L E T R A C
WORDS & PHOTOS // JULIA BEVERLY
The Big Boss Ricky Ross is so confident in his two up and coming lyricists, (l to r) Gun Play and TORCH, that he’ll put a million on either of their success. When you hear Carol City Cartel’s music you’ll understand why it’s
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irst off, every artist that blows up seems to come out with their own group, and not all of them are necessarily good enough to have their own album. So what makes Carol City Cartel different? Torch: Cause we’re the best. Rick Ross: Listen, we’re the best, first and foremost. It’s the big boss Ricky Ross. It took me a long time to get here, but the first thing I always said was, “When I get on, I’m going to return that favor and put the next man on.” And at the same time, it’s one of the best moves you can make as an entrepreneur. I got the realest, wildest young niggas out of the hood and gave them an opportunity to see this thing come to life. That’s what Torch and Gun Play are all about. There’s a lot more dudes that ride with us, but this is who we’re focusing on. We’re coming with the debut album Black Flag. It’s going to be legendary. We got everybody on there. Cool & Dre, Jazze Pha, Young Jeezy, DJ Toomp, a lot of people. You used to be driving the white-on-white; now you’ve got the black-onblack and got an album coming out called Black Flag. Why the switch? Rick Ross: Yeah, the white-on-white, that represented the birth of my career. Now, the black-on-black represents the death of the enemy. And your enemy is who? Rick Ross: Man, a lot of bustas. Triple C, y’all better go get that album and you’ll learn.
60 // OZONE MAG
Gun Play, a lot of people have seen you performing with Rick at his shows, and you’re kind of hard to miss. You’ve got a real unique look. Rick Ross: You know, that’s cause he’s on five drugs right now. That’s why he looks like that. [laughs] What drugs are you on right now? Gun Play: I’m on some yellow. That’s that syrup, that real good ‘Tuss, ya feel me? We just flew in from Minneapolis last night, so we ‘Tussed out. I got some clean coming but I’m not gonna fuck with that til tonight cause I ain’t really trying to overdose right now. That’s a whole ‘nother issue. ODTV. Rick Ross: Overdose TV coming soon. Happy endings! Gun Play: Nah, I ain’t got Overdose TV coming, just a DVD. Happy endings? Gun Play: That’s another interview. That’s another movie. Rick Ross: Gun Play is the black Tommy Lee. So you’re self-destructive? Gun Play: Very. [laughs] But we ain’t going to get into all that. I’m going to be your psychologist right now. Gun Play: Nah, listen, I’m the underboss. Don’t worry about the drugs, that’s a whole ‘nother segment.