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WELCOME TO MIAMI<br />
SUPER<br />
BOWL<br />
2010<br />
**special edition**<br />
FEATURING<br />
<strong>dj</strong><br />
khaled<br />
+<br />
KEVIN COSSOM // DANJA // TRINA<br />
PRETTY RICKY // SHONIE // HOT YELLA<br />
SWAZY STYLES // KEISHA KASH // TORCH<br />
Gun Play // YOUNG BREED // & MORE
WELCOME TO MIAMI<br />
SUPER<br />
BOWL<br />
2010<br />
**special edition**<br />
FEATURING<br />
KEVIN<br />
COSSOM<br />
&DANJA<br />
+<br />
DJ KHALED // TRINA // GUN PLAY<br />
PRETTY RICKY // SHONIE // HOT YELLA<br />
SWAZY STYLES // KEISHA KASH // TORCH<br />
CP HOLLYWOOD // YOUNG BREED
PUBLISHER:<br />
Julia Beverly<br />
SPECIAL EDITIONS EDITOR:<br />
Jen McKinnon a.k.a.<br />
Ms. Rivercity<br />
CONTRIBUTORS & CREW:<br />
Ashley Smith<br />
Eric Perrin<br />
Jee’Van Brown<br />
Kisha Smith<br />
Maurice G. Garland<br />
Mercedes<br />
Randy Roper<br />
Terrence Tyson<br />
Torrey Holmes<br />
PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR:<br />
Malik Abdul<br />
STREET TEAMS:<br />
Big Mouth Marketing<br />
Lex Promotions<br />
On Point Entertainment<br />
Poe Boy<br />
Strictly Streets<br />
SUBSCRIPTIONS:<br />
To subscribe, send check or<br />
money order for $11 to:<br />
OZONE <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
644 Antone St. Suite 6<br />
Atlanta, GA 30318<br />
Phone: 404-350-3887<br />
Fax: 404-601-9523<br />
Web: www.ozonemag.com<br />
SIDE A<br />
10 Club Listing<br />
11 Miami Map<br />
12 Lex Promo Top 10<br />
8-9 Event Listing<br />
16-17 Keisha Kash<br />
18-19 Trina<br />
26-27 Young Breed<br />
22-23 Danja<br />
24-25 Kevin Cossom<br />
SIDE b<br />
6 CP Hollywood<br />
14 Ed da World Famous<br />
8-9 Shonie<br />
10-11 Torch<br />
12-13 Gun Play<br />
16-18 Pretty Ricky<br />
20-21 Swazy Styles<br />
22-23 Hot Yella<br />
24-26 DJ KHALED<br />
COVER CREDITS:<br />
Kevin Cossom & Danja<br />
photo by Ty Watkins.<br />
DISCLAIMER:<br />
OZONE does not take responsibility<br />
for unsolicited<br />
materials, misinformation,<br />
typographical errors, or misprints.<br />
The views contained<br />
herein do not necessarily<br />
reflect those of the publisher<br />
or its advertisers. Ads<br />
appearing in this magazine<br />
are not an endorsement or<br />
validation by OZONE <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
for products or services<br />
offered. All photos and illustrations<br />
are copyrighted by<br />
their respective artists. All<br />
other content is copyright<br />
2010 OZONE <strong>Magazine</strong>, all<br />
rights reserved. No portion<br />
of this magazine may be<br />
reproduced in any way<br />
without the written consent<br />
of the publisher. Printed in<br />
the USA.<br />
OZONE MAG // 7
8 // OZONE MAG
MIAMI Event<br />
Listing<br />
Thursday, FebRUARY 4th<br />
EA Sports Madden Bowl @ The Clevelander Hotel<br />
1020 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach<br />
9pm – 4am<br />
Eden Roc Super Bowl Party w/ Snoop Dogg<br />
@ The Eden Roc Renaissance<br />
4525 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach<br />
9pm – 2am<br />
$450 General Admission, $750 VIP<br />
Celeb Super Bowl Gifting Suite @ Karma<br />
619 Washington Avenue<br />
Info: 205-213-8155 (Gardner Craig)<br />
Million Dollar Girl Super Bowl Kick Off w/ Trina<br />
@ SOBE Live - 1203 Washington Avenue<br />
Hometown Legends: Welcome to Miami Edition<br />
@ MIA - 20 Biscayne Blvd., Downtown Miami<br />
(305) 642-0032<br />
Ne-Yo, Jagged Edge, & Verse Simmonds<br />
@ Adrienne Arsht Center, Knight Concert Hall<br />
1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL, 33132<br />
8pm<br />
Tickets: $35 to $200<br />
Friday, FebRUARY 5th<br />
Mike McKenzie/Genesis Superslam Celeb Basketball Game<br />
@ Miami Norland Sr. High School<br />
1050 Northwest 195th Street, Miami, FL<br />
Leather & Laces Super Bowl Party w/ Kim Kardashian,<br />
Roselyn Sanchez and Holly Madison<br />
@ The Paris Studio Theatre<br />
9pm – late<br />
$350 General Admission, $750 VIP<br />
First Ten: First Friday Super Bowl Edition<br />
@ Justin’s Bar & Lounge<br />
17813 Biscayne Blvd., Downtown Miami<br />
VIVID - Tootsies Cabaret Super Bowl Party<br />
@ Tootsies Cabaret<br />
150 NW 183rd St.<br />
10pm – Late<br />
$450 All Access Admission<br />
ESPN Super Bowl Party w/ Ne-Yo & Keri Hilson<br />
The Fontainebleau Hotel - 4441 Collins Avenue<br />
10pm – Late<br />
Juvenile performing @ SOBE Live<br />
1203 Washington Avenue<br />
Jordan Brand Super Bowl Party @ Karma<br />
619 Washington Avenue<br />
Ochocinco’s Celeb Mansion Party<br />
4745 Pine Drive, Miami Beach, FL<br />
9pm – late<br />
Nas, Goodie Mob, & Mayday!<br />
@ Adrienne Arsht Center, Knight Concert Hall<br />
1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL, 33132<br />
8pm<br />
Tickets: $35 to $200<br />
Saturday, FebRUARY 6th<br />
Runners of the Game Official Super Bowl Party<br />
@ Karma<br />
619Washington Avenue<br />
The Main Event w/ NAS @ SOBE Live<br />
1203 Washington Avenue<br />
Saturday Night Spectacular Hosted by Jim Carey &<br />
Jenny McCarthy<br />
@ Top of the Bank of America Building<br />
9pm – 3am<br />
Taste of the NFL – Food & Wine Tasting<br />
@ Fort Lauderdale Convention Center<br />
7pm – Late<br />
$755 General Admission, $950 VIP<br />
Maxim <strong>Magazine</strong> Party w/ Jermaine Dupri & DJ Vice<br />
@ The Raleigh Hotel<br />
1775 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach<br />
9pm – Late<br />
Penthouse Party @ Passion Nightclub Seminole<br />
Hardrock - 5701 Seminole Way, Ft. Lauderdale<br />
$350 & up<br />
Playboy Super Bowl Party @ The Sagamore Hotel<br />
(Poolside) - 1671 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach<br />
9pm – 4am<br />
Sunday, FebRUARY 7th<br />
In Stadium Hospitality (Food, Open Bar, Live Entertainment)<br />
@ Dolphin Stadium<br />
2269 Dan Marino Boulevard, Miami Gardens<br />
2:30pm - 5:30pm plus 2 hours post game<br />
$450 (Must have Super Bowl Tickets to enter)<br />
Touchdown Club Hospitality (Food, Open Bar, Live<br />
Entertainment)<br />
Located Next to Stadium<br />
2:30pm – 5:30pm<br />
Super Bowl Ticket required for entry<br />
NFL Tailgate Party @ Dolphin Stadium<br />
2269 Dan Marino Boulevard, Miami Gardens<br />
2:30pm – Kickoff<br />
$1,500 (Must have Super Bowl Tickets to enter)<br />
Super Bowl XLIV @ Dolphin Stadium<br />
2269 Dan Marino Boulevard, Miami Gardens<br />
6:30pm<br />
The Big Game After Party @ LIV<br />
4441 Collins Avenue<br />
OZONE MAG // 9
MIAMI<br />
CLUB LISTING<br />
90 Degree<br />
90 NE 11th Street,<br />
Downtown Miami<br />
(786) 425-3545<br />
Amika<br />
1532 Washington Ave.,<br />
Miami Beach, FL 33139<br />
(305) 534-1499<br />
Angel Ultra Lounge<br />
247 23rd Street, Miami<br />
Beach, FL<br />
Area 51<br />
950 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL<br />
(305) 358-5655<br />
B.E.D.<br />
929 Washington Ave., Miami<br />
(305) 532-9070<br />
Big Fish<br />
55 SW Miami Avenue Rd.,<br />
Miami, FL<br />
Blue<br />
222 Espanola Way, Miami<br />
Beach<br />
(305) 534-1109<br />
Bricks<br />
66 SW 6th St, Miami, FL<br />
(305) 371-6950<br />
Café Iguanas<br />
8358 Pines Blvd., Hollywood<br />
(954) 433-8787<br />
Cameo<br />
1400 West Ave, Miami Beach,<br />
(305) 695-0517<br />
Chakra<br />
1500 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach<br />
(305) 672-2001<br />
Club Ache<br />
3425 Collins Ave,<br />
Miami Beach, FL<br />
(305) 604-8688<br />
Club 112<br />
1439 Washington Avenue<br />
Miami Beach, FL<br />
Club 45<br />
4545 NW 7th St, Miami, FL<br />
33126<br />
(305) 442-6369<br />
Club 66<br />
66 SW 8th Street, Miami,<br />
FL 33130<br />
(305) 371-6950<br />
Club Boca<br />
7000 West Palmetto Park Rd.,<br />
Boca Raton, FL<br />
(561) 392-3747<br />
Club Ebony<br />
12953 NW 7th Ave, North<br />
Miami 33182<br />
(305) 685-5305<br />
Club Escape<br />
7707 NW 103rd St., Miami<br />
Club Warehouse<br />
90 NE 11th St, Miami, FL<br />
(786) 425-3545<br />
Coco’s Lounge Living On<br />
The Edge<br />
1430 NW 119th St, Miami<br />
(305) 688-5005<br />
Crobar<br />
1445 Washington Ave.,<br />
Miami Beach<br />
(305) 531-8225<br />
Dream<br />
1532 Washington Ave.,<br />
Miami Beach<br />
(305) 674-8018<br />
Expose<br />
766 E 25th St, Hialeah<br />
(305) 691-8980<br />
Fat Tuesday<br />
3015 Grand Ave, Miami<br />
33133<br />
(305) 441-2992<br />
Fifth (The)<br />
1045 5th St., Miami Beach<br />
(305) 538-9898<br />
GEM Nightclub & Restaurant<br />
671 Washington Ave, Miami<br />
Beach<br />
(305) 674-0977<br />
Glass<br />
432 41st St., Miami Beach<br />
(305) 604-9798<br />
Harrison’s<br />
411 Washington Ave., Miami<br />
(305) 672-4600<br />
Ivy Room<br />
1233 Washington Ave, Miami<br />
(305) 532-1525<br />
Karma<br />
619 Washington Avenue,<br />
Miami Beach<br />
King of Diamonds<br />
17800 NE 5th Avenue, Miami<br />
(954) 744-6582<br />
Krave<br />
1203 Washington Ave.,<br />
Miami Beach<br />
(305) 673-5950<br />
Lady Luck<br />
1610 NW 119th St, Miami,<br />
(305) 688-1151<br />
Level Nightclub<br />
1233 Washington Ave, Miami<br />
Beach, FL 33139<br />
(305) 532-1525<br />
LIV<br />
4441 Collins Avenue, Miami<br />
Beach, FL 33140<br />
(305) 674-4680<br />
Madonna Night Club<br />
1527 Washington Ave<br />
Miami Beach, FL<br />
(305) 534-2000<br />
Mansion<br />
1235 Washington Ave.,<br />
Miami Beach, FL<br />
(305) 531-5535<br />
Metropolis Downtown<br />
950 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami<br />
(305) 415-0088<br />
Mia<br />
20 Biscayne Blvd.<br />
Downtown Miami<br />
(305) 642-0032<br />
Miami Velvet<br />
3901 NW 77th Ave, Miami<br />
(305) 406-1604<br />
Mokai<br />
235 23rd St., Miami Beach<br />
(305) 695-0288<br />
Mynt<br />
1921 Collins Ave.<br />
Miami Beach, FL<br />
(786) 276-6132<br />
Nikki Beach Club<br />
1 Ocean Drive<br />
(305) 673-1575<br />
Nocturnal<br />
50 NE 11th St., Miami, FL<br />
(305) 576-6996<br />
Onda<br />
1248 Washington Ave.,<br />
Miami Beach, FL<br />
Phone: (305) 674-4464<br />
Pearl Lounge<br />
1 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach<br />
Penthouse Inc<br />
1434 Collins Ave,<br />
Miami Beach<br />
(305) 538-4010<br />
Platinum Plus<br />
7565 W 20th Ave, Hialeah<br />
(305) 558-2221<br />
Porterhouse<br />
7050 W. Palmetto Park Rd.,<br />
Boca Raton, FL<br />
Rain<br />
323 23rd St, Miami Beach<br />
(305) 674-7447<br />
Rokbar<br />
1805 Collins Ave.<br />
Miami Beach<br />
(305) 535-7171<br />
Rumi<br />
330 Lincoln Road<br />
(305) 672-4353<br />
Ruby Lounge<br />
623 Washington Ave., Miami<br />
Santo<br />
430 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach<br />
(305) 532-2882<br />
Sax on the Beach<br />
1756 N Bayshore Dr, Miami<br />
(786) 924-5535<br />
Scores Miami<br />
17450 Biscayne Blvd<br />
North Miami Beach<br />
(305) 945-6030<br />
Seven<br />
685 Washington Ave., Miami<br />
Beach<br />
(305) 538-0820<br />
SET<br />
320 Lincoln Road<br />
Miami Beach, FL<br />
(305) 531-2800<br />
www.setmiami.com<br />
Shine<br />
1800 Collins Ave., Miami<br />
Beach<br />
Skybar<br />
1901 Collins Ave., Miami<br />
Beach<br />
(305) 695-3100<br />
SIN<br />
1532 Washington Ave, Miami<br />
Beach<br />
(305) 532-4786<br />
Sobe Live<br />
1203 Washington Avenue<br />
• Miami<br />
(305) 695-2820<br />
Sofi Lounge<br />
423 Washington Ave., Miami<br />
Beach<br />
(305) 532-4444<br />
Space<br />
34 NE 11th St., Miami Beach<br />
(305) 375-0001<br />
Spirits<br />
5729 Seminole Way<br />
Hollywood<br />
(954) 327-9094<br />
State<br />
320 Lincoln Rd.<br />
Miami Beach<br />
Studio A<br />
60 NE 11th St., Miami<br />
(305) 538-7625<br />
Suite<br />
1437 Washington Ave.<br />
Miami Beach<br />
(305) 604-3664<br />
Take One<br />
333 NE 79th Street, Miami<br />
Tootsie’s Cabaret<br />
150 NW 183rd St., Miami<br />
(305) 651-5822<br />
Tropics Nightclub<br />
7100 Pines Blvd.,<br />
Pembroke Pines<br />
(954) 985-8382<br />
Vice<br />
1445 Washington Ave.,<br />
Miami Beach<br />
(305) 532-2667<br />
Vision<br />
3015 Grand Avenue,<br />
Coconut Grove<br />
(305) 461-1118<br />
Voodoo Lounge<br />
111 SW 2nd Ave.<br />
Fort Lauderdale, FL<br />
(954) 522-0733<br />
Wet Willie’s<br />
2911 Grand Ave.<br />
Coconut Grove, FL 33133<br />
White Diamonds<br />
737 Washington Ave.<br />
Miami Beach, FL 33139<br />
(305) 761-6736<br />
10 // OZONE MAG
MAP<br />
SOUTH BEACH<br />
Whyte Noise<br />
300 SW 1st Ave.<br />
Fort Lauderdale, FL<br />
OZONE MAG // 11
12 // OZONE MAG
Top 10<br />
MIAMI<br />
NIGHT<br />
CLUBS<br />
By Alex “Lex” Pierre-Louis<br />
Lex Promotions is a well-known marketing group<br />
in the Miami area. Experienced in handling major<br />
and INDIE label accounts, Lex Promo is a go-to resource<br />
for online and street promotions. If you’re<br />
visiting the area for Super Bowl weekend, here are<br />
Lex’s suggestions for clubs to CHECK OUT:<br />
1<br />
MANSION - 1235 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL<br />
Mansion is the Miami club! When you think of Miami, you<br />
think of Mansion. It’s a landmark, and it’s also infamous for not<br />
letting artists in the club. Be forewarned.<br />
2<br />
LIV - 4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140<br />
LIV is the billion dollar club where the groupies come<br />
out and the ballers play! It’s located in one of Miami’s premiere<br />
hotels, the Fontainebleau.<br />
3<br />
SPACE – 34 NE 11th St., Miami, FL 33132<br />
Space has been around for 15 years strong! It’s the only<br />
spot where you can party till 3:00 pm, or just party for 72 hours<br />
straight. It’s also home to the “lip-biting animals.”<br />
4<br />
TAKE ONE - 333 NE 79th St., Miami, FL 33138<br />
Take One is the home for every afterparty! It hosts some<br />
of Miami’s best record-breaking DJs like Jam Squad DJs, Haitian<br />
Mike, and Nasty. And it’s where Bizzle, a.k.a. Chowtime, will<br />
show you how to make it rain $5k in 5 minutes.<br />
5<br />
CAMEO - 1445 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL<br />
Also known as “The Stepchild,” this club is notorious for<br />
being the hottest club for six months, and then closing down…<br />
then back to being the hottest club again.<br />
6<br />
TOOTSIE – Corner of 441 & Miami Gardens Dr., 150 NW<br />
183rd St., Miami Gardens<br />
This is the club that brings Las Vegas to Miami with the sexiest<br />
women in the world (it’s also well-known for a physical incident<br />
involving Trick Daddy).<br />
7<br />
KING OF DIAMONDS - 17800 NE 5th Ave., Miami, FL<br />
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to King of Diamonds -<br />
home of NFL/NBA players and Disco Rick on the mic. Don’t walk<br />
in here without at least $2,000 in your pocket! #RecessionProof<br />
8<br />
BED – 929 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL<br />
“Eat in BED, drink in BED, and you can even fuck in BED.”<br />
This is the party spot for all the video vixens, and even if you<br />
aren’t a celebrity, your dreams can come true here.<br />
9<br />
SOBE LIVE – 1203 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL<br />
Nominated “Best Hip Hop Venue” by VH1, on any given<br />
weekend you catch Hip Hop’s biggest stars on stage. In addition<br />
to being the Spring Break headquarters, this is where<br />
Uncle Luke has college girls going wild.<br />
10<br />
90 DEGREE – 90 NE 11th St., Downtown Miami<br />
“Ya Tu Sabes.” – Dominicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans,<br />
Colombians – this is where you will find the sexiest Latinas!<br />
Contact Lex Promotions on Twitter: @LexPromotions or email<br />
lex@lexpromotions.com<br />
OZONE MAG // 13
SUPERBOWL<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
As I’m writing this with my eyes half<br />
open, it’s 4:30 am in Atlanta and I’m<br />
day-dreaming - well, night-dreaming<br />
actually - of sunny Miami. It’s rained here<br />
for 5 days straight, and it’s too cold for any<br />
Floridian to endure, making this mag difficult<br />
to complete because I want to grab a blanket<br />
and hibernate. *sips Red Bull and continues<br />
typing*<br />
But this issue is nearly done, and despite the<br />
depressing weather and sleep starvation, I’m<br />
really vibing on the inside. There’s no greater<br />
feeling than finishing a major project. The way<br />
I feel right now is probably how a musician<br />
feels when they turn in an album to their label.<br />
Relief. Pride. Excited to see the final outcome.<br />
Anxious for the world to share in my work. And<br />
even though an artist has months to record<br />
an album, and I only had a week to interview<br />
Florida’s finest, it’s still the same level of satisfaction.<br />
It takes the same level of dedication<br />
to come up with a direction, a list of goals,<br />
execute them within a deadline, and turnout a<br />
quality, creative product. Not to mention overcoming<br />
unforeseen setbacks (like how I lost<br />
my voice for 3 days<br />
and couldn’t interview<br />
anyone). But we<br />
at OZONE do this numerous<br />
times a year,<br />
and still keep variety<br />
in the content.<br />
Florida artists have staying power, there’s not<br />
much turn around as far as rappers falling off<br />
and new ones taking their place. Pretty much<br />
everyone gets on top and stays there. So I<br />
thought about what we were missing, what<br />
the music listeners are missing in general, and<br />
it was obvious – female representation.<br />
You’ll notice a few more female artist features<br />
than usual. And that’s kind of a reflection of<br />
the game in general right now. Newcomers<br />
like Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj have made<br />
such a huge impact recently, and vets like<br />
Trina and Lil Kim are staying active. I predict<br />
this trend will strengthen. As you flip through<br />
these pages, when you stop to stare at the<br />
chick pics, make sure you take a few minutes<br />
to read their stories too. In this business, it<br />
takes twice as much effort for a woman to be<br />
noticed outside of her looks. They deserve<br />
props.<br />
And I deserve a few hours of sleep. [Turning off<br />
phone, logging off Twitter, tuning out haters]<br />
See you Super Bowl Weekend.<br />
- Ms. Rivercity (below, center)<br />
Variety in mind, I<br />
really struggled for<br />
ideas this Super<br />
Bowl edition. Not<br />
because there’s a<br />
lack of talent in Miami,<br />
but because<br />
we’ve interviewed<br />
everyone in the<br />
city already. And<br />
because South<br />
14 // OZONE MAG
OZONE MAG // 15
Keisha<br />
Kash<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
Photo by Hassill Photography<br />
16 // OZONE MAG
Formerly USING THE TAGLINE the<br />
“Rapping Beyonce,” Keisha Kash<br />
started promoting herself as<br />
a rapper before realizing her<br />
potential as a Pop artist. Switching<br />
gears for the new year, Keisha<br />
talks about how she’s transitioned<br />
since beginning a career<br />
in music. Now focused on a new<br />
sound, Kash has a lot of new<br />
doors opening for her.<br />
Are you originally from Miami<br />
Not originally. I was born in Trinidad, grew up<br />
in New Jersey, and moved to Miami about five<br />
years ago.<br />
How did you get into making music<br />
I was pretty much in the background for a<br />
little while working with other artists. I worked<br />
with a girl that was with Konvict Music and a<br />
few other locals from Atlanta. When I came to<br />
Miami I started getting more into the music<br />
scene and decided to focus on myself. I’ve<br />
always been writing and dancing since I was<br />
five years old. There just weren’t any musical<br />
people in my family to show me what to do,<br />
but I always loved music since I was little.<br />
What were some of the songs you first put<br />
out<br />
My first track was a remix of one of Missy’s<br />
songs. I put it online and everyone liked it. It<br />
had 16,000 views on YouTube. I got a lot of<br />
positive feedback and encouragement to continue<br />
doing music, so I did. I’m a very unique<br />
person so I like different sounds. I teamed up<br />
with a production team in New York called<br />
Sinister Sounds and they came up with the Hip<br />
Hop sound I wanted at the time. They made<br />
the first single I had called “Bleah Bleah Bleah”<br />
that I did a video for. People loved the song<br />
out here in Miami.<br />
How did you promote yourself Do you have<br />
a management team<br />
No. When I first came to Miami I didn’t know<br />
anybody, and I don’t have any family here.<br />
I started getting out and going to clubs<br />
downtown and South Beach. A lot of people<br />
know me on South Beach. From there I just<br />
connected with a lot of people, doing events<br />
and fashion shows.<br />
“Bleah, Bleah, Bleah,” and I concentrated on<br />
that for two years. I really wanted to branch<br />
into Pop music and mix that in. I recorded<br />
three Pop songs, and ever since I did that<br />
everything has changed dramatically. I have a<br />
song called “Pretty Picture,” another one called<br />
“Timmy” and “Girlie Girl.” That’s really what I’ve<br />
been pushing for the last five months and it’s<br />
opening up doors for me.<br />
So it’s been easier for you to catch people’s<br />
attention with the more pop-sounding<br />
music<br />
Yeah, I was kind of at a stand-still. I was getting<br />
a lot of no’s. As soon as I switched over<br />
my style and genre of music, a lot of stuff has<br />
changed. If that’s what my supporters like<br />
from me the most, then that’s what I’m going<br />
to concentrate on. They determine what kind<br />
of music I should put out.<br />
Are you getting shows yet<br />
For my birthday we did a big show with Power<br />
96 and had radio commercial. Baby Bree from<br />
Power 96 has been showing me a lot of love.<br />
What else do you have going on that people<br />
should be checking for<br />
People should be checking for the singles I<br />
have out. I’m working on a lot of new material<br />
too. “Pretty Picture” is my main song that<br />
everyone’s vibing to.<br />
Is there a way for people to reach out to<br />
you<br />
I’m always on Twitter, @KeishaKash. People<br />
can sign up on my website KeishaKash.com.<br />
All my videos and behind the scenes footage<br />
are on YouTube.com/KeishaKash.<br />
As a new artist, what do you want people to<br />
know about you<br />
I want everyone to know I’m on the grind. I<br />
want to be someone that’s doing something<br />
different. There’s not a lot of females doing<br />
what I’m doing in pop music. I’m like the black<br />
Lady Gaga. That’s what everyone out here<br />
calls me, Keisha Gaga. //<br />
What direction are you going with your<br />
music now<br />
Well, I was doing the Hip Hop thing with<br />
OZONE MAG // 17
ina<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
18 // OZONE MAG
Trina has reinvented herself year<br />
after year for over a decade, and<br />
2010 is no different. This year she’s<br />
scheduled to release her fifth<br />
studio album, officially launch a<br />
clothing line, and make her debut<br />
in television. Her grind is nothing<br />
short of Amazin’.<br />
So you’re working on your fifth album<br />
That’s correct. My fifth solo album, titled<br />
Amazin’, comes out June 8th. I’m really excited<br />
about it. It’s a summer album, so it’s really fun.<br />
When you say “summer album,” can you<br />
explain a little more about the theme<br />
Honestly, I think it’s my best album yet. I have<br />
major control of how the album’s being put together.<br />
It’s good for an artist that’s been in the<br />
game a while to have that kind of control and<br />
have the label see my vision. I tried a lot of different<br />
things – up-tempo pop records, street<br />
records, dance records, I took it back to the<br />
old-school. I worked with Rick Ross, Ludacris,<br />
Monica, Nicki Minaj, Plies, Pretty Money, Keri<br />
Hilson, Diddy – it just goes on and on. It’s great<br />
to still be relevant and put out a great album.<br />
Speaking of Keri Hilson, “Million Dollar Girl”<br />
is the single you have out now, right<br />
Yes, “Million Dollar Girl” featuring Keri Hilson<br />
and Diddy. When I first got the record, I<br />
thought of Keri Hilson instantly. She has a<br />
beautiful voice. I sent it to her and when she<br />
sent the vocals back I was blown away. Then<br />
I added Diddy. He’s just a fly guy, he’s very<br />
swagged out and he added a good twist to it.<br />
You were introduced to us over a decade<br />
ago…<br />
Yes ma’am, in ’98.<br />
How does your life now compare to where<br />
you thought you’d be at this point<br />
I never really thought I would be a musician.<br />
I always loved music, but I kind of thought I’d<br />
be doing television, maybe movies. That was<br />
always a passion of mine. I’m definitely looking<br />
forward to pursuing that after this album. I’ve<br />
had some [movie] offers I’m looking into.<br />
I heard you may be doing a reality show.<br />
Yes, I am. The show will start maybe within a<br />
month or so. It’s based around my life and the<br />
things I do as an artist, a business person, a<br />
clothing designer. It’s going to show the things<br />
I do on a daily basis besides music.<br />
Are you going to allow the show to portray<br />
any of your personal life Or will it be strictly<br />
about your career<br />
It’s my real life. Everyday I’m followed around<br />
from the office, to the studio, in and out of<br />
town, different shows and events, touring,<br />
seeing what I do at home when I’m not doing<br />
music, as well as what I do with the artists I<br />
work with. I have about 5 or 6 artists I work<br />
with. Everything I do is going to be on the<br />
show – the good, the bad, and the ugly.<br />
Are you still working with the Diamond Doll<br />
Foundation<br />
I’m doing a Diamond Doll camp this summer<br />
for the girls. Usually I do a panel and we talk<br />
about things like teen pregnancy, alcohol and<br />
drug abuse, education, and finances. I wanna<br />
do something a little different this year. A lot<br />
of the kids are really young and don’t wanna<br />
hear you just preaching, so we’re gonna make<br />
it more entertaining. I love giving back to the<br />
kids. I love answering their questions to let<br />
them know that I was once a kid, I was teenager,<br />
I was in a relationship and had my heart<br />
broke. I’ve been through all the things these<br />
girls are going through, or will go through. It<br />
gives them confidence and motivation.<br />
You had a major appearance in the “5 Star<br />
Chick” remix last year. People really liked<br />
your verse.<br />
I thought it was a great record. It was the<br />
first time I did a record with me and another<br />
female feature with the guys. Me and Nicki<br />
Minaj were holding it down for the women. It<br />
was something new. Everybody wants to be a<br />
5 Star now.<br />
Everyone commented about how you still<br />
look just as good in that video as you did<br />
back in the day. How do you keep yourself<br />
up as far as the beauty regime and workout<br />
routine<br />
I have a lot of wear and tear from makeup and<br />
hair artists so I just try to take care of my skin.<br />
I get facials and try to keep my skin as clean as<br />
possible. I have a bad problem with not washing<br />
stuff off my face after a show. I’ll be tired<br />
and just want to fall asleep. I have pretty good<br />
skin, I don’t really break out, but I try to get<br />
facials and keep it clean. I’m not an exercise<br />
fanatic but I try to exercise as much as I can. I<br />
do cardio at least 3 days a week and try to eat<br />
healthy. I need a lot of energy to travel and<br />
perform.<br />
Is there anything else you have coming up<br />
this year<br />
The album is coming out June 8th. Look out<br />
for Pretty Money, that’s the first project I’m<br />
working on. Look out for the reality show and<br />
the clothing line. 2010, look out for Trina! //<br />
OZONE MAG // 19
20 // OZONE MAG
OZONE MAG // 21
Danja<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
Photo by Ty Watkins<br />
22 // OZONE MAG
TO LIST Danja’s production credits<br />
and accolades would require an<br />
entire page in itself. STARTING OFF<br />
As a TIMBALAND protégé, Danja,<br />
a.k.a. Danjahandz, went on to BE-<br />
COME a Grammy-winning producer<br />
himself, creating number ONE hits<br />
for names like Britney Spears,<br />
Pink, Justin Timberlake, Nelly<br />
Furtado, Duran Duran, Madonna,<br />
T.I., AND Trey Songz. Danja is NOMI-<br />
NATED for two Grammy awards<br />
in 2010, including Keri Hilson’s<br />
“Knock You Down” written by<br />
Danja’s artist Kevin Cossom. With<br />
a proven chemistry, Danja has<br />
clearly found his next New Age<br />
Rock Star in Kevin Cossom.<br />
What does it feel like to have worked with<br />
some of the greatest pop and R&B acts of our<br />
generation<br />
Man, I don’t know. I never think about it. I feel<br />
like there’s still a lot more I can do. Working<br />
with those people is always great, and I<br />
worked with them pretty early in my career. I<br />
think I’m just so much more focused on breaking<br />
acts and bringing new, quality acts into the<br />
business. I never really think about who I’ve<br />
worked with up to this point.<br />
Speaking of breaking acts, you actually have<br />
your own label. What is your focus with that<br />
The label is called N.A.R.S. Records, which is<br />
an abbreviation for New Age Rock Stars. It<br />
basically speaks for itself, just to bring in a<br />
new evolution of artists, a new age of acts<br />
from Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, whatever. And<br />
the first act that’s signed to the record label is<br />
Kevin Cossom, through Jive.<br />
Was the record label already formed when<br />
you met him, or did you create the label<br />
specifically with Kevin Cossom in mind<br />
It kinda happened at the same time. It never<br />
really was a major goal or dream of mine to<br />
have a record label. As I started coming across<br />
acts I felt were special, KC was one of the<br />
first, and the business became legitimate, it<br />
became something I had to do. As my goals<br />
started changing in the business, it seemed<br />
right for me to start my own label if I was trying<br />
to break new acts. It kinda just happened<br />
because of Kevin Cossom.<br />
Do you feel it’s important for a new artist to<br />
work with a specific producer and come up<br />
with a signature sound Or should they work<br />
with a lot of different producers until they<br />
get the right record<br />
I definitely feel like working with everybody is<br />
the wrong thing to do. Whether it’s me, or The<br />
Runners, or Swizz Beatz, or whoever it may be,<br />
an artist should definitely hone in and figure<br />
out a style and sound. An album will feel more<br />
cohesive, rather than it being all over the<br />
place. Working with a lot of different producers<br />
just creates confusion to me.<br />
Out of everyone you’ve worked with, who<br />
are the people you’ve vibed with the most,<br />
like there was a natural chemistry<br />
Definitely KC (Kevin Cossom). Aside from him,<br />
I’m able to really open up and be creative with<br />
Britney Spears. I feel like that with Tip too,<br />
he’s real accepting and we click well. Justin<br />
Timberlake is another one.<br />
With sales shifting in the music industry<br />
from record sales to now ringtones, has it<br />
personally impacted you How have you<br />
adapted to that<br />
It’s a major issue. Kids really have to buy into<br />
an artist to buy their album. I’m grateful I’m<br />
in a position where people come to me for<br />
their single, so I’m not missing an opportunity<br />
to make money. If it’s a hit, I receive money<br />
for the publishing. Making money off record<br />
sales, that’s really not happening. But I like to<br />
work on whole projects. I like to get in and<br />
do five to six records on an album. You know,<br />
everyone goes to whoever has a hit at the<br />
moment, so artists are going to get records<br />
from everybody and aren’t really interested in<br />
an album. Luckily I’m one of those producers<br />
people come to for a single.<br />
For those interested in the technical side of<br />
things, what equipment and tools do you<br />
use to make instrumentals<br />
I have maybe thirteen various keyboards. I use<br />
MPC and I use Logic. Inside my Logic I have<br />
loads of virtual instruments. I have a massive<br />
sound library. At the end of the day, you can’t<br />
tell that I use just one thing.<br />
What’s coming up for you in the near future<br />
I went in with the Weezer band not too long<br />
ago. We did a couple crazy tracks. I got some<br />
new things with Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Britney<br />
Spears, Kevin Cossom. It’s a lot of opportunities<br />
right now. I’m just trying to get in and<br />
knock it out. It feels like it’s not enough time<br />
in the day for all the stuff I have on one plate,<br />
but I’m making it happen. //<br />
OZONE MAG // 23
Kevin Cossom has appeared in<br />
OZONE a handful of times, but<br />
never as a Grammy-nominated<br />
songwriter. KC is opening up 2010<br />
with his first ever Grammy nod<br />
for writing Keri Hilson’s “Knock<br />
You Down,” and he’s also raising<br />
attention with his own single<br />
“Relax” ft. Snoop Dogg. A familiar<br />
name behind the scenes of the<br />
music industry, Kevin Cossom will<br />
soon be a familiar face EVERY-<br />
WHERE.<br />
What have you been working on since your<br />
last OZONE interview a few months ago<br />
I just dropped a mixtape in November called<br />
Hook Vs. Bridge. I’m promoting that heavy. I’m<br />
working on an album and trying to finish that<br />
up. We also got a song called “Relax” featuring<br />
Snoop that we’re going hard with. It’s<br />
supposed to be the first single off the album.<br />
We’ll be shooting a video in the next month.<br />
I’ve still been doing a lot of writing. I got<br />
something out with Chris Brown called “What I<br />
Do” featuring Plies. I wrote that with my homeboy<br />
Pooh Bear. I got a song on Mary J Blige’s<br />
album called “Tonight.” I got a few things on DJ<br />
Khaled’s album. I’m getting prepared for the<br />
Grammy Awards. A song I wrote for Keri Hilson<br />
called “Knock You Down” is up for a Grammy<br />
this year.<br />
Being nominated for a Grammy must be one<br />
of the highest points of your career so far.<br />
Definitely. It’s different if I just wrote the<br />
chorus or put in a few lines, but I pretty much<br />
wrote the whole thing. I did the whole concept<br />
and everything. For it to be nominated for a<br />
Grammy is huge. You know, for it to be a #1<br />
record was already crazy, but to be a Grammynominated<br />
songwriter is big.<br />
Tell us about your mixtape. Is it mostly original<br />
production, or is it more like a mixtape<br />
format<br />
Most of it is original. “Headboard” featuring<br />
Plies is a song I wrote the chorus to, but it’s<br />
a Hurricane Chris and Mario record. I wrote<br />
a verse to it so I wanted to do a remix for it.<br />
The Drake record “I Get Paper” is a remix I did.<br />
Other than that, everything else is pretty much<br />
original. There’s a lot of good features – Rick<br />
Ross, Joe Budden, Pusha from The Clipse, and<br />
good production as well. It’s still a mixtape;<br />
there’s 14 joints on there.<br />
You’re signed to the producer Danja. What’s<br />
the history behind your working relationship<br />
with him<br />
We met a few years ago, right around the time<br />
I first got my publishing deal. A representative<br />
from my publishing company, Sam Taylor,<br />
sent me to work with Danja. At the time,<br />
Danja had just come off of working on Justin<br />
Timberlake’s Future Sex Love Sounds album. He<br />
had just done “Promiscuous Girl.” He had been<br />
doing a lot of big things. I was writing for a<br />
girl group and he was producing for them.<br />
We went in for a 3-day session and on the last<br />
day he asked me if songwriting was the only<br />
thing I wanted to do. I told him no, it was just<br />
to pay the bills and I wanted to do the artist<br />
thing as well. He talked to my manager, and<br />
about a month later he did some records for<br />
me. We got in the studio for like five days and<br />
came up with four dope records. That’s how<br />
we noticed there was a chemistry. A month<br />
later we did the same thing and got some<br />
more good records. We knew we needed to<br />
be working together, so I signed to his label<br />
N.A.R.S. Records. You know, he produced<br />
“Knock You Down,” so this is our first Grammy<br />
nomination together. It proves that we’re a<br />
good combination.<br />
The music industry is familiar with your<br />
name and your work by now. Are people<br />
starting to recognize your face yet<br />
I think the more I get the mixtape out there,<br />
the more people research me. I’ve been a few<br />
places and people recognize me. When the<br />
video comes out and I get face time on camera,<br />
more people will recognize me. Besides<br />
the face, people are recognizing the name<br />
and that’s the most important.<br />
You’re pretty much following the same path<br />
as Ne-Yo or Keri Hilson, and there are predictions<br />
of you being that next big R&B artist.<br />
Are you prepared for that level of superstardom<br />
It’s nothing you can really prepare for. You just<br />
keep it in mind. You gotta realize you can’t<br />
do certain things you used to do all the time,<br />
or go some of the places you used to go. You<br />
just have to be smarter with the things you<br />
do. That’s the biggest thing. I want to be as<br />
normal as possible, if that’s possible. But yeah,<br />
it’s hard to prepare for that when all you have<br />
is an idea of how it’s going to be. All I can do is<br />
stay focused and prioritize.<br />
Where can people get at you and hear some<br />
of your music<br />
Hit me up at KevinCossom.com or on Twitter:<br />
@KevinCossom. //<br />
K<br />
C<br />
24 // OZONE MAG
evin<br />
ossom<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
Photos by Ty Watkins<br />
OZONE MAG // 25
oung<br />
reed<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
26 // OZONE MAG
As the newest member of Triple Cs,<br />
Young Breed appears on many of<br />
the group’s songs, and is now receiving<br />
his recognition. Here’s an<br />
update on what he’s been focused<br />
on since our last interview for<br />
his Patiently Waiting article.<br />
What have you been in the studio working<br />
on recently<br />
We’re working on our two mixtapes we’re<br />
finna drop. We’re pumping up for our new<br />
album Color, Cut, Clarity. We got a lot of music,<br />
a lot of freesyles we been droppin’, and we’re<br />
definitely giving the streets somethin’ to look<br />
forward to.<br />
People are starting to recognize you as part<br />
of the group now. Have a lot of people been<br />
reaching out<br />
Yeah, the response is amazing. We’re getting<br />
more and more love from all markets.<br />
You had been doing your thing for a while<br />
before getting with Triple Cs. At what point<br />
did you realize you had enough skill to make<br />
this a full-time thing, so to speak Was there<br />
a big moment of realization<br />
What happened was, I already had got the<br />
stamp in the hood. I had my homies in the<br />
hood tellin’ me, “You can take this a lot further.”<br />
But at the time I was just doin’ it ‘cause I had<br />
a love for the music. What really motivated<br />
me and changed my mind was when my big<br />
brother told me, “You don’t understand what’s<br />
goin’ on. People are startin’ to recognize you.<br />
This is what you gotta pursue.” When I sat back<br />
and focused on it, I noticed the progress I was<br />
makin’, and I buckled down.<br />
So you’re now part of a major album release.<br />
What are your thoughts on the album Triple<br />
Cs recently put out<br />
I felt like it was a great power move. People<br />
got to hear all us individually. More and more<br />
people started taking to Gunplay, more people<br />
started takin’ to Torch, more people started<br />
taking to me. We achieved the goal we were<br />
looking for with this album.<br />
For the new album, what are some things<br />
you want to put into it that didn’t appear in<br />
the first one<br />
We’re gonna touch on the female fanbase a<br />
little bit more. I feel like we might have left out<br />
a little bit of that genre for the ladies.<br />
So is recording songs for females kinda stepping<br />
out of your element<br />
Yeah, I mean, it might be steppin’ out the box a<br />
little bit for us ‘cause you know, we a gangsta<br />
rap group. But it’s all good, we always wit’ it.<br />
That’s why we doin’ mixtapes songs. We just<br />
remixed the Jaheim record. We just touching<br />
on that female fanbase and they’re checking<br />
for us. We’re gonna give ‘em what they ask for.<br />
When you sit down to write a verse for the<br />
ladies, who comes to mind<br />
I just go from our day-to-day experiences and<br />
traveling. I think about the ladies that go out<br />
of their way to ask for a picture or autograph.<br />
Or the ones that travel a few miles outside of<br />
their city ‘cause they know we’re at that venue.<br />
That’s what I’m thinkin’ about when I get it in.<br />
As far as your solo material, have you been<br />
collaborating with anyone outside of the<br />
group<br />
It’s all about Triple Cs right now, but of course<br />
I’m working on my next project coming up<br />
after Color, Cut, Clarity. I’ve been working with<br />
a lot of producers – Gorilla Tek, The Olympiks.<br />
I’m about to drop a mixtape called Project<br />
President.<br />
Solo artists only have to worry about creating<br />
their own material, but you have to concentrate<br />
both on the group and your own<br />
music. How do you keep up with all that<br />
I love it. That’s what separates the hustlers<br />
from the people just sitting in the studio<br />
knocking out a song or two. I feel like I’ve<br />
gotta broaden my horizons. We’re always<br />
growin’; we’re always gon’ get better. I’m just<br />
puttin’ in work. It’s all good. That’s what bosses<br />
do – multitask. You gotta make it happen.<br />
Money comes from everywhere.<br />
Do you have anything else you’re trying to<br />
do outside of recording<br />
I’m workin’ on my clothing line Uptown Apparel.<br />
We just inked the deal for Spilled Ink<br />
Originals too. Spilled Ink Originals is more<br />
high-end, fitted clothes. We opened up the<br />
urban clothing line under Spilled Ink called<br />
Uptown Apparel. We got t-shirts, hoodies,<br />
sweatshirts, denim pants. It’s lookin’ real good.<br />
Y’all check that out on SpilledInkOriginals.<br />
com.<br />
What else do you want to let the people<br />
know<br />
The album Custom Cars & Cycles is in stores<br />
now. Color, Cut, Clarity is coming soon. Project<br />
President is on the way. Look for more music<br />
coming soon. //<br />
OZONE MAG // 27
28 // OZONE MAG
OZONE MAG // 29
CP HOLLYWOOD<br />
Words by Ms Rivercity<br />
CP Hollywood is a prominent<br />
name listed in production credits<br />
for South Florida artists. If<br />
there’s a rapper in Miami you like,<br />
chances are CP has produced<br />
for ‘em. He most recently landed<br />
Trina’s new single, and has a few<br />
other major things in the pipeline.<br />
Who all have you produced for You’re a common<br />
name when it comes to Miami producers.<br />
I’m probably most known for Unda Surveillance’s<br />
“Shone On Deck,” which was a big single here<br />
about a year and a half ago. Then I did a record<br />
with Sean P from the YoungBloodz. It was his single<br />
last year called “Hoodstar,” which I was singing<br />
on. Last year I had a song out called “International<br />
Boss” with Haitian Fresh, Rick Ross, and Busta<br />
Rhymes, and another record with Haitian Fresh<br />
and Pleasure P called “No Panties.” I did a record<br />
with Hurricane Chris and Kaliko called “Drank n<br />
Dro,” and “I’m So Throwed” for Frank Black.<br />
Those are all some pretty hot records that got<br />
a buzz.<br />
All these records got on the radio. But I’ve worked<br />
with pretty much everyone in South Florida – Iceberg,<br />
BallGreezy, I have Bizzle’s new single called<br />
“Recession Proof.” Khaled broke it the other day. I<br />
just did the Triple C’s record for Freddy Fred.<br />
the track I just did with him is poppin’ real fast.<br />
I’d definitely say Iceberg and BallGreezy too.<br />
Obviously Brisco and Billy Blue are doing their<br />
thing, but I think the next one is gonna be<br />
Iceberg, BallGreezy, or Bizzle.<br />
How did get your big break and start placing<br />
with all of those artists<br />
I had a name in Tallahassee and I moved to<br />
South Florida in 2005 and started from square<br />
one. But the first record that brought me attention<br />
in Tallahassee was with Smoke from Field<br />
Mob called “Cut Friend.” I was actually an artist<br />
back then. The record that caught me a buzz in<br />
Miami was “Shone On Deck.”<br />
What else do you have in the works right<br />
now How can people get at you for beats<br />
I got a street album coming out with Papa<br />
Duck. I produced the whole album. I signed two<br />
13-year-old female pop artists and I’m putting<br />
together their album. People can hit me at cpbeats@gmail.com<br />
or Twitter @cphollywood954<br />
or Myspace.com/cphollywoodsce. //<br />
You didn’t mention the new record for Trina.<br />
That’s a pretty big placement.<br />
Yeah, the one with Trina, Diddy, and Keri Hilson.<br />
I had a beat ready and another producer I work<br />
with named K Pon laid some extra keys down. I<br />
got with a writer named King and he sent it to<br />
Trina’s team. It took them about 6 months to lay it<br />
down, it took forever, but they got Keri on it first.<br />
Then Diddy got on it.<br />
Are you trying to achieve a certain sound or<br />
reach a certain audience Or do you just produce<br />
whatever you feel like it at that moment<br />
The easiest stuff for me to make is down South<br />
music, but what I like to do and my best stuff<br />
is R&B/crossover/pop music. The Trina record<br />
is really like a pop record. There’s just a bigger<br />
audience for pop music and there’s more money<br />
created from the music. I just try to make singles.<br />
None of my music is really album cuts.<br />
Who are the hot up-and-coming artists in South<br />
Florida<br />
Bizzle has “Naked Hustle,” “Lip Bitin’ Animal,” and<br />
OZONE MAG // 7
honie<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
Photos by Frank Antonio<br />
8 // OZONE MAG
Recently acclaimed as the “Remix<br />
Queen,” this singer/musical poet<br />
keeps a song buzzing in South<br />
Florida. After breaking onto the<br />
scene a few years ago, Shonie<br />
signed a deal with Slip N Slide/Def<br />
Jam and is currently working on<br />
her solo debut album Passionate<br />
Pieces of Me.<br />
What’s new with you<br />
I’m working on my album. I’ve been working<br />
with a lot of people like Brisco and Trina. Right<br />
now we’re trying to figure out what the single is<br />
gonna be. I don’t want to move too fast, but not<br />
too slow either. I did a record with Flo Rida that’s<br />
crazy. I pray to God he puts that out. I did a record<br />
with Brianna that I’m thinking of putting out as<br />
a single. Shouts out to her, she’s definitely one of<br />
the best things coming out right now. I’ve been<br />
doing crazy remixes. I just remixed “Say Aah” by<br />
Trey Songz and I remixed Trina’s new single. We<br />
definitely goin’ hard. The album will be coming<br />
out this fall. It’s a new year and we wanna put out<br />
bigger and better things.<br />
So did you have any New Year’s resolutions<br />
Every year we just grind harder than what we’ve<br />
been doing. People that haven’t made it yet that<br />
thought ’09 was gonna be they year, they’re definitely<br />
gonna go harder. We gotta look back and<br />
figure out what we didn’t do. Every year we want<br />
to work harder and stay around positive people.<br />
You’re a signed artist still working as an independent,<br />
almost. Give us the specifics on the<br />
label deal you have.<br />
When I signed to Slip N Slide that’s when the Def<br />
Jam deal came about. My name’s been out there<br />
for a hot minute. I put out my mixtape when I was<br />
17 and that’s what created the buzz. Def Jam saw<br />
the spins we were getting with my single at the<br />
time, “Can’t Let Go,” featuring Fabolous. That’s how<br />
the deal came about. In order to keep Def Jam<br />
interested, we gotta continue to do that, whether<br />
it’s putting out mixtapes or a buzz record. You<br />
can’t wait on a label, you gotta do it yourself.<br />
Besides your singing talent, you’re known for<br />
your songwriting abilities as well.<br />
Oh yeah, I’ve always been writing. When I was 17,<br />
I was already working on Trina’s album, working<br />
with Flo Rida, Brisco, the Diddy family, Day 26.<br />
How did you develop your talent Was it natural,<br />
or did you practice for a long time<br />
I was in the church. My mom was a minister so<br />
I stayed drawn to the church. I’ve always been<br />
around musical people. My mother sings; my<br />
father played piano. Even when I was younger, all<br />
I was taught to do was work on my craft.<br />
When you put out your first album, what<br />
impression do you want to leave with your<br />
audience<br />
That it’s real and I’m not trying to follow what everyone<br />
else is doing. I’m not just trying to come<br />
out with a club record like everyone else. I gotta<br />
do me at the end of the day. It’s what my feeling<br />
is. When they hear this, this is what I want them<br />
to feel. It’s too much going on in the world not<br />
to talk about it. Everybody’s going through relationship<br />
problems; everybody’s going through<br />
something. I want it to relate to everybody in the<br />
world, where everybody can believe in it.<br />
So are you totally opposed to doing a club<br />
record<br />
It’s an up and down thing. You try to figure out<br />
whether you wanna go club or radio or what’s<br />
gonna work faster. Every artist always goes<br />
through that. Honestly, it’s up to the people,<br />
because they have to accept it. They have to let<br />
you know what’s working. That’s what we’re trying<br />
to do now, let the people decide. We’ve been<br />
testing records on the internet and radio station<br />
to get everyone’s opinion.<br />
Do you have any concrete records that you<br />
know for sure will make the album<br />
Ah, we have one called “Lights, Camera, Action”<br />
that was produced by Midus of Golden Child<br />
Productions. It was a buzz record so I know it’s<br />
definitely going on the album.<br />
So what would be some of the biggest moments<br />
in your career so far<br />
When I sang in front of L.A. Reid. I didn’t think<br />
I was gonna get through that. My palms were<br />
sweating and that was a scary moment, but I<br />
got through it. When he said, “Welcome to Def<br />
Jam,” that was the greatest thing. A lot of people<br />
dream of that. Wherever God takes me, that is<br />
always gonna be one of my proudest moments.<br />
Where will you be during Super Bowl weekend<br />
I’m going to be everywhere, at all the hottest<br />
parties. We’re gonna pop bottles for Super Bowl<br />
Weekend. //<br />
OZONE MAG // 9
orch<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
10 // OZONE MAG
Coming off a great year with<br />
several mixtapes heavy in the<br />
streets and one major label<br />
release, Torch and Triple Cs are<br />
continuing to build their momentum.<br />
As one-fourth of the group,<br />
Torch also has his own lane and<br />
supporters. Here Torch gives us a<br />
rundown on what’s new for him,<br />
and what makes him a standout<br />
part of Carol City Cartel.<br />
Tell us what you have poppin’ right now.<br />
We got the album Color, Cut, Clarity coming<br />
soon. We got the new mixtape Sticks & Stones.<br />
I got my solo mixtape Crash Course comin’. We<br />
got a lot of big things comin’ this year.<br />
You put out a lot of solo material last year.<br />
What all did you have circulating<br />
My shit be like albums. I have a lot of original<br />
material, I don’t usually jack people’s shit like<br />
everybody else. I had about 3 or 4 mixtapes<br />
worth of material. I’m working on my next<br />
street album.<br />
Being from New York, your sound touches a<br />
different market than your group members.<br />
When you’re looking for beats for your solo<br />
music, do you use the same producers as<br />
Triple Cs Or do you work with different<br />
people<br />
I work with everybody that provides heat.<br />
Sometimes I work with producers from the<br />
group, but those people craft different kind of<br />
beats that what I’m on because I’m not from<br />
this region. But a lot of my stuff on this new<br />
mixtape came from up north. We do have a<br />
couple Runners beats on it, JUSTICE League,<br />
Transformers, Olympicks, just to name a few. It<br />
should be coming out within the next couple<br />
of weeks. We’re gonna drop the Triple Cs mixtape<br />
first. We’re just keeping shit in the streets<br />
so we stay relevant in the game. We’re one of<br />
the hottest labels in the game.<br />
So you guys have a fourth member now,<br />
Young Breed. What do you think he adds to<br />
Triple Cs<br />
He’s like the gutta, young version of Triple Cs.<br />
We just added another element by bringing<br />
him into the crew. We been seasoned together,<br />
but when you get that younger strength in<br />
there, it’s like a big bowl of gumbo.<br />
Everyone likes to try to outdo their last project.<br />
Are you guys trying to improve anything<br />
from the last album<br />
The only improvement is that there’s gonna be<br />
less features and more Triple Cs. People were<br />
saying they wanted to hear a lot more of us.<br />
They know we can hold our own, we’re nice<br />
with it. So you gon’ hear more Triple Cs, more<br />
polished records, and the last album was<br />
really more raw and uncut and for the street<br />
crowd. We gonna keep our street crowd, but<br />
we gonna make a couple more records that<br />
will get a little more radio play.<br />
So you’re trying to get more of that radio<br />
market<br />
We already knew what the people wanted,<br />
now we gotta give the PDs and radio what<br />
they want. All our mixtapes is what the people<br />
want, and our album is like a hot ass version of<br />
a mixtape. This new album is gonna be more<br />
polished, you’re gonna hear a lot of growth<br />
in Triple Cs. Of course it’s gonna surprise<br />
everybody.<br />
Have you come up with any singles yet<br />
We got a lot of records recorded, that’s all we<br />
do. Right now we’re on everybody’s radar with<br />
“Teflon” for Ross’ new shit. When we record<br />
100 songs, putting together an album isn’t really<br />
hard. Even with the last album, we didn’t<br />
release the records that were good for radio,<br />
we kept it street, but we had those records.<br />
What direction are you trying to go with<br />
your own solo records<br />
My music has always been more about life<br />
than death. I’m pro-life. I talk about the<br />
struggle. You can just expect a lot of good<br />
music from me. I done been there, done that,<br />
touched on every subject in life. It’s time to<br />
start making more grown shit and get money.<br />
You have a reputation for lyrical content.<br />
Definitely. The game has changed. You can’t<br />
be in the trap forever. There’s gotta be some<br />
kind of message with your music. You gotta<br />
be able to balance it. That’s what makes Ross<br />
such a great rapper. He doesn’t just give you<br />
the trap; he makes good music too. That’s<br />
what I pride myself on. I’m a writer and I do a<br />
lot of writing for people. That’s how I became<br />
more musical with my craft.<br />
Anything else you want to add<br />
Everybody follow me on Twitter @TorchCCC to<br />
keep up with everything. I got my own website<br />
TorchIsNY.com. It’s like somebody told me,<br />
if you ain’t got 15 ways to get money in this<br />
game you ain’t using it right – I’m up to 20. //<br />
OZONE MAG // 11
12 // OZONE MAG
Gun<br />
Play<br />
Known as a standout character<br />
in Triple Cs, GunPlay may play<br />
hard, but he works hard too.<br />
Whether he’s dropping a verse<br />
with Ross, Torch, and Young<br />
Breed, or recording for his own<br />
projects, GunPlay always has<br />
something new on deck. Be on the<br />
lookout for his work on the new<br />
Triple Cs Sticks & Stones mixtape,<br />
the re-release of his SniffAHill<br />
tape, and his brand new project Cigar<br />
Fare & Hardware coming soon.<br />
What’s new with you and Triple C’s<br />
We’ve been hittin’ up the streets with these<br />
mixtapes, shooting videos, working on solo<br />
songs, as well as the crew. We just shot the<br />
video with me, Breed, and Torch called “I Be<br />
Out Here.” We’re letting everyone know Triple<br />
Cs is still grindin’.<br />
Y’all stay keeping something new out there.<br />
You’re always releasing new songs, mixtapes,<br />
and a lot of videos. It’s like y’all don’t really<br />
take any breaks.<br />
You gotta stay hot ‘cause it’s always a muthafucka<br />
tryin’ to take yo’ spot. You gotta keep<br />
givin’ ‘em hot new material and stay in they<br />
face. That way, by the time you put the album<br />
out, it’s a lot more people have seen your face<br />
and heard your music so they more likely to<br />
buy the album.<br />
When are you dropping the new Triple C’s<br />
mixtape<br />
Sticks & Stones will be out in February.<br />
What about your solo mixtape<br />
After Sticks & Stones, then I’ve got my tape<br />
Cigar Fare & Hardware comin’. I’m gonna rerelease<br />
SniffAHill. We’re gonna bombard the<br />
streets.<br />
What kind of songs are going to be on<br />
your mixtape Is it mostly original stuff or<br />
freestyles<br />
It’s half and half. It’s gonna be action-packed.<br />
I used the Jeezy and Rihanna “Hard” beat, I<br />
did Waka Flocka’s “O Let’s Do It,” I did “Get Wit<br />
This Pimpin” – that song that’s big in Atlanta.<br />
And I did stuff like Master P’s “How You Do Dat<br />
There,” the C Murder and BG beat, I went back<br />
a little.<br />
What about the original beats What do you<br />
have in the works as far as that goes<br />
I also got beats from some local producers like<br />
C-Nal Tracks. He got this one record that I’m<br />
about to go hard with called “Wild Out.” It’s me<br />
featuring Piccalo. It’s like a party vibe, somethin’<br />
they not expecting from GunPlay. I’m<br />
getting a real good response. It’s only been<br />
out a couple days and has a couple thousand<br />
downloads. I’m about to shoot a video to that.<br />
So I hear Triple C’s is already working on the<br />
next album Color, Cut, Clarity.<br />
Yeah, we gon’ give ‘em more gangsta shit,<br />
but this time we’re gonna definitely focus on<br />
radio. We’re gonna deal with less features,<br />
we want to showcase just Triple C’s more. We<br />
want to put the focus on Torch, GunPlay, and<br />
Young Breed, and everybody already know<br />
how Ross does. We’re coming with more<br />
hooks from us.<br />
Where will you be during Super Bowl Weekend<br />
Do you have your schedule yet<br />
I’m gon’ be jumpin’ around, I know that. I’m<br />
gon’ be all over the place, gettin’ into so much<br />
trouble. We gonna be everywhere.<br />
What about on nights when you’re not<br />
booked somewhere Where will you be<br />
when you have some free time<br />
One of my homie’s cribs or Ross’ crib. Or<br />
probably at Take One. I keep it real simple. I<br />
ain’t with all the extravagantness. I like to just<br />
barbecue at my dawg’s crib in the hood or<br />
whatever, just chill.<br />
What else is going on with you<br />
I got EveryDayGunPlay.com coming soon. By<br />
the time y’all are reading this you can login to<br />
my website. I’ma show y’all how I’m livin’. You<br />
gon’ see all my videos, all the new freestyles,<br />
download the mixtapes, do all that. I’ma have<br />
blogs on there, everythang GunPlay. //<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
OZONE MAG // 13
Formerly the PD for 102.3 in Tallahasee,<br />
Ed Da World Famous IS<br />
NOW a DJ, on-air personality, and<br />
sports radio host in Miami. He<br />
can also be heard in Augusta and<br />
Valdosta, GA, as well as ON the<br />
CORE DJs Radio show and his own<br />
internet show. He’s pretty much<br />
everywhere, and this Super Bowl<br />
weekend he’ll be interviewing<br />
your favorite Athletes.<br />
Introduce yourself and tell us what you have<br />
going on.<br />
I’m Ed da World Famous. People know me for<br />
being a Program Director in Tallahassee at Blazin’<br />
102.3. I left there about 4 years ago. I’m in Miami<br />
and I still do radio in other markets. I DJ in clubs<br />
around the city and I’m a full-time sports host. It’s<br />
a new venture I started.<br />
How long were you at the station in Tallahassee<br />
before you moved to Miami<br />
I started in radio in Tallahassee when I was in college<br />
at WAMF. I went to work for WHBX. After that<br />
I left Tallahassee and worked in Cincinnati and Columbus,<br />
GA, then back to Tallahassee where I had<br />
the opportunity to work as an on-air personality<br />
and run Blazin 102.3. I was there for four years.<br />
Do you have residencies in Miami or do you<br />
bounce around<br />
When I got down here, people knew me as a<br />
radio personality so I kinda had to fight my way in<br />
as a DJ. I’ve had a couple of residencies, and right<br />
now I’m at a spot called Sahari Lounge. Other<br />
than that, I bounce around at spots like Sobe<br />
Live, Ink, Cameo, Dreams. Personally, I really enjoy<br />
ED DA WORLD<br />
FAMOUS<br />
Words by Ms Rivercity<br />
doing events.<br />
What do you have going on for Super Bowl<br />
Weekend<br />
Monday through Friday of that week I’ll be on<br />
radio row interviewing athletes. I’m hosting the<br />
midday show on 790 The Ticket. I’m one half of<br />
a show called The Sports Brothers with Jeff Fox.<br />
I got a bunch of Super Bowl parties tied in with<br />
the radio station. Ricky Williams has an event.<br />
Michael Irving has a couple events that we’ll<br />
be tied into. I’ll be at Sahari Lounge on Friday,<br />
Saturday, and late Sunday night.<br />
How does doing sports radio compare to<br />
music radio<br />
Hip Hop and music and sports all ties in well<br />
with each other. Every time we talk to an athlete,<br />
we make the conversation not only about<br />
what they do sports-wise, but we also ask who<br />
they got in the iPod, who they listen to when<br />
they get pumped up for a game. We’re not the<br />
typical hosts, we try to get them to relax and<br />
have a normal conversation. It makes it easier<br />
when we do interviews.<br />
You mentioned that you do radio in other<br />
markets. Which ones<br />
I still do music radio. I voice track for a station in<br />
Augusta, GA and one in Valdosta, GA. I do my<br />
own show called World Famous Radio, it’s on a<br />
couple internet stations. I’m also the technical<br />
producer for the CORE DJs radio show. I pretty<br />
much put that show together and mix as well. It<br />
airs on 27 stations every week. I have my hands<br />
in both sports and music radio and I’m happy<br />
where I’m at right now.<br />
Besides radio, are you involved with any other<br />
ventures<br />
I work with Lex Promotions as Director of New<br />
Artists. It’s kinda like A&Ring. A lot of local acts<br />
want to know how to promote their music in a<br />
way that makes sense. They come to me and I<br />
explain how Lex Promotions promotes. So you<br />
could say I help local artists step their promotional<br />
game up.<br />
How can the people stay up to date on what<br />
you have going on<br />
My website is WorldFamousRadioShow.com, as<br />
well as 790TheTicket.com. //<br />
14 // OZONE MAG
Pretty<br />
Ricky<br />
16 // OZONE MAG
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
Photo by Hannibal Matthews<br />
OZONE MAG // 17
OZONE MAG // 19
wazy<br />
tyles<br />
Words by Ms Rivercity<br />
Photo by James P<br />
20 // OZONE MAG
Originally from the Bronx, NY,<br />
Swazy Styles (NOT TO BE CONFUSED<br />
WITH GEORGIA NATIVE AND SLIp-N-<br />
SLIDE SIGNEE SWAZY BABY) MADE<br />
major moves after moving to<br />
South Florida. Taking advantage<br />
of the networking opportunities<br />
around him, Swazy has the support<br />
of many area DJs, including<br />
Shadyville’s DJ Epps. Here, Swazy<br />
explains how he’s taking his craft<br />
to the next level.<br />
How did you start getting your name out<br />
there<br />
I started out freestyle battling on the block in<br />
New York. I was real animated with my flow<br />
and delivery. I used to eat a lot of dudes up. I<br />
saw I could put together songs, so me and my<br />
crew put together a nice home-based studio.<br />
People started liking our music so promoters<br />
started booking us for shows. At the time I was<br />
in a group called Amped Up with another artist<br />
called Precise. We continued on our journey<br />
for about 5 or 6 years and then I went solo.<br />
What brought you to Miami<br />
I moved to Miami in 1993. We came out here in<br />
for opportunity. I was young, my mom’s loved<br />
it out here ‘cause of the weather and all that. It<br />
was a better environment to raise a teenager<br />
in. When we moved down here, I continued to<br />
pursue my goal. I met all the right people and<br />
networked. I established a name for myself in<br />
Miami and Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach.<br />
You have a decent internet presence. What<br />
have you been doing to establish yourself on<br />
the net<br />
8 months ago I teamed up with a company<br />
called YoRaps.com. They’re managing my PR<br />
and giving me an online presence. We also did<br />
a mixtape feature for their website, presented<br />
by Block Starz Music. I had a lot of heavyhitter<br />
DJs cosign me like Supastar J, DJ Epps, Chuck<br />
T, DJ Drama, DJ Scream, DJ Nasty. I had over 7<br />
DJs cosign my mixtape. My mixtape had 40%<br />
of the downloads on the website. When they<br />
saw that, they knew there was a hunger for my<br />
music so they presented me with a contract. I<br />
signed with Block Starz Music.<br />
What’s the next move<br />
I got my assistant Aldo working real hard for<br />
me. I’m gonna continue to build that buzz out<br />
here on radio, Power 96, and 99 Jamz. I just<br />
finished a mixtape called Live From the County<br />
Line, hosted by DJ Laz from Power 96 and DJ<br />
GQ. It’s got 7,000 downloads right now. I’m<br />
also working on my album called Hustle Life. I<br />
got production from CP Hollywood, The Runners,<br />
Mike Beatz, Ace of Spades. I got Triple<br />
Cs on the album, KC, Billy Blue. I got K Pon on<br />
the album. He has a big song with Flo Rida.<br />
I’m looking to release the album in the 2nd<br />
quarter of 2010. I got distribution so it will be<br />
on iTunes, Amazon, and all that.<br />
Are you pushing any songs as a single<br />
My first single I dropped was called “Pockets<br />
Full of Green.” It was cosigned by Shadyville<br />
DJ Epps. He’s my official resident DJ. It played<br />
on radio from Palm Beach to Dade County. I<br />
did well with the ringtones. I had over 54,000<br />
ringtone downloads. Now I’m working on my<br />
second single called “Sounds Like Money.” I<br />
dropped that last February. It did so well that<br />
Unda Surveillance wanted to jump on it so<br />
we got the remix with Unda Surveillance. The<br />
video is out. The remix is in heavy rotation<br />
in clubs and radio. I’m going to let the remix<br />
bubble a little bit and drop my next record in<br />
March called “Already” ft. K Pon, produced by<br />
CP Hollywood.<br />
Do you know what you’ll be doing Super<br />
Bowl Weekend Are you booked anywhere<br />
I’m booked at Club Dream, SOBE Live, and I’ve<br />
got a show at Nocturnal in Downtown Miami.<br />
I’ll be real heavy that weekend.<br />
What else do you have going on<br />
I have two tours set up. We’ve got the Dream<br />
Big, Hustle Hard Tour set up. We’ll be doing 10<br />
cities, starting out with Miami, Orlando, and<br />
Atlanta. I’ll also be in the Bay Area and North<br />
Carolina.<br />
What’s the overall impression you want to<br />
leave with people, as far as your musical<br />
style and who you are as an artist<br />
I want everybody to know that Swazy Styles is<br />
here to give you originality. I like to party and<br />
have a good time, so that’s part of my music.<br />
At the same time, I like to give something<br />
back to the streets. I’d say my style is versatile<br />
for everybody. I’m originally from New York,<br />
so I got that New York swag with that down<br />
South sound at the same time. Excellence is<br />
my goal.<br />
Is there anything else you want to add<br />
I want everyone to check out my website<br />
SwazysWorld.com. Check me out on YoRaps.<br />
com and BlockStarzMusic.com. For inquiries,<br />
holla at my personal assistant Aldo Mottolese<br />
305-643-0786. //<br />
OZONE MAG // 21
ot<br />
ella<br />
Words by Ms Rivercity<br />
Photo by Asap Imaging<br />
22 // OZONE MAG
Hot Yella is a fast rising name<br />
emerging from the Tallahassee<br />
area. Recent cosigns from DJs<br />
Storm and Supastar J Kwik have a<br />
lot of people checking for Yella,<br />
and her new song “Miss Me” is taking<br />
off in Florida.<br />
Introduce yourself and tell us how you<br />
started rapping.<br />
Well, I started off singing. The first time I ever<br />
recorded anything I was in 7th grade. I actually<br />
rapped a little back then, but I started out singing.<br />
I also write music – I write R&B and Hip<br />
Hop records. I’m an artist on Triple Threat, so<br />
a lot of people know me for my tagline “Triple<br />
Threat.”<br />
Where are you from originally<br />
I’m from Tallahassee. I was born in Florida. I’m<br />
also from Madison, Wisconsin and Las Vegas.<br />
I moved around a lot. In high school I went to<br />
three different schools. I moved around a lot<br />
in middle and elementary school too, so my<br />
versatility comes through in my music.<br />
Do you still sing at all Or are you strictly<br />
rapping now<br />
Yeah, I still sing on some of my hooks. I’m<br />
mostly rapping right now though. I’m making<br />
a lot of fun records, a lot of club records right<br />
now. That’s what I really love to do – make<br />
feel-good, happy music, stuff for the ladies. But<br />
I also write R&B records and sing.<br />
Tell us about the “Miss Me” song you have<br />
buzzing on the net.<br />
“Miss Me” is out right now. I really wanna give a<br />
big shout out to Supastar J Kwik in Tallahasse,<br />
also all the DJs on Twitter, Facebook, and<br />
Myspace supporting the record. “Miss Me” is a<br />
song for the ladies. There’s a free download on<br />
HotYella.com.<br />
What’s the situation with you and DJ Storm<br />
Are you her artist or is she just helping you<br />
get your name out there<br />
Storm and I work together. I had been doing<br />
music for a while [before we linked up]. We<br />
worked in radio together. I interned at the<br />
station Blazin’ 102.3 for about a year and we<br />
became friends. She hosted my mixtape that I<br />
put out last June. I was gonna put out the mixtape<br />
anyway, and Storm was like, “I’m all about<br />
my ladies, chicks in charge.” So she wanted to<br />
host it. It turned out to be a real good mixtape.<br />
It’s called Life of a Triple Threat. You can also<br />
check that out on my website.<br />
Are you doing another mixtape soon<br />
I’m working on singles right now. I’m coming<br />
out with something every couple months.<br />
Right now I got “Miss Me,” I got a freestyle to<br />
Jay-Z’s “On to the Next.” It got on a mixtape<br />
this week and “Miss Me” got on two mixtapes<br />
this week. I also got a new single coming out<br />
called “Cat Walk.”<br />
You mentioned interning at the radio station.<br />
What were some things you learned in<br />
the internship that have helped with your<br />
music career<br />
It was a promotional internship and I also<br />
did a couple call-ins. It helped me. Radio and<br />
doing music is somewhat alike. You have to be<br />
good at networking and dealing with people.<br />
There’s a lot of good information you can<br />
learn in radio and bring that over into music.<br />
It seems like Tallahassee would be a good<br />
market to gain a fanbase with all the college<br />
students living there. Is that an advantage<br />
for you<br />
Yeah, 100 percent. We have all these universities<br />
here. If you can’t touch the people here<br />
and make a mark in the music industry, then<br />
it’s probably gonna be way harder for you to<br />
do it in a different market. There’s so many<br />
students and people thirsty for entertainment<br />
and clubs.<br />
As a representative for the ladies, what do<br />
you feel is missing from the game as far as<br />
that goes<br />
There’s an obvious lack of female artists. I<br />
think a lot of it has to do with how women<br />
present themselves as a business entity. A lot<br />
of men look at it as more of a business. But<br />
with Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj, people like<br />
that, I think it’s going to be changing soon.<br />
People are really thirsty to hear a good female<br />
artist. There’s gonna be more to come from<br />
“bad bitches.”<br />
What else do you have in the works<br />
Look out for my new single and keep yourself<br />
updated on HotYella.com. That’s where everything<br />
is, links to my Myspace, Facebook, Twitter.<br />
For booking you can contact 26 Talent at<br />
850-320-1030. All my ladies, keep your heads<br />
up and you’ll hear more to come. //<br />
OZONE MAG // 23
Back to his usual tricks, DJ Khaled<br />
is busy putting the biggest names<br />
in rap together onto one superproject.<br />
Victory, Khaled’s fourth<br />
compilation album, is slated for<br />
release this March. among the<br />
expected features like THE USUAL<br />
SUSPECTS YOUNG Jeezy, Rick Ross,<br />
Wayne, and T-Pain, there’s also a<br />
big surprise Khaled is waiting to<br />
REVEAL.<br />
What’s new with you We’ve been hearing a<br />
lot about the album lately. What’s the update<br />
with that<br />
The album is coming out March 2nd. It’s called<br />
Victory. This is my fourth album.<br />
It’s been a little while between your last<br />
album and this one. What are some things<br />
you’ve been focused on in the meantime<br />
Well, I’m the President of Def Jam South so<br />
I’m busy with that. I’m working with Rick Ross,<br />
Jeezy, Ludacris, Ace Hood, basically the whole<br />
Def Jam lineup.<br />
As President of Def Jam South, what exactly<br />
are your roles under that title What are you<br />
expected to accomplish<br />
Everything. The President delivers hit records,<br />
makes sure my artists are happy, and oversees<br />
each project as a whole. I did that last year<br />
with Rick Ross’ album. That went #1. We broke<br />
a new artist last year named Ace Hood. This<br />
year we got Rick Ross coming back out with<br />
Teflon Don. I predict that will be #1. We got<br />
Jeezy coming out with TM103. I predict that<br />
will be #1. Ludacris is coming out with a new<br />
album soon. I predict that will be #1. We just<br />
workin’. Def Jam is one big team. We all come<br />
together and help each other – from all the<br />
executives, to all the A&Rs, to all the promotions<br />
people.<br />
When you first started working and building<br />
the Khaled name, is this where you saw<br />
yourself going<br />
This is exactly what I predicted I was gonna do.<br />
So did you have a specific plan in mind for<br />
your career path, like an outline of goals Or<br />
did it just fall into place<br />
I definitely set goals to get to a certain level<br />
every year. I still got more goals to accomplish,<br />
but each year it played out.<br />
What’s the plan for Ace Hood He did two<br />
albums and everyone’s wondering where<br />
you’re going to go from here with him.<br />
We have a smash record. I’m about to release<br />
his single. We got a new record coming out<br />
with Trey Songz that’s a fuckin’ hit!<br />
Ace already had one single come out with<br />
Trey Songz that did pretty well. Is that why<br />
you went with him again on a collaboration<br />
The record you’re talking about was like a<br />
Top 10 record I think. It was huge. That record<br />
doing so well is what made me realize that<br />
Ace is good at making records for the ladies.<br />
Another reason I had Trey and Ace do another<br />
record together – they have great chemistry.<br />
But that was a learning experience for Ace,<br />
he had to find himself. Ace comes from the<br />
hood so he hadn’t experienced a lot of stuff<br />
musically in his life. Right now he’s a brand<br />
new fresh artist coming into his own. He’s got<br />
some hits under his belt, and we’re gonna<br />
drop a new one this year that’s gonna be big.<br />
You’re known for creating super collabos.<br />
What types of features can we expect on<br />
your album<br />
I’ve got a single out now called “Fed Up”<br />
featuring Usher, Jeezy, Ross, Weezy, and<br />
Drake. The video is huge. I’m about to drop<br />
two records. My second single is called “All I<br />
Do Is Win” featuring Ludacris, T-Pain, Snoop,<br />
and Ross. I have another record called “Put Ya<br />
Hands Up” featuring Jeezy, Ross, and Plies. It’s<br />
gonna hurt the streets on a whole other level.<br />
I guarantee Victory.<br />
If you could put some artists from any era on<br />
one record together, who would you have<br />
collaborate to make an epic song<br />
Definitely Jay-Z, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley,<br />
Tupac, and Biggie.<br />
What would you name that record<br />
“I Am Legend.”<br />
You also recently signed a new artist from<br />
Virginia, right<br />
He goes by the name of Rum. Rum is from<br />
Richmond, VA. I’m taking my time with Rum.<br />
He’s so big in his city and his street cred is<br />
so amazing. He has like five records playing<br />
on radio in his city; he has like 20 records in<br />
the club in his city. He has his city in a frenzy.<br />
His buzz over there is so crazy. His wordplay<br />
and punchlines are so amazing. The way the<br />
game is structured now, it’s different, so it’s<br />
hard to break new artists because the game<br />
is so saturated. So what I’m doing with Rum<br />
24 // OZONE MAG
DJ<br />
Khaled<br />
Words by Ms. Rivercity<br />
OZONE MAG // 25
is taking my time. The same buzz he has in<br />
his city, I want that to leak to other cities, like<br />
Miami, the rest of Florida, Atlanta, and beyond.<br />
We’re doing mixtapes, doing promo runs, and<br />
leaking music until we get a groundbreaking<br />
record that we can’t control. And when that<br />
happens, he’ll already have his big buzz so it’ll<br />
all connect. I have a vision with him to be the<br />
next big street authentic, down South artist,<br />
with real raps.<br />
Do you have anyone else signed to We the<br />
Best<br />
I signed an R&B kid named Jarvis out of<br />
Atlanta. You’re going to hear some music from<br />
him real soon. Right now it’s all about Victory,<br />
so I’m gonna start breaking Jarvis sometime<br />
in March.<br />
This is the same Jarvis that was signed to<br />
DTP What made you interested in him<br />
He used to be with Jermaine Dupri too. I didn’t<br />
really know who he was, and what happened<br />
was, I heard his music, some of the new<br />
records y’all haven’t heard yet, and it was so<br />
amazing. I heard the passion. I got records in<br />
the safe right now that’s crazy. He just hasn’t<br />
had his chance yet. I feel like he’s young, the<br />
girls love him, and under my brand with his hit<br />
records, he’s about to explode. He’s another<br />
one that I’m going to take my time with. Everyone<br />
under my belt, I’m developing them right<br />
now. I’m not just gonna throw them out there,<br />
it takes time. It took me 15 years to get where<br />
I’m at, maybe longer. If you ask any artist, from<br />
Jeezy to Ross to T.I. or Wayne, they’ll tell you<br />
they’ve been doing it for like 20 years. A lot of<br />
people take this game for granted – it’s a grind.<br />
It’s work.<br />
You mention developing your artists and<br />
making sure they’re ready to be released.<br />
Are they ready enough for your upcoming<br />
album<br />
They’re going to get a look on my album,<br />
definitely. Rum has a solo record on my album<br />
called “Bringin’ Real Rap Back.” I feel like this<br />
record is one of those street records that’s just<br />
gonna give him a stamp. When people buy my<br />
album, they’re gonna love it. They’ll be like,<br />
“Damn, who is this kid” It’s part of the breaking<br />
process. Then when they research him in<br />
Virginia, they see that he’s the king in Virginia.<br />
You’re helping put together major releases<br />
for solo artists alongside doing your album,<br />
which involves a lot of artists. Is creating an<br />
album like yours more difficult There’s probably<br />
a lot more involved.<br />
//DJ Khaled<br />
continued<br />
It’s harder because I have to deal with clearances,<br />
scheduling, and there’s so many artists<br />
involved. But I’m respected, and with my relationships<br />
and passion for the music, people<br />
know I can do it. That’s why I’m on my fourth<br />
album. I put quality music out there. But I<br />
make my albums like I’m a solo artist, like I’m<br />
Nas, Biggie, Pac, Pun, Wayne, or Jay-Z. When a<br />
lot of people make compilation albums, they<br />
just put records together, but not me – I put<br />
a sound together. When you hear it, you’ll<br />
understand why it’s titled Victory. My records<br />
are big records. It’s special.<br />
Do you have plans to work with any female<br />
artists I don’t think we’ve seen too much of<br />
that from you yet.<br />
I’m supposed to put Nicki Minaj on this one.<br />
She’s agreed to it, but with her schedule and<br />
mine we haven’t done it yet. I don’t want to<br />
put her on just any record. It’s got to be right.<br />
I’ve worked with females before – Lil Kim was<br />
on my last album. Trina’s been on two or three<br />
albums. I’m looking forward to working with<br />
Nicki Minaj in the future. I want to work with<br />
Lil Kim again. And of course I want to work<br />
with R&B artists like Keyshia Cole, Beyonce,<br />
Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige. That’s my next goal.<br />
I’ve worked with some of them on other projects,<br />
but not on mine.<br />
You’ve confirmed that Shyne is being featured<br />
on the album. When can we expect to<br />
hear that<br />
I’m going to talk to Shyne and see if we’re<br />
going to put it out ahead of time or wait. I’m<br />
letting Shyne decide the destiny of the record<br />
we have together, out of respect, because<br />
nobody’s heard from him in a while. He actually<br />
co-produced the record. I got a totally<br />
different respect for Shyne. I don’t want to<br />
give away the concept of the record, but we<br />
have a big surprise.<br />
What else do you have going on that people<br />
should know about<br />
My album Victory is coming out March 2nd.<br />
I promise you it’s amazing. I got every artist<br />
in the game on there, and I put amazing<br />
concepts to amazing records. Look out for “All<br />
I Do Is Win” and “Put Ya Hands Up.” Look out for<br />
“All My Life” – that’s one of the titles I want to<br />
put out there. //<br />
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