ThE boY boY Young mESS

RAW, UNCENSORED WEST COAST RAP SHIT
fillmore’s finest
the
boy boy
young
mess
gunning for
clarity
Ice Cube
Full off Hip Hop
Exclusive:
Your Favorite rapper’s
Favorite moment...or not
TheYear End
Awards
Too
Short
Remembers the Pimp
Mitchy Slick
Blood In, Blood Out
50’s Protege mobbin’
in the fast lane
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ibl h
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’ Te j Fres
n
i
ore
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Sum KC
OZONE WEST // // OZONE WEST
OZONE WEST // // OZONE WEST
editor’s note
Publisher
Julia Beverly
Editor-In-Chief
N. Ali Early
Art Director
Tene Gooden
Music Editor
Randy Roper
ADVERTISING SALES
Che Johnson
Isiah Campbell
Contributors
Big Fase 100
D-Ray
DJ BackSide
DJ E-Z Cutt
Eric Johnson
Jessica Essien
Joey Colombo
Keita Jones
Luvva J
Regi Mentle
Shemp
Todd Davis
Ty Watkins
Wendy Day
Street Reps
Anthony Deavers, Bigg
P-Wee, Dee1, Demolition
Men, DJ Jam-X, DJ Juice,
DJ KTone, DJ Quote, DJ
Strong & DJ Warrior, John
Costen, Juice, Kewan
Lewis, Maroy, Rob J Official, Rob Reyes, Sherita
Saulsberry, Sly Boogy,
William Major
COVER CREDITS
Messy Marv photo by
Bogan
clapya hands
I
always wondered what it would be like to make
a record. What the hell would I talk about? It’s
not like I have any shortage of experiences to
share with the world, but would anyone want to
hear that shit? Like, would anyone care to know
what I do every damn day? That’s why a nigga
gotta give it up to the artists out there that stay in the
booth. I get a little twisted from time to time and find myself, just like most of you that read this magazine, rappin’
over my favorite beats. You know, freestylin’ on my way to
the club and whatnot. And you never truly know how wack
you sound until you try that shit with a nigga who can
really rap (my nigga AD had me feeliln’ like a chihuahua in
a room full of pitbulls the other night!!).
Now, I did make an attempt at a song once. It happened
spontaneously. I walked in the makeshift studio that I
used to call my bedroom and there was a beat playing
that I thought was kinda fresh. I found my way to a corner
and zoned out. Next thing I know, I was contemplating
spitting over the track and before I knew it, the producer
had up the mic, encouraging me to find a pen and pad to
relay my thoughts on. So I did and before I knew it, there
were four bars in front of me, then eight and ultimately
sixteen. And the shit made sense! I got a rush ‘cause
I thought I was on to something. “Man, I could really
do this shit if I want to!” I hallucinated... At any rate, I
banged out a hook and an intro the next night and then
there was: a blapper!
Only thing about it was we had to bring in some extras to
finish it. For one, I thought so highly of the track that I
wanted as many rappers (ones who actually practiced the
art) as we could find to contribute. The other reason was
I didn’t want to have to go about making up two more
verses. That shit was hard! And that’s where you have to
respect anyone who can do that shit for a whole album. I
really feel like the people who grace these pages (well, a
good majority of them) are modern day authors, poets and
philosophers all at once. To be able to pen your thoughts
on a blank sheet of paper, then ride to a specific cadence,
fuse the two AND talk about something relevant?? Then, to
think some have the mental capacity to pull off complete
songs without even penning them at all? Wow.
You deserve a hand clap.
So after attending the first annual Regional Hip Hop
Awards in Los Angeles and meeting a lot of the cats who
have graced these here pages in the past year, it’s good
to know how alive the art is on the Coast. However disappointed I am that the Bay’s only representatives were
D-Ray, Backside and I, I salute SKG for putting together a
momentous event with tremendous potential. I commend
the writers, photographers, videographers, publicists,
pimps and homies who showed supported not knowing
whether it would crack or not. And last of all, I applaud
all those modern day authors, poets and philosophers for
repping the West without incident.
For that, you deserve a standing ovation!
Peace 2 fingers,
N. Ali Early
West Coast Editor
Ali.early@ozonemag.com
R.I.P Pimp C
ozone west
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rapqwest
PHOTO GALLERIES
short stories
ice cube
Dj Profile: Dj Fresh
Bangin’ 101: Mitchy Slick
year end awards
patiently Waiting: Sumthin terrible
Patiently Waiting: Hot rod
22-24
25
26
messy marv
Slap - Cd Reviews
end zone
OZONE WEST // // OZONE WEST
(above L-R): Glasses Malone & Hot Dollar @ Facades for the Nu West Movement party in Los Angeles, CA; E-40 & Snoop Dogg @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party in Las Vegas,
NV; Tank & Tyrese @ Club Shag in Hollywood, CA (Photos: D-Ray)
01 // Sumthin Terrible & Show Biz @ KDON 102.5 (Salinas, CA) 02 // Pimp Snooky, BG, & Pimpin Ken @ Club Karma for Snooky’s birthday bash (Minneapolis, MN) 03 // Chico & Tyrese @
Club Shag (Hollywood, CA) 04 // Haji Springer & Sean Kingston on the set of “What Is It” (Los Angeles, CA) 05 // Kuzzo Fly & Tito Bell @ 1015 Folsom for Freeway’s album release party
(San Franscisco, CA) 06 // DJ D-Wrek & Baby Bash on the set of “What Is It” (Los Angeles, CA) 07 // G. Malone, Omar Cruz & Homeboy Miguel @ Aqua Lounge for Power 106 party (Los
Angeles, CA) 08 // Acktup, Mistah FAB, & Tantrum @ Hiero Studios for DJ Vlad’s Butcher Battle (Oakland, CA) 09 // Tasha, Kevin Hart, & Melyssa Ford @ Club Republic for Melyssa Ford’s
costume party (Hollywood, CA) 10 // Young Bleed, C-Bo, BG & Chopper City Boyz @ Club Karma for Snooky’s birthday bash (Minneapolis, MN) 11 // Echoing Soundz & E-40 @ Poetry
Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 12 // Timatheez & The Jacka @ Fat City for the Mob Trial party (San Francisco, CA) 13 // D-Ray, DJ Backside & Art @ Aqua Lounge
for Homeboy Miguel’s 1st Anniversary party (Los Angeles, CA) 14 // Rob Lo & Eddi Projex @ Fat City for the Mob Trial party (San Francisco, CA) 15 // Brandy & DJ Backside @ Club
Republic for Melyssa Ford’s costume party (Hollywood, CA) 16 // Traxxamillion, Homeboy Miguel & Goldie @ Vanguard for Black Eyed Peas show (Hollywood, CA) 17 // Eastwood & Taje
@ Facades for the Nu West Movement (Los Angeles, CA) 18 // Battle winner Tantrum & DJ Vlad @ Hiero Studios for DJ Vlad’s Butcher Battle (Oakland, CA) 19 // Lil Jon, Droop-E, Echo
Hattix, & E-40 @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV)
Photo Credits: D-Ray (01,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19); Malik Abdul (02,10)
OZONE
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>>>> Don’t see your ?
w
RAPQ
EST
SEA-TAC, WA (The 206/253/360 & The 604 Too!)
Keep DJ DV One in your best thoughts and prayers… the positive brother and
Rock Steady Crew OG was found guilty of assault on a Seattle Police officer
and is facing up to five years – no priors on his sheet either. Whack! Seattle
is holdin’ down the Hip Hop with a fresh release from hometown playboy
T-Love entitled Grown Manish. Rakim and Ghostface tore the house down
with a legendary performance at the Showbox. Check out Seattle music and
media industry professional Kitty Wu’s upcoming project The Free Hill-B
Mixtape featuring er’body from The 206 and The 253 (Tacoma, WA).
- Luvva J (myspace.com/luvvaj)
artists
clubs, DJs and
t us know which
ag.com
Hit us up and le esenting: Ali.Early@ozonem
repr
are worthy of
PORTLAND, OR (503)
Portland is hosting a gang of rap cats to close the year. Cool Nutz is
ushering in a 503 favorite, E-40. Lil’ Wayne is said to be coming to
town as well as an encore birthday visit in early 2008 from Bay Area
legend, Andre Nickatina with special guests. When in Portland, make
sure to tune into KBOO FM 90.7 FM. Congrats to SP, an Olympia, WA
cat who calls PDX home, because he was just added to the reputable
list of MCs to be in The Source’s Unsigned Hype. All love, respect and
peace to Dr. Donda West.
- Luvva J (myspace.com/luvvaj)
DENVER, CO (303, 720)
DJ K-Tone and Hawkman of Elite Ent collab on one of the most highly anticipated mixtapes of the year, Bond Money. Innerstate Ike is set to drop his 10th and 11th project
of ‘07 with Bullets, Blessings, and BlackTop Music and a mixtape with DJ Big Spade. He lives up to his handle “10 songs a day.” Denver’s R&B group LG performed on 106th
& Park. Club Paradise is shut down, and The BoneYard is going to start jumping every fourth weekend of the month. One love to the Colorado Rockies for getting to the
World Series. Hip Hop ain’t dead, its rising in the Rockies!
- DJ K-Tone (myspace.com/kdjktonedotcom)
Oakland, CA (510)
The remix of “This My One” with Too $hort and E-40 (produced by Traxamillion) is definitely slappin’ in the Town. Kuzzo Fly’s video for “Don’t Spill It” is on MTV Jams! Mistah FAB has a new slapper featuring Snoop Dogg called “Party On.” The nightlife is fighting to stay alive but 1st Saturdays @ Geoffrey’s is still the livest night in the town
with DJ Juice in the mix. Reggae? Karribean City or The Oasis. Grown & Sexy? Kimball’s, Maxwell’s or Yoshi’s. Hood Club: Pat’s.
- DJ Juice (djjuice@mycingular.blackberry.net)
Las Vegas, NV (702)
Sacramento, CA (916)
San Jose, CA (408)
After Wild 94.9’s crazy ass Boo Bomb featuring
T-Pain, Rihanna and Ne-Yo at the HP Pavilion,
clubs remain the backbone of San Jose. Club
Abyss is back in action with DJ Don Lynch
(party for $2 on Tuesdays!). DJ Tito Bell and
DJ Rah2K keep things lit at Club Wet Friday
and Saturday, and DJ Solarz with J Guzie (BKA
Rock-it Scientists) keep it poppin’ at the Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge with Promoters Klubstar.
San Jose native producer Traxamillion dropped
a few heaters featuring himself, San Quinn,
Mistah FAB, Too $hort and E-40. Pick up his
newest mixtape Ridin’ High. - Dj Backside
Phoenix, AZ (602,623, 480)
West Up Wednesdays At Club Silk, Azukar
Lounge is now showcasing Hip Hop artists in
downtown Sacramento. Recent performers
include Mistah FAB and Clyde Carson. Sumthin
Terrible’s mixtape Modern Day Stoners, featuring “U Stupid” and “Bottles of Patron,” is worth
picking up. Doey Rock and Sic Wit it present the
new album 916 Unified featuring the single “So
Sac Wit It.” J Gibbs’ Still on the Grizzley Volume
2… Look What You Made Me Do is another slapper, featuring the hit single “Rolling Through
The Hood.” Sacramento/Omina Labs hottest Hip
Hop producer J-Synth is dropping J-Synth the
Resume, featuring “Smashmatic” with B-Legit
and Turf Talk. And Mackramento’s own Bueno is
hosting the new BlockStar DVD with Jim Jones,
Mistah FAB and Yukmouth.
- Zay (zaemai@gmail.com)
Thousands of DJs descended on Las Vegas for the
annual Mixshow Power Summit. The three day event,
held at the Palms Hotel, included daily festivities,
major networking, extravagant hotel suite parties, and a special advance premier of the movie
American Gangster. Appearances by some of the
West Coast’s hottest DJs included DJ Franzen, the
Demolition Men, DJ Big Dee, DJ Vlad, DJ BackSide
and DJ Karamel. Freeway, the Jacka, Mitchy Slick and
producers Alchemist and Traxamillion also attended.
Supporting the DJs in the music industry was a
primary focal point. Where would the industry be
without the DJs?!
- Portia Jackson (portia@goldenmeanmusic.com)
San Francisco, CA (415)
The new “San Francisco Anthem” (off the All City
comp) is buzzing in The City streets featuring
Big Rich, Boo Banger, San Quinn and produced
by Traxamillion. Messy Marv drops Draped Up &
Chipped Out Part 2. FTC Skateboard Co. has put
out a San Quinn Western Edition Skateboard.
First 500 buyers get a FREE San Quinn & DJ Juice
mixtape. Be on the lookout for G-Man & Doza’s
(from the Geneva Tower) album dropping soon.
The City’s nightlife heart is still beating at Icon,
Whisper, Club 6, 330 Ritch & Fanatics. For the
urban strip club experience, try Club Vixen.
- DJ Juice
HMF Entertainment and The Hindu Mafia Family All-Stars flooded the city with West Coast stars, national celebrity hosts from BET and more for their recent album release
party. Over 2000 people showed up. The Bella Models are throwing ultra star-studded mansion parties attended by Suns forward Boris Diaw, DTP’s Willie Northpole and
more. Soulja Boy “Cranked That” in the gym of Phoenix College and Amare Stoudemire and Lebron James recently hosted separate sold-out events at Club Rain promoted
by Urban AZ. Phoenix is preparing for the 2008 Super Bowl at the brand new $355 million Cardinals stadium. Also, just confirmed All Star 2009. We on the map!
- Jasmine Crowe (jasmine.crowe@mystjazz.com)
OZONEMAG
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(above L-R): Ray J & Brandy @ Club Republic for Melyssa Ford’s costume party in Hollywood, CA; David Banner & Damani @ Club Sugar in Hollywood, CA; Punk rocker disrespecting the
yellow carpet @ Poetry Nightclub for E-40’s birthday party in Las Vegas, NV (Photos: D-Ray)
01 // Lil Jon & DJ Quote reppin’ CRUNK!!! Energy Drink (Tucson, AZ) 02 // Jae Synth & Turf Talk @ Omina Labs (Sacramento, CA) 03 // Willie Joe, AP9 & Traxxamillion @ 1015 Folsom for
Freeway’s album release party (San Francisco, CA) 04 // Guest & Too $hort @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 05 // Mistah FAB & Faahz @ Power 106 (Los
Angeles, CA) 06 // Pimpin’ Ken & Pimp Snooky @ Club Karma for Snooky’s birthday bash (Minneapolis, MN) 07 // The Federation on the set of “What Is It” (Los Angeles, CA) 08 // Baby
Bash & Sean Kingston on the set of “What Is It” (Los Angeles, CA) 09 // Chaz, Droop-E, Mrs. E-40, & E-40 @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 10 // Freeway &
The Jacka @ 1015 Folsom for Freeway’s album release party (San Francisco, CA) 11 // John Costen, Network & Kafani Da Ice King @ Paulo’s for Rick Lee’s industry party (Hayward, CA)
12 // Slo & Pimp Snooky @ Club Karma for Snooky’s birthday bash (Minneapolis, MN) 13 // Echo Hattix & Toccara @ Club Republic for Melyssa Ford’s costume party (Hollywood, CA) 14
// Biaje & G. Archer @ Raw Hide for his album release party (San Francisco, CA) 15 // Taje & DJ Backside @ Facades for the Nu West Movement (Los Angeles, CA) 16 // Hard Hitters &
Alex Thomas @ Aqua Lounge for Homeboy Miguel’s 1st Anniversary party (Los Angeles, CA) 17 // Colby O Donis & Felli Fel @ Aqua Lounge for Homeboy Miguel’s 1st Anniversary party
(Los Angeles, CA) 18 // Drew Deezy & San Quinn on the set of “I Bet Cha” (San Jose, CA) 19 // DJ D-Wrek & Celly Cell @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 20 //
Terricka & DeRay Davis @ Club Republic for Melyssa Ford’s costume party (Hollywood, CA)
Photo Credits: Ace Black (01); D-Ray (03,04,05,07,08,09,10,11,13,14,15,16,17,19,20); Jessica Essien (02,18); Malik Abdul (06,12)
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E
ver since I met Pimp C, he treated me like a big brother. I could fill
every page in this magazine with stories about our adventures.
We’ve traveled all over the country doing shows. We’ve spent endless hours in the studio. When we talked on the phone or hung out together,
we rarely mentioned the music industry. We’d usually just chop up the game
and analyze how some folks have it and some don’t.
if Scarface, The Geto Boys, Luke Skywalker, Trick Daddy, 8Ball & MJG, Outkast,
the Goodie Mob, and all the other rap artists from the South had to fight their
labels like UGK did.
Anybody who knows both of us should know how wild we used to be. Before
he passed, he would tell me stories about crazy shit we did back in the day
that he remembered, and I’d tell him what I remembered. Other people in the
room would be looking at us like we really were crazy.
I just hope the Southern artists that are enjoying success these days give
credit where credit is due. Ask Lil Jon, T.I., Mike Jones, Rick Ross, T-Pain, or
Plies what they were doing when “Pocket Full of Stones” came out. Ask ‘em
how many times they listened to the Ridin’ Dirty album and how many UGK
songs they memorized. Ask ‘em about Pimp C’s production skills, or how many
memorable hooks he came up with. Ask ‘em if Pimp and Bun influenced or
inspired them in any way.
I was proud of my lil’ bra when he got out of prison a much more mature
and wiser man. He did a lot of good things for a lot of people. I remember
when him, Bun, and Mama were going through it with Jive Records. I wonder
I’ll never forget Bun B’s “Free Pimp C” campaign. He put it on t-shirts and said
it in damn near every verse he spit. When Pimp was in jail, Bun kept Pimp’s
name alive in the rap game. I personally feel that as much as Bun did all the
I just hope the Southern artists
that are enjoying success these
days give credit where credit is
due. Ask Lil Jon, T.I., Mike Jones, Rick
Ross, T-Pain, or Plies what they
were doing when “Pocket Full of
Stones” came out. Ask ‘em how many
times they listened to the Ridin’
Dirty album and how many UGK
songs they memorized.
right things for UGK while C was locked down, every time
he said C’s name in a song or an interview, that helped
Bun as much as it helped C. I know little kids that know
exactly who Bun B is, and say they’ve never heard of
Pimp C, but if you know the whole story, folks thought he
couldn’t make it without Pimp C. Bun is a better lyricist
but Pimp had that swagger. By Bun doing all those guest
appearances on other rapper’s songs, he not only saved
both of their careers but also elevated them to a level
they’d never been on before.
When Pimp got out of prison, he was immediately driving
a Bentley and wearing big diamonds. My lil’ bra was in
a good mood every time I talked to him and every time
I saw him after his release from prison. If you read this,
thanks, Bun. Chad could have come home to nothing, but
instead he came home and lived his last days like a Trill
UnderGround King.
The Saturday right before he passed, he came to my show,
got on stage with me and had a good time. Backstage
we joked and laughed like always. That’s how I’ll always
remember him: Dedicated to the hustle, always making
funky music and having fun all the way. He told everybody how much he loved his big bra Shortdog. Love you
too, Pimpin’. //
Photo: Alexander Sibaja/Getty Images
10 // OZONE WEST
(above L-R): E-40 & Lil Jon @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party in Las Vegas, NV; Jackie Long, Melyssa Ford, Tocarra, & Ray J @ Club Republic for Melyssa Ford’s costume party
in Hollywood, CA; AP9 & Freeway @ 1015 Folsom for Freeway’s album release party in San Francisco, CA (Photos: D-Ray)
01 // Pretty Black & Young City @ Club Shag (Hollywood, CA) 02 // N Ali Early & Crooked I @ West Coast Regional Awards (Universal City, CA) 03 // DJ Big Dee, guest, & DJ Franzen @
Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 04 // Joe Breezy, Homeboy Miguel, David Banner & J. Espinosa @ Aqua Lounge for Homeboy Miguel’s 1st Anniversary party
(Los Angeles, CA) 05 // Baby Bash, J Diggs, & Boss Hogg on the set of “What Is It” (Los Angeles, CA) 06 // Tank, Melyssa Ford, & DJ Mark Da Spot @ Club Shag (Hollywood, CA) 07 //
E-40 & Mugzi @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 08 // Willie Joe & DJ Juice @ 1015 Folsom for Freeway’s album release party (San Francisco, CA) 09 // C-Bo
& Pimp Snooky @ Club Karma for Snooky’s birthday bash (Minneapolis, MN) 10 // DJ Quote reppin’ CRUNK!!! Energy Drink (Tucson, AZ) 11 // International P & Cakemixx @ MTV 2’s
Fight Klub (Fresno, CA) 12 // Guest, Dem HoodStarz, Clyde Carson, & guest @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 13 // G. Malone & D.J. SourMilk @ Aqua Lounge
for Homeboy Miguel’s 1st Anniversary party (Los Angeles, CA) 14 // Bishop Magic Don Juan and Kam @ West Coast Regional Awards (Los Angeles, CA) 15 // Homeboy Miguel, guests,
& DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia @ Aqua Lounge for Homeboy Miguel’s 1st Anniversary party (Los Angeles, CA) 16 // E-40, B-Legit, D-Ray, Snoop Dogg & D-Shot @ Poetry Nighclub for
E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 17 // Streets Of The Federation & his wife @ Aqua Lounge for Homeboy Miguel’s 1st Anniversary party (Los Angeles, CA) 18 // Band Aid Of Dem
Hoodstarz, Chuck & E-40 @ Poetry Nighclub for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 19 // Model & Spider Loc @ West Coast Regional Awards (Los Angeles, CA) 20 // King Tech & DJ
Revolution @ Power 106 (Los Angeles, CA)
Photo Credits: Ace Black (10); D-Ray (01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20); Jessica Essien (11); Malik Abdul (09)
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11
...if you got a ghost writer, I’m
not fucking with you anyway—
period. I don’t care how many
records you sell, if y’all doin’
lyrics by committee I’m not
fucking with that because that
ain’t emceeing to me.
WORDS BY N. Ali EARLY
Ice Cube never changed. The
game did. If you were him you would have had the
vision too. You would have seen how shady it was becoming
and would have opted for the silver screen. You would have
had your cake and ate it too. You would have gone from the
no nonsense thug Dough Boy to the fun loving sports fanatic
Nick Persons and you still would have come home. That’s
because home is where the heart is and no matter how many
movies you made and how many roles you pretended to be,
you would always yearn for that homecooked meal.
Figuratively speaking, Ice Cube’s had the ability to eat off rap
since he was a teenager and by all accounts, he loves it just
the same now as he did then. So with his album Raw Footage
due next June, he’s opted to test the waters and deliver an
Internet friendly EP before the official release date. That’s just
to see if it’s something you’re interested in hearing. But you
are, because you can appreciate mature Hip Hop. That’s why
you’re here. He knows. You’re one and the same.
12 // OZONE WEST
You say First Sunday is more in the vein of a Barbershop as opposed to a
Friday. How is that?
Friday movies are straight, pretty much a simple story and just laughing at
everything. Barbershop is like a good story to tell, meaningful story and you
laugh through it. And I think this is one of them same things. It’s a good
story, but you’re laughing all the way through it.
So what’s the premise behind the movie?
Basically, two niggas are stupid enough to rob a church. I mean, I don’t know
how I could put it any plainer than that. Emphasis on the “stupid enough.”
What’s cool is, I don’t wanna give away the movie, but the church ain’t like
the nicest church in the hood. They basically takin’ the money and ‘bout to
move away and build a bigger church in a whole different neighborhood.
They done sucked the community dry and basically wanna just take the
money and run. And now the people that done built the church can’t even go
to it now. So it’s on that tip. So, ain’t nobody a saint in this movie, but it’s
funny. It is truly comedy when it’s all said and done.
You didn’t have anything to do with writing it, but what involvement does
Cubevision have?
Producing it, making sure it made it to the screen and that it is done well.
Who wrote it?
A guy named David [Talbert]. He does a lot of plays and that’s where he kinda
made his name; doing a lot of black plays around the country. This is his first
feature.
What does it take these days for you to want to be involved in a movie, or
produce it or write it?
First of all, it’s gotta be something that I think that we can make good and
make it to where people enjoy it. And then, of course, the story, the story’s
gotta be good; good actors and people who just know how to make good
movies. I don’t wanna deal with a lot of amateurs. Even though I’ve dealt
with a lot of first-time directors, I believe [Talbert] has mastered his field
when it comes to plays. It’s just basically converting it into a film and helping
him make that transition. And then with other people, I think they’ve mastered videos and they were just ready to make that transition. So we’re still
grabbin’ people who are real talented.
You mentioned that you don’t like to deal with amateurs a whole hell of a lot
in certain respects, but how much have you transitioned? Do you ever look
back and trip off your own progression in the movies and where you’ve come
from?
Yeah, it’s a trip but I never take movies as serious as people do; especially
when I just act in them. Those are just parts. My records to me are when I
really get to do what I do. Movies are just acting roles. I never really weigh it
out. Some people say, “Well, shit, you done came from N.W.A to doing a movie
like Are We There Yet?” and I’m sayin’, “Shit, when I was in N.W.A, I wished I
had a family like Are We There Yet?” That’s the whole thing. We want a piece
of this so-called American dream. It ain’t like everybody in the hood wanna
be Scarface.
What happened with “Black.White.”?
I think the network FX was just kinda scared of it. It was a good show. That’s
why I wanted to be involved, because it was something that was just gonna
test the waters of racism in America, gauge where we are, and it flunked the
test. America flunked the test in a lot of respects. I guess FX didn’t want to
expose that no more. Even though the show was successful, even though the
show at that time was the highest-rated cable show as far as the premiere of
the show, it was strange not to do another one. It was real successful ‘cause
it had everybody talking all through America about it. I figured they were just
scared to do it again.
Given the success that it had, how did they go about telling you and everybody else that there wasn’t going to be a second season?
Shit, they bought like six or seven episodes and when they don’t buy six or
seven more, you know. It’s like going to the grocery store—you pick out a sixpack of soda and if you don’t go and pick out another six-pack of soda—you
don’t want no more soda. That’s kinda how it goes down in Hollywood,
especially with a show like this that’s basically reality TV. It ain’t like a series
or sitcom, where they will probably be a little more tasteful, just a little—they
will actually let you know they ain’t doing it. But this [is] the game, that’s just
the TV game. I trust in the movie game and the record game—those are the
ones that I know best. TV [is] a whole new animal.
Is your approach to music any different now? Dealing with movies I would
assume that it is. Do you get in the mode and just go there with it?
Yeah, you know I still have the most fun doing records. At a certain point
movies get boring—shooting them. They cool when they come out and they
edit it—the finished work, but shooting them is boring. It ain’t nothing like
being in the studio. It was a different way of recording when I first came out.
ProTools wasn’t the norm. People [were still] recording on two-inch tape,
so you had to basically sit down and have sessions with a lot of people to
get what you want. Now with ProTools, with MP3s, shooting beats over the
Internet and all that, it ain’t really necessary.
You had some choice words for today’s generation of gangsta rap on Laugh
Now, Cry Later. Do you feel the same about the industry? It seems like it’s
taking an extreme turn for the worst. A lot of people like the fun in it, like the
dancing and all that shit, but how do you feel?
I hate the industry for a lot of reasons. It ain’t got nothing to do with old,
new, none of that. It has to do with how the West Coast is always treated.
We’re always treated like the stepchilds of the industry so our music is
straight underground, because we’re not recognized nowhere in mainstream
music as a force at all. We’re just kinda out here hangin’. If we do get a hit it’s
because the record is just so overwhelmingly better than anything else out
there. Our moderate records or records that are not with this big-ass machine
behind it don’t even get looked at by the industry. They’ll have award shows
in L.A., but won’t have one West Coast artist on the bill. So that’s why I don’t
like the industry.
As far as the new jacks, the youngsters that [are] coming out, if you got a
ghostwriter, I’m not fucking with you anyway—period. I don’t care how many
records you sell, if y’all doin’ lyrics by committee I’m not fucking with that
because that ain’t emceeing to me. I’m only worried about people that write
their own lyrics and I try and spit game to ‘em. I don’t know some of these
dudes to be able to just talk to them face-to-face, but I could do a record
and if they hear what I’m trying to say, then so be it. If they take it as a nigga
being sour, so be it too. But for the most part, these new dudes just gotta
figure out if they love the money, if they love the music, or if they love their
fans. ‘Cause if you in love with the money, you gon’ play out—straight up. If
you in love with the music and your fans, you’ll have longevity, even if you
don’t sell a lot of records. Look at Dub C. He’s been eatin’ off rap music just
as long as me, but ain’t really never had a gold or none of them big numbers.
But he still here. People still want to hear what he gotta say. So that’s what I
look at.
With the last album you kinda put movies and everything else to the side to
do it. Is the process the same this around?
Well, between Laugh Now… and this new record Raw Footage, we got a lot of
songs that could go on the album. But I wanna do more before I say, “These
are the ones.” So right now, I’m ‘bout to do a movie, but I’m still workin’ on
more records, ‘cause I figure we should just do as many as we can until it’s
time to stop. So this process is a little different.
When do you sleep?
I sleep good. I sleep good every night. I got a lotta good people that work
with me and work for me. And I just know how to allocate power and know
how to put people to work, motivate them to work at a high level. So I got a
lotta shit goin’, but I don’t wanna go crazy tryna do this. I wanna have fun,
stay creative and keep my mind clear.
“Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It” is the single, right? Or was it leaked?
We still don’t know how that got out, cause that ain’t even a mixed version
of the song. It’s just a rough. But it’s out and it is a song that’s going on Raw
Footage. It ain’t the single, but it is one of the songs that’s on there. When it’s
out you just gotta roll with it and that’s what we’re going to do. We’ll probably end up puttin’ out a better version of it. It’s just little shit the producer
[Maestro] wants to do.
What’s the focus of Raw Footage?
This is the first time I did a record that’s not worried about no kind of airplay
or none of that. I’m not worried about what the industry says on this record.
I’m saying what I think needs to be said. I’m doing Hip Hop that makes
you think, makes you realize what’s going on around you, that’s true street
knowledge. So that’s what this record is full of. I got a song on there called
“Why Me?” You hear about a lot of dudes gettin’ murdered. What if that person
that got murdered had a chance to talk to the dude who did it? It’s that kind
of record, basically saying, “Why me? I don’t even know you. I could be part of
your family and you smoked me.” So it’s them kind of records that’s against
the norm. ‘Cause most people gon’ be like, “Where yo Soulja Boy shit at?” But
nah. It’s a record for mature Hip Hop fans. //
OZONE WEST // 13
DJ
DJ
Dj Fresh
A
twenty two year vet has probably seen it all, experienced it all and imaginably so, would be done
with it all. Kansas City’s DJ Fresh, however, seems
to be in perfect stride and more or less at his
peak after two decades in the game. As the chief
turntable conduit in one of the most violent cities
across the nation, he truly has the best of both worlds.
In essence, he’s traveled outside his own city in an effort to network with
other notable DJ’s/artists and coincidently made a name for himself in a
smaller market in the process. Needless to say, through his ingenuous travels,
he’s made ends meet by wearing more hats than a baseball team. Hence, the
promoter/DJ/host/producer not only has a lot on his plate, but tons of game
to spill.
“We pretty much get looked over as a city, state, whatever,” Fresh tells, offering the reality of being underestimated as a native planted West of the
Mississippi. “The labels look over us and everything, but that just makes these
artists out here more hungry.”
From Cash Image, Money G & Southside Posse, The Poppers, Toothpick, Mad
Marlin, Lee Joe, Rich the Factor and Tech N9ne, the list is long and impressive.
But for reasons unbeknownst to him, they’re not the most accepted group on
local radio. However, as a consistent voice on Hot 103 Jamz, where he holds
down a weekend mixshow called Underground Heat: The Radio Takeover, DJ
Fresh has the unique opportunity of showcasing worthy talent.
14 // OZONE WEST
And Fresh doesn’t stop there. Beyond the recognition and exposure, his next
most immediate goal is “taking this DJ thing to the next level.” Appropriately
dubbed “The Gift,” he boasts upwards of 600,000 views on YouTube for his
single “Double Dutch” and remains one to watch by industry standards. In association with New Jersey’s Kenyon Entertainment, Fresh takes an active role
in distributing his own brand.
“When I first started DJin’ it was more raw Hip Hop,” he reminisces on his triumphant and impressive run. “It was a focus on more skills in the DJs. It was
more contest music. It was more fun music. It wasn’t so much about glamorizing everything. I mean rappers always were flamboyant, but now they make
it like reality. So it’s like, when you turn 16 you’re supposed to get 28” rims on
your car. So the kids have started doing everything to get that.”
Unsurprisingly, Fresh is keeping busy, most recently finishing his second
DVD/Mixtape entitled The Ultimate DVD Mixtape Part 2: In the Basement. He
also takes the time to organize lunch time middle school events with his own
son as guest host and DJs in every capacity available to him. Says Fresh, “I DJ
parties for 70 year olds, black, white, Jamaican parties, African parties, kids
parties, clubs… everything.” A CORE DJ, Shadyville DJ and Derrty DJ, Fresh says
holla at him for hosting mixtapes. He’ll put the Hip Hop back in it. //
www.myspace.com/djfreshlive
- DJ Backside
(above L-R): Topic in the studio in Hollywood, CA (Photo: D-Ray); E-40 on the set of ‘5000 Ones’ in Atlanta, GA (Photo: Julia Beverly); Lil Uno of The Pack @ Bottom of the Hill in San
Francisco, CA (Photo: Remy Allums)
01 // DeRay Davis @ Club Sugar (Hollywood, CA) 02 // Willie Joe @ Fat City for the Mob Trial party (San Francisco, CA) 03 // Sean Kingston on the set of “What Is It” (Los Angeles, CA)
04 // Young Gasz @ Fat City for the Mob Trial party (San Francisco, CA) 05 // Rick Rock @ Mission Rock (San Francisco, CA) 06 // Nikki @ Club Karma for Snooky’s birthday bash (Minneapolis, MN) 07 // Mistah FAB @ 1015 Folsom for Freeway’s album release party (San Francisco, CA) 08 // San Quinn on the set of “I Bet Cha” (San Jose, CA) 09 // P-Cise, Birdie L’s,
Lil Derell, & Liq M1 @ Godlike Studios (Sacramento, CA) 10 // Alex Thomas @ Aqua Lounge for Homeboy Miguel’s 1st Anniversary party (Los Angeles, CA) 11 // Sauce of Sumthin Terrible @ 1015 Folsom for Freeway’s album release party (San Francisco, CA) 12 // Baby Bash & ladies on the set of “What Is It” (Los Angeles, CA) 13 // Rick Lee & Mr. Kee @ Paolos for
Rick Lee Industry Tuesdays (Hayward, CA) 14 // Lil Jon @ Poetry for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 15 // PSD Tha Drivah @ (Las Vegas, NV) 16 // Glasses Malone @ West Coast
Regional Awards (Universal City, CA) 17 // Danny Salas & Eddi Projex (Fresno, CA) 18 // The Jacka @ Fat City for the Mob Trial party (San Francisco, CA) 19 // Snoop Dogg @ Poetry for
E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 20 // Shawnna @ Club Karma for Snooky’s birthday bash (Minneapolis, MN) 21 // Goldie of The Federation on the set of “I Bet Cha” (San Jose,
CA) 22 // Young L of The Pack @ Bottom of the Hill (San Francisco, CA) 23 // Freeway @ 1015 Folsom for Freeway’s album release party (San Francisco, CA) 24 // Lee Majors @ 1015
Folsom for Freeway’s album release party (San Francisco, CA) 25 // DJ Mike Smooth & DJ Backside @ Club Shag (Hollywood, CA) 26 // BG, Anjal, Queen Bee, & Shawnna @ Club Karma
for Snooky’s birthday bash (Minneapolis, MN) 27 // Big Rich @ Fat City for the Mob Trial party (San Francisco, CA) 28 // Jonathan Wesley @ Club Republic for Melyssa Ford’s costume
party (Hollywood, CA) 29 // DJ Big Dee @ Poetry for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 30 // Dem Hoodstarz @ Poetry for E-40’s birthday party (Las Vegas, NV) 31 // Damani & DJ
Backside @ Club Sugar (Hollywood, CA) 32 // Eddi Projex @ Fat City for the Mob Trial party (San Francisco, CA) 33 // Chance @ Club Republic for Melyssa Ford’s costume party (Hollywood, CA) 34 // DJ Skee @ West Coast Regional Awards (Universal City, CA) 35 // AP9 @ 1015 Folsom for Freeway’s album release party (San Francisco, CA)
Photo Credits: D-Ray (01,02,03,04,07,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,23,24,25,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35); Jessica Essien (05,08,09,21); Malik Abdul (06,20,26); Remy Allums (22)
OZONE
OZONEWEST
WEST////15
15
F
lamed up, comin’ straight outta San Diego is
the man known as Mitchy Slick. Representin
the “B” to the fullest, Slick is here to shed a
lil light on his hometown, Hip Hop and of course a lil
Bangin’ 101.
Start off by telling us where the name Mitchy Slick originated?
Well, my last name is Mitchy. I got Slick from being a thinker. Put
those together and you’ve got Mitchy Slick.
Can you tell me a little bit about the San Diego Hip Hop scene?
San Diego’s Hip Hop scene is fucked up, and it’s for the same
reason the whole West Coast Hip Hop scene is fucked up. There
aren’t many outlets. There aren’t any major street record labels
out in San Diego. We don’t have any hood representatives. All of
our outlets come from corporate company people that don’t know
how to market street acts.
Tell me how big of a part gang and street life plays in San Diego’s
Hip Hop scene.
Gang and street life plays a part in mostly everything. Building a
name begins in the hood. If you don’t have a hood that supports
you, it’s gonna be pretty hard to survive in San Diego’s Hip Hop
scene. Every rapper that’s known in San Diego is a known member
of a particular neighborhood. San Diego is a place where it’s all
about your reputation and if what you say is real. That’s basically
the only way you’ll get respect for your music out here.
mitchy slick
Words by Big Fase 100
Photo by Barry Underhill
Jayo Felony is one of the biggest names in rap to come out of the
San Diego area. He is a Crip. Do you have a relationship with him?
Our hoods are separated by one street. Me and plenty of his
homies done did all the shit that active gangbangers do to each
other coming up, but never anything between me and him. Our
hoods haven’t got along since way before I was around, so it’s
really hard to do anything together.
16 // OZONE WEST
What’s your take on the artists who represent Bloods across the
map in Hip Hop today? Are they representing it the right way?
San Diego is the Blood capital of the world. It’s been Bloods in
San Diego since the 70s. When I go to Compton, Pasadena, Watts,
I’m gonna look for the Damus just to break bread with some
Bloods in another part of the world. It’s like a fraternity. They give
me plugs and provide whatever they can. From Inglewood to San
Diego it’s Blood love. Some niggas understand that in other places
as far away as Harlem, Minnesota and Oklahoma. [They] got Blood
love. Niggas come to the Blood capital of the world and don’t
even reach out to the President of the Hip Hop Blood movement
in San Diego. That’s not what a Blood would do. A real Blood that
had his shit crackin’ would feel he got a responsibility to at least
acknowledge some other real Bloods when they’re around. I ain’t
mad, I’m just waitin’ on some phone calls from my brothers.
I remember when Bloods had little to no representation in rap.
What do you think this sudden shift is due to?
I don’t know why. I always felt like maybe it was because of how
the L.A. niggas just banged so hard for years with the Crippin’.
Maybe it was just natural for the other cities to feel like they
should be on the other team. I couldn’t really see New York niggas
wanting to be like Snoop after kickin’ down the buildings in the
“New York New York” video.
What do you say to a youngster coming up in your home town
who idolizes you and wants to be just like OG Mitchy Slick: a dope
rapper/street gang representative?
Be careful of who’s in your circle, because once you get a lil’ fame
a lot of niggas are going turn on you. Everybody wants to be a
rapper. When niggas want what you got, you’re going to feel the
heat. Also, make real music. Don’t be wasting time doing songs
with bullshit production in bullshit studios. It’s too late in the
game to be trying to make shit for your circle of friends. Go big.
Invest in yourself or nobody else will!
If at all, how do you go about delivering a positive message to
your young fans?
If you listen to my shit, you will see I don’t glorify the gangbanging shit. I tell the real side of the life. I educate them about
paying taxes and other ways to get money besides pushing dope.
Any lil’ dude listenin’ to my music is most definitely gonna learn
how to be slick and make it in the real world. I show them the statistics
and everything.
Do you see gang violence ever coming to an end in your hometown? Why
or why not?
I really don’t see shit changing in San Diego because these gang laws
got us separated. The lil’ homies are teaching themselves because the big
homies will go to jail just for being around them. I just lost two
homies this week. Too much anger from dead homies. Niggas don’t forget.
What’s up next for Mitchy Slick in 2008?
Me and my group Strong Arm Steady are about to put out a real masterpiece through Black Smith Warner Brothers. I’m also releasing my third
solo underground project on my label Wrongkind Records. It’s called 48
Hours on Gangstreet featuring: 211 Spider Loc, Big Wy, The Wrongkind,
Messy Marv, Strong Am Steady, G. Malone and more. //
Compiled by:
N. Ali Early | DJ K-Tone | Mark Cook | Kay Newell
OZONE WEST // 17
THE KEEPIN’ IT PUSHIN’ AWARD
Winner: Clyde Carson
Runner Up: Jay Rock
A major deal on Capitol, 2 hot singles, and
a whole lot of street cred from one of the
toughest markets to get respect from, Clyde
Carson still wasn’t at the top of the major
label’s priority list. But it didn’t stop him from
doing shows, dropping freestyles and being
everywhere across the U.S. this year.
DON’T RAP, JUST RAISEYOUR KIDS
AWARD
Winner: Marvaless
Runner up: Luni Coleone
Marvaless was a prime example of hard female
gangsta rapper who didn’t take no shit... but
that was also early 90s when she still looked
up to par. Based on the looks of her latest
album cover, she needs to hang up the mic
and concentrate on picking up the kids from
school.
THE BARRY BONDS AWARD
Winner: Dr. Dre
Runner Up: Bishop Lamont
Didn’t know dude from BALCO had a connect
in the City of Angels… At any rate, after Dr.
Dre’s guest appearance onstage at the VMAs,
it’s clear why Detox didn’t come out last year
(as if it ever will). Dre’s on ster— er uh, he’s
been in the gym.
DAMN NIGGAYOU OLD AWARD
Winner: Too $hort
Runner up: Trey D
To his credit, Short has continued to make
hits on time (listen to “Blow the Whistle”),
introduce new talent (see The Pack) and create
new avenues to rep the Bay (purchase the I
Love the Bay compilation). We love and respect
you for doing your thing for so long, but damn
nigga you old!
RAY TAMARRA
DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY AWARD
Winner: Keyshia Cole an ‘em
Runner Up: Thizz Ent
Let’s see, the mother’s a convicted felon,
the sister is an obsessive wreck and the rap
prodigy isn’t really worth mentioning. The
Addams family ain’t got shit on the Coles and
that’s just “The Way It Is”!
18 // OZONE WEST
D-RAY
SHOWYOU HOW TO GRIND AWARD
Winner: Mistah F.A.B.
Runner up: Innerstate Ike
Being signed to a major deal doesn’t always
mean you’re a star. Atlantic Records doesn’t
push FAB on their roster, acts like they don’t
know him at conferences and MTV banned his
“Ghost Ride It” video. Through it all, the Prince
of the Bay manages to stay relevant and
visible at award shows, in magazine articles,
on mixtapes, MC battles and usually outshines
any artist in the room with him. AND, he still
gets his show money on a consistent basis.
Now that’s a grinder.
GHOST RIDE IT AWARD
Winner: J Diggs
Runner Up: Mistah FAB
Mistah FAB was the poster boy for everything
hyphy and rode the yellow bus from the
Bay to the Big Apple, but J Diggs remains
the originator of the Turf Dance. Known
specifically for ghostriding his own Range
Rovers, Diggs is the definition of a self-made
daredevil.
THE“ENGLISH NIGGA, ENGLISH!”
AWARD
Winner: Keak Da Sneak
Runner Up: Tech N9ne
Keak speaks less and less English with every
album he drops. With lines like “bada bop ba
byyyy” and “yadadaaadaaaaaaaameea”, Keak
is definitely the nigga that makes you rewind
the track and turn it off to wonder what the
hell he just said.
THE STICK TOYOUR DAY JOB
AWARD
Winner: Tyrese
Runner Up: Katt Williams
The transition from music to movies was a
good and graceful one, but that Black Ty
shit was not the business! Bruh, you’re multi
talented and all, but leave the rappin’ to the
rappers. R&B stands for “Rhythm and Blues,”
not “Rap and Bullshit!”
KING YELLA
D-RAY
D-RAY
D-RAY
CANT STAY OUT OF JAIL AWARD
Winner: Messy Marv
Runner up: Askari X
With all these damn albums and compilations
that Messy Marv is presenting and doing, you
start wondering how they are getting done
with him going in and out of jail. Mess will be
out for a month and next thing you know, he’s
right back in. We know Mess is a gangsta, but
enough is enough.
HOW LONG WILL THEY MOURN ME
AWARD
Winner: Mac Dre
Runner Up: 2Pac
Never truly appreciated for his accomplishments and contributions while he was alive,
Mac Dre supporters and mourners popped
up more than a little bit after his untimely
demise. Heavy radio spins, various collaborations, vids, etc. of the charismatic rapper
would follow.
SHINE LIKE ME AWARD
Winner: Fabby Davis Jr.
Runner Up: Kafani Da Ice King
From the A’s to the Yellow Bus and the now
infamous Mistah Fab “Skittles Kid” piece, the
son of a pimp stayed true to his roots, investing in a new chain every six months. Wouldn’t
be surprised if he has the whole damn Yay on
the next one.
BOSS UP AWARD
Winner: E-40
Runner Up: Snoop Dogg
Since he cinched the deal for the long
awaited vitamin water (his own company, not
Glaceau), appropriately dubbed “40 Water,”
it’s kinda easy to forget that Feasible still
owns his own company (SickWidit), bought
into Fatburger and Wingstop franchises, has
a book (Dictionary of Slang) coming, his own
liquor (Cloud 9) and a cartoon on the way!
KING OF THE COAST
Winner: Ice Cube
Runner Up: The GAME
Fuck what you heard. Cube went from Dough
Boy to Nick Persons, stopped abruptly to
drop an album that reminded us all who
started this gangsta shit and produced a
top rated television show that exposed the
racial divide. With a forthcoming album (Raw
Footage) and two more movies (First Sunday,
The Comeback) to chock under his belt in ’08,
Cubevision is clearer than ever.
CAN’T SHUT THE FUCK UP AWARD
Winner: Kobe Bryant
Runner Up: The Game
After an asswhoopin’ that would drive most
competitors like him to a seething post game
rant, Kobe regained his composure… so we
thought. Less than a month after his second
first round departure, the Lakers wunderkind
flip-flopped more than a dead fish out of
water as to whether he would to leave the
only organization he’s ever played for.
BEST WEBSITE
Winner: www.rapbay.com
Runner up: www.dubcnn.
com
Easily the most consistent, unbiased and
informative West Coast Hip Hop site on the
Internet, rapbay.com is the first to receive
everything from all West distributors. More
importantly, they are all about the Coast.
With everything on sale from mixtapes and
energy drinks to bobblehead dolls and
OZONE magazines, there’s no shortage of
product here.
BASED OUT AWARD
Winner: The Pack
Runner Up: Keak Da Sneak
For different reasons, this one was hard to
decipher. But any group from the Bay who
can honestly claim to ride skateboards and
shoulder the scrutiny therein deserves to be
commended. Quietly, The Pack has inspired a
new generation of mavericks unafraid to test
social norms.
BARRY UNDERHILL
MOST PLAYED OUT CLOTHING
ACCESSORY
Winner: Stunna Shades
Runner up: Gold teeth
Yeah, the rest of the country finally
caught up, but what else is new? The
Bay has been settin’ trends since pimpin’
been pimpin’. Go ahead and continue
to live in 2005 if you want to, but understand this: Stunnas are officially a
fashion faux pas in Northern California.
Gotta keep it pushin’.
MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT
Winner: Fabby’s thrashing of
Royce Da 5’9 in NYC
Runner Up: Bigfase 100 gettin’
socked on the set of Spyder Loc’s
video
The asswhoopin’ Mistah FAB administered to
the “battle tested” Detroit vet was almost as
bad as the one Kobe was dealt at the hands
of the Suns… Okay, it was worse. If dude had
any momentum toward mounting a comeback,
it vanished suddenly in three rounds at New
York’s SOBs allhiphop.com freestyle battle.
TOO HARD FOR THE RADIO AWARD
Winner: Mitchy Slick
Runner Up: B Legit
An admitted Damu in the Blood capitol of
the world – San Diego – Mitchy Slick is the
definition of a gangsta rapper. While he earns
decent spins on local radio, his socio-political fire is at times too much for the airwaves.
Even after a dominant PG-rated showing on
BET’s Rap City, Slick still can’t catch a break.
Independence is golden.
BEST BURGER JOINT
Winner: Fatburger
Runner Up: In And Out
It’s 2 o’clock in the morning and you need
something to soak up all that liquor that
you consumed. Your conflict is naturally
whether you want a $10 burger or a $6
burger. Given the fact that it’s so late/early,
the idea that Fatburger can slap a fresh
egg on your sandwich is the midnight
snack/breakfast combination that puts them
(Fatburger) over the top... shit does cost hella
much tho.
BEST DANCE
Winner: Hyphy Dance
Runner Up: Crumpin’
Yeah, yeah, we know, gangstas don’t dance,
they boogie and 40s keep you hard, but
nuthin’ beats a good time. From the Bay
to LA, all the way to the 5280, this Mac Dre
inspired dance kept the clubs crackin’ and the
mood festive all the Yay around the country.
RIP Furl.
BEST ENERGY DRINK
Winner: Hunid Racks
Runner Up: Hyphy Juice
Most people across the country drink Red
Bull or Crunk Juice when they need some real
energy, but across the western region Hunid
Racks is the turf’s drink of choice. With the
release of the Mac Dre and 2Pac versions,
an assortment of accessories – shirts, bags,
socks, jackets – and more surprises for ‘08,
Hunid Racks is easily the hustler’s drink of
the year, if not the decade.
SUPER HYPHY AWARD
Winner: Golden State Warriors
Runner Up: Los Angeles Clippers
After a mouth-dropping performance toward
the end of the 2007 season and a seven game
upset of the number one seeded Mavs, the
Warriors ran out of gas against the more
methodical Utah Jazz. With decided roster
changes and some new-booties in the mix
it’s up to BD and Captain Jack to hold down
the fort. Don’t sleep. These fools got heart.
BEST ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE
Winner: Patron
Runner-up: Louis 13
The ultra-premium Tequila has never tasted
so good, and as the top shelf drink of choice
Patron has surpassed the popularity of
Belvedere and Hennessy. If you think you can
handle yo’ liquor and wanna step it up from
the popular Patron Silver, give these flavors a
shot: Burdeos, Platinum, Reposado, Citrónge,
XO Café and their rums Pyrat Cask and XO
Reserve. Drink responsibly.
BEST WEST COAST VA-CA SPOT
Winner: Honolulu, Hawaii
Runner-Up: Anchorage, Alaska
Surrounded by the warm waters of the North
Pacific Ocean, Honolulu is known for its
volcano attraction (Diamondhead), 80 degree
year-round weather and is easily accessible
to Asian countries, Australia and Antarctica.
Plus it boasts the best in shopping malls
(Macy’s, Burberry, Gucci), restaurants (The
Cheesecake Factory, Orchids, 3660 On The
Rise) and nightlife (Dave and Busters, The W).
Bring a bathing suit, plenty of cash and an
appetite for destruction! //
OZONE WEST // 19
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Su
STRICTLY BUSINESS
A
rtists who had the privilege of working under Mac Dre before his
passing originally got their start as members of groups the Bay Area
legend created and signed to his label Thizz Entertainment. Such is
the case for Sacramento-based quartet and Thizz alumni Sumthin’ Terrible.
Before the group was formally established, solo rappers Show, Sauce and
Malen were all working on solo projects. Malen initially recorded with Mac
Dre,
then Show and Sauce on collaborative efforts for a few songs on his upcoming
release. The chemistry between the four of them was perfect so they continued recording more songs for Show’s album.
Unfortunately, Malen passed away and his untimely demise left Show and
Sauce without direction and/or approach for their own albums. Mac Dre
stepped in and took the rappers under his wing forming the group, which
included rappers Bad Bizness and hype man Stupid Swoop. “We got our name
‘cause we all wild! We Sumthin’ Terrible. Our whole group is something terrible. We got one of us that is always in jail. You got two of us that sometime
s
can’t make it to shows,” Sauce laughs before Show interjects, “Don’t get
it
twisted. We got it all together, it’s all business now.”
Personally named by Furl in 2000 under the moniker Sumthin Terrible, an
appearance on Mac Dre’s Thizzelle Dance (2002) worked to brand them as
a
group on the rise and their self-titled debut Sumthin Terrible followed. The
song’s ode to “going dumb,” “popping thizz,” and “ghost-riding whips”
was
20 // OZONE WEST
sacramento, Ca
an instant hit, and it was released during the height of East Oakland’s notorious sideshow era and months before the “hyphy movement” kicked off.
To avoid being typecast in the hyphy genre and perceived as just another
Thizz Nation group, Sumthin Terrible parted ways with Thizz Entertainment
in 2005. Adopting the Bay Area tradition of the do-it-yourself independ
ent
hustle as well as applying what they learned about the rap industry while
signed to Thizz, the group then founded their own label Stupid Entertain
ment
and released their sophomore album Turf Tested, Hood Approved in 2006.
“We
serious,” says Show. “We hyphy too, but we don’t wanna be sounding just
like
Keak or The Federation. When you think of Stupid, you think of Mac Dre and
you think of Sumthin Terrible. We got our own ‘Stupid Movement’ going on.”
Seven years, two albums and two mixtapes later, Sumthin Terrible is preparing
to release their second project – You Stupid, the Compilation, boasting features from the likes of E-40, San Quinn, Bueno, J-Diggs, Ryda J Klyde as
well
as production courtesy of Sean T and Zaytoven.
“We gonna get the buzz back,” Sauce promises. “We’ll give [the fans] the
compilation so they can have something to sit on, make them ask for the album
and then we can hit them with the album.” //
Words by Keita Jones // Photo by D-Ray
Hot Rod
In the Driver’s Seat
It
goes without saying that every young starving rapper would
dream of being called to join one of the biggest franchises
in Hip Hop. Such was the case when 22-year-old Phoenix
rapper Hot Rod got a phone call from 50 Cent. Since absorbing the shock of
being told personally by the G-Unit boss that he was signed, Rod has gone
back to the business of representing the better portion of a growing Hip
Hop scene in Arizona’s capitol. Says Hot, “It was like hearing them read off
the numbers on your lottery ticket.”
Born and raised in Sacramento, CA, Hot Rod began his Hip Hop career in
the late 90s, innocently making beats during his leisure time. Influenced by
the likes of Swizz Beatz and Pharrell, he soon turned from “making beats”
to compiling bona fide songs for himself and others. Rod took it a step
further when he learned that his brother was leaving Sac for Phoenix. He
too packed his bags and starting a slow grind musically, releasing his own
mixtape and appearing on numerous others. He battle rapped, continued to
produce and worked a day job as a loan officer, all while working on a full
length album which he planned to distribute independently.
Hot Rod’s hard work paid off sooner than later when he responded to a
Craigslist posting that called for a G-Unit industry engineer. With nothing to
Phoenix, AZ
lose, he sent his demo, changing his course indefinitely. “Everyone at these
music conferences will tell you demos don’t work, but that’s a lie because
it worked for me,” says Hot. “G-Unit listens to everything whether you’re a
rapper or a producer. They don’t rule out anything.”
Currently recording the sophomore G-unit album (Shoot to Kill) with Lloyd
Banks, Tony Yayo, and 50 Cent, Hot Rod continues to break new ground.
Also touring overseas with his own record label ISO Entertainment, he’s
entered a joint venture with his brother to create a clothing line – “Blue
Pistols Denim” – and anxiously anticipates the release of his debut solo
album, Life In the Fast Lane.
Hot Rod’s rap influences include Fabolous, Biggie and Tupac, but it’s 50
ironically who he sounds the most like. “You’ll hear some rappers that
sound the same on every song, but me and 50 actually listen to the beat
and adjust the flow to the beat,” he explains. “My goal in my music is for
people to listen to the music, have fun, and laugh at the lyrics. I show personality in the music, which is something that is hard to find these days.” //
Words by Jasmine Crowe // Photo by Shareif Ziyadat
OZONE WEST // 21
“i’m changing my name.
Messy marv
needs to sit down for
a minute. I’m changing
my name to
The Boyboy
Young Mess.”
22 // OZONE WEST
Free and Clear
Words by N. Ali Early // Photo by Bogan
The doctors told him he’d never walk again. Task force tried to railroad him. Drugs
tried to subdue him and life in general tried to beat his ass to death. Regardless of his
circumstances,
told ‘em keep tryin’. Real Gs don’t die.
A
The Boyboy Young Mess
week away from shooting the video for the first
single (“Sie Luv”) off of the second volume of
Draped Up and Chipped Out, Fillmore native Marvin
“The Boyboy” Watson Jr. is at peace. Known to the
world West of the Mississippi as Messy Marv, he
epitomizes every bit the real life version of Menace
II Society character O Dog. This adaptation of course is from
the Bay Area, sans the plats, plus a rap catalogue more than a
decade deep.
A self-proclaimed “dinosaur,” Mess’ dropped his first album in
the tenth grade and two years later teamed up with his cousin
San Quinn to deliver one of the Bay’s more historic efforts in
Explosive Mode. His most acclaimed work came on the classic
DisoBayish (2004), which featured a bevy of guest appearances, including E-40, Too $hort, Yukmouth, Nate Dogg and
Rich the Factor. During the height of the hyphy movement,
Mess scored with the smash single “Get On My Hype” (2005)
and then “So Hood” along with Bullys Wit Fullys member Guce
a year later. As much as he’s accomplished in the past two
years (17 projects since 2006), The Boyboy keeps his foot on
the gas. Not even a four story jump that saw him break both
his legs in 2001 could keep Mess from moving forward an
unthinkable seven years later.
It’s been a little over a month since Mess was released from
jail on his second count of weapons charges and Fillmore’s
finest is Missing In Action. But who in his situation wouldn’t
be? After maintaining his label, Scalen LLC, from jail, where
he managed to drop an impressive five albums (Guerilla Red,
Messy Slick, Fillmoe Nation 1 & 2 and Draped Up and Chipped
Out 2) Mess walked directly into a firestorm, forced to address
two more projects that he hadn’t knowingly approved. One
was a bootleg album – Messy Marv Presents: Slangin’ At the
Corner Store – illegally bearing his namesake.
“They gon’ have to deal with me when we bump heads,” Mess
promises. “I got my lawyers on that. That was basically a
matter of me being in jail, cause a nigga would never have
dreamed about doin’ no shit like that if I was on the street.
But we gon’ keep it all the way business and we gon’ move
accordingly.”
From there he and his Bullys Wit Fullys comrade moved to
resolve matters stemming from the Urban Life release – The
Free Messy Marv Movement – which according to Mess, was
nothing more than mere miscommunication. “Me and Guce,
we Blood brothers, we’re inseparable,” Mess tells. “It’s like
whatever me and Guce got broke, we’ll fix. Guce was tryna
raise some money for me at the time and I was back and forth
between different facilities – Modesto, Dublin and whatnot. We
[weren’t in] contact, so when he did it, I didn’t know what was
goin’ on. Once we finally talked, we did as brothers would do
– we put that shit to the side and we still pushin’.”
Even after clearing the air, Mess needed to breathe, and Miami
is now where he finds that much needed solace. After a brief
visit to the 305, where, among other things, he aimed to break
bread with fellow bosses Rick Ross, Fat Joe and DJ Khaled,
The BoyBoy stumbled upon a business opportunity that he
couldn’t pass up. Signed to a confidentiality agreement, he
won’t spill all the beans, but will lend that he’s currently
filming a reality show loosely based on his own life. More
specifically, the plot is “about a nigga gettin’ a record deal
and movin’ up out the ghetto to the suburbs of Miami,” he
explains. “You can guess what happens next…
“I’m just tryna turn my negative situation into something
positive. I’m fresh out. I’m broke and dangerous,” he continues. “I’m pushin’ right now. I’m one of the hottest niggas in
the Bay right now. My street credibility’s been stagnating my
career for so long, a nigga finally gets to sit down and do a
real interview and focus without no distractions.”
How much work did you do while you were in jail, in terms of prepping yourself for your next solo album?
I did a lot of reading, catching up on my literature – 48 Laws of Power, Art of
Seduction – feel me? I didn’t do too much writing. I did a few songs, but I was
basically working on my mind game and my health. I fasted the whole month
[of August] for Black August just to get my mind and my spirit together.
What did this experience do for you this time around, considering this was
your second gun charge?
The first one, they cut a nigga some slack. They was talkin’ somethin’ cool in
the penitentiary, but my legal team worked it out. Plus I got a lot of letters of
recommendation. This second time, I think the offer was like five in the state
pen and I had a lot of letters of recommendation this time too. But what happened was they didn’t actually find the gun on me. It was in my car and the
car was registered to me. My pahtna was drivin’ and they found the 40 caliber
under the seat and they just gave it to me because of my priors. So I took it.
Was your move to Miami intentional in the sense that it would relieve you of
the pressure you face as a real street nigga or was it more about the reality
show?
I actually came out here for vacation. When I came out here, my manager
spoke to me briefly about it. They were going to do it in LA. Since I was
already out here on vacation, I told them we might as well just do it in Miami.
So we switched the script up a little bit and now we’re doing it in Miami. And
I got some family out here, so it’s good. I’m tryna tap into this Southern
OZONE WEST // 23
market. I’m working on this new album, Cake and Ice Cream. It’s a double
disc. It’s some good shit. I’m tryna put it together. I’m tryna put Keyshia Cole
on the joint, got Trick Daddy, Short, FAB, KC and Jo Jo of Jodeci, Lil Webbie
and Snoop.
I heard you were kinda salty about how your name got affiliated with so
many projects while you were down. How much of an issue was there between
you and Guce when you got out or while you were in?
It wasn’t about a nigga bein’ salty, but when a nigga in jail, a nigga kinda
focused on a lot more other shit. When shit hit the fan like that as far as
business is concerned – if a nigga don’t get word, lawyers get involved. Cease
and desist orders get put out and shit gets snatched off the shelf. It was just
about a lack of communication. That’s all that was.
How difficult is it for you to make the transition from being a real street rapper to finding the kind of clarity you seem to have found?
Actually I had to steer myself clear of those old situations. Me coming to
Miami and vacationing was one of those things that I had to do in order
to get my mind clear. Being out there and being in the streets, one thing
leads to another and before you know it, you end up right back in the same
place. I didn’t see my kids for a year. All that was weighing on me. I lost my
grandmother while I was locked up. I lost my auntie a week after that. My
family was tryna go after my estate, thinkin’ a nigga would get all day. It
was just hella shit that I was goin’ through, so when I got out I told myself
that I was goin’ on vacation and that was one of the things that got my
mind clear. That made it to where I could concentrate, cause when a nigga
out there, you can only concentrate on one thing: do or die, kill or be killed.
That’s how it is when you in that life and it don’t matter. Whatever you do you
become a target. From a 9-5, to whether you on the block sellin’ dope, to if
you a rapper – whatever you doin’. If you’re
successful and you still out fuckin’ with your
people, you become a target. You gotta carry
them big thangs and move accordingly. It was
one of those situations where I didn’t turn my
back on these kids once I got my position in the
music industry. I was still in these streets ridin’
around in these $50-$70k cars, jumpin’ out with
my people. But at the same time, the murder
rate is so high, a nigga got to ride around with
that thang to protect his well being. So I got
to miss that for a minute and focus in on my
personal life and my career. [All this] turned
into a business venture for me.
You reference your battle with cocaine from time to time in your music. Where
are you with that now?
I was in and out of an addiction. A lot of people deal with addictions and I
was just opening up the world to something that was going on in my life. I
was turning a negative situation into something positive and making it fun.
But what it did was it brought out a lot of the people who were dealing with
their addictions out of the closet. For them to have fun with it and kinda see
what I was doin’, it was like, “Mess can come out and say this, then maybe I
can come out and deal with my addiction.” That’s all that is. When I talk or
speak about something on my albums, that’s what I’m going through at that
point and time and if I can share that with the world and make the world
come out of their shell, they can look at me as hope and feel good about
dealing with it.
You’ve got a clothing line called Scalen comin’, right?
Yup, we got the clothin’ line comin’ this summer. I got the energy drink All
Gas No Brakes comin’ this summer. We got the films division; just shot the
movie Closing Statement. That’s comin’ a little later.
What can we expect from the clothing line?
I’m trying to target three markets: the East Coast, the West Coast and the
South. So it’s gon’ be San Francisco, then Miami, then New York. We’ll probably
start with the t-shirts and the denim, then wherever it takes us after that,
that’s where we’ll go with it. I’ma get a couple storefronts in those three
locations and then push from there.
And the energy drink?
Well, you know I got partnership in Hunid Racks, so now it’s time for Scalen
to come with a beverage. All Gas No Brakes is the name of it. 91 Octane,
premium unleaded. Feel me?
“I didn’t turn my back on
these kids once I got my
position in the music
industry. I was still in
these streets ridin’ around
in these $50-$70k cars,
jumpin’ out with my people.”
In light of your personal struggles and the
overall pressure that you face, you were doing
a lot of positive things before you went in. San
Francisco was a warzone of sorts, you came
with the Fillmoe Nation project and right after
that, went to jail.
I did. I went to jail right after that. Some of the proceeds are going to a
couple of the community gyms. I’m tryna get that together. I’m tryna put
some money together to put some programs in the gyms for the kids. I wanna
put the compilations together to bring the two sides together. We really one
hood, but over the years our turf divided in two sides and I just try to play my
part in bringing both sides together with these compilations and then with
the future as far as them lookin’ at me so they can have something to do and
somewhere to go, instead of bein’ in that bullshit. Not only that, but every
year, all the Bay Area artists get together and we drive around and do the
Rock The Vote thing. We go to all the hoods and try to encourage the bangers
and the d-boys and the African Americans who don’t vote to get out and
vote. I got my hands in a lot of community-based organizations.
Will the content of your music change in light of this new transition?
The content doesn’t really change. It’s just what you’re saying. It’s like you
go through something and you’re able to talk about it. That’s the way you
express yourself as far as the content, but what you’re saying is what matters. So me being in jail for a year gave me a chance to see who was really
with me. It gave me a chance to see how the police was really on my line.
Then family just tryna fuck a nigga over, it made me realize how much my son
needs me on these streets. So this album right here is going to be real personal. I’ma have fun, but the content ain’t gon’ change. It’s gon’ be the good
times, the bad times, the inspirational songs with the message; same Mess,
same content, but a whole lot more clarity as far as what I’ve been through.
It’s going to be personal, a lot more personal than the rest of the albums. I’m
changing my name. Messy Marv needs to sit down for a minute. I’m changing
my name to The Boyboy Young Mess. That’s been my handle for a minute, but
I’m finna go all the way with that and kinda reinvent this whole Messy Marv
thing and [just] come with the new Mess.
24 // OZONE WEST
Fa sho. How exactly are you working the
Draped Up and Chipped Out volumes?
The push behind the Draped Up and Chipped
Out albums was that it was supposed to be two
30 minute movie shorts that came with both
of them. But I went to jail while I was in the
process of puttin’ that together, so I just had to
go ahead and put ‘em out. So it’s really like a
soundtrack. We not pushin’ it like an album. It’s
real good listening all the way through, but the
first single is “Sie Love” with me and J. Valentine. I’ma kinda catch y’all off guard cause y’all
used to the strictly street bangin’ Mess. This
one right here I kinda took it somewhere else.
You can prolly imagine with J. Valentine, so we
finna get out here on these beaches and make
it look real good for the Bay.
Why is it so important for you to connect with
the South right now?
Because the South is where our people are at. It’s like all of these other cities
and states and coasts are multicultural. Basically it’s just more support in the
South where blackness is concerned and I need to get out here and get in
touch with my roots. I need to be around my people. You can go platinum just
in Texas or Miami, Atlanta, cause everybody’s supportive. It’s black and they
support. These other states are really like catch-on states cause it’s multicultural. That’s why it ain’t no support. A South artist could sell 2-300,000
and you don’t even know who the fuck he is until you see him on TV. And he
did that just in Texas! So I got to get out here and interact with my people.
I’m finna buy me somethin’ in Miami. I’ma prolly buy somethin’ in Jersey and
I got the spot in Cali, so I’ma keep it pushin’. East Coast, West Coast, nigga
worldwide!
Before you went in you were in a position where you were really preaching
independence and didn’t necessarily care whether the majors came and got
you. Are you still in the same place?
I really don’t give a fuck. I do good. Every time I come out if I can sell $3040K at $7 a disc and I do five albums a year. That’s damn good! Of course,
anybody’s company wants to venture out and do bigger and better things.
Everybody wants to grow. But it’s like, when that time happens, it happens.
You can’t just stop everything, searching for a deal, dreaming and hoping that
I get this big deal that I’m searching for. I got to keep it pushin’ and keep it
independent. One day they’ll catch on.
Anything else you wanna add?
Yeah, give ‘em my office number 510-830-7141 or you can check me out
online at Myspace.com/messymarvonline or Scalenllc.com. //
Bishop Lamont and Black Milk/Caltroit/Cali Untouchable
Radio
With the recent Golden State/Motor City brouhaha, the timing on
this DJ Warrior mixtape would seem to make for an emotionally
charged album. And it does. Dr. Dre understudy Bishop Lamont and
Detroit mainstay Black Milk lead a balanced attack over original
beats, while everyone from Dr. Dre (“On Top Now”) to Busta
Rhymes (“Mouth Music”), Lady of Rage (“Ret 2 Go”), Glasses Malone
(“Juggernats”), Ras Kass & Tash (“I Need It”) contribute. Lyrically
charged from the beginning to the end, the surplus of emcees,
new and old, makes for sporadic listening, nearly void of the rapper/producer combo (Lamont and Milk). – N. Ali Early
Guce/Tell Me When Ta Stop, Cause I’m Still Going…/Git Paid
Music Group
The second installment of Tell Me When Ta Stop… (…Cause I Already
Go…), finds the Bullys Wit Fullys impresario back in tow with Messy
Marv, who hosts the street album. The bouncy “Git It Started” and
Nitti-produced “Get Ya Hustle Up” (featuring Lil Wayne) do just
that, making way for nineteen solid tracks. Bouncy as they may
be, Mess and Guce stay with the theme, reminding throughout that
they are NOT hyphy. “Caint Fuck Wit Us,” “I Don’t Give a Fuck” (featuring Young Buck) and “My Life” (featuring Lil Flip, Killa Kliese,
Munip and C. Dot) confirm as much. – N. Ali Early
Messy Marv/Draped Up and Chipped Out 2/Scalen/SMC/Fontana
As active as he’s been it’s hard to believe that a whole two
years have passed since Messy Marv’s last full length solo album
(Bandanas, Tattoos and Tongue Rings). Even more incredulous, is
how this compilation came together as Mess served time behind
bars. Dubbed as an appetizer for his next project, Draped Up… is
more like a meal. Collabs with Mac Dre (“My Life is a Movie”), New
Orleans’ Juvenile and Skip (“Lil Daddy”) and Mike Jones (“Body
Rock”) confirm Mess’ dexterity is still intact while cameos by BLegit, V White & The Politician and PSD the Drivah round out a solid
effort in support of the “Millionaire Gangsta.” – N. Ali Early
Hot Rod, DJ Woggie, & Big Mike/The Hitman
Hot Rod’s debut album has found a comfortable spot on
the G-Unit shelf, but the Arizona MC makes his presence felt
on The Hitman mixtape. The 50 Cent-assisted “The Lights,”
“Weather Man” featuring Willie The Kid and “Bitches They
Love Me” show Rod’s versatility to release both street and
club records. Although Rod proves his worth on “Superman”
with G-Unit incumbents Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, “Don’t
Like Me” and “Getcha Money Up” are strikingly too similar
in style to the G-Unit boss, leaving one to wonder why we
need Hot Rod when we already have 50? Still, this 22-track
project is a solid effort. — Randy Roper
Goldtoes/The Gold Rush
The debut album from Thizz Latin CEO Goldtoes starts off
strong with the hit “Blow It,” followed by the ghetto glorying “Still In Da Hood,” and a lyrically ferocious Mistah FAB
on “The Show Must Go On.” But weak flows and ineffective
hooks from Goldtoes and company on “On My Level,” “I Go”
and “That’s His Name,” start to take its toll on The Gold
Rush. And while there are a few more standouts like “Paypa
Chasa,” “City Boyz” and “I Want It All,” Goldtoes’ attempt
to go for self, even with a long list of guest appearances,
doesn’t quite pan out. — Randy Roper
M Dash/Keep Smoke Alive/Platinum Bound
A pupil of the late great Mac Dre, M Dash does the slain
rapper proud on Keep Smoke Alive, his sophomore solo
album. Game related efforts such as “Cock Blockers” and “It
Goes Down,” both featuring Prohoezak, go over well with
pimp inspired tracks like “All I Want” (featuring Tilt and
Marsh Nut) and the self explanatory “Pimp Musik” (featuring
Lee Majors and KMX). Bound with a bevy of features that
includes The Game, Mistah FAB, Husalah and Jacka, the
Vallejo native accomplishes the daunting task of balance on
an album that does its part to reclaim the glory days of Mob
music. – N. Ali Early
OZONE WEST // 25
endzone
Goldie of The Federation
Venue: Mission Rock
City: San Francisco, CA
Date: November 3rd, 2007
Photo: Jessica Essien
26 // OZONE WEST
OZONE WEST // 27