted played. We have our fun but at the end of the day somewhere, I ain’t tryin’ to get an autograph, I’m to start a promotions company to get everybody on our team realizes we’ve got to make tryin’ to tell the nigga, “Dawg, I could help you out some corporate accounts. I started sure our work is good too. here.” I just needed the right person to see what I working with Akademics and getting was doing and from there it would pop. on people’s radar. How did Pit’s new situation with Puff and Bad Boy Latino come about? What was your breakthrough? What did you do for Akademiks? Bad Boy Latino is still in the real early phases, but It was actually some karma shit. Jeff Sanchez, I played a big role in helping to brand we made the announcement because of the Latin who was working for Luke Records, was in Opium them out here. When Clue was endors- Billboard Awards. It was a good time to let people and he lost his 2way. That’s when 2ways had first ing Akademics, niggas were confused. know. Pit is gonna be playing an executive role in popped off and everybody in the industry had one. They thought it was his record label. Bad Boy Latino. He’s the perfect person for that, Jeff kept paging the 2way, and my man had found I helped them develop an identity. because he is the link. He has records playing on it and didn’t know how to use it so he brought it to Everybody was trying to go after the mainstream radio, but he also has records playing me. I returned Jeff’s call and of course, he was re- same label accounts, so I decided to on official Spanish stations and it doesn’t sound ally happy to get the 2way back. He started seeing go left with it. I started getting jobs corny. It doesn’t sound forced when he spits in me everywhere doing promo. A few months after from the University of Miami, Jackson Spanish because it’s authentic. The first time Puff that, he was moving back to New York and trying to Memorial Hospital – we did a safe sex seen him perform was at Khaled’s birthday party. find somebody to fill his shoes at Luke’s label. He campaign – stuff like that. Khaled pulled me to the side like, “Yo, Puff was asked me if I wanted to work a 9 to 5 with Luke. A askin’ about your man,” so when Pit came off stage lot of people say Luke be fuckin’ people and stuff Who are some of your other clients? they started choppin’ it up or whatever. Puff told like that, but I just saw that shit as an opportu- Bad Boy, TVT, CRUNK!!! Energy Drink, me to holla at his man about some Sean John shit, nity. Dude has been in the game for twenty years Sony Ericsson, Cingular Wireless, Veri- and 8 in the morning the next day dude is paging strong, so I figure this nigga got me. Next thing you know, we in Atlanta to have something to teach me. I for the Sean John photo shoot. wasn’t planning on making a mil “I sit back and watch the labels off Luke, I just wanted to learn and corporations. I look at their Anything else you want to say? something in the school of hard To contact me, visit www.bigmouth- knocks. Luke basically taught structure and see what works promo.com or www.pitbullmusic.com. me everything I know as far as Frans, Bogart, and C-Eye, keep ya head working records and thinking and what doesn’t work.” up. Demi, see you when you get home.

OZONE JUNE 2005 33

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01: Slim Thug and Jimmy Henchman (Miami, FL) 02: Oowee, Mami Chula, and Don Magic Juan (Atlanta, GA) 03: DJ Chill, Cris Ward, Trae, and Slab on the set of Paul Wall’s “Sit- tin’ Sideways” (Houston, TX) 04: Trick Daddy and Juvenile @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 05: Cadillac Tah, Irv Gotti, and Ump @ Crobar (Miami, FL) 06: Dirtbag, and DJ Khaled @ Springfest (Miami, FL0 07: Southern Hustlas @ Junk- yard 2 (Canton, MS) 08: Young Buck reppin’ OZONE @ Southern Univer- sity (Baton Rouge, LA) 09: Nero, Mr. Magic, and DJ Pat Pat reppin’ OZONE @ BCR (Daytona Beach, FL) 10: Infarel, H-Vidal, and Acafool @ Ludacris’ con- cert (Tampa, FL) 11: Cedric Hollywood reppin’ OZONE @ Spring- fest (Miami, FL) 12: Freda Jackson and B.G. at Club Dreams for his listening party (New Orleans, LA) 13: KLC and DJ Black on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 14: Killer Mike reppin’ OZONE @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 15: DJ Aspekt, Cuban Link, and Quake @ Baja (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 16: Lil Wyte, Todd Mos- cowitz, and Joie Manda on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 17: Three 6 Mafia meets Beats by the Pound: Juicy J, Mo B Dick, DJ Paul, and KLC on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 18: Sheek Louch, Busta Rhymes, and Mannie Fresh (Miami, FL) 19: Lil Keith, DJ Chill, Cap’n Jack and Paul Wall reppin’ OZONE @ Konnec- tions (Houston, TX) 20: Tony B, Bigalow, Treal, and Reese reppin’ OZONE @ Junkyard 2 (Canton, MS) 21: Kaspa and Young Cash @ Club Troy for the Hittmen DJ’s showcase (Miami, FL)

Photo Credits: DJ Aspekt: #15 DJ Majick: #10 DJ Pat Pat: #09 J Lash: #01,18 Julia Beverly: #03,04,05,06, 07,13,16,17,19,20,21 King Yella: #08 Malik Abdul: #11,14 Marcus Jethro: #12 Marshall Smith: #02

8 OZONE JUNE 2005 What’s unique about this new album you’re putting out, Soup For The Freaky Soul? What I’m doing with this album is a different type of packaging. The album itself has spo- ken word and comedy, which is all a part of hip-hop. But the album isn’t just an album, it’s a double CD with a book. One CD is a DVD, the other is the record, and also the book.

I heard part of the album, where you were explaining how Gloria Velez got the good roles in all the music videos. Oh, yeah, I’m tellin’ stories about everybody, all the controversial stories and things people want to know. I’m talking about a lot of things I’ve never really talked about – the unedited, uncut version.

Do you find it ironic that you’re essentially making money by telling Gloria Velez’s sto- ries, rather than her making money by tell- ing her own stories? Well, that’s the way it works. That’s what we do here. It’s so many things that have been written in magazines, so it’s almost the same thing. As you know better than anybody – the artist doesn’t control the things that are writ- ten about them. The actual person who writes the article has control, and it’s unfortunate that there aren’t too many journalists going about it in the right way. A magazine is sup- posed to get this side of the story, that side of the story, and do the research. We don’t have something was wrong, because somebody’s been Yes. It’ll all be there in one package. a lot of that in this business. putting her down or telling her she doesn’t look good. I’m a guy, but I’m also an analytical per- Who does deserve to have a pimp cup? Let’s compare someone like Gloria Velez son more than anything. I sit there and analyze A guy who’s out there on the street pimpin’ to someone like Superhead. Superhead is everything before I even open my mouth. I get in girls. That’s a pimp. I think there’s Hollywood writing a book about her own experiences. everybody’s head. I’ve already got in your head. pimps and there’s real pimps. Don Juan used Do you have more respect for her because I’ve read enough of your magazines. I know. to be a pimp. Me and Don Juan is cool, but Don she’s finding a way to profit from it? Juan’s not pimping no more. To a certain ex- I think that once you become an icon and a Weren’t you going to put out a music album? tent, though, he’s pimping the rappers. public figure, people wanna know about you. Did you decide to do this instead? People want to hear how Oprah started. Peo- I wanted to put it all in one package, because Who cheats more: men or women? ple want to know what happened to OJ. Peo- today, just a CD is nothing. You can get all the I think that neither one has a respect for a re- ple want to hear the freaky stories about what music off the internet before it even comes out. lationship. It’s so much more about cosmetics happened at the University of Miami or what I think the consumer needs to get much more for now than real love. This is my analytical side happened to the Michigan basketball players. their buck. I wanted to be more creative and put speaking. I think women care more about what all this into one package. kind of a car a guy can provide for them and how When you deal with women who are strip- he’s living. It’s not what it used to be, where pers or promiscuous or whatever, do you Did you feel like Miami radio wasn’t supporting you go on a date with a girl and after a while ever get into the psychology of why they the songs you’d put out? her daddy’s like, “You can marry my daughter, became that way? A lot of people would say I was just testing some music. I would always that’s acceptable.” These days, people just get they were abused in the past. test a record underground before I put them out. divorced. Back in the day, if a woman was di- I talk to a lot of them. I don’t deal with the That’s why I was the first one to even have an un- vorced, it was a bad thing. Now it’s like a fad, ones who are mentally scarred. You can look derground radio station. I’m not too happy right something fashionable to do. It’s almost like at a girl and have a conversation with them now with [WMIB] The Beat. I just don’t know if rappers who leave the people that discovered and tell. Unfortunately, for black women or the support is there. As far as [99 Jamz] WEDR, them for other companies. It’s a fad. black people in general in this country, there’s I think that enough has been said. Right now really not a lot of opportunities unless you they’re doing a hell of a job supporting our local It’s funny that you say that, because “conser- want to be a maid at a hotel or something artists. We fight, but then we straighten it out. vatives” would agree with you and blame the like that. Some of these girls have tried to get changes in society on music like yours. jobs and they can’t be a secretary or what- I remember some comments you made dissing What I do in the business was here before me ever because the boss is not their daddy or Snoop. Do you think the pimp cup has become – the sex business, adult entertainment. That’s their uncle. So instead of working in a kitchen too common? what I provide for hip-hop, and that’s why I’m or some other demeaning job, they’re taking Yes, it is. At the beginning of the CD, I said a lot going into the adult industry full-fledge. That’s advantage of these other opportunities to go of things that’s going to piss a lot of people off. been here. I don’t rap about taking your girl. to the clubs and dance. Some of them are I feel like I’ve done so many things in this busi- I don’t talk about, “I’m gonna get your girl,” very professional. When you find those type ness, I can tell Russell Simmons or Puff Daddy, or, “Come be with me and I’ll buy you all these of girls, who look at dancing from a profes- “You need to check yourself.” I can say that be- things.” I will clearly say that hip-hop is respon- sional standpoint rather than the ones who cause I’ve been put on the cross for this busi- sible for a lot of these Hollywood relationships. have been abused, those are the ones I deal ness. That’s why they call me Uncle. If anybody That’s why there are Hollywood relationships with. takes it personally, that’s just them. like, for example, Tom Cruise being with this girl the other day and now he’s with this other How can you tell the difference? You speak on Russell Simmons and Puff Daddy girl today. I don’t like it myself, I don’t like to You can tell. You can just look at a girl in particular? hear guys on records talking about taking some- and see if she’s scarred. Some of them I’m speaking on a lot of people and things in the one else’s girl. I don’t think highly of that. I are just too sensitive. I told this one state of hip-hop. would never do something like that. girl, “Oh, you’re so beautiful,” and she just started crying. That told me I guess we’ll just have to wait for the album. - Interview and photo by Julia Beverly

OZONE JUNE 2005 9 01: G. Dash, DJ Chill, and DJ Dirty reppin’ OZONE on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 02: Jermaine Dupri and friends (Miami, FL) 03: Seville on the set of Paul Wall’s “Sittin’ Sideways” (Hous- ton, TX) 04: Bun B and David Banner @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 05: Big Pokey and Paul Wall on their video set for “Sittin’ Sideways” (Houston, TX) 06: The g.r.i.T. Boys on the set of Paul Wall’s “Sittin’ Sideways” (Houston, TX) 07: Konkrete and Big Boi @ Crobar (Miami, FL) 08: Slim Thug and J-Bo of the YoungBloodz @ Spring- fest (Miami, FL) 09: Marcus Jethro and Carl Thomas reppin’ OZONE @ Hot 104.5 (New Orleans, LA) 10: B.G. and Wally Sparks @ Power 94’s celebrity bball game (Chattanooga, TN) 11: Mike Sherman and Mecca @ the On Point offices (Miami, FL) 12: Smack and Bleu Davinci @ Crobar (Mi- ami, FL) 13: Stay Fresh, TJ Chapman, and T-Pain @ Club Troy for the Hittmen DJ’s showcase (Miami, FL) 14: Pop and Mike Diesel @ DJ Chill’s networking event (Houston, TX) 15: Beenie Man and Guerilla Black @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 16: Bigga Rankin, Lex, Felisha Foxx, and Ant- Lava reppin’ OZONE @ Club Troy for the Hittmen DJ’s showcase (Miami, FL) 17: Luc-Duc, T-Smiley, TJ Chapman, Young Cash, and T-Pain @ Club Troy (Miami, FL) 18: Michael Watts trades his Swisha House chain for a cowboy hat on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Miami, FL) 19: Big Lip Jr., Big Lip Bandit, and David Banner @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 20: Dirty South Divas @ Junk- yard 2 (Canton, MS) 21: The All-Starz @ Plush (St. Louis, MO)

Photo Credits: Carmen Davis: #10 J Lash: #02,12 JC: #21 Julia Beverly: #01,03,04,05, 06,07,08,13,14,15,16,17, 18,19,20 Marcus Jethro: #09 On Point: #11

10 OZONE JUNE 2005 Ed. note: This interview was conducted be- fore a warrant was issued for Radric “Gu- cci Mane” Davis’ arrest in the death of Ma- con, Georgia rap artist Henry “Pookie Loc” Clark. According to Gucci Mane’s lawyer, Dennis Scheib, he was acting in self-defense against five men attempting to rob and/or kill him. Allegedly, the May 10th incident was the result of Gucci Mane’s rap rival Young Jeezy’s “Stay Strapped” – at the end of the song, Jeezy offered a $10,000 reward for Gucci Mane’s “So Icy” chain. Jeezy has since repeatedly denied involvement. Due to a court-ordered gag order, Gucci Mane, who has been released on bond, is not al- lowed to speak about the incident.

Where are you from? Originally, I’m from Birmingham. I’ve been up here since I was eight years old, so I rep both Atlanta and Birmingham. It was a family thing. I still go visit Birmingham all the time.

What are the differences between Atlanta and Birmingham? Everything that Atlanta was doing two or three years ago, they’re doing it now in Birmingham. They’re like two or three years behind. Not like it’s a bad thing, that’s just the way it is. They dress like we used to dress. Everybody’s real humble down there. Atlanta’s way more fast-paced. Oh, yeah. It’s a lot of drama. Lots of drama, but but don’t have talent, and a lot of people have Was “Black Tees,” the remix to “White drama sells. My first label was Straight Drop Re- talent but don’t have the money. If you’ve got Tees,” the first song you put out? cords. They put out that song “Fa Sho” and it both, you can make it. Well, “Black Tees” was my first exposure. started getting a lot of play, but then the compa- The first song I put out was called “Fa Sho.” ny kinda folded. Then I started the Never Again You think you’ve got both? It didn’t really make it to radio, but it was a Family, and then I started doing some stuff with I know I’ve got both. It’s over, it’s a wrap. club banger back in ’98. Then I came with the the Sign Yaself Clique which turned into Sign “Black Tees” remix and “So Icy.” I’ve been do- Yaself Records. It started becoming like, just a Why do people say you’re a clown? ing music since I was 13. bunch of homeboys. We couldn’t really handle It’s just because I’m always smiling. I always be no business. A couple business people started having fun. I never get mad like people expect How did you get interested in rapping? coming around to try to structure the company. me to. There’s all this drama, people sayin’ bad I started out writing poetry in kindergarten. I structured my own company, LaFlare Records. things about me. Everybody talks bad about me When I started reading and rhyming, I always My name used to be Gucci Mane La Flare, so I and I just laugh it off. That’s my way of dealing knew how to put words together. I was writing just took the La Flare off and put it by itself as with it. That’s what my momma told me, just short stories. That’s all I really liked to do. I my company name. laugh at ‘em and they can’t stop you. always wanted to be a rapper. I listened to LL Cool J, Run-DMC, and Funkmaster Flex, all Why’d you change labels so much? Are you planning to do more remixes like of them were my influences. I liked the New Straight lack of money, no lie. “Black Tee”? York rappers cause they were getting all the Yeah, I wanna do a lot. I’m gonna do “Check Out exposure. But I was really diggin’ 2 Live Crew, You weren’t under contract? My Bezel” over the beat to “Get On My Level.” I like bass. I got the lyrics of up North but I got No contracts. Now, me and Big Cat have merged I’m gonna red “Oh I Think They Like Me” as “Oh that down South twang. together to put out my album, Trap House. La I Think I’m Icy.” I’m gonna redo Crime Mob’s Flare Entertainment is my label. “Knuck When I Buck” to “Nothin’ But Precious Was “Black Tees” supposed to be a diss to Cuts,” like the diamond cuts I got. I just like to the Franchize Boys? Why’d you name yourself Gucci Mane? be crazy. I ain’t tryin’ to be Weird Al or nothing, Well, they cool with me now, but at first I was That’s my daddy name. I had that name all my though, I got a lot of my own stuff, though, like dissin’ them at every show I did. They were life. It has nothing to do with clothes, that’s “So Icy.” Stuff like “Black Tees” is just mixtape like, “We heard about you dissin’ us, we don’t just the way I always spelled it. You know, we songs. That ain’t gon’ make my album, it’s just want beef.” I told them I had to get on some country, so it’s Gucci Mane, not Gucci Man. And fuck-ups to get a buzz. Now that people are kinda way. It’s like, by any means necessary. I got my own clothing line called Fruity, for real. hearing me, I dropped “So Icy.” The name of They were like, “Yeah, we expected that. Do It’s for unique, diverse individuals. It’s really for the album is Trap House. ya thing.” I was just playin’ around when I did women only. But I had to advertise it sometimes. the song. They had made “White Tees” and we That’s me, I gotta be fruity too. Are there any features on your album? were just playin’ around in the studio. They I’ve got DJ Toomp, who makes a lot of T.I.’s from the West side and I’m from the East Uh.. Fruity? That sounds gay. beats. I got Dewan from 112, Shawty Red, Keno, side, so it’s a whole different culture. No, no. I’m all the way straight. It’s nothing like The Hitmakers, Bun B, Young Jeezy, Killer Mike, that. It’s no secrets about that, that ain’t no Tity Boy from DTP, Baby D, Kilo, and a lot of And then “So Icy” is your first single, with mystery. I just like fruity colors, you know, I like other rappers from Atlanta and a couple people Young Jeezy? to be colorful. from Houston. Yeah, that’s my new single. It’s been get- ting a lot of radio play? The version with Is Atlanta a good place to break through as a Anything else you wanna say? Jeezy is like the street version. We’ve got rapper? My label is gon’ be respected. Everybody thinks different versions of the song. It’s very hard to break out of Atlanta, cause I’ve I can’t run a company cause I can’t take it se- been trying for a long time just to get heard. I riously, but they don’t know that I’ve aligned So what’s your label situation now? I had a good following in Birmingham, also, so if myself with some smart people. heard you’ve been with a lot of la- you making good music and people feel you, you bels. can break anywhere. A lot of people have money - Photo & interview by Julia Beverly

OZONE JUNE 2005 11 01: Trick Daddy, Supa Cindy, and Benji Brown @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 02: Homebwoi and Greg Street @ the Ying Yang Twins’ press junket (Atlanta, GA) 03: Fiona, Charlie Hustle, Rob Jackson, and Bobby Creek @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 04: Paul Wall, Bun B, and DJ Paul on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 05: Guccio and Tony Neal at Plush (St. Louis, MO) 06: Rob Mac, TJ Chapman, Scruface @ Club Troy (Mi- ami, FL) 07: Todd Moscowitz, Earl Hayze, and Joie Manda @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 08: Lex and Tiarra Marie reppin’ OZONE @ 99 Jamz (Miami, FL) 09: Jermaine Dupri rep- pin’ OZONE on the set of J-Kwon’s video (Miami, FL) 10: Marques Houston and his women (MIami, FL) 11: Swizz Beatz reppin’ OZONE on the set of DMX’s video (Miami, FL) 12: J Prince reppin’ OZONE @ Perfect Rack (Houston, TX) 13: Kano, CeCe, Clesha, Billy Cook (Houston, TX) 14: B5 getting CRUNK!!! @ Hot 104.5 (New Orleans, LA) 15: Mike Jones, Funk- master Flex, and Paul Wall (NYC) 16: Partners-N-Crime, Juvenile, and Joie Manda @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 17: Young Cash, the 904 Click, and Raylo @ Club Troy for the Hittmenn DJ’s showcase (Miami, FL) 18: Boyz N Da Hood with DJ Wop and Raj Smoove in the French Quarter (New Orleans, LA) 19: Pretty Ricky admiring themselves and their glit- ter (Miami, FL) 20: Mike Jones, Bun B, Michael Watts, and Juicy J on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Houston, TX) 21: OG Ron C and Slim Thug on South Beach (Miami, FL)

Photo Credits: Bogan: #09 J Lash: #10,19 JC: #05 Joie Manda: #15 Julia Beverly: #01,02,03,04, 06,07,08,12,13,16,17,20,21 Malik Abdul: #11 Marcus Jethro: #14,18

12 OZONE JUNE 2005 What part of Mississippi are you from? I’m from Canton, but I moved to Jackson when I was about 15. That’s when I started my label, 1 Life 1 Love. I had another label called Black Diamond and we switched the name. I was just brainstorming; looking for a universal name. I was cliqued up, so everybody within my circle, it was like 1 Life 1 Love.

Was that around the same time Cash Money and No Limit were coming up? Did that in- spire you to do your own thing? Yeah. [The labels] weren’t coming down South and getting artists, so everybody started try- ing to open they own labels and invest in they own company. We kinda was learning off Cash Money and Master P doing it at the time, trying to learn the business, learning about produc- tion and getting your own producers. We was learning how to get your checks, ID numbers, bar codes, learning about distribution. I was hiring people. I went out and got people for different positions. I got in-house people that do the production and started reading books about the music business.

What was your first breakthrough song? I had an indie album called Boss Playa, and we had a song on there called “Birds Fly South For the Winter.” We kinda popped that in 1997. It went through Select-O-Hits distribution. We put a lot of them in the stores that was around in that area and we sold a lot of them out the of Mississippi. At this point, I look back at it as Jeezy go way back, like from when I first moved trunk. an experience. It was a learning experience. It to Atlanta. I moved to Atlanta when I got signed kept me off my indie grind for two years. I coul- to Interscope. I been knowing him and Coach Is that how you got the deal with Inter- da been going another direction, I coulda still K for like seven years. As far as that situation scope? been consistent with my albums so that’s kinda with Gucci Mane, I don’t know all the details. Yeah, we dropped like three or four indie the only bad thing about it. People in Mississippi I’m not involved with that shit. albums and then an A&R from Interscope might have looked at it as a let-down but they heard about us - [Foxy Brown’s brother] An- don’t know the political side. Is your album finished? ton Marchand was in Alabama. They was com- For the most part, the album is complete. ing down to the South looking for new artists So at that point you kinda re-upped? We’ve got about two more songs to finish up. and he said his name was poppin’ up at every Yep. We got back on our grind and dropped the Swizz Beatz just gave me another track, and af- spot. He ended up coming to Mississippi. At double CD. During that period we’d recorded a ter that we should be good. We just got off this that time, we was already functioning as a lot of music and we put it back on the streets. radio tour promoting that “Say It To My Face.” company. We had an office, three wrapped ve- We dropped that back home, and that’s when I’m gonna put out a mix CD that’s got about hicles, and we had just got done shooting two this other situation came up with the guys in Mi- fourteen original songs, it’s called, Imagine The indie videos. We had spent like 50k shooting ami, Royal Dollar Records. Album. The album is called 1 Life 1 Love. We our own videos. It was already packaged. The just tryin’ to get all the promotional tools in for music was packaged. He saw that and he took What was the situation with Royal Dollar? Memorial weekend and hit these streets right. it back up top to the office with him. They It was gonna be a situation where we go 50/50 We bout to hit the radio with this single called set up a meeting with him, we sat down with on everything and we was going after distribu- “Feel So Good.” We’ve got production on there Steve Stoute in L.A. I told him we was looking tion. We had a meeting with [J Records’] Clive from my dude Lil C. He’s my in-house producer, for a label deal. We had already invested a [Davis] three or four months after signing with and we’ve got my team on there, the Queen lot of our own money into our label, so he sat them. We had recorded a lot of music in Miami. Boys. I got Bleu Davinci, Mashonda, and Bun B down and got the terms together. We took some of the music up there and he had on there, and I’ve also got production from Cool his staff up there. I ended up performing four & Dre and David Banner. Why did the deal with Interscope fall of the songs in front of the staff and at the end through? Do you feel like they didn’t under- of the performance, me and Clive sat down. We You’ve lived in a lot of different places. stand the Southern market? took him the DVD too, we had about ten shows The thing about the South is that every region Nah, it wasn’t that. They came down, they on there from Alabama and Tennessee, you know, got their own type of music. Louisiana got that flew their whole staff down. They was real the ones back home. We took the DVD footage so bounce, Texas got that chopped & screwed, open, asking what we need to do and differ- they could get an idea of what we had going on Atlanta’s on that crunk shit, and Memphis has ent things like that. But it was some internal back home. We took the music back home and at been on the same page with the crunk shit. problems within the urban department up the end of the performance, Clive’s like, “Con- there with Steve Stoute. He was no longer gratulations,” like we about to do business. I Do you think Mississippi needs its own sound? working up there, and he was the guy that worked out the terms with Royal Dollar and they That’s the thing with my in-house producer. had brought our project in. He signed us, so worked out the terms with J Records. That’s the We’ve got our own sound. He did like ten tracks he was over the urban department. I think way it’s going right now, but I still got my label on my album. after things went bad on his end or what- and we still moving as one. 1 Live 1 Love. I still ever, that’s the L.A. branch, they ain’t re- got the Queen Boys and Gorilla Boy on my label, Is your song “Lost My Broad” a true story? ally wanna develop with whatever he had and a production company also. Yeah, that’s a true story right there. But I tried brought in or whatever. to make it comical. Even though I lost her to You’re affiliated with BMF, aren’t you? What’s another chick, I still asked her if I come lay be- So you got a release from Interscope? your opinion on Jeezy vs. Gucci Mane? tween them sometimes. That’s the hook. But We got a release after a year and a Like, Jeezy is my dude. Me and him go way back, yeah, it’s a true story. There’s a lot of that go- half. I ended up dropping this double and one of the singles that’s on the album is with ing on right now. CD called Block 2 Block. I dropped it him, it’s called “Miss Me With That Rap Shit.” indie, it was the first double CD out That’s one of the singles on the album. Me and - Photo & interview by Julia Beverly

OZONE JUNE 2005 13 01: JB, Sway, and Chino XL @ Night Games (Boston, MA) 02: Slim Thug checks in with the ladies (Houston, TX) 03: DJ Aspekt and the All Out crew @ the Marlin (Miami, FL) 04: Mack-10 and friends on South Beach (Miami, FL) 05: Slim and Tone @ Club Paris (Orlando, FL) 06: Boy Wonder and Webbie @ The Underground (Tampa, FL) 07: DJ Buddha and Chubby Chubb @ Night Games (Bos- ton, MA) 08: Bushi Bashi @ Club Paris (Orlando, FL) 09: DJ Ice-T and D-Nice @ Springfest (Miami, FL) 10: Nicole Robinson and Baby @ Hot 104.5 (New Orleans, LA) 11: Wyclef and Mecca @ a Florida Marlin’s game (Miami, FL) 12: Mike Sherman interviewing Buggah D. Govanah @ the On Point offices (Miami, FL) 13: Mami Chula reppin’ OZONE (Atlanta, GA) 14: Bedo performing @ House of Blues (Or- lando, FL) 15: Gu and Paul Wall on the set of “Sittin’ Sideways” (Houston, TX) 16: Kano, Lil J, DJ Chill, and Billy Cook reppin’ OZONE (Hous- ton, TX) 17: Trillville and Trick Daddy @ Springfest (Mi- ami, FL) 18: Three 6 Mafia and Michael Watts on the set of Frayser Boy’s “I Got Dat Drank” (Hous- ton, TX) 19: Paul Wall and fans on the set of his video for “Sittin’ Sidways” (Houston, TX) 20: Slim Thug, D-Rocc, and E-Feezy on South Beach (Miami, FL) 21: Big Mook and Bloodraw (Tampa, FL)

Photo Credits: Big Mook: #21 DJ Aspekt: #03 J Lash: #04 Julia Beverly: #09,15, 16,17,18,20 Keadron Smith: #02,19 KG Mosley: #06 Malik Abdul: #01,05,07, 08,14 Marcus Jethro: #10 Marshall Smith: #13 On Point: #11,12

14 OZONE JUNE 2005 What’s going on, Bleek? Ain’t nothing really going on except my new album, 534. It’s coming out on May 17th. The first single is “Tell Me If It’s Like That,” pro- duced by Swizz Beatz. That’s all that’s really goin’ on. Nothing else matters but the album, so anything else in the world makes no sense. We just shot the video for my single at the 40/40 Club, which is Jay-Z’s club. It’s on 25th and Broadway, so if you ever wanna come by when you’re in New York, holla back.

You’ve decided to stick with Jay during the whole Roc-A-Fella situation, so what’s your opinion on this whole “Dame vs. Jay” thing? Ain’t no “Dame vs. Jay.” That’s what needs to be stopped. People need to stop making up their own accusations. Where’s this coming from, that they’ve got beef? Ain’t no beef. We all rich. Who gon’ have beef when you rich? Just stop making it a problem when it’s not, that’s all I ask. Every writer, every interview- er, just stop makin’ bullshit up. Talk about re- ality and not what you want to see.

So everything’s all good. I noticed that on the first single off your last album, you had Trick Daddy and T.I. on there. Are you trying to reach out to the Southern market? Yeah, I wanted to try something different. I’ve always been a big fan of Southern music, ever since the days of Mystikal being an unsigned underground artist. I just had the opportunity to make a record like that and I knew T.I. for a few years, I knew Trick for a few years, so be- ing down in Miami I just wanted to put it down and do something real. I wanted to change it up instead of doing the same ol’ records all the time. That’s why this time, I came back with a high-energy record like I did. They’re gonna say this is something different, but hey, as long as it’s hot, it’s all gravy.

Are there any other features on your al- bum? Ain’t no other features besides M.O.P. and Jay-Z. The rest of it’s basically just myself.

What about production? As far as production, I’ve got Bink, Just Blaze, never happen. I put my all into it, that’s why it’s him seriously, but his record is still hot.” That 9th Wonder, Irv Gotti, Swizz Beatz, and a few the do-or-die album. That’s why I named it 534. don’t make no sense to me. Being under Jay is new guys. That’s really about it right now. That’s the building me and Jay-Z grew up in, in a beautiful thing to me. You get the opportu- Marcy, you know, it just represents a time when nity to experience somebody selling five million You’re dropping your album at the same we was struggling. We was hungry, you know? records and making hits every day, so you get time as the Young Gunz? Eatin’ sugar water and mayonnaise sandwiches to learn how to do it. You sittin’ there watchin’ Yeah, we’re dropping about a week apart. and stuff like that, so now I’m hungry all over. them do it, so now you know how to do it your- Those are my boys right there. I met them self. I seen Jay paint the picture making so when I first came out and they was about 15 So you’re on promo tour right now? many records, so now it’s my opportunity to do or 16. I known them for a couple years and Yeah, we’re just going across the country pro- it myself even though it took a long time. But I’ve seen them grow into what they’ve be- moting the record and letting people know when still, me trying to repaint that picture that Jay come now, so it’s a beautiful thing. My thing it’s dropping. That’s really about it. I’m having painted is like tryin’ to repaint a Michelangelo was just to make sure the loyalty stays there, fun, you know? This is like my eighth year run- painting. It’s hard. cause there’s not too many groups that sur- ning around the world, and this time we gonna vive in this wonderful world of hip-hop. do it different. Back then they didn’t want me, You mentioned T.I. and Trick Daddy, but aside now I’m hot, they all on me! Back then they from them, are there any other Southern rap- That’s very true. Speaking of groups, what’s didn’t want me, now I’m hot, they all on me! pers coming out now that you really want to going on with State Property? Back then they didn’t want me, now I’m hot, work with? I can’t comment on that, ma. Understand, they all on me! Back then they didn’t want me, I’d like to work with Lil Scrappy, and definitely I’m not from Philly. I’m from Brooklyn. I now I’m hot, they all on me! Young Jeezy. I’ll definitely work with Young can’t even comment on that situation be- Jeezy soon. Also, you should be lookin’ out for cause I don’t really know what’s going on Do you think coming out under someone like B.G.’s new album because he’s got a secret with them. Jay-Z is both a blessing and a curse for you? hit coming out called “What You Lookin’ At?” Like, do you think people don’t take you as You know, just the real dudes from down South Do you think this will be the album seriously coming from under his shadow? that really put it down. We’re talking about that really blows you up? Nah, it’s a good thing. You don’t have to take the same thing, so I can relate to everything Yeah, this is the breakthrough album. me seriously as long as I’m making good records. they’re saying. This is the now-or-never album. If it Why would it matter if someone takes me se- don’t happen now, I guess it might riously or not? You can say, “Hey, I don’t take - Julia Beverly (photo: Eric Johnson)

OZONE JUNE 2005 15 (01) A purple light is used to give an eerie effect on Frayser Boy’s face. (01) It’s been a long time coming for Grandaddy Souf! Here we are (02) Mike Jones takes his turn under the purple light, showing off his preparing for the first scene of the day. Swishahouse chain. (02) Grandaddy impatiently waits by the monitor for his cue. (03) The video models getting prepared for their scene. (03) In the early morning sun, checking lighting is important. (04) In this scene, Mike Jones introduces the white folks to that purple (04) Grandaddy Souf, feeling right at home in his native Parramore, drank. shares a laugh with Get Cool. (05) During lunch break, Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul puts on an impromptu (05) Zay, Mr. C, Grandaddy Souf, and Get Cool get their chance to comedy show. shine. (06) In this scene, Three 6 Mafia enters the bar with a cooler full of (06) Moving on to the next location, Get Cool enters Orlando night- purple drank while the cowboy security guard looks on. club fixture Heroes. (07) The camera is hoisted above the bar for an overhead look into a (07) Inside Heroes, Grandaddy Souf plans out the next scene with glass of purple drank. director Christian Strickland. (08) The camera crews head outside the Secondwind Saloon. (08) Christian makes sure the lighting set up is proper. (09) Director John Tucker goes over the next scene with Mike Jones (09) Several video models preparing for their closeup inside the and Paul Wall. club.

Director: John Tucker Director: Christian Strickland Photos: Julia Beverly Photos: Spiff & JB

16 OZONE JUNE 2005 I hear there’s been some changes going on with the whole Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam situa- tion. Where do you guys stand? Neef: We’re with Roc-A-Fella, with Jay. It’s us and Bleek, we’re the first off the label. Our album Brothers From Another comes out May 24th. The first single is by Swizz Beatz and the second single is called “Don’t Keep Me Wait- ing” featuring Slim from 112.

How did you guys actually get initiated into the Roc-A-Fella camp? Neef: We ran into some cat that was taking people up from Philly to New York, getting them deals. He was taking people right to the source. Forget the demo tapes, we was way past that. This guy named Stevie G from Southwest Philly, he took us up to a bunch of people. He took us to Jay first. We was fuckin’ with him, we was comfortable cause he was a real down-to-earth nigga. All of them - Dame, Biggs, Jay. We wanted to do the deal then, but we were so young. We were only like four- teen, and the managers we had was speakin’ some crazy numbers. Jay and them wasn’t tryin’ to hear that.

You didn’t even have a demo? Neef: We did all our stuff in the studio, but we never had a demo package. I ain’t into all that. I ain’t knockin’ nobody’s hustle or what- (l to r): Neef and Chris ever, but I wasn’t into that. I think they ain’t made up they decision yet. Ev- Neef: We got something for everybody. How did you know each other? eryone had the choice to go whichever way they Chris: The female songs were the singles. When Neef: I moved up from West Philly and met wanted to go. It was all love. you hear the album, it’s too much gangsta shit Chris in the seventh grade. for the people. Chris: Yeah, we met in middle school, and Were you a fan of Jay-Z before you met him? Chris: You gotta put out more female-orient- that was right around the time we met Ste- Chris: Oh, yeah. No doubt. ed singles, because women buy more albums. vie G. He started shopping us around and we That’s your look. felt most comfortable with Jay and them. Did it seem unreal when you met him? Neef: Niggas gonna follow the women every Chris: We was happy to be there. We was straight time. Sometimes niggas don’t want to go to the What do you think they saw in you? off the block, so we was just happy we had the show, but you know, the bitches are gonna be at Chris: We was young, talkin’ ahead of our opportunity. We wasn’t going crazy, though. the show. So that’s what you do. The hoes be in time. the club goin’ all crazy, so the niggas are gonna Neef: We came out to step it up. We from Were you happy with the response to your last be goin’ crazy right with ‘em off in the spot. Philadelphia, man. Out there you gotta step album? Get it poppin’, ya know? it up. You gotta get in where you fit in. That’s Chris: We was happy, but that ain’t what we the name of the label we got, it’s called predicted or wanted. You know, everybody don’t Are there any guest appearances on this al- G.I.F.I. We on the road right now with our first come out the gate and do what we did. bum? artist Pooda. Chris: Yeah, we’ve got Jay on the album, Slim Chris: That’s Neef’s older brother. Did you go gold? on the second single, and our artist Pooda is on Neef: Yeah, that’s a hell of a stamp for us to two joints. So Def Jam actually bought out Roc-A-Fella? come out by ourselves. Nobody featured on none Neef: It is what it is. Hov run the whole Roc- of the singles, none of that. Just me and him. You know we have a section in OZONE called A-Fella right now and he’s president over Def That’s why we got a second chance. “groupie confessions.” What do you think a Jam, so we feel good right now. They holdin’ groupie would say about you? my back. Ain’t nobody gonna back us up there Tell me a little about the recording of “Can’t Chris: They’d say, “Oh, Chris and Neef disre- like he is for us with whatever different types Stop, Won’t Stop.” spectful. They ain’t how I thought I was.” of relationships he has. Chris: My man Ramsey brought us the beat, to Neef: (laughing) Yo, that’s what this chick told the office. We took it to the studio. We ain’t do me last night. Since he’s an artist himself, do you think he it like, thinking it was gonna be our single. We Chris: They get to thinking we like that “Better understands you better? just knocked it out and put it on a mixtape and Love” shit, we flip the script on they asses. Neef: Yeah, he understands what we go it picked up like that. My man DJ Enuff and Big Neef: They say they listen to our records, so through because he’s been there before. You Vaughn from out West, they started spinning it why don’t they know what’s goin’ on? We talk gotta go through shit to understand some- on their mixshows or whatever and it picked up about that all day. They say they listen to the times. from there. album, so they should know they supposed to get busy. Shit, I got fans. If people love me and What’s your relationship with Dame at this So when you recorded it, you had no idea it wanna give me some special attention, then point? was gonna blow up to become that big? that’s what’s good. If they wanna slob the knob Neef: Oh, yeah, we still holla at Dame. We Neef: Nah. We were nominated for a Grammy or somethin’, cool. still go up there, kick it with him, holla at the first time around, so that was kinda crazy him. Same shit, man. for us. We took our mommas out to Cali, gettin’ So do songs like “Better Love” come from them all dressed up and shit. You know, it feels real life also? What about the other artists that are good to bring your mom to the pad and give her Chris: Yeah, I went through that. Did that when kinda in limbo right now? the keys to the spot and all that. my baby moms was pregnant. I talk about both Neef: Everybody doin’ they thing as far my personal life and the game, but I gotta keep as State Property. I know Peedi Crakk You had a lot of female-oriented songs on the business shit out of my personal life. and Freeway came to Jay. Oschino & last album. Should we expect more of the same Sparks are still doin’ they thing, but on Brothers From Another? - Julia Beverly (photo: Eric Johnson)

OZONE JUNE 2005 17 (01) Here’s Gotti and Southstar, welcoming OZONE to the set of their (01) On a brutally hot afternoon, a train of hot Texas rides assem- new video. bles in a Houston parking lot. (02) A staffer prepares Smilez, Gotti, and Southstar for their first scene (02) The cars line up under careful direction from production staff. of the day. Meanwhile, lighting equipment and cameras are being as- (03) With a crowd of screaming fans lining the sidewalk, filming the sembled. car scene goes smoothly. (03) The cameras set up in front of the three, posed in front of a (04) Jim Jones rocking a pimped-out Gucci bike for his cameo. Lambourghini. (05) When Mike Jones pulls up on set, his Escalade gets swarmed (04) Southstar demonstrates the Lambourghini doors, while Smilez and with autograph-seeking kids. Gotti play the background. (06) After the second location, we move on to the hood, where Paul (05) It’s gonna be a long day in the Florida sun. Southstar, Smilez, and Wall poses for pictures. Gotti cool off with some bottled water. (07) As the sun sets, Big Pokey joins Paul Wall for the next shot. (06) Gotti’s ready for his close up. (08) Director John Tucker offers some advice to Three 6 Mafia before (07) Behind the scenes, models get ready for their scene. their cameo. (08) A group of video models relaxing by the pool in their bathing suits. (09) More parking lot pimpin’ at the final location - the Konnections (09) DJ Prostyle’s ready for his cameo. parking lot.

Director: Joe Politics Director: John Tucker Photos: Spiff Photos: Julia Beverly

18 OZONE JUNE 2005 What’s your relationship with DJ Clue and Desert Storm South? I know you’ve been do- ing some work with them, and I even saw you in New York with Clue. Yeah, he been showing big love.

Clue actually said on MTV that he’s got an artist out of Houston named Magno. Is that true? There hasn’t been no ink yet, but it’s basically in the bag. I been working on my album and everything, so it’s finna pop off. Wildlife/Des- ert Storm South. It’s kinda like a Dipset/Roc- A-Fella type situation. We just been working together. I’ve been off in New York, putting in work, recording. I’ve been in the studio with Joe Budden, Stack Bundles, all those cats. We’ve got a Desert Storm South mixtape coming out soon with me, DJ Clue, and Clue’s cousin DJ Storm, who also happens to live in Houston.

Working so closely with New York artists, do you think they really respect the music or do you think they’re just looking at the money y’all make down here? A lot of people think you gotta rap exactly like them for them to respect you, but when I go to New York, I go with the same Southern slang and my same rap style. A lot of people say that my rap style is kinda East coast-ish anyway. I resent that. I call it hip-hop. People get it mixed up because hip-hop originated on “Awwww, this nigga here? What it do fool? What’s already gonna split up? He started doing shows the East coast, but anyway, I call it just plain up man?” And he’s like, “Awww, you rap too?” on his own, and I ended up having to find ways spittin’ hip-hop. That’s what I do. I do South- I didn’t even know he took rap that serious. I to get my money my own way. I decided to drop ern hip-hop. knew he used to rap cause he used to do it in the a mixtape with my brother under Wildlife En- lunch room, but we both had hoop dreams. With tertainment, my own company. Swishahouse Have you switched up your style since us both being on the label, we eventually made didn’t like that too much. you’ve been dealing with Desert Storm? a group out of it. When I go up there I switch it up on them. I Why? Did they feel like you had went behind rap my way and then I take ‘em down South I thought it was a great combination because their backs to make money on your own by and get on the beat and body rock a little bit your lyrics were pretty intricate. Nothing putting out your own mixtape? and they be respecting it. They be like, “Man, against Mike Jones, but his lyrics are pretty It’s crazy, though, because I let them know I I love it how you switch it up like that.” I say, simple, so it was a great balance between the was gonna do it. And Watts was actually be- “Man, they been doing stuff like that since I two of y’all. hind me. Matter of fact, the songs I got for that was a little boy, man. Y’all need to get some To be real, me and him could have been the next mixtape came from his CD bag. Even he can old Lil’ Keke tapes, some old Big Pokey tapes, UGK-type talent. I’m not putting our stuff up at vouch. He gave me his keys and said, “Go get or something so y’all can know how we re- that level with them, but I think we could’ve the CD bag out the car, you can pick whatever ally do it back home.” They realize that the carried the torch because I listened to Bun a lot. songs you want, burn ‘em down and put ‘em on Southern hip-hop we’re doing, the Screw mu- I like Pimp a whole lot too, but I always looked your mixtape.” Then there was a rumor going sic, isn’t just a genre. It’s an actual culture, up to Bun as one of the best. To this day, I still around that they got mad cause I tried to pass an actual lifestyle beyond the music. You see say he ripped Jigga on “Big Pimpin’.” I just it out as a Swishahouse CD. All I did was put my our rims, elbows, the big grills on the car, looked up to him since I first met him. I was star picture on the cover cause I hosted it, and in the 5th wheel, you pop the trunk and see the struck when I met Bun B, that was one of the real small letters it said “hosted by Magno of neon lights with the speakers in it. Along with few people I’ve been star struck around. I was the Swishahouse.” The only reason I put that the rappin’ there’s an actual culture with it. like, “Man, this Bun!” And Mike Jones always on there is because Swishahouse is notorious When Paul Wall says “Sittin’ Sideways,” that’s liked Pimp C. He reminds me of Pimp because for having artists leave. Because the top of the an actual culture. he’s real charismatic on the mic. He might not CD said Wildlife Entertainment, I didn’t want rap like Pimp C, but he got a real charisma about people to think I was leaving Swishahouse. If I What part of Houston are you from? himself. Being real, as long as you got something hadn’t put “of the Swishahouse,” that would’ve From that North. Greenspoint, a.k.a. Gun- about you, that’s all that matters. We had a real started rumors that I had left. I wanted to show spoint, 56, know’m talkin’ ‘bout? good chemistry, I ain’t gonna lie. We was always that I was still reppin’ the Swishahouse but I able to catch ‘em on both ends. was also doing my own thing. When the mixtape You and Mike Jones were a group for a came out, though, they had a fit and cut me while. Did you already know him, or did What ended up happening between you and out. I thought that situation, and a lot of other Swishahouse put you together? Mike Jones? Why did you leave the Swisha- things that happened, coulda been handled a Actually, it was both. I already knew Mike house, and why did you stop recording with lot better. Jones, we went to high school together. We him? met in our freshman year at Nimitz High Well, I kinda explained it on track 22 on the New- So when will we hear your album? School. We both played basketball. We both print. It got to a point where we had dropped Well, the album Rookie of the Year is still com- was real good and we used to always play, First Round Draft Picks and it went good. To this ing soon. I’m thinking we may drop it sometime and that’s how we got cool. He ended day, I’m still making nice money off that. A few in the first quarter of next year. Newprint 1.7 up moving to another high school and I months after that, he dropped Ballin’ Under- The Deleted Files is coming out, and that’s basi- didn’t see him no more until he got with ground, his first solo. And that took off. Anything cally some songs that didn’t make the first one the Swishahouse. I had only been with that was out then, it blew out the water. It did and a whole slew of new ones. Then I’m gonna Swishahouse about four weeks and [Mi- so good he wanted to be a solo artist. But, we drop the second part of the classic I dropped in chael] Watts was telling me they got had just dropped an album. How we gonna split ’03: Collection Plate Part 2. this new dude named Mike Jones. So four months after our album? Our album hadn’t he comes in the studio and I’m like, even been out for half a year yet and we were - Matt Sonzala (photo: Mike Fresh)

OZONE JUNE 2005 19

“I’m just a young Haitian cat tryin to pay off my student loans,” says producer/entertainer Acafool. Using his musical know-how combined with a heart to hustle, Acafool has created a movement to put entertainment back into music. And if the signature hat and the music don’t say enough, he will tell you that the Acafool movement is all about “going crazy, losing all inhibitions, and having fun with music again.” This is evident in Acafool’s ode to financially unstable women, “Hell No,” a song that is burning up Florida airwaves thanks to the likes of notable DJs like H-Vidal, King JB, DJ Suicide, and Teddy T. The song, which boasts lines like “Get a job hoe, cook, clean, suck dick, wash clothes” even comes complete with its very own “broke hoe dance”. With his musical influences including his mother, Haitian (Kompa) music, and artists like Special Ed, 2 Live Crew, Digital Underground, Outkast, and Elvis, its no surprise that Acafool’s music appeals to people from all walks of life. But even after opening for the likes of Lil Scrappy and Ludacris, Acafool remains humble. “Its hard surrounding yourself with people that you feel have your best interest at heart, but I think the team we have built is one that is committed to grinding in the face of all obstacles.” And grind Acafool plans to do. “You can’t allow yourself to get comfortable,” he says, explaining why his future plans include, acting, scoring for films, and creating advertising jingles. Until then, Acafool plans to continue doing the broke hoe dance, wearing his signature hat while performing “Hell No” on stage with Zoe Face and the family. Its art- ists like Acafool that remind us that sometimes it’s okay to just let go and act a damn fool. 728-1131 or 727-687-7803) – DJ Majick (contact: 813-

When you’re co-signed by The LOX, mentored by Camoflauge, and handpicked by Jermaine Dupri, the newly appointed President of Virgin Records Urban Music for his So So Def roster, it’s easy to believe you’ve got the winning formula. “There’s nothing like playing for a team and knowing the coach is behind you 100%,” assures T. Waters, a nickname Anthony Waters picked up while playing high school basketball. His So So Def/Virgin Records debut, due later this year, boasts production from the likes of Jermaine Dupri, Red Spyda, Hi-Tek, Juicy J from Three 6 Mafia, and Denaun “Konartist” Porter. In addition to the high-quality production, the album features collaborations with The LOX and Waters’ own Gangsta Click. The catchy first single “Throw’d Off” is already buzzing on mixtapes and radio throughout the country. “I’m just trying to put together a clas- sic album,” says T. Waters. His life abruptly changed after rapper Camoflauge was gunned down in May 2003 in front of a Savannah recording studio. “When Camoflauge passed, I had to make something happen,” says Waters. He left Savannah and headed for New York City. Once back in his native Yonkers, T. Waters hooked back up with The LOX. He toured, recorded, and rocked mixtapes with the D-Block crew. With his unique blend of Southern slang powered by a New York lyrical delivery, the country boy in the big city silenced competition. Meanwhile, T. Waters focused on getting his demo into the right hands. After a chance meeting with JD at a club, T. Waters’ fate was sealed. “I’m just trying to make good music,” he explains. “Nobody’s trying to start nothing. They just want to keep it at the same pace or take it down. I want to build it up.” – Jessica Koslow

It’s simple. Like Jazze Pha says, “Y’all niggas talkin’, but me and my niggas make it happen.” Diszwone doesn’t sit around and wait - he makes it happen. Hard at work, this Chicago MC is taking after hometown artists like Do or Die and furthering the street-hop style. Not only has Disz been influenced by veterans like Do or Die, but he’s also been on tour with them. He’s also opened for the likes of Tech Nine, Mobb Deep, 8Ball & MJG, Lil Flip, and many others. “I was performing too, but when [8Ball & MJG] got on stage, I was a fan my damn self,” Disz recalls. A product of Chicago’s deep West side, Disz remembers his childhood. “Man, I had to grow up fast. I was on my own since age eleven. The music was always with me, but it wasn’t paying the bills. The West side was real rough.” Using music to steer his life’s course in the right direction, Disz is now poised to release his debut album Illinoise Boy through a joint venture with his label LMG and Minnesota Timberwolves’ Troy Hudson’s label Nutty Boyz Entertainment. The album features other Chicago artists like R Kelly and Twista as well as Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins. Disz provided a significant portion of the album’s production, proving himself as a double threat. To hype up the album, Disz has been steadily working the mixtape circuit and preparing to release one of his own. Once the music game takes off, Disz wants to get into acting, but says that he’s prepared to “take whatever comes in life.” If it wasn’t for the music, Disz fears the worst. “Truthfully, if it wasn’t for the music, I’d be in jail or dead by now,” he says. Fortunately, neither is the case, as Disz is still alive and free to bless the clubs with his singles like “Serrous.” (contact: 312-829-4284 or [email protected]) – Rohit Loomba

How did you two meet? Pretty Ricky has come a long way. What projects are you working Jim Jonsin: We both knew a group called Sons of Jim Jonsin: We’ve been working with them for on right now? Sacrifice. He grew up with some of them. They had about seven years. I’ve known them since they Jim Jonsin: We’re working on a rock signed to an indie label and I was doing production were kids, and they kinda grew up around me. record for The Transplants, Travis with them. That’s how we both grew to respect They’ve always worked hard to develop their Barker’s group. He’s from Blink 182. each other’s work. music. They were trying to get to that next Big D: We’re trying to do more rock level. Now they’ve gotten there. I do feel good music and R&B records. Big D is the quiet one, I guess. about it. Whenever you do a record for an artist Jim Jonsin: Once you get to know him, he won’t that takes them to the next level, it feels good. Some producers have a lot of tracks ever stop talking (laughing). Everyone works hard to put an album together, that sound similar. How do you keep a but when you land an artist’s single and it blows variety? What are some of the singles you’ve produced? up, it blows up both of you. That feels great. Jim Jonsin: We can switch it up. The two Jim Jonsin: Trick Daddy’s “Let’s Go,” Pitbull’s of us think totally differently, but when “Dammit Man,” and we did the majority of Pretty Any plans to start your own label? we get together musically, it works. He’s Ricky’s album. In the past we’ve worked with Tri- Jim Jonsin: Well, we both had our own labels, very soulful and comes from a gospel/R&B na, and we have Twista’s new single coming out. but no more.I had a label called Paper Chasers background. I came from the roots of hip- We did about four records on Bonecrusher’s new with White Dawg. We released his first actual hop and rock. We approach records differ- album, including his single, and we have some album. ently together than we would individually. tracks on J-Kwon’s new album. If you listen to records like “Dammit Man” Does Big D play the instruments for most of and “Grind On Me,” they’re totally differ- Is there anyone in particular you’ve really en- your tracks? ent. We try not to get stuck on one sound. joyed working with? Jim Jonsin: D plays about five instruments. I play The problem is that people always ask, “Can Jim Jonsin: Probably one of the better vibes would a little bit of keys. He plays all the guitars. we get a song like ‘Dammit Man’?” I think be Bonecrusher and Trick, but they’re all pretty that’s what happens to a lot of producers in much cool. Trick Daddy is sort of portrayed in a As a producer, do you tend to overanalyze the business. The labels always want a track bad light sometimes so people come at him in a music too much? Is it hard for you to go out to that sounds like your last hit record. certain way. They think he’s a thug. He grew up a club and have a good time? like that, but he’s a reasonable dude. Jim Jonsin: We used to find ourselves over-ana- Any advice for aspiring producers? lyzing things a lot, but now we just kick back Jim Jonsin: Learn how to make your tracks Are there any wild studio sessions that come to and listen. As a producer you’re trying to figure sound good quality. It’s very hard to sell a re- mind? out how to win. You’re trying to figure out how cord when it doesn’t sound mixed properly. Jim Jonsin: We have a good time, definitely. to get your records to pop off. Like, “Let’s Go” That’s one of the keys. Interning; work with You’ve gotta come into one of our sessions. Some was original and different. Everybody thought some people who are doing things and learn are wild, and some are real chill. For the most we were imitating Lil Jon, but records like from experience. That’s how I learned. part they’re all interesting. “Let’s Go” and “Dammit Man” were actually done before he even blew up. We never really Any new Miami artists we should look out How do you think Miami fits into the music scene try to take ideas or study other people’s work, for? these days? but as a producer, I think you have to always be Jim Jonsin: Look out for Rock Bottom, Tif- Jim Jonsin: I think we’re right up there with the listening. For the most part, we just love doing fanie, Crystal, and Toe Jams. best of ‘em. We have some big artists come out of music. here. I think you could put us right up there with Do you want to give out any contact info? Atlanta, New York, and L.A. Jim Jonsin: 305-534-8158.

OZONE JUNE 2005 23

You used to DJ in Charleston, South Carolina, Aren’t you syndicated in another state? their records played on the radio? and you recently moved to Tampa, Florida, Yeah, in Kileen, Texas, on KIIZ. I’m doing on-air I’m so glad you asked! First off, a right? What brought about the move? nights and mixshow from 7-midnight. lot of indies don’t know how to ap- Well, basically, it’s all a blessing. My after- proach a DJ or a radio station Music noon guy/MD named Stew was driving through What’s the difference between mixing in Tam- Director. It’s all about the relationships Charleston on his way to see family, and he pa and Texas? you build with people. Most cats try to heard me on the radio and reached out to a mu- As far as the mixes I’m doing, I try to keep them go straight to radio with a single for it to tual friend. They called me for an interview/au- as mainstream as possible so the music is famil- be broken. Radio is not the only way for dition so I drove down in my car and here I am. iar on both sides. records to pop. That’s why I keep my ears to the streets. There’s many cases where a Didn’t the Charleston station change formats Do you have any short-term and long-term record will catch a street buzz long before unexpectedly? goals for the future? Are you looking to move radio even gets their hands on it. It’s always Yeah, around 4th of July weekend they switched up the ladder at radio or move into something good to get that street and club buzz first. Let to a news/talk radio format. About a week later outside radio? the people and the DJs decide if your record I landed a job at the station across the street at Truthfully, I don’t have any long-term goals. I’m is hot. Look at cats like Master P, Cash Money, Hot 98.8 with my man B-Lord. just rolling with this and letting the chips fall and even my man Mike Jones. They’re a good where they may. example of indies breaking in the streets first. There haven’t been many artists come out of The people have to be behind you and support the Carolinas. Why not? Have the people in Tampa been receptive to what you’re doing. They’ve gotta believe in Well, the truth is that many of the artists in you? you. the Carolinas are very talented. But one of the Oh, yeah, the love is incredible. I moved here main issues I’ve noticed when doing radio and in September 2004 and I’ve had the #1 night What’s the best way for an indie artist to ap- clubs there is that many of the DJs don’t come show in Tampa for two ratings books in every proach a DJ like yourself? together and break their own hometown artists. demographics. The best way is just to be real. Have your shit If niggas would stop hatin’ on one another and together, and make sure the presentation looks try to come together as a whole, it would be That’s amazing. That’s Michael Jordan stats. and sounds official. Don’t come to the club with a movement. That pretty much goes for a lot Where can we find you in Tampa? a Fujifilm CD-R you just bought from CVS, with of the areas tryin’ to make some noise in the Club 112, Club Manila Thursday through Sunday, no contact info or even the name of your song game. The support amongst local artists and and at various spots in Ybor City. on it. Be somewhat professional and courteous DJs should build better relationships with each when you approach your boy. A lot of cats feel other and break records. What separates you from the thousands of like you owe them something just because they other DJs out there? think their record is not. Don’t have that type How long have you been in the game as a DJ? For starters, my work ethic and consistency. of attitude. Just be cool, that’s all. I’ve been doing the turntable thing for about 17 Many people dig the fact that I’m well-rounded years, and I’ve been a professional on-air per- as both a DJ and an on-air personality. I can hold Where should we look out for you next? sonality for about four years. down two airshifts and two mixshows on both I just did two tapings for Rap City, and I have a coasts, considering that I come from up North. few mix CD collabos I’m working on. I’m work- How does DJing at a club differ from DJing on You don’t see that happen too often. It’s all a ing on an old-school hip-hop collabo with Ice- the radio? blessing, and I’m thankful. berg Slim out of New York, and I’ve got a few The difference between club and radio is that in tapes in the works with B-Lord, Kaye Dunaway, a club you’re trying to make people dance, but Why is it so hard for a lot of indie artists to get and DJ Christion who’s also out of Tampa. on the air you’re DJing for a listener who’s driv- ing in their car. The transition has to be smooth. Any shout outs? There’s more mixing. When you’re in a club, Big shouts to everyone here at the station 95.7 you’re pretty much just slamming shit. The Beat in Tampa and Z92.3 in Kileen, Texas. Turntable Assassins, Core DJs, Bum Squad DJs, How is the Florida scene different from South my kids, DJ Ran, David Banner, Russ Jones Carolina? at J Records, EP, Latin Prince, DJ B-Lord, TJ In Charleston, they weren’t afraid to get crunk Chapman, my little brother Science in Ches- and expand their minds on new music. They like ter, PA, Acafool, The Bomb Squad. To all the the classics like UGK and Pastor Troy. In Tampa, haters in my hometown of Reading, PA: grab they like more up-tempo party booty-shake a nutsack and hold on tight! type stuff.

Was it easy to adapt? Yeah, real easy. I just took a few steps back and absorbed the new scene.

VARIOUS ARTISTS B.G. MEMPHIS BLEEK YOUNG GUNZ THE LONGEST YARD SOUNDTRACK THE HEART OF THA STREETZ 534 BROTHERS FROM AN- Derrty/Universal Chopper City/Koch Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam OTHER Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam As if Nelly hasn’t already conquered enough This is the third solo full-length This album is sup- media avenues, he’s taking his first shot at a album B.G. has dropped since his posed to signify a In the middle of a transi- movie with tremendous mainstream appeal. departure from Cash Money – the return to his roots tion period that some Ironically, the soundtrack doesn’t follow the eighth full-length album in his illus- (534 is the build- would refer to as the mainstream formula, featuring relatively trious career. This album is a dedica- ing where he grew “death of a dynasty,” unknown artists like Chamillionaire (Houston), tion to the life that made B.G. into up). He finally gets releasing an album that 216 (Cleveland), and Taylor Made (St. Louis). the man he’s become. From the a chance to drop an has “sophomore jinx” Lil Wayne, T.I., Akon, and Trillville also make beginning, he makes it clear that album without being written all over it sounds appearances on the soundtrack. The single, this album is for the folks living the under the shadow difficult to overcome. Nelly’s “Errtime,” which has been all over the street life for real. B.G. proclaims, of other Roc-A-Fella However, the Young Gunz radio for the last month, features Jung Tru and “A body can’t operate without a artists, namely his attempt to avoid all that King Jacob of the group Taylor Made. It features heart, and I feel the streets can’t mentor, Jay-Z. For negative speculation a typical Nelly catchy hook with his traditional operate without B.G.” those reasons, I was and keep the diamond rap-sing flow. Surprisingly, Nelly is outshone initially enthused at high on Brothers From on his own track by Jung Tru. Even though he Artistically, B.G. hasn’t changed the chance to hear Another. took a page out of The Game’s handbook by since his introduction to the rap this album, especially dropping a million names a verse, Jung’s verse world. His vivid imagery and gritty after hearing his Like most new rap was clearly the highlight of this record (“I’m edge has contributed to his success lead single “It’s Like releases, the Young Gunz Def’er than Jermaine, you could say I’m So So and helped him develop his strong That,” produced by spend much of the CD / Player taylor-made, that’s a no-no / Sure it’s fan base. The Heart Of Tha Streetz Swizz Beatz. Just like regurgitating the same an Aftermath, but I ain’t a Doctor / Squad full finds B.G. staying focused and hun- his first album, he ol’ shit about hip-hop’s of B.G.’s, city full of them Choppas / Way more gry. “On Tha Block” is a vintage B.G. came out the gate current favorite sub- Game than the kid with the G-Unit / Cracks by cut that rekindles the edginess of his with a crazy club jects: money, cash, hoes, the gram an hour, that’s a G-Unit / Like Ciara previous Cash Money releases. Over joint that showed his and do-not-attempt-to- when I’m keeping the Goodies / Cause I’m bass-heavy production, B.G. delivers fire and hunger. test-me-and-my-squad Jazze like Pha with a tank in the hoodie.”). tales so vivid you’ll be picturing rhymes. Neither one has yourself on the middle of the block I had such high hopes progressed much lyrically St. Lunatics Murphy Lee and Ali are represented alongside him. On “Do That Shit,” for this album. In all since they’re freshman well on the soundtrack with “Stomp” and “Let B.G. addresses a variety of issues, the interviews lead- debut Tough Love, but ‘Em Fight,” featuring Big Gipp of the Goodie including baby mama drama and ing up to its released, I’m still more of a Young Mob. Aside from my T.I. bias, the hottest song the murder of Soulja Slim. At times, Bleek sounded like Chris fan. He’s sharp, on this album is by far Chamillionaire’s “Talkin’ his tales of street operations grow a rapper looking for quick, and fluid with his That Talk,” with production and a feature from monotonous, but B.G.’s hypnotizing redemption, ready rhymes, while Neef has David Banner. With Cham’s solo release fast voice makes for an easy listen. He to claim the throne sort of a punchy flow. approaching, this track is a perfect introduc- even addresses this monotony on Hova left him. But The 112-assisted second tion for him to a mainstream audience. Banner the joint “Same Ol’ Shit,” featur- that’s pretty much single, “Don’t Keep Me killed the beat and Chamillionaire, as usual, ing a potent verse from his younger been the case with Waiting,” has the mak- steps his game up and delivers lyrically. One of brother Hakim and the rest of the every album he’s ings of a hit radio single, the most interesting pairings on this soundtrack Chopper City Boyz over a gangsta- dropped, and it’s al- as well as the other radio is the Nelly and WC collabo, “Whip Yo’ Ass.” WC ass drum pattern. The lead single ways ended with the joint, “Don’t Stop (YG brings an energy that hasn’t been heard since “Where They At” featuring Homeb- same results: a solid, Party).” Westside Connection’s first album. woi is dope, and “Work Dat Ass,” yet mediocre, album. featuring 5th Ward Weebie, brings This is no exception. Another standout record With such heat coming from the first eleven the bounce to the clubs. 534 is sold, with is “Grown Man Part 2,” tracks, D12’s “My Balls” never should have songs for every demo- with Kanye West and made the cut for this soundtrack. Eminem The production on this album fits graphic, but there’s John Legend, who make needs to stop trying to produce. This song B.G.’s slow N’awlins drawl perfectly. nothing that stands the Gunnaz sound like doesn’t even fit with the rest of the album. But still, B.G. needs Mannie Fresh out. Bleek’s rhymes guests on their own song. Nelly’s “Fly Away,” a dedication to the brothers more than he’s willing to admit. occasionally show It’s basically a call out to locked down, seems out of place as well, but Since his departure from Cash tenacity, but for the all the grown and sexy I’m sure it will be #1 on TRL soon thanks to his Money, B.G. has failed to find the most part it sounds women. Overall, there singing. extraordinary tracks he was once like he’s still stuck in are plenty of hot-right- privileged to receive. After two 1998. Bleek needs to now, whack-two-years- Aside from a few missteps, The Longest Yard is disappointing releases, B.G. finally step up his creativity from-now type songs on one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in a long gets some better production on this if he wants to move this album for the young time. It strays away from the usual formula and album, making it the perfect addi- out of the President’s fans, but not enough shines the light on some up-and-comers. tion to your B.G. collection. shadow. substance.

- Wally Sparks - Wally Sparks - Wally Sparks - Wally Sparks

28 OZONE JUNE 2005 Mitchell Boy 01: DJ Greg G “Street Heat Vol. 10” [email protected] Orlando, FL “Audio Narcotics 5: 02: Chilly C “Meltdown 2: The R&B Edition” 228-474-2796 or [email protected] Moss Point, MS When the Southern Smoke Clears” 407-697-5986 03: DJ Knucklez “Knuckle Up” [email protected] www.mitchellboyentertainment.com 04: Brandi Garcia (hosted by Stat Quo) “Southern Stilettos 2” www.BrandiGarcia.com 256-479-1322 Athens, AL 05: DJ Mars & DJ Bobby Black Hot tracks: “Street Certified Vol. 1” www.BigCatRecords.net Atlanta, GA #01 - Play N Skillz “Do Ya Thing” 06: DJ Rondevu “Knights of the Roundtable: Vol 4” www.DJRondevu.com NYC #15 - Ying Yang Twins f/ Mike Jones “Badd” 07: DJ Mr. King “Respect Royalty Vol. 1” [email protected] 330-701-8327 #17 - Lil Scrappy “That’s It” 08: DJ Headbussa (hosted by Anthony Rozier) “Krank Up ” 813-924-4229 [email protected] Tampa, FL #19 - T.I. “Set It Out” 09: Evil Empire “Be South Episode III: Revenge of the South” [email protected] 914-799-0283 #27 - David Banner “Play” NYC #29 - Tango Redd f/ Lloyd “Let’s Cheat” 10: DJ Chuck T (hosted by B.G.) “Dirty South Class of 2K5: Late Registration” [email protected] Charleston, SC 11: DJ Jukebox (hosted by Stat Quo) “Strictly South Vol. 3” www.PlanetJukebox.com 205-447-6382

12: DJ Folk “Deep N Da Game 2: The Setup” 216-798-2480 [email protected] 13: DJ Tecneek “The Kidd Is Back Part One” 407-246-4534 www.ExtortionEnt.com Orlando, FL 14: DJ Walgee & DJ Point Blanc “Street Gossip” 305-772-1238 www.StreetGossipEnt.com FL 15: DJ Suggablack “Street Radio Vol. 2” www.DJSuggablack.com Tallahassee, FL 16: DJ Tommy Ill “Ridaz & Rollaz Vol. 2.1” [email protected] Orlando, FL 17: DJ Scorpio “Optimum II” 404-581-0855 [email protected] Atlanta, GA 18: DJ Mr. Izm & DJ Twisted “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fiyah!” [email protected] Tampa, FL 19: Pimp G “Crunk City Kings Spring Break Edition” 904-536-6122 Jacksonville, FL 20: Hurricane Foss (hosted by Stat Quo) [email protected] or 407-729-2805 Kissimmee, FL OZONE JUNE 2005 29 Disclaimer: I really hate giving movies a rating, because sometimes I start liking them more or less later. I may come back next month and recant something after I see a movie again. I’m the same way about music. Sometimes you don’t get it the first time.

STAR WARS xXx: CHAPPELLE’S SHOW: EPISODE III: STATE OF SEASON 2 UNCENSORED RETURN OF THE SITH THE UNION I would like to start off this review by This is a prequel to the The first xXx saying, “It’s a celebration, bitches!” original Star Wars that got murdered, The second season of the Chappelle we grew up with. What so they had Show has finally come out. The first makes this movie so to hire a new season actually got us through the Bap- interesting is that they xXx; a more tized in Dirty Water promo run – that show how Darth Vader extreme xXx. and Family Guy. We watched it, like, came to be. This is the the whole time, so of course I’m gonna sequel. One give this 5 out of 5 just because of the I really liked this mov- of my criti- effect it’s had on both white culture ie because It has so cisms about and black culture. He had everybody many implications into this movie has sittin’ around saying “WHAT!!!!!???” what’s going on in to- nothing to do and “I’m Rick James, bitch!” and “It’s day’s world. It shows with the actu- a celebration, bitches!” how greed, ego, and al movie, but love can drive a person to become something it has to be said. I was upset that the I would love it if Dave made me into a character on his show. that they never planned on becoming. As I star of this movie happened to be a [Lil] Jon was telling me how much it had helped his career. watched this movie, I saw so many parallels black guy and they chose not to put My character would be horrible, but he’d still be educated. in myself and other people around me. Peo- his face out there. Notice that all He’d be like, “To whoop, or not to whoop your ass. That is ple claim to be good, but you never know if the marketing for this movie didn’t the question.” But, he even said it on his show – he hates for someone is truly good until they don’t have have nobody’s face on it. I was sort people to walk up to him and give him ideas. It’s up to me to to be. When they have money, power, and of taken aback at the fact that they put myself in a position where he has to spoof me. fame, that’s when you really see if a per- had Ice Cube as the star of the mov- son is good. When they don’t have nothing, ie but didn’t promote him. To me, To be honest, I didn’t know I had missed so many episodes. I you really can’t tell. Darth Vader was sup- that was sort of insulting. know it’s corny, but my favorite skit is Rick James. Being an posed to have been the chosen one, and a entertainer, I see some of the things that people’s favorite person that had influence over him actually The story line is that one of the army artists do that the public would never know about. To be able pimped him into becoming something he’d officials is plotting to murder the to see the background scenes of Rick James’ career, it’s just fought against all his life. It’s strange. It’s President and set up the guy that’s crazy. It’s strange how God works. Right after Rick James like, once you cross over to that other side, over the Special Ops team. Basical- was making a turnaround, we were able to get so much new it’s too late. ly, the movie is the unfolding of this footage of him through the Chappelle Show before he passed guy’s plot. It’s a lot of cars blowing away. That was a blessing, because a lot of times we don’t Of course, you can’t compete with the up and shooting. The graphics are get to see the last glimpses of the stars that we loved so graphics in Star Wars. Without even digging cool, but I don’t think they were as much. That was monumental, in a way. The Chappelle Show deeper into the story line, it’s a great movie good as the first one. It was a decent can be like a time capsule; a memorial to a great artist. I visually and sonically. And for the first time movie, I guess. They quoted a lot of liked the crack head a whole lot, too. ever, they had more than one black person Tupac, so that was a plus. in the movie that wasn’t a monster. I saw a It seems like every twenty years, you have that marquee couple of black people just walking around, I was impressed with Ice Cube in this comedian that touches the world in a special way. A lot of so that made me feel a little better. movie. I’m a big Ice Cube fan, I just them use the opportunity to bring social issues to light. We didn’t like the way they handled him laugh at Dave Chappelle, but if you look deeper, he has a lot To me, the Star Wars before this sucked. as far as promoting the movie. Sam- to say. There’s a lot of social commentary in his jokes. It’s Yoda was the only thing in the last Star Wars uel Jackson and Xzibit were in the just like Richard Pryor. When I became a man, I went back movie that made it even digestible. But this movie, too. That’s the first time I’ve and listened to Richard Pryor’s shit. That man was as deep or one, I love the story line. It hit a little closer seen Xzibit acting in an A-movie. He deeper than Malcolm X, but people never noticed. to me, because every day it seems like I try to did a really good job. balance good and bad. People think it’s easy I think if we dig deeper into the Chappelle Show, we’ll see to be one or the other but it’s not. Some of The story line was kinda whack to a lot of things we need to address seriously – for example, the most evil people are the ones who used me. It didn’t flow well; it was chop- how black people have been treated throughout history to be good, because they know how to ma- py. I wasn’t really able to connect and how we’re viewed today. It’s just like what I’m try- nipulate both sides. That’s the story of Darth with the characters. But, if you like ing to do with my music. He’s doing a better job than I Vader. You always have to analyze yourself to see fast cars and things blowing am, though, because he’s making people laugh. People and your soul. People always think they’re up, it’s a top-of-the-line DVD movie are laughing and enjoying something that’s so painful. good and never analyze whether they may to watch at home. They had some of It’s a celebration, bitches! As a side note, I’m glad he be going down the wrong path. the tightest cars ever in this movie. made them white folks pay him his money.

30 OZONE JUNE 2005

Do you want to introduce yourselves? Hottest O.G.: A partner of mine was working Who are your influences? Kashus DeNiro: Yeah, we like a super group. with them and he took me up to the studio. Skid Rock: I been on music from a long time ago. I trained these guys for over ten years. If you We had a lil’ session and they let me ride on a I used to listen to EPMD, KRS-One, Kool G Rap, look at the foundation of rap in my city, Jack- track a lil’ bit. Ever since then we’ve been do- all the old school rappers. I just love music in sonville, Florida, there was only three people ing shows and working hard together. general. I really wouldn’t want to compare my around in the early 90s doing this rap shit: Shot style to anybody. I’m different. I got Southern Out, and Billy Rankin from Cool Runnings, who Describe Tortured Young Souls. slang, I’m spittin’ trap music all day. is like the supreme being of this bitch. I been Skid Rock: We’re similar to the Wu: it’s actually Joe Blade: I don’t sound like nobody. We gonna with Cool Runnings since we was on The Avenue four members of the group, but it’s a lot of cats change the whole game when we come out. and bangin’ on the walls. Back then it was just that’s affiliated. Like a family. There’s a lot of rappers right now that shouldn’t a feeling. And there was the Pimp Coalition. For Kashus DeNiro: We’re the 2005 Southern Wu- be making no money. a ten year period we’ve been tortured and tor- Tang. That’s what I always dreamed of and Hottest O.G.: I’m kinda wild. I get to feeling mented. That’s who we are. achieved. There’s more members on the album the track and I just hit it as hard as I can. I cause we run so deep, but these are my front might pop all over something. I might just get Who are the other members of the group? line soldiers that I’m running with right now. I’m all stupid on it, then I can just lay back and Kashus DeNiro: Da Hogg, the Hottest O.G., and just like a tyrant, man, I’m hungry. It’s like my chill. I’m pretty versatile. I can jump on any- Skid Rock, the hard core enforcer of the group. city. Nigga, I founded this shit! I been around a thing and stick out like a sore thumb. The laid-back gangsta. We on the block right long time. Ask them O.G.’s. Real niggas stand now, that’s how we live. Then we’ve got Joe up and stand together. It’s like the modern-day Anything else you want to say? Blade, he’s like the overseer who makes sure Babylon. To grow up here and still be alive in Kashus DeNiro: Yeah, I’ve gotta plug the al- everything stays in check. this bitch is an accomplishment. If you still alive bum: Real Nigga Rap Volume 1. Look out for in this bitch, you a soldier. It’s ugly here in Jack- the mixtape hosted by Bigga Rankin too. Shouts How did you meet Kashus? sonville. to Dereck Washington, James Daley, Decap, M- Skid Rock: We actually met and started rapping Geezy, Rain, Wayne the Wonder Kid, 92.7 The around 1990. I been putting my thing down for What’s the name of your label? Beat, T-Roy and Easy E, Kartouche, Psycster about fifteen years now. He’s like my best friend Skid Rock: Archangels Alumni. We live and die (the man that made the motion picture), J-Baby in the world. for that, no doubt. We’re gonna put out an al- of City Limit Gear, and Orain Benjamin. If I left Joe Blade: We was hustlin’ together and we kin- bum called Real Nigga Rap Vol. 1. At first it’s you out, I’ll catch you in the next one cause it’s da bonded a lil’ bit. We been down ever since gonna be a group album, then we gonna branch gonna be plenty more. then, we’ve done a lot of dirt together. We’ve off into our own careers. been rapping together for about twelve years. Joe Blade: Kash comin’ out with his solo al- I had left for a little bit, but he kinda bred me bum and mine is gonna be coming in a couple into doing this. months. 6 Venue: Perfect Rack Billiards Location: Houston, TX 2 Date: May 16th, 2005

“Fifth Ward! Fifth Ward mutha- fuckers!” And the crowd goes crazy! Bushwick Bill is on stage, hyping the crowd. From the ear- splitting noise, it sounds like you’re in an arena, but in reality, the Geto Boys are doing an impromptu concert at a small pool hall.

A pool hall, you ask? Not Scarface, Wil- lie D, and Bushwick Bill? Most groups as popular as the Geto Boys won’t do small venues, especially not a pool hall. But as Willie D announces later, “It doesn’t 1 matter where they want us to perform as long as Texas wants us to perform! We’ll do it any where, any place, any time!”

The music drops, but there’s a problem. No Willie D, no Scarface. Bushwick is alone, repeatedly telling the crowd to be patient. The crowd gets worried, and Bushwick is on the mic, literally pleading with the other group members to join him on stage. “They love us,” he begs.

Confusion is in the air. Are the other mem- bers making sure the appearance fee is paid? Is there a problem with the music? Or maybe it’s intentional, and they’re 4 just building anticipation? Bill is acting a little confused himself, not to mention very inebriated and a little wobbly.

Finally, Willie D and Scarface hit the stage (1) and all hell breaks loose. The crowd goes super crazy. The Geto Boys are on 5 stage together, all three of them (2), rip- ping through new songs and old songs with the greatest of ease like a veteran rap group is supposed to. The energy is high in the room, but the four-foot gap between the stage and the barricaded crowd is im- peding their chemistry. Willie D instructs the police officers to move the barricades and let the people come closer.

The three take turns ripping through solo tracks and serving as each other’s 3 hype men. Bushwick Bill’s constant danc- ing and strange facial expressions are always amusing, but why did he lay flat on the stage while Scarface and Willie D performed? Fortunately, he was able to get back up in time (3) to take over the stage and do his alter ego Chucky. He also dropped his pants and performed an odd striptease for the women in the front row 7 (4). 8 Willie D’s stage presence is powerful (5). He commands attention with his hard core flows. And it’s easy to see why Scarface (6) ranks among the top lyricists of all time; his knowledge of politics, women, suffering, and empowerment makes you listen and understand. Rap-A-Lot CEO J Prince oversaw the entire performance from the back of the stage (7). In Texas, no matter whether they’re performing in an arena or a pool hall, the Geto Boys are still Houston’s favorite (8).

- Malik Abdul (photos: Julia Beverly)

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