magic city classic 2006 special edition

Transcription

MAGIC CITY CLASSIC 2006 SPECIAL EDITION
CADILLAC DON & J MONEY
BIRMINGHAM J
DAVID BANNER
PASTOR TROY
JACKIE CHAIN
LIL CHAPPY
RICH BOY
BA BOYS
VENUS
KHAO
& MORE
MAGIC CITY CLASSIC 2006 SPECIAL EDITION
CADILLAC
DON
&
J
MONEY
BOO DA BOSS PLAYA / PASTOR TROY / KHAO
BIRMINGHAM J / DAVID BANNER / RICH BOY
JACKIE CHAIN / BA BOYS / VENUS / LIL CHAPPY
PUBLISHER:
Julia Beverly
magic city classic 2006
GUEST EDITOR:
Mack Dillingham
COVER STORIES
Boo da Boss Playa pg A24-25
Cadillac Don & J-Money pg B30-31
MUSIC EDITOR:
Maurice Garland
ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
Eric Perrin
Matt Sonzala
MARKETING & PROMOTIONS:
Malik “Copafeel” Abdul
ADMINISTRATIVE:
Cordice Gardner
DISTRIBUTORS:
Destine Cajuste
Mercedes
To subscribe, send check
or money order for $11
to:
Ozone Magazine Inc.
1310 W. Colonial Dr.
Suite 10
Orlando, FL 32804
Phone: 407-447-6063
Fax: 407-447-6064
Web: www.ozonemag.
com
Cover credits: Cadillac
Don & J-Money photo
courtesy Asylum Records;
Boo da Boss Playa photo
by Julia Beverly; Khao
photo by Ray Tamarra.
OZONE does not take
responsibility for unsolicited materials, misinformation, typographical errors,
or misprints. The views
contained herein do not
necessarily reflect those
of the publisher or its
advertisers. Ads appearing in this magazine are
not an endorsement or
validation by OZONE
Magazine for products
or services offered. All
photos and illustrations
are copyrighted by their
respective artists. All other
content is copyright 2006
OZONE Magazine, all
rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may
be reproduced in any way
without the written consent
of the publisher. Printed in
the USA.
FEATURES
INTERVIEWS
Entrepreneur Profile pg A26-27
Khao pg A12-13
Venus pg B24-25
Birmingham Map pg A8-9
Queazy pg B16-17
Event Listings pg A9-10
BA Boys pg B26-27
Model Photos pg B6-7
Rich Boy pg A16-17
Tyte Wurk pg B14-15
DJ PROFILES
Lil Chappy pg B18-19
Pastor Troy pg B28-29
Frank White pg A28-29
Jackie Chain pg A20-21
DJ Shadow pg A22-23
David Banner pg B12-13
DJ Finesse pg B20-21
Birmingham J pg B22-23
Lil Homie pg B10-11
Ruben Studdard pg B8-9
Small Time Ballaz pg A14-15
Country Boi Tweet pg A18-19
GUEST EDITOR MACK DILLINGHAM:
I
f you know me, cool. If you don’t, now you do, so
don’t forget the name. First, I would really like to
thank JB for giving me the chance to produce
this special edition. I also have to thank God for
giving me the talents to do what I do. I have
to give a shout-out to my newborn and
the love of my life Mackenzie Danielle Dillingham. Daddy loves you
always.
This is the Magic City Classic
issue, featuring artists and
DJs from across Alabama
and Mississippi. In this issue
you’ll find a lot of talented
people doing what they
love. As a resident of Alabama, I know that we have
a lot of talent. This magazine
shows only a small portion of
people grinding in this area to
make their dreams come alive.
Many of them are patiently waiting for their shot.
OZONE
BIRMINGHAM AREA MAP
MAGIC CITY CLASSIC
WEEKEND EVENTS
BIRMINGHAM, AL
Friday October 27th, 2006
Fridays at Five - MCC Edition
Klever Consulting and Safari Cup welcomes the state to Classic Weekend. They
want you to get started right away.
Harambe Room (above Wee Care Academy) - 1815 4th Ave North - Bimringham,
AL - For more info: 205-585-2416, 205-3837877 or 205-901-9755
Enjoy live music from Jill and the New Funk
Soldiers on one level, and a dj spinning
today’s hottest music on another level. Friday’s at Five continues to be Birmingham’s
leading networking event and it takes place
EVERY THIRD FRIDAY. Price:General $10,
VIP Pass $20 (subject to change)
**************************************
Dress Code: Guys are required to wear
a shirt with a collar. A blazer is preferred,
jeans are okay but avoid overly baggy
jeans. Absolutely no athletic wear, sneakers tastefully worn are allowed.
Location
Safari Cup - 300 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd.
- Birmingham, AL
Time: 5 - 8 PM
**************************************
Liquid Sol presents Magic City Classic Fever
While the scene heats up inside, the patio
will be sizzling with CHICKEN, WAFFLES
and MIMOSAS all night long!
PLUS... JO-SKI LOVE from 103.1 spinning the best of R&B, hip hop, reggae, old
school and the dirty.
LADIES--you get love until 10:00pm
Location
5 Points Grill (formerly The Mill) - 1035 20th
Street South (5 Points South) - For more
info: 205-933-6363
Time: 9 PM - midnight
**************************************
Models & Bottles - Classic Weekend Party
**EVENT IS FROM 9:00pm - UNTIL**
10
Tickets 10.00 in advance; 15.00 and up at
the door
Featuring DJ Willie
FREE Champagne
25+ only
OZONE
Birmingham’s #1 martini bar and ultra
lounge presents The Magic City Classic like
never before. Enjoy celebrity status Friday
night as your VIP PASS gets you into both
Amani and Black Hollywood v2 (at Funebone), limo service in a stretch Excursion
provided by Excalibur Limosine, and complimentary drinks while you ride provided
by Stoli Vodka, Martell, and Seagram’s.
With 95.7 Jamz B Brian spinning today’s
hottest music.
21+ - ID is a MUST
Price:Friday General $10, VIP Pass $25
(subject to change)
Dress Code:Guys are required to wear
jeans. Absolutely no atheletic wear, sneakers tastefully worn are allowed. Ladies Chic & Sexy.
**************************************
You’ve been here before. Maybe not.
You’ve seen the crowd. You saw old college friends. The Classic yet again proved
to be worth the time. 2006 is here and we’re
doing it again.
DJ Steve Sloan of 98.7 KISS FM will make
sure that the music moves you.
Special Celebrity Guest Hosts: NEW EDITION
CMP: Déjà Vu will feature VIP rooms, pool
tables and hors d’oeuvres.
You may purchase advance tickets to
Classic Martini Party: Déjà Vu online. Our
CMP has sold out every year since 2000.
Advance tickets are $15 and may be purchased with any major credit card online at
www.classicmartiniparty.com
Location
The Station - 2025 Morris Avenue (Downtown Birmingham) - Birmingham, AL - For
more info: www.classicmartiniparty.com
**************************************
Saturday October 28th, 2006
McDonald’s presents the Magic City Classic afterparty featuring a live performance
by MONICA
With a new album and hot new single, Everytime the beat Drops, MONICA is sure to
keep the crowd rockin!
Featuring DJ Jukebox and 95.7JAMZ Lil’
Homie
Location
Boutwell Auditorium (Downtown Birmingham) - Birmingham, AL
**************************************
Celebrity invite guests for the Alabama
30Under30MagicCityClassicCelebrity Party
include:
- Multi-platinum producer Kevin “KHAO”
Cates - Jim Jones - Dipset - T.I. - P$C - Big
Kuntry - Young Dro - Killer Mike - Bubba
Sparxxx - Chyna White - Chingy - Birmingham J - Three Six Mafia - Eight Ball & MJG
- Field Mob - Ludacris - DTP - Young Jeezy
- Block Entertainement - Rasheeda - Gucci
Mane - Maceo - Black Magic - Young Sneed
- Jackie-O - Akon - Killa Mike, and many
many more
Location
L.R. Hall - 424 16th St. North - Birmingham,
AL - For more info: alabama30under30partyseries@yahoo.com
**************************************
Millie’s and Billie’s Pub, 2012 Magnolia Avenue, Ste Birmingham, AL. Birmingham,
Alabama
For ticket information, Call 205.862.4723 or
www.beatstv.com Direction to Millie’s and
Billie’s Pub
Location
Millie’s and Billie’s Pub, 2012 Magnolia Avenue, Ste Birmingham, AL. Birmingham,
Alabama
**************************************
Bringing Classic Back
Tired of the Classic Weekend traffic jams
and the same lame parties. Richard ‘Royalty’ Walker has the solution. Bringing Classic Back is geared towards those individuals who’ve been waiting all year to let lose
and party hard.
Tickets available at www.royalty1502.com
Dress Code: Extreme sexiness required.
Location
Bourbon Street Grille - 420 Richard Arringont Jr. Blvd. South (The Old Tiki Bob’s)
- Birmingham, AL - For more info: www.
royalty1502.com
**************************************
Birmingham’s #1 martini bar and ultra
lounge presents The Magic City Classic like
never before.
With $5 Grey Goose and $5 Hennessey
drinks specials to get you right. Don’t miss
it!
21+ and ID is a MUST
MUSIC by 95.7JAMZ B. Brian (www.bbrian.
com)
Price: $10 (subject to change)
Dress Code: Guys are required to wear
jeans. Absolutely no atheletic wear, sneakers tastefully worn are allowed.
Location
Amani Raha - 2901 2nd Ave. South (Pepper Place) - Birmingham, AL - For more info:
www.amaniraha.com
Boutwell Auditorium (Downtown Birmingham) - Birmingham, AL
**************************************
OZONE
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OZONE
What up, man? Introduce yourself.
My name is Kevin Cates. I’m known to the
industry as Khao, and I’m from Montgomery, Alabama. I’m a multi-platinum producer and the CEO of Intaprize/GTT Entertainment. You can check out my EPK at www.
khaoiscoming.com and that will give everybody more information about who I am and
what I’m bringing to the music industry and
to the streets.
How long have you been in this game?
I have more than ten years of experience
under my belt. I’ve worked radio. I’ve been
a DJ. I have established myself as that
producer on the rise and with my new label and album, I can add artist and CEO.
I guess that makes me a superproducer,
huh? (Laughs)
What label are you on?
I have my own label: Intaprize/GTT Entertainment, as an artist and producer. I am
strictly independent and making major independent music label moves right now.
Do you have any partners?
I took my swagger to the next level by
joining forces with GTT (Global Telecommunications Technology) and Flexpoint
Source, LLC to offer the first ever “Peel &
Win” Sweepstakes Phone Card endorsed
by an entertainer. I made this move as a
joint venture with GTT/Flexpoint as a business decision. Both companies brought
their ideas to the table where we came up
with a marketing strategy that would benefit
the entertainment industry in all aspects.
Plus I wanted to show innovative marketing ideas and strategies to the majors and
independents in this music industry that will
work. Because of the community kickback
offered through the tickets, I call myself The
Zorro of The Streets.
Do you think Alabama has a lot of talent?
Yes. Alabama, especially Montgomery,
a.k.a. “Gumptown,” has a lot of untapped
talent. There have been a few groups and
artists that have been put on major labels;
however, they may not have had the right
support from those major labels to do numbers that are needed to be successful. Take
a look at American Idol; three of the last
four winners have been from Alabama. And
one of the winners, Ruben Studdard, I am
producing on his new album. Now it’s time
for the music industry to pay strong attention to Alabama’s hip-hop game. And my
crew is sick with it!
Who have you worked with?
My work can be heard on albums from
platinum-selling artists such as TI’s Urban
Legend and The King, Lil Kim where I lace
the Naked Truth with “I Know You See Me”
and “Get Yours” and “So Many Diamonds”
on Paul Wall’s The People’s Champ. P$C’s
25 to Life received the KHAO touch in addition to “Last of a Dying Breed” off Young
Jeezy’s Thug Motivation: 101. In 2006, I
make another mark as the man behind the
beats on two songs from Young Dro’s Best
Thang Smokin’: the lead song, “They Don’t
Really Know Bout Dro” and “Presidential.”
I’m working on Alabamian Ruben Studdard’s album The Return as well as Trick
Daddy, Snoop Dogg, Christina Aguilera,
BG and a host of others. Stay tuned to the
KHAO movement to find out.
Do you have anything new dropping?
I have an album that’s about to drop. Due
out at the top of 2007, the song’s lead single is “Keys In the Air,” which is bubbling
from the underground as 2006 moves into
the fall season. Predominately produced
by myself, the album will consist of features
from P$C’s Big Kuntry, Ruben Studdard,
B.G., Young Dro, IntaPrize artists and many
more exclusives. The mixtapes I got poppin right now are Dow Jones, Big Swol with
Core DJ’s, DJ Dutty Laundry, Dagwood,
Cool Runnings, Jam X Live Black Sheep
Brand mixtape that’s going to hit every Finish Line Shoe Store in America and a host
of others coming out in different regions.
OZONE
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OZONE
What up, fellas? Tell the people who you
are.
Big Hulk a.k.a. King Small, Long Money/
Small World representative, Jungle Baby,
Killa Katt, and Lil Duffy.
How long have y’all been in this game?
Seven years.
Being from Montgomery, Alabama, how
hard is it for you to break into the music
industry?
It’s hard, just because of the stereotype of
being from Alabama. Being a “Bama,” to
most upstate niggas, means that you’re a
slow muthafucker. We have to fight to get
our respect from muthafuckers to show
that we’ve got them skills on the mic and
we’re bringing that heat.
What is the talent that you see in Alabama that hasn’t been exposed yet?
Alabama has not been given the chance to
show what it’s got to the mainstream yet.
But Small Time Ballaz are about to change
all that, along with other groups with heat
from Alabama.
Where do you want to go with this?
Past the top. Winning the Grammys and
other awards. To put the “Gump” on the
world map and show the world that the music in Alabama has many facets. The talent
here is second to none!
No mainstream artists, just gutta muthafuckers, mainly people in the Gump like Deuce
Komradz, Khao, Dirty, and Lil Chappy.
For the younger cats coming up in the
game, what advice would you like to give
them?
Never give up on your dreams. Stack your
money and do it yourself. Learn the mufhafuckin’ business.
What’s your next project?
Small Time Ballaz are about to drop their
album called Muzik and Bulletz. We’ve also
got Big Hulk’s solo album Klub Scene King
and Killa Kutt’s solo album Defense on Ray
Lew coing soon.
What would you like everyone to know
about the Small Time Ballaz?
Don’t underestimate us because of our
name and where we’re from. Don’t test our
gangsta. It’s long money, baby.
Would you like to give any shout-outs?
Shout out to all the groups doin’ it big in
the Gump. Shout out to Wendy Day, Wayne
Watts, T Long, Uncle Paul, hot girl Maxxium,
the big station WKXN, 97.9 Jamz, Hot 105,
95.7’s Lil Homie, DJ Colock, DJ Swift, Michael London, Greg Gates, WEUP, WBLX,
WXFE, WBFZ, DJ Tre, and to anyone we
missed, we’ve got love for you.
OZONE
15
WORDS BY JULIA BEVERLY
IMAGES COURTESY
INTERSCOPE RECORDS
16
OZONE
I hear you’ve been in and out of court.
Well, I was charged with attempted murder.
I was caught up, you know, found out the
hard way it wasn’t about that gangsta shit. It
ain’t about none of that. Sometimes it takes
something happening in your life for you to
look at it in a different angle. So that’s what
I’m doing, just trying to make the best of
the situation and the opportunity I’ve got.
So you’ve been to court and the trial is
over? What was the result?
Yeah, I’m on three years probation. 18
months supervised, 18 months unsupervised. So that’s gonna calm me down a lot.
So I’m really just gonna be focusing on this
music and what I need to be doing. And I
just shot this video [for my single “Throw
Some D’s On It”] so that’s even more motivation to be doing the right thing.
You don’t really look like a gangsta.
You’re so laid-back.
Yeah, but you can’t judge a person off
looks. Look at all these people shootin’ up
the schools. Serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer, you know, you wouldn’t expect him to
tie you up and eat you. But I’m not a gangsta. I’m not a thug. My family, we’re the type
of people that don’t mess with no one. So
when it do happen, we don’t understand
why someone would just mess with us. We
don’t know how to handle that type of stuff.
It just goes too far sometimes. We’re real
protective of ourselves. I’m protective of my
life, if it comes to that.
But now that you’ve put that situation behind you, you’re focused on the music?
Most definitely. That’s a big weight off my
shoulders, and I feel like my music is gonna
be ten times better now. The whole time,
I was just tryin’ to make music. Now that
I’ve gone through the process of [the trial],
it’s just another situation I can rap about,
the positive things that came out of it. I ain’t
gonna glorify it like most rappers do. I feel
like that’s my responsibility in the rap game
to bring back some real topics. Everybody’s
talkin’ about jewelry, fuckin’ hoes. I even
started out like that, but I was tryin’ to talk
about real topics. I really wanna connect
with the people going through struggles.
People are always rappin’ about making
money, but they don’t ever rap about the
people that ain’t got shit. They talk about
how they street niggas, but they don’t ever
be reppin’ the people that are living in the
streets. It’s cool to represent the dope boys
and shit; I understand they’re the heroes.
Every neighborhood looks up to the dope
boys as the heroes, but what about reppin’
for the real people, the people that’s living
in the streets? People that ain’t got shit. You
gotta do music for them too. You rappin’
about a $100,000 watch, but these people
can’t relate to that shit. Everybody ain’t gon’
have a $100,000 watch. Really, only a few
are gonna have a $100,000 watch, if that.
Being from Alabama, when people use
the term “bama” do you find that offensive?
I just think people are ignorant to the word,
so I don’t even think they realize what
they’re saying. I don’t know who started
that, or where that word came from. I really don’t understand it to the fullest myself,
what the word “bama” actually means.
Some people say it means that you’re
stupid, slow, or whatever. If that’s what it
stands for, I’m finna change the definition.
People will look at that word different once
they see what I’m doing and what I’m bringing to the table.
Do you feel a lot of pressure to succeed
being the first rap representative from
Mobile with a major opportunity like
this?
I’m such a laid-back guy, you know, I’m just
chill. I don’t feel no pressure. The only pressure I ever felt was at that trial. That was
the most pressure I ever had. But as far as
getting it done, I just feel like it ain’t too far
outta reach for me to do. If somebody else
can do it, I can do it. If 50 can do it, I can do
it. They’re human like me...
The rest of this interview is featured in
the November issue of OZONE Magazine,
available online at www.ozonemag.com.
OZONE
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OZONE
How did you get introduced to the music
industry and how long have you been in
the rap game?
I’ve been in the industry for a while, independent, but just now gaining attention
from the majors, thank God.
Since you were an All-American basketball player and had the chance to play
semi-pro, what made you want to follow
your dreams in music instead of basketball?
I’ve always had big dreams of being an
entertainer, though basketball was my
first love. Before my grandma passed she
heard my record on the radio and asked
me why haven’t major labels pick me up
yet. I told her, “I’m gonna make them listen
Gran’, I promise, I can’t quit now,” plus I felt
like the industry was overlooking Alabama
so I figured I’d make em’ listen to all Alabama rappers eventually! I’m also known
as Mr. Alabama.
We have been hearing about your upcoming album Alabama Lottery dropping
in summer of 2007. What kind of music,
style, and collaborations could your fans
be expecting with this album versus your
mixtape Supply on Demand?
Supply on Demand was a mixtape where
I was able to use other people’s beats to
vent on and keep myself current, and with
Alabama Lottery, the world gets to hear
how I want to present music to the world.
Hopefully it’s a classic. It’s gonna be the
more personal side of me and what I feel
the industry is missing, something everyone can relate to. Besides, the mixtape had
Andre 3000, Paul Wall, Jeezy, and others
who cosigned for me. Now I want to show
them and everyone else that it’s time for the
world to hear Country Boi Tweet!
How did you get your company Moneytown Music Entertainment started?
Why was the company’s name changed
to what it is now? I started the company
because I knew that after all the bullshit,
things were finally headed in the right direction for me, and I want to be the one who
helps break some of the upcoming, missed
talent in Alabama. I signed Moneyboi Millz
and a singer named Mr. Gary. I always
scream West side up, money-town down,
so I just had to represent my city because
it’s about making money in this business.
We don’t call Montgomery “Da Gump” anymore, it’s “Money-town” now!!
Knowing that Alabama has not really
had its turn to shine in the music industry, what do you feel is the best way that
upcoming artists like yourself and established artist could get the public and industry to shine the light your way?
I won’t say that it hasn’t had it’s turn. We’ve
had a few groups make some noise, but the
best way is by sticking together! Once you
sign, you can’t get the big head. You have
to stay humble and grounded. You have to
network and create that buzz in your home
state and let that buzz grow like wildfire
until they recognize your grind. It’s hard to
rise to the top and even easier to fall.
I’ve been hearing about this album called
Welcome to Moneytown.
Yeah, it’s gonna be an album I’m doing with
me and my artist featuring acts around the
state who wanna work with us and grind to
get this money. Block from Block Entertainment/Bad Boy and I have discussed it, and
he says he wants to host it.
What are some of the collaborations that
you have done on outside projects and
on the Supply on Demand mixtape?
Wickett and Mr. Marzette, my partners in a
group effort called TRILL-O-G, Young Noah
from Jive Records, a producer named J.R.
Rider, Kalaso, Pastor Troy, BAMA from
Universal Records, and too many others
to name. We’ll have to wait and see what
makes the record.
What are some of you favorite songs on
the Supply on Demand mixtape?
“Grown Now” is my favorite. That’s the one
my grandma loved, and everyone can relate to it. “Grind,” because I enjoy working
with my group members.
“Grown Now” refers to the struggles and
obligations of being a responsible adult
and having to make it on your own. What
incidents inspired you to write a song
like this?
Just being in Alabmama is a struggle in itself. Jobs are hard to find, and bills don’t
go away. Your check is gone before you
get it. We’re all struggling to get noticed
and get raido play, so this song symbolizes
the struggle and gives you hope when you
have no one to call on but God.
Besides music, are you planning on getting into any other forms of entertainment? Maybe acting?
Yeah, I’m actually in a movie called “Steppin’” that stars Meagan Good, Chris Brown,
and Ne-Yo. I don’t know if my part is edited but I’m trying to get that check acting
too. Ladies, I’m single too. Hit me up on
myspace: www.myspace.com/countryboitweet. Thanks.
OZONE
19
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY
MAURICE G. GARLAND
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OZONE
Where are you from originally? Tell us
about your background.
I was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. Small city, 4th largest city in he state.
My dad was in the military, so I moved
around between Texas and Germany, but
I grew up in Huntsville. My dad met my
mother when he was overseas, they got
married and moved back over here.
What did you grow up listening to?
I grew up on 8ball and MJG, Triple Six,
UGK. I never really listened to any up North
stuff.
When did you decide to start rapping
yourself?
I was in my first rap group in 6th grade, and
in 8th grade I won a talent show. Back then
I went by Korean Mack Daddy, Kris Kross
was big back then [laughs]. I just saw the
love I got and wanted to keep doing it. At
first I just wanted to put out tapes wit my
homies, then I saw I could make money
from it. Then I did two years in prison, during that time I learned about the business
side of it, from reading and talking to different people. I learned it was a million dollar
business.
What exactly could you learn about the
business in prison?
Well, rapping in there was the ultimate test,
if you can make it in there you can make it
anywhere. That’s where I got my name from
too. When we’d be freestyling they used to
jump on me calling me Jackie Chan and
Bruce Lee, and I just flipped it on them.
Did you used to take comments like that
as insulting?
No, that’s what made me love it. When you
was little you had yo’ mama jokes, now we
got freestyle battling. But when we was in
there we would just freestlye about what
we do, not like those dudes that be talking about people. Where I’m from if you do
that something might happen. We’d just
freestyle to pass the time. When I got out I
started making music professionally.
and we had no idea that it would make the
impact it did. We printed up 5,000 copies,
hit the street and it sold like candy. We had
Webbie, Haystack and Bun B on there, so
that helped but once they heard us too, the
word spread. So every weekend we would
hit another spot and set up shop.
Where all did you go?
We hit Panama City during Spring Break.
We did frat parties, hit college towns, Nashville, Atlanta. We sold the most in Nashville
at the gas station. We went to Hattiesburg,
Mississippi, Houston for the All Star Game,
we hit up Vegas, I went out to San Fransisco and Oakland. Instead of spending
money on things we would save the money, put it in the gas tank and hit the road
again. We had money already, but we just
needed the notoriety. We won the Almost
Famous showcase in Atlanta, the Eastside
Poole Palace showcase, and another one
at Club 112. I’m working with DJ T Rock,
the same DJ that broke D4L. We’re gonna
be on the Willie Joe album, DJ Aaries is
messing with us too. I got an album ready
to be released right now, its called Pleasure
House Pimpin’. That’s my group’s compilation album.
At these shows, how do you take the reactions and funny faces that you get?
That’s what I love about it. A lot of times
people think I’m the DJ, soundman or bartender..
Jackie Chain is also featured in the November issue of OZONE Magazine, available online at www.ozonemag.com.
Was it hard to win people over, with your
ethnic background and all?
Where I’m from people know that I’m rapping what I know. I don’t rap about nothing
I ain’t got. It wasn’t a matter of them accepting me or not, my background speaks for
itself. I don’t talk about Bentleys because I
ain’t got one. I got a ‘73 Impala on 24s.
Tell us about this Wax On Wax Off mixtape.
I threw that together in two or three weeks,
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For those who don’t know, who is Michael London?
I’m an entrepreneur. I started my own entertainment company called SNA, in Montgomery, Alabama. SNA consists of a record
pool that services the top DJs in Alabama
and the surrounding areas. It was also a
promotional company that did radio, retail,
and street promotions for Alabama. We
had a fully digital production studio and ad
agency, and a retail store called London
Music. I actually retired from SNA in 2004.
I’ve also been working in radio for over 18
years in various positions: OM, PD, MD,
mixshow DJ, morning co-host, and evening
drive jock.
How did you get started in the music industry?
I’m an army brat. I started DJing in Germany, doing dances and clubs, in 1984. In
1987 I moved to Montgomery when my dad
retired from the Army. I started promoting
a group I was in called LeForce at different music conventions like Jack the Rapper
and Midem. I learned from attending these
conventions that this was a business, and I
needed to make myself relevant to others in
this music business. Because of those experiences, I started the SNA Record Pool to
get vinyl for myself and make connections
with DJs. Once I had relationships with all
the main DJs, clubs, and retail stores in the
state of Alabama, I started getting hired to
do street promotions. On the radio side, I
interned at Magic 95 in 1987 and got my
first airshift doing overnights at WXVI.
Who have you worked with over the
years?
I’ve promoted artists like Prince, Tag Team,
Adina Howard, Jade, The Roots, Dr. Dre,
Tupac, Blackstreet, Kilo, Do or Die, David
Banner, 8Ball & MJG, SWV, Gucci Mane,
The Pharcyde, Nelly, Mary J. Blige, Goodie Mob, and Dem Franchize Boyz, just to
name a few.
What projects are you working on now?
I just became the Chief Operational Officer
for Long Money Entertainment. I will be handling day-to-day operations of the recording studio, the record label, and concert
promotions. I’m still DJing in the clubs and
doing mixes for WKXN and various internet
stations and mSprint. And of course I’m a
proud member of the BumSquad DJz.
You’ve been in the game a minute. Any
advice for up and coming artists or industry heads?
The first thing is understanding that this is
a business. Learn about publishing. Learn
about the difference between a production
deal and a distribution deal. Understand
that being an artist is your job. Secondly:
network, network, network. You need to
network with folks in the music industry.
You need to network with people to get the
hook-up on clothes, food, travel, and promotions. Use your resources to help you
make connections to people you need.
Do you feel like Alabama has enough talent to really breakthrough in the mainstream?
Alabama has been had the talent to make
it mainstream. The problem was that Alabama just did not have the outlets to the
mainstream. Plus, Alabama had to fight
the perception that it was backwards and
country. Now, the word is getting out that
there is real talent in Alabama. Plus, many
artists from other markets have been coming to Alabama and taking the sound and
ideas away and claiming it as their own.
Who are some artists in Alabama that
you see making moves?
Some of the hottest groups out there are
the Small Time Ballaz, Deuce Komradz,
Birmingham J, SCG Ballers, Pleyboi, Lawn
Boyz, Hot Girls, Non Stop Entertainment’s
Dem Boyz, Tyte Werk, Mr. Blue, and Lil
Chappy.
Would you like to give any shout-outs
before we finish?
I have to give shout-outs to some of the
many people who really put me in the
game: Monica May, DNA, Dean Jackson,
King Sol, Talib Shabazz, John Hadrick,
James Belton, Glenn Smith, Grace Brooks,
Marlo Martain, Maxxium, DJ Co-Lock, Latin
Prince, Wendy Day, Shannita Williams,
Wayne Watts, Greg Gates, and Dock Rock.
Also, I’d like to give a special shout-out to
Laquenton Butler.
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Who is Boo da Boss Playa?
“B” is for the Block, “O” is for the Ounces,
and the other “O” is for “Oh my God” when
they count it. (laughs) I’m Boo “Rossini”
a.k.a. da Boss Playa a.k.a. The South’s Best
Kept Secret a.k.a. The #1 D-Boy a.k.a. The
Governor of Mississippi. Not the governor
in the seat, but the governor in the streets.
I’m a hustla’s hope, a hustla’s dream, and
a hustla’s self-esteem. I don’t look at myself as a rapper. I’m a Southern game spitter with a cocaine flow, and I want the world
to hear it. Atlanta’s got the Snowman, New
Orleans got the Birdman, and Mississippi’s
got the Rainman, B double O. The yellow
nigga in the all-black coupe.
What city are you representing?
Four fingers down, twisted in the middle:
Mississippi. I’m from Canton, MS, a.k.a.
Cracktown, about sixteen miles from Jackson. I rep from Cracktown to Jacktown.
How long have you been in this game.
Which game, the streets or the industry?
(laughs) Let me give you my rap sheet: I
dropped my first independent album Birds
Fly South back in 1996. So I’ve been in it for
ten years, but I started rapping for fun in the
7th grade. I’ve been on the scene patiently
waiting my turn.
How many hats do you wear?
Two on the first night. (laughing) I’m an artist on J Records and the CEO of 1 Life, 1
Love Records, my independent label that
I’ve released five independent albums on.
How long have you been on J Records?
Since 2004, patiently waiting to blow! Or
back to the blow! It’s my time now. I’m
Clive’s blood diamond. J Records is world
famous for R&B. I’m about to show the
world from New York to Japan that Mississippi is more than just upset post-civil
rights underprivileged country-ass black
boys that don’t know the game or how to
rap! I’m serious. I’ve been one of the coldest in the game, with or without a label’s
budget!
What was the first major label you were
signed to?
I signed with Interscope back in 2001 after
I met Anton Marchand, Foxy Brown’s older
brother. I was one of the first Southern acts
signed to Interscope at that time, along with
Jim Crow out of Atlanta. Labels really didn’t
know how to market to the South, and that
was before the big down South explosion.
Now you have the A, the melting pot of the
game right now. There was a lot of label
politics back then, and Southern stereo-
types, so I was put in the shuffle and then
released without ever dropping a single.
They released every Southern project they
had. Interscope didn’t know the South,
so I had to divorce them. But even before
then I’ve been around major shit. I’m one
of the original members of the Concentration Camp which consisted of C-Loc, Max
Minelli, Young Bleed, J-Von, and Lil Boosie,
who was 12 years old at the time. You probably saw all our shit around the time Master
P was making his moves. I was a youngster
myself then just learning the game.
Can you give people some advice about
the music game?
Grind, grind, grind! If you hustle hard, it’s
gonna take longer to get to the top, but
you’ll come with a solid foundation. I have
always been blessed with the gift to get out
and be creative for myself to make the most
of what I had and make something out of
nothing. Nobody is gonna give you shit;
you’ve got to go get it! They wouldn’t let
me in the front so I’m sneaking in from the
back this time. Listen to your team! Put a
team together that believes in you damn
near more than you do! Get your management together, get your own street team
together, not the one that works all the records for the labels
It’s a long list. I did “Miss Me With That
Rap Shit” with Young Jeezy, Bun B, “Make
It Rain” with Jazze Pha, Swizz Beatz, DJ
Khaled, Lil Boosie, Paul Wall, Layzie Bone,
David Banner, man, we could go on and
on. I’ve been doing this shit, even before I
had a deal. I got some projects in the making with a gang of cats out there on the
grind that are getting it like I get it. I have
a house in Houston. You can catch me on
I-10 in my Caprice with blue lights. I’m getting ready to work around the South, all
over the board.
How many records have you sold on the
independent market?
Over 50,000.
What’s the track you’ve got out right now
that the people should be looking out
for?
Every last one of them, from the gutta shit to
the fly shit! “Make It Rain” is one that shows
the extra-curricular. I have other tracks like
“Miss Me With That Rap Shit” with Young
Jeezy and BMF’s Bleu Davinci that shows
the seriousness of my grind. I have something for the ladies too. Boo da Boss Playa
is deadly like Katrina, raining blessings like
FEMA, coming soon to a hood near you.
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What is South Models, LLC?
My name is Patricia Pickett and I am the
CEO of South Models, LLC. I have 10 years
experience in the entertainment industry
and started out as a model myself. I learned
a lot during my journey and decided it was
time to give others the same opportunity
someone gave me. South Models, LLC is a
rapidly growing modeling agency and our
models are becoming nationally known for
their class, character, personalities, professionalism, and quality of performance.
South Models may be booked for music
videos, runway, print work, commercials,
promotions, talent, and event hosting.
Who are the owners?
Patricia Pickett. South Models will be in
partnership with Ruben Studdard in January 2007. Pick up his new album The Return & be on the look out for the release of
his mixtape.
How did you get started?
South Models, LLC, was launched in November 2003 by Off The Chain Management, LLC & Moonmen DJs, LLC. Both of
our companies managed models so we
decided to go into business together. As of
November 2005, I became full owner.
How easy is it to get in the modeling
business?
It’s depends on the individual. If the model
has the look that is currently “hot,” she may
get picked up quick. On the other hand, a
model may have potential and need development to get his or her foot in the door.
Can you give some advice for the ones
that would like to become a model?
First and foremost ask God to guide you.
If a professional model is what you want to
become then pursue that goal to the fullest.
Research the modeling industry and the
companies you decide to work with. Use
rejection as motivation & don’t talk about
it, be about it!
What are your top three “do’s” and
“don’t”s?
Do keep God #1 in all of your endeavors,
because without him, where would we be?
Again, always do your research. Do as
much promotional work as you can; the
money will follow. Don’t ever forget where
you came from. Don’t break protocol - always give out your manager’s number to
clients and not your personal information.
Don’t act like a groupie around celebrities;
think of it as if you are a celebrity yourself.
Wow! The list really goes on, but here we
go: BET’s Spring Bling, 106th & Park, The
Runway, MTV’s Making Da Band 3, TRL,
the Dirty Awards, Chris Brown’s new movie
“Steppin’,” Seagram’s Gin Calendar 2007,
Show Magazine’s October and December
issues. I’ve also done videos with artists
like Ruben Studdard, Yung Joc, Young Dro,
Fat Joe, Nelly, Gucci Mane, Young Jeezy,
Brooke Valentine, I-20, Boyz N Da Hood,
Dem Franchize Boyz, Blak Jak, Pastor Troy,
Goodie Mob, Ricky Smiley, Big Gen and
Snipe, Birmingham J, Jump Off Boyz Promotions, Block Entertainment, Seagram’s
Gin, Jack Daniels, Crown Royal, Hennessy, Hypnotic, Full Throttle Energy Drink,
CRUNK!!! Energy Drink, Axe, BP Gas Tour.
I’ve done runway modeling for Ludacris’
clothing line CP Time, the Bronner Brothers, Brandy’s Pro10 Hair Line, and that’s
just to name a few.
How many models do you have?
South Models currently employs 20 female
models and 5 male models.
Are you looking for more models?
We are always looking for new faces locally
and nationally.
How can one become a South model?
Please visit our websites at www.myspace.
com/southmodels & www.smodelsinc.
com to make sure this is a company you
would like to be a part of. If you’re interested, please submit the below information
to interest@smodelsinc.com. We accept
models 21 and older. You should send
your name and contact information along a
headshot, full-body shot, and two pictures
of your choice. You also should include
the state or city you’re from, age, weight,
height, hair color, eye color, shirt size, pant
size, dress size, and shoe size. Let us know
how you heard about South Models and
why you’d like to become a South Model.
Do you have any shout-outs?
Thanks to God for making this all possible.
My husband Orlandez Pickett, who works
just as hard as his wife. He is the CEO of
Off The Chain Management and manages
Big Gen and Snipe. He recently directed
his first video with Mr. Kelly: Birmingham J
featuring Venus’ “Move Back.” Road Management for comedian Tre Williamson and
booking services for Ree-Al. My dauther
Akaila DezaRe’ Pickett, my family and
friends for supporting me, all of the South
models, and all of our talent under OTCM.
All of our clients that made it possible for
us to be where we are today, and all of our
fans and supporters since day one.
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Who is Frank White?
Frank White is extremely loyal, dedicated,
and willing to do whatever it takes to reach
my goals. I cannot be stopped. I will help
anyone who really wants it, not just someone who’s talking shit and you never hear
back from them until the next time you see
them. I’m on my way to becoming a household name across the country!
How did you get started in the business?
Hanging out with a homeboy of mine, Danny D. He’s now known as Danny Diaz up in
Charlotte. He was a DJ at my current station WJWZ in Montgomery. He introduced
me to Al Irvin, who gave me the opportunity
to intern. I did that for a year and when an
opening came up on the weekends Al gave
me an opportunity. I took that and I’ve been
running with it ever since. I’m currently on
five nights a week.
How hard is the business?
Damn! To be honest with you, it’s pretty
hard! You really have to love it to be successful. It’s always a constant sell. Sometimes it’s not even about how good you are,
it’s how hungry you are. The farther you go
in this business the crazier it gets.
Where do you want to go from here?
The only place I’m going from here is
straight to the top, and that I promise you.
What advice would you give new DJs?
Grind, grind, hustle, don’t give up. Practice
and create a buzz for yourself.
What are your feelings about Alabama’s
talent?
Alabama has crazy talent all over. We’re
on the verge of the industry finding out
that it’s just gonna take the right artist who
doesn’t just wanna be famous here and
has higher goals and is really hungry to do
it. If Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and
Florida do, then hell yeah, Alabama does
too. We’re not a separate country, I mean,
damn, we’re surrounded by all of that. We
have more of a story to tell too. A lot of shit
has happened in Alabama. We didn’t have
to read about it, it was taught to us by family members who actually went through it.
What can a talented person do to get to
the top?
Fuck with me. Grind, man. you need to be
performing everywhere, and not asking for
money. If you ain’t got status, get your shit
out there first and the money will come.
How far do you want to go in this industry?
All the way. I will become a program director and after that I’ll look at working for a
record label, maybe.
What else do you do besides DJing on
the radio?
I’m a club DJ and I also do mixtapes. I’m
part of the world famous CORE DJs, the
Hittmenn DJs, and Pure Pain.
Do you want to give any shout-outs?
97.9 Jamz squad, Al Irvin, Danny Diaz,
Quaty D, CORE DJs, Hittmenn DJs, Greg
Street, Kaspa, Pure Pain Records, Roam
Bad Daddy, B-Lord, Luqman, and Mack
Dillingham. Hit me on www.myspace.com/
djfrankwhite96.
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What is your name?
Micahelia Dudley South. My model name is Unique.
How old are you?
I’m 20.
The fellas are going to want to
know if you’re single or not.
I’m not single, but I’m not married
either.
What are your measurements?
32-26-36.
Okay, how long have you been
modeling?
Since January 2006.
What company do you represent?
South Models, LLC.
Where are you from?
Birmingham, Alabama.
How hard or easy is it to be a
model?
As long as you have God and patience, that makes things a lot easier. The hard part is having to push
yourself when you don’t have the
energy or when you just feel like
giving up. It’s also hard having to
pick between a modeling job and
school or work.
Ruben Studdard, Ciara and Field
Mob, Yung Joc and Block Entertainment, Blak Jak, Birmingham J,
and now OZONE.
How far do you want to take
this?
As far as I can possibly go.
Any shout-outs?
First and foremost God, my mom,
dad, boyfriend, close friends, and
South Models.
OZONE
WORDS BY MACK DILLINGHAM
IMAGES COURTESY J RECORDS
OZONE
For the twenty people living under a rock
that don’t know about American Idol, can
you introduce yourself?
I’m Ruben Studdard, American Idol winner
of the second season, R&B singer, songwriter, and producer. Southern boy and
proud of it.
What city in Alabama are you representing?
The Magic City, Birmingham, Alabama.
I’m on J Records, distributed by Sony/
BMG.
Why did you get into the music game?
I love music, all kinds of music. From rock
to jazz to hip-hop to classical, even a little
country. I love making music and singing.
It’s what I was put on earth to do.
Do you feel that Alabama has other talents that can go mainstream?
There are now, and have always been,
plenty of talented people in Alabama, like
the Temptations, Nat King Cole, The Commodores, and the list goes on and on. Alabama has always represented in music.
Is it difficult to get to the top of the mainstream music industry and then to stay
at the top?
It’s hard to stay on top in this industry because you have to keep reinventing yourself. You have to stay fresh or you’ll be forgotten.
Do you have any new projects dropping
soon?
My new album is called The Return, and it
is truly a classic. I love it. It’s got something
for everybody.
Harold Lilly, Khao, Scott Storch, Neo, Mario
Winans, a lot of great people.
What’s different about this album as
compared to your others?
This album really is a closer reflection of
myself than the other albums. I chose most
of the producers and writers and and wrote
or co-wrote three songs myself. I even produced a remake of Brenda Russell’s “If
Only For One Night.” There’s a lot of me
in this album.
What would you like to say to the up and
coming artists?
Keep practicing. You’ll never know when
your big break will come and when it does,
you need to be prepared. You may not get
another chance.
Do you have any other outside ventures?
I have a record label called RCS Music Group, and I’ve signed a girl’s group
named Mocha. They’re four young ladies
from Birmingham who can sing the lights
out. I’m also 50% owner of a modeling
agency called South Models Inc., so if you
think you’re pretty enough to model, holla.
Our website is SModelsInc.com.
Is there anything you feel everyone
needs to know about you?
My album The Return is very good, and
when I come to your town, come to the
show. It will be a night you will not forget.
Any shout-outs?
Yeah, to my brother Kevin Studdard, my
best friend and business partner Jonathan
Effinger, my band, and my stylist Vincent
“VJ” Lake.
OZONE
WORDS AND PHOTO BY
MACK DILLINGHAM
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OZONE
What station can we hear you on?
WVHJ 95.7 Jamz. We’re Birmingham’s
number 1 for hip-hop and R&B.
Tell me a little about yourself.
I am from Biloxi, Mississippi, I’m a down
South brother. I moved to Jacktown at
age 13 and graduated from Callaway High
School. I attended Miss State pledge,
transferred to Jackson State University and
graduated with a degree in Mass Communications TV and Radio Production and minored in Marketing. I’ve been in radio since
1992. I was carrying records for DJs and I
got my break. I saw a female working at a
radio station in Columbus, MS, and I asked
her out. She told me she had to go to work
and she worked at the radio station. I knew
if she could do it, I could do it. Not to put her
down or anything. So I got a job at WACR.
I worked from midnight to 6 AM and then
got promoted to the evening spot. Going to
Jackson State, I worked at the jazz station
and stayed there for about a year and a half
and then a break came at the big station,
WJMI in Jackson, which is the number one
station. I got a break as a part-timer and
moved my way up, working every weekend
for about a year and a half. No Saturdays
or Sundays off. I worked every weekend,
anytime they needed someone. Finally my
hard work paid off and they gave me my
own show. I was there for about four years
and the opportunity came in Birmingham.
Sad to say, it was due to someone passing. His name was J Night (Rest In Peace).
Mickey Johnson heard about me and liked
my style. I was good in Jackson, but he
convinced me to come to the ‘Ham.
How can upcoming artists get their song
played?
Radio needs to be the last corner. You’re
going to need to create a buzz first. If you
make a street buzz nothing can stop the
streets, and I promise we will come to you.
Do you see something that Alabama talent is not doing the other states are doing?
Sticking together. It’s power in numbers.
You’ve got so many people doing the same
thing, why not do it together? If we could
just come together as a whole, it would be
easier. If one person gets on with a major
label, the other groups really need to stick
with him or her. If one succeeds, we can all
succeed. Look at the Houston movement.
Atlanta and even Mississippi have a strong
movement. Mississippi has a coalition for
rappers. I feel that we need this unity to
grow. Folks know there’s talent here, that’s
not the issue. It just needs to be a well-organized effort to keep it going.
What is Birmingham’s sound?
The sound is Southern. That’s what’s poppin’. But it’s about knowing your business.
You need to have the right promotional
skills. It’s about your effort. You need to
know about marketing. It’s an organization.
It needs to be a complete package. I get
about 40 CDs every day to listen to, and to
be honest, I may listen to it for 30 seconds.
It needs to grab someone, whether it’s a
sexy lady on the cover or whatever, it just
needs to grab me. It’s not all about your
artistry; it’s about selling records.
Since you have a degree, what is your
advice on education?
Man, you got to have the education. It’s a
stepping stone. If you look at a CD, an artist is the last one to get paid. You’ve got
the producer, engineer, writer, then later on
down the line the artist. If it’s a group, that
little amount has to be split. So yeah, man,
you do need to educate yourself. Don’t get
me wrong, you don’t need a degree to do
what I do, but I am educated enough to
know that I have to do other things to stay
ahead. Radio don’t pay shit, for real. I have
to get out, host shit, do parties. The more
education you have, if you get run down or
tired, you can move on to something else.
What do you want people to know about
you?
I’m a down to earth dude. A lot of people
think that just because I’m on the radio I’m
not approachable. I’m just a down to earth
guy who’s lucky enough that God put me
in this position I’m in. I’m very impatient,
but at the same time I will do anything for
people.
What are your future plans?
That’s an interesting question. I always said
that I didn’t want to do TV; that’s why I’m on
the radio. I didn’t want to be seen, but as
I get older I see this radio thing for what it
is: a lot of mirrors. It’s not like it was when
I started. You’ve got these big companies
taking over. It’s only four labels, for real. It’s
a whole lot different when I started, but then
when I started I’m sure someone said the
same thing but you know that’s the evolution of it. I would like to get on TV but I’m
in love with radio. Once you get bit by the
radio bug, it’s all over.
OZONE
11
WORDS AND PHOTO
BY JULIA BEVERLY
12
OZONE
Tell us about your new project.
A lot of times people don’t understand the
politics of the music industry once you
move to this level. I really don’t think I’ve
been able to give my core fans – people
in the Birdland, people in the Poole Palace
– what they’ve really been wanting from David Banner. My real core fans are the people that ain’t on the internet, the people that
don’t watch videos, the people that’s out
there hustling. I haven’t been able to give
them the core David Banner, so I came up
with a revolutionary idea that ain’t nobody
ever done in history. It’s called my Spare
Clips project.
How is your mixtape revolutionary?
I took songs that could never get cleared –
maybe it’s because of a sample, or because
of an artist that’s on there, or because their
record label was being bitches – and put it
all on one CD. This is an album.
For someone who might not know, what
does it mean to get a song “cleared”?
Just because you record a song with an artist and you pay the artist, or you’re friends
with the artist, the label still has the right to
turn you down [for clearance]. The record
label has to give you permission to use the
song. You can put it out, but you can’t sell
it in stores. They can’t stop you from having it on a record, but they can stop you
from selling it in stores. They might clear
the song and you can put it on your album,
but you can’t put it out as your single. Or
they can stop you from shooting a video
for it. So it’s like three different clearances that you need to get. You have to get
it signed off to use an artist. A lot of times
we’re friends [with the artist], especially in
the South, but even though these are our
homies and we’ve been making records
together all these years, now that we’ve
made it to the next level they try to fuck up
our game. There are also some songs on
the mixtape that might’ve come out on mixtapes but never had the opportunity to blow
up even though they were jamming. I think
my favorite song on the mix CD is “Who
You Fuckin’ With,” that’s me, Trick Daddy,
and Rick Ross. I think that’s the biggest surprise on the CD. I got a song with me and
Snoop and a Tupac sample on the hook.
We got a song that everybody’s been talking about called “Talkin’ Shit Part 2,” which
is an exclusive song that I decided to put
out. That’s just me answering a lot of shit
I’ve been hearing about in the streets, them
ol’ pussy-ass, faggot ass fuck boys. All the
bullshit, sideways-talkin’ muthafuckers. I’ve
been blessed to get out of the streets and
not have to do the things I had to do, but I
was really just tryin’ to give these muthafuckers room to breathe. But not no more.
I’m crushin’ these stupid whores. Tell them
David Banner said, “Kiss my ass.”
Are we back to the angry David Banner?
Nope! It’s right in the middle of what I was
and what I became as a businessman.
Regardless, if you come from the streets,
you’ll always be that, no matter what you
go through. But honestly that’s what America wants from me, and I’m gonna give it to
them, with an extra dose. That’s what Spare
Clips is. It’s a whole CD of that “in-thevan-David-Banner,” that’s what everybody
wants to hear. People have been begging
for it but I ain’t sure if they really knew what
they were asking for. It’s a whole CD of that
shit and it’s crazy. I’m up in New York and
folks are already screaming that this is one
of the hottest mixtapes of the year. I hope
this is just a preview of what the album is
gonna be like. It’s better than most of the albums that’ve come out in the last five years,
including mine. To get a copy you can subscribe to OZONE. Or go to www.myspace.
com/DavidBanner.
What else do you have coming up?
My cartoon the Crooked Clip is coming
out soon; you can go to YouTube.com and
type in “David Banner cartoon” and check
that out. The movie Black Snake Moan will
be out in three months. I’m doing beats for
everybody and they momma. I’m the best
producer ever. The rest of them suck. It’s
all about me.
List ten reasons why you’re the best.
Look at me. Just listen to the radio next
year. I ain’t got to give you ten reasons. And
it’s okay that every other song sounds like
“Rubberband Man 2.” I ain’t trippin’ off that.
I ain’t goin’ to sue nobody, it’s cool. Everybody puts their lil’ name at the beginning
of their tracks. I ain’t trippin’ on that either.
I started that, but it’s cool, they can have it.
I’m smashin’ these fools this year. Tell ‘em
I’m going to take over the world. And I look
better than everybody too. Did you see my
guns? And I ain’t talkin’ about firearms. I’m
talking about my arms. Look at me, damn
it! Matter of fact, tell ‘em to check out my
footwork. I’m killin’ em. I look good, I smell
good, I’m bangin’ on the beats, I’m smackin’ the shit out of these muthafuckers, and
I’m back in the streets. I’m an All-You-CanEat Buffet. You can get an ass whoopin’,
you can get some gospel tracks. I’m pray
for ya or I’ll smack ya, whichever you want.
I’m the greatest; I feel it now. And this is as
humble as I can possibly be with this shit. I
am not an egomaniac; this is the truth.
OZONE
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WORDS BY
RANDY ROPER
So, Dirty, you’re from Panama City? What
was it like growing up around there?
Dirty: It was cool, man. It was a lot of cats
involved in the music game like BloodRaw.
I followed Blood for a little minute, he was
doing his thing. It was tempting but it was
straight.
What do you mean, tempting?
Being in Panama City, it was easy to get
into other stuff besides music, like selling
drugs. I stuck with the music though.
What was it that made you follow music
and pursue it as a career?
Dirty: I was into basketball first. My brother
Shawn was in college and he was doing his
thing. He had signed with the Dallas Mavericks, and he came home that summer and
got murdered. I was into basketball heavy,
but I ain’t wanna pursue something that he
worked so hard for, and become successful in it. So I decided to pick my other love
which was music.
Kosha, you’re originally from Georgia,
right?
Kosha: Yeah, South Georgia, a small town
called Talbutton. Me and Bohagan actually
came up in the same town and went to the
same school. We graduated together.
What made you start rapping?
Kosha: Man, it was just in my family, it kept
14
OZONE
us out of trouble. I know Bo can vouch for
the same thing, like when we was twelve
we started a little group together and that’s
what we was doing. While other cats were
out getting in trouble, we was recording...
Tyte Wurk is also featured in the October
issue of OZONE Magazine, available online at www.ozonemag.com.
16
OZONE
What up, man? Tell the people who you
are.
What’s up, folk, I’m the man, the artist, the
street scavenger they call Queazy reppin’
Moneytown Alabama. I’m from Westview
Gardens and WestGate, but I stand up for
all four corners: North, East, South, and
West side!
I’m linked up with my man Derrick “Ironman” Pettiway at DMS Records.
Man, I’ve been DJing, writing, and rapping since about 4th grade. I used to tag
along with my uncle DJ Red to all the parties and cookouts. I was just a little kid but
I learned to blend and what songs to spin
that motivated the crowd. That feeling was
just addictive. I feel in love with the game
and I’ve been pursing it in some form or
fashion ever since. My mom and my uncle
supported me, they saw the passion and
the dedication I had for music. They bought
me DJ equipment, mixers, boomboxes,
and albums, because all I cared about was
the music. I was on the DJ tip up until junior high and that’s when I started writing.
I formed my first group in high school. We
called ourselves Southern Made Playaz.
Do you think there’s a lot of talent in Alabama?
I know without a doubt we have the talent
to take it there. And it’s more than one artist
or group here in Alabama that has what it
takes. We have talent that’s creative, marketable, and very business minded. You’re
looking at a top prospect. On the real, we
ain’t playing no games.
I’m grinding, man, I’m out here working
the independent circuit. I’m in the streets,
clubs, barbershops, even schools. I’m on
tour right now with the Legion of Doom
College Tour 2006. There are about 14-15
dates I’m making, getting exposure at radio
stations, pushing my product Queazy: The
EP. In stores now, by the way. Check www.
myspace.com/queazy to see the tour dates
and locations. I plan on building my fanbase
and generating a buzz with this grassroots
movement we have. When we get the looks
we want, we will sit down, map out our best
option, formulate an entrance strategy and
an exit strategy. Not many people realize
that how you come in has as much importance as how you go out of the game. It is
really a business so get that right from the
go. By that time I’ll be ready to take it to the
masses and definitely pick up a torch and
help take this music to the next level. That’s
what its all about anyway, the music.
I’ve worked with the highly respected Dr.
Fangaz, The Greenknight, Mello Rich with
Triple 777 Productions, Khao, L-Bo Keys,
and Da Beatking as far as production. This
project it was all me; I wanted to expose
my talent straight with no dilution. No features and I’m hearing that people feel I
held it down on this project. That’s why it’s
Queazy: The EP.
For the younger cats what advice would
you like to give?
Be about your business, it’s so cliché to
say these days but people still don’t really
seem to get it. Read, man, study the game,
know what publishing is, know what your
points are. One book won’t do it but it can
help your thought process. You need to
link up with a beneficial team, if you are the
only one thinking in your camp you probably need a new camp. Everybody won’t be
as motivated as you are but what happens
when you lose steam? The ship’s gonna
stop. Get a good lawyer, good representation, and promote like there is no tomorrow.
That’s the only way your gonna move forward. Most importantly, make good music.
Put your heart in it and don’t be afraid to
be an individual. My motto is, “I Am The
Crowd.” I don’t follow I lead.
Where can our readers cop one of your
CDs?
The cd is available at www.cdbaby.com/
queazy, www.myspace.com/queazy, www.
amazon.com. Just holla at me on Myspace,
I’m really addicted to it, man, I get back with
everybody. It may take a little time cause
I’m on tour but I’ll get at ya. Check the
mom & pop shops, Bananas, Magic Music
in Montgomery, AL and Music-N-More in
Birmingham, AL.
Queazy: The EP is what we are pushing
right now. I’m back in the studio as we
speak working on my next album. We are
looking at a late spring or early summer release for 2007.
OZONE
17
WORDS AND PHOTO BY MACK DILLINGHAM
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I’ve been professionally recording about six
or seven years. Rap was put in me, unlike
most niggas. I didn’t put myself in rap.
Being from Montgomery, Alabama, how
hard is it to get in the game?
Comin’ from the projects and being real
with the my music, the support is good.
The streets are ridin’. But being from Alabama it seems kinda hard, and I say this
because I’ve dealt with labels from indies to majors. I could get the contract if
I repped another state, or city, to be exact.
Everybody’s looking at the Atlanta movement. They say Alabama’s not marketable nigga, please. Although I’ve received radio
support it seems that whenever I travel to
Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, or wherever,
you’re gonna hear artists from that area
on the radio. Speaking for a lot of credible
artists in Alabama, I can’t understand why
it’s not the same here. Niggas are out here
sellin’ out in stores and packing shows, yet
it’s become difficult for you to hear that artist’s shit on the radio. That makes the grind
even harder, but easier for outsiders to
come along because you can hear them all
day. No disrespect to the mainstream, but
it’s about the niggas that’s local. Payola is
a muthafucker. I can’t say it’s hard because
I do get a lot of support from DJs and shit,
and in some cases, the outsiders probably
feel like I do when I come to their city or
state. But Alabama’s gotta start standing
up for Alabama first. There’s no problem
with diversity, but you gotta understand
that we’re hip-hop too.
Do you feel that Alabama artists have the
talent to go mainstream?
Hell yeah, cuz. I will put up my last dollar
from listening to most of this shit out of New
York. Most of the their best rappers can’t
fuck with our worst. Niggas just gotta understand that it’s bigger than rapping. Put
your career in your hands and learn the
business. A lot of niggas miss deals because they’re not registering their songs.
Everybody here knows that these niggas
come here and steal our style, our songs,
and our swag and then go mainstream with
it. You’ll be surprised if I play some of my
people’s shit or show you album titles that
mainstream niggas have stolen. A lot of
Alabama niggas are writing songs for these
so-called hitmakers. But once we get some
unity, shit will probably be better. If a station
ain’t playing our shit, don’t spend money
with them. But to make it all short, niggas
know Alabama’s on deck. We’re here.
Being from one of the hardest projects in
my city, Trenholm Court, any hood nigga
knows we’re just tryin’ to find a way out
and stay away from probation and prison. I
fucked up a lot of opportunities due to bad
management or just not knowing. I was just
glad to be heard and people could relate
to my situations. Understand, I’m the dope
lady’s baby, so I’ve witnessed shit since
childhood that most niggas only see on TV
or lie about in their raps. I declined a couple
of deals and feel like first, niggas gotta stop
signing their life away for the bullshit. I hear
more about some artists before they sign
a record deal. It should be the other way
around. Don’t become a tax write-off. I became my own boss three or four albums
ago, so with all my mistakes and connections, I’m headed towards achieving my
goals. Any nigga or label that’s ever met
me from Montgomery to New York knows
that I always repped thoroughly for Alabama. I’ve set goals on goin’ further than
the ones before me and leaving a trail for
the ones after me.
What other artists have you been working with?
I’ve worked with damn near everybody
that’s somebody in Alabama, whether
producers or artists. Me and my dude Jae
Slimm from Cashville and Paul Wall blazed
a track together. If you’ve got my latest release, The King of Alabama mixtape, you’ll
see artists like Lil Wyte from Three 6 Mafia,
Jacki-O, TQ, Roy Jones Jr., Mr. Magic, Don
P of Trillville, BloodRaw, Pastor Troy, Baby
D and Loko of the Oomp Camp, David Banner, Khia, Oowee, BMF, Mike Jones, and JB
from OZONE Mag who all supported with
my movement. And it wasn’t any favors or
phone calls, I actually got in teh streets, hit
the road, met with these people, and fucked
with them. They supported my grind.
For the younger cats, what advice would
you like to give?
If you fuck with me, you know that unlike
most artists, I’ll tell you my stakes. I give
peopel the easier road to travel, give them
all my connections and let them know what
worked for me to better assist in their journey. I remember where I started and what
I came from. When someone asks me how
to get on or if I can sign them, my advice
is to find out what’s the best fit with what
you’re tryin’ to do and learn as much as you
can to benefit your career. Don’t depend on
people to do what you have to do yourself.
It’s your dream.
OZONE
19
WORDS BY MAURICE GARLAND
PHOTO BY JULIA BEVERLY
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OZONE
How did you get the name “Finesse”?
It came from when I used to play basketball in Jr. High, because I could handle
that rock. Back then they was calling me
Kid Finesse. I knew I wasn’t about to be the
next [Allen Iverson] - or back then it was Dr.
J. Where I’m from you’re either a hustler, a
baller, or a rapper, and I wasn’t no rapper
either. So, there you go.
When did you start DJing?
I first started in 7th grade. I went to the
Fresh Fest and saw Run-DMC and Jam
Master Jay. Then later on I saw Jazzy Jeff.
That’s when I told myself, “I wanna talk with
my hands.” I started off doing tricks, I used
to study the DMC tapes. But in my market
doing tricks was cool for show, but not for
making paper, so I honed my skills as a
party rocker and mixer. I wanted to be the
conductor of events.
Since you’ve been around for a minute,
how do you feel about the respect level
DJs have gotten over the years? It seems
like it comes and goes.
I think it’s been peaks and valleys. We
wasn’t getting respect at first, we had to get
from behind the tables and let people know
that without us the parties are not hype.
Now DJs are getting respect because
we’re getting creative with our marketing
skills. But what I don’t like is that because
of the technology, some people are getting respect they haven’t earned. If you not
mixing on a mixtape, it’s not a mixtape. But
you can weed out the bullshit DJs. I’m not
the cat who sits up with Pro Tools or Cool
Edit and puts things together and calls it a
mixtape. I think you lose respect when you
do that. And that’s the valley we’re in right
now. But other than that, right now DJs and
others are realizing that we are the A&R to
the streets. The biggest effect we gonna
have is finding what’s gonna be the next
big record. You can have the best record
in the world, but if you don’t have the DJ
community behind you, it ain’t gonna do
anything.
so many things. Rap music, on the other
hand, took a downward spiral because we
hardly have lyrics. But to balance that out,
producers are taking time to make more
quality tracks.
Was it hard for you to get respected nationally coming from Jackson, Mississippi?
It ain’t where you from, it’s how you come.
My cost of living is cheap, I get the money
on the road and bring it back home so the
next generation don’t have to leave town to
make it. I’ve noticed that some DJs leave
their home because people ain’t feeling
them, no, you just gotta get hot where
you’re at. It’s about where you’re at. I’ve
had shows in places like New Orleans and
got just as much love. When you go out, everybody respects you if you coming hard.
What else are you into other than being
behind the tables?
I got a street team and I’m President of The
CORE DJs. I’m trying to unite DJs. I also
run Finesse Records. We put out the Stew
Pot Stowaways, a group that David Banner
used to be a part of back in the early 90s.
I’m doing real estate, I own Jazzy’s in Jackson. I do it all. It’s bigger than me rocking
a party.
Being that you have so much experience, do you make sure that you share
your knowledge with others?...
As a DJ do you get offended when people throw around the phrase “Hip Hop is
dead”? Because you guys are the ones
who play the music and get it out there.
I get offended because people got to understand that Hip Hop is a culture, not just rap
music, so Hip Hop is definitely not dead.
Everybody from Puff on down has clothing
lines and different businesses, that’s Hip
Hop right there. The state of rap maybe in
disarray because there’s hardly any lyricists, but now Hip Hop is magazines; business opportunities. We’ve branched out to
OZONE
21
22
OZONE
First of all, why don’t you introduce yourself to are readers?
I am Birmingham J, a simple
man with complicated views of
the world. I understand the grind
and how to make it happen, but I
have a different perspective. The
unique thing about me is that I
grew up with both of my parents
in the home. That gave me a different view of the game.
What Alabama city are you representing?
Birmingham, of course.
Kottage Boy Records.
How long have you been in this
game?
Man, I been rapping since I was in
the sixth grade. This is just what I
was put here to do.
Why did you get in the music
game?
My thing is to talk about the hood
struggle. I want to expose the
truth about Birmingham, about
life, about the South and make
you rock to it.
What’s the next project you’re
working on?
I’m working on this mix CD called
Gotta Grind. I’m also working with
some other artists like T-Pain and
the YoungBloodz.
what advice would you give to
other up and coming artists?
Real men show results. We need
to stick together and always believe in what we’re doing enough
to know that we ain’t gotta hate on
the next man to make it happen.
What else would you like the
people to know about you?
Putting Birmingham on is important to me, and my priorities are
in order.
OZONE
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24
OZONE
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I’m 22, and I am the first lady of Kottage Boy. I’m making it happen for the
folks in the hood.
What Alabama city are you representing?
Birmingham.
KottageBoy Records.
How long have you been in this
game?
Since I was in the seventh grade. I
have been rapping with Kottage for 5
years.
Why did you get in the music
game?
I just feel that it is my destiny. I did this
local Apollo talent search and rapped
at the end of my segment. I got mad
props and people came up to me asking me to perform at their events.
I have a new single called “Neighbor-
hood Dopeman,” a duet with Birmingham J.
Tyte Wurk, Ruben Studdard, but most
importantly, Birmingham J. I try to
make music with my own people so
that people can see what we have to
offer without it being to hyped up. Just
real street music.
For the younger ladies getting in
this game what advice can you give
them?
Remember that there are only a few
women in the game, so there is a place
for you. Keep ya head up, and your
legs closed. Don’t get sideswiped by
what people say, peep game and do
ya thang.
Is there anything you feel everyone
needs to know about you?
I need to be heard, and what I have to
say is worth hearing.
Do you have any shout-outs?
KottageBoy Entertainment and my girl
Toya.
OZONE
25
WORDS BY RANDY ROPER
PHOTO BY JULIA BEVERLY
26
OZONE
Tell me about where you grew up at, are
you originally from Alabama?
Young PJ: Yeah, we from Alabama, Birmingham, to be exact. My life was a struggle, just like any other person that had to
struggle too, you know what I mean.
What made you start doing music?
Young PJ: Really, found the love and interest for it. It kinda just pretty much rubbed off
on me. I always had love for music. Music
makes the world go round man, for real.
What made you want to do it as a career?
Young PJ: Pretty much, after several contests man, and just trying it man. And people actually telling you that you can do it
and believing in you, kinda made us put
our first foot forward.
When did you meet Joe?
Young PJ: Actually, we were two young cats
off the East side of Birmingham, man. You
know putting the thing down together.
How did you hook up with Real Records?
Young PJ: Basically, through my brother’s
mutual friend, M. Quest. They all grew up
together. It was really, it was more of a relinking type situation, you know what I’m
sayin’. Hollered at the big homie one night
and man, we’ve been together. Back together, we’ve been rocking since like ’03.
What about Universal Music, how do you
get down with them?
Young PJ: Actually, it’s through Bungalo,
through Universal, you know what I mean.
Basically making noise at home, you know
what I mean. They came through looking
for who was hot at the time and we pretty
much set this bitch on fire. So it was only
right, that we hooked up and made it official. It was the perfect combination, got a
hook up to put the state where it needs to
be, where it’s supposed to be rather.
know what I’m sayin’. First of all the title is
something everyone can relate to. We have
a lot of people out they that’s still struggling
now. We got a lot of people that done overcame that struggle, but they give back and
they help others in their time of need. It’s
more like a transition album for us. From
us struggling to not some much being on
the top, but we’re on our way to the top,
and we’re not on the bottom neither. We
want everybody to feel it, you know what
I mean. Cause a lot of people get them
down days and stuff, thinking it’s over
with. You gotta understand there’s always
somebody worser than you. Your position
that you’re in, ain’t really as worse than you
think it is. Days of Being Broke, we had a
lot of people came through and showed
us love who mess with Birmingham who
come through and get down with us. We
got Lil’ Flip on the album, Pastor Troy, Tela,
The Last Mr. Bigg, he’s on the single we got
called “Check Me Out.” Bohagan is on the
album, couple of other people on there too
man. It’s a star studded album, something
new people ain’t heard of. I know people
have been waiting on what Birmingham, Alabama is gon’ bring. Yeah, know we bring
it. We hitting everybody wit’ it, let ‘em know
this is what’s going on down here.
How does it feel to have this success in
your career?
Young PJ: Man, it’s still a grind man. I still
treat it like it ain’t, like I ain’t there yet...
The BA Boys are also featured in the October issue of OZONE Magazine, available
online at www.ozonemag.com.
Tell me about the Birmingham scene.
Young PJ: It’s a movement going on. Everybody is trying to get in where they fit in
man, and get a part of it. It’s a lot of talent
down there. We’re just trying to be at the
forefront to help expose a lot of the talent
that we have down there man, that’s been
getting overlooked for years, you know
what I mean.
Touch on the album that you have coming out.
It’s in stores right now. Days of Being
Broke, first album from the BA Boys, you
OZONE
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OZONE
2006 has been a busy year for you, what
all do you have going on?
I’m working on this independent shit. I’ll
have another album out at the first of the
year.
Another one? You just dropped two this
year.
Yeah, I dropped two back to back. But
[Stay Tru] was like a mixtape. Then [with By
Choice or By Force] Koch dropped it without getting the full potential out of it. I told
them to hold on but they wanted to keep
up with the mixtape. One was supposed to
set the other up. Koch didn’t let me deliver
what I wanted.
How has it been working with Koch? One
would think you’d be disenchanted to
work with a label of any kind.
Koch was just a one album deal, so I’m
back independent. Matter of fact I’m back
on the phone with Universal. The shit I was
doing when I was with them, they weren’t
prepared to work it. They saw what I did
with We Ready: I Declare War but they
wasn’t prepared to work with what I was
giving them. I was in a situation where Universal was going through changes. It was
my job to grind, but they ain’t have themselves together to catch that wave. I mean
look now, Chamillionare went platinum. I
had songs like “Vice Versa.” No disrespect
to Chamillionare, but a lot of niggas have
been able to benefit from the steps I’ve
taken. My position is unique. It’s like Jesus
bearing the cross. But I ain’t complaining
though.
How has working independent been for
you so far?
This indie thing is so gravy because you really get the opportunity to control your own
destiny, man. You get out what you put into
it. We got all our dates right. We done did
three dates in a row, every thing routed out
the right way. I got a nice home and I’m always working, so it’s good.
respect. It ain’t like that no more. New niggas think it’s about competition. You hear
all kinds of ad-libs and shit on the music
now. Niggas don’t even call me to come
get on a track and do something, niggas
just say fuck it and take my shit and do it
themselves. But I get props from the city
for the most part, just not the radio station.
The city supports what the radio plays. The
streets don’t know these new niggas, it’s
just that the radio plays them. You go in
the club and niggas know my shit word for
word, but I don’t get played on the radio.
Do you go back and listen to that first
album at all? If so, what do you hear?
I do when I perform it. I listen to it sometimes. I can listen to the songs and remember the day I was writing it. I hear the
despair in my voice. That’s all I had and
believed in. That’s all I wanted to do. I was
telling myself, “I’m putting 150% into this.”
I don’t even know what all that shit came
from, it wasn’t no plan. We had classic lyrics, ad-libs, all that shit. When I listen to it,
I’m like, damn, we set out to do what we
had to do. Niggas still come up and shake
my hand and tell me about that CD.
When we interviewed you back in 2004,
you were quoted in saying: “I ain’t faulting the niggas that’s doing it but as a
veteran in this shit, I’m tired of hearing
all these damn [wannabe] Pastor Troys.
[Southern Hip Hop] is more than...
After We Ready, Southern Hip Hop took
a turn. It went from typically being laidback to being more aggressive. You can
hear a lot of your influence in today’s
music, from Atlanta in particular. Do you
feel that you get your props?
I’m cool because I’m getting paid, but all
I want is respect. It’s not like you owe me
something, but don’t downplay me like I
ain’t shit but you doing all my shit, keep that
shit real. I know who I gave my props to:
8Ball & MJG, UGK, Outkast, Goodie Mob.
You’re product of what you were raised on,
and when I see ‘Ball and them I give them
OZONE
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How did you meet and come together as
a group?
Cadillac Don: We grew up together as
childhood friends. J-Money was with another group when he started rapping. At
the time, I was helping him writing. Then I
started writing myself to become an artist.
Then I met a producer that we used for the
album and he showed me how to do some
things. Me and J-Money, he had decided to
leave the group he was in so we collaborated on some songs and everybody liked
them, so we decided to be a group.
What would you want people
to know about Mississippi that
they may not know, cause people have a
certain perception of the state?
Cadillac Don: It’s basically the same everywhere. People have a perception of what
they think it is. As far as hip-hop it’s the
same everywhere.
J-Money: It’s a lot of talent out there but
some of the talent gets looked over because of the small community they’re in.
Cadillac Don: Yeah, we got a lot of talent
here.
Did you decide to go by your individual
names, Cadillac Don and J-Money, because you’re planning on branching off
and having solo careers?
Cadillac Don: Well, for now we’re a group.
That’s what we feel we doin’ right now. I
don’t know what the future holds, for now
we’re Cadillac Don and J-Money. Just like
8Ball and MJG.
Was the “Peanut Butter Jelly” song the
first breakthrough record that you guys
had or was there others before that?
Where we lived at, in the area we stayed
in, it was called “Show Them Dickies Off,”
it moved around that area cause we didn’t
venture out with it. After that we made “Peanut Butter Jelly” and ran with it. It took the
national affect on everybody.
So what part of Mississippi are you
from?
J Money: The Northern part of Mississippi.
My community is called Crawford, Mississippi.
So when you recorded that song did you
feel that was goin’ to be the one that was
going to actually breakthrough? Did you
get that special feeling or didn’t know it
was going to be as big as it is?
OZONE
Cadillac Don: We had great expectations
for it. We hoped that it would be #1. We
loved the song so much and everybody
else was supporting it. Soon as they heard
they loved it.
You wanna explain for people who don’t
know the meaning of the song “Peanut
Butter Jelly?
Cadillac Don: Yeah, the peanut butter is
the interior of the car, the light brown, tan or
beige interior. In the hood, we call it peanut
butter because it’s the same color of peanut butter. And the outside is what we used
to call candy paint, now it’s jelly paint. Inside peanut butter and the outside jelly.
So how would you compare the cars that
you guys have in your area than to the
rides that we see in Houston or Miami, is
it similar types of vehicles? What types
of cars do you actually ride out there?
Cadillac Don: Yeah, same vehicles everywhere. Everywhere we go the same thing.
Only thing about the West coast is they
ride smaller rims, most of them ride the low
lows. We ride bigger rims, but basically the
same thing, the box Chevys, cars like that,
old school cars.
So what your favorite car, your prized
possession?
Cadillac Don: I ride Cadillac, J-Money ride
Chevy. But I’d ride in a Chevy, no discrimination, but you know I’m Cadilllac Don so
I’m supposed to ride Cadillac.
Do you have one particular model or
color you favor?
Cadillac Don: No, not really, not just a favorite, you know, peanut butter and jelly.
You got all different kinds of jelly, people
paint their car yellow, orange, you know,
you just got to be creative with it and make
up a name for it. If it’s purple, it’s grape jelly,
if it’s red, it’s strawberry jelly.
So how did the deal with Asylum come
about, was it through the single mostly?
J-Money: Actually we was workin’ in the
streets with 3535 Entertainment, he got his
own label so we end up signing with him.
We went all the way around Houston area.
He had the Houston area covered. Houston and Dallas and all that. Me and Cadillac
mostly did like Atlanta areas and Memphis.
We had a guy down here that did the Jackson area. We got hot and he did his research and Asylum did their research and
they communicated and there it go.
So 3535 Entertainment is owned by?
J Money: Clarence Weatherspoon is the
CEO.
He plays NBA ball as well?
J-Money: Well, actually he resigned.
Are there any other artists you worked
with on this album as far as features?
J-Money: We got some big features on it,
we got Bun B. we got Paul Wall, Young
Blaze out of Atlanta, POP, and a few others.
Some people say that a song like “Peanut Butter Jelly” isn’t real hip-hop, or
they compare it to “Laffy Taffy.” What’s
your response to the critics?
J-Money: That motivates me, cause good
musc is good music no matter what it is.
Good music is good music so some people
gone say they dislike it and some people
gone say they love it. We just hope the majority say they love it. Our music ain’t gonna
be the same cause if all of it’s the same it’s
all gone sound just alike. So that’s why it’s
different music for different people. People
are gonna have their ups and downs.
So aside from the “Peanut Butter Jelly”
song, what’s the feel of the rest of the
record?
J-Money: We got different music. We got
laid-back music, we got street music, music for the ladies. We divide it into all. It’s
gone be a great hood classic.
Are there any songs that people should
look out for on that album?
J-Money: Yeah, you could look out for that
single with Bun B, called “Look at Me,”
that’s the name of the album. You can look
out for the one featuring Paul Wall, “Ice On
My Neck And Wrist.” We got a couple on
there that people are really gone enjoy. If I
name em’, Ill be naming them all day.
The name if the album is Look at Me? Is
it in stores already, or when does it come
out?
J-Money: It’s arriving November 7th.
Any last words?
J-Money: I wanna let the people know make
sure they go get that album. Cadillac Don
and J-Money is goin to be hot. We worked
very hard on it, we got some big features
on it. We put all we had in it.
Cadillac Don: The album is blazin’, its gone
be hot. It’s gone be one of the best albums
comin’ out this year. Go out and get it, don’t
slip on it. Like he said, we got the hot features on there. We appreciate all the fans
and DJs for supporting us. Check out www.
myspace.com/cadillacdon.
OZONE
31

magic city classic 2006 special edition

Transcription

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