RAW, UNCENSORED WEST COAST RAP SHIT

PATIENTGLY
WAITIN
IWSESSTU E
C AST
O
ARTISTS ON
THE RISE

A-WAX
&GONZO
J DIGGS E OPPOSITES ATT
HUSALAH RACT
WARREN G
TOO $HORT
 editor’s note
I’m Just Sayin’tho by D-Ray
I
n this month’s editorial, I want to touch on a few things. The first is
approach. They way you approach someone is the very important
beginning of a possible friendship or future business. If you’re not sure
if you’ve met the person before, just reintroduce yourself and go from
there. That way, you’ve reestablished contact and have a starting point to
go from.
To me, nothing is worse than meeting a person and spending the first
twenty minutes of the conversation trying to remember who they are. My
bad if I don’t remember you; I meet a lot of people. That goes for everyone
in the entertainment business.
If you make yourself memorable, there’s always a better chance you’ll be
remembered. It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you. I feel so special
when a high-profile artist or music executive remembers me, not just from
my work in publications, but from my work behind the scenes. They really
just love my hustle. I’ve worked so hard at this through the years and have
been through so much.
There’s been so many times I wanted to quit, but I wasn’t raised a quitter.
I was raised a go-getter! So that’s what I do. Most days, I’m traveling, all
around the West Coast and the Midwest. My days tend to just start running
together, but that’s what I signed up for, right? I feel blessed to be able to
do what I do, and that’s why I sacrifice so much.
I had to go back home to the BAY AREA because seeing D-Lo perform at
Tatou’s in downtown Los Angeles made me instantly homesick. The party
was smacking. Happy C-Day to my little brother Rob G, “Get Your Green
Up!” The trip back home worked out great for my mind and soul because I
really enjoyed the time at home and spending it with my family. It’s always
family first – and I also got the chance to witness history. I was in the studio
with The Jacka and Freeway for three days as they recorded a dope ass
album. Scoot of Dem Hoodstarz was also in the studio (Free BandAide!)
Around this time last year, history was made. We elected our first African
American president. As millions of people celebrated, just as many people
sat around anticipating his failure. We all hoped for something. “Hope” was
the key word at the time, but it’s not just about “hope.” It’s about “believing”
too. “To believe is to succeed, and to succeed is to achieve,” my nine-year-
old niece said that to me as we were walking up to the movies to see
Michael Jackson’s “This Is It.” Like Michael always said, the change starts
with the person you face in the mirror every day. Believe.
The Jacka, me, & Network Tech N9ne, me, & Violet
@ Boardwalk in Oran- Brown @ House of Blues
gevale, CA for the Giants & for the KOD Tour in Los
Elephants Tour Angeles, CA
Daz Dillinger “I Luv Blood Bitches”
Nipsey Hussle f/ Snoop Dogg “Gangsta’s Life”
Mack 10 f/ J Holiday “Hood Famous”
Glasses Malone f/ T-Pain, Rick Ross,
& Birdman “Sun Come Up”
Snoop Dogg f/ The Dream “Gangsta Luv”
E-40 f/ Young Jeezy & B-Legit “Get Money”
Bishop Lamont & Indef “Team America”
This is also my favorite time of year: holiday season. It’s a very stressful time
for the majority of the world. The thing most of us forget is that it’s not
about material things and gifts you receive; it’s more blessed to give than
to receive. It’s about love and happiness. Without that, you have nothing.
Most of us wake up daily and take life for granted. We’re living on bor-
rowed time, so we should enjoy it to the fullest. We all need to be celebrat-
ing. It doesn’t matter if your pockets are heavy or light; just make the best
of it. This is where “hope” and “believe” comes into play. Nothing changes
overnight (unless you hit the lottery, and the chances of that are almost
0%). Don’t take life for granted, because you’re not promised tomorrow!
Love is more valuable than anything you can buy!
As a child, I didn’t realize that material things didn’t matter. All I wanted
was the newest and nicest stuff. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized
what my grandfather was trying to teach us by making us rocking chairs,
bikes, and picture frames – things I felt we should buy brand new, not
homemade. Today I’d die for some of my grandma’s tortillas and I value all
the homemade items my grandfather gave me. Those picture frames are
so special because they were made with love, and it’s also a great story to
have now that I no longer have him physically here. Love you Gramp!
The world today is so obsessed with materialistic values and it’s hard for
children not to be drawn to that. I think that’s why so many kids are rob-
bing and stealing today; the parents can’t afford the lifestyle their children
see on TV. Learning to love and accepting love is the best food for the soul!
Children don’t ask to be brought into this crazy world. We bring them in!
So we need to let the children know we believe in them.
I had a conversation with Husalah while he was locked up. I recall him
saying that if we look stressed and unhappy, that’s what the children of
our future see. If we stay smiling and let the children see that the smallest
things can make us happy, they’re happy because that’s what we’re teach-
ing them!
So this holiday season, let’s be grateful for our lives and the families we get
to share our holidays with. Remember, material things can be replaced, but
a life can’t. When a life is gone, we can only live through stories and photos.
Life is bigger than money! It’s about memories and moments.
- D-Ray, OZONE West Editor-At-Large
dray@ozonemag.com
Me & Mitchy Slick @ Board- Me & E-40 on the set of
walk in Orangevale, CA his mini movie in San
for the Giants & Elephants Francisco, CA
Tour
DJ BIG DEE’S
TOP SLAPS
Kurupt f/ Problem “I’m Burnt”
Snoop Dogg “I Wanna Rock”
The Game “Big Money”
Crooked I “Mr. Pigface”
OZONE WEST // 3
 editor’s note
I’m Just Sayin’tho by D-Ray
I
n this month’s editorial, I want to touch on a few things. The first is
approach. They way you approach someone is the very important
beginning of a possible friendship or future business. If you’re not sure
if you’ve met the person before, just reintroduce yourself and go from
there. That way, you’ve reestablished contact and have a starting point to
go from.
To me, nothing is worse than meeting a person and spending the first
twenty minutes of the conversation trying to remember who they are. My
bad if I don’t remember you; I meet a lot of people. That goes for everyone
in the entertainment business.
If you make yourself memorable, there’s always a better chance you’ll be
remembered. It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you. I feel so special
when a high-profile artist or music executive remembers me, not just from
my work in publications, but from my work behind the scenes. They really
just love my hustle. I’ve worked so hard at this through the years and have
been through so much.
There’s been so many times I wanted to quit, but I wasn’t raised a quitter.
I was raised a go-getter! So that’s what I do. Most days, I’m traveling, all
around the West Coast and the Midwest. My days tend to just start running
together, but that’s what I signed up for, right? I feel blessed to be able to
do what I do, and that’s why I sacrifice so much.
I had to go back home to the BAY AREA because seeing D-Lo perform at
Tatou’s in downtown Los Angeles made me instantly homesick. The party
was smacking. Happy C-Day to my little brother Rob G, “Get Your Green
Up!” The trip back home worked out great for my mind and soul because I
really enjoyed the time at home and spending it with my family. It’s always
family first – and I also got the chance to witness history. I was in the studio
with The Jacka and Freeway for three days as they recorded a dope ass
album. Scoot of Dem Hoodstarz was also in the studio (Free BandAide!)
Around this time last year, history was made. We elected our first African
American president. As millions of people celebrated, just as many people
sat around anticipating his failure. We all hoped for something. “Hope” was
the key word at the time, but it’s not just about “hope.” It’s about “believing”
too. “To believe is to succeed, and to succeed is to achieve,” my nine-year-
old niece said that to me as we were walking up to the movies to see
Michael Jackson’s “This Is It.” Like Michael always said, the change starts
with the person you face in the mirror every day. Believe.
The Jacka, me, & Network Tech N9ne, me, & Violet
@ Boardwalk in Oran- Brown @ House of Blues
gevale, CA for the Giants & for the KOD Tour in Los
Elephants Tour Angeles, CA
Daz Dillinger “I Luv Blood Bitches”
Nipsey Hussle f/ Snoop Dogg “Gangsta’s Life”
Mack 10 f/ J Holiday “Hood Famous”
Glasses Malone f/ T-Pain, Rick Ross,
& Birdman “Sun Come Up”
Snoop Dogg f/ The Dream “Gangsta Luv”
E-40 f/ Young Jeezy & B-Legit “Get Money”
Bishop Lamont & Indef “Team America”
4 // OZONE MAG
This is also my favorite time of year: holiday season. It’s a very stressful time
for the majority of the world. The thing most of us forget is that it’s not
about material things and gifts you receive; it’s more blessed to give than
to receive. It’s about love and happiness. Without that, you have nothing.
Most of us wake up daily and take life for granted. We’re living on bor-
rowed time, so we should enjoy it to the fullest. We all need to be celebrat-
ing. It doesn’t matter if your pockets are heavy or light; just make the best
of it. This is where “hope” and “believe” comes into play. Nothing changes
overnight (unless you hit the lottery, and the chances of that are almost
0%). Don’t take life for granted, because you’re not promised tomorrow!
Love is more valuable than anything you can buy!
As a child, I didn’t realize that material things didn’t matter. All I wanted
was the newest and nicest stuff. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized
what my grandfather was trying to teach us by making us rocking chairs,
bikes, and picture frames – things I felt we should buy brand new, not
homemade. Today I’d die for some of my grandma’s tortillas and I value all
the homemade items my grandfather gave me. Those picture frames are
so special because they were made with love, and it’s also a great story to
have now that I no longer have him physically here. Love you Gramp!
The world today is so obsessed with materialistic values and it’s hard for
children not to be drawn to that. I think that’s why so many kids are rob-
bing and stealing today; the parents can’t afford the lifestyle their children
see on TV. Learning to love and accepting love is the best food for the soul!
Children don’t ask to be brought into this crazy world. We bring them in!
So we need to let the children know we believe in them.
I had a conversation with Husalah while he was locked up. I recall him
saying that if we look stressed and unhappy, that’s what the children of
our future see. If we stay smiling and let the children see that the smallest
things can make us happy, they’re happy because that’s what we’re teach-
ing them!
So this holiday season, let’s be grateful for our lives and the families we get
to share our holidays with. Remember, material things can be replaced, but
a life can’t. When a life is gone, we can only live through stories and photos.
Life is bigger than money! It’s about memories and moments.
- D-Ray, OZONE West Editor-At-Large
dray@ozonemag.com
Me & Mitchy Slick @ Board- Me & E-40 on the set of
walk in Orangevale, CA his mini movie in San
for the Giants & Elephants Francisco, CA
Tour
DJ BIG DEE’S
TOP SLAPS
Kurupt f/ Problem “I’m Burnt”
Snoop Dogg “I Wanna Rock”
The Game “Big Money”
Crooked I “Mr. Pigface”
(above L-R): Too Short & O’Neal McKnight on the set of their video shoot in Los Angeles, CA; New Boyz @ Crenshaw High in Los Angeles, CA; Glasses Malone & Crooked I @
House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne in Los Angeles, CA (Photos: D-Ray)

01 // Stress, Mugzi, & E-40 @ Nump’s listening party (San Jose, CA) 02 // Philthy Rich, guest, & Dame Fame @ Boardwalk (Orangevale, CA) 03 // Nuch & Young Doe @ Club Vinyl
(Denver, CO) 04 // Cousin Fik, Droop-E, & E-40 on the set of E-40’s mini movie (San Francisco, CA) 05 // Guest, Young Nate, & Philthy Rich @ Boardwalk (Orangevale, CA) 06 //
Starbuks & Alisha Cofey @ The Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 07 // Mitchy Slick, Dame Fame, & KOS @ Boardwalk (Orangevale, CA) 08 // Guce & Shady
Nate @ Boardwalk (Orangevale, CA) 09 // Tech N9ne & Jay O Felony @ House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne (Los Angeles, CA) 10 // Warren G, guest, & Bad Lucc
@ HopMonk Lounge (Sebastopol, CA) 11 // E-40, Scoot of Dem HoodStarz, & Network on the set of E-40’s mini movie (San Francisco, CA) 12 // CoCo Chanel & Dame Fame @
Boardwalk (Orangevale, CA) 13 // Bueno & guest @ Boardwalk (Orangevale, CA) 14 // Yung If & crew @ the Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 15 // Trajik &
Mac Marvolous @ the Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 16 // DJ Sidekick, Warren G, & DJ Amen @ HopMonk Lounge (Sebastopol, CA) 17 // Jay Rock & Street
Goddess @ Azusa Celebrity Baseball game (Asuza, CA) 18 // K-Loc, Remy Red, & Yukmouth @ Rockit for Yukmouth’s album release party (San Francisco, CA) 19 // Krizz Kaliko, Big
Scoob, & Kutt Calhoun @ House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne (Los Angeles, CA)

Photo Credits: D-Ray (01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,10,11,12,13,16,17,18,19); Julia Beverly (14,15)

OZONE WEST // 5
 H ave you ever heard of Richmond, California? It’s a little
city in the Bay Area, about fifteen minutes away from
Oakland. Richmond is the city where a girl was recently
raped at a high school dance. People watched and took pictures
with their cell phones, but nobody called the police.

It’s a real fucked-up story and I know when I say “fuck that bitch” in
a song, my music could be the soundtrack to the whole scenario.
The thing is, I would never force myself on a woman or tell anybody
else to do it. I would never watch a gang rape or even a sexual gang
bang when the homies run a train on a female.

“Bitch” is my favorite word, but I very rarely use it in an angry way

towards a woman. And I know for a fact that all bitches ain’t women.
I’ve even been in a hotel room with some groupies and stopped
my homie from trying to get some from a girl who’s saying “no” and
“stop” because I didn’t want my folks to catch a rape case.

There ain’t nothing PLAYER about raping a woman. I represent

the real players and I’ve always felt like it was a privilege to allow a
woman to be with me. That’s just me, and it comes easy to me.

Would I be a “snitch” if I called the police after witnessing a rape?

What would you do, take pictures and film it with your camera
phone? If it was a situation where I knew the people involved and
I could clearly see guys were forcing themselves on a woman, I’d
tell them on the spot that they’re just some bitch-ass mutha-
fuckers for committing a crime like that. Real players don’t
do shit like that. I damn sure wouldn’t cheer ‘em on or film
it, or walk away without telling them the truth. Fortunate-
ly, I’ve never been in that situation because I run with
the best of the best and we just ain’t that desperate.

It would be impossible for me to even get hard for a

woman who is resisting me and doesn’t want to be
with me. All you up and coming players and lovers
need to learn some real player etiquette. If you see
me with the baddest model-looking chick you’ve
ever seen, you can be sure that I’m acting like a “I like a woman that’s not easy to get. I’m
gentleman and treating her like a lady.
not looking for the sluts who say,‘I love
I like a woman that’s not easy to get. I’m not
looking for the sluts who say, “I love your music your music and I always wanted to fuck
and I always wanted to fuck you!” If you were you!’If you were in my shoes, maybe you
in my shoes, maybe you could see how that’s
no fun. Ask a real player and they’ll tell you all could see how that’s no fun.”
about it.

I laugh at dudes who get excited about fucking

a slut, especially if he’s third or fourth in line that
night. You ain’t no player, so don’t tell the story
later like you accomplished something. Watching
a rape take place ain’t player either. In most states,
you’re breaking the law by taking camera phone pictures of
a nude minor, so why would anybody film a young girl having
sex? Even if she’s doing it willingly?

If you wanna be a real player or if you just wanna be the best

man your woman ever had, you need to learn how to be a
gentleman. Learn what makes your woman happy, and then if
you pull her hair, spank her, and call her a bitch, she might like it!

Hit me up on my crackberry at ShortStories@ozonemag.com

6 // OZONE WEST
(above L-R): E-40 & Haji Springer @ Nump’s listening party in San Jose, CA; Krizz Kaliko & Jay O Felony @ House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne in Los Angeles, CA; Tech
N9ne & DJ Chill @ House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne in Los Angeles, CA (Photos: D-Ray)

01 // Krizz Kaliko & ladies @ House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne (Los Angeles, CA) 02 // Audio Push & Gary Archer @ UGMX Back 2 School Jerk Off (San Jose, CA)
03 // Kafani & Steal Will @ Club Illusions for Big Rich’s birthday party (Palo Alto, CA) 04 // Philthy Rich & Stevie Joe @ Giants & Elephants Tour (Stockton, CA) 05 // TO, Yung If,
Starbuks, & TrealKikz @ the Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 06 // Starbuks & Yung If @ University of Oregon stadium (Eugene, OR) 07 // Lucas Risinger, Scott
Masterson, Starbuks, Marvin Harley, & Dirty @ the Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 08 // Brian Angel of Day 26, Scoot of Dem Hoodstarz, & Cam @ Club Illu-
sions for Big Rich’s birthday party (Palo Alto, CA) 09 // Jay Rock, Trey Songz, & Mike Green @ Styles P’s afterparty (Los Angeles, CA) 10 // Nick Ngo, Michael Denton, Haji Springer,
& Gary Archer @ Nump’s listening party (San Jose, CA) 11 // Tone, Roccett & Rob G (Long Beach, CA) 12 // E-40 & DB’Z on the set of E-40’s mini movie (San Francisco, CA)
13 // Big Rich & Gary Archer @ Boardwalk (Orangevale, CA) 14 // Violet Brown & Tech N9ne @ House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne (Los Angeles, CA) 15 // Guce & Big
Rich @ Boardwalk (Orangevale, CA) 16 // DJ Baby Chino & D-Lo @ UGMX Back 2 School Jerk Off (San Jose, CA) 17 // Guest, Starbuks, University of Oregon quarterback Jeremiah
Masoli, & Elijah Masoli @ the Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 18 // Yung Berg & ladies @ Tatou (Los Angeles, CA) 19 // Kafani & Dame Fame @ Giants &
Elephants Tour (Stockton, CA)

Photo Credits: D-Ray (01,02,03,04,08,09,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,18,19); Julia Beverly (05,06,07,17)

OZONE WEST // 7
(above L-R): Big Rich & Mitchy Slick @ Boardwalk in Orangevale, CA; Scoot of Dem Hoodstarz & models on the set of E-40’s mini movie in San Francisco, CA; Keak Da Sneak, J
Stalin, & Shady Nate @ Giants & Elephants Tour in Stockton, CA (Photos: D-Ray)

01 // Starbuks & Tubby @ the Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 02 // Paul Wall & Gary Archer @ the DUB Car Show (San Jose, CA) 03 // Blu Division @ House
of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne (Los Angeles, CA) 04 // Big Rich & Chuck @ Club Illusions for Big Rich’s birthday party (Palo Alto, CA) 05 // Network, Haji Springer, &
Cellski on the set of Kafani’s “Get That Dough” video shoot (San Francisco, CA) 06 // T-Wayne, Scoot of Dem HoodStarz, & Yukmouth on the set of Kafani’s “Get That Dough” video
shoot (San Francisco, CA) 07 // Kafani & Cellski on the set of Kafani’s “Get That Dough” video shoot (San Francisco, CA) 08 // Guest, Lee Majors, & Yukmouth @ the DUB Car Show
(San Jose, CA) 09 // Jay Rock & Jazzy @ Azusa Celebrity Baseball game (Asuza, CA) 10 // Kutt Calhoun & DJ Chill @ House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne (Los Angeles,
CA) 11 // D-Lo, Big Mike, & Sleepy D @ UGMX Back 2 School Jerk Off (San Jose, CA) 12 // David, Tech N9ne, & Violet Brown @ House of Blues for the KOD Tour with Tech N9ne
(Los Angeles, CA) 13 // Tito Bell, Big Mike, & Nump @ Nump’s listening party (San Jose, CA) 14 // Tubby @ the Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 15 // Nump,
Paul Wall, D-Ray, Cat, & Tito Bell @ the DUB Car Show (San Jose, CA) 16 // Grinch & Jerm @ Club Illusions for Big Rich’s birthday party (Palo Alto, CA) 17 // T-Nutty & Guce @ Sena-
tor Theater for Giants & Elephants Tour (Chico, CA) 18 // Tishma & Dirty @ the Blueprint for OZONE’s Halloween Bash (Eugene, OR) 19 // Yukmouth, Network, guest, & Kafani @
the DUB Car Show (San Jose, CA)

Photo Credits: D-Ray (02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,10,11,12,13,15,16,17,19); Julia Beverly (01,14,18)

OZONE WEST // 9
 California is the most populated state in the country, AND IT
CONTAINS PLENTY OF RESIDENTS who don’t get along. The brown are
rumored to not like the Blacks. Los Angeles RESIDENTS SUPPOSEDLY
DON’T GET along with people from the Bay. People who wear red
DON’T get along with those who wear blue. Fortunately, rappers
Gonzoe (LEFT) and A-Wax (RIGHT) HAVE BEEN too busy WORKING
TOGETHER TO PAY ATTENTION TO ANY OF THOSE BARRIERS...

10 // OZONE WEST
OZONE MAG
OZONE WEST////11
11
 ...The two solo rappers have
come together to release a
group album CALLED Recession
Proof on Ill Burn Records.
Rolling with the theme of “red
and blue makes green,” A-Wax
(who is a Blood) and GonzoE
(who is a Crip) are determined
to show their city, their coast
and the entire country what
can happen when people put
their differences Aside to ac-
complish a common goal.
The album also represents a fresh start for both
artists. Gonzoe got his start in the rap game as a
member of Ice Cube’s mid-90s brainchild Kaution,
but the group quickly dissipated after releasing
just one album, South Central Los Skanless. After a
brief spell as a member of 2Pac’s Outlawz, Gonzoe
circulated on the underground doing everything
from appearing on Kurupt’s Kurruption album to
overseeing musical scores for independent films
like Blue Hill Avenue starting Carl Payne. Gonzoe
also kept busy as a member of Yukmouth’s inter-
state network The Regime.
A-Wax, who was born in the Bay Area, would see
his life take a couple different turns. Shipped to
Seattle as a child, he quickly got caught up in
the wrong crowd and served time in prison as a
teenager. Released at the age of 21, Wax was still
young enough to make something out of the rest
of his life and chose rap to make that happen.
Since 2002, Wax has released near two dozen mix-
tapes and albums and even garnered an affiliation
with Akon’s Konvict Muzik.
While both of these artists have plenty on their
plate as solo acts, Recession Proof is their main
focus now. OZONE caught up with the duo as
they relaxed at the Cannibus Club in Los Angeles
as they spoke on crossing color lines to work
together and explained why opposites do indeed
attract.
How did you guys end up being in a group
together?
Gonzoe: Me and Wax both signed with Ill Burn as
solo artists. We met up with each other, every-
thing was copacetic, and it turns we actually
worked well together.
A-Wax: Ill Burn were fans of both of us and were
interested in us making music together. When we
met up, everything was good and 100. We shot
some videos, and now we’re out touring promot-
ing this record.
Gonzoe: This ain’t gonna be a one shot deal either.
It worked so good that we’re going to do a second
album.
Since both of you have been in the music game
for some years, I’m sure you’ve become accus-
tomed to doing things a certain way. How has
becoming a group worked out so far?
Gonzoe: That’s why we met up with each other
first. We both have been working on our own for
“You got real and fake from every side
of the map. I don’t respect Everybody
just because of colors.” - A-WAX
12 // OZONE WEST
a minute. Just because you rap doesn’t mean that
when you get in the studio with each other it’s
going to work. That’s why I left the group Kausion,
because it stopped working. But working with
A-Wax has been like jumping back into the shoes
of someone who had the same goals as me, and
was going as hard as me.
A-Wax: I’ve been a solo artist for as long as I can
remember. I’ve done collaborations, but not to
this extent where I have input on everything.
I’ve put out 20 mixtapes and album over the last
seven years. Competing with Gonzoe has made
me hungry again. It makes me want to compete.
Since you both pledge allegiance to two differ-
ent gangs and are from two different parts of
California, it seems like an unlikely partnership.
A-Wax: We’ve got some mutual friends that don’t
like us or each other. Us in particular, we didn’t
have no problem with each other, but we have
mutual friends. We almost had problems with
each other on accident without even meeting
each other. Nothing but positive has come out of
this project though.
Gonzoe: It’s just the powers that be.
A-Wax: You got real and fake from every side of
the map. I don’t respect everybody just because
of colors. Me and Gonzoe have a common goal:
we’re trying to get to the upper echelon of the rap
game. Working back and forth lightens the load.
Don’t get me wrong, we’re still gonna have solo
careers. But because of this album, I put my solo
[career] on hold until we get this other album out.
It came out so good that I want to try it again.
Gonzoe: All the beef shit was just bickering; noth-
ing was concrete. After I met A-Wax, I didn’t have
a say-so in the problem they had with him. But
once I was brought up to speed, 1+1=2 and I’m a
stickler for street ethics and someone crossed the
line, bottom line. I chose to do an album with Wax
to abominate all that shit.
A-Wax: I don’t really even want to get into what
happened, but it has caught a lot of people by
surprise that me and Gonzoe did an album to-
gether. People tend to want to see things a certain
way because they have their own agendas. Both
of us are in a position where we can do our own
thing. We both have our own labels and we’re
both self-sufficient and hold each other down
over here. It’s like we’re a family over here, and we
don’t have to worry about anything. I can leave a
stack of money on the table and it won’t move if I
leave the room.
Why did you name your album Recession Proof?
A-Wax: We’re natural born hustlers. There ain’t
no recession in certain areas of life. One of those
areas is Ill Burn, and we’re burning through a lot of
money because we believe in what we’re doing.
We’re live from the Cannibus Club right now, so
we’re burning in that way too. (laughs) Plus it plays
off our backgrounds. You put red with the blue
and we make green. The cover has green font
and we have a common goal, and we want to let
everybody know about it.
Gonzoe: We met and came up with a common
theme we were gonna go with, and that was Re-
cession Proof. That was the state of the mind at the
moment. We wanted to show all the haters all the
money we’re getting too. The streets said we’re
supposed to be killing each other, but we said no.
We wanted to show that you can come together.
It’s a slap in the face to all the people trying to
keep us down.
Tell us a little bit about the album itself. Who did
you work with?
A-Wax: We have production from Happy Perez,
Nonstop and Josh Franks. We used about five or
six producers and I’m satisfied with it. I can’t wait
to hear the response from it.
Gonzoe: We just left from Rude Jude’s show. We
had people from all around the nation calling in.
Only one person was hating. We took 60 calls and
everybody liked it.
What was it like meshing your musical back-
grounds together, seeing as how A-Wax is from
the Bay and Gonzoe is from Los Angeles?
Gonzoe: I think Wax makes universal music.
A-Wax: Yeah, I’m probably one of the Bay Area
exceptions. I went to jail young and I actually
experienced gangbangin’. I’m just a different Bay
artist, I never stuck to one certain sound. I don’t
try to forcefeed my sound or forcefeed that I’m
from the Bay, I just do lyrics.
Gonzoe: He actually pushed me to other levels,
like challenging me to get on other types of beats.
This album is coming out independently. Talk
about what that’s been like.
A-Wax: It’s like a fresh start. We have a clean
slate right now, and we’re in charge of our own
destinies. We’re starting fresh but now we have
all the knowledge. I don’t have to worry about
someone taking advantage of me anymore. I
know exactly what’s going on, from distribution
down to promotion.
Gonzoe: It’s like a kid in the candy store, who was
struggling. We had a deal before and everything
was coming from our pocket. We’re having to look
at guys who had the budgets and creative control.
But doing this independently turns you into a
businessman and makes you want to get more
bang for your buck. It makes you record more too,
so that you have more of a catalog.
You’ve put some of your other projects on hold
to focus on your responsibilities as a duo. What
should we be expecting from you when it’s time
to go back solo?
Gonzoe: I’ve got Year of the Dragon dropping next
year, but nothing’s getting in the way of Recession
Proof. I put my solo on hold and it wound up be-
ing a good decision since I have access to produc-
ers that I didn’t before.
A-Wax: I’m dropping Most Hated, which will be
my solo. It has a lot of introspective songs and
thought-provoking music. I’m just trying to give
my hardcore fans what they’re asking for. This is
going to be after Year of the Dragon comes out.
We’re gonna keep putting out free music on the
web and keep getting our music heard.
Gonzoe: The next thing were doing together is a
project called California Cartel. We just started and
we’re about two songs in. We’re going to crank
out 50 [songs] and pick the best 20. We do music
for real; we record everyday. We aren’t just rappers
on a video shoot or trying to get in the club to
mess with girls. We do this for real. Its like the ‘Pac
days. We did this everyday. We only rested to get
up and make more music. //

A
s an Army brat, Confadential moved
constantly as a child, experiencing a
variety of culture and music. He learned
to adapt as a child, while his family continually
relocated throughout the U.S. (Sacramento, CA;
Raleigh, NC; Kansas City, MO; Atlanta, GA; Tampa,
FL), earning him the nickname “The Tampament
Califoridean.”
Raised by his mother, a single parent who served
in the Army, Confadential didn’t let the stress of
being on the move or not having a father figure
deter him. In fact, he used it to his advantage.
“Moving from state to state helped me become
a better rapper,” he explains. “I was exposed to so
many different cultures and genres of music that
it now makes my music stand out. People who
hear my music can never tell where I’m from.
When they do, they’re always shocked to know
I’m from the West Coast.”
During his elementary school years in Tampa,
Confadential started writing poems, passing
them to his homeboys to give to their girlfriends.
As he grew older, his knack for penning stanzas
eventually led to him writing rap lyrics. He
switched his interest from poetry to rapping,
and years later, he moved to California, where
he joined the rap group Unusual Suspects. He
soon moved on and assembled the group the
Go-Gettaz with neighborhood friends Huned
and G-Waters. The group made a name for itself
throughout the underground California rap
scene, but in time, split due to creative differ-
ences. Confadential went on to release his inde-
pendent debut album Bang Shop Dose, which
created a notable following for the Sactown MC.
Since he’s already established himself on the
West Coast, Confadential plans to take his move-
ment to the South next. “I’m planning on moving
back to Atlanta in the next few months. I feel
that I’ve done a lot over here, and Sacramento
can only take you but so far,” he says. Confaden-
tials’ music was selected amongst hundreds of
Patiently
Waiting
submissions to be featured through OZONE’s
Patiently Waiting contest on Sonicbids.com. “It’s
sort of like the crabs in the bucket thing over
here.”
Currently, Confadential is working on a new proj-
ect entitled Well Rested, scheduled for release on
California indie label Bang Shop. His new single
“Club Jumping” is gaining radio spins in Sac-
ramento. And with a self-proclaimed universal
style, Confadential is representing for the West
Coast while putting on for real Hip Hop. “I just
want to bring back that authentic Hip Hop that
people can relate to,” he says. “But at the same
time, I’ve got songs that people can jam to.”
Words by Jee’Van Brown
OZONE WEST // 13
 Patiently
Waiting
T
iRon is not a rap alias, it’s Los Angeles-
based rapper’s God-given name. He’s
quickly rising in the Cali Hip Hop scene,
but still feels like an outsider. Because of his dual
upbringing in the Chicago outskirts and in the
heart of L.A., his music embodies the honesty of
the Midwest mixed with the glossy novelty of
California dreams. Amidst the contradiction, the
young artist made a conscious decision to just
be himself. “I had a couple of rap names that no
one ever used; everyone was calling me TiRon,”
he explains. “So I just rap about [myself ]. It just
so happens that the embarrassing stuff is the
entertaining stuff.”
Once he settled down in California in 1995, he
was focused. His uncle was a blues musician,
so TiRon would go to his uncle’s basement and
write songs. He loved music and planned on be-
coming an R&B songwriter. After writing his first
botched love song, TiRon rethought his musical
ambitions.
He didn’t begin taking rap seriously until the
eleventh grade, where he started rhyming over
popular beats, creating mixtapes and selling
them at school. He developed his own style. “It’s
easier to rap about embarrassing shit because
14 // OZONE WEST
it really happened to you and it’s vivid in your
mind, you know,” he says. “Everybody can
remember the times they were embarrassed
more than the times they spent a whole bunch
of money.”
It appears TiRon’s formula worked. His latest
offering Ketchup is a mish-mash mixtape of his
favorite tracks, some dating back five years to his
first “official” mixtape Handshakes and Pounds.
The mixtape has received praises and compari-
sons to Little Brother and hometown hero Kanye,
which TiRon is pleased about. But after a thought
or two, he bristles at the underlying label that ac-
companies the compliment. “It’s non-threatening
Hip Hop,” TiRon huffs. “So you’re automatically
[labeled] a ‘backpacker,’ or you’re automatically
‘conscious.’ “
He shakes off his annoyance and gives details
about a new mixtape, Mustard, that will be
released in the coming months. His crew The
Cafeteria Line will be releasing a few in-house
projects, and he’ll be featured on the upcom-
ing Pac Div album. Regardless of the labels
placed on his burgeoning rap career, TiRon only
hopes to make his people proud of the man he’s
become. “I wonder if they’re disappointed cause I
say ‘nigga’ or because I use profanity,” he says. “At
the end of the day I wonder if they’re proud of
me or of the job they did.”
TiRon just hopes to make music for the remain-
der of his life, since that’s what makes him happy.
“The only thing that makes me unhappy is bills
backing up, so as long as that stuff is taken
care of and I can just make music, I’m great,” he
concludes.
Words by Nadine Graham
L
ife has the tendency to deal bad hands,
but in the case of Fashawn, the Fresno MC
made the most of the cards he was dealt.
Growing up, his father was incarcerated, while
his mother battled a drug addiction. By age 12,
he was placed in a group home, where he began
writing rhymes to escape the harsh realities of his
life. When he was 15, he left the group home and
moved into with his uncle, turning to skateboard-
ing and rapping for solace. “I felt I had so much to
say, so I had to let it all out somehow,” he says.

He let his frustrations out in the booth, and in

2006, at age 17, he released his first mixtape Grizzly
City with the help of DJ Hecktik. “I got the typical
response, ‘Oh, he’s just a young guy. Let’s see if he’ll
even last and be here this time next year. We’ll see
if he has enough rhymes to last another mixtape,’”
he says of the feedback he received. “I heard the
skeptics, but I just kept grinding, mixtape after
mixtape after mixtape.”

But not everyone doubted Fashawn. In fact, one

fan of his first mixtape turned out to be Fresno rap-
per Planet Asia, who invited Fashawn on tour with
him. Since Fashawn was numerous credits short
from graduating high school on time, he dropped
out of school and hit the road with Planet Asia.
“That was my favorite rapper from my hometown,”
he reminisces. “That was like Rakim snatching Nas
up, like, ‘Come on tour with me.’”

The young rhymer learned a lot on tour, and he

put the motivation to use when he returned to
Fresno. In September 2008 he released a new
mixtape, One Shot, One Kill, hosted by Mick Boogie
and Terry Urban. He followed that with a mixtape
entitled Higher Learning, presented by Hip Hop
blogs Onsmash.com & NahRight.com. And with
his street and internet buzz thriving, he dropped a
mixtape entirely produced by the Alchemist called
The Antidote.

Each project was well-received. His debut album

Boy Meets World, an LP he worked exclusively with

Patiently
Los Angeles producer Exile on, is one of the most
anticipated West Coast debuts in recent years.

Waiting
“Somebody said if Walé, Blu, Nipsey Hussle and
these guys are the leaders of the new school, then
Fashawn is the transfer school,” says the rapper,
who is days away from his 21st birthday. “I kinda
look at it like that. I’m from a place that’s not really
popular [and] I’m coming in everybody else’s ring,
and they’re like, ‘What does he got?’ And I got some
heat for them, man. I know it. And I’m confident in
this body of work I got coming.”

Words by Randy Roper

OZONE WEST // 15
 E
rk Tha Jerk’s music is laden with a smoothness and
sophistication, whether expressing a loving urgency on
“Right Here” or starring in his own edgy action-adventure
mini-movie in his video for “Plane in the Air,” the latter featuring
Too $hort. The rapper/producer hails from Richmond, one of the
most violent cities in all of California, and while he was influenced
by the greatest rhymers to hit those streets, Erk’s musical view is
widescreen enough for international appeal.

Erk first drew significant attention in the Bay Area last year when
a mixtape track called “I’m So Dumb” started getting airplay on
KMEL, an urban radio station that’s been criticized for its relative
lack of spins for local music in recent years. The song, which takes
swipes at the over-reliance of gimmickry in the discarded hyphy
scene (“You see where all that dumb shit gets you, back on the
block before you know what hit you”), instantly got people talk-
ing. Not too loudly, though.

“I got good reactions from people who would come up to me

after shows and they’d whisper, ‘I’m so glad you did that song,’
and walk off real quick,” he remembers. “I think a lot of rappers
felt like I wasn’t talking to them, so they didn’t really say nothing.
The song obviously started some controversy and I did it to get
some things off my chest, but it was really just a joke. It was never
supposed to be released as a radio song.”

With hyphy, the door that was cracked open to the curiosity of
the rest of the world may now be closed. Erk, however, doesn’t
feel like that’s a negative.

“I feel like it wasn’t something that should have been taken ad-
vantage of in the first place,” he asserts. “Our region wasn’t really
known for making that kind of music so when it changed and ev-
erybody did try to take advantage of it, it kind of backfired. There
was a point in time when everybody was on the radio at the
same time, everybody was hyphy, everything was ‘go dumb’ this,
‘scraper’ that, and people were taking advantage of it. They were
having shows and making money and I just don’t think it worked
because it turned into a gimmick that couldn’t have lasted. Real
things don’t fade off, only gimmicks come and go. You can’t plan
to rob a bank and then be upset when something goes wrong
and you get caught. They set up to ride the bandwagon and
people who weren’t necessarily hyphy started making hyphy
music and everything started going astray. And when it didn’t
work people started pointing their fingers at each other. What do
you expect? You kinda did it to yourself.”

Patiently
Ultimately, that movement’s implosion is giving Bay Area Hip Hop
a chance to return to authenticity, and as Erk shops his debut

Waiting
album Nerd’s Eye View to labels in the West and the South, his
excitement at having a shot as an individual is palpable.

“For young artists and artists that grew up in it, it gives everybody
a fresh start. I’m happy because everybody has their season and
it wasn’t my season three or four years ago. I didn’t have a place
there. So hopefully now I can create a space for myself. We can all
do it the way it was supposed to be intended, making your kind
of music.”

Words by Tamara Palmer

Photo by D-Ray

16 // OZONE MAG
Glasses Malone/Nightmare on Seven Street
As one of the most hyped and anticipated artists to emerge
from the “new West” since Game put the coast back on the map
five years ago, Glasses Malone has been patiently waiting to
make his major label debut. With his latest mixtape Nightmare
on Seven Street, Glasses offers the closest thing to a proper
album with all-original tracks and a handful of features. While
he has been known for rapping hard and unapologetically,
the Nightmare title is a tad misleading. Tracks like “Homie” and
“Brown Lil Squares” featuring Bow Wow feature Glasses going
for the “ladies” and “radio” demographics while “Loaded” has a
synth-driven groove that makes you want to throw on a bath-
robe and chill, like Glasses does on the song. Malone returns to
his familiar themes like revenge, chin-checking and head-bust-
ing on “On Me” and “Still With the Bullshit,” but his monotone
flows don’t make the songs very memorable. The standout track
“Before It All Ends” featuring Snoop Dogg and Jay Rock proves
that he can hold his own alongside respected emcees, but it also
reveals that Glasses sounds better with company. Nightmare
demonstrates that Glasses is good at picking beats that fit his
nonchalant, grown-ass man rhyme style, but adding a sense
of urgency to his flow could truly propel him to elite status. -
Maurice G. Garland
Lee Bannon/The Checkpoint
After supplying beats to a range of artists like Willie the Kid and
Tha Jacka and turning a few heads with his last project Me &
Marvin, Sacramento-based producer follows up his last offering
with The Checkpoint. This project doesn’t disappoint. Leaning
more towards Stones Throw than Death Row, Bannon’s produc-
tion sound is meant to be paired with skilled wordsmiths like
Terminology. He gives rap game participants vital instructions
for growth on “What’s The Answer.” Trife Diesel (formerly Trife Da
God) also spits some venom on “Wanna Be A Rapper,” warning
up-and-coming artists of the rough road ahead. While all of the
production featured here is solid, none of the beats do much to
actually cater to the artists. Instead, it’s the other way around, as
each rapper winds up altering what they do to fit the track. That
isn’t a bad thing, but rarely does it feel like these songs were
actually made from scratch with both parties present. - Maurice
G. Garland
DOM KENNEDY & Los Angeles Leakers
Best After Bobby
On Best After Bobby, listeners have to endure listening to the
Los Angeles emcee attempt to redo classic and current hits like
Prodigy’s “Keep It Thoro” and Drake’s “Best I Ever Had,” but some
tracks, like his flip of Young Money’s “Every Girl” to “idontwan-
nafuckeverygirlintheworld” and a sample of A Tribe Called
Quest’s “Electric Relaxation” on “Wish Me Luck!” make this
mixtape worth a listen. By the time DOM gets to remixing Rich
Kids “Patna Dem,” the jacking-for-beats starts to be a bore, but
the tape’s final few tracks (“On and Off Switch” featuring Pac
Div, “Compton, South Central,” “I Hate Summers” and “They Say
I’m) close this mixtape out strong. - Randy Roper
AtLlas
Arizona Caesar
Some parts of Atllas’ mixtape sounds good, but there are a
few songs like “Dead End” and “Catch Me Bounce” where his
attempts to be “Arizona’s most lyrical emcee” results in him
sounding more like a low-budget Pharoahe Monch. “Hood
Famous,” “Grudges” and “Think About It” are the mixtape’s
best tracks, but “More Then Fuck” and “Bitches On My Mind”
are lacking. Arizona Caesar isn’t one of the better West Coast
mixtapes to drop in ’09, but it does have a few memorable
selections. - Randy Roper
Fashawn
Boy Meets World
One Records
Boy Meets World may be Fashawn’s debut album, but in terms
of songwriting, concepts and skill level, this album proves that
the Fresno, CA native is a musical manchild. The socially reflec-
tive “The Ecology,” the reminiscent “Life As a Short,y” and the
introspective “Why” lead a long list of must-hear tracks that
thoroughly conceptualize the album’s theme of a boy grow-
ing up in sunny Central Cali and becoming a man. Features
from Blu (“Samsonite Man”), Evidence (“Our Way”), and Exile’s
exclusive production enhance this outstanding effort, making
Boy Meets World one of 2009’s most promising debut albums.
- Randy Roper
 endzone

Lil Wayne
Event: America’s Most Wanted Tour
Venue: Sleep Train Pavilion
City: Concord, CA
Date: August 15th, 2009
Photo: D-Ray

18 // OZONE WEST