Howd you get into the music business?
I came into the music game through Tupac. I was really close to his family. Pac would take me with him and we would just grind together. I didnt really take it seriously, like how I do now; it was just my homeboys in the crew. From 95 to 96 [I] started dealing with Suave House8Ball & MJG, Tela, Crime Boss and all them.
Who did Boyz N Da Hood originally consist of?
I wanted an underground groupa real rap group. When I first came with Boyz N Da Hood, it was T.I., Sean Paul from Youngbloodz, Trick Daddy and Jody [Breeze]. This was in 2002. We made like nine records together, but T.I. went to jail, Trick Daddy had issues with his label Slip-N-Slide, and this was when Arista went over to Jive, and Sean Paul was in that mix with the Youngbloodz. So I had to come back down to the South and I had to make some cats. Jeezy was doing his thing in the hood. Ive known Jeezy since he was like 11, 12 years old, so I knew he was official. I knew Duke from the hood through Suave House, through Noontime. Big Gee was signed to me through Block Entertainment and then Jody was signed to me through Sho Nuff. I put these cats together and everybody really repped what they were for.
Now that Jeezy has left, whats going to happen to the group?
When I first started Boyz N Da Hood, it was about the movement of taking cats without deals, and bringing them deals. Jeezy, he double platinum right now. Jeezy hot now so he coming and bringing us up, so I can continue to help. Rick Ross is in the grouphes always been a part of my movement, he was one of my first artists. Lil Wayne is still a part of it. Waynes on 15 records already, the albums done. But Im getting callsPaul Wall wanna be a part of it, Slim Thug wanna be a part of it, I talked to Beanie Sigel about it. What I might do next is an album called One Nation, Remember how Pac was gonna do an album with the best rappers from the East Side and the best rappers from the West Side? Thats what I may do with Boyz N Da Hood on this album because people want to be a part of the movement.
Why wasnt Yung Joc put in BNDH?
Everybody asking that. Joc is an artist that I want to take from the hood and give him to the masses. With Boyz N Da Hood its strictly for the streets. They dont have no crossover records, cause when you come with a street group like Boyz N Da Hood and you cross them over, then you aint real. You know how that go.
