WELCOMETO LOS ANGELES

ALL
STAR
2011
*special edition**
*

FEATURING

LIL B
+ PROBLEM // BOBBY BRACKINS
the pack // kafani // messy marv
freeway ricky ross // new boyz
40 glocc // yg // TERRACE MARTIN
NIO THA GIFT // DOM KENNEDY
ya boy // cali swag district
OZONE MAG // 7
 PUBLISHER:
Julia Beverly

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Julia Beverly

EDITOR-AT-LARGE:
D-Ray

CONTRIBUTORS:
Ashlee Clark
Brian Moore
Eric Perrin
Gary Archer
Jason Potts
Jee’Van Brown
Kisha Smith
Maurice G. Garland
Monique West
Ni Sweet
Randy Roper

PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR:
Malik Abdul

SUBSCRIPTIONS:
To subscribe, send check or
money order for $20 to:
OZONE Magazine
644 Antone St. Suite 6
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: 404-350-3887
Fax: 404-601-9523
Web: www.ozonemag.com

COVER CREDITS:
Lil B photo by Aris Jerome;
Jay Rock photo by D-Ray

DISCLAIMER:
OZONE does not take re-
sponsibility for unsolicited
materials, misinformation,
typographical errors, or mis-
prints. The views contained
herein do not necessarily
reflect those of the pub-
lisher or its advertisers. Ads
appearing in this magazine
are not an endorsement or
validation by OZONE Maga-
zine for products or services
offered. All photos and illus-
trations are copyrighted by
their respective artists. All
other content is copyright
2011 OZONE Magazine, all
rights reserved. No portion
of this magazine may be
reproduced in any way
without the written consent
of the publisher. Printed in
the USA.

8 // OZONE MAG
 table of contents
24-26 40 GLOCC
60-62 BOBBY BRACKINS
16-17 CALI SWAG DISTRICT
56-58 DOM KENNEDY
64-67 FREEWAY RICKY ROSS
48-51 JAY ROCK
10 L.A. EVENT LISTING
52-55 MESSY MARV
34-36 NEW BOYZ
42-43 NIO THA GIFT
44-46 PROBLEM
28-29 TERRACE MARTIN
64-71 THE GANG
38-41 THE PACK
30-31 YA BOY
14-15 YG

18-22 LIL B

WELCOMETO LOS ANGELES

OZONE MAG // 9
 LOS ANGELES
Event
Listing
Thursday, Feb 17
- Foxxhole All Star Jam With Jamie Foxx @ Club
Nokia LA Live (800 W Olympic Blvd, Suite
A335)
- Dwyane Wade “Men In Suits/Women In
Dresses” Party @ The Colony - Hollywood (1743
North Cahuenga Blvd)
- Trina & Ron Artest Celebrity Kick-Off @ Green
Door/Cabana Club (1439 Ivar Ave)
- NBA All Star Tip Off With Lebron James, Com-
mon, Chris Paul & Kenny Burns @ Boulevard
3 (6523 Sunset Blvd)
- Pre All Star Weekend Kick Off Hosted By Rick
Ross & Rosa Acosta @ MyHouse (7080
Hollywood Blvd)
- DJ Khaled NBA vs NFL Invasion @ Kress (6608
Hollywood Blvd)
Friday, Feb 18
- Drake & Lil Wayne @ W Hollywood (6250 Hol-
lywood Blvd)
- “Angels & Demons” Playboy Mansion Party
Hosted by Snoop Dogg (10236 Charing Cross
Rd)
- Diddy & Meagan Good Invade Hollywood @
Avalon (1735 Vine St)
- Lebron James, Drake & Kenny Burns Host @
Cabana Club (1439 Ivar Ave)
- Lil Wayne Invades NBA All Star Weekend @
Shrine Auditorium & Expo Center (700 West
32nd St)
- Kevin Hart Live @ Nokia Theater (777 Chick
Hearn Ct)
- Shaq All Star Weekend After Party @ Club
Nokia LA Live (800 W Olympic Blvd, Suite
A335)
- Chris Brown NBA All Star Party @ Boulevard 3
(6523 Sunset Blvd)
- Wale & Kevin Durant’s “Welcome To Holly-
wood” Tip Off Party @ La Vida (1448 N. Gower
St.)
- Rajon Rondo All Star Wknd Birthday Bash @
Orchid (607 S. Oxford)
- Gucci Mane, Derrick Rose & Shannon Brown
Host @ Tru Hollywood (1600 Argyle Ave)
- Dwight Howard Official All Star Kick-Off @ The
Highlands (6801 Hollywood Blvd)
- Beats By Dre All Star Comedy Show @ The
Comedy Store (8433 Sunset)
- Plies All Star Weekend Celebration with Mann
& Cashmere @ 740 (753 S. Spring St)
- All Star Rookie & Sophomore Party With DJ
10 // OZONE MAG
Drama & Roscoe Dash @ Ecco Ultra Lounge
(1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd)
- Nicki Minaj & Rick Ross All Star Kick Off
Party @ Exchange LA (618 Spring St.)
- The Official Nicki Minaj & Rick Ross Players
Ball After Hours Party @ Union Station (800 N.
Alameda St)
Saturday, Feb 19
- The All Star Daytime Sip Party 12pm-6pm @
The Palm (1100 S. Flower St)
- Jeezy & Friends Host @ Cabana Club (1439
Ivar Ave)
- Jermaine Dupri, Common & Gabrielle
Union @ Cabana Club (1439 Ivar Ave)
- Diddy Takes Over The Highlands (6801 Hol-
lywood Blvd)
- Rick Ross & Melyssa Ford @ Marbella (6757
Hollywood Blvd)
- Ciara & Ray J Host @ The Music Box (6126
Hollywood Blvd)
- Trey Songz & Bizmarkie @ Magestic Hall
(650 S. Spring St)
- South Beach Meets Hollywood hosted By
Dwyane Wade @ Supper Club (6675 Hol-
lywood Blvd)
- Matt Barnes of LA Lakers & Claudia Jordan
@ LA Athletic Club (431 W 7th St)
- Kurupt & Menace Live @ The Burgundy
House (6202 Santa Monica Blvd)
- Kevin Hart Live @ Nokia Theater (777 Chick
Hearn Ct)
- Dwight Howard & Chris Johnson @ The Met-
ropolitan (651 La Peer Dr)
- Kobe Bryant & ?uestlove Host LA Confiden-
tial @ Boulevard 3 (6523 Sunset Blvd)
- Celebrity After Party With Ciara, Trina & SKG
@ Union Station (800 N. Alameda St.)
- Ray J’s Young, Fly & Sexy All Star Party @ Elxr
Night Club (5750 Hollywood Blvd)
- Gucci Mane, Soulja Boy, Waka Flocka NBA
All Star Takeover @ Orchid (607 S. Oxford Ave)
- All Star Saturday Night After Hours Party
Hosted by Nicki Minaj @ The Bank (117 W.
Seventh St)
Sunday, Feb 20
- Jeezy Takes Over The Highlands (6801 Hol-
lywood Blvd)
- Chris Brown & Biz Markie @ Magestic Hall
(650 S. Spring St)
- DJ Drama, DJ Skee, Fabolous & Dwyane
Wade All Star Finale @ Kress (6608 Hollywood
Blvd)
- Lebron James, Jermaine Dupri & Common
Host @ Cabana Club (1439 Ivar Ave)
- Celebrity Birthday Blowout for Rick Ross,
Kelly Rowland & Kid Capri @ Tru Hollywood
(1600 Argyle Ave)
- Lil Wayne & Drake @ Siren Studios (6063
West Sunset Blvd Hollywood)
 Disclaimer: If any of these artists don’t show up, blame the promoter not us.

OZONE MAG // 11
12 // OZONE MAG
 ADVERTISEMENT

Christopher Fairley, better known as Kool Chris, started in music at the age of 12
when he started making his own beats and rhymes. Back in 1999, in the recording
studio, his uncle and the CEO of Kountry Boyz Records Levator Adams discov-
ered his talent.

In 2000 he was welcomed as a Kountry Boy and performed his first live concert
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for his music.

Now at the age of 21, Chris has experienced many ups and downs that accom-
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A new artist with fresh lyrics and swag is something the world is waiting on. Kool
Chris, who hails from Bassfield, MS, is sure to give the world what they want and
put Jeff Davis County on the map!

KOOL
CHRIS
COMING
SOON

OZONE MAG // 13
YG
by
Words & Photo
Julia Beverly

14 // OZONE MAG
After landing a deal with Def Jam
largely due to the success of his
omnipresent Cali club record “Toot It
and Boot It,” COMPTON RAPPER YG now
aims to let the world know he’s not
just a one-hit wonder.
Of course people know you from “Toot It and
Boot It.” What are you working on now?
I’ve got a new single that just dropped called
“Patty Cake.” It’s been spinning on the radio
in L.A. I’m about to drop a mixtape called Just
Re-Upped in March, and my EP is coming out
in May. I just shot a movie that was directed by
Mario Van Peebles. Snoop Dogg is playing my
big brother in the movie and all kinds of shit.
I’m finna start touring too.
I see you got a new YG piece.
Yeah, this is my first piece. The jeweler Icey
Fresh did it for me. I decided to keep it simple
and just get my name, YG.
Where does the name YG come from any-
way?
Where I’m from, we’re all YGs. Everybody in my
neighborhood that’s around my age, we call
ourselves YGs. Young Gangstas. So I’m repre-
senting all the YGs, period. But I’m on some fly
shit though.
You got some big names on your “Toot it and
Boot it” remix. How did 50 Cent get involved?
I saw 50 at the label in L.A. I’m signed to Def
Jam and the Def Jam and Interscope buildings
in L.A. are connected. I was up there having
a meeting and when I was leaving, I saw him
leaving too. My manager told me to pull up on
him. So I pulled up on him and blocked his car
so he couldn’t move. Then I hopped out, like,
“What’s happenin’? It’s YG.” He was like, “What’s
happenin’?” I told him I had a show at the Key
Club in Hollywood, and he came through the
next day and kept his word. He brought Lloyd
Banks too, so everybody was going crazy. We
chopped it up after that, and when I wanted
to shoot a video for the remix, he fucked with
it. So he did the video for me and the Snoop
Dogg feature was just because he fucks with
me. I’m like Snoop’s little homie from the West
Coast. I was on tour with him when I asked him
to hop on the song. He recorded his verse in
the hotel, I think, and then we did the video.
The success of “Toot it and Boot it” took you
a lot of places, right? What was the craziest
place you went?
When I went to Seattle and Portland, I went to
these all ages clubs and they were treating me
like I was Lil Wayne.
Well, you have tattoos like Lil Wayne. Do you
have any room left for more tattoos?
I only got my back and my legs left, but I’m
trying to get those done before my birthday,
hopefully.
Do you have any tattoos that are real mean-
ingful to you?
All my tattoos mean stuff. I’ve got my cousin’s
name, Rest in Peace, on the back of my neck
with angel wings. I’ve got “Music is Life” on my
arm. My label is called Pushaz Ink, and I’ve got
that tattooed on my arm. I’ve got Jesus’ face
on the side of my head and it says “God’s Son.”
I’ve got a cross on the back of my head that
says “in Jesus’ name we trust.” On my back it
says “Lost Angels” and I’ve got a big baby angel
in the middle of the back with Chucks on and
he’s got a mic in his hand. I feel like I’m a lost
angel. I’m an angel but I’m kind of lost, feel
me? So yeah, I’ve got a whole bunch of tats.
They all mean something though. My mama
and daddy’s names are on my arm too. I’ve got
all kinds of shit.
Do you feel like you’re getting more respect
now with “Patty Cake” being out, so you’re
not falling into that one-hit wonder cat-
egory?
Oh yeah, I’m definitely getting more respect.
We’re getting shit poppin’ right now.
So the album is dropping in May. How are
you adjusting to the major label situation?
Do you feel like you have a lot of control over
your creative process?
I’ve got control. I just turn my records into
the label and it’s all good. It ain’t none of that
other stuff.
You mentioned a movie you filmed recently.
When and where is that going to drop?
The movie is being shopped around right
now, so I don’t actually know when it’s going
to drop, but it’s coming soon. It’s called Where
The Party At? That’s the name of the movie,
so be on the lookout for that. There’s a lot of
artists in there, like the New Boyz, Snoop, and
Diddy’s son.
What do you have planned for All Star week-
end, and what are some spots the out-of-
towners should be sure to visit?
All the spots. I don’t even know, man. I know
I’ve got some shows though. I’ve got a show
in Anaheim with Rick Ross and Waka Flocka.
Everybody’s going to be performing. There’s
too many spots in Hollywood that are gonna
be poppin’ to even mention. I’m gonna be in
the streets for sure, so look out for me. //
OZONE MAG // 15
 WITH THE UNEXPECTED SUCCESS OF THEIR
RUNAWAY SINGLE “TEACH ME HOW TO
DOUGIE,” CALI SWAG DISTRICT GOT LOOKS
ON ESPN AND THE BET HIP HOP AWARDS,
PLUS THE CHANCE TO MEET KIM KARDASHI-
AN. GROUP MEMBER JAYARE TELLS OZONE
WHAT’S NEXT.
So you’re out in Vegas today, huh? Do you
guys spend a lot of time there?
We’ve been out here since the beginning of
ag District
Cali Sw
16 // OZONE MAG
December getting ready for this tour. We’ve
been going to the gym and just getting in
shape physically and mentally. We try to hit the
gym for about two hours every other morning.
Are you all the same age?
Yeah, we’re all 20.
Your album is set to drop in February, right?
Yeah, it’s looking pretty good. We added some
more tracks, so I think it’s going to be a good
(l-r) M-Bone, C-Smoove, Yung, & JayAre
Words by Eric
Pe rrin
one. It’s our first album and it’s going to be a
classic for us, so we’re pretty excited about it.
The summer had to be ridiculous for you
with the success of “Teach Me How to
Dougie.”
Oh yeah, last year was crazy. I think 2010 was
the year of the Dougie.
How did the song “Teach Me How to Dou-
gie” come about?
It all started from one of our friends that grew
up where we grew up. He went off to college
in Texas where the dance originated, and
when he came back out here on his break, he
suggested we do a song about the dougie.
We just took the idea and it turned into
something bigger than we thought. It took
off from there. “Teach Me How to Dougie”
was the first song we recorded as a group. It
felt good once the song started blowing up.
We heard that more people were doing the
dougie around the world. It was breathtaking.
We didn’t know what to think. It’s crazy.
Justin Bieber was on Ellen teaching her how
to do it. What are some of the best stories
you’ve heard about the song?
They had a little segment on ESPN; they
brought Doug E. Fresh in and were showing
all the clips of the NFL and NBA players doing
the dougie. We got to teach Kim Kardashian
how to do the dougie, so that was cool. We
went to one of her parties.
That’s hot!
Yeah, it was! She was hot too! (laughs)
Did any of y’all try to get at Kim Kardashian?
Nah, we were only there for business. But
we got her Twitter, so if one of the homies
is tryin’ to talk to her they’re probably doing
it low-key. (laughs) At the car and bike show
in Atlanta we taught Ne-Yo’s mom, T-Pain’s
mom, and Lil Wayne’s momma how to do the
dougie, so that was a good look too. They
already knew how to do it, so it’s crazy!
What was your favorite moment last year?
Shoot, performing at the [BET] Hip Hop
Awards! I remembered being at home watch-
ing the show, so for me to finally be on there,
that’s crazy. I used to be like, “I wanna be on
there one day,” and it actually came true. It
was crazy!
Are there any negative aspects to having a
huge hit single like “Teach Me How to Dou-
gie” before you have a nationwide fan base?
Yeah, because people think that we can
only make songs like that. “Teach Me How
to Dougie” is a bubblegum song. It’s simple
and it’s catchy, but it blew up. So there could
be a negative side to that because people
think we’re just one-hit wonders, but that’s
not what it is. When the album drops they’re
gonna know.
For people who haven’t heard the other
songs, what kind of music do you do in ad-
dition to radio hits?
It’s kinda hard to pinpoint, because we don’t
have a certain sound. Our sound doesn’t
sound too West Coast or too East Coast. It’s
just our own Cali swag. It’s kinda hard to
explain. We’ve got our own flavor.
The name Cali Swag District is pretty self-
explanatory, but what made you settle on
that for your name?
Our visionary came up with the name; he’s
the one that put the group together. He
had the name before the faces. When we
first heard the name, we were like, “I don’t
know, it’s kinda corny,” but we just ran with it
anyway. It’s different. Nobody has a name like
ours, and it means something to us. So we all
got it tatted on us.
Who is your visionary and how did he select
y’all to be a part of Cali Swag District? Did
he hold auditions or something?
No, our visionary is Big Wy, he used to be a
part of The Relatives, which was a rap group
in the 90s. He was signed to Death Row a long
time ago. I guess he wanted to start fresh
and do something new, so he decided to put
a group together. He knew Yung through
Yung’s manager, because Yung has been
rappin’ since he was 14 years old. Yung was
doing his solo thing and he needed a DJ, so
that’s where C-Smoove came in. He was a
DJ for the city of Inglewood; that’s where he
grew up. So once they brought him in and did
a song together, Big Wy started thinking they
could be the two dudes to start the group.
M-Bone was there already because he used to
hang with Yung most of the time. C-Smoove
brought me in, and once Big Wy saw us all
together, he was like, “I think I got something
here.” [In our group] there’s a tall dude, a short
dude that looks Asian, a dark skinned dude,
and a dude that looks almost white. It’s kinda
crazy, but it works.
What else do you have coming up? Is there
anything else you’d like to plug?
We’re trying to do more TV. Maybe a reality
show or some movies. I think 2011 is gonna
be a big year for us, besides just the tour and
the album dropping. //
OZONE MAG // 17
 LIL B
THE BASED GO
D
B everly
Words by Julia

18 // OZONE MAG
LIL B USED THE PACK AS A SPRINGBOARD
TO LAUNCH HIS OWN SOLO CAREER AND
SOON LINKED UP WITH SOULJA BOY. NOW,
THE BASED GOD HAS GOT THE INTERNET
GOING NUTS, THANKS TO HIS QUIRKY--AND
OFTEN OFFENSIVE--SENSE OF HUMOR AND
A FLURRY OF STREAM-OF-CONSCIOUSNESS
RHYMES. HERE HE TALKS ABOUT NEGO-
TIATING A RECORD DEAL WITH 50 CENT,
AND THREATENS TO SODOMIZE PRESIDENT
OBAMA. (WHAT?!?)
Let’s go back a little because even with this
new fame that you’re getting, I think a lot of
people aren’t aware that you got your start
as part of The Pack and that whole move-
ment. What’s going on with the group?
Yeah, definitely. Well, as far as The Pack, we’re
still together and still grindin’. That was my
first start in the game, grinding with them,
coming into the game really early. We got
signed when I was around fifteen or sixteen,
so that gave me a jump start, and I just never
really stopped working. Even before we got
signed, I was always working indirectly. I
wasn’t really doing it to get famous, but just
doing it to be heard and get into the parties.
Did you always plan on breaking off to do
your solo thing?
I was always a solo artist at heart. It’s just a
blessing that we all had an amazing dynamic
together and we all clicked and could make
hits together. That’s an amazing gift we had.
It’s very rare that four people can click and
sound good together. But yeah, I’ve always
been a solo artist.
You’re affiliated with Soulja Boy’s SODMG
label now, right? How did you link up with
Soulja Boy?
The first time me and Soulja Boy really con-
nected was on Myspace, years before he
got famous off “Crank Dat.” He added me on
Myspace and when I listened to that song
on his page, I was like, damn, “Crank Dat” is
amazing. I hit him up and asked him to let
me get on the remix. He never hit me back
and then he blew up. A few years later I was
dropping videos on Worldstar Hip Hop and
Soulja Boy quoted one of my lines on Twitter.
I was at my pa’tna’s house in L.A. when I saw
it, and I was like, “Man, Soulja, what’s up bruh,
let’s rock. That’s love!” He followed me back
and we’ve been gettin’ it in ever since.
Are you signed to him as a solo artist?
I’m not signed to anybody yet. I’m unsigned.
Me and Soulja are working out some stuff
paperwork-wise and just trying to find the
best situation. But we’re both always gonna
work together.
Are you in talks with other record labels?
There are a few labels that have put stuff on
the table. I’ve got lawyers looking over the
paperwork and stuff like that. I’ma give you
an exclusive, too – nobody knows about this.
I’m out here [in New York] to meet up with 50
Cent. We’re gonna meet up and see what’s
up. The labels are going nuts right now and
everybody is trying to get down, so I’m trying
to pace myself and be smart and handle
what I’ve gotta handle and pay attention to
the music. I’m just trying to keep happy and
stay in tune with the music and keep build-
ing towards a big buy-out.
You and 50 Cent seem to have something
in common because you both like to get
people’s attention by being intentionally
controversial. For example, when you come
out with a video saying “hoes on my dick
cause I look like Jesus” or threaten to anally
rape Kanye West, how much of that is real-
ity and how much of it is for shock value?
That’s my sense of humor. I have a crazy
sense of humor and I know how to get under
people’s skin. I like to make people go, “Oh
my God!,” you know what I mean? That’s kind
of like the jokester that I am. I’m fearless. I
don’t censor myself; that’s a big thing for me.
I just have fun, make jokes, get reactions,
and put my personality into the game to let
people see a new way of thinking.
Let’s talk about this whole “Based God”
thing. Is that an actual religion?
Nah, nah. Based God is not a religion. Based
is not a religion nor a cult. I hear a lot of peo-
ple associating it with a cult and saying that
I have a “cult following” and stuff like that,
but it’s not a religion. The Based God idea
originated from my freestyles. I freestyled
about one thousand songs out of my home
studio and released those songs. With that
stream of consciousness, I found this other
character within myself, which is the Based
God. So that’s really where it came from.
It’s not a religion or anything like that. It’s
just an untouchable character. I’m Brandon
McCartney and Lil B is this crazy person from
the hood who says whatever he wants, he’s
the rebel. The Based God is more in touch
with the spiritual side.
Okay, I know you defended this by saying
it’s your sense of humor, but let’s talk about
the song “hoes on my dick cause I look like
Jesus.” Obviously a lot of people took of-
OZONE MAG // 19
 fense to that. Do you believe in Jesus? And if
so, how do you justify that?
I definitely was raised to believe in God and
respect the church. When I made that song
and when I did that video, I prayed and talked
to God. I said to God, “You know how I really
feel about you, and you know that I love you,
and you know why I’m doing this.” He knows
what’s in my heart. I’m a spiritual person. I
never read the Bible or anything like that so
I might not be a fanatic like everybody else,
but I believe in God and I love Jesus and I’m
thankful for everything I have. So I definitely
believe in God and I wasn’t trying to disrespect
anybody. I prayed and told God thank you and
asked him for forgiveness, and that helped me.
“God has a lot
more fans than I
do... I don’t want
to disrespect
anybody. that
was me just being
a rebel because
that’s how I feel.
‘Hoes on my dick
cause I look like
Jesus.’ I mean, who
looks better
than Jesus?"
So you gave God a little disclaimer?
(laughs) Exactly.
So when you say that God knows why you
did that song – why did you do it? Basically
just to get your name out there? Or what do
you mean by that?
Yeah. I guess I’m the only person in the world
that’s done that, you know? God has a lot more
fans than I do. God has a lot more fans than Lil
Wayne. I don’t want to disrespect anybody. I’ve
got a sense of humor, but I haven’t met God
yet. When I die or something, I’ll know [if he
finds it funny]. But I pray to the man, I pray to
the spirit, you know, I’m thankful for every-
thing. And I don’t mean money. I don’t thank
him when I get money, I just mean in general.
So that was me just being a rebel because
that’s how I feel. “Hoes on my dick cause I
look like Jesus.” I mean, who looks better than
Jesus? Feel me?
20 // OZONE MAG
You felt like doing a song about Jesus would
get you more attention than a Lil Wayne
feature, basically?
Yeah, I think God got more fans than Wayne.
Wayne might be coming up second or third.
(laughs)
Okay, what about the Kanye comment? You
said on Twitter that if Kanye West didn’t
agree to do a song with you, you would
anally rape him. Did he agree to do a song
with you or are you going to have to fulfill
your threat?
I got a show with Kanye coming up at
Coachella. And it’s funny because Kanye did
acknowledge me. I tend to forget it. I directed
and edited this video called “Swag OD” with
Soulja Boy. Kanye posted that on his blog
before he was on Twitter. So he had already
acknowledged me and I kinda forgot that
and I was trippin’. But yeah, man, I was joking.
I’m not really gonna rape Kanye or anything
like that. I just want to work with him. He’s
a legend and I’ve got some amazing beats
that nobody on earth has ever heard. I wanna
hook him and Jay up with some very mature
music; something that’s real revolutionary. So
that’s the only reason why I would go to great
lengths like that. I wouldn’t say something like
that if I didn’t have something revolutionary in
my pocket.
Do you produce all your own music?
I do a lot of production but I also have in-
house producers that I work with that take
care of me. I have about 8 serious producers.
Well, your method seems to be working
because you’ve really generated a lot of buzz
recently. Would you credit it to your work
ethic, your music talent, or the shock value of
some of the stuff you’ve put out there?
All around. Just being able to turn a negative
into a positive, working hard, not caring what
people think about you. It’s really an all-around
thing. I put in a lot of work and I think with a
lot of the situations I’ve been through, I must
have a reason to be in the game because a lot
of rappers wouldn’t be able to survive stuff
like that. It’d be career suicide. I already killed
my career a couple times, you feel me? Who
can say they’re gonna fuck Kanye West in the
ass and still have a career? Who gets punched
on YouTube and still gets respect, feel me?
Ain’t nothing changed, you know? All the
shit that I’ve been through – for me to still be
here shooting magazine covers and getting
millions of views on YouTube – I’ve had to turn
negatives into positives, and by believing in
myself, I think that’s the main thing. Regardless
of anything I believe in myself and I know what
I’m here to do and that’s promote positive
words. I just want to promote this positive
message that’s at my core. I feel like people
should live a certain way, with love, compas-
sion, and empathy; not judging. I’m deeper
than just a rapper. So that’s the message, and
however I gotta get that across, no matter
how long it takes me or whatever I gotta do to
become heard and use that position of influ-
ence for the right things, I’ma do it. If I gotta
say I’m gonna fuck President Obama in the ass
for me to spread this positive energy, I’ma do
it. I want people to live together and be happy.
And you know I won’t fuck President Obama in
the ass – cause you know the phone we’re on
right now is probably tapped – so I’m not mak-
ing any threats to the President or anything
like that. But basically, I strongly believe in the
core message and the core foundation that I
represent. It’s deeper than rap with me. Way
deeper than rap.
But how is saying that you’re going to fuck
President Obama in the ass “spreading a
positive message”? You’re using controversy
to get people’s attention so that you can then
give a positive message?
Exactly. Like, will I really fuck Obama in the ass?
No. But am I going to be the one person that’ll
say it? Maybe. You know what I mean? Maybe
I’m the only person brave enough to say that.
Maybe I’m taking it a little too far, but that’s
the extreme lengths I’m willing to go to spread
“will i really fuck
obama in the ass?
no. but maybe i’m
the only person
brave enough to
say it; that’s the
extreme lengths
i’m willing to go
to spread this
positive message.
if i gotta walk
around naked
in the snow to
spread this mes-
sage, that’s what
i’m gonna do.”
this positive message. If I gotta walk around
naked in the snow to spread this message,
that’s what I’m gonna do. It’s for the people. It’s
bigger than me. There’s people dying to this
music, you know? There’s people dying be-
cause of the messages [in this music]. People
love these artists but they aren’t showing both
sides of the picture. I’ve lived both sides of
life. I almost lost my life in the streets when I
was living negatively. And now I’m one of the
happiest people on earth, just by spreading
positive energy. I wanna show both sides of
the field at all times, while I’m young and while
people respect what I’m saying. I’m still in the
streets and I’m still close to the people, so I
know what’s going on.
You put out a book a while back too, to
spread your positive message?
Yeah, when I was 19 I wrote a book called
“Taking Over by Imposing the Positive.” It was
about trying to further the message deeper
than music. I just wanted to show another side
to me, so people can’t say that I’m one-sided. If
people want to dig for the message, it’s there.
You can see the real me if you dig deep. The
love is there for you. I’ma keep working hard
and doing what I gotta do. But for the people
that did read it, I mean, it changed people’s
lives. People gave me feedback because my
real email address is in the book. I made sure
people could hit me up. It definitely changed
people’s lives and helped other people, so
it’s all love over here. I do it out of love for
the people. If I didn’t care about society and I
didn’t care about making people happy and
helping people, why would I have written
that book? I wouldn’t have pushed myself
to write that book at such a young age. With
everything else that’s going on, I really wanted
to use this time – while people care about me
and respect what I say – for the right things. I
wanna balance it out regardless, because I’m
young and I feel different ways. I say some cra-
zy shit. I might not be happy all day long but
I’m still gonna remain positive no matter what.
I just wanna make sure I balance out the crazy
shit. We’re human and we make mistakes, but
it’s really about who you are as a person at the
end of the day. What do you represent? Do you
represent love and peace or do you represent
separation and individuality? All that is cool
but I’d rather people get together and feed off
each other’s energy and spread the love. We all
need help.
When you talk about love and compassion,
of course those are positive qualities, but
also kind of abstract. When you talk about
your “message,” is there a specific cause or
OZONE MAG // 21
 goal you want to see this generation rally
together towards?
Well, I really wanna help people stop judging
at first glance. I want people to feel like it’s
okay to talk to other people and make that ini-
tial first step to break the ice. I want people to
travel, meet others, and be able to listen. When
you listen to people, that can help out a great
deal because you start to feel empathy for
them and start to relate to them. I really want
“drugs or no
drugs, i’ma be me.
but i do be hun-
gry. like, if i’m
extremely hun-
gry and i haven’t
eaten, i will say
some crazy shit.
that’s honestly
where the kanye
statement came
from. i was hel-
la hungry and i
wanted to work
with [kanye] in
the studio.”
to be able to bring people into other people’s
shoes. That’s my big thing. I want people to
feel like the world understands how you feel,
instead of thinking, “She’s a woman, I can’t
relate to her,” or, “We’re very different, I can’t re-
late.” I want everybody to be able to relate and
find ways that are similar. I’m not too far from
you, and we’re not too far from each other. We
could talk for days about all the things I really
want to do. I meet people every day and I learn
stuff every day; I see more situations I want to
deal with. On the news I see people complain-
ing about saggy pants and all that, but there’s
more serious things to deal with – there’s more
love we could be spreading to further the
community and just bring people together in
general. I want to see less separation. There’s
a lot of unconscious things we do as people
that are really separating us from each other. I
wanna bring less separation and more unity.
You’ve been putting out a ton of music
online and a lot of viral videos. Are you plan-
22 // OZONE MAG
ning to release a full-length album soon?
Yeah, I’ve definitely got an album that I’m
working on right now, and it sounds amazing.
I’ve got a movie coming out. I wanna write
some more books and I’m just gonna keep
working hard and waiting for the right time
when the world wants me to see. I’m ready to
work and be here for some years and make
it undeniable. I know it’s gonna take time for
everybody to see what I have to offer to the
world and secure my position in the game. I
know I’ve got a lot of hard work to do and a
lot more left to accomplish. I’ve gotta make
sure the people want me to win. Once the
people want me to win, that’s when I’ll drop
the album.
Are any of these shock-value statements we
talked about drug-induced?
I think I’ll keep that a secret. Michael Jackson
didn’t tell anybody what he was doing. When
Michael Jackson was still alive he wasn’t telling
people, “Alright, let’s pop some pills and hit
that moonwalk and then we’re done.” Feel me?
But that’s just me. Drugs or no drugs, I’ma be
me. But I do be hungry. Like, if I’m extremely
hungry and I haven’t eaten, I will say some
crazy shit. That’s honestly where the Kanye
statement came from. I hadn’t eaten all day
and I was hella hungry and I wanted to work
with [Kanye] in the studio.
(laughs) Okay.
You need to make sure you eat that food, you
know what I mean? (laughs) I wasn’t high or
anything [when I made the Kanye statement].
Maybe you should have a personal chef that
travels with you or something.
Exactly. I need to step my money up, and that’s
what’s gonna happen real, real soon. If I keep
going hard, it’s gonna happen.
Do you have any other shows or events com-
ing up? Anything else you’d like to say?
I have Coachella coming up soon. Shouts out
to you and OZONE for showing the support;
y’all been holding it down since day one. I’ma
keep working hard til I get that OZONE front
cover, feel me? I’ma work hard as hell and
become undeniable. That’s what I’m working
towards. I’m just proving myself in the game.
I’m a student of the game. Hit me up on twit-
ter.com/lilbthebasedgod or youtube.com/
lilbpackone or facebook.com/lilbthebased-
god. You know I got love for you JB, and we’ll
just keep it rolling. I got a lot of stuff to prove
and plenty of years to do it, so hopefully God
lets me stay alive so we can grow and do it
together. //
OZONE MAG // 23
 40 GLOCC, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BIG
BAD 40, TALKS ABOUT CHOOSING BE-
TWEEN MONEY AND FAME, HIS UPCOMING
ALBUM WITH SPIDER LOC, AND HOW PO-
LICE ARE USING HIS MUSIC AGAINST HIM.
Often when your name comes up, there
tends to be some controversy involved. Are
you intentionally trying to stay in the mix
or does it just come naturally to you?
I mean, I don’t have problems with nobody. I
think people pay too much attention to Twit-
ter, for one. Twitter is just a source of enter-
tainment for me. But anything else like that,
you might call it “staying in the mix” but I call
it documenting my life. My life has always
been like that. There’s always something go-
ing on. I don’t know if I painted the picture of
always being into something. I think shit just
comes to me. I attract bullshit sometimes.
You’re working on a release with Spider
Loc, right?
Yeah, we did a joint album called Graveyard
Shift. It’s real dope. We’ve got Drama on it
with us, MC Eiht, Kurupt, Obie Trice, you
know. It’s an in-store release and I’m drop-
ping it through my label Zoo Life Entertain-
ment.
I’m sure you’ve had offers from major
labels. Do you feel like it’s a better situation
for you financially to drop it yourself?
Yeah, the way the terms are right now, if you
drop something on a major label you really
aren’t seeing any dough. You’ll have to wait
on your advance. For me, with the type of
money I run through during an average year,
it doesn’t even make sense. The [major label]
advance money wouldn’t even bail me out
of jail. I’ve got houses, you know. I got hella
bills. I don’t just have “a crib,” I have “cribs,”
you know what I mean? (laughs) I pay bills
just like any regular muthafucker.
There are a lot of West Coast artists who sell
records independently in the region but
aren’t really known worldwide. Do you feel
like you have to make a choice between
making money or being famous?
Yeah, that’s definitely the choice you gotta
make: make money or be famous. People
think they want the fame, but after they get
the fame and see what type of situation it
is, they don’t like it anymore. They’ll learn
that the fame shit isn’t cool. They’re running
around like a slave, the label is sending them
here and there, landing in Tokyo, Japan or
somewhere in Wisconsin and they’ve only
got twenty dollars to their name. But the
24 // OZONE MAG
fans don’t know that, so they’ve still got
to go out there and act like they’ve got it
super-poppin’. They spent their advance
money already and this goes on every year,
because most of them sign a four-to-seven
year deal, depending on their success. So
it’s kind fucked up if you’re not that one
successful artist. If you don’t get that one
lucky record and if you don’t hit right off the
bat, you know, it’s hard to make a career for
yourself and keep it crackin’, even if you’re
on a major label. They’re going to put you on
the shelf, and then all you’ve got is the little
fame they built for you off the relationships
they have with the media and tabloids. So it’s
hella fucked up if you ask me, but that’s why
a lot of West Coast artists stay independent.
Everybody can sell dope, but that doesn’t
mean everybody’s gonna be successful sell-
ing dope, you know what I mean? You’ve got
niggas that know how to sell keys and curb
server niggas – that’s what we call them, the
niggas that just gotta be pushin’ stone to
stone every day, you know?
You were in jail recently, right? What was
that about?
I’ve been going through litigation for the last
three years. They’re accusing me of doing
certain things because of my music. They
basically convicted me through my music,
but it was a civil suit [not criminal charges]. I
was telling everybody that this is what [the
government] is doing to everybody now.
They just started taking it out of [California]
to other spots and now they’re doing it over-
seas. They’ll give out gang injunctions and all
that shit. They’ll go through the community
and label everybody as a gang member.
So if you get caught with me, the police
will assume you’re a gang member. That’s
basically how they did me, but they did it to
me through my music. They said that I say
[gang-related] things in my music. I don’t
have any felonies; I haven’t been convicted of
any crimes. So they filed a civil suit and they
sued me. When they sue you, it’s punishable
through the court system. So anything you
do after that can make you a criminal. If I’m
jaywalking or I’ve got an open container in
the streets, it’s not a misdemeanor anymore.
They add a “gang enhancement.” They make
it a felony. That’s basically why they raised
my bail up to $100,000, because they found a
weapon. There’s a weapons charge and they
added a gang injunction, which automati-
cally boosts everything to a felony.
Are you looking at doing some time?
I was set up on an attempted murder of a
40 GLOCC
Words by Julia Beverly
police officer. It was a shoot-out where they shot me. My
bail was a million dollars. Just because the bail is a high-ass
price, I don’t look at it like [I’m going to have to do time]. They
accused me of having dynamite sticks and shit like that. My
bail has always been a million dollars. If you look at my track
record, all my bails have always been a million, half a million,
$700,000, stuff like that. So this little $100,000 bail ain’t shit. I
mean, yeah, they want me to do time, but I don’t think
I’m looking at doing no time. I ain’t worried about
them muthafuckers, man. I’m continuing with
my day. I feel like I’m blessed. I’m still walking
with my head up and my chest out, you
know what I mean? Chin up. I feel
good. I’m not worried about doing
any time. I don’t go into fights to
lose; I fight to win.

You changed your name from

40 Glocc to Big Bad 40. Was that a
legal strategy?
I changed it because everybody was
getting it misconstrued. My name is
really an acronym. The “40” is for 40
acres and a mule, and the G.L.O.C.C.
stands for “Ghetto Legally Oppressed
with Crooked Cops.” But with all
the controversy and the bullshit,
they kept saying that my name
was promoting gang violence
and promoting trouble. They’re
like, “All he does is talk about
gangbangin’.” Well, all I can do
is talk about what I know. This
is what I’ve lived through. I’m
not mad at nobody for being
a gang member. I’m not mad
at nobody for being a Blood
or a Crip or whatever they “if you drop
want to be. But for me, I felt something on a
like it was time to change
and make that transition. I
major label you
was like, “Okay, I’m just Big really aren’t see-
Bad 40,” you know what I ing any dough...
mean? That’s already my
name. I wasn’t scared of
with the type
the courts or nothing like of money I run
that. People can still call through during
me 40 Glocc, but as
you learn in busi-
an average year, it
ness, with all doesn’t even make
the violence sense. The advance
and shit that hap-
pens in America, like the
money wouldn’t
shooting that just hap- even bail me out of
pened in Arizona, the radio jail."
stations don’t want to play a

OZONE MAG // 25
 song by “40 Glocc.” It kinda puts them in a
bad situation. That’s why I transitioned over
to Big Bad 40 just to have a new image, and
a new look. Everybody thinks they know me,
but they don’t really know me. They just lis-
ten to the music, but it’s regular street music.
So they actually read your lyrics in court?
Yeah, they were reciting my lyrics in court.
They played every one of my YouTube videos
in court. They did all that. Even the judge
was like, “You told me you had a case. You
didn’t tell me you were bringing in YouTube
videos.” (laughs) He said, “I thought you had
some real surveillance footage but you’re
in my court playing YouTube.” But he still
let them play it, and he didn’t accept it as
evidence, but that’s how they structured
their whole case against me. If you’re around
gang members, and they’re trying to show
that you’re affiliated, that’s all they have to
prove because it’s a civil lawsuit. With a civil
lawsuit, you can’t have a jury trial. They won’t
let me have a jury trial even though I asked
for it. The District Attorney didn’t want me
to have a jury trial because he knows if I was
being judged by my peers, the people would
see how they’re adding these loopholes and
twisting the laws to lock up innocent mutha-
fuckers. They don’t want to have a jury trial
because even senior citizens would come in
and see that they’re violating my consti-
tutional rights. They’re making everybody
criminals. But I don’t think they’re going to
realize this until it spreads widely enough
and starts affecting citizens around the
globe. When it starts affect their daughters
and sons and cousins and uncles and moth-
ers and children, that’s when they will see
what they’re doing. It’s the same as dope. It
starts in the minority communities but when
it starts reaching the suburbs, it’s a problem.
The government put the dope there in the
first place. That’s the same they’re doing with
the gang injunction shit – they’re labeling
innocent muthafuckers. They’re labeling
three hundred people in the neighborhood
as gang members. They’re putting every-
body’s name on the gang injunction even
though 80% of them aren’t even active gang
members. They just happen to live in the
neighborhood, you know? It’s gonna start
trickling down into the suburbs. For example,
let’s say you live in the suburbs but you have
a kid who’s friends with a gang member. The
police stop him and he tries to tell them he’s
not in a gang, but the police assume they’re
in it together. They put him in the gang file
and the next time he gets pulled over, for a
misdemeanor or anything, they’re gonna hit
26 // OZONE MAG
him with gang enhancement. When people
start realizing what’s going on, that’s when
the class action suits are going to come.
What else are you working on music-wise
besides the Spider Loc project?
I’ve got a mixtape album I’m dropping
strictly on iTunes called “COPS,” and then
my album “New World Agenda.” I moved the
date so I could prepare more. The first single
I dropped was with Ray J and then I dropped
the remix with me, Twista, and Yo Gotti, so
I’ve just got a slew of shit I’ve been working
on with everybody. I’ve got shit with me, Paul
Wall, Chamillionaire, and OJ da Juiceman.
I’ve got a slew of shit. I just finished my next
single too. I’m dropping the video with me,
Snoop, E-40, Xzibit, Too $hort, Ice Cube, and
my man Seven. Everybody’s in the video, it’s
called “Welcome to California,” just intro-
ducing everybody to this new era. Me and
Cee-Lo did a record together that’s a banger.
I’m just showing everybody the versatility
of my music. Everybody thinks I’m on some
bullshit; they just judge me off the Lil Wayne
and Baby shit. But a lot of the shit I say, I’m
just clowning. If somebody wants to take it
personally and see me man-to-man, we can
do that. But that’s not what it’s about. I’m
not trippin’ on Baby or Slim or Wayne or no
Bloods or Crips. I tripped that time because
he was doing something disrespectful, but
that shit is from last year. It’s a brand new
year.
So is Cash Money good when they come
out to L.A. for All Star weekend?
I ain’t got no problem with them niggas.
As long as nobody in their crew is speakin’
about me, I ain’t lookin’ for them. It was just
that one issue, and we nipped it in the bud
and that’s what it was. There’s still people out
there instigating. People tell me, “Drake has
a song with Nicki Minaj and he’s dissing you
on it,” but I’m not the only 40 out there, so I
didn’t pay attention to that shit. I don’t get
down with all that he-say, she-say shit. I don’t
care about that. If we see each other face-to-
face we’ll see what it is. I’m a pretty up-front
nigga. I don’t really have too much to say on
records either.
Where are some of the spots people need
to hit when they come to LA for All Star
weekend?
My homegirl SKG is throwing a few parties
with Trina and G-Unit. Everybody’s gonna be
in the building, man. Everybody’s gonna be
dressed good. Let’s have a ball. It’s All Star
weekend, so it’s all good. //
OZONE MAG // 27
TERRACE
MARTINWords by Rand
y Roper
Photo by D-Ray

28 // OZONE MAG
Los Angeles rapper/producer Terrace
Martin shares the break-up story
that inspired his latest EP, Here, My
Dear.
My idea came from the Marvin Gaye record
Here, My Dear, which came out in December
1978. He had gone through a crazy divorce
with his ex-wife, and the whole relationship
was just crazy. He did the record [under] an
agreement to give his ex-wife the proceeds
and the publishing from the record.
I was going through a crazy relationship
myself, so basically I patterned the whole
project off of that [idea]. It was a very public
relationship and it was open to everybody in
L.A. Everybody knew about me being with
this crazy girl and everybody had witnessed
a lot of bullshit throughout the course of the
relationship. One of my friends that witnessed
some of [the bullshit] is a girl named Devi
Dev [who is also a radio personality]. That’s
how Devi got involved, ‘cause she came to
my house one night like, “The girl you’re with
is crazy. She’s causing scenes. You’re gonna
end up doing a record like Marvin Gaye if
you continue on with this woman.” Anyway, I
got back with the girl, but when we broke up
again, I went through a crazy ass depression. I
hadn’t been doing any music and then I called
Devi, like, “I want to do my own Here, My Dear
project.” It was the first project where I really
poured out my heart on the project. It’s very
sincere. I did it not caring about radio, not car-
ing about politics, not caring about niggas or
girls or what anybody said about me, just not
caring and really doing music that hits me in
my spirit and my soul.
player in the world. He’s the one that put me
on, and he’s a huge guy in L.A., so he’s playing
all over the project. A good friend of mine
named Mr. Kenneth Crouch, who is a part of
the famous Crouch family, is on the record.
He’s a famous producer; he played with Eric
Clapton, B.B. King, Mariah Carey, everybody
you could think of. I wanted to reach out to
everybody cause I was trying to mold this
project after a lot of Quincy [Jones’] records. It
wasn’t just Quincy producing all those records,
he had a team. And that’s what I wanted to do.
The biggest ego in the room on this record
was the music. I reached out to other produc-
ers, other keyboard players, other horn players.
I just sat back and put the pieces of the puzzle
together, and we have Here, My Dear. It was a
beautiful process, ‘cause I also learned how to
do a whole body of work, and try to appeal to
as many people as I possibly could.
[My ex-girl] called me after she heard the
project. There are a few songs that are aimed
at her, ‘cause that’s how I felt at the time. And
those are the songs she said she was extremely
hurt by. And there were other songs that
made her smile, ‘cause at the end of the day, a
relationship whether it’s good or bad, to me,
once you come out of it, we all learn some-
thing. I like the fact that I learned a lot about
myself through that relationship, through her. I
don’t like a lot of the other bullshit she put me
through...
The rest of this interview is featured in Ozone
Magazine Issue #85:

The whole project isn’t about this one girl, but

that kicked off the whole thing. At the end of
day I believe God put that person in my life so I
could take a closer look at myself in the mirror
and learn some things about myself that I’ve
been running from, as far as insecurities, and
a lot of other stuff. So I really did this whole
project as in Here, My Dear, saying I’m giving
the girl this last conversation. I’m giving my
old management this last conversation, and
I’m giving the old Terrace Martin this last
conversation in this body of work called Here,
My Dear.

I put hundred and five million percent [into the

project], and this was the first project where I
reached out to a few other musicians. We have
Marion Williams that played guitar on almost
every record, we have Andrew Boucher, he
played with everybody, he’s my favorite bass

OZONE MAG // 29
YA BOY
Words by D-Ray

30 // OZONE MAG
KONVICT MUSIC ARTIST YA BOY TELLS
OZONE HOW HE’S ABLE TO MAINTAIN RELA-
TIONSHIPS WITH THE GAME AND AKON AND
STILL GET HOLLYWOOD LOVE FROM PARIS
HILTON AND BRITNEY SPEARS.
song they were upset about, because it’s a
feel-good song.
Some people want to turn something like that
into something negative, and it just shows
their ignorance.

For those who might not be familiar with
you, can you start off by telling us who YB is
and where you’re from?
YB is short for Ya Boy. I come from the Bay
Area, San Francisco. I started when I was 17
under San Quinn and Done Deal Entertain-
ment. I’ve got two cousins that are pioneers in
the Bay Area rap scene – San Quinn and Messy
Marv. I’m just that young wild nigga.
Your first record “16’s With Me” was a hit. How
did it feel to be sitting in the room with all
those DJs as a youngin’ tryin’ to get on and
you played your record and they went wild?
It was a good feeling. I really didn’t expect it
to blow up how it did. Everything that hap-
pens in my life, to me, is a surprise. The results
always end up ten times better than expected,
and that’s a good thing, because I’m always
surprising myself. When I was trying to get
myself heard there were a million other people
trying to get heard, but the people chose me.
I remember when they first played the song
on the radio and played it like eight times in a
row. Big Von played it back to back and people
kept calling me saying, “You’re on the radio!”
It was the best feeling ever. That was my first
taste of stardom back then.
Today you have one of the hottest songs on
Power 106 in Los Angeles, so that has to be
a blessing. How does that feel to be getting
love on Power 106 as a Bay Area artist?
That’s huge. It’s so hard to get played and even
get one spin on L.A. radio, so for me to be in
heavy rotation and have the number one song
on L.A. radio, that’s crazy.
You’re still running with The Game too, right?
Yeah, he’s a busy guy and I’m a busy guy, but
it’s respect there. I fuck with him and he fucks
with me. I’ve got my own thing going. I felt like
it helped my career a lot when I started fuck-
ing with The Game. I was fresh out of the Bay
and I had no idea what the industry was like or
anything as far as independent. Fucking with
him helped me learn the ropes a little bit. I just
soaked it up and it helped me a lot.
What about Kevin Federline? A lot of people
thought that was crazy when you started be-
ing seen together. How did that come about?
I was living in Malibu, and Kevin Federline and
Britney Spears were also living in Malibu so
we were like neighbors. Of course I was in the
studio out there tearing shit up, and there’s
nothing but rich and famous people out there.
Everybody that went in the studio was just
blown away by my music, and he was one
of them. That’s just my pa’tna, nothing else.
Whenever I go fuck with him or we go out to
eat or something and Britney was around, the
paparazzi would start snapping away and I
would be the only little hood nigga in these
USA Weekly and OK! Magazines...
The rest of this interview is featured in Ozone
Magazine Issue #85:

There was a lot of controversy behind the

record “We Run L.A.” What is it about, from
your perspective?
The song was paying homage to the city of
Los Angeles. I moved out here when I was
young. I lived out here for a few years and I see
where it’s going. It’s a beautiful city. I see a lot
of people – models, movie stars, actresses, ac-
tors – coming out here trying to make it. It was
basically just a theme song for them. I was pay-
ing homage to the city sort of like Tupac did
with “To Live And Die In L.A.” A lot of people
misunderstood the concept at first.

When I heard people talking about you in the

streets I didn’t understand why that was the

OZONE MAG // 31
32 // OZONE MAG
OZONE MAG // 33
 N EW
BOYZ lia Beverly
Words by Ju ay
Photo by D-R
(l to r): Legacy, Ben J
BEST KNOWN FOR POPULARIZING “JERK
MUSIC” AND WEARING REALLY, REALLY
TIGHT JEANS, THE NEW BOYZ ARE BACK
WITH A NEW ALBUM AND AIM TO SHOW
THE SKEPTICS THEIR DIVERSITY.
You guys are getting ready to drop a new
album, right?
Legacy: Yeah, it’s called Too Cool to Care, and
it’s supposed to come out this spring. We
just dropped the first official single off the
album, “Backseat.”
Are you going in a different direction
musically with this project?
Legacy: Originally, our first album was based
off the whole “jerkin’” thing, but we don’t
want to be put in a box. That’s why our sec-
ond single “Tie Me Down” was so different.
On this new album, we’re just showing our
artistic side and showing what we’re really
capable of outside of the jerkin’ movement.
Do you feel like people know you more for
the way you dress and your whole style?
34 // OZONE MAG
Did it kinda overshadow the music?
Legacy: Oh yeah, of course, at first. It was so
different, and the fact that we had a dance,
that’s why in the beginning we were known
as “those jerk kids,” you know? That’s why we
had to really go extra hard on this album. I
feel like if you come out [first] with a dance
record, you’ve gotta work twice as hard
[afterwards] or that’s all you’re going to be
known for. But we’re definitely confident
with this album. Once this shit gets out
there, it’s gonna be all good.
It seems like the West Coast traditionally
has been known more for gangsta music,
especially during the Death Row days. Do
you feel like this is a new era for the West
Coast that you guys are able to be a part
of?
Legacy: Definitely. I think the West Coast is
in a good state right now, and there’s a lot
of artists that aren’t doing gangsta rap. You
know, Dom Kennedy, Kendrick Lamar, Tyga,
I think right now it’s about fashion and fun
and just real good music. So I think the West
OZONE MAG // 35
 is in a good state, and it feels good to be a part
of that right now during this come up.
When we interviewed The Pack at one point,
they felt like they had inspired your style and
didn’t really get credit for it. Would you say
that’s accurate or was it a misunderstanding?
Legacy: We did us, we definitely didn’t [steal
their style]. It wasn’t inspired by them, but you
know, that’s old stuff. We got over it. That shit
got squashed probably like a year ago, so, it’s
all good.
You guys started pretty early, right? Were you
still in school when you got signed?
Ben J: Yeah, we had to switch schools to be
able to study at home. We were going to
school hard the whole year right until we
graduated. That was in 2009, our graduating
year.
Legacy: That was my deadline year. My whole
life I was like, “I gotta get signed before I
graduate.”
Were you guys the popular kids on campus?
Ben J: Somewhat.
Legacy: Yeah, you could say that. It wasn’t hard
to be popular at our school though. Everybody
was popular, even the nerds. (laughs)
One of you produces most of your tracks as
well, right?
Legacy: Yeah, I produce. Well, I used to go really
hard with it when I had Frooty Loops. I’ve got
Logic now and I’m learning the program. I’m
trying to get back on my production.
Do you feel like you, or your generation of
rappers, gets respect from the older heads?
Or do you hear a lot of the “that’s not real Hip
Hop” comments?
Legacy: We get hate from people who have
only heard the jerk record and are only looking
at the dance scene. But we started getting
more respect from people who noticed that
we could actually rap. You know, when people
heard “Cricketz” and stuff like that. Some
people were saying that they don’t really
dress how we dress, but they still respect the
fact that we’re doing our thing and pushing
our [style] even though people are knocking
it. So it’s like mixed reactions. But that’s why
we’re still working hard, so we can get more
and more respect. We’re gonna keep putting
out material and make sure it gets better and
better.
I have to be honest, the skinny jeans don’t
look too comfortable. What made you decide
to start dressing that way?
36 // OZONE MAG
Legacy: Well, our jeans, first off, they aren’t as
tight as they used to be. They’re definitely not
as tight as they were in [the video for] “You
A Jerk.” But we sagged ‘em. They wouldn’t be
comfortable if you ain’t sag ‘em, but we used to
sag ‘em like crazy.
Ben J: It was just our swag.
Legacy: Skater swag. If it wasn’t comfortable
we wouldn’t rock them.
Ben J: But then again, we’re skinny dudes, so
we can fit in ‘em.
You guys were actually called the Swagger
Boyz at first, right?
Legacy: For like five minutes, yeah. (laughs)
Ben J: A class period.
Legacy: Yeah, then we changed the name
really quick.
You decided that “Swagger” was too played
out or why’d you change it?
Legacy: Well, back then the word “swag” wasn’t
played out yet, but I’m glad we didn’t call
ourselves that. (laughs) We were just going
through a bunch of names and when we came
up with the New Boyz, we stuck with it.
Do you guys have anything planned for All
Star weekend?
Ben J: Yeah, our manager is working on some
shows right now. We’re gonna be out there all
weekend for the All Star game.
Legacy: Yeah, I just moved right by [the Staples
Center] so we’re gonna be goin’ hard that
weekend. We love when events be poppin’ in
our city.
Aside from your new single “Backseat” and
the upcoming album, is there anything else
you want people to look out for?
Ben J: Yeah, we both dropped our mixtapes.
Mine is called Chill Talk and Legacy’s is called
Your New Favorite Rapper. You can get them
both on www.HotNewHipHop.com. Outside
of music, we’re in this movie called Where The
Party At? so be on the lookout for that. Legacy
shoots videos too, so if you need some videos
done hit up Rule Blind Films. We’ve got our
own record label poppin’ off too, 100 Records.
Is there anything else that you want to plug
or mention?
Ben J: Follow us on twitter.com/ImBenJ. That’s
my personal page.
Legacy: Mine is twitter.com/ThaLegacy. To all
the fans, thanks for all the love. We’re gonna
be uploading a lot of videos at www.Youtube.
com/NewBoyzTV, and make sure you go pick
up our new album Too Cool to Care. Don’t sleep
on it. //
OZONE MAG // 37
 THE PACK
The Bay Area foursome follows up the success of “Vans”
and “My Car”with a new sound on Wolfpack Party

Words by Julia Beverly

(l-r): Lil Uno, Young L, Lil B, & Stunnaman

38 // OZONE MAG
Would you say you switched up your sound
a little bit with this new project, Wolfpark
Party? What’s your vision moving forward?
Young L: I haven’t been making an effort to
switch up the sound, that’s just what hap-
pened. I think I’ve just been changing [as a
producer] but I wasn’t necessarily trying to
change the sound of the group intentionally.
You have some tracks on this album, espe-
cially the singles, that sound more dance/
techno than your previous projects.
Young L: Yeah, I think that’s because we got
some outside assistance from the leader of
the Cataracs. He produced “Wolfpack Party”
and “Sex on the Beach,” which have more of
a dance flavor. The album is called Wolfpack
Party, so it’s designed in a way that people
can just put the CD in and keep the party
going.
Lil Uno: Personally, I’d say I’m pretty consis-
tent. I feel like the album has more of a
OZONE MAG // 39
 dance flavor. The album is called Wolfpack
Party, so it’s designed in a way that people can
just put the CD in and keep the party going.
Lil Uno: Personally, I’d say I’m pretty consistent.
I feel like the album has more of a mature
sound. It all depends on the beat, you know,
and that’s how I vibe to it.
Do you think that expanding your sound is
broadening your audience?
Young L: I think it could broaden the audience
more towards people who like dance music,
because it’ll attract those kinds of people to
our music. Also, I think it’s just kinda the right
time for us. So yeah.
Have you been getting more attention from
mainstream outlets aside from just the “ur-
ban” side of things?
Young L: A little bit. It is geared towards some
of the electronic dance music kind of thing, so
I’m sure there are some new people that fuck
with us now.
What have you been working on indepen-
dently of the group?
Lil Uno: I’ve been working on this LUT project.
It’s not really a group, they’re just like family
and we make music together. The LUT stands
for Loyalty, Unity, and Teacher.
Young L: I am putting out some solo shit. I
don’t really want to go into too much detail
about it, but I am doing some deep shit. I’ve
got a lot of beats on the project The Jacka is
doing with Freeway. I’ve also got a lot of songs
with Husalah. I’m doing a lot of stuff also in my
own camp. We’ve been doing some mixtapes
just to keep the online shit poppin’. I could
make beats all day but I can’t write raps all day.
I do more production than anything. I always
wanted to be a rapper but the way my person-
ality is, I had to kind of put that on hold for a
while. That’s why I was the last person in the
group to start rapping. The way my personality
is, I don’t enjoy rapping at all. I’m not really an
outgoing person. I felt like I had an opportu-
nity to do it so I should do it, but my first love
has always been producing. I like to get in that
zone. I can make the most beats from 12 at
night til like 3:30 in the morning. That’s when I
make the most beats.
When you go into the studio for a session
what are a few things you need to help get
you in that zone?
Young L: To keep it real, I don’t need any-
thing. I only need my energy. I’m the kind of
person who sleeps a lot and I don’t have a lot
of energy in general, but when I get to that
point later in the day I get more energy. If I’m
40 // OZONE MAG
driving home listening to music and I make
some [beats] in the house, you know, all I need
is some energy. I’m not a person who needs
alcohol or pills or anything like that to make
beats. It comes naturally to me.
A lot of people expect that Hip Hop groups
won’t last too long since they always seem to
break up. Even though you all have branched
off and done other projects, what do you
think has kept The Pack together?
Young L: I think one thing that has kept us to-
gether was knowing that we couldn’t really be
successful without each other at that time. We
were aware of the fact that we needed to do
a Pack album before any of us could have any
success solo. That kept us together, and I think
dedication as well. You don’t want the group to
think of you as a traitor. And we all know each
other very well. Nobody knows us as well as
we do. There’s a lot of history that we would be
shitting on if we were to break up. The reason
we stay together is more on a personal tip
than the music thing.
Lil Uno: From my point of view, I’d say we’re all
in this because we know what we want to do
with our music and how we want to go about
it. We all have a unique sound, so when we put
it all together it sounds good. It’s fun and ev-
erybody else likes our music too. But we were
friends first before anything. We have a lot of
memories. Between the music, the past, and
the relationships we’ve formed, we understand
each other. I know what makes everybody in
the group mad. I know which buttons to push
and which buttons not to push. And we all
know that about each other because we’ve
been together for so long. I grew up with Stun-
naman. I met him in seventh grade when I was
skateboarding. I met D - Uno - in high school.
I spent more time with D in high school than
with any other guy that I knew at the time.
That’s really how we got to know each other.
So I see you’re the one who called in on time
for the interview. Are you the responsible
one of the group? (laughs)
Young L: I just make sure I handle the shit that
needs to be handled. If we go to a club, we go
to the club promoting our records. So if we go
to the club I’ll be the one to pick up Uno on
the way. If I have to pick up whoever, I’ll pick
them up. I’m just trying to make shit happen.
I don’t want to say that [the other members]
aren’t responsible but I would say I’m pretty
responsible when it comes to handling stuff
for my group or for music in general.
You guys were at the forefront of the whole
skater style/movement.
Young L: We definitely were at the forefront of
that when it was poppin’. And it wasn’t that we
rode that momentum. We really did that shit, Now that you’ve stopped pushing the whole
like skateboarding. I still skateboard. We were skateboard style and movement, what do
really serious about our shit. At one point I was you see being the next trend?
in a skateboard group with a few other people Young L: I really don’t know. That’s a good
and we made a skateboard time and sold it. question, but I don’t think I can predict that. It’s
We were really serious about it. The reason we just one of those things that’s gonna happen.
stopped pushing that movement was because People never know who the next hot artist is
so many people were trying to claim it and we or how he’s going to sound. The only thing I
didn’t want to seem like one of those posers know for sure about the future of music is that
trying to claim the movement because it was the internet is going to be at the forefront of
popular at the time. everything.
Lil Uno: I think our style influenced a lot of Lil Uno: I just want people to hear our music
young artists that are up and coming. We’re and see that we’re the same dudes, just a
not scared to express ourselves, so when other little more mature. I want people to listen to
people see that, they feel like because we’re our music and have fun, because that’s the
young and not scared and talking nasty, they reason we do it. Usually we just talk about ass
can do that too. shaking and smoking weed [in our music]. I
don’t smoke weed and I’ve never actually been
What would happen if the New Boyz and drunk, but as far as smoking as partying, you
The Pack ran into each other backstage at a know, that’s what we rapped about. Being
show? Do you guys still have problems? fresh, that’s all we ever used to rap about. On
Young L: I don’t know. I didn’t really have a this album we have songs like “Unique,” that’s
problem with them. The only problem was kinda like mood music, and “Worry About
that they said our name in a song; that’s what Mine,” which is like some classical music. Then
made it an issue. If I saw them, it would be we’ve got the track “Superman.” We usually just
whatever they wanted it to be. If they wanted rap about booties and stuff like that, so this
a problem there would be a problem. I mean, I time I felt like we expanded our rapping.
don’t really care about the New Boyz like that.
I’m don’t really want to beat them up or any- Do you think anyone has taken the skinny
thing. They’re a lot younger than me. I’m 23. jeans trend too far?
Young L: I’ve got friends that rock the skinny
Did you feel like they were kinda taking your jeans but I don’t even wear skinny jeans...
style?
Young L: There are a lot of groups that are in The rest of this interview is featured in Ozone
the same lane as us. Like, The Cool Kids. They Magazine Issue #85:
were in the same lane as us. We weren’t neces-
sarily making the same music but we were
both young and coming out with music that
was trendy. I saw an interview with them and
they shouted us out. We met other groups like
Audio Push who were hella cool and showed
love. We met Cold Flamez and they were cool.
There weren’t any other groups aside from the
New Boyz, now that I think about it, that really
took our style to that level like they did. I just
felt like there were plenty of opportunities to
shout us out or thank us for helping to open
the door for them or saying, “We like to listen
to The Pack and they’re one of our inspira-
tions.” I know that’s the truth because people
had our songs before they had music to jerk
to. I know that they at least knew who we were
and didn’t say anything to pay respect. So it
was an insult to say something about us on a
record, on top of kinda, you know, making an
effort to steal our swag. That’s how I felt about
it and that’s how a lot of people who don’t
even know me felt about it. People who were
fans of the group were insulted.

OZONE MAG // 41
 N
TH
I
A
OGIFT
Sweet
Words by Ni ay
Photo by D-R

42 // OZONE MAG
“Succeed Never Fail,” is the motto this
Bay Area artist eats, breaths and
lives by. Since beginning his music
career at the young age of 14, Nio
Tha Gift has proven that he’s here
to stay. The lyricist’s (calling him a
rapper would be an understatement)
career has grown rapidly within
the last few years. His highly antici-
pated album H.I.P. H.O.P. (Here I present
a Hero of Poverty) released in 2009,
has attracted over 40,000 viewers
and downloads. With his hit singles
“Grateful” and “Angels & Demons,” this
lyricist has a profound way of speak-
ing that would make anyone have an
emotional connection to his music.
The first single, “Never Gon’ Change,”
off his upcoming project, Super Hero,
lets you know, “don’t play that Hol-
lywood card with me, I am not that
dude, I don’t play that shit!”
For the people who haven’t heard of you yet,
what would you want them to know about
you as an artist?
That every one of my lines are real and that I’m
living every single bar.
Not too long ago you showed your fans a
different side to your musical talent – Nio tha
Gift the Sang-er. How have most of your fans
reacted to this? Have other artists asked you
to sing on their tracks?
It’s kinda just a mixture of both, a lot of people
try to get me to do a verse and a hook on their
songs. My fans haven’t all the way caught on
to the fact that I’m singing the records ’cause
it’s not like auto tune or anything like that.
When they see me they don’t see the typical
R&B guy, they don’t expect this soulful type
of voice to come out of me. I think they just
don’t know, a lot of people just don’t know but
everybody has their time to find out.
I’ve read a lot of reviews from people who
listened to your music, and even in my own
personal opinion, you’re style isn’t compa-
rable to other Bay area artists. What would
you say sets you aside from other artists on
the West Coast?
Well, I just feel like God makes everybody
special in their own way. Everything I do is God
driven. I like to pride myself on just being me,
being different. I don’t really like to get into the
whole West coast artist or Bay artist. I just try
to make sure I’m able to compete with the rest
of the talent in the world. I feel like wherever
the bar is, that’s were I’m trying to exceed. A
lot of people fall into that shell of just trying to
be superior in the Bay and I think you should
strive bigger than that. Rather if you’re from
the South, from the Bay, from NY, I feel like you
should try to be the biggest in each market,
not just your market. I feel like if people just
stick to their guns rather than just trying to do
what works, if people just continue to stick to
what makes them, then people will succeed
a lot faster. I think that’s what I do, I just took
the job of giving the people me. I don’t hide
anything, I don’t sugar coat anything. This is
me in its rawest uncut form, I just dress it up so
it’s presentable.
Over 40,000 viewers got a chance to see a
glimpse into your life when your video for
“Grateful” was released. What kind of impact
has that video and single had on your career
so far?
The funny thing about that record is, I actually
wrote that in January 2009, this was right after
the Oscar Grant situation and I was in LA. I
was sitting in the hotel with my cousin and
stumbled across this beat I had in my email
from one of my producers JL. I had the email
for three years and I never opened the email or
heard the beat before in my life, until that day.
When I first heard the beat, the hook instantly
popped into my head, as soon as I found the
melody the words just popped into my head.
I actually wrote “Grateful” in about fifteen
minutes. I was out in LA with my boy Taj [who
directed the video], and I met up with him
later on that day and we were at a video shoot
in and he had walked over to one of his bud-
dies and he came back to me and said, “you
wanna shoot a video?” and I said, “Hell yeah I
wanna shoot a video!” So he asked me, “well
what you got,” [and] I told him about “Grateful”
and said, “its not recorded yet, I just wrote it
like three hours ago,” so I spit a little of it for
him. When I got back to the Bay I recorded the
song and I was back in LA a week later with a
finished product. He was asking me did I want
to switch the song and I was like naw, I can’t
switch the song cause God wants me to put
out this song. Ever since the day that I wrote
that record I knew that it was gonna be one of
those ones ’cause that day my pen was moving
faster than usual, and it was kind of like I knew
it needed to be said from me.
After releasing a career changing album like
H.I.P. H.O.P (Here I Present a Hero of Poverty),
do you feel that pressure is on you for your
next album to be just as great or greater?
Naw, I don’t really believe in pressure...
To read the rest of this interview, log on to
www.ozonemag.com
OZONE MAG // 43
 PROBLEM lia Beverly
Words by Just Rock
Photo by Ju

44 // OZONE MAG
COMPTON RAPPER Problem plans to
capitalize off the momentum created
by his record “my ex” and ride the
wave of bay-to-l.a. california unity
ALL THE WAY to the top.
Do you have any parties or events planned
for All Star weekend?
They’re gonna see me in the streets. I’m every-
where. A couple places are trying to book me
but nothing is set yet. I plan on being every-
where. You’re gonna see Problem everywhere,
all weekend. Watch!
What are some of the hot spots in L.A. that
out-of-towners need to hit?
The city is gonna be so booming, man. If you
want to shop, everyone goes to the Beverly
Center. It’s crazy because I was out here per-
forming live when I was younger and I can just
see the difference. This shit is gonna be crazy
out here, man.
Let’s talk about what you have coming up
music-wise. Is “My Ex” your official single,
or just something you leaked out to keep
people talking? What’s the status on that?
I was just recording and my boy Felli [Fel]
heard it and asked for a copy of it clean [for
radio], so I shot it to him, and it just took off
from there. All of these were songs I was doing
for my project What’s the Problem? that I’ma
be dropping real soon. Just like the “Lobster”
record, that’s been doing real good too. I don’t
really have an official single right now, but if
“My Ex” is working and people are fuckin’ with
it, that’s what I’m fuckin’ with too, you know?
Is What’s the Problem? going to be an actual
album release or more like a mixtape?
It’s bigger than a mixtape, man. It’s gonna be
an event. When you’ve got a title like What’s
the Problem? you’re gonna have to understand
who I am by the end of it and who you’re
dealing with. There will be no mysteries about
me at all. I’m going to give you every side of
me. There’s a visual shot for every song. I just
started making a couple of the visuals recently.
It’s gonna be a movie for real. I know people
say that a lot, but this is gonna be a movie for
real. It’s a lot of original records.
Are you still independent or do you have a
label releasing this project?
I’m under Diamond Lane Music Group, that’s
what I’m pushing right now. I’m not signed
anywhere else. I’m still indie and I plan on
keeping it that way. I’ve had [major labels]
calling, but that’s just not what I’m interested
in right now. I feel like it’s not time for that yet.
I want to brand Problem. I want the world to
know who Problem is, what Diamond Lane is,
and really embrace me for me. I’m not trying
to be anybody else. I want to develop a fan
base of people that fuck with me and fuck with
my music. I just can’t wait to see the response.
So far so good. I’ve only been leaking shit for
about a month and I’ve already received calls
from five different labels and a whole lot of
great situations have been offered. I’m just
having fun right now.
You seem like you go hard for a little while,
then chill a bit, and then go hard again. What
do you think it’ll take to motivate you to go
one hundred percent without falling back?
Well, I have to go through all these stages of
going hard and pulling back because I was
just runnin’ around out here like a chicken
with my head cut off. I really didn’t have a
structure, I was just excited that people were
liking me. Then you have to deal with it when
you don’t have the hot song out no more and
people start acting different. It’s just life. And
now I feel like there’s no possible way I could
lose, because I sat back and really formulated
a plan. When you see a plan being executed
and goals being achieved, you can’t lose. They
never got to see me, they just heard me. This is
the first time the world gets to see me.
So these videos you’re shooting now are your
first visuals?
My first real visuals. I mean, DJ Skee shot my
first video for the “America” record and that
got over 200,000 plays. I did a few other videos
myself. I never really had label support, it was
just me and my squad tryin’ to do it. You have
to really formulate a plan when you have a
great idea. It’s in the pot for real, I swear. Listen,
I guarantee you this, no bullshit man, this time
next year we will be having this same conver-
sation and you’re gonna be like, “Damn, nigga,
that’s what you said.” I promise you.
Who else do you see coming from California
that’s in the same lane as you?
Everybody’s poppin’ right now. You’ve got
Kendrick Lamar, YG, Skeme, Joe Moses, Dom
Kennedy, Terrace Martin, man, it’s so many
people right now. Everybody is all fuckin’ with
each other too. It’s crackin’ right now.
Do you think the relationship between L.A.
artists and Bay Area artists has gotten bet-
ter? Seems like there’s more California unity.
I actually just came from up there and I know
of at least three different Bay to L.A. projects
that are being worked on right now. I’m
included in some of them and a lot of those
OZONE MAG // 45
 names I just mentioned are included too, so
trust me, before we can get out to the rest of
the world we’ve got to get our house right.
The big homie Snoop’s album is finna drop, I’ve
got two joints on there. The Game is dropping
some mixtapes, 40 finna drop. So I know for a
fact the relationship is getting better.
What kind of responses did you get from
your OZONE sex issue interview?
(laughs) I still get people hittin’ me about that
issue. A lot of girls are like, “Damn, boy, are you
for real or are you just playin’?” or, “You’re all
talk.” And then the females that really know
me, they were like, “Damn, you just gonna tell
everything?”
“[rapping] is no dif-
ferent from be-
ing a truck driver
that has to be gone
for weeks at a
time. people think
just because you’re
in entertainment a
nigga doesn’t have
a heart. it’s not
like that at all.”
Were your baby mamas mad at you for dis-
cussing the threesome you had with them?
Naw, because it’s actually three baby mamas
and [that story] only involved two of them. So
they were all able to keep their little lies up,
you know what I’m sayin’? They all pretended
it wasn’t them. So I really got out of that one.
Do you have a lot of child support to pay?
Three baby mamas?
Naw. You only have to pay child support when
you don’t support your child. You know, I’ve
been making money in this business for a
while. Just because y’all don’t see me doesn’t
mean I ain’t being heard.
How do you have time to spend with three
kids in addition to launching your career?
I mean, I’m not going to say it’s not hard. It’s
hard, but I can’t be selfish because I’m the
main supplier of how [my children] eat. If
that’s the job I have to do, then that’s the job I
have to do. It’s no different from being a truck
driver that has to be gone for weeks at a time.
46 // OZONE MAG
Sometimes people think that just because
you’re in entertainment that a nigga doesn’t
have a heart and all that shit. It’s not like that
at all. It’s just like any other job – people get
to see the one side, but y’all don’t get to see
the other side. You can’t judge it until you’re
in it. You’ve got to have a lot of good family
and some real understanding parents, and I
commend the mothers of my children, for real.
They’re real cool.
What else are you working besides music?
I was trying to get into this little acting thing.
I had a couple opportunities so I’m trying to
see what’s up with that. I can’t really say that
I want to do anything else besides music. I
really love to do music. If not mine, somebody
else’s. When opportunities present themselves,
I definitely try to take them all. All my skills
revolve around music. I produce as well. I want
to try to get into TV and film production, as far
as scores and stuff like that. I have a lot of dif-
ferent interests but it all involves music.
Do you have any big features we should be
looking out for?
I got a song coming out with Terrace Martin,
featuring somebody major that’s definitely
gonna make a lot of noise. I ain’t gonna say
who it is but it’s one of my homeboys that had
a great year in 2010. He had a fantastic year
and I’ve got a record dropping with him. I pray
I’m still on the 9th Wonder album.
Was “My Ex” sparked by a certain situation?
Yeah, I was high. I was way loaded one night.
I was lookin’ for my ex-girl and she wouldn’t
answer the fuckin’ phone. Man, I was hot. But
I was so high I was just singin’ “damn, I feel like
fuckin’ my ex,” and I’m so loaded that I don’t
stop singin’ it once I hang up the phone. So I
figured out how to play the keys or whatever
and made the beat and made the hook and
just talked about how I was feelin’ at that very
moment.
What’s your drug of choice?
(laughs) Weed. I smoke marijuana, that’s my
main source of ignorance. I love to get high.
I used to do the pills a lot but I don’t fuck
around too much no more. I had some wild,
wild experiences off the pills. I got to a point
where I got to chill out on certain shit. I’m a
little older now, you know what I’m sayin’?
How can people get in touch with you?
Hit me on that Twitter.com/ItsAProblem. My
Tumblr is Problem354 and I’ve got a website
being built right now, ItsAProblem.com. Dia-
mond Lane Music Group. //
OZONE MAG // 47
 JROACYK
lia Beverly
Words by Ju ay
Photo by D-R

48 // OZONE MAG
OZONE MAG // 49
 AFTER GETTING RELEASED FROM WARNER
BROS., WATTS REPRESENTATIVE JAY ROCK
LINKED UP WITH TECH N9NE’S STRANGE
MUSIC AND HIT THE ROAD TO MEET HIS
FANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HERE, HE
REFLECTS ON LEAVING THE STREET LIFE
BEHIND AND HITTING THE STUDIO WITH
DR. DRE.
I hear you linked up with Tech N9ne and
Strange Music. That sounds like an interest-
ing collaboration.
It’s real good. Shout out to my boy Tech
N9ne. I’ve been on the road with him. I just
got off the Independent Grind Tour with him,
E-40, and Glasses Malone. It was a real good
look.
They have a completely different style and
stage performance from a lot of the rappers
that are out today. With your music being
more on a gangsta vibe, why did you think
Strange Music was a good home for you?
Basically, I like the way Tech N9ne vibes with
his fans, man. That’s one thing about me,
man, at the end of the day it’s about the fans.
Being on the road and being in our fans’
faces at every show, that’s a big thing to me.
Just being on the road and connecting with
the fans was the best thing that could ever
happen to me.
They’re doing it real big on an independent
level.
Exactly. They’re one of the biggest indepen-
dent companies that’s out right now, and
that dude’s grind is crazy. We’ve been on that
same grind too, so just to hook up with what
they already have rolling is a beautiful thing.
You were in the Warner Bros system before,
right?
Yeah, everybody knew my situation over
there with Warner Bros. I had a cold record
with me, Lil Wayne, and Will.I.Am called “All
My Life,” that was one of the hottest records I
ever did. Everybody loved it. The label didn’t
quite have my back on it like they should
have, but I don’t want to knock Warner. I’d
like to thank them for giving me the time and
the opportunity and the chance to do what I
do. But me and my team were just unhappy
with the way things were going. Everybody
thought I got dropped, but that wasn’t the
situation. We went in there and got my walk-
ing papers.
Now that you’ve seen how the major label
system works, being with an independent
like Strange Music, how does it compare?
50 // OZONE MAG
I mean, first off, touring. I had like seven deals
[offered to me] and no other label could
offer me the opportunity to tour as much
as Strange Music does. The major labels
couldn’t offer me touring and merchandise
and things of that nature. When I hooked up
with Strange, within a week or two of clos-
ing the deal, I was on the road. They’ve got
merchandise people, everything. Every day
we’d get up and do meet and greets with the
fans, and that was crazy to me. They’ve really
got it going on, and that’s what I love to do,
just being on that road and touring and con-
necting with the fans.
In some of the new cities you visited, were
you surprised that the fans already knew
your music?
Yeah, it was amazing. The type of fans Tech
has – for these dudes to know who I was – I
was like, wow. At the first show I did “All My
Life” and people already knew the lyrics to
the song. That was crazy, because I didn’t
expect that. People knew who I was and they
even more excited than I was. They were like,
“I’m so happy for you, man, I always wanted
you to sign with Tech N9ne.” That was amaz-
ing for them to show me that much love,
man. I ain’t even expect it to be like that.
They knew who I was; they were familiar with
my face and a lot of my records. That was a
really big thing for me.
So you’re really focused on being on the
road and building your buzz up again,
or do you have an actual release date or
album plans?
I’m gonna continue to be on the road doing
shows, but I do have a release date of May
17th, 2011. The album is called Follow Me
Home and it’s a classic album, straight up.
So this was the same album that Warner
never released, right? Have you revamped it?
Oh yeah, I’ve got a lot of new records. The
production is crazy. I’ve got some of my
in-house producers plus J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League,
Tha Bizness, Cool & Dre, DJ Quik and a lot
more. Hopefully, Lord willing, I’ll have a Dr.
Dre track on there.
That would be major. How did you get a
hold of Dr. Dre? That sounds pretty exclu-
sive.
The other day I had the chance to really be
in the studio and work with that dude, man,
and it was like a dream come true. It was
crazy to see the way he works. It was a bless-
ing. I never thought in a million years I’d be
in the studio with Dr. Dre. This is a dude that
I’ve been growing up with since I was real
young, you know? I never thought I’d be in
the lab with him. The vibe was real, real epic.
That dude right there is focused. That dude is
a perfectionist, straight up. (laughs)
Did you record something with him or were
you just throwing some ideas around?
We were just vibing in the studio, man. That’s
where the magic happens. When people vibe
together that’s where the magic happens. It
was real crazy. I’m trying to get back in the
studio with Dr. Dre real, real soon.
He doesn’t work with a lot of new artists. Did
he tell you why he was impressed with you?
He said he’d heard a song that me and Kend-
rick [Lamar] did together. He said, “Man, you
hard.” (laughs) For him to say that, that was
amazing to me.
That’s a big compliment coming from him.
So Kendrick Lamar is with Top Dawg, your
original record label?
Yeah, me and K Dot started out together with
Top Dawg. Me and Kendrick have been work-
ing together for years, grindin’. That’s my little
bro right there. We been doing our thing, we
been on our grind forever.
So you’re still Top Dawg affiliated even
though you signed with Strange Music?
Yeah, of course, it’s still Top Dawg. Don’t get
it twisted. Top Dawg Entertainment and
Strange Music joined forces together, feel
me? We’re together on the same grind.
tion and been able to give them a more
positive focus?
Yeah, of course. People come up to me all the
time, especially when I was on the road. A lot
of people were like, “Man, your music helped
me get through,” and I’d tell them, “Don’t
ever give up on your dream.” Whatever you
want to do in life, just pursue it, man. Don’t
let nobody tell you nothing. Just stay away
from the negative, and if you want it you can
get it. Go hard in whatever you’re trying to
do, whether it’s music, or school, or whatever
your goal is. If you’ve got a goal, pursue your
goal. Just do it and don’t give up.
Do you feel like there’s more unity now on
the West Coast?
Of course, we’re all getting together. Every-
body is out here doing their thing and every-
body’s making good music, so why not get
together? Ain’t nobody hating on nobody
else. We can all be one, man. We’re all trying
to get to the top together.
Are you doing any events for All Star week-
end that people should know about?
Yeah, man, it’s a lot of stuff going on right
now. I’m gonna be in all the spots and you
can catch me out there in the streets. Wher-
ever it’s poppin’ at, that’s where I’m gonna
be. //

In one of our earlier interviews you

talked about how Top Dawg sort of
kidnapped you in the studio and forced
you to focus on your music. Have
you been able to leave the street life
behind?
(laughs) Ah, yeah. You know, I’m still out
here, but my focus is music. It’s crazy that
you said that; shout out to dude Dawg.
That’s Top Dawg, man, he was like a real
big homie. He saw me in the streets just
acting up and being hard-headed, and
he knew I had the talent to rap. A lot
of people knew I had the talent to rap.
Everybody was on me like, “You got it,
man, we want you to do that music, don’t
be out here [bangin’].” All my friends
and family were telling me that, so I
figured if that’s my calling, I gotta do it. If
everybody’s telling me to keep doing the
music, you know, that’s love. That’s where
my focus is now.

Have you had any opportunities to re-

turn the favor? Have you seen anybody
else that was going in the wrong direc-

OZONE MAG // 51
 ES
M VSY
MAR Words by Ju
lia Beverly

52 // OZONE MAG
OZONE MAG // 53
 MESSY MARV
Everybody knows you’re a West Coast dude,
but you’ve been moving around a lot lately.
Did you just need a change of scenery?
As a whole, [artists] in the Bay Area are just
content with where we are. That’s just my
opinion. I fuck with a lot of different people
around the world, and I’m out networking and
trying to build my brand.
Do you think living in different places affects
your style of music?
I don’t feel like I have a particular sound. You’re
gonna hear a little South, a little Midwest, a
little East, and you’re definitely going to hear
the West cause that’s where I’m from. That’s
the problem, man, everybody’s caught up in
how you’re “supposed” to sound. I ain’t caught
up in none of that shit, man. I’m me. I ain’t got
nothing to prove. Every time I drop, I sell a
substantial amount of units, so I’m good.
How do you think you’re able to maintain
that kind of fanbase without a major label
behind you and without having that main-
stream look?
Because I’m out here networking. I built my
worth.
Are you going to get out and start doing
more shows now? You don’t give the people
too many opportunities to see you. And
you’re in high demand because of that fact.
I’m planning my 30-city tour right now. But
before I do that, I’m building my online pres-
ence. I’m doing a radio show. I’m on Twitter,
Facebook, and Myspace. I’m going to get out
here and give the people what they’ve been
waiting for.
What’s going on with you and San Quinn?
The beef was pretty ugly at one point but
you recently mentioned on Twitter that you
guys had squashed it. How were you able to
get to that point?
People have different opinions on every-
thing. Quinn had an opinion on how he felt I
should’ve handled some things, and I had my
opinion on how I felt he should’ve handled
some things. It escalated when the media and
the people grabbed ahold of it. You know how
that shit goes. But mutual friends of ours have
been trying to squash it since day one. Me and
Quinn ain’t even talked yet. Things take time.
Whenever he comes around, or whenever I
come around, we can sit down and talk. But
for now we’re just going through our mutual
friend from the turf and just putting it all
behind us. But really, it wasn’t no beef - it was
just two opinions being stated and just how
two men felt at the particular time.
54 // OZONE MAG
Is there anything else that needs to be
hashed out or are you just ready to move
forward and forget the whole situation?
I would like to do that, to just move forward
and forget about the situation, but things take
time. Wounds take time to heal, especially
ones like these. So whenever we decide to
come around and sit down, we will.
Why did you feel like it was important to
squash it?
The beef didn’t affect me when it came to re-
cord sales or nothing like that. I do remarkable
numbers independently anyway. It was just
getting out of hand, and Quinn felt the same
way. When shit like this happens, innocent
people can get fucked up. So we’re coming
together to let these kids know, and let the
people know, we’re bigger than rap music.
We’re gonna put our differences to the side
and move forward like men. That doesn’t mean
me and San Quinn are gonna hang out every
day. You might not catch me at McDonald’s
sitting down with the nigga eating no cheese-
burger or nothing. But we’re definitely gonna
put our differences to the side and squash this
shit like men do and move forward with what
you’re doing.
Is it your ultimate goal to be on a major label
with your video all over TV and your songs all
over the radio? Or are you more comfortable
being in theunderground position you’re in,
still selling independent units?
I’m a street nigga, so the hustle is in me.
Independently, I feel like this is what I’ve got
to do because this is what I know. Of course I
wanna take it to another level as far as media,
publications, and sales. But I’m not gonna just
make commercial music and chase million-
dollar dreams. I’ve had paperwork in my face
for two million, three million. I turned those
deals down just based on what they want to
take from me and what I’ve built.
What did they want to take from you? Pub-
lishing?
Publishing. How many albums they want, what
I’m limited to do, just [giving up] the freedom I
have as an independent. They wanted to take
that all away from me for that little amount
of money. That few million is a little amount
of money. I can make that in a year. Last year
I released 100 songs. I don’t remember how
many albums - five, I think. [I sold] over 50,000
at $6/unit, so that deal didn’t look like shit to
me. I definitely would like to further my career
but I’m not gonna make commercial music
tryin’ to chase this muthafuckin’ dream that
might not even turn into reality. I’m gon’ keep
this shit solid. I keep the people feeling like
I’m one of them, because I am. That’s why I’ve
been so successful. I’m one of the people they
recognize and they’re like, “I’m just like that
nigga.” That’s why my core fanbase won’t let
me die. I ain’t did a show in three years, but
I’m able to maintain my sales and my presence
through the internet, the publications, and the
media. That’s just a blessing. The fans won’t let
me die.
What project are you working on now?
I just dropped Highly Aggressive Volume
2 yesterday. I’ve got a documentary and a
soundtrack coming out called Gigantic, which
is the untold Messy Marv story behind the rap-
per, the entertainer, the father, the gangster.
There’s a lot of educational Bay Area history in
there too. I shot and directed my reality show
Mr. Ghetto Celebrity. I’ve got my clothing line
coming soon. Right now I’m working on a new
LP called The Cooking Channel. I’m working
every day.
sound the same.
Do you think it’s lack of ambition or just be-
ing too comfortable?
I guess everybody’s comfortable with it, and
I ain’t knockin’ it. But I’ma tell the world a dif-
ferent story as far as the Bay Area. But I ain’t
mad. Everybody’s playing a part. Everybody’s
representing, and that’s what it is.
Have you officially changed your name to
The Boy Boy Mess or is that basically just an
alias of Messy Marv?
I officially changed my name to The Boy Boy
Young Mess ‘cause I officially changed as a per-
son, as a whole. I’m always gon’ be Messy Marv,
but it’s the new Mess. It’s the Mess that got up
out of that jail. It’s the Mess that moved out of
those conditions. It’s the Mess that outgrew a
lot of people in a lot of situations. It’s the Mess
that couldn’t get rich in the Bay Area and had
to move up out of that muthafucker to get his
pennies. The new Mess.

You also seem to change your phone number
every other day. It doesn’t seem like that’d be
good for business.
I got a 1-800 number that I keep steady for
business. That’s on 24 hours so I don’t ever
miss the networking and business call. But
when you’re dealing with a personal line,
you’ve got to keep the line clean and avoid
the bullshit. Somebody’s negative energy can
suck up all the positive energy out of you. I’ve
got muthafuckers calling asking for Sprint bill
money and telling me their bitch done ran off.
I don’t wanna hear none of that shit, man. My
business associates and my homies keep my
line. But everybody else, once they wanna suck
the positive energy out of a nigga with that
bullshit, I change my number.
You’ve been pretty open in the past about
your struggles with drug abuse. Have you
moved past that?
Yeah, I’ve been clean for two years now, no
drugs. I didn’t go to rehab. Rehab is for weak
people. I did mine based on discipline. I
smoked the fuck out of some weed, though,
and had a drink or two, but as far as the party
drugs, I don’t fuck around...
The rest of this interview is featured in Ozone
Magazine #84:

When you go out on tour, who else from the

Bay do you plan on performing with? What’s
your take on the current Bay Area move-
ment?
I feel like everybody’s representing. Every-
body’s got a part they play, whether it’s the
old Bay or the new Bay. I just feel like we’re at
a standstill because everybody feels like they
can’t leave the Bay Area. So everybody ends
up with the same production and the same
graphic designer doing their cover. That means
everybody looks and sounds the same. Then
you get everybody putting each other on
the album, so you’ve got the same features.
Everybody’s fuckin’ with the same jeweler. Nig-
gas are buying the same outfits from the same
clothing store. Nobody knows who is who. It’s
400 muthafuckin’ rappers and they all look and

OZONE MAG // 55
 DOM EDY
KENN andy Roper
Words by R anny Williams
Photo by D

56 // OZONE MAG
26-year-old Dominic Hunn
represents his LA neighbor-
hood—Leimert Park—whenever
he has the opportunity. Leimert
represents the burgeoning sub-
culture of Cali rap. Just as the
South Central neighborhood
boasts culture, middle class liv-
ing and aesthetic beauty, there’s
a rougher side if visitors take a
closer look. The rebirth of los
angeles rap features artists
from both sides of the tracks;
all obviously influenced by their
predecessors, but bold enough
to grab the baton and take the
music farther in either direction.
Enter Dom Kennedy: an intrigu-
ingly cocky, yet intuitive rhyme-
spitter with that easy flow
indigenous to California hip hop.
Dom has created quite a stir as a
new artist, most recently drop-
ping the critically acclaimed
mixtape, From the Westside with
Love. ozone had a conversation
with Mr. Leimert Park about the
changing face of LA rap, his place
in it, and the exact definition of
“choosing up.”
What’s your background? I heard your
dad raised you.
I was raised by my mom and my dad.
They lived in separate homes but I was
back and forth with both of them equally.
My mom is from Los Angeles and my
dad’s family is originally from St. Louis.
You rep hard for Leimert Park. What’s
it like?
Leimert Park is where I grew up. When
my parents got divorced, my mom
moved to Leimert and settled there. It’s
been my home off and on since 1992.
You know, living there, eating there,
going to the barbershop, everything. So
it’s home. You can live a lot of places but
your heart is always at home. That’s why
I always talk about it. When you read a
good book about somebody, it always
has a setting - somewhere where the
story takes place. That’s just where my
story takes place. That’s where I started
out getting my confidence, on the living
room floor in my apartment in Leimert
Park. So I’m just paying homage, I guess.
I heard it’s not a bad neighborhood, but
not exactly a “good” one either.
Exactly. It’s not the best place but it’s
definitely not the worst place. It’s mostly
lower middle to middle-class families,
single parent homes. There’s definitely
a lot of art there. A lot of movies were
filmed there. It just has a good vibe. It
supports culture. When I was a kid I saw
everything that was taking place and just
became a part of it.
Tell us about your journey from then up
until now?
I was just a regular kid. I went to school,
but I wasn’t the best student. I played
baseball; that was my first love. I rapped,
you know, but all my homies used to rap
at some point, just like most inner city
kids. Kids listen to songs and have fun,
but nobody says “I’m a rapper.” I was just
freestyling or whatever like everybody
else. After I got out of high school I did
the junior college thing for a minute, but
I always knew it wasn’t for me.
Around that time I had a cousin, Jason
Madison, who ended up producing a
lot of the stuff on my first mixtape, 25th
Hour. He was a DJ, so he had all this DJ
equipment his dad had bought him.
We used to go to his house and play
instrumentals to whatever records were
out at the time. We didn’t have laptops
back then so he would get records or CDs
or buy singles of songs that were on the
radio. Whatever song was tight, he had
it. Vinyl records used to always have the
instrumental. I would rap over the instru-
mental and record it from there. If you
messed up, you [ruined] your whole CD,
you know? That’s how it started. But we
weren’t tryin’ to come out with nothin’.
We were just having fun. It was important
to what I do now, but we didn’t know it
back then. After years went by, I was like,
“I’m not really a rapper.” I wasn’t getting
paid from it. I was a student.
Around 2005, the way I looked at the
world really started to change. Some-
thing inside of me kept urging me to
tell my story through Hip Hop. It was
the thing I loved the most, so that was
my outlet. That’s when I started getting
the idea in my head and thinking, “Well,
maybe I can do it.” So I started writing at
night, and I’d come up with rhymes and
they were getting better and better.
In 2007, I started working on my first
project, which would eventually become
OZONE MAG // 57
 25th Hour. I started up with my cousin. He’d
make the beats and we’d pay $25 an hour to
this guy in South Central, close to my house.
He had a little studio set up in his back house
and I would pay him $25 an hour to record and
$25 an hour to mix. It was a professional little
studio. That year taught me a lot about how to
manipulate your sound; understanding that
your vocals are like a [musical] instrument.
When you first start, you think you sound a lot
different than you actually do. There are ways
you can say more, just with your voice. You
can make yourself sound more convincing or
believable or blend in more with the song.
I was just having fun recording 25th Hour. My
friends weren’t thinking it would be anything
[that reached] outside our immediate circle. I
didn’t know about blogs. [My music] was on
blogs before I even understood what they
were. I just made it strictly to have fun, play it
for my friends, and perform at little parties we
had. But it turned into something bigger.
My cousin that produced “Watermelon Sun-
dae” was a film student at Loyola Marymount.
So the fact that we had access to good quality
videos early on was really important to me
and my movement. That remains a part of
everything I do. We were able to shoot the
“Watermelon Sundae” video and have it look
really nice. When everybody saw it, it took off.
You’re still an independent artist, but are you
looking for a major label deal?
I’ve been working, first and foremost, that’s
the thing that doesn’t stop. I’ve turned [major
label] deals down. There have been offers but
I’m happy where I’m at.
Are you planning on dropping something
with your doppelgänger Don Cannon?
Oh yeah, I always talk to Cannon and people
always ask me that. We haven’t really done
anything yet outside of being in the studio
together. We went through a lot of beats. We
talk a lot about music and what direction we
want to go. For my next project, I know he’ll be
on there in some capacity.
You’ve said you’re trying to work with even
better producers next go round. Besides Can-
non, have you succeeded in finding that?
Yeah, definitely. I think after From The West Side
With Love and the videos I did, there’s a mutual
respect, and that’s really all I’ve wanted. I’ve
had opportunities to work with different pro-
ducers, but a lot of times, I think people work
with producers ahead of schedule, you know?
You might not be on Dr. Dre’s level yet. It might
58 // OZONE MAG
not be the right time. I always wanted to grow
and use my resources with the producers I’ve
had access to. I want to take the time to find
myself and craft songs and find younger guys
like myself that have a lot of passion. Just like
I have passion in my work right now, there’s
a lot of young producers that probably have
more passion than [somebody like] Polow Da
Don, who’s a millionaire a couple times over.
So it’s really not about the name, it’s more
about: Are you really in this? Is your heart in
it? What are you trying to say? Can we do this?
Can we reach our goals together?
What’s the concept of “Choose Up”?
(laughs) “Choose Up” just means “pick.” Decide
what you’re trying to do. If you’re out at the
club and you see a girl that keeps looking
at you, y’all ain’t gon’ be there all night, you
know? Choose up. Hurry up. Do something.
There’s a new movement coming: you, TiRon,
Skeme, U-N-I, Fashawn - it seems like Cali-
fornia rap has evolved into a newer, younger
energy. What motivated this evolution?
Man, a lot of people have been trying to figure
that out. I think we’re getting a chance again
and people are open to it. It hasn’t reached a
peak yet but I think there are a lot of people
working really hard that have something valu-
able to add, you know? We have something
to say and we’re doing it a different way than
how it was done before. You can look at rap
music from all the different regions and see
the beginning. Now, it’s a new time. Rap music
moves through different regions because
there’s a new story to tell. People get enam-
ored not only with the music but how they
live, what they say, the whole culture. I feel like
the spotlight on L.A. right now is different from
what it was on before.
How much of a hand do you have in the cre-
ative process when building a project?
A hundred thousand percent. Everything.
When I come up with a project, like From The
Westside, I conceptualize everything. I knew
how I wanted the artwork to be, how I want it
to sound, how many songs are gonna be there.
I think the fact that I have so much control and
freedom is what separates the new genera-
tion of artists from the record labels. They’re
so impersonal. If you have all this control and
freedom, you can say what you wanna say,
to exactly who you wanna say it to. You don’t
have to fight with somebody and explain
something to them--people who don’t get
it anyway--that have millions of other things
they really care about. Nobody’s gonna tell me
how my project is gonna be besides myself. //
OZONE MAG // 59
 BOBBY
KINS
BRAC lia Beverly
Words by Ju-Ray
Photo by D

60 // OZONE MAG
Born and raised in East Oakland,
21-year-old Bobby Brackins em-
barked on his music career at a
young age as part of the group
Go Dav. The years of work he put in
finally started to pay off when he
went solo. today, with his hit single
“143” featuring Ray J climbing the
charts and helping to land a him a
deal with Young Tycoon/Universal
Republic, he’s .
How many years have you been doing the
music thing?
I’ve been making music for the past six years.
When I got out of high school I was with a
group called Go Dav. We had a really big re-
cord called “Ride Or Die Chick” that was play-
ing on the radio; it was just a really big street
record that buzzed all over the country. I was
in a group for a while and then I got out of the
group and started working on a solo project
and linked up with T-Pain’s management. I’ve
really been working on my solo stuff for about
four and a half years now.
How did you link up with T-Pain’s manage-
ment?
I put out a record called “Skinny Jeans,” which
was a big street record. It was really big on
YouTube and Myspace and getting millions of
hits. A bunch of people were hollering at us,
but we felt like T-Pain’s management would
be the best situation because he had “Buy You
A Drink” out at the time and it was a really big
record. So we thought it would be a good fit
to try to get something happening. [The busi-
ness didn’t really work out] but I just talked
to him the other day. We’re still cool, no hard
feelings. He was busy with [T-Pain’s] project
and couldn’t really focus on me. It was a learn-
ing experience, you know? You’re not going
to win with every situation. It’s all good. I was
young just trying to figure out the game. Basi-
cally, I learned that you’ve gotta be a priority
wherever you sign, you know?
What made you decide to move to Los
Angeles?
I moved to L.A. like two and a half years ago
because my producer was out here going to
school. I was working with different producers
in the Bay, but I felt like my producer, Nic Nac,
just had the best music for me. I moved out
here to L.A. and ended up signing to [Young]
Rell’s label. That was about a year ago and
we’ve been working on my solo project ever
since. I’ve been flying back and forth between
L.A. and the Bay just networking and making
music.
The L.A. scene hasn’t always been real recep-
tive to Bay Area artists. Has that been an
issue for you?
No, not at all, honestly. I guess some people’s
personalities just don’t mesh well together. I
have the type of personality where I can basi-
cally get along with anybody. I just got off the
phone with [L.A. rapper] Nipsey Hussle a few
minutes ago. He’s putting a verse on the “143”
song so we can do an L.A. remix. And I just
talked to [ ], he sings the hook to YG’s “Toot
It and Boot It.” Me and him just made a really
crazy record for my album. So, some people’s
personalities might not mesh but I’m not
really with all that drama, you know. If you’re
cool people, you’re cool people and it doesn’t
really matter where you’re from.
How did the collaboration with Ray J come
about for your current hit record, “143”?
We were basically just working on my album.
I had a different record in mind for Ray J but
when I wrote “143” I thought he might fit
better on that one. I really felt like it could be
a big universal smash record. I played it for my
managers and the label and everybody liked
it, so I eventually convinced everybody that it
was going to be the single we wanted to run
with. We had Ray come to the studio and he
blessed it, he did his thing on it. He went hard
on the record so it sounds super crazy.
A lot of people who hear the record think
it’s Ray J’s new single. How do you plan to
establish yourself as an artist and make sure
they know who you are?
Well, Ray J’s cool people and he sings on the
record, of course. But whenever I perform
the record I know when I can just pause and
let the DJ drop the beat and the girls know
all the lyrics to my verses. So I’m just gonna
keep doing shows and interviews and let
everybody know that I’m the voice behind the
verses on the record.
Do you have a second single picked out?
Yeah, it’s called “She’s Ready.” It’s crazy; it’s
gonna be another really, really big radio
record. We’re gonna do a video for it and keep
pushing my whole solo career. I wrote the
whole “143” record and this record as well. I’m
really trying to get in touch with the ladies
because ladies are my primary fans. Whenever
I go to the shows, it’s always the ladies who
are screaming my lyrics. So I’m just gonna
keep making great songs that both the ladies
and the fellas can enjoy. “143” is still climbing
up the charts. It’s climbing up the rhythmic
radio charts and it’s on the Billboard Hot 100,
so we’re gonna just keep letting “143” grow.
OZONE MAG // 61
 It probably won’t peak for another couple
months but we’re gonna just throw my next
single out there.
Is your album finished?
I’m still working on it, but it’s gonna be crazy.
It’s gonna be an album full of hits. There’s just a
couple more songs I need to get features on. It
features a whole bunch of new and upcoming
talent; the people who are gonna really be on
top for the next few years. My point of view is
that I wanna work with artists who really want
to leave a legacy and leave their mark. I’m
not gonna have anybody on the album who
doesn’t deserve to be on there.
As far as production, are you producing as
well or mostly working with Nic Nac?
I’m writing everything as far as the hooks and
verses, and my producer Nic Nac, who used
to be in the group with me and produced
“143,” produced most of the album. I was in
the studio with Polow da Don a couple weeks
ago and he said he wanted to do a record on
the album, so if that happens, that’d be a real
blessing. The album is gonna be a problem.
There might be a couple outside beats on
there but primarily it’s gonna be me and Nic
Nac doing the majority of the work.
Being from Oakland, how do you feel about
the verdict that came down yesterday in the
Oscar Grant trial?
I feel like it’s crazy. It’s a real injustice. I don’t
understand how you can be on video camera
with your back to somebody in handcuffs
and get killed and [the killer] gets away with
involuntary manslaughter. It makes no sense
to me and it just shows how corrupt the justice
system can be. Oakland has been through a
lot of hardships. I’m only 21 years old and a
lot of my friends out there have [been killed].
You know the system is corrupt but you’ve
just gotta try to be as positive and hopeful as
possible. Hopefully, if more people around the
world hear about the situation, the govern-
ment and police officers will open their eyes
and realize that they can’t get away with doing
crimes like that.
in their twenties and in their teens who are
really just ready to take their talent to the next
level. There’s a lot of kids in L.A. who are work-
ing hard to take their talent to the next level
and I think within the next five years there will
hopefully be more unity on the West Coast.
Do you have a label deal yet or are you
planning on putting this out independently
through Rell’s label, Tycoon Status Ent.?
We signed [a major deal] with Universal Re-
public a few months ago. They started playing
my record in the bay on 94.9 and basically it’s
been moving ever since. They were the first
people to play it on the air and since then it’s
been going crazy. There were offers from a
whole bunch of different labels but Universal
Republic offered me the best situation. It’s a
good home, a good situation, and I feel very
optimistic about the future.
Is there anything else you want to say?
Just look out for the next single “She Ready,”
and you know, “143” is still climbing up the
charts. Call your local radio station and request
it as much as possible, go support it on iTunes,
and when I’m in your city come out to a show
and show me some love. When the album
drops, get the album. I just want everybody to
support as much as possible because the fans
are keeping us alive right now. //
This interview is also featured in OZONE West
Issue #85, and Bobby Brackins appears on the
cover:

We hear a lot of people talking about this

New West movement. Do you feel like you’re
a part of that?
Definitely. Last week, me, Nipsey Hussle, Ray J,
and Warren G did a show together. Warren G
is a real OG. When Nipsey went on stage and
when me and Ray did the “143” song I felt like
people started to recognize the new talent.
We’re ready to step our foot in the door. The
West Coast has a whole bunch of talented kids

62 // OZONE MAG
OZONE MAG // 63
 FORMER GANGBANGERS (L-R)
CHINO, LEFTY, AND TE MONEY HOPE
THEIR UNIFIED FRONT WILL HELP
THEM SPREAD A POSITIVE MESSAGE
THROUGH THEIR MUSIC
64 // OZONE MAG
THE
GANG
Words by Ju
lia Beverly

OZONE MAG // 65
 Tell us about The Gang.
Te Money: Chino is the Southsider of the group,
Lefty is the Blood, and I’m the Crip. My cousin
Turtle handles most of the business, along
with myself.
So you’re a rapper/businessman?
Te Money: I just became a rapper. I decided to
become a rapper after Dolla died. Dolla was
my artist and my business partner. Everybody
said I should keep the whole thing going and
keep our dream alive, so that’s what I did. I’m
definitely carrying on his memory. Me and my
cousin sat down and put it together. Akon is
still involved, but as far as the legwork, me and
my cousin Turtle are doing that.
“i got homies
that died gang-
bangin’. rappers
wanna live that
life, but they’re
not where i’m at.
you’re on tv get-
tin’ money off
this lifestyle
and you ain’t
never lived that
life. i’m against
that.” - lefty
How would you define The Gang? Is it a
record label, a group, a clique, or all of the
above?
Te Money: It’s a company and a group. It’s a
movement. It’s not a negative movement
though. A gang is only negative when you do
negative things. Supposedly, Crips and Bloods
don’t get along in L.A. Supposedly, blacks and
browns don’t get along in L.A. We tend to stay
at war with the Mexicans, and the Bloods and
the Crips get into it. With us being together in
a group, we’re trying to show everybody that it
can be a positive thing.
So you’re hoping to dispel some of the L.A.
stereotypes?
Te Money: Yeah, and we ain’t in khakis and stuff
66 // OZONE MAG
like that – we get real fly. We’re not doing it like
The Game and Snoop with red and blue rags,
khakis, and Chucks. We’re on some fly shit.
There’s some fly niggas in L.A.
Lefty: And they’re not real gangbangers, either.
Te Money: Yeah, that’s what people don’t
understand. A person that’s really lived that
lifestyle, and been through the shootouts and
stuff, is tryin’ to get away from it.
Since they’re not real gangbangers, are you
offended by rappers like Snoop representing
the lifestyle?
Lefty: It’s not even about Snoop, it’s about the
other rappers that are doin’ it. I got homies
that died [while gangbangin’] and I take that
personally. There are things we went through
in the streets. Te Money is a Crip, and I’m from
Piru. Chino’s a Mexican. I can talk to them.
With my enemies, I can’t talk to them, because
I lost my homies to that. [Rappers] are gettin’
money and wanna live that life, but they’re not
where I’m at. I really live in my hood. I really
got homies that are going to jail every day.
And then you’re on TV gettin’ money off this
[lifestyle] and you ain’t never lived that life. I’m
against that. And you take it to the extreme
– my homies are gettin’ 10 years added onto
their charges for gang enhancement, while
you’re on TV representing these things and
nothing happens to you. That ain’t cool.
Are there any artists you feel are accurately
representing the gang lifestyle?
Te Money: I really can’t say what other people
are doin’. I just know that all of us here have
been in the trenches before, and this is a way
out for us. Akon helped me get out of my situ-
ation, so I just reached back out to try to help
somebody else out of their situation. Hopefully
when they become successful they’ll help
somebody get out of their situation. Like he
was saying, a lot of cats talkin’ about it haven’t
really lived it. None of them have been to jail,
but when they got money, they get security
to protect ‘em so they can start living the life.
This is real. This isn’t a put-together group, like
a fake image.
Since it’s not “normal” for Bloods and Crips
and blacks and Mexicans to coexist peace-
fully, how did you three come together?
Lefty: My mom’s older brothers are Crips. I
grew up in their neighborhood. My dad is from
Piru [Bloods] so that’s how I came from that
side. I always had homies that were Crips, but
in Compton I never had Crip homies. That’s
where the action is, that’s where my neigh-
borhood. I’m not finna drive from Compton
to L.A. just to beef with another Crip. So I
never had action with them niggas. Plus, I
got more sense and I’m over that.

Te Money: Me and Dolla and Akon were doing

a reality TV show that was going to consist of
a Blood, a Crip, and a Mexican. It was called
The Gang too. This was before I involved
myself in the rap group. So I actually went to
different hoods to find talent, which is where
I met Chino. I went to the neighborhood
and held auditions at this school. Like 20
Southsiders came, that’s the Mexicans. 30 or
40 Bloods came, 30 or 40 Crips came – at dif-
ferent times. (laughs) Out of all the Mexicans,
there were a lot of them that could rap, but
Chino just stood out. I actually had picked
another Blood [for the group] but he backed
out, so I went around asking people who was
the hottest Blood in the streets. They pointed
me towards Lefty.

Chino: I had like seven homies that told me,

“There’s an audition, we got talent, so let’s
put it to use. Let’s go check it out, we don’t
have anything to lose.” I was blessed enough
to make it to this point.

So the message of the group is that Bloods,

Crips, Blacks, Mexicans, everybody should
come together?

Te Money: We can’t speak for everybody

else, but we’re trying to show people that
it can be done. L.A. has a lot of influence on
other places – St. Louis, Little Rock, Arkansas,
Minnesota – there are niggas gangbangin’
in other hoods that ain’t never been to L.A.
People think it’s just Crips and Bloods and
Mexicans, but there are 275 different Crip
gangs. There’s a lot of Crip-on-Crip beef also.
If people from other states come here and
see that we can get along, maybe they can
get along too.

How would you respond to critics saying

that by creating a rap group out of this,
you’re glorifying the gang lifestyle?

Te Money: We’re not glorifying it, and we’re

not doing anything negative. The police
are a gang; they beat the shit outta Rodney
King. [The police] do good things and bad
things. You’ve got gang members that do
good things and gang members that do bad
things. There’s a thing out here [in L.A.] that

OZONE MAG // 67
 Jim Brown started called “I Can,” where 50 dif-
ferent gang members from different hoods
go around and talk to the kids at juvenile hall.

What are some of the positive things The

Gang is doing?

Te Money: First off, just the fact that we’re to-

gether and getting along is a positive thing.
It starts here. We’ve got a lot of plans. Before
we started the group, I had a non-profit
organization where we went to the juvenile
hall and spoke to the kids and performed for
them. This is something I had been sitting
on for years, but I was so focused on Dolla.
After he died [after being shot at the Beverly
Center], I was in a slump. Turtle and Akon and
everybody pulled me to the side like, “Yo, you
just gotta keep moving forward and we’ll
help you.” They stepped in 100%.

What was the focus of your non-profit

organization?

Te Money: Just telling them to stay positive. I

honestly feel like your hood makes you who
you are. Not everybody is fortunate enough
to be from Beverly Hills. I know professional
basketball players that grew up around
gangbangin’, and that’s just their friends so
they still hang around ‘em. That ain’t wrong.
Your friends are your friends.

Have you gotten any flak from your respec-

tive gangs, like, “Why are you affiliated with
these guys”? Or have they been mostly
supportive?

Chino: I think every individual is just every

individual. You just gotta do you. I like to
observe people. I’m tryin’ to do something
different than what I’ve been doing. I’m not
saying I’m tryin’ to change everything, I am
who I am, but I want to see a different side
[of life]. I’ve been fortunate and blessed. Te
Money and Turtle bailed me out of jail. I think
this is a serious opportunity, as far as what
we’re tryin’ to do with the music. If we weren’t
doing this, I might get caught slippin’ by the
cops and get locked up. I think we can make
this a bigger movement and do something
positive for our people. All my relatives and
homies are in [prison], but they’ve been sup-
portive. You just can’t forget where you came
from. I’m still in the same position. I’m not
out of the hood, but I’m tryin’ to show them
another way we can all get fed.

Lefty: As far as my movement, I’ve got broth-

ers and sisters and a son. I don’t want my son

68 // OZONE MAG
to go through nothin’ I did. If I can make a bet-
ter situation for him, that’s what I’ma do – even
if it means reaching out to someone else’s
kids by tellin’ them the right way to go. Shit
really isn’t going to change unless you step in
and touch someone else. It’s a domino effect.
Practice makes perfect, so how are you gonna
get something done if you don’t work at it, or
if you never even tried it to see if it works? This
shit was never supposed to happen. Where
I’m from, they can’t even speak to us. I never
had someone tell me to hate the Mexicans or
hate the Crips, it was just the gang lifestyle.
A lot of the muthafuckers I got into it with, I
never even know who they were. I just know
you’re from that hood, and my hood is beefin’
with you. That’s like brainwashing. I never
knew Te Money or Chino, but now we’re close.
I coulda seen him before with my homies
and been like, “Aw, fuck them niggas,” just
because they’re Crips. Now we’re beefin’ when
I never even met you. But now we live in the
same fuckin’ house. It starts with us. If we can
get along, other people can too. People are
teachin’ their kids to [gangbang] because they
see it on TV and think it’s cool. But when you
see your homies lose their life behind some
bullshit, that’ll change you. I kept tellin’ my
brothers to sit back and everything is gonna
be alright – now they’re in jail lookin’ at ten
years. I want to put myself in a better situation.
Chino: That’s what it is. Everybody’s get-
tin’ washed up. When you’re in jail you hear
“A LOT OF THE
MUTHAFUCKERS I
GOT INTO IT WITH, I
NEVER EVEN KNEW
WHO THEY WERE. I
JUST KNOW YOU’RE
FROM THAT HOOD,
AND MY HOOD
IS BEEFIN’ WITH
YOU. THAT’S LIKE
BRAINWASHING... IT
STARTS WITH US. IF
WE CAN GET ALONG,
OTHER [GANG MEM-
BERS] CAN TOO.” -
LEFTY
everybody’s stories and charges, and there’s
homies that ain’t never gonna get out. I ap-
preciate that they’re lookin’ out and tryin’ to
tell us something different. Nobody’s ever
really taken the time to show me something
else. I appreciate everything more now – every
breath of air, every meal I eat – it means some-
thing, because there’s homies that are never
getting out.
Lefty: They’re givin’ ten years [extra] for gang-
bangin’. If you’ve got an opportunity [to get
out] and don’t, that’s like giving yourself away.
Te Money: If you catch a case and you’re a
gangbanger, they enhance it and add more
ten more years [to your sentence].
Lefty: I’m not glorifying that. I’m still in the
neighborhood and I’ve still got homies losing
their lives. I don’t appreciate seeing mutha-
fuckers on TV glorifying the lifestyle when me
and muthafuckers I love are still out here living
this life. You’re just on TV doin’ it, sayin’ you’re
from some Piru or Crip gang. If you say you’re a
Piru or a Crip, come to the hood. I got a green
pass for any hood you wanna go in out here.
Come really see this shit, cause it’s fucked up. If
you’re on TV glorifying this shit, I don’t appreci-
ate it and I don’t respect it, period.
Let’s talk about the music. Are you releasing
an album or a mixtape?
Te Money: We’re workin’ on both. We’re halfway
finished with the album, but like every other
artist, we just keep recording. We’ve got a
lot of content, though. We’re not just talking
about red and blue rags or Crips and Bloods.
We’re pretty much on some Tupac shit with the
content. We talk about the struggle and all the
things we’ve been through. It’s N.W.A all over
again, when they came out with reality rap.
Some songs represent where we’re from, but
we’re not promoting gangbangin’ at all.
Do you have some lighter records for the
radio or the clubs?
Te Money: Yeah, it’s definitely mainstream, just
street.
Lefty: This is who we are. We’re all from differ-
ent neighborhoods so we all have a different
story, and we put it all together. It’s main-
stream in a way, but we wanna send a mes-
sage at the same time. We don’t want people
to get the wrong message just because we’re
from gangs. We’re not promoting that at all.
Chino: It’s more like a soundtrack to our indi-
vidual lives. It’s reality and this is how we live.
OZONE MAG // 69
 You mentioned your situation with Akon. Are
you signed to Konvict Music?
Te Money: We’re doing the same thing we did
with Dolla; it’s a joint venture with Konvict
Music. We’re also still working on the reality
TV show. It’s bigger than just music. The music
really comes last; it comes easily to us. It’s more
about us getting along and reaching out to
help somebody else.
What’s the focus of the reality show?
Te Money: Just tryin’ to get out of the hood.
A few weeks ago I told Lefty to come to the
“my grandpa’s
been to the joint
So you’re broadening your horizons. Do you
see the gang situation in L.A. getting better
or worse?
Te Money: For me, since I grew up, I’d say it’s
definitely calmed down. Especially since the
Rodney King [riots], L.A. has calmed down and
is getting along more. It’s more Crip on Crip
beef than anything, and the blacks and browns
don’t get along period. It’s kinda out of our
control. I didn’t start the gang, I just grew up
here and got involved in it. Somebody’s gotta
go talk to the muthafucker that started all this
bullshit.
Lefty mentioned that he didn’t want his son
to join a gang. If you had it your way, twenty
years from now, would you have gangs elimi-
nated period?

and probably his Te Money: Nah, not really, because sometimes

grandpa too. ev- gangs are family. Some people get involved
with gangs because they don’t have a family;
ery kid looks for sometimes that’s all you have.
that fatherly Lefty: They got love for you and you feel com-
attention or fortable around all your homies.
role models. Chino: Not every gang is [violent] either. A
you’re just a kid lot of gangs started out as clubs and just got
and don’t know labeled as “gangs.” There are a lot of clubs just
fighting for rights and fighting for our people,
what direction and that’s what we’re here today to do.

to go, so you How do you think you can keep the family
want someone to and community aspect of the gangs but take
the violence out of it?
look up to. they
teach you that Te Money: Everybody’s an individual. You can’t
stop somebody from what they wanna do,
shit and you pick you can only tell ‘em. I got homies that went
it up. it passes to school and were on the honor roll and went
on to play [professional] basketball and still
down to every come back to this neighborhood. Then I’ve
generation.” - got homies that shoulda played [professional]
basketball but instead they were like, “I need
chino this gun, this dope, this money right now.”

If you had grown up in the suburbs, where do

Beverly Center. He lives like twenty minutes
away from there and had never been there
before, even though he’s lived [in Los Angeles]
his whole life. L.A. is separated by gangs, and
when you grow up here, you feel like, “This is
my hood, so what do I need to go over there
for? Matter of fact, we beefin’ with them over
there so I’ma stay right here and protect my
hood.”
you think you would have ended up?
Te Money: Lefty would probably still be gang-
bangin’. Some people are just fascinated by it.
It depends on the individual. Sometimes you
can be born into it if your mom and dad are
into it. But I know some people that grew up in
the suburbs and just started comin’ over to our
neighborhood.

Lefty: Yeah, I just stay in my comfort zone. Lefty: Some people are fascinated by the

70 // OZONE MAG
lifestyle and think it’s cool. A lot of people start
off in it when they’re young, and after they’ve
been through so much, they’re like, “Fuck this
shit, I wanna get out of here.” I’m 21 and I’ve
been doing this since I was 12. After so long,
you really just wanna get out of this shit. You
see there’s no way out. You gotta shake that
shit off and realize [life] is bigger than gang-
bangin’ in the neighborhood. You gotta look at
the bigger picture.

Chino: A lot of times, it’s family-inherited. My

grandpa’s been to the joint and probably his
grandpa too. Every kid looks for that fatherly
attention or role models. You’re just a kid and
don’t know what direction to go, so you want
someone to look up to. We’re livin’ in the hood
so a lot of times your parents are busy workin’,
tryin’ to get us out of the hood. You end up
playin’ ball with the dudes on the block and
they stay hustling. They teach you that shit
and you pick it up. It passes down to every
generation.

Is there anything else you want to add?

Lefty: My message is that you can do the right

thing in any situation if you try. I was at my
lowest point in my life, and I coulda ended up
in prison. I tried to put my effort into some-
thing positive and I got into a better situation
overnight. If you try, shit could be different.
Don’t never give up and always keep your
head up.

Chino: I want to stress the point that you’ve

gotta be thankful for what you’ve got. When
you ain’t got it, it makes a big difference. A lot
of times we take stuff for granted and end up
in a predicament and forget what we’re really
tryin’ to do. I just want to help my people and
take care of my family and do something posi-
tive so I can show the next man a way out. I’m
just gonna try to remain humble and do this to
the fullest.

Te Money: We’re just tryin’ to promote positiv-

ity, not just in L.A., but state to state. To all the
gangbangers across the world: we’re getting
along, and you guys should do the same. Put
all your positive energy into yourself and your
family.

Where can people find out more information

about your music and your movement?

Te Money: Our website is www.TheGangEnt.

com. There’s links up there to Twitter and
Myspace, and we’ve got our music, photos,
and interviews up there. //

OZONE MAG // 71
 AFTER AN APPEALS COURT OVERTURNED
HIS LIFE SENTENCE, INFAMOUS DRUG
KINGPIN 'FREEWAY' RICKY ROSS HOPES TO
REDEEM HIMSELF BY TEACHING THE YOUTH
THE HARD LESSONS HE'S LEARNED AND
SHOWING THEM A BETTER PATH.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with “Freeway”
Ricky Ross, what’s your claim to fame?
I’m from L.A. I’m known as a drug dealer. I be-
came one of the biggest drug dealers in South
Central. I was the guy that most of the guys
who got big got their first drugs from. I was
the one they modeled themselves after; guys
like Harry O, Bo Bennett, Young Tommy, Pat,
the list goes on and on. A lot of [well-known
drug dealers] basically modeled their drug
dealing pattern after me or copied my format.
Some of them got bigger than I was. (laughs)
When you see what the drug game has
evolved into today, do you approve or disap-
prove?
I mean, I can’t knock anyone for what they
do, because I did so much wrong myself. It’d
be like Satan throwing rocks at somebody for
doing something wrong; he can’t do that. So I
can’t knock the game. It has evolved into what
it was supposed to come to. But I do feel that
my job now is to try to figure out other things
for these young guys to do now. I’m trying to
show them that there’s a different route and a
different path, and I believe I can do that.
A lot of people say the street game isn’t
what it used to be. They say there’s no honor
amongst thieves anymore.
There really never was. It was just that fake
make-believe stuff. This was the way it was
supposed to go. Really, when you look back
at the game, the guys who were at the top
always played like that.
So that’s a myth? Because I hear that often.
Yeah, that’s a myth. I totally agree that that’s a
myth. Everybody that got busted, somebody
told on them. From the beginning, somebody
had to be a snitch. The Feds have been using
snitches since the beginning of time. It’s
always been there and it’ll always be there. If
you’re in the game and you don’t think your
best friend is gonna tell on you, you’re crazy.
When I look back, the same guys that helped
me get into this game are the same guys that
told on me. The same guys that’ll tell you,
“Don’t snitch!” will turn around and snitch on
you. It’s a dirty business. The drug business
is dirty. And a lot of [new drug dealers] don’t
know that. When they go into the drug busi-
ness, they don’t know the ins and outs. They
72 // OZONE MAG
go into it with a one-track mind. They only
know one aspect of the game. Me, myself, I
went into the game like that. I went in blind-
sided. I only saw the fame and the fortune; I
didn’t see the whole thing. Nobody explained
it to me.
Did you feel like dealing drugs was your only
career option?
When I was young I was dumb. I was illiterate.
I couldn’t read. I had never read a book and
never written anything, so the only thing I
knew was what I saw in my general area. When
I go and talk to the kids - especially in juvenile
hall - I explain that when I was coming up, my
options were robbery, pimpin’, selling dope,
stealing cars, and burglary. Those were the
things I thought I had to pick from. I never
thought about opening a magazine. I never
thought about owning a record company. My
options were so limited, and that was because
of my [limited] knowledge.
Previously, we published a letter to our read-
ers that you wrote while you were incarcer-
ated. It sounded like you were renouncing
what you’d done before and were trying to
correct the wrongs.
Absolutely. What I did was wrong, and not only
was it wrong, but I feel like it was a total waste
of my talents. I’m very talented. My personal
opinion is that there’s no man living on this
planet that is as smart as I am.
Did that realization come to you over the
years, or was it one moment that made you
regret the path you’d taken?
It started to come in time, after I started to
read books. It first started in the courtroom,
when I found myself debating the law with
these Harvard and Yale graduates.
You defended yourself? Why?
My lawyer told me, “Anytime somebody else
wants you home more than you want yourself
home, you’re in trouble.” I took that to heart. I
took that to mean, “You should learn the law
for yourself.”
So you made the decision to defend yourself,
and it wasn’t just from a financial stand-
point?
From a legal standpoint. So now you take a
guy who believed he was dumb and illiterate
and could never read or write, and you put
him in a courtroom and the judge and the
lawyers are taking what he says seriously. They
disagreed with what I was saying, but when
we went to the appeals court, I proved them
all wrong. That’s a confidence booster.
"FREEWAY"
RICKY
ROSS
Words by Julia
Beverly
Photo by D-Ray

OZONE MAG // 73
 How did you learn how to read?
One A-B-C at a time. My cellmate convinced
me that I could read. When I got my indict-
ment, I wanted to know what was on my in-
dictment. I never told my lawyer that I couldn’t
read until after I learned to read. He gave me
three pieces of paper and said, “Here’s your
indictment. Read it and it explains everything
you need to know about your case.” That was
the first piece of paper I ever read – my indict-
ment.
Why were you illiterate? Would you say the
school system failed you?
That was part of it. The school system was part
of it and my mom was part of it. You know
what they say, it takes a community to raise a
child. And I failed myself. It was my respon-
sibility to get what I needed and make sure
that I could read and function. I didn’t find it
important in the trades that I was looking at:
robbery, burglary, stealing cars, pimpin’ – why
do you need to know how to read?
Getting a “regular” job was never an option?
I didn’t see myself doing that. I didn’t know
anybody that had a regular job. I grew up on
Figueroa, which was the hoe stroll. My friends
didn’t “work.”
And you didn’t think that those career paths
– robbery, burglary, stealing cars, or pimpin’
– would have a negative outcome?
Nah, that was a part of my neighborhood.
A kid can become his environment. If you’re
around crime, at first you might shy away from
it, but if you stay around it long enough, pretty
soon you’re accustomed to it. That’s why drugs
are so accepted in our neighborhoods. The
reason it’s so hard for a drug dealer to quit is
because his neighborhood doesn’t despise
him. It’s attractive. People look up to you when
you’re a drug dealer.
You’re rewarded for it.
Right. You get to go to VIP. You get all the girls.
Everything a person wants can come from sell-
ing drugs, so why wouldn’t people sell drugs?
What’s the deterrent?
I would think a potential life sentence would
be a deterrent.
Well, they don’t know about the jail time. Most
of them don’t know about the Feds until it’s
too late. These kids don’t know anything about
the Feds and the mandatory minimums.
Do you think the mandatory minimums are
an effective deterrent?
Absolutely not. Totally a waste of time. I’m
74 // OZONE MAG
working on reforming the laws. I’ve teamed
up with the NAACP and we’re gonna start a
program to reform the mandatory minimum
sentences, not only in the Feds but in the state
[judicial] systems as well.
You don’t think that lowering the mandatory
minimum sentences would encourage more
people to get into the drug business?
Well, [the mandatory minimums] haven’t
stopped drug dealing, we know that. We
know drugs are more plentiful on our streets.
We have more people in prison. So it hasn’t
worked for the past 40 years.
How would lowering the sentences help?
We’re not saying right off the bat that it will
help, but we’re saying it won’t hurt. Because
it isn’t working. Throwing people in prison
and throwing away the key absolutely doesn’t
work. I believe we have to come up with
programs that really work. We have to start
addressing the issues that are at the root, and
that’s lack of knowledge and lack of opportuni-
ties. These laws have nothing to do with that. I
believe we should go with an ounce of preven-
tion instead of a pound of cure. That’s what our
government is doing now – throwing pounds
and pounds of cures on a problem that for 45
or 50 years has been a waste of money. The
drug problem is worse than it’s ever been.
Murder rates are up. Snitchin’ is up.
Do you think the government has been go-
ing to war against the wrong people? Should
they be targeting the user and focusing more
on prevention instead of locking up the
dealers?
[The government] should focus on the user
and try to prevent people from using. Lock-
ing [dealers] up is just not the key. This is
not a criminal offense. It’s a victimless crime,
because nobody is gonna come in and testify
and say, “He stuck a gun in my face and robbed
me.” There’s never gonna be a victim in these
[drug] cases, so they’re gonna have somebody
who’s in trouble already and decided to snitch
come in and testify and say he saw you do
something to somebody that’s never gonna
come to court. Then he’s gonna get off so he
can go out and sell drugs again, so it’s just a
perpetuation of the problem. Incarceration
is definitely not the answer. We’re spending
billions and billions of dollars every year on
incarcerating [convicted drug dealers]. Just
to take me to court cost [the taxpayers] $3
million dollars. Just to take me to court! Then
they kept me in prison at $40,000 a year for 20
years. And when you take a drug dealer off the
streets, how many other drug dealers come in
and take his place? We should be putting all
that money into education and prevention.
Sounds like the prison system is quite
profitable for the private companies that run
them.
Absolutely. That’s why they only allow the
prosecutors, judges, and police officers to
invest in them. Everyday citizens can’t invest
in the prison industry. All of the prisons in the
United States are private. If you’re a govern-
ment worker, you can invest. It’s definitely a
profitable business.
In a perfect world, if you were in charge of
the government’s War on Drugs, what would
you do?
I’d start educational programs in the schools.
There are basic principles I’ve learned. Any-
body in any position can make money if they
know these principles. And that’s what I’m
doing now – I go all over the country and talk
to kids and teach them these principles. For
example, 10% of everything you earn is yours
to keep. You must save 10% of your money,
and that’s the money you’re going to get rich
off of. Invest it wisely.
You’re working on an autobiographical
movie, right?
Yeah, I just signed my movie deal. I’m produc-
ing it, writing it, directing it, everything. We’re
thinking it may take two or three different
movies to tell the whole story. There’s a lot
that went on in my life. There’s the reporter,
Gary Webb, who broke my story in 1995 and
then [supposedly] killed himself. There’s the
Nicaraguan connection, which involved Oliver
North and President Bush and Ronald Reagan.
They were all tied into my case. I got my
drugs from the Nicaraguans. Then there was
the Freeway Task Force, a bunch of cops put
together to bring me down. After they started
seeing all the money I was making in the drug
game, they couldn’t resist. They went from
being cops to being robbers and dope dealers
themselves.
head with a shotgun.
Two shots to the head and they ruled it a
suicide?
I was in jail [when he died] so the only thing
I know is that I didn’t do it. I can guarantee
you that, because I was in Texarkana. They just
did an article about me and Gary Webb and
everything in the Pasadena Weekly.
How would you explain the alleged CIA/crack
cocaine connection to the younger genera-
tion? We’ve always heard that the govern-
ment put crack and guns in the hood. How
accurate are those statements?
We found out for an absolute fact that my guy,
who I got my drugs from, was a Contra. The
Contras were backed by the CIA. The CIA knew
that they were selling drugs and turned a blind
eye. Not only that, but the CIA went to the
Attorney General and asked her to change the
law. There was a law that said that they must
report drug dealing if they knew about it, and
they had that law changed so that they didn’t
have to report it. Those are facts that the CIA
has admitted.
What other projects are you working on?
I’m doing my record label now. I’m looking for
artists right now and I’ve got a group I’m put-
ting together. I’m finna lock down Hollywood.
I felt like the movie was the most important
part. I wrote a book...
The rest of this interview is featured in Ozone
Magazine Issue #85:

Who’s going to play the role of “Freeway”

Ricky Ross?
I’ve been talking to Columbus Short pretty
seriously. He’s come on harder than anybody
else. I spoke to a lot of people about it, though.
Nelly, Tyrese, Scarface, Don Cheadle, Larenz
Tate, Denzel Washington. Snoop Dogg asked
for the role. Mark Wahlberg, Brad Pitt, and
Leonardo DiCapro are interested in playing
Gary Webb, the reporter. Gary has a pretty
substantial story too. He was a prize-winning
writer who came up dead. Two shots to the

OZONE MAG // 75
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