What made you want to branch out from theCEO role of 2 Dog Records and pursue theartist role?It was a natural progression into it. When Ifirst started doing music I was in a group andthen I moved into the CEO role. I was puttingmy money behind all my different artists andno one could score like I’ve learned to score. 2Dog Records is a brand name; it’s an entity thateverybody knows, but nobody was giving methat smash hit. Nobody was giving me what Iwas trying to coach them into doing. It’s similarto Nelly and the St. Lunatics – they were agroup first and everybody saw that Nelly wasgonna be the first franchise to break off andmake a way for everybody else. I’m gonna showeverybody how to do it, and then we’re gon’ allcome back together and make more music.So before this song you actually had experiencebeing a singer? I think most people sawyou as the man behind 2 Dog Records, butdidn’t realize your other talents.I was actually an original member of the groupThe Strangers, which is one of the groups Ihad signed to my label. I started out singingon hooks and they would rap about whateverI was singing about. We separated and then Isigned Willo Da Don. I sang hooks on some ofhis biggest songs. When I signed Big Koon andHollywood, anytime you get one of their CDsand hear somebody singing on the hook, it’sa good chance it’s me singing. All the songs Idid were street songs or hood anthems andthose are the ones that everybody in the hoodattached to – like “Fly As Me” and “I’d RatherDo 100 Years” on Big Koon and Hollywood’sproject. All the songs I sang would be the topsongs on their CDs, so it was a natural progressioninto doing it.Speaking of Big Koon and Hollywood, whydid you give them the group name Certifiedafter everyone was already familiar withtheir other name?It was a decision made by radio, like with 2Pistols. We couldn’t go to radio with the nameBig Koon. There was a derogatory connotationbehind the name, like a racial slur, so we had togive them a group name for radio. We came upwith the name Certified because they’re certifiedall the way across the board, everythingthey do from street to corporate.When did you first come up with the idea tostart a record label?I came up with 2 Dog Records in 2000. From‘95 to ‘98 I was in the group and when weseparated I was doing my own thing for abouttwo years. I came back to my hood and starteda label again. The first person I signed was achildhood friend of mine and an original memberof The Strangers, Willo Da Don. That’s howit got started.Explain the process for getting your companyup and running and how challenging ithas been.It was definitely challenging. I think for themost part, as a street person, everybody looksat you as if you’re going to be here today andgone tomorrow. They looked at 2 Dog like it’sanother street person trying to start a label,looking for a way out. And it’s much more thanthat to me. I’m such a musical person myself. Ithink with me coming out and singing, peoplewill see that as the reason why I got into music,not because I’m a street person looking for away out. I love music and I have talent.Do you feel like the time and money you’veinvested so far is paying off?I think we’re well on our way to being put inthe position where it’s gonna pay off. It hasa lot to do with timing. I heard E Class say inan interview that he invested over $750,000before he made his first hit with Rick Ross.He had small success with Jacki-O, but it stillwasn’t her time. He didn’t see big success untilRick Ross came along. It’s like that with me.Now with me putting out the single, I’ve gottenthe biggest response faster than I’ve everseen on anything I’ve put out on my artists.I think our label is strong and the majors aredefinitely looking at 2 Dog. They all know whowe are. We have gotten calls but none of thesituations were necessarily in our best interest.But we have everything lined up where it’sreally gonna pay off big for us.What else do you have planned for yourselfand 2 Dog Records?I just got finished recording the next song.What we wanted to do was capture the streets.I’m doing street R&B. I’m living my life throughR&B. It’s been so many years since we’ve hada group that the gangstas and hustlers couldlisten to. As a street person, we don’t listen toNe-Yo or Chris Brown. We don’t go in the trapand play those records. We was listening toH-Town or Jodeci. I’m the closest thing to oneof those groups that the trap people will listento. I’m so deep in the streets and with theangle I’m going, I think the streets will receiveit like they’ve never received anything before.I’d like to end the interview by saying, with1Lee, when this project comes out it’s gonnabe something different that nobody’s everdone before. Everybody should pay attentionto it and know that it’s gonna be somethingso street, so strong, and so undeniable that itcan’t help but to win.OZONE MAG // 11
Words by Ms. RivercityPhoto by Browns Jones PhotographyFrom radio play to award nominations,the Skai is the Limit for thisTallahassee songstress. Quicklybecoming the talk of Florida, Skai ispreparing for her future as the nextbig thing in R&B.12 // // OZONE MAG
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