Memorial - Ozone Magazine

WELCOME TO MIAMI 

Memorial 

DayWeekend 

special edition 

T-PAIN 

& 

+ benisour // DUNK RYDERS // dirtbag 

RICK ROSS // DEUCE POPPI // PICCALO 

dirtered // ZO // RALPHIGE // TEDDY T 

DJ ASPEKT // DJ SUICIDE // & more 

DJ KHALED

WELCOME TO MIAMI 

Memorial 

DayWeekend 

special edition 

BENISOUR 

+ DJ KHALED // T-PAIN // DUNK RYDERS 

RICK ROSS // DEUCE POPPI // PICCALO 

DIRTBAG // ZO // RALPHIGE // TEDDY T 

DJ ASPEKT // DJ SUICIDE // DIRTERED

| OZONE

36 | OZONE

PUBLISHER: 

Julia Beverly 

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER: 

N. Ali Early 

GUEST EDITOR: 

Ms Rivercity 

MEMORIAL day 

WEEKEND 

**miami special edition** 

ART DIRECTOR: 

Tene Gooden 

CONTRIBUTORS: 

Eric Perrin 

J Lash 

Mercedes 

Terrence Tyson 

PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR: 

Malik Abdul 

STREET TEAMS: 

Big Mouth Marketing & Promotions 

(Big Teach) 

On Point Marketing & Promotions 

(Buggah D. Govanah) 

Lex Promotions (Lex) 

Strictly Streets (Mercedes) 

SUBSCRIPTIONS: 

To subscribe, send check or 

money order for $11 to: 

Ozone Magazine 

644 Antone St. Suite 6 

Atlanta, GA 30318 

Phone: 404-350-3887 

Fax: 404-350-2497 

Web: www.ozonemag.com 

COVER CREDITS: 

T-Pain & DJ Khaled, Zo, Benisour, 

& Rick Ross photos by 

Julia Beverly. 

DISCLAIMER: 

OZONE does not take responsibility 

for unsolicited materials, misinformation, 

typographical errors, 

or misprints. The views contained 

herein do not necessarily reflect 

those of the publisher or its 

advertisers. Ads appearing in this 

magazine are not an endorsement 

or validation by OZONE Magazine 

for products or services offered. All 

photos and illustrations are copyrighted 

by their respective artists. 

All other content is copyright 

2007 OZONE Magazine, all rights 

reserved. No portion of this magazine 

may be reproduced in any way 

without the written consent of the 

publisher. Printed in the USA. 

Section A 

11-13 MIAMI MAPS 

14-15 CLUB LISTINGS 

16-17 EVENT LISTINGS 

20 DJ ASPEKT 

22 DJ SUICIDE 

30-31 DES-LOC OF PICCALO 

32-33 DUNK RYDERS 

36-37 DIRTBAG 

38-39 ZO 

40-41 REDD EYEZZ 

24-25 T-PAIN 

26-27 DJ KHALED 

Section b 

8 RALPHIGE 

10 TEDDY T 

12 PRINCE MARKIE DEE 

14 MODELS 

16-17 RICK ROSS 

18-19 CUBO 

22-23 P PLUCK 

26-27 DEUCE POPPI 

28-29 DIRTERED 

32-33 SHONIE 

38-39 BENISOUR 

OZONE |

10 | OZONE

GREATER MIAMI MAP 

OZONE | 11

DOWNTOWN MIAMI MAP 

12 | OZONE

SOUTH BEACH MAP 

OZONE | 13

C 

Miami 

lub Listing 

Amika 

1532 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 534-1499 

Angel Ultra Lounge 

247 23rd Street, Miami Beach, FL 

Area 51 

950 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33132 

Phone: (305) 358-5655 

At the Boulevard 

7770 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33138 

Bab Entertainment Inc 

1000 West Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 532-2526 

Bash Nightclub 

655 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 538-2274 

Bermuda’s 

3509 NE 163rd Street 

Phone: (305) 945-0196 

Blue 

222 Espanola Way, Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 534-1109 

Bricks 

66 SW 6th St, Miami, FL 33130 

Phone: (305) 371-6950 

Cameo 

1400 West Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 695-0517 

Club Ache 

3425 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140 

Phone: (305) 604-8688 

Club 112 

1439 Washington Avenue 

Club 45 

4545 NW 7th St, Miami, FL 33126 

Phone: (305) 442-6369 

Club Deep 

621 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 532-1509 

Club Ebony 

12953 NW 7th Ave, North Miami 33182 

Phone: (305) 685-5305 

Club Madonna 

1527 Washington Ave, Miami Beach 

Phone: (305) 534-2000 

Club O’Zone 

6600 SW 57TH AVE, South Miami, FL 33143 

Phone: (305) 667-2888 

Club Warehouse 

90 NE 11th St, Miami, FL 33132 

Phone: (786) 425-3545 

Coco’s Lounge Living On The Edge 


Phone: (305) 688-5005 

Cristal Nightclub 

1045 5th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 531-0141 

Crobar 


Phone: (305) 531-8225 

Expose 

766 E 25th St, Hialeah, FL 

Phone: (305) 691-8980 

Fat Tuesday 

3015 Grand Ave, Miami, FL 33133 

Phone: (305) 441-2992 

Fifth (The) 

1045 5th St., Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 538-9898 

Funkshion 

1116 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 673-0554 

GEM Nightclub & Restaurant 


(305) 674-0977 

Ginger Bay Cafe 

1908 Hollywood Blvd 

Hollywood FL | Phone: (954) 923-1230 

Glass 

432 41st St., Miami Beach, FL 33140 

Phone: (305) 604-9798 

Harrison’s 


Phone: (305) 672-4600 

Ire Night Club 

833 SW 29th Ave, Miami, FL 33135 

Phone: (305) 643-3870 

Ivy Room 


Phone: (305) 532-1525 

14 | OZONE

Jazid 


Phone: (305) 673-9372 

Krave 

1203 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL 

Phone: (305) 673-5950 

Lady Luck 


Phone: (305) 688-1151 

Level Nightclub 


Phone: (305) 532-1525 

Madonna Night Club 


Phone: (305) 534-2000 

Mansion 


Phone: (305) 531-5535 

Miami Velvet 

3901 NW 77th Ave, Miami, FL 33166 

Phone: (305) 406-1604 

Mynt 

1921 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (786) 276-6132 

Nikki Beach Club 

1 Ocean Drive 

Phone: (305) 673-1575 

Nocturnal 

50 NE 11th St., Maimi, FL 33132 

Phone: (305) 576-6996 

Onda 


Phone: (305) 674-4464 

Opium Garden & Prive 

136 Collins Ave., Miami Beach FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 531-5535 

Penthouse Inc 


Phone: (305) 538-4010 

Platinum Plus 

7565 W 20th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33014 

Phone: (305) 558-2221 

Rain 

323 23rd St, Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 674-7447 

Rokbar 


Phone: (305) 535-7171 

Rumi 

330 Lincoln Road | Phone: (305) 672-4353 

Santo 

430 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 532-2882 

Sax on the Beach 

1756 N Bayshore Dr, Miami, FL 33132 

Phone: (786) 924-5535 

Scores Miami 

17450 Biscayne Blvd, North Miami Beach, FL 

Phone: (305) 945-6030 

Seven 


Phone: (305) 538-0820 

Shelborne Beach Resort 


Phone: (305) 531-8416 

Skybar 


Phone: (305) 695-3100 

SIN 


Phone: (305) 532-4786 

Sobe Live 

1203 Washington Avenue • Miami, FL 33193 • 

Phone: (305) 695-2820 

Sofi Lounge 


Phone: (305) 532-4444 

Space 

34 NE 11th St., Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 375-0001 

State 

320 Lincoln Rd. 

Suite 


Phone: (305) 604-3664 

Tantra 

1445 Pennsylvania Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139 

Phone: (305) 672-4765 

Twist 


Phone: (305) 538-9478 

VINO Miami 

1601 Washington Place, Suite 110, Miami Beach 

FL 33139 | Phone: (786) 207-8466 

OZONE | 15

Wednesday, May 23th 

Sobe Live Welcome to Miami party 

Music by 99 Jamz DJ Entice and DJ Surge 

Fist 100 ladies free 

Ladies drink free till 12 AM, free with college ID 

before 12 AM 

Thursday, May 24th 

The CoreMorial Day Weekend pt. 3 

The Core DJs/Remy Martin @ 

The Marlin Suites 

(1200 W. Collins Ave, Miami-South Beach) 

Core DJ’s Lounge opens 12 NOON until 5am Thur- 

Mon (5 Days) of 

Memorial Day Weekend. 

(Schedule and arrangements subject to change 

w/ additions 

24hourhiphop.com & Papa Smirf presents Memorial 

Day Weekend Kickoff 

Club Allure (Part of Metropolis) 

Downtown Miami 

Performances from: Brisco, Flo Rida, Triple C, 

Cool N Dre, Joe Hound, C 

Ride, P.M. and many more 

Memorial Weekend Blast-Off Party 

Ladies Free Before 1AM 

Featuring Steelie Bashment, Massive B., Big 

Kap, Supa Sound w/Supa Twitch, Smokey Fire, 

DJ Khaled, Innocent Sound, Street League, and 

more 

At Opium 

Uncensored @ Cameo (formerly Crobar) 

Headliner Market Group, Angel, and Phil The 

Mayor present Uncensored: 

The Welcome to Miami Celebrity Affair hosted by 

Uncle Luke 

Mingle with NBA and NFL players along with 50 

Exotic dancers. 

Ladies are free before 12:30am 

Music by Stevie J and DJ Surge 

Club Deep 621 Washington Ave South Beach 

DJ Tarique Smoke from Field Mob, Piccalo, & Co 

De-Fendants along with 

Eastcoast Ryders & Dub Magazine 

doors open @ 10pm 

MTV Memorial takeover with live taping of MTV 

Sucker Free with Cipha 

Live performance by Stack$ and special celebrity 

guest 

Special confirmed invited guest Swiss Beats, Slim 

Thug and DJ Drama 

Music by BET’s own Mad Linx and DJ Element 

Doors open at 10pm, first 100 ladies free, ladies 

drink free till 

11pm, dress code strictly enforced 

Allen Iverson, Premiering DJ Khaled’s new single 

from his 2nd CD “We The Best”, The Official 

Release of Smitty’s new 

single “Died In Your Arms”, The Core DJ’s new 

single from the 

forthcoming CD, DJ Rip, T. Neal, Bigg Lipp & Supa 

Cindy, DJ Kool G, and 

the rest of The Core DJ Family! 

Friday, May 25th 

OZONE Magazine presents 

LIL BOOSIE live in concert 

Hosted by the Trill Entertainment Family, Webbie 

Foxx, Lil Boosie 

Special guest DJs BET’s Rap City DJ Q45 and DJ 

Element 

Doors open at 10 PM, first 100 ladies free 

Welcome To The Bottom 

Jacki-O and Busta Rhymes 

@ Cameo (formerly Crobar) 

1445 Washington Ave. South Beach. 305.532.2667 

Birdman and Lil Wayne 

Cash Money’s 10th Anniversary 

DJ Khaled, Big Kap, Cipha Sounds, DJ Entice, 

Hosted by K-Foxx 

Opium Garden 

Saturday, May 26th 

New York invades Miami Beach 

Hosted by NY’s hottest DJ’s Hot 97 Jabba, Steelie 

Bashment, Innocent, 

Foota Hype and Super Twitch 

Special celebrity DJ and artist Tony Matterhorn 

(Dutty Whine and Mi Back) 

Special celebrity guest list Bounty Killer, Jr. Reid, 

Baby Cham, 

Movado, Fast and Flex 

Doors open at 10pm 

Saturday Night, @ INK 

“NFL Celebrity Draft Party part 2” 

16 | OZONE

DJ TARIQUE 

All the NFL Players along with Smoke from Field 

Mob, Pleasure of Pretty Ricky & Trey Songz 

Doors open @ 10pm 

Ladies, Can We Buy You A Drink 

Featuring T-Pain & Akon 

Opium Garden 

“Day Time” @ Hotel Victor 

1144 Ocean Drive South Beach 

“NFL Celebrity Draft Party” 

1 PM - 8 PM 

DJ Khaled, DJ Tarique, DJ Sam Sneak, DJ Suicide 

NFL Superstars Dwayne Bowe, Fred Taylor, Clinton 

Portis, Willis Magahee, Javon Jearse, Edgerin 

James, Plaxico Burress, & many many more 

Young, Rich, & Muthafuckin’ Gangsta 


1445 Washington Ave. South Beach 

305.532.2667 

Hosted by Allen Iverson, Lil Wayne, Fabolous, DJ 

Drama & more 

Music by DJ Drama, Stevie J, Suicide (99 Jamz) 

Sunday May, 27th 

Sunday Night Live at Sobe Live 

Hosted by Rich Boy. Gloria Velez and India 

Fashion show presented by Meezan, Apple Bottom, 

Azzure & LRG 

Special guests include Denver Broncos, Miami 

Dolphins, Mims, Tony Sunshine, Aaron Rouse 

(Green Bay Packers) 

Music by NYC’s own soundproof international, XL 

and Silky and Cali’s own Jam-X 

Doors open at 10 PM, dress code enforced 

Soul Kitchen Sundays 

@ The Forge 

432 41st Street . Miami Beach. 305.538.8533 

T-Pain performing live 

The Fifth night Club 

DJ Entice, DJ Tarique, DJ Cox, Touch Tone 

Doors open @ 10pm 

Kelly Rowland, Ciara, & More! 

Twista’s 2nd Annual Bottles & Models Part 

Featuring Hoopz, Gloria Velez, and Buffie the 

Body 

Marlin Hotel 

1200 Collins St. 

Miami, FL 

Sunday Skool - Class Is in Session! Legends on 

Sunday 

(CoreMorial Eve) w/ Grandmaster Dee and Whodini, 

Big Daddy Kane, Slick 

Rick, more TBA. 

At Core DJ’s Lounge - Marlin Hotel 

Monday May 28th, 2007 

6th Annual Jadakiss Birthday Extravaganza 


1445 Washington Ave. South Beach 

305.532.2667 

Allen Iverson & Friends 

Allen Iverson, DJ Envy, DJ Khaled, Big Kap, and 

Bulletproof 

@ Club Mansion 

Coremorial Day Finale’ w/ The Shop Boyz, Smitty, 

The Core DJ’s 

& You don’t wanna miss the line-up at this one 

Marlin Hotel 

memorial weekend 

event listing 

Best Of The Best 2007- Buju Banton, Akon, Lady 

Saw, Shaggy, Bounty Killer, Wyclef Jean, & more 

Bicentennial Park 

Carmelo Anthony Birthday Celebration 

at Opium Garden 

Featuring La La Vasquez, DJ Khaled, Fat Joe, 

OZONE | 17

18 | OZONE

OZONE | 19

dj Aspekt 

Words by Ms Rivercity 

DJ Aspekt is a forerunner in the Miami 

mixtape community. When he isn’t 

hustling to put out the newest, exclusive 

tracks, Aspekt is occupied with developing 

his All Out label and DJ Crew. 

What projects are you focusing on right now 

Right now I’m just building my label All Out 

Records. I’m also building my DJ Crew All Out 

Allstar DJs. I’ve got around 75 DJs on my team. 

We just started the international chapter with 

ten DJs; DJ Red Devil from Germany is running 

that. Our first artist off the label All Out Records 

is Frank Black from Little Haiti, Miami. At the 

same time, I’m doing my mixtapes. My next one 

is the Memorial Day Weekend mixtape hosted by 

Frank Black and Xplict. After that, I got another 

mixtape hosted by Jim Jones, Remy Ma and 334 

MOBB. 

Your mixtapes do pretty well. Are you worried 

that the RIAA crackdown will affect your 

business 

I don’t think it’ll hurt my business at all. I’m 

a hustla, you feel me At the end of the day, 

nobody’s gonna bring me down. If I wanna do 

something with mixtapes, I’m gonna do it. I 

know that the whole situation going down with 

Drama is crazy. I wouldn’t want to get locked up 

for my mixtapes, but it won’t stop me. 

Your slogan is “Never Trust a Skinny DJ.” Why do 

you say that 

There’s nothing against skinny DJs. More than 

half the DJs on my team are skinny themselves. 

My partner S1 is a skinny DJ. There’s two meanings 

to it; it’s about hungry people. I’m hungry 

in this rap game; I’m hungry for money and 

I’m hungry to be successful in what I’m doing. 

It means I love to eat. Don’t take it personal; I 

don’t have anything against skinny DJs. What I 

mean about skinny DJs is, they don’t like to eat, 

bust their ass and hustle like I do. At the same 

time, I am fat. 

Besides Frank Black, who are some other hot 

artists in Miami 

Xplict. 

Rick Ross and Pitbull are 

putting Miami on the map. Billie Jean is a female 

artist from Little Haiti. She’s hot; she’s coming 

with it even though she hasn’t pushed it out 

yet. Trust me. She ain’t even my artist but I’m 

cosigning her. Shonie is going to be the next big 

R&B artist out of Miami. Definitely Frank Black. 

We’re running the streets out here; we’re doing 

shows every week. Little Haiti got our back. The 

crowd is loving us. The single produced by Midus 

is also getting played. 

How else are you helping those artists 

I’m helping Frank Black get a lot of underground 

radio exposure. He’s only 18 years 

old. He’s still got a lot to learn. I help get him 

shows. He’s done college radio shows. It’s the 

same situation with Billie Jean. Frank actually 

did a track with Shonie. The single’s crazy. 

What can people expect to hear on your mixtapes 

I try to play the most exclusive stuff. As far 

artists, I gotta throw Jim Jones on there. I gotta 

play Rick Ross and Frank Black of course. G-Unit 

and 50 Cent is always hot in the mixtape game. 

T.I. is always coming out with bangers. 

As a DJ and music lover, when was the best era 

for Hip Hop 

’90-’95. That’s when all the kings came out 

– Nas, Biggie, Jay-Z. That’s when the top five 

artists right now came out. That was a time 

when music was beautiful. It wasn’t all about 

money. It was all about the love of Hip Hop. 

Do you want to give out any booking or contact 

info 

You can reach me at www.myspace.com/djaspektmixtapes. 

Also, shout out to All Out Records, 

Science, Xplict, Shonie, Billy Jean, CP Hollywood, 

Midus, Frank Blank and the whole 305. // 

20 | OZONE

OZONE | 21

dj SUICIDE 


J Suicide has been part of the 99 Jamz 

team in Miami for almost 15 years. With a 

Dlifetime of experience in the music business, 

Suicide has some useful advice for aspiring 

artists. 

What times are you on the air 

I’m on the air Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 

Saturday from 12 PM - 1 PM and Sunday from 7 

PM - 9 PM. 

Are you at any clubs as well 

I do a couple of clubs. On Friday nights I 

pretty much bounce around and on Saturday 

I’m at Club Cinema. I’m starting a new club on 

Sundays. 

How long have you been in the radio business 

I started underground radio back in 1990 and 

I’ve been with 99 Jamz for about fourteen or 

fifteen years. 

What is your opinion on the Hip Hop scene in 

Miami 

It’s a wonderful thing but I feel like everybody 

needs to help each other and put each other on. 

Don’t keep it clicked up. It shouldn’t be like that. 

When you’re not DJing, what are some things 

you enjoy doing 

I do myself. If I’m not working, I’m at home 

chilling and spending time with my fiancé. 

Right now my fiancé is in South Carolina and my 

daughter’s in South Carolina. When they’re here, 

I spend time with them when I go home. 

Does your career make it difficult to spend time 

with your family and have a personal life 

It definitely makes it difficult. My wife understands. 

She pushes me very hard and she’s a 

go-getter herself. She’s always wanted me 

to do good. She has my back and she’s very 

understanding. I do get to go home and spend 

quality time with my family. It’s a wonderful 

thing, though. 

Growing up, did you picture yourself doing anything 

other than working for a radio station 

I’ve always loved music. I was always involved 

in the music situation because of my dad. My 

dad is a real popular musician in Haiti. He was 

in the music industry so I was always into the 

music 

scene. I started DJing in high school, 

probably even before that. My mom bought me 

my first two turntables. I’ve been in the game 

for a long time and it’s in my blood. 

Which albums in your music collection do you 

consider to be classics 

Young Jeezy’s first album is a classic. T.I.’s 

Urban Legend is a classic. Jay-Z’s Black Album is 

classic. Any album from J.T. Money is classic. Lil 

Wayne’s The Carter is classic. 

How difficult is it to break a new record 

It’s not really difficult; you just gotta know what 

you’re doing in the whole situation. The labels 

gotta know what they’re doing. You should go 

after it. Don’t just say, “I’m going to do a record, 

go to the DJ and have them break it.” Then all 

of sudden you don’t go after it anymore. Most 

labels get real lazy about the whole situation 

and say if it ain’t happening right now for them, 

then it’s not happening. 

So you feel like people give up too easily 

Yeah. It’s not hard to break a record. It’s easy to 

break a record. If you’re an artist and you feel 

confident about a certain record, stay with it. 

Are you working with any of the up-and-coming 

artists from Miami 

Yeah, I’m working with a young artist named 

OZ. I’m working with Redd Eyezz and Strictly 

Business Records – I’m part of SBR’s family. I’m 

working with Big Dawgz out of Ft. Lauderdale. 

What other projects are you working on 

I’m going to be hosting a couple of mixtapes 

with a couple of artists. I’m going to be working 

on a DJ Suicide album coming soon. I’m also 

going to start working with Akinyele and J.T. 

Money also. 

Do you have a website 

You can always check me at www.Myspace. 

com/djsuicidewedr. // 

22 | OZONE

24 | OZONE 

T-PAIN 

Words & Photo by Julia Beverly

Are you happy with the response to your 

debut album How many copies did you 

sell 

We’re up to around 800,000 [sold] right 

now. 

Were you hoping for a million 

Shit, I was hoping for two. Two copies, 

shit. I was just hoping someone wanted to listen 

to it and someone would buy it. I didn’t give a 

fuck. (laughs) So I’m happy as hell. 

How do you think your image has affected your 

record sales 

Oh, it’s affected it a lot. People didn’t understand 

it at first. They just thought I was the 

weed man. You know, the weed man done got 

his own studio and shit. I guess I can’t hate on 

that, you know, people got to get used to some 

different shit. 

So were you the weed man before you started 

rapping and singing 

Not at all. I wasn’t shit. I was one of the least 

cool niggas in my whole neighborhood. I was 

the only person that always stayed in the house. 

I didn’t ever do nothing. I ain’t egg nobody’s 

house on Halloween. I didn’t do none of that 

shit. I was always chillin’. I ain’t going to act 

like I was the gangster of the year. My family 

owned two restaurants, so I was a little rich kid 

at first. Then when they lost the restaurants, shit 

got crazy. That’s when things started getting 

hard. People always say it was hard in their 

childhood, but for me, it was hard in my adult 

hood. It was just getting worse and worse as I 

got older, but it’s all good right now. 

You started out as a songwriter, right What 

are some other songs you’ve done that people 

might not know about 

I just wrote a song for Britney Spears that’ll be 

her first single when she gets out of rehab or 

when her hair grows back. I wrote one for Joe, 

and one for Mario. People are just starting to 

get wind of T-Pain as a writer. That just started 

happening as my second album has been 

progressing. 

home, and I don’t need all those [sound effects] 

to do it. With Charlamagne’s show, I know what 

that’s about. I mean, I was hoarse from the 

[performance] and they brought me in right 

after the show and asked me to sing. If I hadn’t 

done it, they would’ve been like, “This nigga 

really can’t sing.” 

The average person probably doesn’t understand 

the demand on your voice that’s required 

when you’re performing every night. 

Shit, all the time. My voice is fucked up right 

now. I’m trying to recoup and I’ve gotta get 

right back in the studio. 

Your features are all over the radio right now. 

Yeah, I got a whole lot of things coming. I just 

did something for Twista today. In the last few 

weeks, thirty something people have called me 

to do hooks and be on their songs. And this isn’t 

even underground, I’m talking about all major 

artists. I’m getting calls from A&Rs and getting 

song deals left and right. Atlantic wants five 

songs from T-Pain. I got 12 songs for Jive, 10 

songs for Interscope. Basically, they just want 

that T-Pain flavor. I’m doing way better than the 

first go-around. 

When does your new album come out 

May 22nd as it stands right now, but [the 

release date] for Epiphany might move back or 

forward. The first single is “Buy You A Drink,” 

with Yung Joc... 

The rest of this interview is featured in the 

May issue of OZONE Magazine. Visit us online 

at www.ozonemag.com 

“Sprung” and some of the other songs on your 

last album were initially for Akon, right 

Yeah, but he wasn’t doing that type of stuff at 

the time. [The sound effect] was just something 

I always wanted to do, even as a young producer. 

So when I got it I went crazy on it. 

Charlamagne The God kinda clowned you on his 

radio show in South Carolina. How do you feel 

when people say you can’t sing 

I don’t really care. I’ve got songs I don’t use at 

OZONE | 25

Words & Photo by Julia Beverly 

26 | OZONE

What’s it been like working with 

T-Pain 

I ain’t gon’ lie, they need to 

make more people like him. He’s 

the funniest dude in the world. He makes you 

smile and laugh all the time. We did a record 

with him, Plies, Rick Ross, and Trick Daddy called 

“I’m So Hood.” He had like thirty people in the 

studio with him [when we did that record]. He 

had all these girls and dudes with golds in their 

mouth, and he was on that Patron heavy. I gave 

him the beat, The Runners did the beat, and I 

had him do the hook on the record. When he 

played it for me, the shit was so fucking crazy, I 

lost my mind. He’s just dope. T-Pain is talented, 

man. 

What parties do you have going down Memorial 

Day weekend 

Memorial Day weekend we’re at Opium and Mansion, 

Thursday through Sunday. We’re throwing 

parties at both clubs. Saturday at Mansion I’m 

doing my pre-album release party. We’ll have a 

bunch of artists in there having a great time. My 

album is coming out June 12th, and we’re going 

to have a great time then too. We’re going to do 

a party with Lil Wayne and Birdman, a party with 

T-Pain, a party with Fat Joe, all types of shit. 

And then we’ve got the Best of the Best reggae 

show at the park. That’s going to be huge. 

Let’s go back to the beginning, for the few 

people who don’t know how DJ Khaled came to 

be “The Best.” Aren’t you originally from New 

Orleans 

I was born in New Orleans. I moved to Orlando, 

FL, and then I moved to Miami. I’ve been in 

Miami for about fifteen years, so you know, I’m 

Dade County for life. I got love for everybody. 

Rick Ross, my brother Pitbull, shout out to The 

Runners for making the beat. R.I.P. to Uncle Al, I 

repped for my brother on that record too. 

For the people who aren’t from Miami, who is 

Uncle Al and what did he mean to the city 

Uncle Al was a legendary DJ out here, and an 

artist. He was a legend in the hood. He started 

out on underground radio, the same way I 

started out. He was just that dude out here that 

people loved. He brought people together and 

supported everybody, and he was a personal 

friend of mine. He always showed me love. And 

I don’t know the reason [he got killed] but I just 

know that it was wrong. He was about peace in 

the hood. Uncle Al is going to live on forever, 

throughout my career and the whole Miami, feel 

me 

Underground radio has always been huge in 

Miami, but the FCC comes through and shuts 

them down sometimes. What’s the underground 

radio scene like in Miami these days 

Underground radio can never leave Miami. But 

the FCC is always going to be attacking the underground 

radio stations because they’re going 

to keep coming out. They’re not doing nothing 

negative, but that’s just the rules. I guess you’re 

not supposed to have them. But at the end of 

the day, Miami ain’t never gonna stop. Without 

underground radio, it’s just impossible... 

An extended version of this interview is 

featured in the June issue of OZONE Magazine. 

Visit us online at www.ozonemag.com 

You did the record “Born & Raised” and there 

was a little controversy here and there, some 

hate from people saying, “Khaled isn’t even 

from Dade County.” Do you feel like you can still 

represent for the city even though you’re not 

from there 

I am from Miami. I’ve been here for fifteen 

years. If you’ve been in a city more than ten 

years, that’s your city. But that’s just life. People 

like to talk, but I don’t really bump into many of 

those types of people because I surround myself 

with great people that just got love. I don’t keep 

myself around negative people. I appreciate all 

the love. That record was real big for me, and 

it was big for Miami. I made the first, biggest 

Miami classic record and it’s going to be in the 

history books forever. Shout out to Trick Daddy, 

OZONE | 27

28 | OZONE

des loc of piccalo 


Like many other independent artists, Piccalo 

has traveled down a long road in search 

of fame. They’ve established a following 

of fans, collaborated with some of the hottest 

artists in the game and learned many lessons 

along the way. With the new single “Stick N Roll” 

gaining momentum, one member of Piccalo 

(Des-Loc) hopes his big break is near. 

Who have you been working with lately 

I’m dealing with some local artists. I’ve worked 

with everybody in Miami, from Pitbull to 3 The 

Hard Way, JT Money, Jacki-O, Luke, Cool & Dre, 

C-Ride, Joe Hound, Field Mob, DTP and Co-D 

Fendents. 

Out of everyone you’ve worked with, who’s been 

your favorite and why 

I like working with everybody ‘cause they all 

have their different things going on. We’re really 

easy to work with, so working with anyone is 

really no problem. It don’t matter who you put 

us in there with, we’re going to make some real 

good music. 

If someone came to you and said they want to 

30 | OZONE

e a musician, what’s the first piece of advice 

you’d give them 

I hope they’re ready for a long ride. Stay real 

to yourself and know what you’re going to do 

about you before you rap for somebody else. 

Stay humble; stay devoted to it and don’t give 

up. You gotta have patience. You gotta cut a lot 

of pride issues out. 

Did you have to learn those lessons the hard 

way 

It was a learning experience. It was a powerful 

experience to go through. 

Where does your inspiration come from when 

you write your lyrics 

From my heartbeat and what I see around me in 

my hood. It comes from what goes on in my life 

and what goes on with the people in my circle. 

Do you make music to teach people or do you 

make music for parties 

Both. I make something you can party to and 

something you can learn from. I make something 

you can get away in your own zone too. I 

make a lil’ something for everyone. 

What can people expect from one of your performances 

It’s out of control. You never know what to 

expect ‘cause we don’t even know what we’re 

going to do sometimes. I’ll have you on your 

toes. Expect the unexpected. 

When you’re not on stage or recording music, 

where can people find you when you’re chilling 

out 

I’m in the real gutter spots of any hood. I’m off 

in the cut with somebody’s daughter. 

Are you planning to release an album in the 

future 

My first album was called Everyday Reality. I 

had two mixtapes. I’m also on two different 

projects; one is called Co-D Fendents and one is 

called Des-Loc. 

How do you feel about album sales declining in 

general Does that discourage you from releasing 

another album 

Record sales done went down and the bootleg 

man’s taking over so we gotta get down with 

the program and make the situation better than 

what it is. I don’t think people knew that the 

internet was going to affect sales like it did. 

Now they’re feeling the wrath of what they gave 

the people access to. 

What does your label situation and distribution 

look like right now 

We’re still free agents. We’re making money. We 

got a meeting [with a record label] coming up 

on Monday, as a matter of fact. I don’t wanna 

say which label, but we’re talking with people 

[about a deal]. 

What outlets are good for an independent artist 

to make money in the music business 

It depends on the team you’re playing on. You 

gotta be a team player. When the home team 

plays, you win a lot of games. If I’m the quarterback 

and the receiver ain’t catching, we can’t 

make no touchdowns. If everybody on the team 

plays their position, I can make more things 

happen and more money can be generated. 

It doesn’t just depend on one man who does everything 

and thinks for all of us. Once we know 

what routes to go and what plays to make, 

everybody does what they’re supposed to do. 

Are you planning to get into any other aspects 

of the entertainment business 

We got the clothing line popping off. We’re 

working on a line called Don’t Touch. It’s for 

the ladies. I got a couple of feature spots in a 

couple of movies. I have a guest appearance in 

the movie Bloodline and we shot a few scenes 

for another little movie the other day. 

If you could experience anything in the world 

that you haven’t done yet, what would that be 

Cashing a million dollar check. 

What are some trends in the music game that 

you would never follow, no matter what 

I ain’t about following no trends. If everybody 

else is doing it, I’m the kind of person that’s 

not going to do it ‘cause that’s your thing. I’m 

here to make my own footprints. While you’re 

over there doing your thing, I’m over here doing 

mine. Everybody makes their own different art. 

We don’t draw the same pictures. 

What’s next for you 

Be looking out for that “Stick N Roll” and Co-D 

Fendents. We got that “Riding Big” on the East- 

Coast Ryders Volume 5. You can hit me up on the 

website www.eastcoastryders.com. // 

OZONE | 31

dUNK RYDERS 

Words by Ms Rivercity // Photo by Julia Beverly 

Iceburg, Fella and Soup (pictured above 

with affiliates GoldRu$h, left, and Trick 

Daddy, center) are collectively known as 

the Dunk Ryders. Born in raised in the 

County of Dade, the trio came together 

under the guidance of Trick Daddy and 

it’s been on and poppin’ ever since. True to 

the streets and dedicated to their music, each 

member is committed to each other as much as 

they are to making hits. 

Which single are you pushing right now 

Fella: “My Dawg’s Birthday.” 

Soup: It’s a song that ain’t nobody doing no 

more. If you play that song in the club, you 

know it’s somebody’s birthday in that club. 

Iceburg: I like it ‘cause every day is somebody’s 

birthday, and even if it ain’t, people gonna party 

like it’s they birthday. 

What does each member bring to the group as 

a whole 

Fella: Soup brings more of that real street, grimy 

feeling. The college students and high school 

32 | OZONE

kids will feel Iceburg. As for 

me, I speak on the behalf of 

the hoods and real niggas. 

Soup: Iceburg is the youngest. 

He brings the freshness. He 

keeps everybody thinking 

and up to date. Fella brings 

that roughness. He keeps the 

streets in check. I bring that 

edge that niggas in jail or 

street cats that are living it 

right then and there wanna 

hear. Everybody brings their 

own different style and when 

you hear it on a track, it’s 

amazing. 

Iceburg: Everybody’s from 

the hood but we all represent 

something different. I 

represent the young nigga 

that’s into the girls and cars 

and wildin’. Fellas from the 

projects in Opalocka. Soup’s 

from Liberty City in Miami; 

everybody knows what that 

represents. 

How do you bring your different 

ideas together as one 

concept 

Fella: We feel each other’s 

vibe. This person might not 

like it, or he might not like it, 

but when we get the vocals 

on a beat, he may end up 

liking it. Sometimes we all just 

vibe on the same beat or song. 

Soup: We just try to make something for the 

people when we come up with our songs. 

Do you ever disagree when it comes to choosing 

a beat or song to push 

Fella: There’s been plenty of times we’ve disagreed 

with each other. 

Soup: Yeah, all the time. It usually goes my way. 

I got an ear. At first, nobody wanted to trust 

my ear. They were coming up with ideas that 

I wasn’t feeling so I would bring up my ideas 

and see what they had to say. When we started 

coming out with hot songs, they respected it. 

We had our disagreements in the beginning, but 

now it’s coming together. 

Iceburg: We got different styles but it’s like 

gumbo that comes together and sets it off. All 

real friends have they differences, but we go 

through more good than bad. When it comes to 

beats, if everybody’s feeling it, we gonna hop 

on it and kill it. Most songs we write together; 

sometimes we each bring our own songs to the 

table. 

Would you say the Dunk Ryders are influenced by 

Trick Daddy’s music Or are you going a whole 

different route 

Iceburg: We talk about the same stuff. We coming 

from the same point of view, but we got our 

own style. At the end of the day, it’s that gutta 

Miami sound that’s going to bring everything 

together. 

Soup: Of course there’s an influence but we’re 

the new era. It’s a good thing. We’re doing our 

own thing. I’m Trick’s brother, by the way. We 

got the same mother and grew up in the same 

house in Miami. 

If you could live anywhere else in the world, 

even if it were just temporary, where would that 

be 

Fella: Spain. I also like Jacksonville. 

Soup: I’d say West Virginia. 

Iceburg: I told Soup and Fella we gotta go to 

New Orleans. That’s one of the few places I’ve 

seen where them boys get down how niggas 

from Miami do. They really hold it down. I’d also 

say L.A. and Amsterdam, they got them trees 

over there. 

Out of all the songs you’ve done, which ones do 

you like the best 

Fella: We got a whole bunch of songs. I like 

“Stagg.” We have another single we’re doing 

called “Thuggin On the Dancefloor.” 

Soup: I’ve got a solo song called “Girlfriend.” 

It’s about girls that are pushing to be your girlfriend 

but you want ‘em to be your friend. It’s 

a true story song. I got a female artist on there 

named Diesel that we’re thinking about singing 

to the label. 

Iceburg: I just did this song called “I’m Yo 

Pimp.” We got a stuntin’ song about the front of 

my car lifts up and I can do a 360. We got them 

Lambo doors. We got a song that talks about, “I 

might stagger, but I won’t fall.” We’ve got songs 

that people can relate to, not songs where 

people are gonna be like, “What is he talkin’ 

about” One of the biggest songs in the street 

right now is “You Damn Right” on Trick’s album. 

It’s about people locked up. Everybody’s got 

somebody that’s locked up and they’re waiting 

on ‘em to come home. // 

OZONE | 33

34 | OZONE

dIRTBAG 

Words by Ms Rivercity // Photo by J Lash 

36 | OZONE

Having just inked a new deal with Slip 

N Slide Records, the “Don of Dade” is 

gearing up for a serious comeback. His 

new song with Monica is predicted to be the 

next big MIA record – it even comes complete 

with a DJ Khaled cosign. 

What’s popping for you right now 

I’m working on a new single called “Ain’t Trying 

To Hear It.” It’s doing real good on all the 

underground stations. I got all the main DJs on 

it. I’ve been taking it to the radio and trying to 

get ads and get a good buzz. It’s got a lil’ old 

school flavor on it. I got Monica on the hook. A 

girl named Shonie wrote the hook and she did 

her thing. That’s the main thing I’m putting in 

the streets right now. I’m going to be hitting 

up the streets Memorial Day weekend with my 

mixtape Bag Full of Dirt. Cool & Dre helped me 

throw some tracks on there. My dawg CP Hollywood 

got some tracks on there. I’m just going 

to be promoting and having my place in the 

face. If I’m not performing, I’ll be promoting. 

What spots in Miami do you personally like to 

chill at 

You gotta understand, I’m a street nigga, so you 

can always find me in the street. I do my booty 

club thing – I ain’t gonna say which particular 

one I be at. I’m more of the after-hours type of 

fella though. I go across the bridge every now 

and then but most of the time I’m in the hood, 

at the after-hours spots or in the booty club. 

You’ve been doing your thing for a while. What 

would you say to someone who thinks it’s easy 

to make a quick dollar in the music business 

I mean, it could happen. Some people do come 

in and make a quick dollar; some people just 

take longer than others. All I can say is when 

you get your money, do good with what you get. 

When you make your cheese and do good with 

your bread, just take advantage of your opportunities 

and keep it moving. But some people 

do blow up overnight; that’s a possibility. Mine’s 

been more of a long road. 

Has it been difficult for you to come up in the 

rap game 

It’s been hard as hell but it’s been good. 

Everything’s a working process, just like playing 

for the NFL. You play some games and tear your 

ACL, now you gotta get back in shape and come 

back. It’s been a tough terrain for me but I got 

some good things coming ahead. 

Do you think this business is as shady as people 

make it out to be How do you know if someone 

is real or not 

Hell yeah, people are very shady in this business. 

Anything that deals with a lot of money is 

going to have shady people. If somebody says 

they’re going to do something and they don’t do 

it, they’re fake. Some people say they’re going 

to do something and when you call ‘em they 

don’t pick up. Then you see ‘em in the club and 

they say, “Why you ain’t call me” They know I 

called ‘em; they just don’t be picking up ‘cause 

they flaw. The difference between real and flaw 

is, real people do what they say they’re going 

to do. 

How do you maintain a connection with your 

fans, as far as knowing what they want to hear 

from you 

There’s a million muthafuckas like me. I ain’t 

the only one living day by day, beat to beat, 

check to check and making things happen. I’m 

an underdog nigga and it’s a lot of underdogs. 

I make music for people that’s in my situation 

and going through what I go through. That’s 

what keeps me having my fanbase. I do me and 

if they can relate to it, they’re gonna buy my 

CD. If they can’t relate, they’re gonna buy Puff 

Daddy. I keep my fans happy by doing Dirt. 

What’s something one of your fans has done 

that you’ll always remember 

(laughs) I can’t even say what it is, but I had 

a fan do something real good for me with ice 

cream. I’m just going to leave it at that. 

Describe your personality outside of music. 

There is no personality outside of music. I is 

what I is. When I wake up, I’m Dirtbag; when 

I’m shitting on the toilet, I’m Dirtbag; when I’m 

asking the judge to do me a favor, I’m Dirtbag; 

when Daddy gotta pay the bills and get new 

clothes and shoes, I’m still Dirtbag. I’m still the 

same ol’ G. 

What would you like for your fans to be looking 

out for in the near future 

The new single’s coming together. I’ve been 

talking with Ted Lucas from Slip N Slide, Cool 

& Dre, E-Class from Poe Boy and DJ Khaled. 

The bosses are coming together to help me 

out in my situation with this new album called 

Blanket of Trust. It’s going to be real big. Gator 

Boy Records will be in full effect. It’s still an 

Epidemic. // 

OZONE | 37

“EVERYBDOY GOT 

OUT OF THE STUDIO 

AND LEFT THOSE 

TWO GIRLS IN THERE. 

JACKI-O WHOOPED 

FOXY BROWN’S ASS, 

BAD. THOSE GIRLS 

ARE CRAZY.” 

ZO 


38 | OZONE

You’re affiliated with Zoe Pound. Can 

you explain what that is 

Zoe Pound is a record label and 

film company that is organized by a 

group of young Haitians from Little Haiti. The 

word “Zoe” is meaningful for every Haitian. 

“Zoe” means “bone,” as in, “I’m Haitian to the 

bone.” We named ourselves Zoe back in the day 

because we’re Haitians and our features show it; 

it’s a sign of togetherness, like a Black Panther 

thing, a movement. I was born in Haiti, but I’ve 

been living in Miami since I was eleven. 

So Zoe Pound transitioned from being a street 

organization to an actual record label 

It was people in the projects needing a way to 

represent themselves and become known as 

black entrepreneurs. We wanted ownership. We 

tried to manifest it as a business to do things in 

movies, but we’ve always been robbed because 

of it. In Bad Boys 2 they used Zoe Pound; they 

called me and paid me for it, but they never 

got our opinion from our eyesight. They put it 

together themselves and they never represented 

us properly, at all. 

A lot of rappers have mentioned Zoe Pound in 

their records. Are you affiliated with them 

I’m affiliated with all of them. Jim Jones is a 

guy that I taught how to dress. I dressed real 

European at the time and I told him to change 

his look. I’m like a consultant from the hood. 

What happened between you and Lil Wayne 

Those Cash Money guys have nowhere to live 

right now. It’s sad what happened in New Orleans, 

but when people come out to a place like 

Miami they tend to forget to reach out to the 

urban community. He comes to Miami and films 

his videos and screams Zoe Pound and all that, 

so you know, it’s like a favor for a favor. When it 

came time for me to ask a favor, they start acting 

like superstars, like they don’t hear you or 

don’t have time. I felt like they owed something 

to Miami. They don’t reach out to nobody, so it’s 

like, damn, how do I get to you to do business 

with you I wanted to pay [Lil Wayne] to be 

on a song with my artist Toro. And when I approached 

him, I already had a record with Game, 

Mario Winans, and Wyclef. I let him hear it and 

asked if he could fuck with it and he was like, 

“Nah, I ain’t got no time.” But we’ve made peace 

with that situation. Slim called me and we made 

peace, so we’re cool. 

What’s your relationship with Foxy Brown 

That was just a chick I was bangin’ for a couple 

days. She came to Miami and I was trying to 

get a consultant job at Def Jam. I really wanted 

Jay-Z to have a reason to call me, so I could do 

some business with him. We was fuckin’ around 

and everything, kickin’ it, doing what grown 

people do. But, you know, she has a real bad 

Brooklyn girl kind of attitude. I know how to 

handle that type of thing, but not everybody 

knows how to handle it. Anyways, somebody 

called me and told me to bring [Foxy Brown] 

to the studio and do something with that kid 

Gravy. 

And this is when the infamous Foxy Brown and 

Jacki-O fight went down at Circle House 

Yeah, Gravy was there with Jacki-O. If I had 

known he was gonna be there with Jacki-O, I 

wouldn’t have taken her there. He was trying to 

do the unbelievable. He wanted a record with 

him, Jacki-O, and Foxy Brown on it, and if I had 

known that I wouldn’t have ever gone there. 

So what happened when you and Foxy got to 

the studio 

I went to talk to Jacki-O and she went to talk 

to those New York niggas. Foxy came over there 

and said, “What’s up” and Jacki kinda nodded 

her head. Foxy went to cussing her out, like, 

damn. They started arguing back and forth. I 

tried to tell Foxy to just chill, out of respect, but 

I knew she wouldn’t listen. So everybody got 

out of the studio and just left those two girls 

in there. Jacki whooped her ass bad. I was like, 

“Jacki, why you whooping that bitch’s ass” 

She tried to take the girl’s purse and all that 

crazy shit. I was like, “Aight, Jacki, none of that 

Dade County shit.” Man, it was ridiculous. I don’t 

know. Those girls are crazy. Foxy was really 

frustrated when Jacki hit her and kicked her. 

Then they kinda broke it up, and then they got 

back together catfighting. There was so much 

frustration. Foxy just went crazy. She broke 

almost everything in the studio. 

So are you still with Foxy Brown 

Hell naw. I can’t deal with her, man. She’s crazy. 

If we walk in a store together she might just 

pick something up and steal it. She just don’t 

give a fuck. That’s that Brooklyn shit. She is 

what she was before she made it. She can’t 

change. That shit is embedded in her. She’s a 

crazy bitch. We tried to consult the girl but she is 

crazy. She’s hard to handle. You gotta beat her 

up every other day or else she won’t fuck with 

you. But she can’t fight, though. (laughs) 

I heard you hooked up with some other female 

celebrities. 

I don’t think you should quote me on that because 

I wouldn’t be able to get no more pussy in 

the industry. I can’t do that. I love to fuck with 

these industry bitches though, I can’t even lie to 

you. I love it. // 

OZONE | 39

Being an original member of Zoe 

Pound, how do you feel about other 

rappers calling it out in their rhymes, 

like 50 and Cam 

People ask me that all the time, who’s side am 

I on and I like to say this. First of all, I’m not 

eating on either side. So there is no side. There’s 

no preference, because to me I know it’s no 

beef for real. From my understanding it’s not 

beef for real. If it was beef for real it would be 

a shooting. These guys are trying to cash checks 

man. That’s all it’s about: cashin’ a check and 

I’m all for that. 

So if it came down to it, you’re not partial to 

either side. 

I’m not gettin’ a piece of it so I’m not takin’ no 

sides, but if drama was to pop off I’m rockin’ 

with Buck. If that was the case where I had to 

make a decision If it ever came down to where 

I had to make a decision, I’m rockin’ wit Buck. 

It’s about who feeds who. If it was a situation 

where I was eatin’ with 50, you wouldn’t be 

askin’ me this. But me and Buck relationship is 

bigger than just music, so of course I’m a rock 

wit’ my nigga Buck. If I see some niggas fuckin’ 

wit’ Buck, come on man. We gon’ get it down 

and dirty, my nigga, real quick like. But this is 

music. This industry is entertainment. That’s all 

it is to me with that G-Unit and that Cam shit. 

It’s a good look for me comin’ from the hood, 

a lil nigga like I am and I speak for my niggas 

from the Pound, knowin’ where this shit came 

from… the dream that we had and where it 

came from It’s a good ass look. Who woulda 

thought that the biggest muthafuckin’ rapper 

in the game would be sayin’ the shit that he’s 

sayin’ It’s just emotion and it’s a good look. It’s 

nothin’ more than that. 

Has either camp reached for you on the business 

end 

I heard people sayin’, “Fif wanna sign you,” “Fif 

wanna do this…” Hey homie, if Fif wanted to 

sign me I’d be over in LA somewhere with my 

attorney and he’d have his and we’d be gettin’ 

down on some numbers. I heard it was the same 

thing with Dipset. And if it’s the same thing, I 

know Jimmy. I got a record with Jim Jones – a 

fire one!! So it’s like, I fuck with both clicks. 

But Buck is my nigga. I fucked with Buck when 

he ain’t have shit. That’s the whole thing, my 

nigga. I knew Buck when he was supposed to be 

signing with Cash Money and Baby was fuckin’ 

with the man. That’s why Buck be takin’ shots 

at the nigga. Me and Buck been down like seven 

years – G-Unit, way before he got with 50, all 

that shit. So if that shit was to pop off, I’ma rock 

wit’ my nigga. It’s just that simple. 

A lot of people look at Zoe Pound as a Haitian 

BMF. 

I’ve heard that term (laughing). I’ve heard that 

too. Even though we was out here before BMF, 

I’ve heard that term. But for the record, I didn’t 

create it. I was just a maaajor part of the whole 

movement. But us and BMF is totally fuckin’ 

different. There are some similarities, true, but 

totally fuckin’ different. What I know BMF for is 

they was like sellin’ drugs, niggas was d-boys, 

blah, blah, blah. That’s a similarity. Yeah, we 

sold dope. But that wasn’t the only thing we 

did. We bust niggas’ ass on these streets, but the 

thing about us was we was young – very young 

with a lot of money. It was like, “You can’t tell 

us we can’t do this!” Cause we had money. We 

was young and we didn’t give a fuck. So whatever 

we wanted to do, you couldn’t tell us we 

couldn’t do it. It didn’t matter if you was older 

than us, if you was bigger than us, if you was 

mafia. If you not with us, we rollin’ over you. It 

didn’t matter. We was not intimidated by anyone 

or anything, per se. That was the difference 

with us. And another thing about us, if I got in 

trouble, we did everything we could to get me 

out of trouble. We put our money together and 

held each other down under any circumstances. 

I didn’t know the history of BMF. I know they 

balled. We balled too. But us, it was more like, 

“We Haitians. We gotta stick together. Nobody 

don’t like us. So fuck it. We gon’ get our own 

money. We young and we don’t give a fuck.” So 

I don’t really know how they situation was. I 

met some of them gangstas, real niggas on that 

side too. But I couldn’t really compare. The only 

comparison was they sold drugs and we sold 

drugs. But we was just young and out there and 

we was Haitian. So we really became the voice 

for that community. So you had muthafuckas 

who would beat muthafuckas ass, shoot muthafuckas 

up and say, “ZOE Pound! We ZOE Pound!!” 

And we wasn’t doin’ that shit. We in the studio. 

We wit’ family. Niggas got girls. We wasn’t out 

there breakin’ in peoples houses doin’ all that 

shit. But you had little kids doin’ all that shit, 

screamin’, “ZOE Pound.” That shit was crazy. 

Everybody was doin’ it. 

So basically, people were so infatuated with 

what you all were doing that they wanted that 

for themselves. 

Exactly, because it became such a movement 

- power and numbers. When they see ten, fifteen, 

twenty Haitians movin’, fresh, got money, 

nice cars, it led muthafuckas to believe a lot of 

things and a lot of muthafuckas wanted to be a 

part of it. Everybody wanna be a part of something, 

especially the young men, ‘cause there’s 

no guidance. Ain’t no father in the house to tell 

these young niggas what to do and what not to 

40 | OZONE

“We was just young 

and out there and 

Haitian. We really 

became the voice for 

that community.” 

REDD EYEZZ 

Words by N. Ali Early 

do. So most young niggas nowadays wanna be 

a part of something. We went from lil niggas in 

the hood to local celebrities and now the shit’s 

worldwide. 

Historically speaking, there are organized 

gangs that show resistance when a member 

leaves. What was the process like for you when 

you decided to push forward with your career 

It’s different, man. I wasn’t never no follower. I 

was a man. I didn’t really have no father figure 

in my house, so I learned from being on the 

street and as I got older the more confident I 

became in myself and what I knew and what 

I believed in. It may have been a time where 

me and one of the homies didn’t see eye to 

eye, but that didn’t have anything to do with 

my decision. My decision to go solo was in the 

making while our album was being pushed out. 

It wasn’t a problem. I would have been cheating 

myself to not at least try this. So I did that 

and it ended up being a real nice thing. I just 

made a decision and stuck to it. // 

OZONE | 41

| OZONE

RALPHIGE 


No one is safe from the distorted mind of 

Ralphige – a notorious Hip Hop crank 

caller from Miami. He’s “phone’kd” 

everyone from Lil Kim to Young Jeezy 

and he’s giving OZONE the scoop on who’s next. 

Who all have you cranked called 

Michael Jackson, Busta Rhymes, Akon, Pharrell, 

DJ Khaled, Scott Torch, Hulk Hogan, Patty 

LaBelle, David Banner, Immortal Technique, Paris 

Hilton, Pimp C, Bun B, DJ Clue, Mike Epps, Rick 

Ross, Method Man, Nelly and a bunch of other 

Hip Hop dudes. I’ve done over 60 calls. 

Where do you get their phone numbers 

A lot of times I get them from reporters such as 

yourself. They like what I do so they’ll send it to 

me. Most of the time I get them from people in 

their entourage or their homeboys. 

What’s the funniest call you’ve done 

Ted Lucas, the owner of Slip N Slide. I called him 

pretending that [TVT Records] had sent me to off 

him. He started praying on the phone, “Oh, you 

don’t got to do this. Jesus loves you!” He said 

like 8 different prayers for me and was screaming 

Hallelujah at the top of his lungs. He almost 

started crying. It was hilarious. 

Where do you come up with your ideas 

I don’t think about it or anything. As soon as I 

call them, ideas pop into my head and it starts 

coming out of my mouth. I don’t plan anything 

before I call. 

Did you ever go too far with a call 

Oh yeah. There’s one I did recently to Pharrell 

which I kind of regret. I don’t know if he can 

ever find it in his heart to forgive me but I’d 

appreciate it. His aunt recently died and I called 

him pretending to be some kind of psychic. I 

told him there was a lady in front of me that 

asked me to call and tell him everything was 

okay and she’s with Jesus. He cried on the 

phone and everything. It was pretty messed up. 

Have you 

ever run into any of the people you’ve called 

and wanted to tell them who you are 

I’ve been to plenty of parties where Scott 

Storch, Khaled, a lot of people have been there. 

I’ve always wanted to tell them it’s me, but I 

didn’t know how it would turn out so I just say 

what’s up and tell them I like their work. 

Has anyone gotten mad and threatened you 

I called Jay-Z in December pretending to be 

Doug Morris, the owner of Universal. I offered 

him a job at Universal if he left Def Jam. He 

was really interested and at the end of the 

call I started clowning about Beyonce. I ended 

up telling him it was a prank call and asked 

for permission to use it. He’s the only person 

that’s said no. He actually put me on hold for 20 

seconds and came back on the phone with my 

home address. I was like, “Oh, shit.” So he kind 

of made a small threat there. 

I know you don’t give out your true identity, but 

can you give us a hint 

My real name is Ralph. I’m 24 years old. I’m 

from Miami. I’m just a fat little white dude. 

Where can people hear your work 

www.Ralphige.com and www.Myspace.com/Ralphige. 

Most Hip Hop websites have them on 

there. The calls are for sale on www.Ralphige. 

com. I have the first Phone’kd CD out now which 

is regular crank calls. The second CD will be all 

celebrities, mainly Hip Hop artists. That will be 

out this week. 

Who might be receiving a call next 

I got Robin Thicke and Kanye West’s numbers 

right here. Hopefully I’ll be able to get them 

before this interview gets published. // 

| OZONE

OZONE |

TEDDY T 


Madman Teddy T is a former on-air 

personality for Power 96. After six 

years with the station, and a long 

track record of breaking new songs, he 

decided it was time to have a more hands-on 

approach with the artists. He’s currently managing 

several artists in Florida. 

Why are you not with Power 96 anymore 

I recently quit. I was there for 6 years. I was #1 

for four years. The radio station was #1 and I 

was kinda like Floyd Mayweather – I was bored. 

I never really asked to be on radio. I got the 

opportunity to blow up Pretty Ricky and a lot 

of other artists I was working with. I was on 

the road with them so I took it upon myself to 

switch over and get into management. 

Which artists are you managing and what are 

your responsibilities 

Jacki-O, Haitian Fresh, Marcy Malone and Carl 

Lovett. I represent them if anyone wants to talk 

business or book shows. With me being in the 

Hittmenn and CORE DJs, I build relationships 

with artists, DJs, and radio stations. I advise 

them on business opportunities. With Jacki-O, 

she was signed to TVT and Poe Boy; when she 

went bankrupt, we created Jack Move. I explained 

to her that being an artist, it’s better for 

her to control all her masters and publishing so 

if she does get a deal, it’s more money. 

How have you personally influenced the Florida 

movement 

From the beginning, I helped Trick Daddy get 

his record played. I helped Luke when he made 

his comeback. I took “Raise the Roof” to the #1 

single in the country. I developed Pitbull. I got 

his first record “Oye” on Power 96. I also got on 

“Welcome to Miami” and “Culo.” I told him to 

make “Culo” ‘cause Mr. Vegas had come in with a 

record called “Pull Up” and all the Cuban people 

thought he was saying “Culo” and would call up 

and 

request it. Him and Lil 

Jon heard it and went to the studio that night 

and made “Culo”. That was the record that got 

Pitbull signed. I’ve been working with Pretty 

Ricky since their first record in ’93. When Pleasure 

got with the group, I broke “Grind On Me.” 

They got a deal with Atlantic. Even before the 

deal, I got them 3,500 spins. 

So do you still DJ or just manage now 

I was always more of an on-air personality. I 

was the person that talked shit from 6 PM - 10 

PM. I DJ but I don’t really scratch. DJ Def was 

the actual DJ. Just being on Power 96, there 

were so many mainstream records that I broke. 

That’s one of the reasons why I’m not on the 

radio – I broke a lot of rules. I would play a lot 

of songs that weren’t on the playlist. I began 

getting suspended; I was suspended for the last 

6 months of my contract. I also got into a real 

bad accident on I-95 and was out for a period 

of time. I went through a window and broke 

both my femurs and crushed my hip. They didn’t 

want to renew my contract. I think they just 

couldn’t control me. 

Out of everything you’ve done in your career, 

what’s the one thing you want to be remembered 

for 

I help people. Everybody that’s on the air in 

Miami, I had something to do with their career 

– from DJ Khaled to Supa Cindy to everybody. 

When DJ Khaled came to Miami, he played on 

my underground show first. With DJ Irie, DJ Epps 

had to go out of town and I had Irie fill in. He 

was an intern on our show. I had heard him DJ 

and he was hot. He played two days in row and 

they wanted to keep him. He’s been doing his 

thing ever since. I feel like I’ve always helped 

people. I want them to grow. // 

10 | OZONE

OZONE | 11

PRINCE MARKIE DEE 


Former member of ‘80s rap trio The Fat 

Boys, Prince Markie Dee relocated to Miami 

four years ago and joined 103.5 The 

Beat. The transition from artist/producer 

to radio personality has afforded him plenty of 

opportunities to help his new community. 

How is your career different now from when you 

were with the Fat Boys 

I’m still in the music business but being on the 

other side of the mic affords me the luxury of 

having a personal life. When you’re an artist, 

it’s a 24-7 grind. I enjoy my job a lot. It’s a lot 

less stressful. I started in the business when I 

was 14 years old. I never had the childhood that 

everybody else had. Now I have more time for 

my family and myself. 

What do you think you’d be doing today if you 

hadn’t taken the music route 

I’m a big football fan and I played football in 

high school. It would probably be something 

dealing with sports. My mom always wanted me 

to go to law school. Maybe I would be doing 

something with sports law or entertainment, 

something behind the scenes. 

Have you seen an increase in Hip Hop talent 

over the years 

Oh, yeah. Nas released his album Hip Hop Is 

Dead, but I don’t think he meant that it’s the 

end of Hip Hop; it’s the end of what it originally 

was. There’s more and more talent that comes 

out every day. You don’t have to go to a major 

label now; you can put out your own records if 

you know what you’re doing. Artists are dropping 

left and right. It’s a good thing because it’s 

gonna keep Hip Hop alive. I remember a statement 

my friend Fat Dub from New York said back 

in ‘90, “Ten years ago they didn’t want to give 

the seed any water, but now they hanging off 

our branches.” Everything is marketed through 

Hip Hop now. I love it. 

Do you ever get overwhelmed with all the new 

artists wanting you to listen to their music 

I don’t get overwhelmed at all. I have a stack of 

CDs that I go through when I’m at home chilling 

on Sunday. You never know who you’re going to 

find. I’ve known a lot of people in the business. 

People that used to carry bags for me back in 

the day are now executives in the game. I think 

one of the most important things in your career 

is building relationships. I’ve always made 

myself approachable to everyone. I try to be 

the middle person between the struggling artist 

and the people that make decisions. I encourage 

people to ask me for advice. I’m not trying to be 

cocky and say I know it all, but I’ve experienced 

so much and feel I’m a valuable tool. 

Are you still producing 

No, because in a sense, I’ve lost the passion for 

it and I’m so consumed with radio. I started a 

foundation called the Prince Markie Dee Labor of 

Love Foundation. Our main goal is to empower 

youth on sex education and finances. 

What can we expect from Prince Markie Dee in 

the future 

I’m working on TV show called What’s Cooking 

with Markie Dee. I go around and interview 

different artists I know. We’re also spotlighting 

different cities. A good friend of mine, Mr. Mauricio, 

is doing a segment called the Heavy Hitter 

Video Mix. The show and my foundation are the 

most important things I’m doing. There’s an 11 

year old girl named Ricky Joyner from Miramar, 

FL. She was born HIV positive and they gave 

her medicine that messed up her kidneys. She 

needed a transplant but the doctors in Florida 

wouldn’t operate because she was HIV positive. 

We raised some money and sent her to Maryland 

where she’s having the operation. Now she has 

an opportunity to live a beautiful life. If I have 

the ability to help, I’m going to do my best. // 

12 | OZONE

OZONE | 13

14 

models 

Ashlee Ford and Paris Jontae 

Photo by Terrance Tyson

ick ross 


With a second album on the horizon, 

it’s hard to imagine how Rick Ross 

has time for much else. However, 

along with his sophomore effort, 

he’s also banging out a group project with Triple 

C, doing some film work, dropping mixtapes and 

giving back to the community. That’s why they 

call him The Boss. 

What have you been working on since our last 

interview a couple of months ago 

I’m working on my new album Trilla. It’s scheduled 

for release in August. 

Who will be featured on Trilla 

I’m working with Pharrell, Cool & Dre, David 

Banner, Kanye West, Akon, DJ Khaled. 

16 | OZONE

How is the Triple C album coming 

That’s coming along real good. We’re going to 

drop that on top of the new year after my album 

comes out. That’s titled Black Flag. It’s a lot 

of anticipation for that album. We’re getting a 

lot of calls about the mixtape we just recently 

released with Bigga Rankin. 

After the Black Flag album comes out, would 

you encourage Torch & Gun Play to pursue solo 

projects 

Yeah, yeah. Timing is everything. As long as the 

time is right, I’m ready. I’m supporting them 

110% on whatever moves they’re ready to make. 

Besides the RNR mixtape with Bigga Rankin, do 

you have any other ones coming out 

Yeah, look for the slew of mixtapes I have coming 

out. I got a barrage of mixtapes that’s finna 

come out. Y’all look out for it. They’re all being 

promoted. They’re all coming out with a high 

level of anticipation for my album Trilla. 

Which DJs are putting together your mixtapes 

I’m working with DJ Khaled, DJ Drama, Papa 

Smirf, all those dudes. Covering all the bases. 

Are you shooting another video anytime soon 

I’m going to shoot a video for my first single. 

I just haven’t decided if it’s going to be for the 

new record I did with Usher or another record I 

have. I still have another week or two to sleep 

on it. 

How do you feel about a lot of people in Miami 

coming together as far as music goes Would 

you say Miami is unified 

Yeah, I feel Miami has a lot of other people 

doing their thing. I see a lot more networking. 

That’s a wonderful thing. It’s good to see everybody 

on the same page and mashing down. It’s 

good to see everyone getting paper. 

Is there any tension between some of the older 

vets in the Miami scene and the new cats that 

are coming up 

It’s a movement right now. Everybody is on 

the same page. That’s what it looks like to me. 

Ricky Ross, I’m doing everything I can to put 

everybody else in position. 

Who do you predict will come out of Miami next 

Who’s hot right now 

Most definitely Triple C, Brisco, Flo-Rida, Piccalo, 

Co-D Fedents. I see a lot of people that should 

have longevity in this industry. 

How do you plan to have longevity in the music 

business 

I’m just going to continue making exciting music 

on the most anticipated album of the year Trilla. 

They wanna see the sophomore effort from the 

Big Boss. It’s coming together. It’s so incredible. 

I can’t wait for it to come out. We got the 

film department – M-I-Yayo the documentary is 

coming also. I’m just keeping busy. 

What’s the worst thing about having fame 

I can’t think of anything right off the bat. No 

matter what you do, you’re going to have your 

pluses. When you work for something, it’s all 

good. I don’t have no issues with it. 

How have you been able to use your fame and 

success for the benefit of your friends and family 

around you 

I formed a Rick Ross charity. I got a team that’s 

just working on giving back whatever I can. We 

do things for the kids. It’s some spots where I 

come in and say some words of encouragement. 

I do what I can with my charity. I do what a 

boss would do. 

You mentioned the documentary film. Do you 

have plans to do some acting 

I just did my first real film in L.A. I just left two 

weeks ago from filming it. Lawrence Fishburne 

and Faizon Love are in the movie. It was fun. We 

got out there and it was real natural for me. 

What character did you play 

G Dog was my name. I was like an urban hood 

dude. 

Would you ever consider doing a reality show 

What would it be about 

I don’t know. It’d probably have to be about my 

city. I wouldn’t want no camera just following 

me around. They’d get tired of just watching me 

roll up blunt after blunt. 

After you’ve accomplished all your goals in the 

music business, where do you see yourself 

I’d just want a big fat belly, on the beach somewhere, 

in a nice $25 million dollar pad. 

What else would you like to speak on 

Trilla coming. M-I-Yayo coming. Carol City 

Cartel’s Black Flag coming. Rick Ross. Y’all keep 

it gangsta. // 

OZONE | 17

18 | OZONE 

CUBO 

Words by Ms. Rivercity

As part of Pitbull’s entourage, Cubo is 

steadily emerging with his own identity 

as a performer and entertainer. 

Known for his high level of energy on 

stage, Cubo brings the same fire and enthusiasm 

to his lyrics. His appearances with Pitbull have 

been just the first step in demonstrating his 

qualities as a solo artist. With a new single titled 

“Candela” heating up the streets, Cubo is gaining 

the loyalty of fans worldwide. 

What have you been working on lately 

I don’t want to sound like everybody else and 

say I’m working on an album. Basically, I’m 

working on records right now. 

What’s the latest record you have in the streets 

I’ve got a record on the radio right now called 

“Candela” featuring Pitbull. That’s Spanish for 

“Fire.” I’m just working and building a buzz, 

doing what comes natural. 

Other than your features with Pitbull, who else 

have you collaborated with 

I’ve done tracks with Brisco, Piccalo, T-Pain, Bun 

B and Mistah FAB out of the Bay Area. 

Do you think being located in Miami is an advantage 

or disadvantage for an artist 

It used to be a disadvantage. I think it depends 

on the artist. It’s really an advantage if you’re a 

hustler and you can go out and make stuff happen. 

In Miami, sometimes things can pass right 

by you. You might sit around and it’s so many 

things going on, you can’t focus on what you’ve 

really got to do. That can be disadvantage. But 

for that person that’s really making stuff happen, 

it’s an advantage. There’s so much going 

on in Miami. 

Who are some people from Miami that have 

helped your career 

Pretty much, the primary thing is working with 

Pitbull. 

How exactly has working with Pitbull helped 

you 

I’m on the road with him so I get to see everything 

– from the radio to the clubs to what’s 

popular. If something’s about to pop off, I know 

before most people do ‘cause I’m around it. 

Besides music, what are some of your interests 

When I’m not in the studio or on the road, it’s 

my family. I spend time with them. That’s what 

I’m about. 

Is it hard to spend as much time with them as 

you’d like 

Definitely. It’s very hard when you’re on the 

road 4 or 5 times a week. 

How do you prepare for a performance Do you 

have a ritual or something you like to do to get 

ready 

I do most of my shows with Pit and we basically 

crack open a bottle of Vodka or something. We 

just try to be normal and joke around, have a 

good time before the show. 

What is one of the most memorable performances 

you’ve ever done 

It was during the Fourth of July at Bayfront Park 

in Miami. We had Lil Jon there with us and Lil 

Scrappy. 

Before working as an entertainer, did you ever 

have any regular jobs What was the worst place 

you worked at 

I used to work at Winn Dixie when I was in high 

school. That was one of the jobs I had. It was 

probably one of the worst jobs. 

So did you quit or get fired 

(laughs) I got fired. 

In your opinion, what’s the hottest verse you 

ever wrote and what was it about 

In my opinion, it would be a record called “On 

My Knees.” The public doesn’t know much about 

it yet ‘cause I’m saving it for the album. To me, 

that’s the hottest verse I’ve written ‘cause it’s 

true. It’s me talking to God. But from a fan’s 

point of view, I did a verse on “We Takin Over” 

and that’s what I get the most feedback from. 

What’s the message you want people to get 

when they listen to your music 

For me, I use music as a stepping stone to teach 

people about religion and life. I’m not trying to 

do many party records, but I know I have to do 

‘em to gain the audience so that later on they’ll 

listen to me when I have a message to send out 

to them. 

What do you have planned for Memorial Day 

weekend Are you on tour or will you be in 

Miami 

We’re in Puerto Rico and Chicago. I’m not sure if 

we’re going to have any stops in Miami. 

Is there anything else you want to talk about 

before we go 

I want to give a shout out to DJ Def, DJ RPS, DJ 

Obscene, DJ Ideal and all the other DJs around 

the world. And I definitely gotta say what’s up 

to the whole IRS click – that’s the label I got. 

Where can the people catch you on the internet 

Go to www.cubomusic.com. // 

OZONE | 19

20 | OZONE

OZONE | 21

22 | OZONE 

P PLUCK 

Words: Ms. Rivercity

P-Pluck has been working the freestyle 

circuit for several years. His most 

notable championship occurred during 

this year’s BET Spring Bling Freestyle 

Battle. After taking home yet another win, P- 

Pluck is finally being recognized as an artist and 

true competitor. 

You moved to Tallahassee for a while. Was it to 

go to college 

I went to Tallahassee in 2002 and graduated 

from FAMU. I got a degree in electrical engineering. 

Has your college education helped your music 

career 

I actually started rapping seriously during my 

sophomore year in college. The knowledge from 

things I studied gives me a better insight on 

lyrical content. 

Who are some lyricists that you respect 

Artists like Jay-Z, Eminem, Big Daddy Kane, 

Nas, Biggie, Tupac – people that can convey a 

message and leave you with something. It ain’t 

all about the beat and the dancing. Does a song 

keep me from killing a nigga or keep me from 

killing myself That’s the type of message I like 

to put forth. 

Has it been harder to break into the music 

industry than you expected 

In a sense, yeah, ‘cause I’m different. I’m from 

the suburbs. I graduated from college, lived 

with both of my parents and I get money the 

legal way. I don’t really fall into the “dope boy” 

or “killer” category. Niggas don’t really care to 

hear lyrical content. It’s all about shining or 

creating a lifestyle and I’m just me. 

Tell me about the BET Spring Bling freestyle 

competition. 

I did Spring Bling two years ago and lost in 

the championship round. It always stuck with 

me because even though I had won numerous 

freestyle titles, people would always bring that 

up. They would say I was good but I couldn’t 

do it on BET. I met DJ Q45 a long time ago and 

we built a real cool relationship, and it just so 

happened that he ended up working for BET. 

When this Spring Bling came around, he talked 

to some people for me. He called me the day 

before the show and said he needed me there at 

8:00 AM for the preliminary rounds. We jumped 

on the road at 3:00 in the morning and headed 

down to West Palm. The rest is history. 

How has winning the freestyle battle changed 

your situation 

It gave me some serious contacts. I ended 

up meeting a lot of the Program Directors for 

Rap City and a lot of the BET staff. A couple of 

judges from the battle took my demo. Their 

main question was, “You can freestyle real well, 

but can you make songs” Once I gave ‘em my 

demo, you know, good things should come 

about real soon. 

I heard some record labels have been hollering 

at you. 

Yeah, we got a few people here and there. You 

never like to jinx yourself and talk before your 

situations come about but I’m just going to say 

that some pretty prominent people are interested 

in me. They’re really thinking about doing 

something. I just stay humble. I figure if God has 

it planned for me, it’ll happen. 

Are you working on an album 

I’m recording the album now. It’s called The 

King of the Burbs. It’s a concept I came out with 

a year and a half ago. One day I got a call that 

it was a white rapper named King of the Burbs. 

I’m still calling my album that ‘cause if you see 

where I grew up at, it’s in the suburbs. It’s all 

legitimate. I’m probably 80 songs deep into the 

album. I’m looking to have 120 songs in my 

catalog before I pick the final 15. 

What are some of your personal favorites you 

think will make the final cut 

Of course, the lead single “I’m the Shit.” It’s 

produced by No Name The Great from Atlanta. 

I feel like I’m the shit – lyrically, mentally, 

physically. I feel like I’m the guy that could do 

something in Hip Hop. I have another single 

called “King of the Burbs” but I’m not sure if it’s 

going to make the cut ‘cause we used a sample 

from Tom Jones’ “It’s Not Unusual.” That’s the 

song Carlton Banks from the Fresh Prince of Bel- 

Air used to dance to. Paperwork and publishing 

has been really hard to clear for that song. The 

follow up single is “They Know.” It’s produced 

by M Geezy from Jacksonville. 

If there’s one thing you could change or improve 

about yourself, what would that be 

I would work even harder to better myself lyrically 

and mentally. I’m looking for longevity. 

I’m not looking to be here for 15 minutes, have 

a hot song and disappear. I want to be able to 

make my mark in Hip Hop. 

Where people can hear your music 

www.myspace.com/ppluck or you can go to 

www.YouTube.com and type in P-Pluck to see 

my freestyles. You can check on me at www. 

rawkusrecords.com and www.loud.com. I’m 

pretty much everywhere. My personal email is 

p.pluck@hotmail.com. // 

OZONE | 23

24 | OZONE

OZONE | 25

DEUCE POPPI 


26 | OZONE

Nobody understands the meaning of 

the expression “crawl before you 

walk” better than Deuce Poppi. After 

several attempts to break into the 

mainstream, Deuce has learned that handling 

your business is the only way to succeed. Armed 

with some pretty impressive business ventures 

and a single produced by Nitti, Deuce Poppi now 

stands on solid ground. 

You have a new song with Nitti called “Do It.” 

How’s that taking off for you 

It’s a real good look. I’m going in some new directions 

with different producers. I had met Nitti 

on a TV show and we chopped it up back then. 

That beat came through for me. I like it. We’re 

doing a remix with Lil Webbie right now. 

Do you think you have the best of both worlds, 

having been born in Atlanta and living in Miami 

Yeah, it’s real cool. I was born in Atlanta, raised 

in Miami and now I’m back in Atlanta. It’s like 

being well traveled. I got my Atlanta connections 

and my M-I-A connections. Miami’s really 

where it took off. That’s where I went to high 

school. But it’s all love as far as my allegiance 

to Atlanta. My daddy’s from Atlanta and my 

momma’s from Florida. 

Who are some people in the game you’d like to 

be compared to one day 

I wouldn’t like to be compared to nobody but 

if I had to be compared to somebody, I’d want 

to be compared to a rapper/producer. A lot of 

people don’t know that I write and I produce. 

I’m a rapper/producer/writer. I’m like the Kanye 

of the South. 

How do you plan to leave your mark in Hip Hop 

when there are so many other artists trying to 

make it 

I want to be the total package. I’m putting my 

work in; I’m learning. I came from the ground 

up. I want to be known as somebody who came 

in with nothing and left with everything. A lot 

of artists live for this to meet people and be 

known, but I just want to make music and take 

it to the next level. I’m handling my business. 

Is it challenging to keep your material fresh 

That’s my problem. Every day that passes I feel 

different. I’m not one-dimensional; I’m a real 

person. Nobody feels the same way everyday. 

The challenge for me is, that’s what the 

industry wants. Hip Hop is so watered down; it’s 

so predictable. They want you to be the same 

way everyday. I’m a very creative person; I’m 

creative with everything, not just music. I want 

to approach everything fresh but in rap, they 

want you show growth but still be the same. 

That’s a problem ‘cause I’m going to talk about 

everything. I don’t go at everything the same 

way. Some days you’re humorous; you do it for 

the ladies; you’re conscious; sometimes you’re 

serious; sometimes you’re balling out of control; 

sometimes you’re intoxicated; sometimes you’re 

thinking about the future – I’m a real person. 

People don’t even know it’s me on some of my 

records. Every time I wake up, I feel like I’ve 

grown. I soak up game. That’s why I respect 

other genres of music ‘cause they can do what 

they want to do. 

How’s everything going with your label 

I have my own label called Rebel Music. I have a 

group called N.W.M. – Niggas With Money. I was 

blessed to have a super good management team 

– Real Breed Management and Josh Burke. Rick 

Ross, one of my close friends, has a management 

company called Muscle Management. 

He’s helping me with N.W.M. I’m shopping that 

around right now. I also have an artist in the A 

named Angel; he does gangster soul music. 

What projects are you working on right now 

The name of the album is Arrogance. I’m almost 

finished with it. I got a lot of producers on 

it. I have a tennis shoe line coming out with 

the same name. It’s done by Kashi Kicks. You 

can see it online at www.KashiKicks.com. We’ll 

have that out in September. It’s already some 

prototypes in Walter’s in the A. The clothing line 

is coming out right after the shoes. I’m on that 

new Carol City Cartel Real Nigga Radio mixtape 

with Bigga Rankin. I have my Real Nigga Radio 

out called God, Guns and Pussy. 

Tell me about the endorsement campaign you’re 

working on. 

I’m on a summer campaign with Remy Martin, 

the liquor. It’s eight artists from all over the 

nation including Jadakiss, me, Unk, Cashous, 

DJ Clue. It’s going to be real big. We have 

billboards and print and everything. You can 

go to www.RemyMartin.com to hear all my new 

music. That’s one of the biggest things that’s 

happened to me. I’m just diversifying really 

strong right now with this endorsement thing. 

I’ve been going hard since 2000 and I finally got 

my distribution last year so I’m finna take off 

in a major way. It was a long journey and now 

I’m here. // 

OZONE | 27

DIRTERED 


Born in Carver Ranch in Hollywood, FL, DIRTeRED was always focused on improving his life 

while empowering others to do the same. After several years and numerous attempts to 

break into the mainstream, DIRTeRED is back with a few new bangers – and a new label. 

Are you promoting a single right now 

I’m pushing my single “Bop Yo Head.” It’s produced by the Blackout Movement. 

You’ve been doing your thing for a while now. Who all have you worked with over the past few 

years 

I’ve worked with Rick Ross, Brisco, Trick Daddy, 50 Cent, Mr. Vegas, the list goes on and on. 

How long do you think an artist should work a record before they move on to something else 

I’d say give it a couple of months and see what the feedback is like. 

28 | OZONE

Did you ever have a song that 

you personally were feeling but 

it just never caught on 

Yeah, my song “Gangsta” 

produced by Scott Storch. I feel 

like people really slept on that 

song. That song could have been 

a big hit. I worked it for about 

six months. 

Who else has produced tracks 

for you 

The Diaz Brothers, Bad News 

from We Do Beats. There’s so 

many but that’s all I can think of 

right now. 

What’s the most important reason 

why you make music 

I make music where the American 

public can understand the 

frame of mind of young black 

males that’s in the same struggle 

where I come from. I want 

them to learn that whatever you 

put your mind to in life, you can 

do it as long as you believe in 

yourself first. It doesn’t matter 

what situation you come from. 

Have you ever felt like giving up 

on the music industry and if so, 

how did you overcome it 

In the music business, there’s 

ups and downs when you’re on 

the road to riches. My support 

system and my team around 

me always uplifts me during my 

down times. My fans definitely 

keep me going. They approach 

me on a daily basis and tell me 

how much they love my music. 

Speaking of your fans, how did 

you feel the first time someone 

asked for your autograph 

I had never signed DIRTeRED so I was wondering 

how the hell to write it. (laughs) That’s what I 

was thinking. 

Was there a defining moment in your career 

when you realized you had a buzz as a rapper 

I went to a radio station with my cousin to 

do promo for a club I was hanging at. When I 

walked into the radio station, the DJ automatically 

acknowledged me. I didn’t even know who 

he was. I was like, “Whoa, people know who I 

am.” 

Are you going to be promoting or doing any 

shows during Memorial Day Weekend 

I’m performing at the Marlin on Saturday. My 

mixtape is coming out Memorial Day Weekend 

too. 

For all the people coming to your city for 

Memorial Day Weekend, what’s a spot that you 

recommend they check out 

The one spot I’d say is Diamonds Cabaret. 

What’s your strongest quality as a musician 

My strongest quality is that I talk about real 

subjects and I bring real music to the table. It’s 

not always so playful. It’s real serious on the 

average. 

When you sit down to write a song, how long 

does it take you to finish it Does it depend on 

the topic 

It depends on the vibe. I’m the type of artist 

that vibes. If my vibe is real good, it might take 

me 30 minutes. I might have times where it 

takes me a whole day. It depends on the vibe 

and how many other distractions are around me 

at the time. 

Besides being an artist, are you involved in any 

other business ventures 

I’m part owners of a stucco company. It’s called 

Perfection Plastering. I have a new record company 

I’m starting called The Muscle Movement. 

I’ve got my own artists that I’m pushing out of 

Dade and Broward counties. Their names are 

Young Hound and Kilo. 

Why did you decide to start your own record 

company 

I just watched the paths of artists that have 

been successful in the past. Once you get a big 

name, it’s smart to capitalize on your own name 

and also open doors for other artists. Once I 

get on, I want to be able to come back and help 

other people. 

What’s next for you 

We’re just going to continue pushing this single 

and see what happens. If it doesn’t happen with 

this record, I’ve got another banger. I didn’t really 

want to release it until after “Bop Yo Head.” 

It’s called “Death.” What happens with “Bop Yo 

Head” will determine when we’ll drop that. I’m 

pretty sure that’s going to change the sound of 

Hip Hop. 

Do you have any contact info 

You can reach me online at www.myspace. 

com/dirteredtracks. I also want to give shout 

outs to the Blackout Movement, Cut the Check 

Management, Weedoo Entertainment and Marco 

Mancini. // 

OZONE | 29

30 | OZONE

32 | OZONE 

SHONIE 

Words by Ms Rivercity

Part of the SouthBeat Records roster, 

singer-songwriter Shonie is a voice to 

listen for. Although she struggled with 

self-doubts in the beginning, her dominance 

and charisma as an artist could not be denied. 

Now that’s she’s found her niche in the Miami 

market, Shonie is finally fulfilling her destiny. 

I hear you’ve been working with a lot of people 

in Florida. Who all have you collaborated with 

I did a song with an artist named Greezy. I did a 

joint with Brisco. Right now, I’ve been focusing 

on the writing side. I’m trying to get that going. 

I wrote a hook for Monica which is going on 

Dirtbag’s album. 

Have you written anything for anyone else 

Hopefully there’s a joint that Keyshia Cole will 

get on. If that happens, that’ll be big. 

How are things with SouthBeat going 

Pretty decent. They’ve been handling things on 

their part and I’m handling some things of mine. 

Things are going good. 

You’re from the Bronx originally. When and why 

did you move to Miami 

My mom likes to move all over the place. She 

can never keep still. I was back and forth at 

different schools. She finally decided to move to 

Miami for good when I was about ten years old, 

so I was raised down here. I went to Carol City 

Middle and High School. 

You started singing in church. Did you always 

know you wanted to be an entertainer 

Nah, I was shy. I never thought I’d open up and 

want to be an entertainer. I never wanted to 

sing for people but once I started writing music, 

I opened up. I wrote my first song when I was 

9 years old. Eventually it started sparking. I did 

performances and people noticed the talent. I 

just kept going with it and I’m here now. 

Are you still a little bit shy when you perform or 

does it come naturally 

I’m not even going to lie; I do get nervous. But 

when I get up there, I receive that love from the 

crowd and it keeps me going. When I’m on stage 

and I feel that connection with the crowd, it’s 

over from there. 

What’s a topic you love writing music about 

I like writing about everything. Everything 

inspires me. I can sit in one place and think 

about something and make a whole song out of 

it. I look at other people and stuff they’ve been 

through, things that I’ve been through, and I 

put it down on paper and it becomes a beautiful 

song. 

You have an interesting name. Is that your real 

name 

Yes, Shonie is my birth name. 

Where does it originate from 

Well, my peoples are from the Bahamas so I 

guess you could say it’s kind of an island name. 

My aunt’s name is Shonie. 

Who are some people that have encouraged or 

inspired you to keep singing 

My team, especially my mom. She’s very supportive 

and always kept me going when I 

wanted to quit. She’s my main inspiration. Even 

though I had problems and didn’t want to go 

forward with it, she was always there to keep 

me going and tell me that I have talent. Sometimes 

I would want to fade away. When things 

weren’t going right, I wouldn’t want to do it 

anymore, but she was always there for me. 

Are you still pushing your mixtape with DJ 

Khaled 

We are. You can go on Myspace and download it 

www.myspace.com/shoniemusic. 

Are you working on your album 

Right now we still have a few more tracks to go. 

We’re trying to figure out which one is going to 

be the single. 

Are there any songs you might be leaning 

towards for a single 

We’re back and forth. We’re not really sure. We’re 

trying to get a big feature on one called “Control.” 

That’s probably going to be the first single 

but we’re not quite sure yet. 

Will you try to come out with a dance record 

first 

We’re definitely leaning towards a club joint 

because we want everybody to party. But with 

me personally, I feel like if it’s hot, it’s hot. If 

it’s a slow joint, if it’s a banger, then let’s push 

it. It doesn’t really matter to me, as long it’s fire 

and the people love it. 

How have you been able to connect with your 

fans and build a following 

Definitely Myspace. Myspace is the biggest thing 

right now. You don’t have to give out phone 

numbers now; you just go to Myspace. 

You mentioned your team keeps you going. Who 

all is on your team 

I want to give it to my team ‘cause they’ve been 

there from the gate – Slick Salt Entertainment, 

all my stylists, my producer Midus, Kane – another 

producer that’s coming up. We’ve been 

sticking together. We’re doing it for ‘07. // 

OZONE | 33

34 | OZONE

enisour 


38 | OZONE

What made you decide to keep your real 

name for rap 

It’s just me. It’s different. You know a 

lot of names kind of sound parallel to 

someone else. I just wanted something else to 

define myself, so I thought my name would be 

the best name to go with. 

Where are you from 

My family is from the West Indies, but I’m Puerto 

Rican. I was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in 

Miami. 

What made you decide rap was something you 

wanted to do 

What really made me decide to rap is a lot of 

dudes I grew with. I started seeing them do 

their thing and getting successful and I thought 

it could be a way for me to pursue that career 

coming from down here. That’s basically it. 

How would you describe your style Are you on 

some grimy, street type shit 

Naw, just club songs. Some street records, but 

every street record talks about different aspects 

of the street. [I do] a lot of club female tracks to 

keep you going and moving. 

How did you originally hook up with your label 

NMusic 

Me and my partner Brian came together and decided 

to go hard with it. We’ve just been working 

for a couple of years and finally got it together. 

What made you confident that this is the right 

place for you to be, as an independent label 

Because the sky is the limit. There’s no “can’t do 

this, can’t do that,” we just going out there; not 

really trial and error, just working hard pushing 

trying to get that major push. 

A lot of artists come in the game with a street 

buzz, and others go straight to radio. What 

angle are you coming with 

Where basically going with everything. We’re 

hitting the streets with a lot of mixtapes, doing 

shows, and plus we got songs spinning on the 

radio. 

Which songs are getting radio play 

“I Shot Em,” featuring Junior Reid produced by 

Black Out Movement. The next one will probably 

be “Catch Me in the Hood.” 

You have a relationship with DJ EFN; how’s that 

work 

Crazy Hood is real cool. They showed a lot of 

love, really guiding us. EFN is just helping us, 

basically being there, kind of like a big brother 

helping us in music making and building a good 

foundation. That’s our dude keeping it really 

hood. 

You’ve also got a mixtape coming out with DJ 

Smallz 

Yea that should be done next week; should be 

coming out next month. I also got one with Q45 

and the one with Khaled that we’re still promoting. 

We’re also putting one together in Orlando 

with DJ D-Strong. 

You’re a big dude; should we expect you to come 

with a Rick Ross type image Are you gonna be 

smoking cigars and all that, or what look are 

you going for 

Just being myself; it’s not always about putting 

out that image. Really, there’s a lot of different 

faces when it comes to being a person. 

Sometimes I may dress like that. Some days in 

a regular button-up Polo, relaxed; just chilled, 

being myself. It all comes [down to] me being 

me. Even though the music is business, it shows 

good character just to be yourself. 

Where do you think you fit into the whole Miami 

movement 

Miami is [full] of thugged out street records. 

With me you get that element and a good variety 

of music. At the same time you get the club 

and the female tracks. You also get songs that 

are real. You get a good variety. That’s where I 

think I fit into; not just one facet of music. You 

don’t get just one variety. 

What other producers did you work with besides 

Blackout 

Basically Blackout, Jake One, Knoxx, and I 

worked with Street Runner and a couple of 

other dudes. It’s hard to remember, but you got 

a good variety people I worked with to get it 

together. 

I noticed your ads are set up like a magazine 

cover. Is there more to your story 

Really just grew up overlooking the Miami area 

going back and forth. Besides knowing who I 

am I just listen to my music. You get a glimpse 

of who I am. I mean, I grew up in a tough area. 

It’s cool, but you see a lot of things, and you 

see the differences of always talking about the 

pros. The negative side of it for me I talk about, 

but I try to shy away from it because of what 

it is. I think there’s a lot more things to talking 

about than stuff like that. // 

OZONE | 39

Memorial - Ozone Magazine

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?