How did you link up with DJ Quest for the song “She Get It”? He’s a big DJ out here in my area. He’s on 105.5 The Beat. I approached him. I used to see him at clubs and stuff and would give him my CDs and mixtapes. This year I put out a mixtape that did good, I kinda found my style. He just produced a beat that fit me. What about the other song you have poppin’, “Sho Nuff”? How did you get that out to the people? It’s a song I had for a while, like a year, and I never released it. Finally someone heard it and said it was hot. That’s how I hooked up with my management. I did the video for the song, which is actually on BET.com right now. When you say you hooked up with your management, who exactly is that? Down Low Records. They’ve been around for a while, ever since I was younger. I used to always see ‘em and give ‘em my CDs and tell ‘em I rap. I’ve been rappin’ for like 5 or 6 years and I finally got an opportunity. How does having management through them help you out? It’s really helping me. I’m getting a lot of exposure. At first I was only getting exposure in the area I live in, now I’m traveling more, doing shows here and there, in and out of the state. It’s really helped me get my name out there. Getting a music video on BET.com isn’t the easiest thing to do. How did you get your video on that website? My publicist Elora Mason set that up. How long have you been working with Elora Mason? Actually, a few months now. My management hooked all that up. You mentioned catching DJ Quest’s attention with a mixtape. How many mixtape projects have you done so far? This year was my biggest mixtape, but prior to that I had about four or five mixtapes. We’re doing an independent album, but we’re doing an EP first. The two records we were talking about are targeted towards the clubs. Would you say you specialize in club records, or do you do other kinds of music as well? That is my specialty. That’s what I love doing. On my album is when I get more personal and start talking about different situations. What’s that like to be in the club and see
people dancing to the music you make? It feels real good, especially when they don’t know who I am. I can be standing right next to ‘em and they’ll be goin’ crazy for my song and not even know it’s me. They’re not really familiar with my face yet, they’ve just heard my name and my songs and stuff. So you actually go put the record in the club yourself? We travel all week long. I barely get to rest. I rest like 2 or 3 days out of the week. We’re trying to break the records all over the Florida area. There’s a lot of Haitian pride in Florida. How do you represent the movement? The movement started before me, but I feel like I’m taking it to another level. I really put passion into what I do. It’s not all about that, I represent that too, but it’s so much more to me than just that. Like a lot of rappers, you got your start in high school. How have you progressed since then? Well, right now I really feel like I know myself real well. At first I was just experimenting, tryin’ this and that, and now I perfected my style. When you hear something now, you know that’s Sho Zoe. I really put passion into it now. Are you starting to hear from fans yet? Oh yeah, they love me, especially on Myspace. I’m like a Myspace celebrity. I really push it to the limit on Myspace. I’m on there like 24 hours a day. I’m on there when I travel. I feel like it’s so important, it’s like an online street team. When you first started rapping, did you think you’d get this deep into it? Nah, I really didn’t. I always knew I had what it takes, but I didn’t know if I was really gonna take it there. I didn’t know it would become a full-time job. As a full-time independent artist, how are you able to generate enough income to make ends meet? That’s real hard. Sometimes I don’t generate it, but I’m out there in the streets sellin’ mixtapes, travelin’ and stuff. I make beats too, that’s another way I make money. What’s next for you? I’ve got a new mixtape droppin’ around Thanksgiving called Grand Opening with DJ Quest. I’ve got another mixtape with Krunch, I’m on a lil’ mini college tour right now, and I’ve got a show at DJ Khaled’s birthday bash coming up. OZONE MAG // 25