MERC SQUAD LOUISVILLE, KY Originally comprised of the three core members, Creeze, Eddie Roe, and Tat, the Merc Squad inducted Cutty Bang into the group and the quartet was complete. Their singles “Turn U Out” featuring TQ and “Rock It” are keeping the momentum going for their newest mixtape release, Grand Entrance Volume 4. What’s the history behind the group? Cutty: They’ve been around for years. I recently got with them. They already had stuff going on and we’re all family. I got my own group called M.O.B. but they had some things going on, situations where they was getting locked up, and it slowed up the process. I seen that Merc Squad was serious about the music so we linked up and started doing songs together. Tat: Merc Squad was originally supposed to a power house group like Wu-Tang. It was a lot more [members] than us three but we’re the only ones that stayed on our grind. The original members are Creeze, who’s like our C.E.O.; then you got me, the music/Hip Hop guy. Most of our music is me and Creeze with our creative minds tuned together, banging out ideas in the studio. Eddie Roe was under our tutelage from day one. He’s the young, aggressive, passionate person like Tupac. Cutty Bang was the fourth member. He’s like the young, up-and-coming southern guy that everyone is going to relate to and love his voice. It was like with Lil Wayne, how you was paying attention to him but you wasn’t really paying attention to him at first. He’s like the Cash Money piece that everybody is gonna see in the future and it’s just gonna hit you. I hear the Louisville remix you guys did of “Independent” is getting radio play. Creeze: We did the remix and spelled out Louisville. We recorded it at DJ Drizzle’s studio in Cincinnati and when we got back to town I gave it to DJ Q at 96.5. He got with DJ E Feezy and they both started spinning it during their shows. It’s been generating a buzz. We’re getting a lot of calls and hits on Myspace. So the new mixtape is out. How did you hook up with Mick Boogie for the hosting? Creeze: Ant Wright from SWAG, Inc. turned us on to Mick Boogie. Mick Boogie listened to the music and was digging it. It took off from there. Judy from Judy Jones Entertainment introduced me to SWAG and we’ve been doing business for about a year. She was one of my mentors. She
taught me about music, kept me in a straight line and kinda put me in this position I’m in now. Lil D is also one of the main people who made all this possible for me. Cutty: We got TQ on the mixtape, Slim Thug, G Mack. I think it’s gonna do real good ‘cause we put our time and craft into it. Tat: You need to check for our original songs like “Rock It.” That’s gonna be a big one for y’all. Of course we have “Turn U Out” featuring TQ. It’s a couple of other songs on their like the song “We Rollin” with Stat Quo. Will you guys be out promoting the mixtape during the Derby? Cutty: We’ll be out there with t-shirts and CDs. We do all the promotions ourselves. When Volume 3 came out we went all across the country and promoted in California, Phoenix, Vegas. Eddie Roe: We got a few shows lined up for Derby; I’m not exactly sure where they’re at right now, though. We’ve done shows all over. Tat: We’re always on the road. We took it back to the old school way, getting ourselves in the van, on a plane, whatever it takes and hitting up all major cities, giving out mixtapes and flyers. We try to knock out as many shows as we can from West Virginia to L.A. to Texas, wherever we can find people willing to listen. Of course it’s the digital age and you gotta stay on the net. At almost every conference if we’re not all there, you’ll see a representative of Merc Squad. We’re networking and making sure we’re the next big thing that people are paying attention to. // Website: Myspace.com/MercSquad Words: Ms. Rivercity OZONE | 23