ALL STAR 2011 - Ozone Magazine

It probably won’t peak for another couplemonths but we’re gonna just throw my nextsingle out there.Is your album finished?I’m still working on it, but it’s gonna be crazy.It’s gonna be an album full of hits. There’s just acouple more songs I need to get features on. Itfeatures a whole bunch of new and upcomingtalent; the people who are gonna really be ontop for the next few years. My point of view isthat I wanna work with artists who really wantto leave a legacy and leave their mark. I’mnot gonna have anybody on the album whodoesn’t deserve to be on there.As far as production, are you producing aswell or mostly working with Nic Nac?I’m writing everything as far as the hooks andverses, and my producer Nic Nac, who usedto be in the group with me and produced“143,” produced most of the album. I was inthe studio with Polow da Don a couple weeksago and he said he wanted to do a record onthe album, so if that happens, that’d be a realblessing. The album is gonna be a problem.There might be a couple outside beats onthere but primarily it’s gonna be me and NicNac doing the majority of the work.Being from Oakland, how do you feel aboutthe verdict that came down yesterday in theOscar Grant trial?I feel like it’s crazy. It’s a real injustice. I don’tunderstand how you can be on video camerawith your back to somebody in handcuffsand get killed and [the killer] gets away withinvoluntary manslaughter. It makes no senseto me and it just shows how corrupt the justicesystem can be. Oakland has been through alot of hardships. I’m only 21 years old and alot of my friends out there have [been killed].You know the system is corrupt but you’vejust gotta try to be as positive and hopeful aspossible. Hopefully, if more people around theworld hear about the situation, the governmentand police officers will open their eyesand realize that they can’t get away with doingcrimes like that.in their twenties and in their teens who arereally just ready to take their talent to the nextlevel. There’s a lot of kids in L.A. who are workinghard to take their talent to the next leveland I think within the next five years there willhopefully be more unity on the West Coast.Do you have a label deal yet or are youplanning on putting this out independentlythrough Rell’s label, Tycoon Status Ent.?We signed [a major deal] with Universal Republica few months ago. They started playingmy record in the bay on 94.9 and basically it’sbeen moving ever since. They were the firstpeople to play it on the air and since then it’sbeen going crazy. There were offers from awhole bunch of different labels but UniversalRepublic offered me the best situation. It’s agood home, a good situation, and I feel veryoptimistic about the future.Is there anything else you want to say?Just look out for the next single “She Ready,”and you know, “143” is still climbing up thecharts. Call your local radio station and requestit as much as possible, go support it on iTunes,and when I’m in your city come out to a showand show me some love. When the albumdrops, get the album. I just want everybody tosupport as much as possible because the fansare keeping us alive right now. //This interview is also featured in OZONE WestIssue #85, and Bobby Brackins appears on thecover:We hear a lot of people talking about thisNew West movement. Do you feel like you’rea part of that?Definitely. Last week, me, Nipsey Hussle, Ray J,and Warren G did a show together. Warren Gis a real OG. When Nipsey went on stage andwhen me and Ray did the “143” song I felt likepeople started to recognize the new talent.We’re ready to step our foot in the door. TheWest Coast has a whole bunch of talented kids62 // OZONE MAG