Words by Randy Roper // Photos by Blake Ribbey
Playaz Circle
L
udacris and his Disturbing Tha Peace label’s forthcoming compilation, Strength In Numbers, has a fitting title. With label incumbents (Bobby Valentino, Field Mob, I-20, Lil’ Fate and Shareefa) along with with newcomers (Serius Jones, Small World, Brolic D, Willy Northpole, Block Xchange and Steph Jones) the house that Luda and Chaku Zulu built boasts one of the deeper rosters in Southern Hip Hop. Even the departure of DTP’s first lady, Shawnna, seems minuscule with the label’s most successful solo artist, the once disgruntled Chingy, returning to the fold. But the buzz in the streets for DTP’s third compilation doesn’t stem from a single featuring the STL hoodstar nor their R&B crooners or their Grammy award-winning superstar. Instead, Tauheed “Tity Boi” Epps and Earl “Dolla Boy” Conyers, collectively known as the Atlanta duo Playaz Circle, have streets ablaze with their breakthrough single “Duffle Bag Boy” (assisted on the hook by the omnipresent Lil’ Wayne). The duo first appeared on DTP’s 2002 debut album Golden Grain, and when Field Mob leapfrogged the tandem as DTP’s first group project, PC patiently waited for their chance to formally introduce the world to their duffle bag boy M.O. These childhood friends turned rap group from College Park have made it through the street life (Tity Boi survived a shooting and Dolla served two years in prison) and are prepared to tell their story on Playaz Circle’s debut album Supply and Demand. Today, PC is “situated” at one of their favorite College Park hangout spots, the Frozen Palace. Over a couple plates of crab legs, PC is ready to discuss their deal with DTP, why the industry’s been jacking their slang and what it really means to be a “Duffle Bag Boy.” We’re at one of your favorite hang out spots, the Frozen Palace. So what part of Atlanta is this? Dolla Boy: Basically, this is College Park. Southside of Atlanta, right by the airport. It’s kinda hood but at the same time a lot of wealthy people come out here to stay. Not too far down the street is Fayette County, where all the mansions are. Evander Holyfield and Jermaine Dupri stay out there. When we were in high school, we were in an environment where we didn’t have that much. So being right down the street from an environment that had a lot, it just made us wanna strive and go harder. 40 // OZONE MAG