Your third album just came out. How doesit feel?I feel great, man. My album’s in stores. #1independent album; [my] third album that’sbeen the #1 independent album. I’m shootingthe video for “Go Hard” so look out for thevideo with DJ Khaled, Kanye West, and T-Pain.We’re doing it real big and I’m really excited,but it’s all about Ace Hood. [His album] Guttais gonna be in stores November 18th. We TheBest. Def Jam. Ace Hood. The future, you feelme?Do you think you’re the best DJ in the gameright now?For me to say I’m not the best, I’d be crazy. I’masay, “We the best!” you know what I’m sayin’.I’m definitely one of the best, amongst others.And at the same time, I like to represent that“we.” I’m all about the team. So, by me beingthe best, I got that “we” involved too, feel me.What was it about Ace Hood that made youwant to sign him as the first artist on yourlabel?He’s a superstar. When you see him, he lookslike a star. When he raps, he’s a beast, he’sa monster, he goes in. His swag is crazy. Hemakes hit records. He has a hit record rightnow called “Ride” featuring Trey Songz that’scrawling up the charts like crazy on everycountdown. His album is crazy; it’s calledGutta. He’s part of the We The Best movement,that whole Florida movement. And at thesame time, he’s the future. He’s young, he’s gotthat energy. He’s the hottest new artist in thegame right now, period.You’ve make a lot of anthems with a lot ofbig artists. How do you get all of these artistson one track?I got relationships, man. I’ve been in this gamefor years. I’ve been in the game since I was13, 14 years old. I got great relationships. Realrecognizes real. We respect each other, and wemake great music together. And at the sametime, people know I make great music, and wehelp each other. I’m like the Set Up King, youknow what I’m sayin’. People that usually geton my singles got a single coming out after, orthey already have one. It’s just more heat forthe fans. So, I’m that fire starter. And I’m alsothe torch holder, where the fire just continuesand won’t stop.producers and getting the beats first. And thenI hear certain things in the beats, and I be like,“Yo, I think Lil’ Wayne would be crazy over thisone,” or Ricky Ross, or Akon, or T-Pain, or Nas,or Game. That’s what I’m good at. I’m good atjust putting joints together, man.What’s more important to you: having a hitrecord on the charts or in the streets?Hit record in the streets. Of course you wannahave a hit records on the charts, but usually,hit records on the streets become hit recordson the charts. You’ve gotta get the streets hotto be on the charts, and not only that, butthe streets are what’s going to feed you, feelme? That’s what I make. I make great streetanthems. I make great music for the hood andfor everyone. But the streets is what I’m talkin’‘bout, that’s how I got here.What do you think is the difference betweenyour first album and the new album you justreleased?I’ve had three albums, so the first was theintroduction of me making albums. I showedthe world I can do it. [That album] Listennnwas a classic. Then I came with We The Bestand showed people that it wasn’t an accident.This is what I do for real. I gave you “We Takin’Over” and “I’m So Hood,” “Brown Paper Bag,”records that will never go away, they’re inthe history books as Hip Hop classics. “I’m SoHood” and “We Takin’ Over” are records that arejust classics. We Global just showed you thatwe’re gon’ continue doing it on a global level,getting bigger and bigger. At the same time,we’ve got “Out Here Grindin’.” that’s one of thebiggest street anthems in the game. “Go Hard”is so big out there, with Kanye West and T-Pain.So, right now, we’re grindin’, man. I make musicfor the average person. So, my albums get biggerand better...The rest of this interview is featured in OZONE<strong>Magazine</strong>’s October issue.How do you decide which artists will be onwhich songs?I be vibin’, man. I be in the studio on that Hennesseyand Red Bull, and I just be in that zone,picking beats, or making beats, or getting withOZONE MAG // 33
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