2 PISTOLS - Ozone Magazine

WELCOME TO TAMPA 2009
SUPER
BOWL
**special edition**
featuring
2 PISTOLS
+ CHRIS J // J GREEN // T-PAIN
UNIQUE IMAGE // RISKAY
MR SMITH // MILITANT MILITARY
MAD LINX // DJ Q45 // TOM G
DJ CHRISTION // DJ SMALLZ
OZONE MAG //

WELCOME TO TAMPA 2009
featuring
PLIES &
CHRIS J
+ 2 PISTOLS // J GREEN // T-PAIN
UNIQUE IMAGE // RISKAY
MR SMITH // MILITANT MILITARY
MAD LINX // DJ Q45 // TOM G
DJ CHRISTION // DJ SMALLZ
SUPER
BOWL
**special edition**
OZONE MAG //

OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG //

OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG //

OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG //

OZONE MAG

PUBLISHER:
Julia Beverly
SPECIAL EDITIONS
EDITOR:
Jen McKinnon a.k.a.
Ms. Rivercity
GRAPHIC DESIGNER:
David KA
CONTRIBUTORS & CREW:
Ashley Smith
Eric Perrin
Jee’Van Brown
Kisha Smith
Luis Santana
Matt Daniels
Maurice G. Garland
Mercedes
Randy Roper
Terrence Tyson
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
COVER STORIES
2 pistols pg. B14-16
CHRIS J pg. A16-18
INTERVIEWS
ALJa pg. B18-19
AYCH pg. B28-29
DANNY CLARK pg. A26-27
DJ CHRistion
pg. A6
Q45 VS. MAD LINX pg. A22-23
DJ SMALLZ
pg. A8
J GReen pg. A28-29
KANE BEATZ
pg. B17
MILITANT MILITARY pg. B24-25
MR SMITH pg. B22-23
ORLANDO of WILD 98.7 pg. A15
RISKAY pg. B12-13
TOM G pg. B26-27
T-pain pg. A10-11
UNIQUE IMAGe pg. A20-21
FEATURES
CLUB LISTING
EVENT LISTING
TAMPA Map
pg. A12
pg. A11
pg. A10
PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR:
Malik Abdul
STREET TEAMS:
Big Mouth Marketing
Lex Promotions
On Point Entertainment
Strictly Streets
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: 404-601-9523
Web: www.ozonemag.com
COVER CREDITS:
Chris J & Plies photo courtesy
of Big Gates Records. 2 Pistols
photo by Luis Santana.
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
2008 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.
OZONE MAG //

MAP
DOWNTOWN
TAMPA
10 // OZONE MAG

Events
Listing
Thursday, January 29th
Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash
Featuring Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, & Lifehouse
Live broadcast on VH1
@ Ford Amptheatre
4802 US Hwy 301 N., Tampa, FL
6pm-11pm
Champions of the Good Life w/ Winky Wright
Special guest Sean “Diddy” Combs
@ The Venue
2675 Ulmerton Rd., St. Petersburg, FL
Pre-party at 7pm, Event starts at 10pm
Plies Week: Welcome to My City Industry
Party Hosted by Plies & Bust It Baby Calendar
Models Music by DJ Q45
@ Club Underground
10pm-3am
Green Light Party w/ John Legend Performing
Live@ Temple Mega Lounge
Jazze Pha @ Skye
Friday, January 30th
Jermaine Dupri & Aqib Talib host Under the
Veil Super Bowl Party
@ The Museum of Science & Industry
4801 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL
Legends of the Good Life w/ Deion Sanders
Special guest Sean “Diddy” Combs
@ The Venue
2675 Ulmerton Rd., St. Petersburg, FL
Begins at 11pm following the celeb meet and
greet
Diamonds & Pearls Celeb Gala w/ Jon B
@ GLC Entertainment Complex
1910 E 7th Ave, Tampa, FL
Plies Week: Goon & Goonette Pink & Black
Bash @ Studio Inc Nightclub
Grown Folks Friday Ft. Biz Markie & Kid Capri
@ Florida Aquarium
701 Channelside Dr., Tampa, FL
Lil Jon, Keri Hilson, & Rich Boy @ Skye
Saturday, January 31st
Vibe Mag Presents: T-Pain’s Thr33 Ring
Circus @ GLC Ent Complex
1910 E 7th Ave
8pm-3am
Celebrity Car Show Hosted by DJ Khaled &
Big Tigger Live broadcasting by Wild 98.7 @
The Big Game Festival Grounds
1913 Ave Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL
Plies Week: “I Got Plenty Money” Car & Bike
Show Hosted by Black, Live Performance
by Plies @ Hip Hop Soda Shop
1241 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL
Tickets available @ Eman’s Fashions (University
Mall)
Snoop Bowl VII
Youth football game between Snoop
Dogg’s team & Mike Alstott’s team
@ Gaither High School Football Stadium
16200 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL
Plies Week: 106th & Good Afterparty
Hosted by Rocsi @ Studio Inc
Antonio Tarver & Nelly’s Celeb Super Bowl
Party Invited Guests: Ken Griffin Jr., Common,
DL Hughley & more @ The Museum of
Science & Industry
4801 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL
Info: 941-822-4373
Southern Smoke Night w/ DJ Smallz &
Friends @ Temple Mega Lounge
Sunday, February 1st
Super Sunday Vibe Mag After Party
@ GLC Entertainment Complex
1910 E 7th Ave, Tampa, FL
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (AZ Cardinals)
Official After Party Special invited
guests Edgerren James, Larry Fitgerald,
Anquan Bolden, Darnell Dockett
Music by DJ Smallz@ Temple Mega Lounge
Jazze Pha & Yung Joc @ Skye
Miami Invasion w/ DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Ace
Hood & Brisco Music by DJ Smallz @ Temple
Mega Lounge
OZONE MAG // 11

TAMPA
CLUB
LISTING
NIGHTCLUBS
Club 360/The Ampitheatre
(Ybor City)
1609 E. 7th Ave
Tampa, FL
813-248-2331
Club Joy
11921 N. Dale Mabry
Hwy
Tampa, FL
813-968-1515
Club Underground
802 Whiting Street
Tampa, FL
Empire & Climax
(Ybor City)
1902 E 7th Ave
Tampa, FL
813-247-5582
Full Moon (Ybor
City)
1613 E. 7th Ave
Tampa, FL
813-248-3309
Level 3 (Ybor City)
1611 7th Ave
Tampa, FL
Mirage
3605 W. Hillsborough
Ave.
Tampa, FL
813-673-8835
Orpheum
1902 N. Avenida
Republica
Tampa, FL
813-248-9500
Pin Chasers
4847 N. Armenia Ave
Tampa, FL
Prana (Ybor City)
1619 E 7th Ave
Tampa, FL
813-241-4139
Skye (Ybor City)
1509 E. 8th Ave
Tampa, FL
Strokers
11236 W. Hillsborough
Tampa, FL
Studio Inc Nightclub
3603 West Waters
Ave
Tampa, FL
813-598-3946
Temple Mega
Lounge (Ybor City)
1915 E. 7th Ave
Tampa, FL
Ultra Push Lounge
128 3rd St. S
St. Petersburg, FL
The Venue
2675 Ulmerton Rd.
St. Petersburg, FL
Strip Clubs
2001 Odyssey
2309 N Dale Mabry
Hwy
Tampa, FL
813-877-6406
Gold Club
6222 Adamo Dr.
Tampa, FL
813-622-7899
Hollywood Nights
3003 N. Howard Ave.
Tampa, FL
813-254-7194
Mons Venus
2040 Dale Mabry
Tampa, FL
813-875-2762
Penthouse Club
1801 N. West Shore
Blvd.
Tampa, FL
813-288-9200
Thee Dollhouse
1010 N. Westshore
Blvd.
Tampa, FL
813-281-9389
12 // OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG // 13

14 // OZONE MAG

Orlando
With over 10 years in the game
and a PD position with WiLd
98.7, Orlando has reputation
as a powerful record breaker.
Along with hosting the Orlando
& the Freak Show 6am-10am,
he also gives a helping hand to
the youth and hosts some of the
biggest parties in Florida.
What do you have going on right now
I have a lot going on right now, especially with
the Super Bowl coming up and Wild Splash
right after that. Wild Splash is our spring break
concert that we’ve been putting on for the
last 8 years that caters to over 15,000 people.
We’ve had headliners such as Jeezy, Digital Underground,
Wyclef, Beanie Man, 50 Cent, Ziggy
Marley, Sean Paul, Rick Ross, Plies, and T-Pain.
What songs are getting a lot of buzz in
Tampa right now
Gorilla Zoe’s “Lost” is heavy right now with Lil
Wayne. Keri Hilson’s “Turning Me On” is banging.
We just premiered Eminem, Dr. Dre, and
50 Cent’s song called “Crack a Bottle.” This local
joint called “All The Way Live” from Military is
pretty big around here.
What other local artists are blowing up in
your city
Tom G is major. His track “I’m There” set him up
as the next one to blast off. Javon Black has
“Tear It Up” ft. Lil Kee that’s heating up. We’re
pretty much the only station that really grabs
local records and gives them true shine on the
air. We broke artists like Plies, Mims and got 2
Pistols signed, to name a few.
How has your station been able to maintain
your reputation for breaking new records
We listen to the audience. We get songs that
we like, but we’re not going to gamble with
the audience. It has to be proven. We have
a good system of finding those right records
and they blow. I’m not gonna share the exact
recipe, but it includes PDs actually seeing
these records pop off in the club. A lot of PDs
aren’t on the air, and a lot of them ain’t hosting
no clubs late Friday night. If I see 2,000 people
in the club jamming to it, I know it’s time to
play it on the air. A lot of people think they can
drop the song of at the radio and it’s going to
blow up, but it doesn’t work like that.
With you being on the radio for 10 years,
how do you feel about the music and how it
has changed
The music is still the same because it’s still a
reflection of the streets. You have artists out
there who tell their story, and you have some
who talk about what they’ve seen or what
other people have been through. It’s still the
best hustle we got as far as this generation. It’s
kind of like the movie Devil’s Advocate when
Pacino said, “There’s more people in law school
than lawyers walking the earth.” Well with the
rap game, there’s more people that claim to be
in the rap game than there are rappers.
Besides being on the radio, do you do anything
else within the community
I’m an honorary Deputy Sheriff with the Sheriff’s
department. I work with the juvenile offenders
and gang unit. I work with Everyone’s
Youth United who help a lot of St. Petersburg
kids with their marching band, computer
labs, and care. I also host their Tampa Youth
Conference every year with Rev. Run, Justine
Simmons, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, and many great
speakers. As far as TV, I work with our local NBC
affiliate. I’m shooting a pilot for a new show I’m
hosting during the Super Bowl week. I’ll be on
Extra with Mario Lopez and Carlos Diaz. //
Words by Jee’Van Brown
OZONE MAG // 15

16 // OZONE MAG

Words by Ms. Rivercity & Luchi
different cities trying to get a buzz, putting
CDs on cars at the malls and clubs.
You may be familiar with Memphis
native Chris J from his HOOK
ON Plies’ single “Put It On Ya.”
Last year the singer/songwriter
appeared on a segment of BET’s
106 & Park, sparking the interest
of Big Gates Records who signed
him to theIR roster. Things have
been moving fast for Chris J ever
since.
How did you connect with Plies What’s the
story
I hooked up with Plies through his brother Big
Gates. He was watching 106 & Park and I was
singing on the Wild Out Wednesday competition.
That was the same day Plies came out
with “Shawty.” Him and T-Pain was performing
on there and the label was watching me. It was
actually Plies’ first time on BET too. After that,
Big Gates asked me to send more material to
the label. I sent about 17 songs, from there
they said they was interested in signing me as
an artist.
Did you write the single “Put It On Ya” How
did that come together
That’s something me and Plies did together.
Somebody else wrote it, but I’m not sure who
it was.
You were doing your thing for a while prior to
BET and getting with Big Gates. What did you
have going on before your current situation
I been grinding for more than 8 years. I’ve
opened up for many artists, from Anthony
Hamilton to Gerald Levert, Marques Houston
to Mike Jones, Genuine. Me and Nick Cannon
headlined a show here in Memphis that was
big time. I been passing out CDs in different
cities. Me and my crew take 300 CDs with me
when I go out of town. I wasn’t trying to sell
them ‘cause nobody will buy your CD if they
don’t really know who you are. I would give ‘em
to people, or ask for a $2 donation or something.
We would take trips to Atlanta, Nashville,
How did you end up on BET
When they first started Wild Out Wednesdays,
I was telling my manager at the time that I
wanted to get on that show. I thought it would
be a good opportunity. He said he had the
contacts and he sent an email to try and get
me an audition. He got a date set and we had
to pay to fly to New York. When it’s an opportunity
I’ll take my last dime, my light bill and
house note money, to be seen. I went up there
and out of 500 people that auditioned, they
were only going to call 3 people back. A week
later, Pat Charles, senior writer at 106 & Park,
he called and said, “Congratulations, here’s
your date for 106 & Park.”
What happened from there
I just started promoting for people to vote for
me at high schools and colleges and radio.
Much love to the radio stations here, 97 and
107.1. They really put it out there. Me singing
on BET was a great opportunity, plus meeting
the other artists that were there.
You mentioned having to spend your bill
money to go to New York. What kind of check
did you get for singing on a hit record for Plies
Well, let’s say that life is pretty good right now.
I am very happy. Sometimes I have to pinch
myself. I haven’t even been with Big Gates for
a year and everybody is knowing Chris J for
the “Put It On Ya” record. Financially I will say
that I’m blessed. I’m honored and I do pay my
tithes.
I read somewhere that you were the first
Memphis artist to perform in the Fedex
Forum. Explain why that was big for you.
That boosted my career. It was a show with
Monique and Gerald Levert. They gave me 15
minutes to sing. A lot of people in Memphis
knew me and loved be because my “Bubble
Bath” song has been circulating here for a
minute. It’s the song I won the 106 & Park
competition with. But standing on that stage
in front of about 12,000 people was really an
amazing feeling. To get off stage and people
OZONE MAG // 17

want to buy my CDs or get my autograph, say
ing they enjoyed my performance, it was an
indescribable feeling.
Have you been in Memphis all your life
Yeah, I actually grew up in North Memphis,
the same neighborhood as Three 6 Mafia and
Yo Gotti.
Memphis has a lot of musical history, did that
influence you at all
Not in general. What really influenced me was
my mom before she passed. My mom was shot
and killed when I was 11 years old. I was singing
in church since I was five. After my mom
passed, it became a dream for me to become a
household name. My brothers were in a band
and the older I got they said I could really sing.
They actually fired their two lead singers and
put me and my nephew in when we were like
14 years old. We were young, singing in the
band, singing at black tie affairs, sororities,
those kind of events. That really inspired me to
be a big time star and work on my own stuff.
So singing in a band probably made you
pretty popular in high school huh
Oh yeah. I’ll never forget, I was singing in a
nightclub and I was a basketball star at Northshire
High School. My coach always asked me
why I was so tired. One night he was in the
club when I was singing on stage. He said, “Oh,
now I understand why you’re so tired.” I was like,
aw man, here I am at one o’clock in the morning
singing and I had to go to school at 7:30.
Were you ever nervous on stage or were you
a natural
I never had stage fright. When you’re born to
do something you feel comfortable doing it. It
always felt natural to be on stage to entertain,
whether it was talking or singing.
Besides the “Bubble Bath” song, you also have
the “Balcony” single. Talk about some of your
music and what people can expect to hear.
I got another song called “Lunch Break.” It’s
saying all I need is 45 minutes of your time,
the first 30 minutes we can use to bump and
grind, then we’ll take 10 for a shower and get
fresh, and use the last 5 to say goodbye with
no regrets. I got another song called “Breakfast
in Bed” and I’m not talking about scrambling
eggs. I’m talkin’ about throwing back the
sheets and tasting something sweet, with my
head up under the covers, waking you up out
your sleep. I got some real behind-closeddoors
type of music. Everybody knows me for
bedroom type music.
So do you mess with one particular person in
the bedroom or are you single and mingling
I’ll leave that one alone. I’ll just say I’m alright
right now.
Back to the “Balcony” single. is sex on a balcony
something you’ve actually experienced
Yeah. Everything me or my crew writes about
is realistic experiences – whether I’ve had
‘em, or my friends and relatives have had
‘em. I don’t like to write music I can’t relate to.
“Balcony” is a song that really went down like
that. But I didn’t write “Balcony.” Adonis and
Sonny Black in Atlanta wrote that. I can relate
to it because I’ve experienced it.
What’s the big deal with sex on balconies
We interview a lot of artists that say that’s
one of their biggest fantasies.
For me, just enjoying the right setting outside, a
beautiful day or just the right temperature. You
gotta have that right setting, just before the sun
goes down, with your candles and bubble bath,
your rose petals, chocolate covered strawberries,
and whipped cream. You gotta have all the
ingredients before you get to the balcony.
What are your album plans
I can’t wait for my album to drop. It’s called
Secrets. We got about four or five major labels
interested in me right now. There’s some meetings
being set up. It’s gotta be the right situation
with someone willing to invest in Chris J. I
will say that I’ll give 110% and be a consistent
artist. It’s not just two or three songs on my
album that sound good and the rest are fillers,
I’m not that type of singer. I want you to love
my album from the beginning to the end. Plies
set the bar for the label and I want to come
right behind him. Unique Image and Zack King
are on the label too. We appreciate music and
we do it because we love it.
So what else is coming up for the new year
You been working with any other artists
I got some collaborations on Secrets. I’m not
gonna give away all the goodies, but there’s
a song about to come out that the women
are gonna love. Women, you think you love
“Put It On You,” but when this song hits the
radio you’re gonna love it like “Bust It Baby.”
My album is a host of good music from start to
finish, money back guaranteed. If you go get
my album and you don’t like it and you see me
out, you can get your money back. Naw, I’m
just kiddin’. But most definitely it’s gonna be
one of those albums that makes people say,
“Why wasn’t this guy signed a long time ago”
I have confidence in myself as a singer and
performer. I’m here to make some noise. //
18 // OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG // 19

Unique Image is on a mission to
bring the heart of R&B back to
the game. After signing to Big
Gates Records early last year,
Mic, Corey, Veedoe, and Franky
have been focused on taking
their quartet to the next level
in Hip Hop Soul music.
How did you guys come together as a group
I notice y’all are all from different states.
Mic: Our group originally started at the
University of Southern Mississippi in 2002. We
all went to college together. It started off with
four of us and we ended up getting another
member. Over the course of the years, the
members kinda faded in and out. When we
met our current lead singer Franky a couple of
years ago everything just clicked. That was the
boost that we needed to get us where we’re
at now.
Tell me about appearing on BET. What did
that do for your career
Corey: We were already a known group in the
area – Hattiesburg, Jackson, New Orleans. BET
just put us on the national level. When we
went on 106 & Park and won, it was people
from all over that had never heard of us but
appreciated the music. Winning on that type
of stage meant a lot to us.
Were you expecting to win on Wild Out
Wednesday
Corey: Of course. We was expecting to, excuse
my language, beat the shit out of everybody.
We always had self-confidence.
You were also on Showtime at the Apollo too
right
Corey: Yeah, we were on Showtime at the
Apollo. We didn’t win, but we got a standing
ovation and the people went crazy. It was a
great experience.
If you had been on Showtime at the Apollo
and the clown dude came out and pushed
y’all off stage, would you have quit
Corey: Nah, of course not. First of all, that
wouldn’t have even happened. We do our
thing, we get down on stage, but if he would
have come out, it would just be another
motivational tool to let us know we gotta step
our game up. We not the type of cats that get
easily discouraged.
Why did you choose your group name What
exactly is unique about your image
Veedoe: Basically how the name came about
was in college there was us four guys – one
20 // OZONE MAG

guy was a football player, one guy was in a
band, and another guy was doing his thing
in classes and singing to the girls all the
time. When you put us together it’s a unique
combination.
Before you signed to Big Gates Records, was
that the only deal you had on the table
Veedoe: It was other people looking at us, but
at the time we felt that Big Gates was the best
opportunity.
Have you had a chance to work with Plies
yet What’s that like
Veedoe: Yeah. We’ve worked with him, but
the particular song we did with him wasn’t
released.
Franky: Working with Plies on that song was a
blessing. Plies is the man. Not everybody gets
the opportunity to do things like that.
Do you have a single for the group yet What
are some of your favorite songs
Veedoe: We’re releasing a single February 1st
called “Fresh Off the Lot.”
Franky: We have a song called “We Could Be
in Love Again” that sticks out a lot to me. We
recently recorded the single “Fresh Off the Lot,”
“Drowning,” and we have another song called
“Way to My Heart” that sticks out to me.
Shai. We have real singing, real soul, real feeling
in the type of music we’re bringing back.
Working with Plies and appearing on TV,
have you had a chance to meet and maybe
work with some other big names
Franky: Actually we have. When we were at
the “Bust It Baby” video shoot with Plies we
had some people come on the scene like Rick
Ross, DJ Khaled, Ne-Yo, Ace Hood. Rich Boy just
dropped a video with Chris J. We got a chance
to meet a lot of celebrities.
Tell the people what you hope to accomplish
in the future and any upcoming plans.
Franky: We want to have longevity in the
game. Like Veto was saying, we want to bring
the soul back to the game, good music how it
used to be. We give it our all in the studio and
focus on making classics.
Mike: Be looking out for our upcoming album
More than Music and the single “Fresh Off the
Lot.”Look forward to some good music. Real
R&B is coming back.
Words by Ms. Rivercity
And what can people expect to hear from
your music How would you describe yourself
musically
Veedoe: You can expect real R&B from Unique
Image. We’re trying to bring back how the
music scene was ten years ago. A lot of people
say we’re a mixture of Boys II Men, Jodeci, and
OZONE MAG // 21

Mad Linx and DJ Q45, both former
hosts of Rap City, are known
as hot commodities in the
Florida club circuit and beyond.
Recently they’ve come together
as a duo called “Face Off.” No,
it’s not a beef, it’s a joint effort
to see just how hype they can
get the crowd with not one, but
two DJs.
Tell me about this “Face Off” concept and
how it came about.
Mad Linx: Before the BET thing popped off
for myself and then Q, me and him were cool.
We’re both from Florida and we both hosted
Rap City and we’ve always wanted to do
something together. Both of our teams finally
sat down and decided to start doing some shit
together as far as DJing. We put our powers
together and came up with something crazy.
Q45: Linx had been doing his different DJ gigs
across the country and I DJ a lot of different
places. He’s a good friend of mine. A lot of
people thought me and him weren’t cool but
it’s not like that. I work real well with him. He’s
real seasoned in his music knowledge and I’m
a real aggressive DJ, it just works.
Where did the name come from
Linx: To be honest, I have no idea where the
name came from. It’s like a marketing tool
– we don’t have beef or nothing like that,
22 // OZONE MAG
some people think it’s like we’re gonna
fight in the club or something. It’s nothing
like that. We’re basically bringing both our
DJing shows together.
Do you do parties together
Q45: Not all the time. We have to make it a
point to let promoters know they can get
us both together to DJ a party. Our teams
keep us booked a lot and it was just coming
to the point where people would call
me for a gig and then call Linx or vice versa.
We were like, why don’t we both just put
a gig together and split it to keep getting
that money.
If you were in a DJ battle, who would win
and why
Linx: (laughs) I’ve never been the DJ battle
type, but if it were on some who could rock
the crowd type of battle it would be interesting.
I’d have to say it’s a toss-up. One of
the things I’ve always liked and respected
about Q is he really loves to DJ as much as
I do. With a lot of people, their heart really

Clair and Big Lez and people really loved them.
I know Tigger had his rough period coming
in where people wanted Joe and Big Lez, and
then after a while people started to respect
him. It’s like everybody talking about Chad
Pennington in New York. They didn’t want him
but as soon as he goes to Miami and gets in
the playoffs it’s like, “Oh shit, we love Chad.”
Linx, are you from Tampa originally
Linx: I was born in New York but I relocated to
Florida when I was really young so I rep Tampa.
I started doing radio there many years ago,
before there was a commercial Hip Hop station
in the area. The name of my show was The Underground
Railroad. It was basically the only
outlet for Hip Hop in the city. It wasn’t a lot of
distribution, like DJ Clue tapes, so whatever
music was in your city [stayed] in your city.
When I got the BET show, I made it my main
objective to hold it down for the city.
ain’t in it, but he’s really into it. He’s like me, if
I’m at a party I’d rather be DJing than partying.
When it comes to technical DJing, who do
you think would win Q
Q45: Linx is my brother, I love him to death,
but when it comes down to the technical side
of DJing and tricks, I’d win that hands down.
But when it comes down to going into certain
markets and knowing the music, Linx is very
proficient. Say we went to a place in the U.K., I
might be a little lost, and Linx would outmatch
me on that. That’s what makes this Face Off
thing so great.
What have you been doing since Rap City
Linx: I got a lot of experience in the world of
television so after Rap City I started doing
hosting some stuff with another network
called Fuse.
Q45: I’m doing [the show] BET Now. It comes
on during the day at like 2 or 3pm, it fluctuates
times. That’s when you get to see a lot of the
rate-it-next videos before they transition over
to 106.
So Linx, you took the Rap City host position
after Big Tigger. Was there a lot of pressure in
that situation
Linx: It wasn’t really no pressure. I was like,
fuck it. If people don’t like me, fuck ‘em. People
always hate you while you’re there and love
you when you’re gone. I think Tigger probably
even experienced that. He came in after Joe
Where will you be DJing during the Super
Bowl weekend
Linx: I don’t have my schedule yet, but for the
last ten years I’ve been hosting the EA Sports
Madden Bowl. And for last few years we’ve
partnered up with ESPN. Me and Trey Wingo
co-host the event together on NFL Live. We
always do it the Thursday leading up to the
Super Bowl.
Is there anything else you have going on
Linx: If someone wants to book my they can
call my manager Matt 813-728-1131. I’m looking
forward to getting this popping. I don’t
really think that Hip Hop or urban music has
really had the DJ duo team. It’s always a lot
more fun when you get to do something with
somebody you respect. When you working
somebody who’s on point, I gotta make sure
I’m on my A game.
Q45: ‘09 is already looking good. I appreciate
everything the people at BET do for me,
keeping me in the loop on television. I have
a new business situation when it comes to
promoting the 21 and up clubs. We’re about
to start a company that just caters to the
grown and sexy crowd. We’re gonna rent out
different venues all across the country. We’re
already starting in Orlando, Gainesville, Tampa,
Tallahassee. I’m just keeping it moving. I got
a couple of different movie auditions I wanna
go for. I don’t wanna say what movies ‘cause
I don’t want to not get the part. Shouts out
to my team – Malik, Ivory Orr, Point Blank
Entertainment, DJ 151, Shawn Don, Roger,
the whole machine that’s behind Q45 and 45
Entertainment. //
Words by Ms. Rivercity
Photo by Malik Abdul
OZONE MAG // 23

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Danny Clark, a starting linebacker
for the NY Giants, is
involved in much more than
tackling on the field. he’s also
attempting to tackle the music
industry. Among many other
ventures, Clark is actively developing
his production company
Family Biz Entertainment.
How did you get involved in the music business
Music is ultimately my second passion. It ties
into so much in my life. It can be an inspiration
to others, it’s uplifting when things are bad,
and it can get you pumped up for an active
situation like playing football. At home my
dad always made sure music was played at all
times. It worked for us.
Where did the idea come from for your company
Family Biz Entertainment
The way Family Biz was constructed was my
best friend was a drummer in a band growing
up and he had aspirations of doing more. I
couldn’t sing or play an instrument, but I was
always a fan of music, and seeing someone as
passionate about it as I was sparked Family Biz.
The name came from two of the most important
things to me, outside of my faith.
What exactly does your company do in the
music business
We’re a production company. The producers
are Severe Garcia and Black Vega. They’re a
team, like the Cool n Dre situation and their
tag is “Garcia/Vega.” We make tracks and
construct whole songs. We have writers and
people that make the tracks. What I’m finding
out is that artists are lazy and I’m not saying
that in a negative way. If they can get a whole
package delivered to them where they can
just sing or rap it, it’s more attractive to them
than just getting a track. That’s what’s makes
us special.
Switching over to some football talk, how did
you feel when the Giants put the offer on the
table for you to come to their team
I had mixed feelings. Our head coach Tom
Coughlin was my coach at Jacksonville. This
was a very strict guy and it wasn’t a very
personal relationship. So I wasn’t excited but
I liked the team concept that I saw from afar.
Once I stepped foot on the [Giants field], I
realized he was a different man. He genuinely
cared about his players and how they can
be better. The team concept is unmatched. I
haven’t seen anything like it. We have a family
mentality on this football team and that’s one
of the keys to us being successful.
You’re actually a well-rounded business man
with several businesses. Talk to me about
some of the other things you’re involved in.
The Danny Clark Foundation was established
this year. You can check it out on www.dannyclarkfoundation.com.
It was inspired by my son
who was born three months premature. He
was born 1 lb, 3 ounces. What me and his mom
had to deal and not knowing what to expect, I
felt it was important to have a support system.
The idea was sparked back then in 2002 and
it wasn’t formed until this year. When I met
with the board of directors, I was urged not to
limit myself to the issue of prematurity. I also
felt uplifting the youth was so important, and
creating positive role models.
How do you uplift those children
I do a number of different activities. I have
two free football camps, one in my hometown
in Illinois and one in my wife’s hometown
Magnolia, Mississippi. We have 400 kids come
out for free and we guide them on their way.
Of course we have teammates from across the
league come out and support the event. We
enjoy helping out the kids any way possible.
Our most recent event was Shop with a Jock
where myself and fifteen other teammates
take fifteen children to Wal-Mart and give each
one a $100 gift card. We’re picking up steam
and doing collaborative efforts with the March
of Dimes and a couple other youth foundations.
What’s in store for the near future I’m sure
you have big plans for Family Biz in ‘09.
We produced some tracks for 50. We’re gonna
have one or two tracks on his album. We’re
real excited about working with G-Unit. We did
something with Cupid. Pablo Escobar, Jr. is doing
a movie of his dad’s life and he offered us
a chance to do a few songs on the soundtrack.
We’re doing some things in all genres and we
wanna work on doing some things for the
movie business as well.
Is there a website where people can listen to
the music
Myspace.com/doublenixx and www.dannyclark55.com.
Words by Ms. Rivercity
Photo by Jay Lawrence Goldman
OZONE MAG // 27

WORDS BY JEE’VAN BROWN
PHOTO BY PURFECTION PHOTOGRAPHY
28 // OZONE MAG

J. Green, who is originally from
the Polk County group OHB,
is flying solo and still trying
to regenerate the success
he had with the club classic
“Paralyzed.” Recently beating
a murder charge that had him
incarcerated for 30 months,
J. Green is back in the streets
working on a new mixtape. A lot
of rappers say they have lived
that street life, but this rapper
can’t be denied his creditability.
What have you been working on since you’ve
been out
Just working on this new mixtape called Fresh
Out The Gates.
What DJ is going to be hosting the mixtape
Well right now it’s undecided, but I think I’m
going to go with my boy Supastar J Kwik,
that’s my nigga. He’s Gucci Mane’s DJ.
I know you were recently locked up. How
long were you in jail
I was gone for 30 months. I beat the murder
charge they gave me, so I’m back out here in
the lab trying to do my thing.
30 months had to be tough. How did you get
through that
Shit, to be honest, I lived pretty good in jail. I
can’t complain. I listened to my iPod, smoked
good reefa, and everything like that. So I can’t
really complain. A nigga was living real good
to be in jail, but this my county right here so
I’m gonna get love.
You had an IPod and smoked good reefa
while you were locked up If I ever get locked
up in your county I need to talk to your connections.
(laughs) Yeah man, you got to have that
connect. It’s all about that vibe, it’s some real
niggas in there. If you a real nigga they going
to fuck with you and look out for you.
Since you had an iPod, what music were you
listening to that helped you keep your head
up while you were locked up
I’m not even gonna lie, while I was down we
didn’t have no radios or listen to no music in
there, just so happened I had a couple of correctional
officers that fucked with me in there.
I was on that first Plies album, Rick Ross’ first
album, and a lot of niggas are sleeping on Rich
Boy, but I fucked with that nigga.
Since you beat the murder charge, can you
explain to me what exactly happened that
night of the shooting
Well, this fight broke out between two groups
of sets in the club. Then after the club, it
started again at the Denny’s. Everybody knows
that I’m from one of the sets and the dude
that got shot is from the other set. Basically
everybody knows me because I rap and I do
my music thing, so people told the people
I did it and the cops came to get me just off
that. When I got locked up for that, I had some
people come testify for me and they let me go
because of that.
What happened when the cops came to get
you the second time
When the police came the first time, they
kicked in my house while me and my daddy
were in the house. They tore up the house
trying to find a pistol, but they didn’t have any
success with that. Me and my brother have
another house next door that we rent out, and
then they went into that house and found a
pistol. I guess they felt like that was the pistol
they was looking for. So they left, and let me
go because I wasn’t under arrest. Then they
came back 13 days later and said I was under
arrest for murder. I could have ran and I would
have ran if I would have knew I was gonna be
locked up for 30 months. I would’ve ran, but I
opened the door because I figured I hadn’t did
shit. So from that day I didn’t see the streets for
30 months.
Are you still with OHB
I originated that, so a part of OHB is going to
always be mine, but I’m doing my own thing
right now. Those still my niggas though. One
of them is locked up, and the other ones are
doing their own thing.
What’s your favorite song off the new mixtape
you have coming out
My favorite one so far is “Going to Trial.” For
09 we ain’t taking no pleas because niggas is
copping out too much.
How do you feel you stand out from other
rappers
If I haven’t done the shit I’m not going to rap
about it at all. If you not living like that you
don’t need to be rapping about that shit.
People want to hear about niggas that’s really
going through some trials and tribulations. //
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OZONE MAG //

DJ Christion
One of the key record breakers
in Tampa, Wild 98.7’s DJ Christion
holds down the airwaves and
local clubs. He’s a member of
several teams including Turntable
Assassins, We the Best, and
Terror Squad.
When can people in town for the Super Bowl
check you out on the radio
They can catch me at 5pm all week long and
on the night show. Pretty much everyone
that’s gonna be in town will be on the radio
too. I know [Fat] Joe, Ross, and Khaled are
gonna be in town.
What is your role with Terror Squad and We
the Best Are you the official DJ or do you
have some other responsibilities
Between Terror Squad and We the Best the
main role is holding down my market and
making sure all the people hear the latest and
greatest, whether it be from Joe or Khaled. I
give my input on any of their singles or projects.
I also DJ for Ace Hood.
Do you have plans to drop any mixtapes
I’m going to put out my own album within the
next couple of years. I plan to hit up every city
and get fans in other cities. I was trying to do
something different and I put out a Tampa to
Miami remix. I had Plies on it, 2 Pistols, Tom G,
Khaled, Ace, even Orlando, my PD, was on the
record. Two or three times a year I plan to put
out something to keep the streets knowing I
can put a record together. But it’s all a process,
I got a lot of learning to do. I gotta get fans all
over the world and once that happens, it’ll be
time to put out the album.
Who’s poppin’ in the Tampa scene Are there
any new artists from the area that people
should be familiar with
They should be checking for people like Tom
G, Key, Strizzo, OGK, Trinity, Javon Black, there’s
so many. Everybody has their own thing, but
Tom G definitely has a few club bangers.
What’s the word on the street with Tampa
Tony Has anyone talked to him recently
Oh yeah, he’s holding his head up. Unfortunately,
it didn’t pan out the way he wanted it
to. We stay focused on his movement, play his
songs here and there, trying to help out somehow.
I want to say he has an appeal going on,
but I’m not too sure. But the city always has
his back. We want to make sure people never
forget about Tony.
So what makes your city worthy of a Super
Bowl Why is Tampa the shit
It’s a melting pot. If you’re a freak and you
need a strip club fix, this is like the capital for
strip clubs. Then we got the party scene with
Ybor City. I’ll be at Club Skye throughout the
week. There’s a party every night. Downtown
and South Tampa are going on. It’s gonna
be freezing, but if you wanna hit the ocean
you can drive to the St. Pete area. You got the
Clearwater area. It’s something for everybody
here. And of course you have DJ Christion
holding it down on Wild 98.7.
What else would you like to mention
As a step to the album I’m putting out, I’m
gonna put out a mix CD with exclusive records
from each artist I work with. It’s called Cadillac
Crack and that will come out in the spring.
Shouts to my Wild 98.7 family, Tampa, St. Pete,
OZONE, Turntable Assassins, Terror Squad, We
the Best, and Black Group Marketing. //
Words by Ms. Rivercity
Photo by Lloyd of Flip TV
// OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG //

DJ Smallz
Top 10 Fear Factor Mixtapes
DJ Smallz, the man who brought
you the Southern Smoke phenomenon,
unleashed a fury of new
exclusives in 2008 via his Fear
Factor series. Here he gives us
his list of the best Fear Factor
mixtapes and why they’re considered
classic material.
1. Yo Gotti - Cocaine Muzik (Memphis, TN)
Yo Gotti made it clear in ‘08 that the streets
are his. This tape expanded Yo Gotti’s markets
outside of Memphis and helped create a new
movement in the streets reminiscent of Jeezy’s
“Trap or Die” campaign – from the wrapped
trucks to the Cocaine Muzik tees, Yo Gotti went
in. And his new deal with J Records/Jive solidified
his crazy grind in the streets. Look for Yo
Gotti to break out in ‘09.
2. TMI Boyz - Patiently Waiting (Galveston, TX)
The TMI Boyz created a huge independent
following and buzz in Texas via their Grindin’
for a Purpose series which I helped brand with
them. Look for them to take over Texas and
beyond in ‘09.
3. Jackie Chain - Fear the Future (Huntsville, AL)
This tape was a testament to Jackie Chain’s
incredible grind in ‘08 in which he inked a deal
with Universal Republic and won an OZONE
Patiently Waiting award. Fear Jackie Chain in ‘09.
4. Snook - Let’s Smoke (Columbia, SC)
Snook solidified the streets outside of SC with
this tape, later joining the Southern Smoke
College Tour and winning an OZONE Patiently
Waiting award. Snook will be makin’ some
major noise in ‘09.
5. King James - In da Building Vol. 2 (Jonesboro,
AK)
I first heard of King James when I did a show
up in Nebraska two years ago. After I heard
a few records, I was sold. King James is a
diamond in the rough, and a contender for the
streets in ‘09.
6. Modesty XO - Hustler Music (Birmingham,
AL)
Alabama has a lot of talented artists in the
streets right now, but Modesty XO is ahead of
the pack.
7. Q6 - The 6th Sense (Crosstown, FL)
If you haven’t heard of Q6 before, get to know
him – his music will surprise your ears. His
catchy hooks and street stories are unique and
he’s going for the crown in ‘09.
8. Kinfolk Thugs - We Here (Memphis, TN)
The buzz for these two cats is brewing. They
got Drumma Boy production behind them and
a fresh new deal with Rap-A-Lot Records.
9. Ruin - The Southside Superstar (Richmond,
VA)
Females in the Hip Hop industry are a dying
breed, who better to resuscitate this endangered
species then Ruin She got the streets of
VA, look out for her too in ‘09.
10. Kae State & Scoope - Penitentiary Chances
(Lexington, KY)
It’s hard to find quality street music in Kentucky,
so when I stumbled upon Kae State and
Scoope, it was a blessing in disguise. Look out
for these boys to make Kentucky sizzle this year.
As told to Ms. Rivercity
// OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG //

Riskay
Words by Randy Roper
The Florida girl behind the
“riskay” song “Smell Yo Dick”
breaks down what a dick
should smell like before
she goes down on the love
below.
T PAIN
WORDS BY JULIA BEVERLY
10 // OZONE MAG

It’s crazy how some artists like you and Akon
are such international superstars but you’re
still low-key enough that you kinda have
a personal life without the paparazzi and
people all up in your business. How have you
been able to maintain that distance
I ain’t that famous to have muthafuckas following
me around with a camera. Akon has white
[fans] too, and the pop crowd. For some reason
I can’t get out of the hood crowd. I guess it’s
‘cause of what I talk about and how I look.
When you started out, was music the only
career path you had in mind What do you
think you woulda ended up doing if this
didn’t pop off for you
I ain’t got nothing else. I still don’t got another
career path in mind. This is pretty much it for
me. When I started, it was just for the love of
doing music. I wasn’t watching the videos
thinking, “I’ma get this car,” or, “I’ma have this
many girls around me.” I wasn’t even into that.
Kinda like how I am now, I ain’t got as many
chains as everybody else. I ain’t ballin’ like
everybody else, or it doesn’t seem like I am. I
keep my [money]. That’s how the rich stay rich.
Be cheap! (laughs)
Buy the Mini Cooper instead of the Bentley
Exactly. I only got one expensive ass car, and
that’s the Lambo. That was a gift to myself.
When we did our first photo shoot, before
“Sprung” popped off, you had actually
produced and directed a music video for the
song as well. Are you planning on directing
any of your videos in the near future
Yeah, I’m still doing the same thing with my
videos. I just don’t want the stress ‘cause all
that shit comes with stress. I ain’t tryna have
all that responsibility. I’ma let other muthafuckas
do that. I’ve done enough on my own.
I’ve proved that to myself [that I can do it] so
I’ll let other people do it [now]. When I got
the Producer Of The Year [Award at the 2008
BMI Awards, along with J.R. Rotem and Kanye
West] I felt like I don’t really have to produce
that much anymore. Let other muthafuckers
have that stress. I’m real hands-on [with my
video concepts], but I don’t wanna be known
as the director. The last couple videos I filmed,
the [ideas] were really all me. They had all the
capabilities and control to really bring my shit
out. Once I got hands on it really brought it
to life.
theme for your stage show for the upcoming
tour with Lil Wayne
Right now, I’m going with the circus theme.
It’s just having fun. Fucking with people and
fucking with their minds. I want people to ask,
“Why the fuck is he doing that shit” A lot of
people don’t understand that’s really how you
[become successful as an artist]. Don’t give everybody
everythang, let ‘em have some kind of
mystery about you. That’s why a lot of people
haven’t seen me without my shades on. So
when I’m ready to take my shades away from
the image, they still got something to look
forward to, instead of already knowin’ what I
look like without shades on.
When you started, a lot of people doubted
that the auto-tune effect would work for you.
Obviously, they were wrong. Are there any “I
told you so” moments that stick out in your
mind Any critics that had to eat their words
later on
Pretty much everybody. Nobody thought I
would get past “I’m Sprung.” Then “I’m In Luv
(Wit A Stripper)” came out and they were like,
“Okay, this is the last one right here.” Then “Buy
You A Drank” came out and they were like,
“This gotta be the last one from this nigga with
the auto-tune.” And I just kept coming. Then I
started doing all the features with everybody
and shit got crazy. Everyone had to eat their
fuckin’ words. I had gone to everybody, and
every record label and every artist I tried to get
on with was like, “Nah, we good.” They didn’t
think [the auto-tune] shit was gonna work.
But you know, they couldn’t see the future. So
fuck it.
I heard some of the stuff Wayne is working
on for his rock album. Are you looking at going
in a different direction as well
Oh yeah, I’ma definitely switch it up. I’m not
gonna switch it up hard, I’ma keep it classic T-
Pain. If somebody didn’t know who Wayne...
The rest of this OZONE interview is on newsstands
now - look for T-Pain on the cover.
What about your stage show I read that
Kanye was really involved in the design and
format of his stage show, with the whole
spaceship concept. Are you developing a
OZONE MAG // 11

iskay
WORDS BY RANDY ROPER
PHOTO BY D SUAVE
The Florida girl behind the
song “Smell Yo Dick” breaks
down what a dick should
smell like before she goes
down on the love below.
12 // OZONE MAG

To start off I’m going to give you two celebrities
and you pick which one of the two you’d
rather fuck. T.I. or Ludacris And why
T.I. ‘cause he’s sexy.
Nas or Jay-Z
Nas, of course. He seems more fuckable than
Jay-Z. [Jay-Z] doesn’t seem like he can do
much in bed.
Ok, how about Lil Wayne or T-Pain
This is hard because neither one I would do.
Lil Wayne. I don’t know, he just…I don’t think I
could be high enough or drunk enough to go
there [with T-Pain].
Big Boi or Andre 3000
Big Boi. Because Andre seems like he would be
too weird in the bed. I ain’t into all that weird
shit.
Alright. I’ll give you one more: DJ Drama or
DJ Khaled
Drama. Because Khaled got a belly and it just
looks disgusting. He don’t look like he got
nothing.
Let’s talk about your song “Smell Yo Dick.” Do
you actually smell your man’s dick
Of course.
So, what’s the reasoning behind smelling a
dick
Well, it can be a couple reasons why you can
smell your man’s dick. On the song I made
it was to find out if your man was cheating.
Another reason would be, you smell it before
you suck it, because if it smell kinda musty
you ain’t finna go down there. That’s the other
reason why you would wanna smell your
man’s dick.
So, what does it have to smell like for you to
suck it
It damn sho’ betta not smell musty, or smell
like somebody else’s pussy. It just needs to not
have a smell. The best thing to do would be to
just take a shower before that.
What’s your favorite position
Doggy.
Is that the same position that you’re best at
Nah.
What position you best at
Riding.
What’s the worst sex you ever had
It was less than five minutes. It made me wonder
why even bother.
What’s the best you ever had
That went on for a long time and it was many
positions I’ve never tried before.
How long was it
Three hours.
Does size matter to you
Yes. I don’t care what nobody says, men with
little dicks have to do more fucking than men
with bigger dicks. They get straight to the
point. I don’t like nobody humping and they
not getting no work.
Do you send text messages about fucking
Yes.
What types of messages do you send and
receive
Just messages about how I liked to be fucked,
and the same thing comes back to me.
What’s the best message you ever got
When I was told that he liked to eat ass. That
really did it for me.
So you like getting your ass licked I don’t
know about that.
Yeah, of course. It’s like, if you’re not expecting
it and then you feel it, it’s like, “Damn, that
shit’s right. Eat that ass.” I mean, you’ve never
had your ass ate, but I know guys that like getting
their ass ate.
Do you use toys in bed
Yes. My Jack Rabbit, and I got this little vibrator
for the clit.
Do you use it on the men, too
No. They get to use it on me.
Do you think its better when you use toys
I like the toy thing because I know how to hit
my spot. And then I ain’t gonna worry about
trying to make somebody else nut. I can get
my nut at least five times when I use my toy...
Look out for the rest of this interview, which is
featured in OZONE’s upcoming sex issue.
OZONE MAG // 13

WORDS BY MS RIVERCITY
PHOTO BY LUIS SANTANA
14 // OZONE MAG

After smashing last year’s
charts with “She Got It,” 2 Pistols
released his introductory
album under J.U.S.T.I.C.E.
League/Universal Republic. Now
that everything has died down,
his distribution situation has
dissolved, and the smoke has
settled, 2P is seeing what it really
takes to make a significant
impact in the game. His current
free agent status isn’t deterring
him one bit though. He recently
linked up with Slim of 112 for a
second female-targeted song,
a record 2P hopes will show
the world he’s still got what it
takes for another go around.
I know you’re working on your sophomore
album Arrogant. When are you planning to
release it
I don’t have a set release date for it. I’m trying
to see who’s gon’ do distribution on it. I’m no
longer with J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, they got released
from Universal Republic. There’s stories
going around that I got dropped and they
wasn’t trying to rock with me, but by them
being released from Universal Republic, it
automatically releases me. So I can technically
go do my own situation with whoever I want. I
don’t have a date or distribution but it’s gonna
come out under my company Blood Money
Unit Entertainment.
So will you still be working with J.U.S.T.I.C.E.
League at all
I tried to move forward and get some records
with J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, but I think they have
different things in mind. I don’t know what
they’re gonna do, but for me, I got the single
“My Gurl” featuring Slim of 112. I also got a
street record called “Ain’t Gotta Talk.” I got this
one record titled “Lights Down Low” featuring
my R&B artist Young Joe.
Do you have any other artists on BMU
BMU Entertainment is just me. I had a couple
rap artists in the beginning, but I don’t have
any right now. The only person I’ve been
working with is my R&B artist. For ’09 I’m going
many different routes – I hired new management,
I hired some attorneys, I got out of my
production situation, and I’m doing things the
way I wanna do them.
What are some things you are hoping to
change for this next go around
I really felt that the sales, and things albumwise,
not digitally, didn’t go the way I wanted
them to. My project was slept on ‘cause I think
cats looked at me as fast food. They just looked
at me as a quick situation to get money, a
quick buck.
Why did you go with the Slim collaboration
as a first single and not the song with your
own artist
The first record was produced by Oddz N
Endz, and the “Lights Down Low” record was
produced by myself. I actually liked the “Lights
Down Low” record more, but the “My Gurl”
record with Slim got leaked. The people was
swinging to that one so I rolled with it. I like
the situation with Slim because we can do a
bunch of shows together, verses me doing a
record with T-Pain last year. It was the number
one record in the country, but I didn’t have
an opportunity to perform with him. People
don’t understand that sometimes people have
different visions with what they’re trying to do.
Slim is out here grinding and has an independent
situation through Asylum. We can probably
do more together as far as shows and
traveling, verses doing a video with someone
and not seeing ‘em no more.
So would you consider doing another T-Pain
record even though he’s not available to
perform with you
I won’t say I wouldn’t do another record with
T-Pain being that I had a lot of success with
“She Got It,” I just don’t think things went the
way they were supposed to. All his success was
coming to him right then, and I don’t think
anybody looked at it like I added anything to
the record. Everybody thought that it was his
record and I just happened to be a guest on
it. He took all the juice out of it. It’s not that he
overshadowed me, but his situation was just
becoming bigger at that time. I’m trying to get
with someone on my level that can pop off
with me at the same time.
You said they looked at you as the fast food
of rap, how are you trying to overcome that
and gain respect
I never really had a foundation. I tried to build
a foundation by doing mixtapes or whatever,
but I had the game twisted when I came in it. A
lot of things I expected the label to take care of
or was told they would take care of, they didn’t
get taken care of. I would have even come out
of my pocket for different things. I would have
shot some videos and released some stuff on
my own. But every time I reached in my pocket
to do something, they was like, “Nah, don’t do
this, don’t do that.” When I had the incident
at the awards, it was really other people
controlling that. I ain’t really get to voice my
opinion about anything. When I came up in
the streets, I didn’t answer to nobody. I spent
OZONE MAG // 15

my money to get T-Pain on the record and to
do my own situations. I think I slapped myself
in the face by getting tied up with people that
controlled me. I’m trying to reach back and
build my foundation, but I don’t want to take
full responsibility for the situation, although I
should because I involved myself with people
that looked at me as fast food.
Do you think learning those lessons will
make your second album go farther
Yeah. Real talk, if I’m in control of the situation
I feel it will be great. The positive things that
popped off from my album and sales, everything
that was done right was done by me.
Everything done wrong was done by other individuals.
We’ll see. I’m pretty much the underdog
in this situation, but fuck, look at the Cardinals.
Nobody ain’t expect them to be in the Super
Bowl but look, that’s the situation. Nobody
expects me to succeed, even though my last
situation did 45 million digital. I mean, my
album did like 100,000 but I see a gold situation
for Arrogant. I’m always growing as an artist.
Is that why you named the album Arrogant,
because you’re arrogant about the project so
to speak
Yeah, and I named it that because I got called
arrogant so many times in meetings and by
so many people. But I mean, what sucks is I
tell them the real. I give them real examples of
why I’m right and why they fuckin’ wrong. And
they couldn’t ever explain to me why they’re
right and I’m wrong. I got my own reasons
why I want to do things. I came in this shit by
myself, I’m gonna die by myself, so I’m gonna
do this shit the way I want, by myself.
Doesn’t the term “arrogant” kinda have a
negative connotation
I want them to look at the situation like that.
If they say, “Man, that nigga arrogant,” then so
be it. It’s a lot of muthafuckas that walk around
here arrogant or cocky. If I wasn’t feeling myself
I wouldn’t be able to do this shit, I’d be too concerned
about what the next nigga feel about me.
When we talked to you before you mentioned
some of the things you’ve been
through with the law. Do you think the Hip
Hop police read your interviews and keep
track of things you say in the media
If they do, so be it. I don’t care. I’m pretty sure
they do, all my interviews, YouTube videos,
whatever. I’m still on papers so my P.O. may see
some shit and ask me about it, just because I’m
speaking about it in songs or an interview. But
I really ain’t trippin’ on that. If they wanna hit
me with some extra charges, if I did that then
I did that. I know what the deal is before I do
things. Any nigga that’s going into any situation,
if you involved with some niggas and y’all
plottin’ to go get some money together, if you
get caught and the rest of them niggas don’t
get caught, if you wrong you shouldn’t be
snitching on your niggas. That’s why I named
the first album Death Before Dishonor. A lot of
niggas in this shit is flaw.
Since you’ve gone from 2 Pistols in the
streets to 2 Pistols in the music game, how
many people from your past are you able to
still deal with
To be real, I don’t fuck with nobody I used to
fuck with at all. I don’t really have a relationship
with my mother or brother or sister. I can
talk to them and be cool with them, but the
fucked up thing about this shit is when you
get successful, they’re looking at the TV like,
“Well Keyshia Cole bought her mama this. Why
the fuck you ain’t buy me that” Or “Why you
ain’t doing this and that for me” I’m one of
those people that ain’t trying to help nobody
unless they trying to help theyself. If you trying
to get somewhere in life, then I’ll help you to
the fullest. Where I came from I ain’t have shit
and I wanted to establish myself and be the
person I am today. If you don’t have no goals
then I don’t need to be around you.
Why should people purchase your album
when it comes out Times are rough and
people need a good reason to spend $15 on
an album.
Because everybody’s got haters and this Arrogant
shit is a way for you to get over your
haters. Think highly of yourself, let them call
you whatever they gon’ call you, but at the end
of the day, don’t focus on what them niggas
talkin’ about.
What’s the last album you bought
I buy shit all the time, whether it’s Hip Hop or
R&B. I think the last shit I bought was Plies. He’s
someone I can somewhat relate to.
Do you want to give out any contact info or
a website
Niggas can holla at me about some features
or show bookings at 727-686-2715 or 352-
231-3760. What fucked me up last year, it was
so many niggas running around with false
advertisements that they was my booking
agent. Them muthafuckas was getting money
and keeping that shit. People were thinking I
didn’t show up. If you want a direct contact to
get some shit done, holla at either one of them
numbers. Hit me at Myspace.com/2Pistols or
my new site www.2PistolsWorldBlog.ning.com.
16 // OZONE MAG

Kane Beatz
Kane Beatz has accomplished a
lot since signing a publishing
deal with Warner/Chapel when
he was only 19 years old. Over
the last couple of years, KB has
produced songs on numerous
major albums like Chamillionaire’s
Ultimate Victory, Flo Rida’s
Mail on Sunday, and DJ Khaled’s
We the Best, to name a few.
You have a lot of major placements. Who all
have you worked with
I did two records on Trick Daddy’s album –
“Tuck Ya Ice” and “Lights Off.” I produced a song
called “S On My Chest” on Khaled’s album. I did
about 5 records on Chamillionaire’s last album.
I did a track called “Still Missin” on Flo Rida’s
album and the first record on Birdman’s album
called “Fully Loaded.” And I did the bonus track
on Plies’ last album.
What do you have in the works right now
that hasn’t been released yet
I did two records for Flo Rida’s new album. I
did a record with Fabolous. I did a record with
Luda but it looks like the label’s not clearing
it. That’s pretty fucked up. I did something on
Gorilla Zoe’s new album. I’ve been working
with all the Warner artists, like Attitude. I got
lots of work, trying to go crazy right now.
How were you able to land your beats with major
artists Were you grinding for a while first
Yeah, I was grinding for a while. Once things
started poppin’ and I got the publishing deal
with Warner/Chapel in the end of ‘06, they
started hooking me up with A&Rs which got
me to where I’m at now, where it’s easier to get
my beats to people.
Who are some major artists you think your
beats would cater to that you haven’t worked
with yet
I haven’t done a record with T.I. yet. I just did a
record on Big Kuntry’s last album so I’ve been
at Grand Hustle meeting people. I’m definitely
trying to make T.I.’s next album. I haven’t done
a record with Wayne yet. I’ve done a couple
records he was featured on like the one on
Khaled’s record. I’m also trying to get into a
lot of pop and stuff, more R&B. I have a lot of
R&B placements with people. People come to
me for a lot of rap records, but I’m trying to do
more R&B records. It’s just a process. I’ve been
working with a lot of writers. The record I did
with Fabolous was originally an R&B record,
but he liked it so much he kept the hook and
decided he wanted to rap on it.
How do you think you’ll be able to cross over
into doing more R&B
I’m just gonna keep working with more and
more writers ‘cause most of these R&B people
don’t write their own records. The process for
getting a hit R&B record is a lil more complicated.
You’re 21 years old and you’ve had a publishing
deal since you were 19 years old. Do you
feel like that’s a pretty big accomplishment
at your age
I wouldn’t look at it like that. I just look at it like
I was blessed with an opportunity. But there’s
still so much left to do. I really haven’t accomplished
that much. I mean I’ve done good
for myself, but I want that #1 hit record. So I’m
working just like everybody else is working. I’m
working like I’m still trying to be the best.
So how do you set yourself apart from other
up and coming producers
I don’t limit myself. I work with a lot of musicians
and writers. It’s an ability to not slow
down. I’m out here doing me. I don’t stay in
one zone and let people label me. I’m trying to
do what Polow is doing.
What else are you working on that people
should know about
I’m working with two artists – one is Blaze out
of Orlando and I got a group in Atlanta called
The Dope Boyz. We’re just waiting to get the
majors behind ‘em. That’s the focus this year.
Words and photo by Ms. Rivercity
OZONE MAG // 17

Newly signed to Interscope Records,
Alja “Jesse Jane” Jackson
definitely has her own lane
when it comes to her sound and
image. Claiming influences from
Missy Elliott to Madonna, Alja
has long been in pursuit of a
career befitting her leftfield
personality. After leaving her
Duval hometown, hitting New
York to be a backup dancer,
moving to Atlanta, and landing
a label deal while working in
L.A., Alja is now making something
big of her journeys.
WORDS BY MS RIVERCITY
18 // OZONE MAG

How were you able to get signed to Interscope
I signed the paperwork on my birthday, June 29th.
I was very excited ‘cause I’ve been grindin’ so long.
I was actually in negotiations with Cash Money so
it was like a bidding war, but Interscope came with
the right stuff in the paperwork. Maddscientist
brought me out to L.A. to write for The Pussycat
Dolls. He was like, “If you ain’t signed to Cash
Money yet, come out to L.A. and we’ll see what’s
good.” I’m a loyal person so I was tryin’ to let Cash
Money get they stuff together, but it was takin’ a
lil longer than I expected. I went to L.A. and cut a
couple songs. Erica Grayson, who’s my A&R now,
walked in the studio while I was cutting my songs
and she liked my vibe. It just went from there. A lot
of people say they gon’ do stuff, and sometimes
you hear stuff over and over and stop believing.
But when I got back to the East coast my lawyer
already sent me the paperwork. I always wanted
to be on Interscope ‘cause personally I feel it’s the
best label.
What are the specifics of your deal with Interscope
The great thing about my situation is me and
my manager, Erskine Isaac, own a production
company called Leftfield Productions, and I signed
myself to my own company. I have two acts on
the production company/label – the Jack Boys are
from Jacksonville and the other guy is EZ B, a.k.a.
Green Socks, out of Atlanta. Everyone I’m looking
for on the label has to be a leftfield artist, not afraid
to take chances.
What’s up with your alias Jesse Jane Is that an
alter ego
Jesse Jane is my alter ego. I had started writing for
a lot of pop artists and discovered a side of myself
that mixes urban and pop fusion, and it created
this wild-child, outlaw type person. It’s like Jesse
James and the outlaws. I’m an urban artist, of
course I’m from the hood, but I have a worldly aspect
on how I write my music. I write urban music
with a pop formula. Jesse Jane helps me get into
character, and Alja is straight from the hood R&B.
You can definitely hear your influences like Missy
Elliott and Prince in your music, and you have
that Cindy Lauper pop thing going on with your
style…
Yeah, I love Cindy Lauper. When people ask me
to classify my music, it’s hard to put myself in a
box but people want to know, so I tell them Missy
Elliott is my mother; Prince is my father; T-Pain is
my cousin; Andre 3000 is my brother; Madonna
is my auntie; Cindy Lauper is my godmother; and
Michael Jackson is my goddaddy. [I’m influenced
by] all the styles of people that weren’t afraid to
be them, stuck to what they wanted to do and
believed in it.
In your experiences so far, from a female artist’s
perspective, is the music business is as shady or
sexist as everyone makes it out to be
With everything you do in life, there’s gonna be
some type of obstacle. In the music industry, it’s
especially hard for women because if you ain’t
sleeping with somebody or those types of things,
it can be hard. But first impressions are everything,
so if you present yourself like a lady, and you let
a nigga know that this is what it is, if you like my
talent that’s what’s up but it’s nothing else, I think
that’s what’s important. You gotta stand your
ground and let them know who you are so you
don’t have those problems.
Jacksonville is your hometown, but you’ve lived
in some other cities. Do you think it was necessary
to leave the nest in order to get your career
going
I do think it’s good to branch out. Jacksonville is
one of the largest cities, but we’re just now starting
to get on the map as far as entertainment. If
you feel like you’ve achieved something in a certain
area and you’re still not getting to where you
need to be, it’s important to branch out while still
representin’. If you’re out networking in different
cities and states, bring that energy back to your
hometown and don’t be selfish. I moved to New
York and it taught me a lot. If you ain’t goin’ to your
auditions or goin’ to work...you gotta walk in the
snow and rain to the train, it taught me independence
and the grind. My mama wasn’t there, I had
to get up on my own. I was a back up dancer for
Sean Paul, Maxie Priest, and Shaggy. After I started
dancing for Sean Paul, I moved to Atlanta to focus
on me. My grandmother taught me that you only
live once so make the best of it.
What’s going on with the music you’ve been
writing and recording lately
I’m working on this record, and I really wanna tell
you the name of it, it’s so cool and I wanna put the
record out there before anyone else does. But my
single is definitely “Perrtiest Girl” featuring Missy
Elliott. Wayne just did a verse on it as well. We’re
gonna get Three 6 Mafia on a song called “Lava In
Your Speakers.” Everything is really up-tempo, high
energy, 808, crunk, kinda like early Missy Elliott
with a lil more hood, down south swagger.
A lot of people might not remember, but
weren’t you on a reality show a while ago
(laughs) Yeah, I did the show Are You the Girl,
where they was trying to find another member
for the group T.L.C. I made it to the fourth finalist.
I didn’t make it but everything happens for a
reason. Television doesn’t portray you as the person
you really are, but I was just thankful for the
experience. I even see Chilli and T-Boz in Atlanta
today and it’s all good. //
OZONE MAG // 19

20 // OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG // 21

I started performing some of those and got
some pretty good feedback.
While his name might not be an
attention grabber, Mr. Smith’s
music definitely is. Always coming
up with creative ways to
market his product, Mr. Smith
gained a sizeable fanbase in 2008
with his singles “White T” and
“Breathe.”
What’s your background in music
I grew up in the church and played piano in
my youth choir. I was in the marching band in
high school. I started listening to Hip Hop in
my high school years. I went to Indiana University
and got more involved in the music scene
there. A lot of my friends that I played ball with
in Florida and Atlanta, you know, everyone in
football wants to get involved with music in
some way. When I moved to Tampa I met [my
manager] Matt. He was very ambitious in the
music scene and he introduced me to a few
people. One thing led to another and I was
trying to be the next P Diddy. I started my own
record label and the main act I was working
with at the time was Acafool.
What happened with football
I played four years in the league and got diagnosed
with a neck injury when I was in camp
with the Colts. I played a year in Tampa, a year
with Carolina, a year with St. Louis, and when
I got diagnosed with the neck condition I was
sick that I couldn’t play ball anymore. I stopped
playing football and actually started getting
into martial arts.
So tell me about your music career so far.
What are some moments that stand out
I’ve always been kinda behind the scenes,
like when I started working with Acafool and
working records and building relationships.
We were pushing records since like ’05 and
“Hatablockas” ended up being a song that everybody
liked. I was over in Europe when the
song took off. They were all telling me about it
and when I finally came back I saw exactly how
big the song was.
How did you transition from the behind the
scenes role into more of an artist role
We were in a position where record labels
were noticing us but they didn’t want to give
us a good deal for various reasons. Once I
realized what some of the reasons were, I decided
to start writing some of my own songs.
Is the “White T” song still top priority or are
you pushing something else
In my mind it’s still a priority just as a song to
introduce myself to the fans so they can look at
the song, look at the concept behind the song,
and it’s something catchy too. I recorded it last
year but in order to work a song you really need
to have a lot of things in place. In my mind,
the best part of a song is the visual that goes
along with it. There’s not a lot of people that
would take a staple in Hip Hop, which is a white
tee, and turn it into a play on words and then
try and market it that way. I wanted to get the
visual out there as much as the song itself.
Why did you decide to go by the name Mr.
Smith and not Young Smith or Lil Smith,
something more rap friendly
Other than the obvious reason of it being
my government name, I always looked at the
music industry as a business. Anytime I’ve
done anything business related, whether it
was buying a house or purchasing a car, I was
always addressed as Mr. Smith. I figured if I was
gonna approach this thing as a business, I’d go
ahead and use my business name.
What other songs and projects do you have
coming out
I have a song called “Breathe” that’s been
taking off on the internet. You’ll probably
see a lot of young ladies doing what they do
on Youtube [to that song]. I got approached
by an internet company called Shakeit.com
last year that featured the song and before I
knew it I started getting videos sent to me on
Myspace and seeing videos all over Youtube.
It’s been interesting to say the least. Some are
better than others, some of them drop it like
it’s hot, some drop it like it’s lukewarm, but as
long as they do it to one of my songs I don’t
mind. I plan on trying to moving up to Atlanta
and take the song a little more seriously than
I have been. I’m supposed to go up there and
do something with the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League.
We’ve always had a real good relationship with
them.
Which is more competitive, football or the
music industry
I’d definitely have to say the music business is
more competitive than football. There’s a lot of
people trying to get their name out there and
come up with the next hot song.
22 // OZONE MAG

WORDS BY MS RIVERCITY
OZONE MAG // 23

After recording music for several
years, Militant Military
has finally struck gold with
their radio hit “All da Way Live.”
The song has taken Souljah,
Ms. Williams, State, Militia, and
their producer J.O. from the
background to the foreground
of local Tampa music.
How did you guys come together as Militant
Military
Souljah: Everything started in Tampa. We got
people in the group everywhere, from Tampa
to New York, to the Midwest. It was officially
established in 2003. We opened up a recording
studio here and recorded music for a few years
before we decided to hit the scene. We did a
song with Tampa Tony and he hooked us up
with JMB Management. Last year we put out a
song called “In da Bikke” and we got a lil bit of
attention from that song. It didn’t have such a
big impact so we switched over to “All da Way
Live.” It’s a lot more radio friendly, a lot more
commercial. It was an easier record to break.
That’s how we were able to come this far.
As a vocalist, how important is Ms. Williams’
role within the group
Ms. Williams: My singing brings a different
vibe that allows everybody to listen the music,
because just about everybody likes singing.
As far as the R&B portion, I give us a different
tempo to slow it down from being so much
gangsta rap or club music.
24 // OZONE MAG

What’s your background as a singer
Ms. Williams: I sang at church and at school. I
was a director of my youth choir at church all
the way up through my teenage years. I was
always in chorus at school. Shortly after I got
out of school I started taking vocal lessons.
I always wanted to sing but I didn’t know
exactly how I was gonna do it. This came along
in my life and this is where God led me so this
is where I am.
How did State come into the group
State: About a year before the group was
started, I ran into Souljah and we became
friends. He was always telling me about stuff
he had going on and how he was recording. I
went to New York and when I came back I ran
into him. That’s about when we got serious, sat
down and put it together.
With the “All da Way Live” song, were y’all
pushing it a while before it got on radio Or
did it make its way there on its own
Souljah: We had to push it, just like any other
major or independent label would push a
product – through radio campaigns, advertisements,
promoting, different marketing
schemes, all the way to paying to open up for
major artists. We did everything, street teaming,
anything that has to do with promoting
a record and the group. It’s on radio in other
cities too. Plus, it’s just one of those songs that
grew legs. We did the same thing with “In da
Bikke” and we didn’t have nowhere near as
much success with that as “All da Way Live.”
Where did the group name come from
Soujah: The name just came from spirituality I
guess. Before I even met the group, the name
was always in my head. I was a teenager when
I was using that name and the group came
about three years later. You know how some
things happen and they don’t make sense until
later Once the group came together, that’s
when the name made sense to me. I think the
name just came from the spirits, I don’t know
how that sounds, but that’s how it happened.
What’s the story behind the masks you wear
Soulja: That’s part of our group’s signature. Every
time we perform we wear masks. It mostly
represents the unknown, just like the question
mark on the end of Military.
Do you have plans for Super Bowl weekend
Soulja: We’re going to be doing a couple
teen nights and plus I’m sure we’re gonna
be booked for some shows. We’re gonna put
on for our city and make sure we get noticed
even more and add more momentum to the
project.
What are some other things y’all have in the
works for the upcoming year
Souljah: My plan for the next six months is to
sign with a label and use everything we get
from signing with a label to brand the group
Militant Military as a major group and not a
one-hit-wonder.
Ms. Williams: I’m just basically staying focused
with the group, maintaining a positive attitude
about everything, and doing what I have to do
on my part. We’re just following suit with our
leader.
State: I’m just working real hard. I don’t plan on
stopping no time soon. We’ve been grinding
out here for years so we’re ready.
Words by Ms. Rivercity
OZONE MAG // 25

tom g
WORDS BY JULIA BEVERLY
Tom G is a boss in the Tampa
scene. In our infamous sex
issue, he talks about groupie
sex, orgies, and his secret
crush on Eve.
26 // OZONE MAG

So do you have a wife or are you out on the
road having fun What’s your situation right
now
I mean, shit, you know, I got three kids – twin
boys, and I’m with they mom right now.
I know you’re a popular guy in Tampa.
You’ve probably had some groupie love and
all that. Does having kids slow down your
sex life
Nah, not really. I do my thang. It’s slowed
down a little bit.
Do you have females coming up to you
wanting to hook up because of who you
are What’s the craziest groupie approach
you’ve had
Let me see, I’ve had a couple of ‘em. I done
had some of ‘em catch me in the club and just
start sucking on my medallion, shit like that, I
guess implying what she’ll do to me.
Did you let her get what she wanted
Nah, actually I didn’t get a chance to catch
up with her. When I catch her I’ma see what
she’s about.
What about celebrity females If you could
hit any three celebrities in the world who
would they be
Definitely gotta be Eve. I have the biggest
crush on Eve. I’d have to get on Eve real
proper, real decent.
Why Eve
I don’t know. It’s just something about her,
you know what I’m sayin’ A lot of people say
she looks funny but to me she fine as hell. Eve
and let me see who else…I did like Diamond
from Crime Mob but Scrappy took her from
me. It’s a lot of ‘em out there but the biggest
crush I can think of off the top of my head is
Eve. She definitely could get it.
You know she had a lil sex tape. Maybe you
could make one with her.
That’s what made me think I could say
something to her ‘cause it ain’t like she green
to the fact. I know she got that type of side in
her so the shit I’m sayin’ wouldn’t be foreign
to her. Even though I wouldn’t approach her
like that, but us being human, that’s gonna
come eventually.
Have you ever filmed yourself
Nah, the most I done got into some shit like
that was I’m doing my thang, and me and my
homeboys had this thing where I’d call them
and just sit the phone on the dresser or some
shit and let them hear how it’s goin’ down.
And then they’d call my other homeboys on
three-way and everybody just be in there
listening.
That sounds like some high school shit. Do
y’all still do that
Nah, we don’t do that shit no mo’. We outgrew
that shit. Nowadays, most of the time,
we run into chicks that gon’ pop it off with
everybody or she might have a friend and
they’ll pop it off with everybody. Or we all in
the same house, or the same room if we on
the road, and they can hear the shit.
You like the females that let the whole crew
get it in
Yeah, sometimes. I don’t do it like that all the
time, I got my picks, I wouldn’t call it crabbin’
or cuffin’, but I got picks that I’ll slide off with
and I got my picks that pop it off for the
whole click.
What’s the largest number of people you’ve
had in the same room at the same time
You know what That’s kinda like a fantasy of
mine. I ain’t never really been a part of no big
orgy, well, you know, I been a part of shit like
that but not where everybody’s just off the
chain with everybody. That’d be some shit
that would spark my interest.
Do you have a favorite porn star
I’m feeling the girl with pink hair from Atlanta.
What’s her name, Pinky It’s a girl with
some hot pink hair from Atlanta and she’s
pretty decent. It’s her and it might be one or
two mo’ but I don’t really know they names. I
just know ‘em by face when I see ‘em.
Why is she your favorite
I guess when I first seen her doing her thang,
you know how niggas be ridin’ around with
that shit in they car when they stuntin’ with
them screens, when I saw her I was like,
damn. She caught my attention. Usually I
don’t even pay that shit no attention. I see
that shit all the time, but when I saw her, she
caught my attention. And then one time we
was in Atlanta, we went to some strip club
called Tootsies or something like that, and
when you walk outside they had a whole
table of just shit with her on it. So I’m like,
damn, I’m kinda locked in on her as far as
porno stars go...
Look out for the rest of this interview, which
is featured in OZONE’s upcoming sex issue.
OZONE MAG // 27

Words by Ms. Rivercity • Photo by James Cole
28 // OZONE MAG

Aych (pronounced like the
letter “H”) is a frontrunner in
the local Tampa Hip Hop scene.
Chasing his dream has allowed
him to appear on BET’s 106 & Park,
open for several major artists,
and help others get a foot in
the door as well.
Introduce yourself and tell our readers how
you came to be the lyricist you are today.
I’m originally from Delaware. I moved to Tampa
in 2004. Since then I’ve opened for people
such as Missy, KRS-One, Ludacris, Rick Ross,
Juelz Santana. That’s how I really got started in
Tampa.
When people talk about open mics in the
area your name comes up a lot. What role do
you play in the local Hip Hop scene
When I first came to Tampa I got started doing
things like open mic nights. For the last three
years I’ve been running one and it’s basically
the only Hip Hop open mic night that’s been
consistent for this long. There’s nothing like it.
We do it every Wednesday at Full Moon right
now, but after the Super Bowl we’re moving to
Crowbar in Ybor City.
What’s the significance behind your name
Do people mispronounce it a lot
Oh yeah, all the time. The name came from
when I was young. My first name starts with
an H and my boy used to always spell it out. So
on the night of my first show they wanted to
know what I go by and I was like, “Uh, I go by
Aych.” A lot of people pronounce it like ache
or ack.
Tell me about your experience on BET 106 &
Park. How did that come about
The last time I went up there was in May. It was
a good experience. I learned a lot and got to
see how things work behind the scenes. I met a
lot of cool people at BET.
What’s your approach to putting out new
music It seems like you put out a lot of projects
and singles at once. Why is that
I don’t do it to just to put music out. People
want to hear new music. It’s supply and
demand. I just try to do a lot of collaborations,
stay relevant, stay recent, and stay working.
When you perform, what are some of the
crowd’s favorite songs
“Dollas and Dreams” would be one of my favorite
ones. They’re spinning that on 95.7 now.
And the ladies like the “Like You” joint.
What’s “Dollas and Dreams” about
It’s basically the story of me being 18. It’s
about believing in myself and going through
things an 18 year old dude goes through. Like
you might not see eye to eye with your mom,
and you feel like you grown and she feels like
you still a little boy. So you say I’ma do my own
thing, I’ma man and I’m gonna stand on my
own two feet. The hook is like: “Look ma I’m on
TV/Used to think one day that’s gon’ be me/
Running up and down the block screaming
that’s my car/Now look, years later that’s my
car.” It’s more of an inspirational song.
Is there an overall message or an image
you’re trying to portray to the youth through
your music
You can tell the kids all the things you want,
but when they actually walk out the house
they’re gonna see the world for what it is. I just
try to tell my story, what I’ve seen. I just try
to be as real as possible with the people that
listen to my music, whether it’s kids or adults.
You can’t lie to yourself.
I see you have some overseas fans and you’re
branching into that market.
Yeah. That’s one thing I can say BET helped
me out with a lot. I didn’t know they had 106
& Park overseas. A lot of DJs reached out to
me from over there. The Future Star DJs been
behind me since day one. They have DJs in
Dublin and Berlin. I’m just trying to spread my
wings. If you’re an artist you gotta travel.
Do you have shows lined up for Super Bowl
weekend
More than likely I’ll be performing at Full
Moon. I work for that club.
What are your plans for 2009
My goals for right now are just to put out as
much music as possible. I’m working on like
20 tracks a month, just keeping at it. I want
to double my work ethic, get my business
together. I’m trying to get on some of these
movie and video game soundtracks and things
like that.
Do you have a Myspace page where people
can check out the new music
Myspace.com/aych302
OZONE MAG // 29

30 // OZONE MAG

OZONE MAG // 31