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01 - Jim Jones, E-Class, and Trick Daddy @ Opium Gardens (Miami, FL) 02-Ja Rute and Kid Capri @ State (Miami, FL) 03 - J Lashand his twins (Miami, FL) 04 - Cassidy and Zab Judah @ Terror Squad's pool party (Miami, FL) 05 " Yahya McCtain and Antonio Tarver@ Opium Gardens (Miami, FL) 06 - DirtBag and Remy Martin @ Beatdown (Miami, FL) 07 - Kanye West and Freeway @ Bermudas(Miami, FL) 08 - Zab Judah and Lit' Ftip @ opium Gardens (Miami, FL) 09 - Trina partying @ Ctub oxygen (Miami, FL) 10 - Knocturnaland Shemar Moore @ Opium Gardens (Miami, FL) 1 1 ' JR, E-Ctass, DJ KD, Pitbutt, and DJ Khaled @ Voodoo Lounge (Miami , FL) 12-Grant Hitt,Tamia,andHottyRobinson-Peete@AtonzoMourning'sSummerGroove(Miami,FL) 13-BoxersFtoydMayweatherandZab Judah @ Terror Squad's pool party (Miami, FL) 14-Ouie, Zab Judah, Lit' Ftip, and DJ Demp @ Opium Gardens (Miami, FL) 15- 103.5 reppin' @ the Beatdown (Miami, FL) 16 - Lit' Jon and Adina Howard don't give a fuck (Miami, FL) 17 - Uncte Luke gets ahandrur@ Bermudas (Miami' rL) +:-JX';1"f"",',t"illtr?"t:","T:[lf-r$r1il';j?,,,]l,,iiiiliil:il*";Iffbilill";ifl?j*?:ltj

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01 - The Ying Yang Twins with DJ Smurf and Derrick Crooms @ Ctub Bed (Mlami, FL) 02 - Futt lmpact DJs Ron Love, Adiquest, Stique,Jesse Jazz, Velore, Coo[ Cass (Ortando, FL) 03 - David Banner and Scotty J aka "Watdo" (Ortando, FL) 04 - Russ Parr detivers a tip toCottin Mouf after his striptease @ the Bittboard Awards (Miami, FL) 05 - Disco, Chubby Re[[e, and Ctay D @ Ctub Rush (Ortando, FL)06 - DJ lnfinite, Joey Nice, Phantom, Remington Steele, Jit[ Strada, and DJ Kered @ Jamlando Record Poo[ (Ortando, FL) 07 - G'sUp @ the Bittboard Awards (Miami, FL) 08 - Chuck and Jacki-O on the set of "Fine" (Miami, FL) 09 - Detre Vat and Dynasty @ theBitlboard Awards (Miami, FL) 10 - Gritt @ Ctub Lava (Orlando, FL) 11 -Clientett fam reppin'OZONE @ Ctub Rush (Ortando, FL) '12-Spiff,RickyP,andDJProstyle@Tabu(Ortando,FL) 13-Gotti,Jacki-O,andLarceny@CtubBed(Miami,FL) 14-streetLeague@Tabu (Ortando, FL) 1 5 - Fat Joe and Remy Martin @ Beatdown (Miami, FL) 16 - X 102.3 crew Cierra, Nay Fresh, Jason, and Kaferina@BittboardAwards(Miami,FL) 17-KevinLilesandDavidBanner@Butter(NYC) 1S-Sho'Nuff (Ortando,FL) 19-BuggahandFred(Mlami, FL) 20 - Anthony and Johnny B @ Ctub Bed (Miami, FL) 21 - Bonecrusher @ the Bittboard Awards (Miami, FL)

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I ounging backstage at Hard Rock Live Ortando, Twista is preparing to perform inI front of thousands of fans for MTV. A former manager describes Twista as beingE"painfutty shy," but if that's true, he doesn't let it show during the pre-showinterview with MTV. He exptains to viewers how his style has devetoped throughouthis years in the game, and how he landed in the Guinness Book of World Records asthe World's Fastest Rapper. After the show, we caught up with Twista backstage toask a few more questions:When you first recorded "Slow Jamz," did you expect it to blow up like it did?Naw. lt was a big surprise for me, because I just looked at "Stow Jamz" as a newway for me to come out, but stitt giving them that Twista flava. I knew we wererepresenting a lot of the R&B artists that put it down, and it's a radio jam, plus l'mspitting it on there. lt was off the chain after that.What was the first reaction you started to get from DJs?They was telting me that it was an instant hit. And I'm looking at them [ike, straightup? They were [ike, yeah, it's a hit. One DJ started ptaying it and next thing youknow ten DJs were ptaying it. Then it started ptaying everywhere. We had 3,000spins, then 6,000 spins, then we kept ctimbing. I was [ike, this is crazy!When you and Kanye recorded the track, had y'atl worked together before?Me and Kanye knew each other for tike eight or nine years, and we always said thatwe woutd work together. Once he got in the game and started doing his thing withJay-L, I woutd go over there and feature on certain projects tike "Poppin' Tags." So"Stow Jamz" was just another song in our arsenal that we was pushing out there.Do you plan on working with him more in the future?Yes, definitety. I was always trying to tell Kanye, "Look, man, if you get down withme, that's gonna be the dopest chemistry." When you jump down with the Twistaflavor, that'tl always be the dopest stuff you do. That's what I always try to do. Ihope l'm impressing him.What's your situation with Roc-A-Fella?Those is my peopte. Dame definitely tooked out for me in the game, just like Puffydid with Bad Boy. I got big brothers in the game. Jermaine Dupri, Puff, Dame, Jay,I look at them like big brothers. I took up to them and they also had a hetping handin my career. The last crew that I was kickin' it with before a[[ this shit happenedwas Roc-A-Fetta. They always showed me [ove, so I atways represent and showpeopte that you can be down with your [abe[ and stitl represent and show love forsomebody e[se. As long as it's positive and family.So you plan on staying on Atlantic as far as a label situation, and Roc-A-Fella isyour family?Oh yeah, definitety. More like a famity. We definitety do work together though. Wedo tours, projects. I'm atways rapping and participating on artists' projects overthere, and they do the same for me so it't[ atways be [ove.Having been in the game for so long, do you feel like you finally get the recogni-tion you deserve?Yes, yes, yes. But you don't see it happening the way you thought it was gonnahappen. You're [ike, "l hope I btow up!" Then you look up one day and you justger reatty, reatty busy. Then one day you look up and reatize, "Hey, I'm famous!"(taughing) lt was definite[y a wild ride, and I appreciate it.So how do you maintain your position in the game?I'm always working, because that's one thing I notice that a lot of artists do to keepthem out of trouble. They can pretty much go kick it and have as much fun as theywanna have, so one thing that I see keeping artists grounded is hard work. I just tryto stay in the studio, keep doing shows, and keep doing positive stuff,Out of all the collaborations you've done, which one would you say you'veenjoyed the most?Probably me and Kanye with "Stow Jamz." Definitety "Poppin'Tags" with my manJay, and definitely "ls This the End?" with Puffy. lt's too many, I can't name 'ematt,Who's your favorite rapper?My favorite rapper has always been Rakim, for sure. "Fottow the leader, I ain't nojoke," those lines right there stay supreme to me co[labo.So what's up with a Rakim collabo?As long as my man is willing to jump down with me, it's 100% sure that it's gonnahappen, 'cause that's my nigga!Why were you dressed in a straightjacket on your album cover?I want you to see that l'm sick with it. I want you to see the sick flow. People alwayssay, "What's adrenatine rush?" or, "What's Kamikaze mean?" I atways tetl 'em it'sa suicidal flow. I want you to see that I'm sick with it. That's alt.

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H\[This Atabama native lived un to his albumtitte with the retease of his'impressive in-dependent debut. Neishborhood Suoerstar.Aftdr turnins dowrf sevdral maior lab'el offers.he's back wTth his second atbr,im, Sftll A Star.'

Tell me about Birmingham.Birmingham, like I said, is a robbing city. l'm just being straight up with you, not try-ing to cut no corners.So would you rob me today if I wasn't here to interview you?I ain't gon' lie to you, I've done it alt. That's why l'm hot.What have you done?I don't want to answer that question. Put it tike this: when I first started out, therewere certain things I didn't know. Like, I used to have this kid go find peopte for meto cop for 'em. He'd go get it, but at the same time he'd get everything I asked himto get. See what I'm saying? But when my tittte girt was born, I was just trying to coolout. Being out there you can get caught up in a lot of stuff, and everybody around mewas going to jait. I had a lot of homies going to jait, everybody I ran with. People wasgetting shot up and everything. God, he btessed me not to go to jait, not to get shot.He btessed me and took me away from a lot of things. At the time, I wasn't actuatlyin it serious, because something was happening to everybody around me. lt was likeit skipped me. Some shit went down and one of my homies took the rap for me. Heain't never say nothing about it, and I tove him for that. That's why I say, "l'm a streetpreacher, and I don't let bullshit bother me." Cause I know that half the peopte thatbe tatking and playing don't want to take it where l'[[ take it. 5o when it comes to rap,dissing, talking about somebody over a CD, I don't have time for it.Your homeboy, he took the rap for you? What was the situation?Al[ of us was together. Everybody went. Everybody got jammed up, and it skipped me.I was with him. Hett, I was the one doing what they got arrested for, and ain't nobodysay nothing about me. Some shit went on, they saw me and put me in the car, andthey let me out. I never looked like I was the type to do that. I always looked like theinnocent person, see what I'm saying? lt always just skipped me.How did you get into rapping?When I was growing up, I seen a [ot, and I always wanted to express mysetf. When Iwas young, my parents thought I was going to be a preacher because I was reading theBible constantty. I was a heavy betiever in the Lord, atl the time. The things that werehappening to me and my famity and the peopte around me made me want to expressand let people know. I always want peopte to feel me when I talk or when I rap, Idon't want to just talk about bultshit. I just wanted people to understand me and feelOZONEMAGAZINEAUGUST2OO4

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what I went through. I was going off of NWA, so I went to talking aboutcrazy stuff. I want people to feel what I'm tatking about, so I had to be theperson to actually live it. I can't tatk about nothing I ain't live through. Ican't talk about being somebody I'm not. Before I got with Kottage Boy,like I was saying eartier, I had some homies that I bonded with but our bondwas different. Getting some Moet and pouring that shit on the concrete?We was doing it. Shit. I've got to go through something in order for me totatk about it. Let's just put it like this: I know l'm going to make it. I don'twish, I hope. I don't think, I know. I know it's there, you can't stop nothingwith God. That's how I feel about that.So we just left the projects where you grew up, and you said somethingwent down there last night?Man, I was over there tast night. I didn't mean to stay over there that [ate,and around here you can't be stipping. You got to know when to come andwhen not to come. Man, three guys just got shot over there right after Ileft. I was tike, damn, I can't be caught up in this shit. So that's got a lot ofpeopte shook up, and just before we came over there today they was draw-ing pistols. I don't want to be around that bultshit. And like I said before, alot of people ain't gonna take it where you wanna take it. Anybody can pu[[a trigger. A child can putl a trigger, but it takes a man to stand there andfight. A lot of peopte are shook up. You got three potice officers that weremurdered a few weeks ago. That shit was crazy. lt was some bu[shit. Howyou gon' go in another muthafucker's house, looking for somebody they gota warrant for? lt was a vacant apartment, I guess. I don't realty know whathappened cause it wasn't my side of town. But, man, they shut this bitchdown. They went and got heticopters and everything.They shut down the whole city?Yeah, peopte was shutting up they stores. Police was running up in theystores. Man, they shut the whole community down, and it's a big commu-nity. They shut the freeways down, cause they were thinking the guys werehitting the freeways to get up out of there. There's so many outtets to thatcommunity, and it's so big that they actuatly coutd have gotten away. Theyfound two dudes and charged them.5o, back to the music tip, the next single is "Umma Pimp"?Yeah, I wanted to be creative and do something that a lot of peopte haven'tdone. I took the hook from that David Banner and Lit Ftip song where Ftipsays, "Me, I'ma pimp, l ain't payin' for no sex," and l tiked that as thehook. Almost every ctub I went to, they was saying it, 'cause everybodyfeet tike that in the hood. So I took that because I fett [ike that.So have you ever paid?Oh, no, I ain't never pay for that. On everything I [ove, never. Anyway,I took the idea to [Kottage Boy Entertainment CEO] Aqui[ first. He knowswhen I come to him, he's got to hear me. What I actuatty did was takesomething from Lit' Ftip and then Mike Jones, I combined them together,then I screwed it. Then I put my own shit on there. There was a verse on[Mike Jones'] album that I tiked: "l ain't 'bout to feed y'at[ / I'm about toleave y'atl / Cause everybody wanna jump on your boat when you poppin'."I tiked that so much, and I had to let the world feel me and combine thosetogether as one. I think that right there witl let peopte understand what Ifeel about the situation. I'm tired of the same o[' shit: "Ki[[ a muthafucker,hit a bitch, shoot a hoe." And hatf the peopte that are saying it ain't doingit. Hatf the people that are saying that, if you realty bring drama to them,they'tI run and cry. They'tt catt the po[ice and atI that buttshit. Man, I ain'twith it.So are you anti-crunk?Wett, I do what I have to do to put Kottage Boy on. The onty thing I do is tetlthe truth. lf I have to be crunk, I'tt do it, but my crunk is gon' be different.I atways have a meaning for everything that I do.How would you describe this album as compared to your last album,Neighborhood Superstar?l'm always gonna keep it pimpin', you know that. lt's hood. I came morehood. I reatty brought myself out of the ctoset. I let you know what I beenthrough in the game. I let you know what I've been through in the hustlegame, and I let you know how it went with females. I talk about how peoptearound here started looking at me after I dropped the Neighborhood Super-star album. A lot of people fuck with me, but a lot of peopte don't. I feellike that album lets you know what I reatly am.Did any major labels approach you off the success of NeighborhoodSuperstar?I sold around 10,000 independently. And the funny thing about me is, wecould have taken a deat, but when me and Aquit and the rest of the staffsat down and talked about it, we decided not to. The Birmingham J proj-ect represents Kottage Boy Entertainment, so whatever we take off that

project is going to affect the whole organization. lt needs to be somethinggood.So the offer wasn't good?These labets, man, they think you stupid.Which label made the offer?I don't really want to say, but it's been a coupte. They think that beingfrom the hood you'tl take anything. lf they come to an individuat with5500,000 or 5600,000, you'l[ be [ike, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what are mynumbers?" I ain't finna let you make up no numbers for me. When you goto making numbers, I'm gonna tell you what lwant. We can compromisetogether. I ain't gonna put 'em atl out there, but Universal was one ofthem. Single deal? Fuck a singte deat. I ain't doing that. And if you comebehind my back and try to take me from Kottage Boy, I'm gonna spit onyou. I've had peopte come behind my back and try to take me from Kot-tage Boy. I don't ptay tike that because we buitt Kottage Boy, so we gonnamake it together. So if you wanna hotta at me, you've gotta go throughAquit. I ain't gonna tatk to you. I shoot the shit with a muthafucker a[[day [ong, but you've got to break bread with my whote organization notjust me.When witl your album be released?August 't7th, and the release party is August 21st. My contact number, ifyou want to holta at your boy, is 205-427-1851. Or check out www.kottageboyentertainment.com, look at your folk.Anything else you wanna say?Yeah! A lot of peopte been doing this rap war shit, but let me explainsomething to you. Atl the muthafuckers from the hood witl feel me onthis. Yesterday you ain't have a goddamn food stamp. The other day youwas out there with a goddamn 8batt, trying to get a doubte-up. Today,God gon' btess you and put a coupte hundred grand in your account, andman, y'at[ stupid asses wanna get out here and kitl each other. Don't youunderstand how people are looking at you? They don't want rap out herealready. This is the way we're trying to make it out the hood, and y'at[muthafuckers wanna kitl each other and take us out the game. I just got tolet all you muthafuckers know that you're stupid. lf you got to tatk abouta muthafucker on a CD, how come when you see him you ain't sayingnothing? Be a man about the situation, not a hoe. And if you realty fromthe hood like you say you are, hotla at him when you see him and don'ttatk about him on a CD. But I witt tett you one thing: if you take food outmy family's mouth, when I see you, l't[ muthafucking kitt ya. 5o if you dissme, you better be a man. Fee[ me?

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ffirmook atl throughout history and you'[[ find instances where the oppressed chose to break free and estabtish themselves as individuals to gaintheir proper dues. Whether you're talking about the slaves or the Jews, the oppressed always made it through for a revival. ln hip-hop history,it's no different. One of the oppressed - Cuban Link - is on the grind to create his own day. He's been silent for nearty three years and is nowready to retease his first soto atbum, Chain Reaction, after his album 24 Carat was leaked and simply collapsed.Link is known best for his work with Terror Squad. He joined TS at the same time as Tripte Seis and Big Pun, but the retationship with TS Fat Joe inparticutar - went downhill after Pun's death. "We teft it at a sour note," Cu-ban admits. "There's no love there for here and no love here for over there."When totd that Fat Joe refused to go in depth about him, Link responded by

saying, "The fact of the matter is that he's been blackballing me since 2001,for reasons that may be jeatousy or money." Link's history with TS has madeit more of a challenge for him to buitd himsetf up as an individual artist. "lcame to a lot of road blocks'cause [Fat Joe] put 'em there, [but] his plan forthe whote wortd to forget about me didn't work." For the most part, how-ever, Link tatks about Joe in a catm, mature fashion, showing now signs ofuncontrolted emotion or irrational comments. ln fact, Link stayed composedand added further insight. "lt coulda been a situation that coutda reatly wentstreet," he says. "l coulda done something I woutd have regretted and endedup behind bars, but I decided to do things the other way, the positive way."So what is the positive way? lt's not letting history hold him back. Now, Linkis ready to come out again with Chain Reaction, which witt be released onMan of Business Records in September. Chain Reaction features productionfrom the likes of Swizz Beatz and KG and appearances from artists such asAvant and Mya.M.O.B. Records is Link's new home, and he ptans to take it one step at a time:"l'm gonna put M.O.B. on the map and then mysetf." M.O.B. has given Linkmore control of his project. "l know where everything [with my album] is go-ing," says Link. "l know what it witt take, in terms of the marketing budgetand the business aspects." As far as business is concerned, Link is concentrat-ing on music, but is atso interested in getting into movies. He's even beganwriting some movie scripts himsetf.Stitt, to this day, Link hotds it down for Big Pun, who he says taught himthe most about the industry. "l'm definitety in this game because of Pun,"he says. Pun was his best friend and mentor, altowing him to watch as herecorded his hits. Through Pun, Link quickty gained vatuabte industry know-how. "At the end of the day I learned a lot from Pun. He went from being aregutar dude to being Big Pun," remember Link.Cuban Link has come a long way from being a Cuban immigrant, learningEngtish and writing rhymes during ctass instead of taking notes. He's now pre-pared to go even fartherwith the retease of Chain Reaction. This levet-head-ed, humble MC is hungry and hard at work for the spotlight he deserves.- Rohit Loomba, poombster@yahoo,com (Photo: Raandu Avion)

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ffiTHTfter his main man and mentor Big Pun died, Triple Seis knew hehad to leave Terror Squad. Even with their newly acquired suc-cess, Seis has no regrets. After inking a deal with Canada-basedMadd Records, Triple Seis finally has his turn on the mic to tell hisside of the story. Here, he shares his future plans with Cuban Link,why the music industry is like a secret society, and just how far BigPun would go for a laugh.

Tell me about your album, Only Time'll Tell.My atbum is called Onty Time'tt Te[[ because that's been my theory, mymotto. Whether it's good or bad, it's just going to take time to find out.lf you work at it, hopefutly good things wiit happen. lt was done about ayear ago. I did this atbum when I left Terror Squad. lt's about to comeout through an independent labet, Ma dd Records. lt's just another stepin the ladder climbing towards my success. lt's atl hard work. Ever sincePun passed away, it's more work for me to do. When he was here, itwasn't a walk in the park, but it was atready a path that we was set on.Our destiny was already set.What are some of your favorite songs on the album?"Love Put Me." For chasing a dream you could lose it att, but at theend of it you have to at least gain your respect back. I tike the tittetrack, and I tike the track with Antonio, "Pray For Me." (singing) "lt'simportant to pray for me because death is onty one step away from me.""Harsh Reality" with [Big] Pun is a verse he kept for "You Ain't a Kilter."After he passed that's one of the latest things I had. I thought I woutdn'texptoit him, but it was short and sweet.How has the transition been for you from Terror Squad, to doing yourown thing, to being signed to an independent?The reason why the Terror Squad thing went the way it did was becausePun passed away. Then, I went on my own and dropped a singte throughFat Beats. I went on tour with the Beatnuts. I did mixtapes and kept myname on the street tevet. I did t his atbum on my own, and here we aretatking about it. lt's coming out August 17th.What lessons have you learned along the way?I know that if it doesn't state on paper that you have some kind ofcreative control, it doesn't exist. I also learned that in life nothing isguaranteed, and if you don't reach for it, you're not going to grab it.l've learned this from the industry atonel'm not even tatking about just growingup. The music industry is a real secretsociety. You're not getting in if youhaven't been trying to get in for the lasteight years, at least.How did you meet Big Pun?On the basketbatl court in my neighbor-hood. They put us on the same team andwe vibed together. He used to hang outwith some neighborhood friends that Igrew up with.Did you see the documentary of his lifethat showed the scene of him beatinghis wife?True. That was a situation that wascaught on tape. But he had that situa-tion before the music, that's not some-thing that the money brought. No. Hegrew up in a certain environment andunder certain pressure that brought thatsituation. But even then, he loved hiswife and kids. They went everywherewith him. lt was unfortunate that hiswife put it out on a DVD. At that timeshe was under certain pressures. Rightnow, it is what it is. Peopte could lookat my brother and say he was a woman-beater. I coutd just say that he loved hisfamity very much.The film also showed that he was aprankster. Do you have any stories?I could hit you with one. We're in thestudio one day and he had purchased a

gun that shot btank buttets. So I come in and I didn't know he had it, andhe stages a fight. He pu[[s out the gun. He shoots the guy. The guy goesdown. I'm buggin', tike, 'What we gonna do with the body?" He got meneryous. lt was to the point where he couldn't hotd the laughter in any.more. Then they did the same thing with the engineer after that. He puta strawberry on his head and told one of the crew members, "l trust youwith att my tife. Shoot it off my head." The engineer was going battistic.How do you feel being one of Pun's prot6g6s?l'm excited about my album. There's certain songs I'm reatly excitedabout. I feel excited that I even have the opportunity to be in this situ-ation.Do you have any regrets about leaving Terror Squad?No regrets. I made my decision with reason. I had reason to do what I did.I stick by it because I'm stitl in the game and l'm going to make my wayup. And when I do it's going to feel even better and more futfitling becauseI didn't have to ride nobody's coattaits and suck in a lot of stuff just tomake it. I did it and was appreciated by a tabet.Are you still in touch with Cuban Link?Me and Cuban are brothers. I live and die for that dude. I admire whathe's doing with his album, Chain Reaction, due in September. He's on twocuts on my atbum, including one featuring and produced by Pyscho Les ofthe Beatnuts. I'm on his. He's waiting for me with open arms. After thisatbum, l'l[ probabty sign to his tabet, M.O.B. (Men Of Business) and let himexecutive produce the atbum.What about Remy Ma or Tony Sunshine?I see Remy and Prospect on the street sometimes. I got love for them. ButI don't do business with them. I have no reason to be around them. I haveno reason to let them know what l'm thinking either.What's next for Triple Seis?I have a [abe[, Time Witt Tett Entertainment and we're working on a mix-tape, Time Witt Tett, The Mixtape, Vot. 1. lt's hosted by Tony Touch andwi[[ have different people's songs. And l'm trying for this rote in a moviecatted "Famous," written by La Bruja.- Jessica Koslow, lovehiphop@aol.com (Photo: Madd Records)

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ttYI I iami isn't iust Liberty City, Carol City, and South Beach. lt runsffi a..p.. down South, ina ftght before you reach the white sandsf Y lofthe Keys you hit Homestead. That's where you'11 find rapperand businessman Zay. Hailing from what he calls "the tip of the dickhead," Zay was born and raised in Richmond Heights. "My area wasno different from anybody else's," he recalls. Growing up in the fastlane, Zay has seen and done it all. After retiring his "street shoes,"he found comfort in music and became the key artist on Miami recordlabel Xela Entertainment. But, Zay suffered a huge setback when CEOLil' Alex was brutally murdered on September 3rd, 2003, in a Miamibarbershop. A year later, he's back in the game: ready to play, readyto be himself, and ready to hold down the memory of his friend Lil'Alex. These are his words, his struggles, and his drive to rise to thetop. lt's time to get to know the real Zay.

So what are you listening to right now?I be riding with some of everything. A tittte country, old school R&Blike Frankie Beverty and Maze, me of course, SBatt & MJG, Kanye West,Scarface, my dawg Grandaddy [Souf].Who are some of your influences?Scarface, SBatt & MJG, Luke, JT [Money]. You know, peopte who werereatly doing their thing back in the day. They're legends.So you were first signed to Luke Records?Yeah, but even before Luke Records, I'm gonna give you some historyfirst. I've been on the road, you know, I did a tittte hyping for Trick.That's what got me really inspired to step forward and do my own thing.I decided to really step up to the plate and say, "You know what? I cando this." So I started hyping more, doing shows here and there, andthat's when I got with Luke. I had a singte deal with Luke and thingsdidn't work out. I felt he wanted to do more with his movies and DVDSand wasn't focused on putting out an artist, and at that time I stillneeded to grow. So it was kind of a good thing that I got a release. lt'snever any hard feetings with Luke. He taught me a tot.Once you left Luke's label, how did you hook up with Xela Entertain-ment?Actually, my manager Nikki was over there running everything. She re-atty got the labet off the ground. She got peopte tatking about Xela,even to this day. She was the head honcho. She wasn't the one withthe money, but it was her brains that ran it. The CEO Big Atex heard ademo I did with J-Shin. I had jacked the "l Got Five On lt" beat. Afterhe heard the song, he hottered at Nikki and she made it happen. That'show I found a home at Xeta.Was leaving Xela a hard transition? Did you leave on bad terms?I don't think I left on bad terms, but I teft because they dropped thebatt. They didn't know how to keep the batt running after the otherCEO, Lit' Atex, got kitted. I felt that after his death they didn't knowwhat to do, they just couldn't move forward. I was reatty disappointed,and as far as me being bitter, I just feel how I feet. I thought dude wasmore rea[, but he wasn't. I reatly thought he could keep it running buthe didn't. I was excited to leave; I didn't have the financial backing toreatty do what I wanted to do, but I was happy because I was doing myown thing. l'm gonna make it happen regardtess.What went through your head when you heard about what had hap-pened to Lil' Alex?Actualty, had just tatked to him tike an hour before [he was kitted]. Hewanted me to drop a CD over to this clothing shop and then he hit meback and asked me if I did that. I said yeah. I was at the crib and I talkedto him again, he wanted to hang out that night. I wasn't reatly going outa lot so he was atways trying to get me out of the house. He totd mehe was gonna catl me after the game. So l'm 'bout to watch the gameand I get a phone catl [ike, "Ah, I think Lit' Atex just got shot." I'm like,"Dude, you trippin'. I just got off the phone with him, man. He ain't justget shot." I stopped and paused for a minute. Then I saw it on the news.But they wasn't reatty saying nothing, they ain't say no names. So l'm[ike, "Damn, let me go up to the spot." So lget there and I'm in denial.l'm stilt [ike, man, he just not answering his phone. He ain't dead. Thiscan't be truel I stayed at the scene until six in the morning. I was steadygoing through my phone, chirping, chirping, chirping his phone to see ifhe woutd answer or hit me back. l'm stil[ tetiing mysetf that ain't himlaying there. So I asked God for a sign. And as the sheets laid there [onhis bodyl I asked God to show me if that was Lit' Atex, just let me seefor mysetf. The wind btew and the sheet came up [off his body] and I was

like, "Damn!" Tit'this day I'm stitl fucked up, I'm stitt hurt. And I'm notthe onty one that was hurt by his death. He was a good-hearted individual,he did things for a lot of people. He took care of niggas, he was just thattype of person. He had that gtow around him, and he gave it to you rawand uncut. He was like that with my music. I miss him to death but I knowhe's proud of what l'm doing. I went through my shut-down process. Youknow? I fett like I ain't want to do nothing no more. I ain't want to rap nomore, I ain't want to pick up no pen and pad, I ain't even want to see nostudio. ldidn't even want to listen to rap music no more. That's how badit was. ([ong pause) But I speak to him every day. l've got this big pictureof him in my room. His spirit lives on.There are a lot of rumors circulating about Lil' Alex's death. ls it truethat he was buried in his Lamborghini?He wasn't buried in it, he was actuatly sitting up in his car at the wake.What was the significance of that?That was just him. Every time you saw him, he was in something nice. 5ohe went out in something nice. He liked the finer things in [ife. He wasdoing his thing. lf that was me, l'd want to go out the same way.How has his death affected your music?He inspired me to do the things l'm doing now, to make the music I'mmaking now. Sometimes it takes a tragedy or something to happen to aperson you love and care and respect for to reatty dig deep in your heartso you can make powerful music. The songs I have now are not the typicalshoot-'em-up bang-bang tracks. I'm tatking about [ife, my personal lifeexperiences. My baby mama drama, Lit' Atex's death, everything a realperson can retate to as far as struggtes. I'm being as real as I can be. I'mjust being Zay!Your first full-length album is dedicated to the memory of Lil' Alex.Tel[ me more about the album?The titte is, "Who That ls?: lt's Two Sides to Every Hustte." When lsaythere's two sides to every hustte, I've got to break it down. When you seethe cover of the album, you see two sides of me. One side is my streetside, the otheris my business side. I can put on a suit and get money withcorporate dudes, and stitt get real street money. I respect peopte whowake up every morning and do a nine to five. There ain't no real moneyin the streets.Who's on the come-up from Miami that you respect right now?Definitety Rick Ross and Piccato, they've been doing their thing for a min-ute. Pitbutt, DirtBag, Jacki-O, and Big Homestead. There's hungry artistsa[[ throughout Florida.Anything else you want to say?Yeah, buy my album. lt's coming out mid-September in the mom-and-popshops. I'm selting them out of my trunk too. lt's a real banger! Stra'ightfire. And l've got a message for the haters: Fuck y'att. l'[[ see ya at thecrossroads.- Felisha Foxx, felishafoxx@yahoo.com (Photo: Bo Powell)

OZONE MAGAZINE AUGUST 2OO4

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MOBB DEEPAMERIKAZ NIGHTilAREJIVE RECORDSSome critics simpty needto burn in hell for theirblasphemy when it comesto Mobb Deep's newestJive retease, AmerikazNightmare. Those whosay Prodigy has lost hisold self and those whocriticize Havoc for try-ing new things on thisatbum better heed theadvice the Queensbridge duo provides on the

leased like Murda Muzik and lnfamy, which fea-tured tracks with mainstream artists tike Lit' Moand 112, generating criticism. The pre-lnfamyMobb Deep is back with another solid releaseof gutter lyrical depictions. No time is wasted;we open with the dark sound of electric guitarsmatched by strong drums, instantly creatingthe musical aura that has been associated withMobb Deep for years. The hard sound from thetitte track softens up with "Win or Lose," whichfeatures a sample from Jean Ptum's "Here I GoAgain" looped over a concise drum line by noneother than production genius Alchemist. Havocand Prodigy atternatety spit over a beat that'suncharacteristicalty upbeat for the duo. Theirquality flow matches the quatity production. Onthe production s'ide atone, this is perhaps oneof the most outstanding efforts this year, withcontributions from Havoc, Atchemist, KanyeWest, and Li[' Jon. Havoc does a fine job on theMPC, bangin' out joints like the fast "Flood theBtock" and the bouncy "Shorty Wop. " Atchemisthotds it down with a few tracks reminiscent ofvintage Mobb Deep, such as "When You HearThe." Atchemist brittiantty utitizes chords whichbuitd up and layer on top of each other, adding acertain tension to the track. Kanye puts forth acommendabte effort with "Throw Your Hands,"utitizing his favorite viotinist. The Lit' Jon pro-duced "Rea[ Gangstaz" sounds out of ptace on aMobb Deep atbum, with weak attempts to soundEast coast. Overatl, though, Mobb Deep takes usall through the grimy wortd of QB with their dis-tinct styte, proving once again that quality andlongevity are the cornerstones of their career.- Rohit Loomba, poombster@yahoo.com

sKINNY PIMPBASED ON A TRUE STORYOver the past few years,Skinny Pimp has proventhat he can detiver asolid product, and Basedon A True Story is no dif-ferent. He trades verseswith other notabte art-ists, inctuding Mac-E whois featured on a third ofthe atbum and makes ev-ery attempt to steal theshow. On "Crash Throughthe Crowd" and "l Won't Be Denied," Mac-Ekitts the track. On "Move," Pimp and Mac-E bothdrop some heat with lines [ike, "l'm like theroadrunner, nigga, and you's the fuckin' coyote/ 'Cept I'm runnin' to your ass with two loadedchrome forties." Even the hook is demanding.Most of the songs could be classified as "crunk,"

OZONE A'IAGAZINE AUGUST 2OO4

but Skinny Pimp shows his diversity with theR&B flavored "Got My Work." The only problemwith the atbum is that most of the subject mat-ter is typical for a rap atbum: money, sex, anddrugs. - ADG, adg@tmai[,comKROOKDA DIRTY SOUTHAtthough the album startsoff lukewarm with threebarety listenable tracks,"Shake Dem Hataz Off"

What is a "Swingmaster?"l'm not sure, and I realtydon't care, but the pro-duction on this song makes "Shake Dem" soundweak. Too bad everything else about the song isgarbage. Halfway through the atbum, things getreatty bad. Bad meaning bad, not bad meaninggood. My feetings are confirmed when I get to"Down South Rider." l'm not sure where a cowbett fits into hip-hop, but Krook needs to belocked up for using an element like that in hissong. With over a hatf-dozen people featuredthroughout the album, this doesn't even seemlike a Krook solo LP. The outro is nothing butunnecessary plugs for his Mittion Dotlar Team.- ADG, adg@tmail.com

KEVIN LYTTLEKEVIN LYTTLEI stept and steptKevin Lyttte afterdisappointment atre-release of "Turn MeOn" after a few years ofdormancy to headtine hisnew setf-titled atbum,but after I actuatty heardthe album I found myselfimmersed in the wortd ofsoca music. Kevin Lyttlehas taken a relativetyunknown art form in America and turned it intoa new pop phenomenon thanks to his lead singtewhich has ptagued radio and MTV. Many peopledon't even realize that this song borrows its vo-cal metody from 112's "Att My Love." With itsheavy mainstream exposure, there's no need todiscuss this grind-inducing single any further.Unfortunatety, there are other tracks on thisalbum where it seems Lyttte is trying to emu-late the "Turn Me On" formula. This approachsomewhat timits the listener from being able tocreate a comptete image of Lyttte and his mu-

sic. Another quatity track is "Never Wanna MakeU Cry," which features an upbeat but soft beatproduced by Btack Heat's Cherry lce. Lyttte'svoice gentty fatts over the beat atong with [a-betmate's TreySongz background vocats. Lytttealso comes strong with this own version of TrentD'Arby's "Sign Your Name." The Scott Storchbeat is one of the most dominant instrumentatson the album, giving Lyttte a great backdropfor his seductive lyrics. TreySongz makes an-other appearance on "Dance With Me," whichfeatures simple but catchy production by ArianBaitey. There are, however, a few less-than-stettar moments on the album. Tracks tike "CattMe," "Screaming Out My Name," "Ya Kiss," and"Mama Mia" attempt to sound seductive, butcan't quite putt it off due to the uninspired pro-

duction. As a whole, Lyttle does a great job of in-troducing the world to soca music with this atbum.- Rohit Loomba, poombster@yahoo.comFREEDOMSOUTHERN STARS 2Haiting from Tampa, Free-dom has a decent atbumbut the main problem isproduction. Most of thebeats sound like they weremade with a Fruity Loops

"Freedom Sound," and"lt's Atright" are fantastic. "Mizz PromizzQus"gets a facelift with the remix supplied as a bonustrack, resembting your favorite E-Dub ctub banger."Porch Monkey" comes off sounding out-of-ptace,but gives us a chance to appreciate Freedom's [yr-ics: "From a baby to a grown man, we watch outfor our own man / We slippin' and slidin' throughthe system, kitting the wrong man / Seems like mygeneration gave up / We ain't sti[[ staves but thechains sti[[ ctaim us / Made us change names, rear-range us / Now my own mom looks like a stranger/ Master? Hel[ naw, no thank ya / 'Cause listen, in2003 I'm proud as can be / I would trade a thou-sand MCs for a thousand that's free / We drown-ing the sound of the beast in Babyton's crowdedstreets." Aside from lyrics like that, the majorityof the atbum's material sounds underdeveloped.- ADG, adg@tmail.com

FIDEL CASH FLOWGOT CASH?PURE CASH ENT.Never mind the fact thatCash has remained a staptein the Florida mixtape cir-cuit for the past five years,or that he's currentty a partof the Futl lmpact crew ofup-and-coming artists. Let's focus on what's com-ing out of the speakers. Right now my radio seemsto be stuck on "Poppin' Bottles." The energy iscrazy, and you can't avoid nodding your head tothe paratteled snare and bass guitar riffs. Withthe majority of the tracks only two and a halfminutes [ong, the pace of this album/mixtape isfast enough to keep the energy tevet high. The CDstarts off perfectly with "So Nice" jacking the beatfrom Banks' banger "Warrior." After a crazy versefrom Lady Lyric and a few average tracks, we popsome botttes only to encounter "Get Up," whereCash sounds a little forced. I cringed when I heardthe first few bars of "Penetration," the overused

"Dreams" sample. By the end of the song, though,Cash managed this feat with the hetp of DJ Slique,a Notorious B.l.G. sample, and some witty bars.Lady Lyric is atso featured with her own renditionof Jadakiss' "Times Up," where she lives up to hermoniker. As we move on, Prodigy of Mobb Deepdrops a noteworthy verse on the subpar "GoodWith the Bad." On the final few cuts of the album,Cash goes three for four with "Back of My Ride,""The Ftood," and "Blazeation lntro." Throughoutthe whole album, though, Fidel Cash Flow nevershows a lack of confidence. He sums up his atti-tude by saying, "They wanna be sharks but theyrealty just guppies / Act like big dogs but realtyjust puppies / Act tike fat cats when they realtyjust kittens / Stay kidding, ain't worth the spitthat l'm spitting." - ADG, adg@tmail.com

titte track: "Duck, duck, we loaded, Amerikaz A# .#Nightmare." lt's been ten years since Havoc /{ gand Prodigy broke through with their chilting re- fflease, The lnfamous. They foltowed up with re- ry

could get any club in the trial pack. "Btack Thighs,"Dirty Dlrty crunk. There's '#"# "Free Yo Mind," and thenothing lyrical, but this /g # titte track are horribteuptempo track fits per- fg f{ fitter materiat. ln contrast,fectty with the hook. F;F w tracks like "Wanna Ride,"

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phylists R*xg*ss*ffffidr*di* 3?:p tr* {nof*onwi*e}- Terror Squad "Lean Back"- Ciara fl Petey Pabto "Goodies"- til'Flip "Sunshine"- Juvenile "Slow ldotion"fl Chingy & Nate Dogg"l Like That"- Nelty fl Jaheim "My Place"- Kevin Lyttle "Turn me On"

- Lloyd f/ Ashanti "Southside"- Christina i'litian "Dip it Low"- Usher "Confessions Pt. 2"l-*sa{ Li-iv {!f**f Fn$*:* Ft}- Suave Smooth "Back Up (remix)"- Tha.Addicts f/ Snoop 0ogg & J Redit's About (remix)" tl- Tripte J "Jump" 'frffi

- PS and Non-U "8ody Rubbin'(remix)"- J Smoove "Can I Chitl Wit You"- G-Boy "What *lakes You Hot"- C.R.U. "l Love Hip-Hop"- RX "Peeps in the South"- street smarts "On Da 6rind"S***rd F**l {T**':S** st-} TfiF l${Ji*s- Strizzo "Low Low {remix}"- lvlr. liagic f/ YoungBloodr & RoyJones Jr. "l Smoke, I Drank {remix)"- Eve'nin Ridahz "l{y Click"- Kaddiltak "Get Down Boogie"- Piccalo "6et Loose {rernix}"- The Eeam "Ah Damn"- Do Wrong 'Ahh i{an"

fdie {Si*xri, Fl-} l**;*vy rs*istie:$- Baby Bash "lrienage ATrois"- Jadakiss "Why''- Kanye West "Jesus Walks'- Lil Scrappy "No Problem"- LL Cool J "Head Sprung"- Luddy fl Timbaland "Home lionight"- PitbulL "Culo"- Terror Squad "Lean Back"- T.l. I / Jane Pha "Let's Get Away"- Juvenile fl Soulja Slim "Sl"ow Motion"- Lil'Flip f/ Lea "Sunshine"- The Roots "Don't Say Nuthin''

-,i**r:lan** **e*rd f**1 i*rla**3*:, FL)01 - Ciara fl Petey Pablo "6oodies"02 - Houston f/ Chingy & Nate Oogg "l Like That"03 - Twista fl R Kelty "So Sexy"04 - Lil'Ftip f/ Lea "Sunshine (remix)"05 - li{ario "18"06 - Lif Scrappy "No Problem"A7 - ?'l3 "Groupie Luv"08 - Tony Sunshine f/ DirtBag & P Diddy"Oh *ly God"09 - Guerilla Black fl Beenie i{an "Compton'10 - Ruben Studdard "What is Sexy"

DJs, send your mix CDs {include a cover) to:1516 E. Colonial Dr Suite 205 Orlando FL 32803

l-J's illJ's {?*l{ah****e" fi.} T*F ffi#i*er$01 - Ciara fl Fetey Pablo "Goodies"02 - lilannie Fresh "kal 8ig"03 - Rupee'Tempted to Tsrrh"O4 - Lt Cool J 'lead Sprung"05 - Lloyd "Hey Young Girl"06 - [1r Magic f/ YoungBloodz & Roy Jones Jr."l Smoke, lOrank {remix)"07 - David Bannerf/ Sky"FopThat"0$ - Aticia l&p f/ Tony Toni Tone "Diart''09 - Oa BackWudz'You Gonna Luv ile"10 - Juvenile, Wacko, &. Skip "|{otia Ctap (remix)"11 - Lil'Jsn & the East Side goyn "What U Gon'D12 - Jody Breeze Ttay Fresh"13 - Sitkk the $rocker f/ tlaster P 'We Like Them14 - S.0. "l Want lf'1 5 - Fiend "Baller For Real"

6

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PUBLISHERS:Jutia Beverty (JB)ChinoEDITOR-IN.CHIEF:Jutia Beverty (JB)ilUSIC EDITOR:ADGCONTRIBUTORS:Bobby Novoa, Bogan, Brian O'Hare,Chris lmani, Cynthia Coutard,Dain Burroughs, Darnetta Dunham,Dave Goodson, Felisha Foxx,Fetita Knight, Hasan Brown,lisha Hittmon, Jaro Vacek, JarvisCormier, Jeska Manrique, JesseJazz, Jessica Kostow, J Lash, Kat-erina Perez, Keith Kennedy, K.G.Mosley, Matik "Copafeet" Abdut,Maurice G. Gartand, Nada Taha,Natalia Gomez, Noe[ Malcotm,Rayfietd Warren, Rohit Loomba,Spiff, Swift, Watty SparksSALES CONSULTANT:Che' Johnson (Gotta Boogie Mgmt)LEGAL AFFAIRS:Kyte P. King, P.A. (King Law Firm)ACCOUNTING:Nikki KanceyCIRCULATION:Mercedes (Strictly Streets)Buggah D. Govanah (On Point)Big Teach (Big Mouth)Efren Mauricio (Direct Promo)STREET REPS I DISTRIBUTORS:B-Lord, Bitt Rickett, Btack, Butt,Chitt, Chitty C, Controtler, Dap,Dereck Washington, Derek Jurand,Dwayne Barnum, Dr. Doom, Ed theWortd Famous, Episode, H-Vidat,Hottywood, Janky, Jason Brown,Judah, Kamikaze, Ktarc Shepard,Kydd Joe, Lex, Lump, MarcoMal[, Matt Sonzata, Music & More,N'Ron, Nick@Nite, Pat Pat, P BoyStone, Phattlipp, Pimp G, Quest,Red Dawn, Rob-Lo, Sharon, Statik,TJ's DJ'sTo subscribe, send a check ormoney order for S'l 1 (1 year) to:lAain office:1516 E. Coloniat Dr. Suite 205Ortando, FL 32803Phone: 4O7-447-6063Fax: 407-447-6064Web: www.ozonemag.comlAiami office:555 NE 15th St. Suite 7731Miami, FL 33132Cover credits: Don Yute, Birmingham J,and Twista photos by Julia Beverty; Zayphoto by Bo Powelt. OZONE Magazineis pubtished eteven times annuatty byOZONE Magazine, lnc. OZONE doesnot take responsibitity for unsolicitedmateriats, misinformation. typographi-cal errors, or misprints. The viewscontained herein do not necessarltyreflect those of the pubtisher or itsadvertisers. Ads appearinq tn thismagazine are not an endorsement orvatidation by OZONE Magazine for prod-ucts or seryjces offered. all photos anditlustrations are copyrighted by theirrespective artists. AtI other contentis copyright 2004 OZONE Magazine,att rights reserved. No portion of thismagazine may be reproduced in anyway without the written consent ofthe publisher. Printed in the USA.

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Ot'OTN1 -800K../ definifuly luk lfie bng way arutnd. Tftere's,a scenario wfiere / would have ben heard d6ut';;;;;:;;1'.-d;7iii;l;;;,";i;;;;;;;;;;,-,*,,9;;;;,ff:#:ffi!l{!|ff;iffi,;n##:#//ffi#'###:;#'###,#,#i;F,tr#i##

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"tiamstream peole bok af flltnss Ur!*"j'9t;!;,';gffiyi;' ,f:?ir*ii;;:ffJ#:",#3#;'#ifXligabui it.. The only reason slreet racing's ilegal ts m4r tne man na - Twista,rt" st rL' ii;)iii ie"grit iwliI1.yhe grrts aralcornforlabte ffal1ng aboaf se6 arotnd me. fn alnosllike 4 weco@ist' - Uncle Luke' A// Access DyD il/ol6)

*crunk is lhe fupe of nasic lfial //p states [wutd t*fen /o] ( lhey yere droand luday. tthen lrtw Qf lired of nassa and lltey lcnewlrteycoaldn,f so,,frrpr;;;;i; iir,ii"y*v'i;;i;';;n;dii,'*.fr"., ur i;;;rw'i"iiitfu; rtt"ffi warc of owression lhatsstt's 4sa' mey q go ta th- -' he's reeffi.;C ciirii grrr/o, oirlystald of Anerica DID

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t-#ffii ..-:irp

Everytody ln the indGtry kno^n that {st+nightstrdlo sessior,6, correrts, ard med,lrEs are a givefi.5o if yau d.an on gettiFe into the br.cine*s andF*tir{ in 10#6, you mhht unnt to consider pttirEtogettEr a Workahotic's Kit. Here are sc{Tesiggestims of what you shwld irrtude.We did a taste test with Crunkl Juicelast month. lt tast6 good to me, butthat isn't the reason to drink it. Whenyou run out of pure adrenatine, CrunklWlt wake you up. Tn6t me.

Eye drops aren't just far smokers.Thry're also a nece$slty if yol've beeitry atl night and you have an imptrtartmeetlng or somethirg whee you don'tvrant people to knowyou\ae been upatt nigtrt.On the personal trygiene tip,you should atways have atoothbnrh, toothpaste, and

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deoderant nearby.

Ne(t time lrou takea flight,grab the airtinepro/ided trdvetpiltemr and btankd on yourr't/a), c{Jt. Keep it ln your carfor tlpse fifteeFminute reststop po\,er napi. Thry'rethin" tfutt, ard emy tostore, Not very cornfortabte, but gts thejob done.If ysu'e* ffer st*pFd at e Eacls"A"tdiuinn,$,tc*ff*lds, et{ t* rharEeyc!-n cd{ ptxrreor lxptop, a p*wRr adaptr wauld be e w*ellirffitme,t. lt ptug$ 4nts yci"tr mrh cigsrettelighte.. \bfi ffin Fi{k sfts ilp at *$tore lik Eest Fuy {*r eb&ut $56.

Okay, okay, I knor moct ofyou gu6prder boxes over brlefs, but I couldn'tfind a gmd picture of boxers on the'nt. \6u get the point, though. Wheflyou're a worleholic, itb quicker to buy.--. new underwear than wash the dd ons.Any ferde (or guy wlth tnitiforthat matter) krnm tlnt],otr hair starts to took lff(e6saftrScut 30 tFulswithart deegl$orier, soleepirga baebalt caprcarby for anergenjesb a ml5t (despite thlsphoto, a hattlnt fttsproperty lsbettr).

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The Roots "Son't Say Nuthin"'Grandaddy Souf "Savage Journey {Fuck da Law}"Young Buck "Shawty Wanna Ride"A,licia Keys fl Usher "*ly Boo"Young Buek f/,David Banner & Lil' FlipWelcorne to the South"

Terror Squad "Hum Drum"Pitbull "Show ltde the i{oney"Akon "Mr. Lonely"DirtBag f/ Fat Joe "Trouble"Lit' Flip "Ghetto"Lil' Wayne "Bring it Back"{Phatoi st*rffi}

8/7/2019 Ozone Mag #26 - Aug 2004

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#tsHeH$. ntflfisFtrI don't 9o to c\qrc\ rrrqch bqt J need Hi"r a lotT\e cide i: coagly 4l11't v\y 1 9ot 0 on nry block5o yoq cqn'l even get it wlest X give it to yoq \111And eveeybody don't gei a dap, srlt'e niggar get a nod1 done bcoqg\t ni99ar ,\oPPing/ brqry niggar toqringT\o* vif\ U9\ bair cahe hohe by t\e rt'orn;ngkept niggar vr't\ Niker on, ni99g lig\tr on\ot on no rqcker r\itr tcyna r'ake it cig\t foe 'enT\en yoc tcy to r\ov 'ea r\itT\e average ni99a don't aPPreciate nqttin; ail that rUt ir ovec vit\Entoqcage, liarr, bqllr\itterr and tig\terr0niy people t\at'r f\eee to vork in*ead of divide qrNo rrore cDyaitier, ltrvyer feerT\e less \eadacher it it l\e nrore +or neI"tt a gcovn nan, +!0k rre a ninqte h figqce oqtltly careec ir in nry ovn \andr/s tar ar t\e irndu#y goer; evecybody'r a foe0nty a fciend v\en t\ey vant yoq to tiov1 done carte rtraig\t off the plane into anot\er ^an's rcsdon and spitpain and ain't c\arge en a t\ingHad to n'ake r'y line o+ rerpect ceal t\innerita.lgd gelting ceal \qngcy,, X needed a 1911 linner5end v\oevec yoq vant) X'nr h't;ing thea allOid a hack vit\ evecybody except t'lc. 5\akarTo nre, ? piage ain't not\in' bqt ron'e r\it foc t\e vattAnd X ain't \atin' on the people v\o got 'errr, 1 got a lai of 'enBqt X du't 9ot t\e noney t\ey got, m I ain't Proqd of 'e'iI'aProqd of rae, ctrqre only l coad get f\e gatr oqf of rrre- SadaUrr, 'I'n 6oin' Back' ('ki;r of Oeat\')Nov \ov t\e tqck yoa dace to rr'ention nry naneU\en I va; t\ere t\roqg\ t\e pain7 saeciticed and t\ir ;e \ov 1 9et paidlou played t\e cole like a bcot\er., davg, I telt en'bc3cedBqt nevet thoqg\t yoqr ot\ec ride exPored a rnake/orr o lane, ni99ar tUr firte yoq rtooped foo tovAnd \ov reat is Stat;ofi, Ni99a, yoq r\oqld knov9\oved your arr in t\e 0Z0NE r',a9\ov I'n ritting tUnking to ny;elt, v\y t\e fcck tUr \or'o nadSI read ywr vecre dedicated to VittBqt \e knovr it'; Alie caare t\coug\ \i; eyer 5taliano vat realI'lqt\afqcka yet I'nback to expote yotlfnd evecybody deserted yoqf att caqte ytu van't o loyalNi99a 1 knov yoqc t\q9 rUt, ni991 J rhoved yoq/oq never gave ne \elp o \ov t\e fqck do I ove yoqJ clp;e h do rne, you var living vit\ greedAnd I'n gon' ride vrt\ tle 4qad t\at'r inverted in ne- Statlon, '5onny C\qio dis,' Staliofi/Q0aol.cor',Eg\t yeacr in Priron coqldn't dirtort ny virionT\ey t\oaglrt t\ey n'acdered rr'e, btt look, J'a rtill livin'God ces,tccected n'e tcon tlre dePtV o+ PrironX carhe back ioba$ize t\e 9\etto'r c\idcen vit\ ny celigionJ'n t\e Chcirt of g-livin', nry ideabgy., n0 aPologiet fqcl yo' feelingrT\e 0epactr"er* of Correctionr took eig\t year; of nry l;feBql X a:rn't tciPPin' no n'oce, thank yoqTqdie Sykes/oq can't give a nind like r"ine t\at riqc\ tihe to t\inkI didn't recrte tir,e, X. tet tine refve neJn in t\e veig\t cootr getin'rvoie, bookr tsl rt too,V\en 1 nrake pacole J'nr'a let t\e v\ole vorld knovl1y if)tll't corl?oted of violence and troqbteJo tqck all t\o* vho oPPore t\e rtrqgglef got t\e rr'entality of a yoqng H{aey PXn t\e nren'ory o+ ail Black Pant\er, '1 attr Ve'

A taerrage to ny black reedrIl yoqfelis\t2t t\en toilov ay lead, put dovn t\e tigot and veedPick qp a book and learn, don't be a ccool and bqrnU\at yoq ihagine can be ac\ieved., iut look at ne!Jn tlv; vord, yorr gotta bleed h *pceedDon't 1s...., don't griever leave v\at you don't needPiot, ptan, organize., and execqtearce you in range that'r V\en yoq take ainr 17rl e\oot- Bob Logginr, gilvsnteyl\oo.cor\5orctirct f"l envioqr of peopler tlrat par*d avayT\eic oqlr rctlle ir t\e vind beinS cart avay1 dreanr,o vivid t\e ,cne r\ake, nre fa4 aVake1 keep t\inking naybe otret\ing't tcying to r\ov nre \ov to aarter tt'y taT\ey ray f"tr too deep and too conplex foc rapB* yorl grev to iearn t\ere'r nore h lite t\an caer and 9at:5o! e\ote to r\are t\e lig\t and \icite ny bacr vit\ t\atBct n;991e icared +6 gcov ro t\ey tend to hod yoq backThey take t\e r\it t\at t\ey don't qidee4and and call it \i\ack5o yoq \noV t\e Vay it goet, s|'', i+'t contcioqt caPBct y'all lqnning in circler \iorh'ng t\e ranre od actAnd I done ceac\ed anot\er level bqt X"t,9one for t\afAnd J ain't bitc\int just tryna let yoq knov v\ece I'nr atf

"ngetting old, as ay ron gro\,tr, to do ^y raPtX feel yoqc abecy, yotq tivin' off t\e next nran'r life

He ju* ubad caqse \e traiu yoq to ,trengthen trir lig\t1 vanna r\oqt oqt all t\e tool tinre tellar \oding gunr for veak t\u9rRir6n' t\ey fceedon' tor r\ocf lroney and veed toveAnd t\ey tat\err tcyna eam rerPect frorr t\err yocng boyrCatclvn' ter4er tarrtrun'r ;1v;n9 fitr like young boyrBitc\er do it to Ut t\e fix ;t yoq're ParanoidEttetybody vanna \ave rohe Po\ier to exPloit5o aaybe yoq coqld tell ne v\o'r t\e probtera at t\tr Pointl1e oc you, \olne:? Hope you tolloving t\ir io;rf...Ni99ar be tcyna pleare f\e ccovd v\en t\ey creating t\eic r\ynrerI iwt be t\inking oqt loqdt y'^l\ lon't pay nre no rrrindlNlaybe I'rt, tiving in t\e ctoqd; or iut a\ead of ray tine1 got book of all t\e Ait f vcote betveen ail t\e crihetLoofu'ng bact tryna tcace tcack to lee vhat f foqndt'{ot\;ng but ev;dence .h back t\e fact t\at t\e vocld ir ninef ain't acrqant, !-'a iurt intellectqaiiy PohPoqtCaqtel- car tqPerccde anytlring yoq accorrPlir\T\ir ni99a dcy +itc\in' like \e iookrh'for ryrfat\y\obody give a fqck aboqt yoq oc yoqr hir+oryDo yoq, ni9g1, rrr?ke ronre ;Uf Aop a dealCaqre t\at \ot 4v't yoq talUn'vill 9et yoa popped toc cealTake nry advice t\at'; entrq*ed and yoq coqtd coP yoq a rrillIf not, fcck it, you uutd iawerbui keep yotrc eyet peeledB(lt don't 9ef rae involved, X don't ove yoq r\itThe nne goer foc t\at lil'bitc\ t\at'r all on ttty dick/oq're all ja* a banc\ o+ hirerable +qck,Bcoke, r1;, drqnk, \igb and gangrta'd apXt't n nd, X vir\ t\at J uqtd qy foc \in' and \erI'abuty har+ering tUr cca{t and tryna *ay upAnd it ain't no lookin'back caqre I 9ut ny ccazy nind nade upltly ni99a L \oae jqrt in tir t0 vihess aebqsiNi99ar :ay;n, 5peak the tcutl', Geddy, t\at'r vhar*pGo in t\e boot\ pcoduce t\e peoof5\ov t\ere niggry \ov to really get back- Ar",a3eddon, 'P ass Avay' (on Temoc Sgad' t 'True giory')Enrail yoqr 16 bav to'jB@i 0Z0N Dl A6. C0l'1 ror couideration.

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01 - Mike Jones and Fietd Mob's Shawn Jay backstage at The Moon (Tattahassee, FL) 02 - Goritta Tek and Grandaddy Souf @ TJ'sDJ's (Tattahassee, FL) 03 - SBatt & MJG reading oZoNE @ Cairo (ortando, FL) 04 - Ee-De performing @ TJ's DJ's fa[tahassee, FL)05 - DJ Majick and friends reppin' OZONE (Tampa, FL) 06 - Layzie and Bizzy Bone reppin; OZONE 1Ft. Myers, FL) 07 - pitbutt andTeddy T @ Deep (Miami, FL) 0B - Mike Jones and Bitty Rankins @ TJ's DJ's (Tattahassee, FL) 09 ' Duquan and Lit' Scrappy @ CtubKartouche (Jacksonvitle, FL) 10 - The atl-new and improved Garfield (Ortando, FL) 1 1 - Lit' Ftip and Sqad Up reppin' OZbNf e mrvfitming(Ortando,FL) '12-JankyandRickRossreppin'OZONE@TheMoon(Tattahassee,FL) 13-DJSpree,Mercedes,andNetquanshowing off some of Netquan's fashions @ Tabu (Ortando, FL) 14 - D12 performing (Ortando, FL) 15 - TJ Chapman, DJ Dagwood,Grandaddy Souf, and DJ Ran @ TJ's DJ's (Tallahassee, FL) 16'Thom James and Kadattack Boyz @ The Moon (iattahasree, FL; tZ-Lit'Ftipperform-ingforMTV(Ortando,FL) 1B-RobertTownsendandHasanBrown(Miami,FL) 19-DJDef reppin,OZONE@CtubLife (Miami, FL) 20 - DJ Christion and Big Money Ced reppin' OZONE @ Futt Moon (Tampa, FL) 21 - Sqad Up and Lea backstage @

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I A t|ut was once a.warm Friday night in Atlanta's Buckhead district constantty having peopte tett him to leave the group behind and becomeVV hlt now turned into an anxious Saturday morning. Jadakiss is the superstar he was destined to become. Needless [o say, Treach refusedY Y scheduted to perform at the Roxy, and the flyers promoting the to tisten, and now he's getting naughty with his nature on porno tapes. Butshow state that it begins at 9 PM and ends at 3 AM. lt's already 1:30 AM, Jada heeded the advice and went sot-o. White his street cred and respectand the Yonkers MC has yet to arrive. Everyone in the buitding is grown as an individuat MC reached an atl-new high, it didn't ring in at the cashso they can stay out as late as they want. However, the city of Attanta register. His debut soto Kiss Tha Game Goodbye went ptatinum, but it tookhas just imposed a 2:30 AM city curfew, so if Jada doesn't show up in the damn near four years to reach that levet.next hour, people are going to stop singing his hit "Why?" and start askingquestions [ike, "Where the hett is he?" "What is he doing?" "When is he "flnterscope] spent a tot of money to get [The Lox] off Bad Boy. So thatcoming?" and "Who the fuck does he think he is?" extra video that woutd have mademe go t.s lmitfioh], they wain't gonnaBy the time 1:45 hits, the concert promoter has grown desperate ",.0 ;[Tt;I, iflfl""ffI:+"illui:i:friT:flil31H';;"1lil'lxTlijT?,idecides to reward the patientty waiting fans with free gtasses of Moet. never know about. But they made money off it. That's why they stitt fuckWhite the complementary bubbty gets them laughing and smiting, the with me."temporary buzz doesn't erase the fact that 'Kiss is nowhere to befound.Astheminutescontinuetotickaway,moreandmorepeopteare ThesamecannotbesaidforanotheroneofJadakiss'businessretationships.steadity watking out the door. The Roxy can hold up to 2,000 screaming You may forget that Jada hetped taunch the phenomenon of marketingfans, but tonight, attendance is nowhere near that products through hip-hop. lt was ,Kiss who was rappin!number. As the minutes pass, onty about 35 fans tt. in Reebok comherciats about kitters (as in crossoversjare [eft. The poor attendance isn't necessarity poor ttl dUeSS and shots.(as in jump-, not gun-) with basketbatt'ipromotion, however. lt coutd be just a reflection of . i il,E-l . retgntng nrp-hop imbissador Altten' lverson. The ideal:I"TiTii$inflii1l?J"t,iff'" i,:;::[:tr _ J g1] 9.9l_ ii i:"1:'JiJi,"#',1"'iru;:?i;Jt'1"ff *^ $"J"ia ctub in Decatur, a suburb east of Atlanta, and the SnOt gnouqn 50 Cent and Jay-Z their own tine of sneikErs. ,,t guess::::i'J1'#'Tfril,ll"liii;,^::','^: ,l;ilfTl.i"fl times,tt qui6S iiil;"T::i;,l"ilXf:'JilTi":11'tj;11,H::i ?l[":iliil['i,1-,"3,1,i!,':fl1l,l:;?Jil,Til:,Ti;11'"":::: Jada wheh - !:ff#::"i?:i1"ff:5""1J:"i,!!::ffi:",H1f,.i::5:rhe math or this situation reaves you wondering about aSked Why he :i1"*::ilr:'?d three commerciars with Reebok' so I'mi::l[]';'"J,'?rl?""Jl,i:i"lf "i]t ,.n: J"?.JJ-tff doesn't I .ravg rhough * may sound rike braggadocio, Jada speaks thei:;/"*,T:T::iT"ili,,?fJ,l :i."'#JTi""'il: .a shoe,deal. ilii1;l'i;y;:i;:'f T:iii:r,;tnTi','";:::'il',:l:",.',"i9ffi,-:lx;:['fiiH:'l'".;'."J"1l:j;;:,.f;:J,",T;i "Sometimes w:j. ml,'"ru*',n',,:t'm::l."mm;jlH;;fl;'fil:?:ffffi:11land heard with southern lg_e!a !ttl9 . il,l1i":,111?'l,Yilii-lil"i*Jlfi"'JffJ;'JffJ,T:?ii12 o'crock has hit, and the man or the earry-morning hour g999yFggg. i:#,1'J:,i";$.': Xi:1fii9:'Ji;::jjj:'fff:H:lhas finatty arrived. Award of the fact that he's had his pgGaUSg I Tegl about his strategy. ,,t,m a teader. I go with my gutl:l1g1yii'"f:i:xH,:1fl":i: :i,"#'''fl:'1il:iijE: ['i - u nderrateO ' f:l*'-!:l:,Tii:l ll"-:?H] iffl[]:'fi','J ilT#5illnHfi"*:iil:T lii,:li:.'H?,':#ST$5:lTi['l; and I don't l'.:i::':flJ"l"triT:#ff;":J,il'i; fil'J"I,T['":X!mx;:*:fl':il'ffiiuf;" li;."i:',"=:Ts'^?1"'li[ qgt the crgdit west coast than ever rbefore]'";:,?!,Hl'""Ti11,*'i?'?id"";ffil:',i.ff:;'1,:l';,:; -l{esBlve. #i?iff#il"irj:i.":ff::',T,T!"?:",1HT|,'""#fi:9J,1i","*llilxl"liJry::f:T','fi:J'Y;iT;fi""i'i:: . Befoqe :ffii ::L?,';:'f?'^ii,:,lilfffi,tf^ru1***:lremix)' and even digs into his ord Bad Bov catatog' niggas. had ys:';lll::lli*:t 3;l.tlsr,i.?l;xl;J:'r"^::;ff""1y;:',;:,1?';,11'l#l*"il,',"r1:,iXf ::il"".:fi _P_q9_a{er. ;::-'ffi;',,i}'L""if*i, ?:l&T';#::T",f: ;::ithe time he's reached cuts from his new album, Kiss Oea|s and of the CD case. lt isn't the first time he's made a songii ?5fi13;l^l,iJ'Ji,I1T;T"::"#JT3:x"*:Ti,i'l"f -JItHi l- #il'l,,Ti'il;,oil illt#"#11,ruTi,il,T,',1:il;:ii:lpromise. He ripped. had three i:?l"TT?i::":rl;T,"i;i:;T::? Jada and the LoXf::?: ;:i."'-""il',,"*5,",?,\!',ii'l';tri:fl3;:rj'T;liii commgrcials ..sometimes you gotta sacrince,,,says .Kiss about hisI'H:il:iTiff[il';:t,"!i'":,"#ii?l'"''*","'ffi"'; with Seebok, ;:il:",::ffjFff:t;iliil:?*"J*lffiiliHil,TjflllH:.'.TT|: :i'#l il:?*,il'*on""T'il:";S"iifl'fJ so_l'm_a -- i,T XJi;iii:i'1,':,1ffi nX:ffE:i,.:llf,?:'ffjHXllX"i'1il:iriXT',ii^Xi.'J:,1:"1#;"y,{;,iT: trendsefter." i"J.,':::lfl'"";13;"1',i:i,::,1;?1ffi'fi::',":,p:;*;"cockiness catching opposition from Phitty, New York, term to describe himsetf. Atthough he came tiom a gooAand atl points between. But that was 2000, when he was family and attended Westchestlr Community Coiiegetrying to make a name for himsetf as a solo artist. Nowadays, after making where he studied Business Management, he stitt chose to run thl streets.bold claims ti ke, " [l'm] top five dead or alive / And that's j ust off one LP, " He was tucky enough not to die in the hustte. Atthough he hasn't obtainedhe is ready to move onto bigger and better things. the megastar status that some feel he deserves, he'Jstitt regarded as one"[r'm] rooking for muthafuckin, units, man,,, he says with a straight face. i:ii:rt"iliHi,:f "tlT'"ff'i"ili:]]:ll"J:i::':i5fi'fl?:, Lh:.yi;"Just trying to sotidify my spot and finish off my career. I'm sti[[ in my the game and most importantty, he's respected.prime, but I'm trying to make everything equal out with the hot flowand the hot voice. I just gotta get the units out, then I can realty pu[[ a "l ain't a mutti-ptatinum setting artist," summarizes Jada, taking a finalmonster out." Ever since he's entered the rap game, it seems like Jada swig from his Heineken. "But peopte stitt respect me.,'has received the same treatment as Treach of Naughty by Nature. He's

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As VP of Urban A&R for TVT Records, Harlem-born Bryan Leach wasone of the first industry execs to see the potential of the "crunk"movement. His artists (including Lil'Jon & the East Side Boyz andthe Ying Yang Twins) have collectively sold over five million recordsin the past two years, and he's currently working on developing thecareers of his newest acquisitions: Miami's Pitbutl and Jacki-O, Bryanis more hands-on than most execs. He spends the majority of his timeon the road, between video shoots and studio sessions with TVT'scurrent artists as well as scouting for new talent. The man even hashis own publicist, if that's any indication of how busy he is, A typicalday for Bryan goes something tike this: fly from New York to Miami,oversee the creation of Jacki-O's video shoot for "Fine," attend theBillboard Hip-Hop and R&B awards to accept TVT's award for Bestlndependent Record Label, eat dinner with Pitbutl and crew, meetup with video director Bernard Gourley for drinks at the hotel bar,sleep for a few hours, and catch a flight to Chicago. Somewhere in themidst of this, we were able to catch up with him for an interview:How did you get started in the music business?I started out in artist management. I was work'ing with Dick Scott, whowas managing New Kids on the Block. I was fuckin' with Martey Martand Howie G, producers back in the day. I started managing some actson Sony, the Misfits and the Hoodrats, from Queens. They were Onyxprot6g6s. I had a production deal over at Epic, and through that I metthis guy named Julio Cario who was running ihis tabel, TVT. He runs JLo's product'ion company now. He brought me over to TVT eight yearsago, but it wasn't TW when I got there, it was Btunt Records.TW is the largest independent label, right? How are you differentfrom a "major" Iabel?We're self-distributed, we're not owned by any of the four majors. Wesetl directty to retail. We're tike a mini-major. Back in the day, thereused to be a bunch of mini-majors. Arista, Jive, they used to be mini-majors. Everybody got ate up. That same phitosophy that everybody'strying to do now, we've been doing that since '95, We're not worryingabout market share; we don't have sharehotders that we've got toplease, We just make sure we pay attention to every act, and we try tosell through before we move onto the next project. We're able to givethe attention of an independent with the resources of a major.When you first came to TVT, was it an entry level position?I came as head of artist devetopment and marketing. ln three monthsI started doing A&R. lrv Gotti and I were co-A&Rs for Mic Geronimo'sVendetta album. That's when it was Btunt Records. We weredisappointed with the performance of the record. lrv left and wentto Def Jam, and I was about to leavebut I was offered the VP of Urban A&Rposition to stay at TVT.Most people know that an A&R isresponsible for signing new acts, butwhat other responsibilities does anA&R have?A&R is probabty the most importantperson at the tabel. From thebeginning, they deat with the artists,finding them and signing them. Then,they work with the artist to actuattymake the record for eight months to ayear before they even hand 'em overto the rest of the company. Then, theywork as a cheerteader for the rest ofthe company to get everybody excited.They've tived with the project for ayear, and a lot of the peopte have justbeen introduced.So it's similar to management, sinceyou're sort of a liaison between theartist and the label. What's the mostchallenging part of your job?Trying to protect the vision of yourartist. Li[' Jon, for exarnple. lt's ctearto everybody now what makes himtatented, but internatty, he stitt fightsfor the same thing that we fought

for on the firstrecord. One ofthe biggest things Ido for Jon is protecthis vision. I'm anexecutive produceron every atbum, atongwith Rob Mac, Jon,Vince, and Searcy at BME.Even though Jon is thecreative force, he's not a rapper andI have to make sure he isn't forcedto compete with what other artistsdo. I think we're equatty importantto each other's careers.How did you meet Lil' Jon?I was in Attanta meeting withOrganized Noize back in 2000. I wasjust looking in Atlanta for tatent.Pastor Troy was available. Lit' Jonand the East Side Boyz' name justkept coming up and I saw that theyhad two records getting spun on thecharts: "Just a Bitch" and "l Like Them Girts." And then, what reatlysotd me was when I went to their show. I saw, you know, capacitycrowd: guys with their shirts off sweating, basicatty stam dancing. ltwas the energy of an Onyx show with the intensity of a rock show withthe hardness and darkness of a Public Enemy or NWA. lt was just crazyto me. Coming from New York, I had never saw no shit like that beforeso I was blown away. I figured if everybody etse could see the samething that I saw, then we could setl a shittoad of records.When you approached Jon, what could you offer him as anindependent label? How did you pitch it to him?I think Jon and [his tabet] BME knew that I personatty saw their vision.A lot of major labels just wanted to pick him up cause he was setlingrecords, but I don't think a lot of peopte understood what made himtick. Besides being an artist and producer, he's A&R, he's promotions,he's worn every hat. So I approached him the same way everybody isapproaching him now. When I signed Jon, I signed Chyna White at thesame time. I did a production deal with BME.Since you were born and raised in New York, why do you think yourelate to an act like Lil Jon & the EastSide Boyz or the Ying Yang Twins? ltseems like two different mentalities.It is. But coming from New York, 'it's justlike every other ptace, even Atlanta: inboth cities, there's a lot of peopte whoain't never teft their btock before, soto speak. I think that my backgroundwas wett-rounded. l've been travelingsince I was a kid, teading up to my musiccareer, so I reatized that the world isround and shit and it ain't flat. So I'vehad an open mind from the beginning.

Did Jon lead you to Ying Yang?Once I was introduced to what Li[' Jondid, I was introduced to that whoteworld, and I realized the history of[Ying Yang's producer/manager] DJSmurf, Kizzy Rock, Sammy Sam, PastorTroy, a whote lot of people. So Smurfwas somebody I'd met because Jon haddone records with Ying Yang before.Smurf holtered at me because they werelooking to do a deat. We were stow onthat. I wanted to sign 'em, but I don'tthink that TVT as a company realtysaw how big that whole movementwas gonna be. So by the time we wereready to talk, he had already signedwith Koch. But we kept in contact,and he was smart enough to just do a

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one-album dea[. He saw the job we did with Jon, so when they becameavailabte, we signed Ying Yang right away.So with Lil' Jon and the East Side Boyz, they basicalty got their dealbecause they had abuzz, radio airplay, and you were blown away bytheir stage show. ls that the usual process?Recentty, yeah. I think that's become the norm. Some peopte arguethat as an A&R, that's the lazy way. I don't think that's a diss to A&Rs, Ithink that's a testament to how smart these artists have become. lf youlook at the wave, I was just early. When you see what came after Jon- T.1., David Banner, Bonecrusher - a[[ these artists did it the same way.Bonecrusher had "Neva Scared" before he got picked up by So So Def.After T.l.'s deal with Arista, he kept mixtapes out on the street, doingthe 50 Cent approach. David Banner was grinding for years; I met him at[Lit Jon & the East Side Boyz'] "Bia Bia" video shoot when he was btowingfire. lt was just a wave that was coming, and it's just a testament to howsmart these artists are. They're stepping their game up and reatizingthat they want to have a bigger piece of the pie. ln order to control yourcareer, you've got to be abte to prove that you can handle it.You mentioned Pastor Troy - are there any other artists you had theopportunity to sign and didn't?Ying Yang the first time around. I had a big window to sign Bonecrusherwhen he was part of the Lyricat Giants. [TVT was] going through a tot ofthings at the time, we were about to go into the whote Def Jam triat, sothere were a lot of distractions that prevented us from doing that. DavidBanner, same thing. Trittvitte & Lit' Scrappy. I was in the running to signLudacris when he had "What's Your Fantasy." We do offer competitivedeats, but one of the downsides to being an ind'ie is that we can't sign asmuch shit as we want to sign. lf lsee ten artists and I know it's gonna bea whole wave so I want to sign all ten, that could cotlectively cost tikefive mittion dottars. So, as an indie, you gotta pick and choose. But, atthe end of the day, when you tine up atl the artists, I think I've gottena huge chunk of the pie. Arguabty, l've got the number one and numbertwo artists from the new wave: Li[' Jon and the Ying Yang Twins. Pitbulland Jacki-O, they're the future. I atso recently signed yo Gotti out ofMemphis.As an A&R, what irritates you about people trying to get on? What'sthe worst way for someone to approach you?The worst thing they could do is send those ugly yettow envelopes andshit, unsolicited, and think that somebody is gonna [isten to the shit.Point btank. lf it was that easy to get into any industry, then everybodywoutd be in it. They betieve peopte are gonna open that package andlisten to that record when it was unsolicited, and there's nothingcreative about the packaging.So you don't listen to most of the demos you receive?I tisten to everything eventually, either me or somebody in my office.But based on my years in the business, 95% of the stuff that comes inis trash.Have you ever signed someone off a demo?Never. Mostty off referrats, word-of-mouth, or buzz. Every act doesn'thave to put out their record and get BDS or Soundscan like Lit'Jon andYing Yang did, but there has to be something that stands out.When you go back to your superiors and tell them that you want tosign an act, what do you have to show them?It's a business a[[ the way around. Sometimes they trust my judgment,other times I might have to fight hard. Generatty, it's just me and [TWpresident and ownerl Steve Gottlieb in terms of the A&R process. Wemake decisions together, and usuatly we see eye to eye.What's the best way for an artist to catch your attention?With Jacki-O's deat, I approached Poe Boy when I came to MiamiMemoriat Day weekend last year. Anybody who was down here thatweekend heard "Nookie" ptaying on the radio and witnessed theamazing job that Poe Boy did to create awareness around their art'ist.I think it was britliant. And it was natural, it wasn't forced. They had ahit record, so everything they were tatking shit about - and they weretatking a lot of shit - they were able to back it up. They've got anamazing artist, a promising group of peopte behind Poe Boy, and theresources to promote it. With Pitbutt, we were just around each otherthrough P'it's retationship with Jon. I had plenty of opportunities to jumpon Pit before, but I watched Pit develop, as I'm sure everybody etse did.

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He's developed, he's a sma:"t art'ist, and he reminds me so much of Jonin terms of his hustle and his intelligence, aside from his tatent. Thepackaging was great, and they stitt kilt mixtapes as if he didn't have adeat. He's professional and he's got a great team behind him. That'sjust as important as the talent.On the flip side, what advice would you give to someone that'saspiring to become an A&R, or work in the industry behind-the-scenes?I've been in this game for atmost fifteen years, and as an A&R I'veaccomplished a [ot. I've got artists that I've signed personalty who havecotlectivety sold five miltion records in two years, and I'm stitt out hereat video shoots, on the road, grinding. l'm not afraid to get my handsdirty. I think a lot of people fatl into the big-time syndrome where theyjust wanna be fly and don't want to get their hands dirty. Execs: don,tbelieve the hype. You gotta get out there and work. Everybody in thisbusiness knows what I mean when I say you've got to want to be inthis business in order to be successfut. lf you ain't in this for the rightreasons, you're not gonna be successfut.What about entry-level? What's the best way to get into thisbusiness: college or internships?lnternships. lf you want to get into the A&R, creative side of things,you need to do internships and work harder than your boss. you cansteep when you're dead. You won't even reatize how much shit you'relearning untiI the time comes to appty it,What are the drawbacks to your job?You've got a shitty personal life sometimes. You don,t have a lot oftime to do some other things you want to do, but it beats workingsanitation.So what keeps you motivated to be in this game?Besides my love for music? Wett, just my tove for money, and mycompetitiveness.As an A&R, do you get a higher paycheck if you sign an artist whosells well?As an A&R if you're fortunate enough to have success and negotiatewetl for yourself, if you have an artist that sells a few mittion records,your bonuses alone can be three times your salary. So you could makea nice chunk of money, but never as much as you coutd make with yourown shit.So what's the future for you?I think it's time to move onto the next phase of my career. I think thegame has changed. I'm not trying to be Baby and Cash Money. I mean,those people are great at what they do, but it's a crowded housein terms of peopte going the indie route. I wanna do my own thing,creating records as wetl as marketing opportunities and other ways foran artist to make money. The labet sjde, to me, is the smaltest aspect.This is the onty business where your direct ctient - the artist you bring toa [abe[ - can generate 30-40 mittion dollars for the comp