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J Paul and Juicy J aren’t typical Hollywood residents. The Memphis natives, who recently relocated to the supple surroundings of Southern Cali, would rather drink red Kool-Aid than red wine. They prefer fried bologna sandwiches to fried calamari or caviar. And though they enjoy champagne and cigars, most of Paul and Juicy J’s neighbors are wealthy Anglo-Saxons who probably never heard of them until they brought home a gold statue of a bald headed white man better known as Oscar last Spring. To say the least, the Three 6 duo is not the average Hollywood tandem. But then again, this isn’t Hollywood, this is the HollyHood - a city nestled in the state of mind somewhere in between Southern California and North Memphis. It’s a place where the fabulous lifestyles of the once Most Known Unknowns is not only accepted, it’s celebrated. I hear you guys bought house out in California? DJ Paul: Yeah, yeah, yeah, we got a little spot out there, man. You know it’s for when we be out there doing movies, shows and stuff, so we could keep it rolling. How is the West Coast treating you? DJ Paul: Ah, man, love, its love out there. We get love everywhere we go. What’s the biggest difference from living out in Southern California compared to living in North Memphis? Juicy J: Sunshine. DJ: Paul: I mean, we still live in Memphis. We just be out there from time to time working on movie stuff and the TV show and all that. But yeah, like Juicy said, it’s more sunshine and it’s expensive as hell out there. Tell me about the new reality show you guys are working on? How did that project come about? Juicy J: Yeah, basically, it’s called “HollyHood”, and they follow Three 6 Mafia around as we adventure through Hollywood. You see us chase women, chase money, all that man. It’s just us kickin’ it man. When is it going to air? Juicy J: It premieres on April 5th. Its gonna be on the 10 Spot on MTV, on Thursday nights. So is it more like “Flavor of Love” or “The Real World?” DJ Paul: Aw, neither one. It’s something totally different, man. You ain’t seen nothing like our show.
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So how will the music be different now that you guys are on TV living the Hollywood life? DJ Paul: It ain’t different at all. Like I said, it’s still the same. We still record our music in Memphis, we do a few out here, we do a few there. We record wherever we be at. Right now, we in New York, when we get outta here we can go to the studio. Plus, we keep a studio on the road with us in our bus and all that, so we record everywhere. I record songs at the rest stop in Arizona. What new doors have opened up for you guys since winning an Oscar? DJ Paul: Aw man, all kinda doors, man. You know when you watch cartoons and you see that big ol’ silver door at the bank, the big ol’ vault door? That door opened up for us. Damn, that must be nice. So aside from winning an Oscar and making history in the process, what gave you the most satisfaction last year that may have been overshadowed by that Academy Award you guys won? DJ Paul: People didn’t realize that “Stay Fly” was our biggest single ever and “Poppin’ My Collar” was our second biggest single ever. Then, “Side 2 Side” was our third biggest single ever. So, before the Oscar we had made a little history ourselves with those records. “Stay Fly” was your biggest hit, but there were some rumors going around that the girl singing the hook in the background was delivering some subliminal messages or something, can you clear that up? DJ Paul: Aw nah, that was an old R&B soul sample. That was a love song sampled in the back, man. That wasn’t no devil worshipping or nothing going on in the back of that song. Well obviously the rumors didn’t hurt the success of the record, or the subsequent singles, but why do you think people have so many misconceptions about you guys? DJ Paul: I don’t know man, we really don’t pay no attention to all that. I mainly focus on all the positive stuff. If it’s negative, my ears automatically close. I went and got this operation so if I hear anything negative, my ears close on they own. I spent 20 G’s on that operation, man. 20 G’s!
The rest of this interview is featured in the April issue of ozone.