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YEAR ANNIVERSARY
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Having dropped 85 issues (plus several dozen special editions) over the past 8 years, OZONE has had plenty of memorable covers. Here, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the most powerful covers/issues since we came in the game in 2002.
Pimp C (May 2005):
Five years later, when people think of OZONE Magazine, this cover image probably still pops in their head. OZONE may have not been the first media outlet to talk to Pimp C while he was in prison, but it was definitely the first to put him on the cover.
Trick Daddy (Jun 2006):
This issue is widely considered to be one of the best issues of OZONE’s 8 year run. It featured explosive interviews with the always outspoken Trick Daddy, David Banner and Too $hort. The centerpiece, however, was the 20 Essential Southern Albums list that featured a panel made up of respected journalists, DJs and artists, all offering heartfelt perspective on some of their favorite Southern Hip Hop albums.
Pitbull (April 2005):
For this issue OZONE teamed up with MTV Jams to present the “25 Greatest Southern Artists of All Time.” The only people that seemed to disagree with the list were Killer Mike and JT Money, but other than that, most readers thought it was spot on. T.I. and Lil Wayne were ranked #15 and 18, respectively. Five years later some young buck would probably say they were #1 and 2.
T.I. cover story by Pimp C (May 2006):
To celebrate our 4th Anniversary, OZONE wanted to show our growth by bridging the past with the present. One of the things we did was have Pimp C interview T.I. for the cover story, since some Southern rap fans had funny feelings towards Tip calling himself “The King of the South” with guys like Pimp C and Scarface still around. But the most interesting part of the interview is when Pimp confronts Tip about his beef with Lil Flip at the time. This issue also featured a photo essay of our travels throughout the South up to that point.
Rick Ross (August 2006):
Right when the world was under the spell of Rick Ross’ smash hit “Hustlin’,” OZONE came through with a complete cover story on the future star when all of the other magazines were just starting to catch onto him. We learned a lot about Ross in the interview, like him not being able to multiply past six. OZONE’s cameras also visited New Orleans’ 9th Ward one year after Katrina hit to find very little improvement in the conditions. 12 // OZONE MAG
by Maurice G. Garland
MOST MEMORABLE OZONE COVERS
(log onto www.ozonemag.com for more) DJ Khaled with Rick Ross, Akon, T.I., Fat Joe, Baby and Lil Wayne (June 2007):
A large portrait of this cover hangs up in OZONE’s office and it instantly command the attention of everyone who walks through the door. Shot during some DJ Khaled’s video shoot for “We Takin Over,” all of the guys in the photo were at the top of their game, making this a classic moment in rap history. So we snapped it. This issue also saw us trying our hand at another list with the “25 Greatest Moments in Southern Rap History.”
David Banner (Oct 2007):
Probably one of our most timely and powerful covers today, we shot this with David Banner right when he was in the middle of a verbal conflict with several Black leaders at the time. The story also showed the transformation from activist to Hollywood movemaker that Banner was going through at the time. This issue also featured an OZONE West cover story entitled “One Love” where Too $hort (who also wrote a heartfelt, self-analyzing “Short Stories” column) attempted to bring every artist in the Bay Area to work together…we’re still waiting.
DJ Drama (May 2007):
In his first cover story after the infamous RIAA raid on his Aphilliates offices in Atlanta, DJ Drama opened up as much as he could about what happened the day he had M-16 rifles pointed to his head and why the government shut down his operation. The interview showed the surprising amount of miscommunication, red tape and grey area that was in the mixtape game up to that point. It’s safe to say things haven’t been the same since.
Webbie (March 2008):
OZONE’s second annual drug issue featured some of our most hard-hitting journalism with stories on the city of Houston’s deadly fascination with syrup a.k.a. lean and a story on the controversial (and now deceased) Jackson, Mississippi mayor Frank Melton. But most people remember this issue from the cover image alone that featured Webbie rocking a t-shirt with the XXXL sticker still on it, gaudy jewelry and somebody’s college tuition in cash in his hand with the ironic cutline, “Recession? What Recession?” Perhaps we spoke too soon.
Lil Wayne (Issue #83, 2010):
OZONE secured Lil Wayne’s last interview before he was sent to Rikers Island to serve a 12-month sentence on gun charges. After observing some of his final days in Miami and Atlanta, readers got to see a vulnerable side of Wayne that is often overshadowed by the larger-than-life personality he projects on his omnipresent songs and videos.