REAL, RAW, & UNCENSORED WEST COAST RAP SHIT

TURF TALK BEEDA WEEDA CLYDE CARSON MAC MALL DAMANI

& MORE

BIG F UND O ST DJs SO AMES BROTHERLATIN PRINCE A * WEST CO * THE G BUMSQUADS & MORE *

N A BOMIXTAPE DRA1M0A0 LIVI FF ON ASE

40 E

DOR AMBASSA BAY AREA

-SS LIFE

 // OZONE WEST

PUBLISHER Julia Beverly EDITOR-IN-CHIEF N. Ali Early MUSIC EDITOR Randy Roper ART DIRECTOR Tene Gooden CONTRIBUTORS D-Ray DJ BackSide Joey Colombo Toby Francis Wendy Day STREET REPS Anthony Deavers Bigg P-Wee Dee1 Demolition Men DJ E-Z Cutt DJ Jam-X DJ K-Tone DJ Quote DJ Strong & DJ Warrior John Costen Kewan Lewis Lisa Coleman Maroy Rob J Official Rob Reyes Sherita Saulsberry William Major

eDIToRS NoTe

MUST Be DReAMIN
been living in Atlanta a good decade and I still havent gotten completely accustomed to it, nor have I embraced it all the way. What can I say? Im a Bayboy to the heart. Anyone who knows me, knows that I rep the Bay all day, every day. I went home for Xmas and all I could think about was what kind of Bay Tees I was gonna snatch so I could have the option of reppin my soil every day for two weeks straight (thats 14, but whos counting?). Took Moms in there and scooped about eight of em REAL QUICK (already had 6). Alas, I didnt leave my heart in San Francisco ala Tony Bennett. Its somewhere in Tha Rich! But I gotta love the A and I gotta give JB props for bringing me on board, cause without the move from Orlando this opportunity may have never cracked off. Id prolly still be SLIPPIN at some dead end publication that cant afford to pay its employees or contractors and Ida stayed, tryna make ends meet, ignoring the truth cause I love what I do. But Im not. IM HERE.

Ive

ozoNe weST
4 5-11 6 8 10 1-14 16-0 0 1 - 4 5 6 THE WEST IS BACKSIDE PHOTO GALLERIES HUSTLIN: LATIN PRINCE PATIENTLY WAITING: CLYDE CARSON PATIENTLY WAITING: BEEDA WEEDA E-40 WEST COAST DJ SECTION MIXTAPE DRAMA TURF TALK BIG FASE MAC MALL CD REVIEWS END ZONE: THE PACK

Funny how the world works. The day I walked in JB told me about OZONE West and I damn near lost my top. When I told our cover subject, E-40 (BOSS HOGG, pg. 1), he simply responded, I know you be representin. Upon unwinding over a couple glasses of Merlot, his attention turned to his cousin BARS Awards Rookie of the Year Turf Talk (FROM THE SOUL, pg. 1) and the hyphy movement of course. But dont be misled. This issue aint all Bay. Big Fase 100 (STEADY MOBBIN, pg. ) holds it down for the streets of Compton and the hottest DJs on the Coast express their feelings for Drama and Cannons (MIXTAPE DRAMA, pg. 0) recent brush with the law. GET READY. This is just the beginning.

N. Ali Early OZONE WEST Editor

OZONE WEST // 

THE WEST IS BACK... SIDE!!!

The Bay Areas DJ BackSide links up with the Best of the West to see whats really goin on in their heads!

DAMANI

his month, I traveled down the coast of California to Los Angeles to speak with the Mayor of Inglewood himself, Damani. With a song on Snoops Blue Carpet Treatment and more projects in the kitchen to be released on Snoops label, Damani is servin up the real. Here, he reveals that he does in fact have love for New York and he also believes Michael Jackson can come back despite his daycare dilemma. He keeps us up on the new West Coast slang, unleashing the new word for groupie in the 007. Get ready, a player is in the building. BS: So I first heard you on the Keak Da Sneak record, Gotta Stay Paid. Whats your connect to the Bay Area? Damani: Well yeah, I first heard of the Super Hyphy record by Keak and I just wanted to get down wit dude. I like who I like, and he GO. BS: And this groupie song you got with E-40? Damani: Yeah, you see we lettin the word groupie go for the 007. They are now called Degos (pronounced Day-go). BS: Degos? Damani: Yeah, them girls who see all the stars in the club and be pointin when they see someone famous. You know, [Day-go] Snoop, ay [Day-go] Damani, ay [Day-go] Kobe. Feel me? Degos. They them girls that be pointin everyone out in the clubs and shit. BS: Everyone talks about L.A. first and foremost when it comes to the west. So Mr. Inglewood, is the West back? Damani: Yeah, definitely. We are rebuilding right now. Beef is bein worked out, we are startin to move as a whole unit now. Groups like the Warzone and the Western Union are with Snoops label now and we are uniting as one. Its just some hustlin we doin. I signed with Columbia first and Im keepin it goin with some more situations. Snoops helpin out with my album called Congratulations Player. You like that? BS: The title? Damani: Yeah, [suavely and slowly] Congratulations Player. BS: Um, I dont know you like that to be making such affirmations. Damani: Mmmhmmmm I love when people doubt me. BS: American Idol is a huge show these days. You like it? Damani: I dont watch it, not really, unless it happens to be on. BS: Not even for mean-ass Simon or drunk-ass Paula? Damani: Being an African-American Idol, I already feel like Im being watched. BS: Riiiiiiiiight. So do you think a Rap American Idol would work? Damani: Yeah, I think so, cause all these little shows they doin now like The White Rapper Show are such a mockery and so fuckin stupid. Its really like they are givin the fans a chance. Its just entertainment and comedy. Its comedy. Thats exactly what it is. BS: Speaking of comedy, do you got love for New York? Damani: I think I can make some money with her. Shes got a professionalism about herself. That could turn into a very lucrative business in the streets. I feel like she has those type of qualities. I mean, I have love for what she could be under my tutelage. You get me? BS: [laughing] Yeah, I got that. Im sure everyone else will too. So what would Damanis reality show be called? The Players Life or something? Damani: I like how you said that with so much conviction. Say it again. Either that or The Hustlers Life. I mean, the player aspect of it is just a way to maneuver your way through the game. But man, I watch The Wire for reals.

You know, Marlo Stansfield on these hoes. BS: Im ashamed to say Ive never watched it. Damani: Well youre missin a big part of the culture right now. That shit is real. The actors them muthafuckas be playin they parts to the T. Period. BS: And what about the Mixtape Game? The DJ Drama DRAMA? Damani: I mean, it was only a matter of time, especially when niggas get on the record talkin bout makin $100,000 off mixtapes. Not sayin they they were, but these dudes [the Feds] are listenin to all of that shit. Its like the Nas video Hip Hop Is Dead, when they get raided. The games changing. Its like the DJ is their own separate record label now. You gotta pay the DJ and shit. BS: I hear you, if you look at it like that. Everything is changing anyways. I mean, look at you. While we are doing this interview youre on Myspace. Damani: Yup, this shit is all in your own hands now. [Leans over to look closely at his computer screen] Damn, she is thick. Jesus.!!!!! Yeah, anyways. Music? Online? Its gonna be go online for everything. EVERYTHING. BS: Yup, even for Michael Jacksons music. Damani: What? BS: Yeah, Michael is back from exile and hes gonna leak his singles on myspace first. You didnt hear? Okay, just kidding. But he did go into exile. Damani: I mean, who even knew he left? I never even seen the nigga in my life. So, who knows? BS: Well, hes back in the studio with Will.I.Am. Do you think he can come back? Damani: Yeah, if R Kelly can, of course Michael Jackson can. If Michael does play with kids, at least it aint on tape. R. Kelly pissed on girls and ON TAPE and we saw him! Like, the piss was runnin down on the girls titties! If R. Kelly can make a record after that and everyone from age  to 9 is twosteppin in the club right after that miracles can happen. Anybody can do anything. BS: Boxers or Briefs? Damani: Boxers, briefs. Hell, its all comin off anyways. The Big Squeeze compilation drops in March 007 and features Damani and his group Western Union (Superfly and Badluck), The Warzone, Snoop, Badazz, Kurupt JT The Bigga Figga and more. Cop that! The West is Back Bitches. Also check out: www.myspace.com/damanila See you all every month here in the West Coast section of Ozone Magazine hounding the best West Coast DJs, producers, and more! Holla at your girl: www.djbackside.com or info@djbackside.com

4 // OZONE WEST

ORHIA LOVR CALIFAST PNOTO GALLEEIES WEST CO

Up All Nite girls Too $hort & the gas, NV) 0 // vyne Stephens nvention (Las Ve s Vegas, NV) 05 // Akon & De wz @ Magic Co (La ence the Boss Hogg Outla Aladdin for All Star weekend The Pack @ Sil Slim Thug & NV) 07 // B of // R&B Twins & Lloyd @ the geles, CA) 0 // end (Las Vegas, os party (Los Angeles, CA 10 All Star week ingy, Bow Wow, os party (Los An ron of the Aladdin for 40 @ Warner Br party (Las Vegas, NV) 04 // Ch Lee @ Warner Br g party (Oakland, CA) 1 // Da Bun & Eins & Polow @ Ya Boy & Rick 01 // DJ D-Wrek te All Star weekend // Bernard Hopk ekend (Las Vegas, NV) 09 // r Guces listenin keley, CA) 14 // l Ni NV) 06 te & Jones fo frat party (Ber Up @ for the Up Al All Star weekend (Las Vegas, for All Star we y Marv @ Everet @ MGM for the w bus fans @ a for by @ the Aladdin , CA) 11 // Killa Kiese & Mess CA) 1 // Mistah FAB & yello Dem Hoodstarz y @ the Aladdin // Tity Boy & Ba les Traxamillion, & ne & Lil Scrapp les, d, CA) 08 (Los Ange (Los Ange 18 // DJ K-To ) 16 // Guest, // Violence (Oaklan e set of Chamillionaires video e Dupris Pre-Grammy party ce (Oakland, CA Years Eve (San Francisco, CA) ancisco, CA) 1 Fr th ce the Violen ain t Years Eve (San with DJ Paul on pri @ Pacific Theater for Jerm NV) 15 // Fly & B-Luv @ Silen t  @ Club Fanatics for New d & his publicis natics for New s, Du  // Timbalan vo @ Club Fa & Scoo 11 & Jermaine @ Magic Convention (Las Vega s Angeles, CA) // Big Rich & De er, Mistah FAB, geles, CA) 0 // Gary Arch ammy party (Lo key s Vegas, NV) 17 k @ Warner Bros party (Los An r for Jermaine Dupris Pre-Gr B & Freekey Ze ekend party (La te ac l Nite All Star we ) 19 // Echo Hattix & Kevin Bl & Jimmy Cozier @ Pacific Thea Al elle gs, CO y Records (10) (Colorado Sprin s Vegas, NV)  // Gary LaRoch 6,); New Mone 5,06,08,1,14,1 1 & Beno (La Spice verly (0,0,04,0 CA) Jose, ne (18); Julia Be @ Angels (San 9,0,); DJ K-To 9,11,1,15,17,1 D-Ray (01,07,0 Beno (1); Photo Credits:

OZONE WEST // 5

lin

A Prince Among DJs

BY WENDY DAY FROM RAP COALITION Since growing out of his position in radio, Latin Prince tried his luck with HITS. Latin Prince boasts following a five year plan that he follows strictly. Over the years in the industry he flew himself to every convention to meet other DJs and industry folks. The grind proved heavy but successful as he built powerful relationships in the process. In accepting the position as Associate Mix Show Editor at HITS, Prince acknowledges knowing nothing about magazines or writing. English wasnt even his first language. Even still, he moved to L.A. in May of 1997 under the tutelage of Ricky Leigh. After adjusting to the written word LP and Leigh moved to promote records. The transition proved a good one as Prince, after five years at HITS, was recruited by Troy Marshall from MCA to promote their records exclusively. After MCA folded, LP opened his own marketing and promo company Urban Jungle Music. He worked as a consultant for TVT and was eventually earned a staff position, where he ultimately broke artists such as Lil Jon, Pitbull and Ying Yang Twins. Years later, Marshall moved to reassemble the team at Universal Records, where LP went on to become National Director of Mix Show Promotions for the West Coast, a position he maintains to the day. TVT taught me how to break new records and MCA taught me how to work a handful of records at one time. Now Im applying everything I learned to my job at Universal, Prince reflects. Our conversations are more than just, Hey, can you put this record in the mix? I talk with my DJs about life and real issues. With a full time job at Universal and running one of the biggest DJ organizations in the country, one has to wonder how Latin Prince finds balance. The business strains loving relationships, he offers, revealing a crumbled marriage. Time and traveling takes a toll on relationships. Achieving balance is tough. You gotta work at it. Its a full time job. You already have a full time job and then making a relationship work is also hard work. Although my marriage didnt last, I do know people in the industry whove made relationships work. But its hard. Late nights at the office and a rigorous work travel schedule. You give up some things in return for others. Its so hard. How much time and energy you put into your relationship is how itll succeed. But it takes two people to make it work. Some partners think, I dont want to have this kind of lifestyle, but some can ride it out. The key is to choose a partner who can ride it out. To escape the pressures of work LP rides his Harley with industry guys on Sundays whenever he can find the time. Personal time is key, he says. You have to make the time. My life is very structured. Its scheduled tightly and mapped out so I can accomplish everything. He sticks to his schedule like most workaholics do. We laugh over the fact that he enjoys looking back at the end of the week and saying, What a crazy week!! But it feels goooooood. LP spends a lot of time DJing in Europe, Croatia in particular, where there is a huge Hip Hop scene. And Bum Squad now has its own a magazine in the US and recently launched a Hip Hop magazine in Croatia (Bums Magazine). Latin Prince loves to DJ overseas because the way they take care of the DJ overseas is how they should do it here. The respect and love is incredible. DJs are out here in the US struggling. They are always one step away from being on the street. We are bumsthats where the name Bum Squad DJz comes from. The Bums office is opening in the UK this year. We focus on worldwide as opposed to just local US DJs. Theres also an Asia tour coming this year. We have a huge worldwide vision. I want my DJs to see what Ive seen. DJs are stars around the world, so were building internationally. Im working steadily and quietly. Im on some next shit. And after all, isnt that what its all about? //

hu st
6 // OZONE WEST

LATIN PRINCE just might be the hardest working man in show business. He does so many different things. But hes a DJ first! He is the guy behind the scenes moving in silence giving back to Hip Hop because the music has blessed him so.
Prince started the Bum Squad DJz because DJs are the backbone of the music industry and he wanted to set up an organization for the DJs that would serve as a music mentorship program or school, as opposed to just a DJ crew. Its not about the bling. There has to be more substance! says Latin Prince, who is called LP by his close friends. Bum Squad, established in 004, now boasts a membership of around 10 official members and hosts a hot website www.Bumsquaddjz.com - that gets over 0 million hits a year. We were the first to launch a sound bank online at bumsquadddjz.com, he informs. Its the first spot on the Internet for DJs to download songs from a digital record pool. Now we have over 10,000 registered users at New Music Studio Reloaded (the sound bank). The message board is also an outstanding resource and a world of its own. Its a great way to see what DJs are thinking and how they feel. New Music Studio Reloaded is a very popular extension through the Bum Squad DJz site. Reggaeton is so big it required a separate Reggaeton All Stars sound bank. Theyre about to launch one for the mash up DJs as well. LP loves mash ups and offers a bi-weekly radio show featuring the top Bums DJs who subscribe to that genre, on Sirius channel 50 (Hot Jamz; Ch 50). Mash Ups are growing in popularity and Reggaeton is holding steady, LP reveals. In New York, Miami and L.A., reggaeton is still huge. Women love reggaeton, especially in L.A. So its still heavy in the clubs. Mash Ups are starting to get heavy in the clubs especially in Las Vegas. Its a mash up of people, so why wouldnt it be a mash up of music? A hot Hip Hop vocal over an AC/DC track, for example. Its getting very interesting. So what makes Latin Prince want to devote so much time to setting up the Bum Squad DJz? I want to show the DJs more, he persists. Im busting my balls to be different. Im unique and showing that through our annual convention, which is more of a family reunion with a teaching component. So successful in his grind, for so long, this 8 year-old Latino is eager to share his secrets of success with others. Never be afraid to ask for help, he insists. Utilize your relationships, because the industry is based on that. Give to people and ask for help when you need it. Help each other. People want to help. They just need to know what you need. Spread knowledge and let people know what you are doing. Latin Princes industry beginnings unfolded in the Bay Area at only fifteen years old. As a kid he pretended to be a radio DJ with his moms old beat up turntable, broadcasting to his living room that he would one day take part in the coveted art form. He grew up in Nicaragua (just hearing him say the word is poetry) and then moved with his Mother to San Francisco. DJing kept him away from street drama and out of trouble during his teen years, while his mother motivated him to do well in school by taking away his turntables if his grades slipped. Needless to say, it was a great motivation tool. Like many DJs, Prince started out holding down house parties and eventually blossomed into one of the more recognizable club DJs in the Bay, spinning for crowds of ,000 to 4,000 people. He was discovered by Alex Mejia, the Music Director and a radio DJ at KMEL in the early 90s. The grind of balancing club DJing and radio DJing wore on him, but he persevered and learned by doing. He often took a ribbing from other radio DJs, but he adjusted and grew quickly, staying at radio for over 7 years. He had a hugely popular mix show at KMEL, which is the third or fourth largest (listeners wise) in the country.

ORHIA LOVR CALIFAST PNOTO GALLEEIES WEST CO

, Shawty, Yung NV) 0 // Carlito an Brown, qu tion (Las Vegas, les, CA) 05 // Du xor during @ Magic Conven Young Jeezy party (Los Ange Lu // Slick Pulla & is Pre-Grammy B, guest, & Mitchy Slick @ the ie PR & ichmond, CA) 0 c Theater for Jermaine Dupr 06 // Mistah FA tening party (R 09 // Coach Regg @ Mac cifi s Angeles, CA) (San Jose, CA) @ Mac Malls lis // Rihanna & Bow Wow @ Pa ssy Marv & Tuff ey @ ammy party (Lo Steve & Too $hort @ Angels Lee, & J-Diggs ) 04 e-Gr Rick 11 // Me 01 // Mac Mall, rt (Las Vegas, NV eater for Jermaine Dupris Pr NV) 08 // Freestyle Francisco, CA) ssy Marv, & Loon s, Alexis Park Reso c Th Years Eve (San lla, Booka B, Me a Drivah @ Wildcard Joc, & Miss B @ guest, & Kenny Burns @ Pacifi @ Alexis Park Resort (Las Vega ki @ Club Fanatics for New s, NV) 1 // Do Th e, ss ekend (Las Vega million & Ma Bavgate & PSD s, NV) Tyrese, Debra Le NV) 07 // Yung Joc & Rick Ro gas, NV) 15 // NV) 10 // Traxa ring All Star we l Star (Las Vega s Vegas, , weekend (Las Ve na @ Icehouse Lounge for Al Star (Las Vegas, & Ice T @ Icehouse Lounge du All Star (La Lounge for All din for All Star , rty (Los Angeles Tri Icehouse rkie, CoCo @ the Alad rner Bros pa ung Jeezy & Sha Money XL @ rty (Richmond, CA) 1 // Bizma d, CA) 14 // The Clipse & Nelly s Vegas, NV) co, CA) 17 // Yo John Costen & Bohagon @ Wa pa lan Eve (San Francis geles, CA) 19 // c Convention (La Malls listening ning party (Oak & Skillz @ Magi s for New Years my party (Los An s for Guces liste All Nite girls @ Club Fanatic , CA)  // Play Everette & Jone Up Dupris Pre-Gram rner Bros party (Los Angeles & e Wa 16 // Too $hort @ Pacific Theater for Jermain & Lil Scrappy @ (Oakland, CA) , & DJ Miltikit lik Abdul (1) ) 1 // Lil Chris 4,17,18,); Ma // Busta Rhymes crew @ Blue Ice (Denver, CO 18 4,05,06,07,09,1 & Beverly (0,0,0 0 // DJ K-Tone CA) ne (0); Julia 6,19,1); DJ K-To 8,10,11,1,15,1 dits: D-Ray (01,0 Photo Cre

OZONE WEST // 7

BALANCE & OPTIONS

But its a good loo

ies that hed have a ser ve never imagined d ars ago he might ha solid first album (Turfology 101) an ive ye his belt, a Rs salivating of mixtapes under t has West Coast A& ipated follow-up tha Beeda Weeda started out his a heavily antic . artist ning him as a rap to hit the streets at the thought of sig cer. So logically, when it came time uble, himself. For his tro k as a produ industry tre thout, he made it d KYLD and the they couldnt do wi with a bumble tions like KMEL an is in rotation on sta for obvious reasons. Beedas Turfs Up y is behind him ole Ba remix says the wh actly. I a says matter-of-f I just do me, Beed of Oakland so the whole ts niggas come from the stree whole hood is the hood got me and the ere Im at. t wh that helped me ge cords, hics Clear Label Re Signed to Hieroglyp h an opportunity t suc not Beeda believes tha ialized had his folks wouldnt have mater start. As a youth whos from the been with him s, vernacustry borrow trend ds, seen the music ind his stomping groun m ular and the like fro nize his own struggle og Beeda is quick to rec ts within. How I got en and the key compon niggas it was me and my ins. my name out there, together, he expla n from the hood comi y in, got to bouncin ne Niggas put they mo les, goin out of state, hic in these wrapped ve studio. d we got our own of givin away CDs, an m the community e fro So I got a lot of lov lot of influence nd got a Oakland and Oakla over the Bay. old kland, Beeda is an A product of East Oa and confident as they ed  years, as compos aforemost notably on the come. His content, street Up, portrays all the he is mentioned Turfs n d make him the ma elements that helpe , hes earned regional ath today. In the afterm release ars after its initial radio spins two ye heavy includes Bay Area and a remix that among inn and Too $hort, hitters E-40, San Qu proach has raised ap others. Still, Beedas arly temakers, particul eyebrows among tas s signed to. el he because of the lab t side, ts a whole differen [My label] represen each other, fuck with so its a trip how we handle they square ey Beeda explains. Th need to the type of shit we od business and thats r company. But go ild ou know so we can bu critics be tough . A lot of see music is good music Im on Hiero. They on me when they see Im finna come this nk thi me there and they shit. So n on some street way when Im comi complex enough. lyrics aint they try to say my

to accept ough to know when and his al, but grounded en el of a major label de nt moving his product with Clear Lab Worthy er, Beeda is conte the right off own PTB Records. everyday. I spit this shit out n to me, he says. me from sic shit aint nothi I feel blessed to co This mu me. Thats why w. // this independent ga I aint trippin off no majors right no Im pushin s Ill take it, but the Bay. If it come Words by N. Ali Early Photo by D-Ray

k. Its a challenge.

8 // OZONE WEST

ORHIA LOVR CALIFAST PNOTO GALLEEIES WEST CO

ekend (Las Vering All Star we Dee @ Alexis use Lounge du y Slick @ Iceho DJ Black & DJ Big e @ Magic The Pack & Mitch party (Los Angeles, CA) 05 // Be n B & Eazy Mo 0 // Lil Uno of s Vegas, NV) @ Warner Bros les, CA) 07 // Bu addin for All Star weekend for All Star (La The Federation party (Los Ange ckSide @ the Al Icehouse Lounge party (Los Angeles, CA) 04 // s Angeles, is Pre-Grammy Shakim & DJ Ba & Too $hort @ ammy party (Lo os Jermaine Dupr DJ c Theater for Dem Hoodstarz & David Banner @ Warner Br e Dupris Pre-Gr akland, CA) 14 // gas, NV) 09 // 01 // da Don @ Pacifi for All Star weekend (Las Ve k ter for Jermain c Thea Networ & Polow ar for uth UpRising (O gas, NV) 0 // Miltikit @ Pacifi // Chris Lighty e Aladdin The Jacka @ Yo ) 16 // Jazze Pha & J-Bo @ Iv l s Vegas, NV) 06 Angela Simmons & Lloyd @ th s, NV) 11 // Blue Williams & DJ 1 // Looney & Al Park Resort (La s Angeles, CA) ) 08 // d (Las Vegas, NV ezy @ Icehouse Lounge for (Las Vega (Lo s Vegas, NV All Star weeken Buck & Young Je 1 ate, & DJ Noble Grammy party Convention (La the Aladdin for g , Jimmy Chocol ter for Jermaine Dupris Pres Angeles, CA) @ 10 // Cubo afterparty (Lo NV) 18 // Youn Wayne & Akon (Las Vegas, NV) Hill & Ray J @ Pacific Thea sort (Las Vegas, Ivar for Hittmenn DJs Grammy s, NV) 15 // Lil en end (Las Vega @ Alexis Park Re Nice & Nelly @ CA) 1 // Steph for All Star week ) 17 // Mr Marcus & friends NV) 0 // DJ J@ the Aladdin ) (Los Angeles, CA Alexis Park Resort (Las Vegas, Chingy & Nelly g (Oakland, CA my afterparty ble book signin @ am t @ Barnes & No Hittmenn DJs Gr ) 19 // Tony Neal & Too $hor l (1) Ray & LL Cool J NV dul (0); Squirre co, CA)  // D9,0); Malik Ab Star (Las Vegas, ne (San Francis 4,15,16,17,18,1 K-To 8,09,11,1,1 // Balance & DJ rly (01,05,06,07,0 ,); Julia Beve ; D-Ray (0,04,1 Beno (10) Photo Credits:

OZONE WEST // 9

RAP METTLE

ra suave Bay Area fou became The Team, delivering game in the project that he irony penchant for d Oakland) with a ern-type slap, is some (Berkeley an ats coated in South orge Karl over up-tempo be affiliated lyrics coach (especially Ge ile any basketball tive word ce of the word. Wh no I in the opera the essen tell you there is w) would move to de Carson. right about no Mayne and Cly mbers Jungle, Kaz, team, dont tell me n thing, says eady doin they ow Everybody was alr n of the disbanded atic front ma Carson, the charism a crew. The whole ide ferent sound for the Bay, a to come with a dif was goal, to do at was always the national sound. Th k with everyople could fuc something that pe where. Gettin d that formula with tial, but The Team discovere great poten that had High, a regional hit national track. Still, they the never quite got on d in the ee exuberance, an persisted with carefr strong following per a up a process drumming ring. With scribed as whispe unique delivery de felt and up king his presence Keak da Sneak ma d Fronts The Federation an perand coming group The Team had the m out, line balancing the kas was yellin, n muthafuc fect approach. Whe o , explains Clyde, wh y we was whispering of Hyphy Juice Energ e s doubles as the fac ht other artists wa s thoug Drink. Muthafucka . So it worked whispering had us cause they was see the influence we out good. You could you listen to a lot of en on the Bay Area wh ts comin out. the young cats tha sepaimately went their nt When the group ult umed his independe res rate ways, Carson t the details for a ou grind. While working erest would align his int joint venture that ol Rerds along with Capit ms in Moe Doe Reco mbled upon the Tea cords, The Game stu charismatic ct and recruited the e Black Wall produ join forces with Th Carson to he dy comin out solo, Street. I was alrea ly way I could get on explains, but the . through somebody the deal was to go it, so why them wanted to do Game and to grow with the wait?Hes continuing g his hand and din West Coast. Hes len . makin shit happen

have at Team followers but, is some of wh Hop sic, Carsons solo de per calls his restructured sound Hip Theater Mu to The confident rap t indication of what gotten used to. may be the firs me over it, he d single Two Step Soul Music. The lea West Coast feel with some Oakland ga Area a lotta Bay real expect. Its got a th The Team. In the same thing I did wi sound. But hyphy is a culture. Its says. Im doing the real hyphy mpo and a the shit is real up-te t a sound to me. // no Words by N. Ali Early Photo by D-Ray

10 // OZONE WEST

oztcoa? ingwesonest whosread

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OZONE WEST // 11

To every one hater, its a hundred that love me. When they stop talkin about me thats when WORDS // N. ALI EARLY PHOTOS // ERIC JOHNSON to be I need worried about it.

1 // OZONE WEST

AS

successful as his 006 was as an artist, its easy to forget that E-40 is one of the most business-minded cats to approach the mic ever. A self-made millionaire, 40 remains the standard for artistic hustle in the Bay Area and beyond. The Ball Street Journal, due out this May, promises to be a fitting follow-up to My Ghetto Report Card, 40s ninth full length solo album one where he went dumb (Tell Me When to Go), snapped his fingers (U and Dat) and came up golden with the assistance of Executive Producer Lil Jon. Beyond the music, Charlie Hustles plans for 007 would make Donald Trump wanna fire the remaining members of The Apprentice and see about a true Bay Area Boss. With his Fatburger chain intact, which he shares with former Oakland Raider standout Chester McGlockten, 40s currently pushing a cognac by Landy and is also rounding out the details for a childrens cartoon. With the dictionary of slang now on the shelf indefinitely, perhaps the most overdue of all his business ventures is 40 Water a vitamin water thats been in the works for a few promotional runs. If all goes as planned, 40 Water should be plentiful by the summer in tangerine, fruit punch, lemon-lime and watermelon flavors. For the moment, theres plenty game to chop, including 40s views on the hyphy movement and his role in it.

blossoming. Im on everything but the cereal box, and thats where the hate comes. It comes with the package, basically. As far as the hyphy movement, I aint hidin behind no rock. I stay in the Bay in the thick of it. Im right there. I rest my head in a comfortable environment, but I know whats around me. I aint never left the Bay. So what Im supposed to do, just ignore the shit that we doin, the shit that my lil cousin, nieces and nephews is doin? Thats the youth. Nah, I dont ghostride the whip. Me, Im just a narrator. Im broadcastin live from Magazine Street in Vallejo. Im lettin people outside of the Bay Area know, Hey, this is what we got goin on in the Bay. It would have been impossible for you to ignore. It wasnt the streets that was hatin when they said I was tryna take the title of the hyphy movement. Nah, Im not tryna do that. I just came across a hit record. Me, Keak and Lil Jon came with a blapper. That was one of the biggest songs period to come up out the Bay for a rapper, shit, I dont know in how long, prolly since [The Luniz] I Got 5 On It. Besides Baby Bash I dont recall another record out of the Bay goin gold. Prolly the last one that went gold before Baby Bash, was prolly mine and that was the Element of Surprise in 99. The last record that prolly went gold was my damn record! [laughs] You feel me? Here I am eight years later right back at it with another one. Yeah, you been there all the way through. I been holdin on like a hubcap in the fast lane. Even during the drought when it was nobody payin attention to the Bay, nobody was fuckin with the West Coast, I stayed consistently puttin out music. Whether it was Loyalty & Betrayal in 000, Grit and Grind, Breakin News, all those records was classical records too. It just wasnt no push. I was fuckin with a label that coulda pushed the button and turned on that machine, but they just didnt. Thats just how life is. Its good now that I got with BME and Warner though, cause they pushed the button for me. They knew what they had. Game recognize game. I never really had a chance to be A&Rd. I sat back and I really was an artist this time instead [being in] CEO mode like I always do. But I knew Id have to work hard. People dont understand how hard you gotta work,

Everybody compares every album you do to In A Major Way, but your last effort was an extremely solid project. At this point, what keeps you going? What motivates me is the love of rappin. I got something to say. I feel like I was put on this earth to be an innovator, a trendsetter and a true player in my rhymes. I really feel like Im one of the coldest if not the coldest in the industry. I done covered every part of the game. Ive said so many things, not just slang, but I done touched down on shit that muthafuckas aint never touched down on and is scared to touch down on far as subject matter wise. Just my unique style, being able to not have to rap like that all the time, fast

rap or slow, I do it all. I go according to what the beat is telling me to do.

You did slow it down on My Ghetto Report Card. Was that intentional or was that something that came with the move to BME and Lil Jons supervision? Its just a mixture. Sometimes I say some cold stuff to where it go over a lot of cats heads and I wanted to make sure they heard everything I said. Some of the songs I rapped fast, but it was according to the beat. I got my point across this time around. Aint nuthin changed about me. I still do my startstop-and-go-scoot-type delivery flow. It dont stop with me.

The hyphy movement took off in a real way this past year and you were a big reason for that. But you also received your share of flack in the process. You care to clear the air? I got the torch, man. Three or four years ago it wasnt no hate. I was at a point where I was makin a transition in my life comin from Jive Records. All of a sudden things started gettin out there to the world and I saw it

For every one hater, its a hundred that love me. When they stop talkin about me thats when I need to be worried about it.

e-40
gettin up at five in the morning, catchin a flight, hittin the radio, gotta be there early for the morning show. You get a little breath and then you gotta go to the afternoon show. You got autograph signings. Man, its not no easy thang. Its wear and tear on the body. I like to get my sip on cause it relaxes my mind. A lot of times we gettin in from an afterparty, then go eat. You actually goin to bed at 4:0, 5:00 and you gotta wake up a couple hours later? Sometimes we dont even go to sleep. Its blood, sweat and tears in this rap game and its not like its a money tree in my backyard. I work hard for the money. Whats a typical day like for you? A typical day for me is thanking God for waking me up early in the morning. Im on the phone right away, because a lot of my calls be three hours ahead of us, East Coast time. So I make my phone calls, gear up for my studio session, call my engineer and get in the lab and just go for it. I might get up outta that lab at one, two in the morning, sometimes five, but when I get up OZONE WEST // 1

in there I get up in that batters box and I try to hit them home runs. I dont be tryna bunt. You know how some cats be throwin away verses? Like they dont like they verse? I keep my verses, cause they can always be revamped. You can put a new beat to it or something. It just might not work for that particular beat. From the perspective of an artist, was it an easier process with Jon there this go round? Its like this: I listen. Im not stubborn and I put my pride to the side. If Lil Jon tells me he dont like a verse and wants me to do another one, I done seen him do it to so many people, but we really go change our verses. And guess what? It comes out for the better. And thats what happened for the album My Ghetto Report Card. It was a couple verses I had to switch up, but I did it. All it takes is one or two funguses or cancers with some heavy mouths to make it spread. A lot of times rappers is the most gossipin muthafuckers in the world and its like people let everybody get in they ear. You let somebody get in your ear, thats how crews break up. You know how muthafuckas be havin camps and shit? Couple dudes get in they ear, thats how groups break up, cause you let somebody get in your ear. Thats the thang. I need to make a song about it. Dont let em get in your ear. [laughs] How does that work when youre E-40 and you already see it coming? You know, they hate you and they love you. Muthafuckers love me in real life. Even the ones that hate me, they dont even know why they hate me, cause they dont even know me like that. Im cut from a whole different cloth than a lot of these muthafuckers, man. Muthafuckers wanna holla about bein crack babies, shit, my generation is the reason why you niggas is crack babies. I done really got down and dirty about mine in real life and I always kept a solid slate. I aint never done nothin foul to nobody in the game. Im on some real time. Im a real nigga. You smell me? And those who try to get it all twitted up, they dont even know me like that. Its very few. For every one hater, its a hundred that love me. Even the ones who hate me, they know that Im one of the coldest human beings overall. When they stop talkin about me thats when I need to be worried about it.

Snoop. I never entertained that shit. I keep it wigglin. I never said nothin about it. I knew one day true bosses would come together. God works in mysterious ways. We got down on that song, went to the studio together and it worked out. We did the video. I put my input on the video, said I wanna bring my dudes from the Bay so they can get down and do they turf dancin and we got ol girl from the Digable Planets on there and it all unfolded. Thats how it is. Northern California is my soil and he got Southern California. We cant let one or two people get between us. We gotta all come together. To me, Im the trunk. Im the main root of the tree. The rest of my fellas are branches and I gotta stay afloat cause we gotta make this a bigger tree. You gotta stay prayed up. That means a lot. I pray throughout the day. I ask God to put the blood of Jesus around me, cause you never know. Anything could happen. We sittin right here at the airport. A plane could just crash into this building where we are. So I thank him for waking me up every day and all the blessings that hes done for me, keeping me in my right mind. I just praise dude. Im not tryna act like Im saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost, but Im a serious believer in God. And I suggest that all of us be that, real spill. I stay givin. I make more withdrawals than I make deposits, but I stay givin. Some people try to get in there and make it out like Im just a bad guy and Im selfish, but to know me is a beautiful thing. I believe in loyalty. Im a loyal dude and I like loyal people around me. What do you have to see in an artist to ride with them? I got good insight. I can kinda tell who will end up turnin on you in the future and I can tell who really gon ride with this shit. So I kinda go with my gut and I judge them by the way they carry themselves. Its hella rappers out there that Im tryna [court], thats raw than a muthafucker, but they minds is fucked up and they in the way of theyself. A lot of em always think somebody tryna get over on em. How the fuck am I gettin over on you and Im the one puttin my hard earned money and time into this and you just usin your talent? You aint sold record one yet [laughs]. But I look for uniqueness and somebody who aint scared to do some different shit. Stick with whats in the envelope. Dont go out and do no game goofy shit. Keep it soil, but at the same time, make it some [fire] shit.

like I was I feel his earth to t put on innovator, a be an setter and a trend layer about true p mes. I really my rhy e Im one of feel lik ldest if not the coldest in the the codustry. in

A lot of outsiders, and even some Bay Area residents, are looking at the hyphy movement as if its on some clown shit Tell em to come to the Bay and watch one of these dreadheads take ya top off. One of these young niggas will take ya top off. Dont let the dancin fool you. Feel me? Like my Tell Me When To Go video, that shit was gutter. That was a lifestyle, man. Thats how we get down. That shit shows as much as you can show in four minutes how our shit went. Wasnt nothin game goofy about that shit. Sometimes I think the Bay can be the Bays own worst enemy, cause it be muthafuckers that aint really with the hyphy movement that talk about muthafuckers that get down with it. Then they contradict themselves with they shit and put hyphy all on the title. It be all kinds of contradictions muthafuckers be doin. They be sayin they aint with it, but then all of a sudden you see em on this song talkin bout ghostridin, yadadimeans, doors open, just all kinda shit. But we just gotta step our unity game up. I cant help you if you cant help yourself. Youve been accused of not putting other Bay Area artists on the map along the way. Muthafuckers be like, Oh, he the Ambassador, man. Man, I done got at so many muthafuckas that I done liked, to sign, but I just say Ima stick with who I got. Cause a lot of people get it twisted. They think off top just because its me, they sposed to get cracked off when they sign. They sposed to be ridin big, this that and the other. But its like, You aint sold record 1. Ima do the standard whoo-wop, feel me? But then again, we got so much talent out there in the Bay. Theres a lot of talent. A lot of cats do it all. You heard me on snap music. You heard me killin it on the Snoop track, Candy, killin it on the Lil Scrappy track, Oh Yeah. You hear me on the hyphy blap. I do it all, just like my album. It was a mixture of everything. My Ghetto Report Card was a monster. No punk and its mixed with a little bit of all angles of music. The youngsters is on it and the OGs. I got something for everybody. I got fans from  years old to 55 years old in real life. [laughs] You mentioned the song with Snoop. A while back there was talk that the two of you werent on the best terms. How did that song come about? Muthafuckers was steady in my ear like, Man, you should do a song about 14 // OZONE WEST

Gotta tip my hat to you too. I know it took awhile for you to accept Turf on that level, but it was a pretty good damn decision considering the 006 he had. Yeah, Turf Talk, thats a good dude. That dude got a big ol heart. If we at the airport or somethin and he at a different terminal or Im down at the gate, hell call me and be like, Im over at this little ooh-whop over here by gate 7. You want something to eat? You know, hell treat me. Its very rare a muthafucker treats me. Im always the one doin the treatin. If a muthafucker with me, nine times out of ten Ima pay for the bill. I dont care if its eight, nine, ten of us. The majority of the time I take care of it. I just love when muthafuckers do shit like that [for me]. That shit means a lot. It could be just $. I dont care. What were your thoughts on the BARS Awards and the disorganization that led to reported disturbances? I take my hat off to [BARS Awards founder] Booyowski. The Bay is a place where its hard to control everybody. Nobody got shot or nothin like that. I was happy that Turf Talk got his award. Hes a cold individual. Thats a cold ass rapper man. Ima say it. He one of the best I know in real life. If people just sit down and look at it, he gamed up. He got a lot of uniqueness. He got delivery and when he rap it seems like he means it. What was the relationship between you and Mac Dre before he died? We was cool, man. It wasnt like we was buddy-buddy. We just had a mutual respect for each other. I respected him and he respected me. We talked. We was talkin bout comin out with some songs or a compilation or whatever. We had something. Muthafuckers wanna act like I was tryna create record sales and wanna come with diss records. That shit dont move me. Im a boss. They be tryna get me to respond. Im cool. Me and [Mac] Dre was alright and dude was a raw ass rapper. When he was on Young Black Brotha, thats when I feel he was the coldest, just like people say my earlier work was my best shit. But he redefined himself before he passed. Man, dude was a trendsetter and definitely was a big part of the hyphy movement. I aint gon deny it. Im not finna say that he wasnt. Man, I take my hat off to dude. Rest In Peace. Dude set trends and he was doin his thang. He wasnt on no Fuck 40 shit and I wasnt on no Fuck Mac Dre shit. When he was alive I had a song called Hyphy with The Federation. Dude was a trendsetter. The hyphy movement started in Oakland and he had his own branch of the movement and he did his thang. Thats wassup. E-40 just preaches about whats goin on in our area. //

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DJ IS SU e

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eS T

DJ JUICe

TURF The Bay: born in San Francisco, lives in Richmond, came up in Oakland HANDLe pretty much handed down. Pops nickname was Juice. From there on out everybody called me Juice and when I became a DJ it was a no-brainer. My real name, Hugo, if you mispronounce it in Spanish, it means Juice. CLICK CORE DJs, Double Impact Productions PRoDUCT Hip Hop series, R&B series, Bay Area series, No Dirt, Grindtime, Audio Crack, NWO (New West Order), KDIP Radio CATCH Me IN THe CLUB 17, Anton, Mingles (resident DJ before it shut down), Zebra Lounge, Velvet Lounge HooKUP djjuice.biz, myspace.com/djjuicemixtapes BAY AReA MIXTAPe KING On that, Im pretty much like Juelz Santana. I dont claim to be the king, I just do my thing. A lotta cats out here claim to be the mixtape king, but I dont really get caught up in that whole thing. In The Bay your achievements and your actions are going to stand out over all of that. I get money. I put mixtapes out and I break records. THA BUBBLe Everybody jumped on the mixtape wagon when 50 Cent blew up and got signed, but I been doin my mixtapes forever. Thats how I got

started. When I first started DJing, thats all I used to do - mixtapes. Id record a mix a day and just sell it. I never kept a copy of it, so whoever got that copy, that was the original and nobody else had a copy. People would go into stores and the whole wall would be mixtapes. If they bought one from another DJ they had no idea what to expect, but they already knew what to expect from a DJ Juice mixtape. That evolved into what it is today. PAYING DUeS What have you really done? Just cause you put out fifty mixtapes it dont make you the tightest. At the end of the day its quality over quantity and at the same time, if you aint paid no dues, youre just another guy putting out mixtapes with no street cred. Anywhere you go out here, you ask about me and theyll tell you. Cats come to me specifically because they know how I get down. BAYD oUT Before the hyphy movement blew up I was out there reppin. Every red carpet event, every photo shoot, anything that I ever did, you saw me with a 49ers cap, a Giants cap, an As cap, something to do with The Bay to where people would know. When cats come out here from New York, they wear their NY hats. You dont see them with no Bay [gear] on. So I was one of the cats that was like, Im from the Bay. I didnt do it myself, but I did my part in bringing recognition to The Bay. MIXTAPeS vS THe CLUB They both work handin-hand. Anything Ive ever achieved in this game [was] because of my mixtapes. When I first came out my intention was never to be a club DJ because I was a mobile DJ at first. I always wanted to be a DJ. I been buyin records since I was eight.

PHOTO: D-RAY

DJ D wReK
TURF from The Bay: born in Oakland, moved to Vallejo as a youth, currently residing in Los Angeles BIG BReAK Nick Cannons MTV series Wildn Out My name is more famous than my face. People always want to know what you do and when I tell them my name, they get excited and act like they know me all of a sudden. SIDe HUSTLe So So Def DJs, Warner Bros. mixtapes What Wildn Out has allowed me to do is get gigs all over the country. People want me to DJ their parties, but more than anything else, they want to hear my voice. HANDLe My name is Derek and Nick was like, Yo, your name is Derek. You should be D-Wrek, like records. So I went with it. It didnt make me no difference anyway. Names, after you say them enough, they stick anyway. HIS-SToRY Started off as a b-boy/ dancer and began DJing in the late 80s. Stopped deejaying in the 90s and started rapping until the fateful meeting with Nick Cannon. I met Nick in like 97 and we started doin his demos and stuff like that, and he asked me if I could DJ. I was kinda like his hype man. But as a hype man, you aint really gettin no real respect. You just the other dude with a mic. CReATIve FReeDoM - I can do me as far as lettin as much of my personality out in the world of a DJ as it fits on that show. But as far as creating, Nick is the Executive Producer [of Wildn Out] and 90% of the ideas come from him. He is the end-all, be-all of that show. That is his brainchild. INSTINCTIve HUSTLe Moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams in the music industry. While juggling his rap career with choreographing and the arduous duties of a production assistant on the sets of Malcolm and Eddie and eventually the Nickelodeon series All That, D Wrek met and ultimately bonded with Nick Cannon. I knew when I left The Bay that I wasnt going to LA to have a regular job. If I was gonna do that I wouldve stayed home or went back East or something where the cost of living is cheaper. I was hustlin. Out here its a hustle. HooKUP djdwrek.com, myspace. com/djdwrek

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DJ SAKe-1
TURF San Francisco, Filmore and the Mission District CRew Californias Local 100 Sound System, Snobb Deep Movement, Soul Deluxxe and Planet Fillmoe FoRTe Remixes, mixtapes, and production on the soul side of things. I combine rap and R&B, kinda do both equally. It got to the point where I got kinda frustrated so I just started throwin my own shit. I was blessed and they was real successful and they took off. Out of that I started Ubiquity Records and Fader hollered at me to do mixtapes for them and I became a tastemaker DJ as opposed to a street DJ or a scratch DJ. RooTS Hip Hop, but I branched off into a different style/sound so now I get compared to the DJ Spinners and DJ Jamads of the world. PRoDUCT FADER/Cornerstone Mix Suite 90, Podcast for Ubiquity Records (out this fall), Soul Deluxe mixtape series, Miami Winter Music Conference mixtape 360 DeGReeS oF SoUL Its a soulful edge, but my definition of a soulful song could be anything. It could be a dancehall reggae song. It could be a Mary

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J. Blige or it could be an underground tune, but Im able to find soulfulness out of it and rock a party with it. [My style has] a sexy edge but it aint too sexy to where the homies aint feelin it. Thats my niche. HANDLe My name stems from graffiti from back in the day. It doesnt really mean that much. The funny thing is I did a gig in Japan and they thought I was Japanese, cause they thought it was like Sake and I went out there and they were trippin cause I was definitely not Japanese. Its just a word that I used to write when I was little and I used to tag in the streets and it just stuck with me. BoTToM LINe The Hip Hop part is always going to be in me, but for me its not about going to a party and playing a bunch of music that Im paid to play, because Im promoting myself as an artist/producer. I started out as a DJ, so its always going to be about rocking a party. If I got a song that I made that rocks the party then its all good, but if its another song that rocks the party then Ill play that too. At the end of the day thats my goal. HooKUP myspace.com/djsake1 , djsake1.com

PHOTO: D-RAY

DeMoLITIoN MeN
MeMBeRS DJ Devro and DJ Impereal TURF from Los Angeles (Devro) and Queens (Impereal), but rep Oakland LAs cool. Its a nice place to visit, but the Bay is where its at. Devro HANDLe The Mixtape Kings; earned their moniker(s) by hitting the streets day and night with backpacks full of custom mixes for the Bay Area masses and demolishing weaker, less polished competition in the process. THe BUBBLe came up by delivering customized mixtapes to their customers in every corner of the Bay. Over the course of three years they moved 6 mixtapes, including nine devoted to East Bay slap, which helped earn fans a dedicated market that serves the entire West Coast. THe MeRGeR After leaving Los Angeles in favor of the Bay, DJ Devro tried going it alone until he and Queens native Impereal met through a mutual DJ friend. Just as Impereal was moving out here, one of my roommates was moving out and I let him move in. He came in here and it was instant. We just clicked, Devro says. PRoDUCT Nuthin But Slap, Best of the Bay, Out the Trunk, Supply & Demand, R&B Slap, Mas Caliente, Mixtape DVD hosted by Husalah and various customized mixtapes for underground Bay artists. BAY Love It aint nothin like the Bay. We stick with Bay Area artists because thyre independent. They aint got nobody standin over their shoulder tellin em what they can and cant do. PRooF PoSITIve We talk with our hands out here. After the first couple mixtapes came out and we sat down and listened to them with the talking on them, we decided that thats not what we do. HooKUP www.myspace.com/ demolitionmenmusic OZONE WEST // 17

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Dow JoNeS

a blessing cause now G-Unit is the ones branding a nigga name puttin us out there. HooKUP - www.westcoastlivin.com, www.myspace. com/dowjonesplayyourposition, www.myspace. com/thabiznessbeats LoCAL LeGeND # 1 Hip Hop radio show (104.5 FM) in Seattle for two and a half years before broadening his hustle to the club scene. I was one of the first niggas in Seattle to go and produce and promote my own parties. From street promo to street team, doin the flyers, doin the graphics, all that shit to DJing events and puttin some of our other DJ homies on. KNowLeDGe SeRveD - If it was up to me Id rather be in the studio 4 hours a day than doing anything else. Its just the whole environment of creating shit. When you get it right and get the artist to lay everything down right, to me thats it. Everything else is boring. But thats what makes a nigga more well-rounded being able to see every side of the table. HoMe ALoNe The way the Seattle market is, being that we never really had a Hip Hop artist crack off since Sir Mix A Lot, I took it like I started from nuthin and I got to where Im at now, so lets branch out and see what the next level is going to be. Thats why I figured I had to go to a big city.

TURF from Seattle, currently residing in Los Angeles HANDLe One of my patnas came up with it. Niggas get up early as fuck every morning to check and see what the stock shit is doin, what trends are being set daily. Hopefully Ill be the one settin the trends. Its about always bein about the money and the business too. STATUS In-house producer for G-Unit THA BUBBLe came up doin the mixtapes and got put on by DV One. I used to go out with him and do all the Rice City Crew parties and fuck wit all them niggas in New York. PRoDUCT - Play Your Position mixtape series; has featured Mistah FAB, Mitchy Slick, Problem, Strong Arm Steady, Xzibit, Ras Kass, Lil Scrappy, Glasses Malone, E-40, Parker Brothaz, Khao and others GRIND one half of Tha Bizness Productions (J Hen) has produced for the likes of 50 Cent, Young Buck, G Unit, LL Cool J, Mistah Fab, Glasses Malone, Clyde Carson, DG Yola, P Stonez, Yung Joc, Roccette & 11 from CTR, Grand Hustle, Memphis Bleek, San Quinn, Ya Boy and others. We used the mixtape thing to get the production off. Its been

BIG Dee
TURF originally from South Central, now resides in Sin City HANDLe The hardest working DJ in Las Vegas a.k.a. dont let the competition hire me. CATCH Me IN THe CLUB 007 All Star weekend (Dwayne Wade, Ben Wallace, All Star Comedy Concert), Paris Hiltons birthday party HUSTLe Sirius Satellite Radio (Hot Jamz channel 50), Music Choice TV, spins on KVEG Hot 97.5 six nights a week, clothing line, jewelry line (Diamonds by Derrick) CLICK CORE DJs HooKUP www.myspace.com/djbigdee70, coredjs.com, kveg.com woRTH THe weIGHT You got these nickel and dime deejays wholl do a party for fifty bucks and five drink tickets. Then you have the cat wholl do it for $800.00 or a G or $500.00. What promoter do you know that doesnt want to save a buck? DRINKING AND SPINNING Ive been wasted DJing before, but Ive never been to the point where I was stumbling and falling. Ive seen some DJs so shitfaced that theyre records will skip and they dont even know. Ive seen cats pass out in the DJ booth before. You have to do it in moderation. Two, three shots, and the energy in the club keeps you awake. THe TRUTH ABoUT RADIo Its very political with some corrupt haze over it. All these record labels at the end of the day just care about gettin their shit played. Its a freakin number on a spreadsheet. PoweR oF THe DJs A lot of these artists really need to respect DJs. You got artists thats disrespectin DJs, puttin their hands on DJs, but they dont realize he can make a phone call and theyll get shut the fuck down. weST UP The Bay Area really took over. Im not from Northern Cali, but thats still a part of the West Coast. As far as South Central, I really feel like we can go harder, because the South right now is running it. 75% of the music I play on my radio show is Southern music or Southern- influenced music. They dont have any West Coast on our playlist. The Game is doin his thing, Snoop is doin his thing and Cube made his comeback, but it doesnt stop there. We could be doin a lot more than were doing right now.

DJ FeLLI FeL
TURF born in Rock Hill, South Carolina, raised in Atlanta, currently resides in Los Angeles. HANDLe - started as DJ Felony and finally settle on Felli Fel. HUSTLe - Music producer and DJ for big events: Three 6 Mafia, Akon, Ne-Yo, Paul Wall, Mike Jones and hosted Kanye Wests concert in Vegas, etc. HIS SToRY started out in Dallas on KNON, moved to KICK FM (Spanish station) and eventually landed at K104 KKDA. Now host and DJ of the number one rated nighttime show on Power 106 in Los Angeles where hes responsible for breaking Kanyes Through The Wire, T Pains Im Sprung and PCDs Dontcha, Quik and AMGs Can You Work Wit That, among others. Its important that we have more than just Snoop and The Game repping LA on the radio. Quik and AMG are staples of LA rap. PRoDUCT Felli Fel mixtapes (new artist and host every month), Vinyl issues (Breakbeats and Partybreaks) CLICK Heavy Hitters

ReD CARPeT TReATMeNT - Most recently House of Hype (Paris Hilton, Nick Cannon, Three 6), DTP Grammy party (Luda, Chamillionaire, etc) HooKUP myspace.com/djfellifel, mixmatters.com, heavyhitters.com PRoJeCTS in the mold of Dr. Dres classic Chronic, is currently overseeing a project that he produced from the roota to the toota.

18 // OZONE WEST

DJ SKee
TURF Los Angeles HANDLe I was tryna figure out a DJ name for the radio and I just saw my name (Scott Keeney) sittin there and I just took the first four letters and dropped the rest. STATUS official mixtape DJ for THE Game, CEO of SK Consulting GAMeTIMe was working at Loud Records as an intern and met The Game. I saw his talent and he saw some of the stuff I was doing and weve been rocking ever since. MoST MeMoRABLe GAMe MoMeNT It had to be the one with 00 Bars. Thats the one that took it to the next level, especially in my career with the mixtapes and all. GRIND mobile TV Network, SKEE TV, marketing consultant for T-Mobile Sidekick, Chrysler (00, Dodge Magnum, etc.), former Marketing Director for SRC HIS-SToRY started off on radio at 16 in Minneapolis and moved to Los Angeles to work with Steve Rifkind a year later at Loud. Eventually landed a

spot on Sirius Satellite Radio Hip Hop Nation (Sat. nights). HooKUP djskee.com, skeetv.com, myspace. com/djskee B BoY oR BAD BoY Its crazy cause I started off likin rock and all that underground shit, that whole New York vibe, but Ive always been appreciative of everything. From the Cash Money heydays to classic West Coast Dre, Snoop, Death Row, to everything. Ive always appreciated all flavors of music and that goes beyond Hip Hop. SKee FoR PReSIDeNT I want to eventually keep expanding my voice. Its kinda crazy. You look at my Myspace, Im like the number one rated Myspace page in terms of hits and all that shit, so I wanna keep gettin my voice bigger and bigger with some TV shit and the syndication shit. I wanna use the power that I acquire to eventually go into politics and do stuff like that so I can actually make a change. Honestly, my goal is to be the President. I still got a ways to go, but thats what Im shootin for.

DJ FRANzeN
TURF - born in the Bay Area, now spinning on Hot 97.5 in Vegas STATUS - known for breaking Bay Area artists and introducing the hyphy movement to Las Vegas, where hes held it down since the stations inception five years ago. RooTS - started as an intern at fourteen and worked his way into a position at KMEL (number four market). By sixteen he had his own air show and earned the highest ratings for a night show before bolting for Vegas. HooKUP - www.myspace.com/djfranzen LAS BAYGAS - I brought [the Bay] out here to Vegas and a lot of people adapted to it. It works in the club because its high energy music and when people are on the dance floor theyre having fun with it. Im one of the first DJs to break Bay Area records in the Bay Area. When I first got my break in radio, thats what I always wanted to do so thats what I represent. But yeah, people out here [in Vegas] like it too. THA Lv BRAND - Theres a nice local scene out here but its hard to get on the radio cause of all the politics. If youve been in the business for a long time, you know about the politics in radio. Ive been trying to get a local show on forever, but it seems like its not working. As far as the local artists, you got Trigga hes very well known. Steve Rock - hes a producer, artist, and lyricist and theres a guy named Wease Mac whos well known, too. Theres a local scene here but its not as strong as it should be. FRoM THe GRoUND UP - You got to start out with the streets first. Go to barbershops, mom and pop stores, malls, get on Myspace. Self promotion comes first. Certain artists put out a CD and automatically think its going to sell. Thats the wrong perception. You have to hit the streets and not just in your area. A lot of people in the Bay are satisfied with just getting played in the Bay Area. Theres so much more. You want to hit the major cities like Chicago, Miami, Detroit, New York, Atlanta, Houston, L.A., Phoenix, all the big markets. Thats the best promotion there is. THe FUTURe - I see myself using my connections to get more behind the scenes. I produce music as well. I want to be an A&R and find a platinum hip-hop or R&B artist. I want to A&R for someone and help executive produce their album. Words: Ms. Rivercity

DJ Moe 1
TURF Tha Bay born in San Francisco, moved to Richmond in 199 FAMILY TIeS DJ Juices younger brother IN THe GAMe 11 years, been deejaying since his youth, inspired by big bruh - We grew up in a small house and the turntables were in a mutual spot, which was the living room, but he gave me the green light. He was like, Fuck wit it, but dont fuck it up. CLICK Double Impact Productions CATCH Me IN THe CLUB 17, Jeffrys, Mingles (before it shut down) 0 Ritch, Glas Kat HooKUP djmoe1.com, myspace.com/djmoe1 SIDe HUSTLe PRoDUCTIoN - I like working behind the boards. My ultimate goal is to smash out some platinum beats. Im tryna get to that level. PRoDUCT The Chosen One, R&B series Hot & Wet, Old School Hip Hop Classics, Slow Jams Mixtape Series, Bay exclusives with Jimmie Reign, Mistah FAB and various underground artists. The

mixtapes definitely got me out of my region. The clubs, people know me for that, but I think outside of The Bay, people know me for the mixtapes. That definitely got me poppin. I owe a lot to the mixtape game. BRAGGING RIGHTS Juice, who is widely acknowledged as the Bay Area Mixtape King, has gone on record as saying Moe 1 is more skilled than him. He says that, but I dont know. I think we kinda different. He likes to do a little bit of mixing and I like to scratch and do all kinds of other crazy shit too. SATISFACTIoN GUARANTeeD You wanna come to a DJ Moe1 party cause youre definitely going to have fun. I get the crowd involved. It dont matter whos in there, youre going to feel like a superstar when you leave the party. DeXTeRITY Im a party rocker and a mixtape DJ and thats kinda rare. A lot of DJs do the mixtapes and they dont do the parties, but I do it all. I get down on the party. I really know how to rock a party. I get on the mic. I know how to talk to people and get the party goin and on the mixtape side I get real creative with it. My whole thing is being creative with the cuttin and scratchin and the blends. I might talk a little, but I like to let the mixes do the talking. OZONE WEST // 19

With a pending investigation looming over their successful run in the mixtape game, DJ Drama and Don Cannon are literally victims of their own success. Thousands of miles away a pool of West coast jocs felt a need to sound off.

DJ K ToNe
TURF Denver, Colorado (Park Hill) HANDLe The Turf DJ PRoDUCT Bricks Superbads & Duffle Bags, Playas Glide, Slap Music, U Dont Even Know, Southern Takeover, Get Money, Im So Fresh SHowSToPPeR The A List at Blue Ice, Oasis Cabaret, Club Flow, Denvers Finest Awards HUSTLe Internet Radio WOET Radio (oentertainment.com) The cool thing about it is youre stretching out your network so tough. Its like anybody can log on. CLICK All Out All Stars, DJs R Us, Elite Entertainment Group, Lights Out Entertainment HooKUP djktone.com, myspace.com/djktonedotcom SUPeR HYPHY Denver and The Bay, we grew up on their music. Now the world is getting up on the Bay, but we been bumpin the Bay since the early 90s. We been up on the Bay. Thats where a lotta niggas got they style from. We spend a lotta money on their records out there and thats why they show us love. We been up on the underground Bay for years. Its not even nothin new. This was goin on in 0, 0 with Mac Dre. They been here. You know how fads go. It seems like a fad, but it aint no fad. This is how them niggas live. BACK IN THe BooTH The DJ is the core. The DJ is the center of the whole movement. If you dont have a DJ, youre music aint goin nowhere. If youre an artist and you go to a show and theres no DJ to bring your music in, youre not performing. I feel like DJs are finally gettin the respect they deserve. GAMe ReCoGNIze GAMe We run the party. If you go to a party and theres no DJ, theres no party. You could have a party without a promoter, but you cant have a party without a DJ. Its not gonna happen. Niggas been playin us to the back for so long, but with groups like The CORE DJs and all these other organizations that bring DJs together, they have to recognize now. - Words by N. Ali Early

I think he was targeted unfairly. Hes not one of those DJs who goes down the Top Forty charts and puts the hottest 5 tracks on his mixtape and sells it. Drama was working with the artists and he had permission from the artists. At the end of the day the problem is that the artist doesnt own their masters, the label does. So if the label [objects], they can sue you and whats the artist going to say? Its their music, but they dont own it. Im hopin that it doesnt go through, cause that would be unfair. DJ Juice I dont know all the ins and outs of it, but it just seems like a DJ doin his own thing and I guess it turned into a Federal case. I havent read up on it enough to speak on it, but you know Free Drama! Thats my dude. - DJ D-Wrek Because the record industry is so wack and has its head so far up its ass the DJs have actually been cakin out. Drama and Cannon got attention not because they were making mixtapes, but because they were drivin Benzes and off in their face and the record industry was like, Wait, thats our bread. But if theyre not creative enough and smart enough to get that bread, whose fault is that really? If you look at the artists that theyve worked with in an era where when record sales are definitely decreasing, I think the argument should be made that Drama and cats like that have helped the artists on a certain level. DJ Sake 1 I think its fucked up. I dont know exactly why they got in trouble. I dont know if it had something to do with copyrights or tax evasion, I dont know. Well see how it pans out. If they get them on some copyright infringement type shit then thats gonna change the whole mixtape game. As far as what happened to them I think its fucked up that labels dont get behind DJs more. DJ Devro of the Demolition Men A lotta that shit is a test to see what the street really likes. Its definitely going to separate the weak muthafuckas from the real niggas and keep the real niggas in the mixtape game. We need to start puttin out mixtapes just like albums and shit with a barcode on it and record original material. That way the RIAA cant fuck with you. DJ Impereal of the Demolition Men That shit will weed out a lot of the borderline niggas that was just in it to get some paper or that was pretty much just downloadin some shit and puttin it out. Now it goes back to really having a relationship with these artists. Dow Jones Once it got past the street value and it went to big chain stores, thats when I feel like it got out of hand. Im not knockin nobody for makin money, but when you dont handle your business right, the folks are going to come crack down on you. - DJ Big Dee As far as the artist and DJ relationship, being a mixtape DJ, thats crucial to me. Theres no other way a lot of times. Out here or anywhere, these big corporations and radio take over and aint no other way they get heard other than mixtape DJs. I think its a big part of an artists career to get with the DJ. Its crucial. DJ Moe1 I think the white man just tryna get his money right now. The mixtape game, no matter what they do, theyll never in their life be able to stop it. I think the RIAA aint makin no money from it, but theyll try to find a way. - DJ K-Tone [The Affiliates] are the biggest name in mixtapes in the world. When the RIAA wants to send a message, they like to do it by making an example out of key people. They did the same thing with a group of college students when illegal downloading on college campuses became a big issue. The RIAA considers mixtapes bootlegged music and they wanna stop it. They figured the best way to do it was by getting at the cats that run the mixtape game. The funny part is that many times mixtapes are financed out of labels promotion budgets. So something still doesnt add up. - DJ Felli Fel

0 // OZONE WEST

oN

the outside looking in, 006 would seem to have been a storybook-like year for Bay Area newcomer Turf Talk. Riding off the success of Turf Talk Brings the Hood, a compilation released a year earlier which featured a myriad of guest appearances and showcased his rapid fire flow, he built enough interest to legitimately claim the Rookie of the Year Award at the BARS Awards. On the flip side, he was a victim of his own success, getting shot and losing unaccommodating homies in the process. So it doesnt surprise that his most recent project, West Coast Vaccine: The Cure, is laced with anger, retribution and vivid storylines. Its from the soul. So whats wrong with the West Coast that it needs a vaccine? Basically my album was supposed to drop months before. This was before The Game had dropped and it was around the time when everybody was sayin the West Coast was dead. But I dont think the West Coast is dead cause Im an up and coming artist. So it was like, If the West Coast is dead, then Ima make the West Coast vaccine because its a new face. So basically thats what Im runnin with right now the West Coast Vaccine: The Cure is just a new generation. We heard Snoop. We heard Ice Cube. We heard E-40. Now this is the West Coast vaccine. This is the cure. This is the new shit. This is the future. I feel you, kinda like that new Nike commercial. So who you got ridin with you? Who are your accomplices? Right now, from the gate, when I started my little career and whatnot, I patterned myself after Ice Cube for the simple fact that when everybody was on the Pac hype, he stayed to himself. When everybody was on the Death Row hype, he stayed to himself. You never saw him doin hella features with other artists. He didnt get down like that. So how Im makin my movement is, Im just showin these majors I dont need no crew ridin with me. I dont need nobody ridin with me. Turf Talk do his own thang. Your buzz in the Bay is real potent right about now, so much so that you won the Rookie of the Year at the BARS (Bay Area Rap Awards) amidst some pretty stiff competition. Howd that feel? Yeah, that was big. At first I really wasnt trippin off winnin it, but then it got kinda competitive. Cats started talkin about it and it just felt good to know that how I feel, other people felt that way too. Was there anything in particular that you did to get them on your side or was it just a matter of being you that reeled them in? I think what it is, is that I didnt let people down. When you hear a Turfy feature, I try to give it all that I got. I dont care if I think the artist [Im featured with] is weak or whatever. I kinda just try to gas on every track that I got. Its not a lot of cats out in the rap game, at least out here to me that really got music in they soul. Im not sayin everybody, but when you do hear a person that got music in they soul, it stands out. So I think I just came to The Bay and was a person that really just liked being an emcee. Its not too many rappers out here that consider themselves emcees.

What are you talkin about on the album? This album is really showin a lot of versatility and Im really lettin you know. A lot of people had questions about me after my first couple of albums. Is he from LA?, Is he from the Bay? So after this album you gon know everything about Turfy and you gon really know what he stand for and what it is with him. Also, I had a rough 006. The music and everything was good, but as far as life in general, I had a rough time, so I have a lot of new subjects to talk about and Im having a little money now. I got a lot to talk about. What was so tumultuous about 006 for you? People dont realize how hard it is to transfer from being a real hood nigga, and when I say real hood nigga, I dont mean a nigga thats out killin people and all that. Im just talkin about a nigga that all he knew was the turf. Thats all I knew. You didnt have to call my cell phone. All you had to do was roll through the hood. So going from that to [being] a rapper that got a little bit of success out here, I went through a lotta shit with the homies. A lotta the homies is not business-orientated. You gotta go through homies feelin that theyre left out. You gotta make sure that its ways for the people around you to eat, and youre still on a minute level tryna make it. I got shot earlier that year. Its just a lot of personal things that I went through. When I was in the booth makin this record, I was angry the whole time. I had a lot of anger. It got club bangers too, but its more hardcore than ever. Its really on some gangsta shit for real. Howd you get shot? I just happened to be standin by the wrong person at the wrong time. It was my homeboy and we had just got into some street shit. But the homies gotta understand that if you wanna make it in this rap shit, you either gonna be thuggin 100% or you gon do this music. Some of my homies is still in the streets and if you around that then you gotta suffer the consequences that comes with your company and I fell into that. But 006 really made me a raw-ass businessman now. Your big cousin E-40 was pretty instrumental in helping you along the way. How do you feel about the criticism thats come his way with respect to the movement? With respect comes hate. If you take the ratio of niggas thats hatin to the niggas, its like a ratio of 10% of the whole world. Its like a club. So thats how we look at it. The real people and the real street cats thats reputable out here all respect the Watermelon. You gotta respect 40 cause he done brought it to the world. He been doin it for fourteen years. He been put The Bay on the map. They call The Bay the Yay Area because of him. If you hatin on 40, you really wastin your time. A fan might take off on you for talkin about 40. And to tell you the truth, he a family man, but he got enough money to really eliminate niggas from the earth if they playin. They should be happy that hes a good dude. // - N. Ali Early OZONE WEST // 1

is street cred is undeniable and unwaveringly solid, part of the reason his brother was accepted as the thug that Hip Hop now adores. Eight months after a breakup with his brother The Game, George BigFase100 Taylor is ready to tell his side of a story that he insists has been corrupted by his younger sibling. So what happened? Basically when the mission set out it was me and him. A lot of people came in and they pulled him and he succumbed to those pulls. A lot of promises that he made to me to get behind him to get it goin, not a lot of them, well, none of them were kept. There became a time when there were people that had come into that situation when it was already goin on and they started bubblin off it and I didnt have no answers for my kids or nothin to put on they plate. It was actually a little less than what Id been providing all my life through my hustle. So I had to step off. How much did music have to do with the relationship that you and your brother developed once things started to pop? The whole thing was, music was always my thing. Somewhere in there real life slapped a nigga in the face so I had to do what I had to do for me and my people. So I kinda backed off it. Him on the other hand, basically basketball was his thing and when that failed him, he kinda got up under me and started doin the shit that I was doin. That came with tryna gangbang and tryna rap and shit. When he pushed the rap thing I damn sure got behind him and gave him all the tools I had so niggas could get up outta Compton and see something better for ourselves. But ultimately the nigga didnt have my best interests at hand and before it got too bad I had to step off. What was the mood like when you left? It wasnt negative when I stepped off. It was just basically that I had to go. I always stayed optimistic because I knew the nigga loved me. So I just waited for the nigga to come to his senses and come holla at me, but that never happened. I had told one of my friends that came along in this music shit that he a good dude and hell come to his senses. He was like, I dont think so. He was in the studio when Game had recorded Two Occasions. He called me a couple days later with the song, and this is like eight months before the album came out. I listened to it on the phone and Game didnt know he was callin anybody. He just picked it up and I was on the phone and he let the shit play. But I saw how he was really feelin and thats how my boy told me he was feelin. I just was in denial like, Nah, my lil nigga love me. Hell be alright. So once I heard that song I kinda understood what dude was tryna tell me. That mustve been hard considering how much faith you had in him. What was your next plan of action? Bottom line, I pulled my stock out. Nah, he aint that real as we tried to make it seem. Why did I support him in the beginning? I felt like he could say it because he was representing me. If Im behind that and this is what got the pass then it was always acceptable. But if you aint right by the niggas story who you tellin, then its all bad. So Im just pushin Brazil Street Records right now. What I got right now is my youngest sister, which is his youngest sister, B-Fly. And then I got a group too named Lost Souls. They outta Compton too. I got like six acts, but the most ready acts I got are those two. Then I got this DVD comin called Aint No Game. Its like The Documentary Revisited, where I really break everything down and give people a full understanding along with visuals.

Hes gone on record as saying that the two of you arent close, but you just said that you know he loves you. Why would he go that route if there is genuine love there? The dude is real contradictory. People use the word bipolar, but I dont know what the fuck is goin on. When I say the nigga loves me, I mean, the nigga always respected me. People come up to me all the time like, Yall gon be alright. Brothers go through shit. This niggas like four years younger than me. Its a big gap when youre a child definitely and that gap closes when you become adults, but the respect was always there. The nigga never went against me until this shit right here. He did some shit that made me upset a few times and he felt my wrath and took whatever I gave him in return. It wasnt like, Fuck you too, nigga. It was always like, What can I do to get me and my brother back right? And that was off of sheer disappointment. We never had battles. The respect was always humongous, prolly more than a nigga deserves. I hate to say that, but it was more than I would have given me. So I know he loves a nigga. Whats the most contradictory thing hes said or done, as it relates to your relationship? One thing I read, he said that Ive always been envious of him. Thinking back, I was tryna make sense out of it with respect to that four year gap. A sixteen-year-old nigga? Im doin my thang at twenty. What am I jealous of a sixteen-year-old nigga for when Im twenty? The way I read it, he said it didnt start in this rap shit, that Ive always been envious of him. The only thing Ive ever been envious of is that he had my father at his house and I didnt. But I never let that show and I never let that fuck up our relationship. The nigga would fuck over anybody before he would fuck over me. Thats the way its always been between me and him until this shit. What promises were made? If hes been telling the story of a gangsta Ill take that credit, but thats the part of it thats going to build me the right type of reputation in the eyes of the world and the eyes of the people that are listening. Tell em the truth. Dont tell em you just started rappin four years ago. Tell em that your brother used to rap and your father is a poet by nature. Tell em that this shit is in you and you just tuned into another talent that you already have. When I say promises, I mean when he got signed. I got a personal call when he got signed and he was like, We with [Dr.] Dre, dawg. We gon be rich. Nigga get a Bentley and I get a little cash money. A nigga get a Range Rover and I get a Magnum in his managers name. Where the fuck is it for me to win at? Its not. So just let me figure out what I need to do, cause Im a leader and not a follower. Like all that gang shit, gimme that, but whatever. I wasnt supposed to be no gangbanger. Im from the hood, but Im from the part of the hood where all the family turned out to be college graduates and shit. Im the black sheep of that family. This my mothers side of the family. This aint his people. My dad side of the family, its all types of fuck-ups. Im the only fuck-up in the house I grew up in. Give me the credit I deserve. Im not just no street nigga. Im a good nigga and Im a smart nigga. I just happen to be a street nigga. Im one of those. It just happened. But we got 50% of the same blood runnin through our body. If he anything like me hell be alright. I wont blame the blood that aint the same for the bullshit. Its something in his head, but hopefully hell be alright. But at the same time I cant be waitin for that nigga to get his head right and if I gotta holla about this shit in public, I will. // - N. Ali Early

 // OZONE WEST

A lot of people thought it was hate when I pulled my stock out [of my brother The Games career], but a nigga aint finna fuck me. I know what I put into this project.

WORDS \\ N. ALI EARLY

OZONE WEST // 

You take a Mack, put him in a helicopter, strip him naked and drop him anywhere in the world; I bet you he drive back with two pockets full of money.

He

was once the Bay Areas shining light. At only fifteen years old, his no holds barred, arrogant approach on his debut album Illegal Business earned him prince like status and an open path to one day claim the throne Too $hort held down. After the breakout album Untouchable his name became synonymous with another Bay Area favorite, Tupac Shakur. But after a brief stint in the City of Angels, Mall tried his luck in Vegas. The gamble proved to be a successful one, as the Country Club Crest (Vallejo, CA) native willingly became the product of a world that swelled his pockets, but stifled his artistry in the process. Still, Mall is the orator of twelve complete albums since 199. OZONE caught up with the Mac to find out how he renewed his fervor for the game with his most recent release, Thizziana Stoned and the Temple of Shrooms, and just how hes coping as CEO of Thizz Entertainment. So where have you been? When Dre died I became one of the CEOs of Thizz and dedicated my whole career to this whole Thizz Nation Cutthroat Music. It took me about a year to make my whole record because I was CEOn and tryna make all the new artists we have on our label stars: J Diggs, Crest Creepers, and Money Game. So once we put it down, it was time for me to do my thang. My new record is Thizziana Stone and the Temple of Shrooms and thats my first Thizz release. Its like I got my swagger back. Its like I just started. I feel how I felt when Illegal Business came out. Why didnt you blow up? Why didnt you become the nigga that we all wanted you to be by the time you were 5? It wasnt my time. I wasnt ready for it. If I woulda got that shit then it woulda killed me. I had to go through shit. Im a real artist in that, the shit that I experience in my life makes my art. If I woulda got it back then I wouldnt have been ready for it. I wasnt ready for it; mentally, physically, all that shit. So me, I dont believe God makes mistakes and it wasnt my time. Outside of what happened to Dre, what did you have to go through before you could really express yourself in order to become the artist that you wanted to be? I was thinkin about this shit last night, thinkin about when I first started. Somebody asked me, If you knew what you was gon go through, would you still rap? And I had to say, Yeah, even though it was fucked up shit, all the hate and the shit you go through as an artist, all that shit. I went through that, fuckin pimpin, spent years livin in Vegas when I didnt do no rappin at all. I got in a car wreck last year. Me and Ray Luv damn near died. My patna died in my arms. Right on Embarcadero, me and Ray Luv got thrown out of the car. He broke a vertebrae in his back, all types of shit. They said he wasnt going to walk for like a year, but God makes the rules. All that shit? Pressure make diamonds. Is there a different method for you when it comes to penning rhymes as a 0-year-old man? Me and Furl got to do a record before he got killed called US Open and the time that I spent with [him] really taught me how to be free and just be myself. He was just an individual. He was comfortable in his person. He taught me how to be Thizzlamic. When I first started I thought that I was supposed to have all this shit. Now I cherish this shit. You know how you need air, water and food to live? I need air, water, food and music. Then, me being the CEO of the company, I got to work around all these young artists and it fulfilled me. I got to talk to them, chop it up with them and they respected me for the shit that I put down. Them dudes really made me love this shit 4 // OZONE WEST

again. It basically lit my fire and gave me drive again.

What do you liken your experience in the game to? This music shit is janky. I describe it like a bitch a fine ass bitch who fuck wit everybody. She fuck wit Puffy and em. She fuck with Trick Daddy and em, Nelly and em. Before, I expected the bitch to be faithful. It was like, Aw, bitch, you cant be cheatin on me. Now its like, Okay. But the bitch get by me, Ima whisper in her ear and try to keep her by me. Along those lines, was pimpin a natural progression for you or was it more of an escape from the game? I play chess, not checkers. My whole thing is being the smartest nigga. So when it came to the game, it was all about a man and his brain. You gotta survive by your wits. You cant have a gun, none of that shit in your brain. So that always like, juiced me up. But, it also took from me. It took two and a half years. I didnt do no rappin, but it made me strong. But I wasnt being who I am. I wasnt doin the music shit. What was the good that you found in it? When you in the game its just you and yourself, your brain. Your tongue is your gun and you just gotta think. So that always attracted me. Plus, I wasnt no PI. I was a Mac. The difference is this: A PI, a real pimp? He dont eat if the bitch dont pay him. A real pimp dont sell dope. He dont jack niggas. He dont do npthin but get paid by a ho. But a Mac is a fuckin master at everything. If you give a Mac a sack, he know what to do with it. You give a Mac a gat, he know how to react. You give a Mac a bitch, he know what to do with the shit. You take a Mac, put him in a helicopter, strip him naked and drop him anywhere in the world; I bet you he drive back with two pockets full of money. How often do you get back to the Crest? Oh, all my family live there. I got one of the biggest families in the Crest. My grandmother just died, so when I go out there for me, its kinda weird not having her there. But the Crest is the Crest. Any of us, from Dooby, Money Gang, Miami, to Kilo, we all the same. No matter what I do, Im always going to be a Crest nigga. Its love. We call the Crest the Womb and aint nuthin like it. This whole Thizz shit is based in the Crest. With respect to the CEO hat that youve been wearing, how do you feel about the movement and how its taken off? Its kinda scary, but its beautiful, dude. We did some shit thats never been done in The Bay. We got a rapper in every city from Sacramento to Seaside, and its like, this shit has never been done. We got every side of every janky curb workin together. Nobodys gettin robbed and everybodys takin care of they family. I gotta give Kilo props for that cause he was the one who really put it down as far as connecting The Bay. Cant nobody hate on Thizz cause we feedin somebody in your neighborhood. What happens when someone else gets credit for something that originated in the Nation? Real recognize real. The shit that we doin happened in the Crest because of Furl. Mac Dre is the flag that Thizz Nation waves. You cant fake this shit, man, come on. You can try to fake it but a muthafucker gon see through you. But I dont trip off no shit like that because at the end of the day, real recognize real shit. It might get me mad a little bit, but this shit is natural to me. So while niggas try to bite it and make it up, this shit is natural. I used to trip back in the day, but man, a biter is a biter. You cant stop the sun from shinin. // - N Ali Early

by Randy Roper
C-Bo MoNeY To BURN After 1 years in the game, California veteran C-Bo is still dropping solid releases. Although C-Bo is assisted by guest appearances on 1 of 15 album cuts from the likes of the Outlawz, Baby Bash and Sean Paul of the Youngbloodz, C-Bo commands attention and brings his A-game. Whether youre in the Dirty Dirty, Big Apple or Midwest, this West coast emcee deserves some undivided attention. DIeGo ReDD & DJ wARRIoR GeTTIN MoNeY, GeTTIN PAID On Gettin Money, Gettin Paid, Diego Redd proves hes capable of helping to bring the West coast back. Diego lyrically and conceptually certifies himself as a West Coast newcomer to pay attention to as he drops  tracks of pure, unadulterated heat. Even when paired with the likes of Mistah FAB, Serius Jones and GLC, Redd is never overshadowed. BIG RICH & THe DeMoLITIoN MeN BLoCK TeSTeD, HooD APPRoveD Big Richs name is buzzing out West, and this mixtape shows the reasons why. On Block Tested, Hood Approved, the San Francisco rapper flaunts his hood approval with tracks like Where Im From and Whats Beef featuring San Quinn. Without question, Big Rich is a name to remember. DJ wHoo KID & DJ e RoCK BAY BIDNeSS If hyphy music hasnt reached its pinnacle its getting close, especially with the biggest bootlegger on the planet dropping hyphy mixtapes. For the third time, Whoo Kid goes stupid with San Frans DJ E Rock to deliver new and exclusive music from E-40, Turf Talk, Mistah FAB and a host of other Bay Area artists. With Whoo Kid and E Rock setting things up, going dumb and yellow bus riding never sounded better. wILLIe Joe AND DJ SMALLz FRee AGeNT Bay Area transplant and current Atlanta resident Willie Joe is still in search of a major label to call home. Here, he attempts to up the ante and give labels a reason to make him a priority. Although Free Agent has high points like Get Em Got Em featuring Da Great Yola and the Jovan Dais-laced Good Ass Music, the majority of Willies mixtape is filled with sub-par remixes and freestyles over instrumentals like Rich Boys Throw Some Ds. Dow JoNeS & MISTAH FAB ReCeSS Mistah FABs video would lead you to believe that ghost riding whips and spitting ignorant bars is the gist of hyphy and FABs rhyme style. But on Recess, da Yellow Bus Rydah silences his critics by going hard lyrically over instrumental tracks like Hustlin and Mr. Me Too. After hearing Recess listeners will know that Mistah FAB is not only dumb, stupid and retarded, but lyrical too.

OZONE WEST // 5

endzone ThePacklive

Location: San Francisco, CA Venue: Club Fanatics Event: New Years Eve Date: December 1st, 006 Photo: D-Ray

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