Big Fase, 31 The Game’s older brother Former Overseer of Black Wallstreet Records
NELWYN THOMAS, 30
What was your job title with The Black Wallstreet? I called myself the overseer. Basically, putting everything together from the beginning was my job and I never got a job title from the company when everything got going.
Slim Thug’s older sister Personal Assistant/Manager
What were your job responsibilities? Blowin’ him up, gettin’ his name out there, getting’ Black Wallstreet out there, advertising, marketing and shit like that.
What are some of your job responsibilities? I basically do whatever needs to be done on Slim’s behalf. I take care of all his finances, label correspondence, even [buying] groceries for his house.
You’ve obviously ventured elsewhere since severing ties with your brother, but while you were there, was that a full time gig for you? From the time I woke up in the morning until I went to sleep, that’s all I did. Nobody else got nothin’ out of me pro’lly for three years straight while I was grindin’ with him.
What were you doing before this? I was a Document Controller for Dynegy Marketing & Trade. If I wasn’t doing this I would probably be working as an Administrative Assistant somewhere. When did you realize that your brother was going to become a famous rapper? Around the age of 14 when he started rappin’ on his karaoke machine. Can you tell us an entertaining story from back in the day that people might be surprised to hear about Slim Thug? When Slim was in junior high, he bought a hearse and fixed it up. He couldn’t even drive. It was scary. // Words by DeVaughn Douglas
What were you doing before that? It was a full time hustle with me. The day that Game popped was the day I decided it was time to stop. I had planned that for a couple months ahead of time. I was like, “When it really get live I’ma just kick all this to the curb.” And he was well aware of it. And that’s what I really thought it was all about: “gettin’ big bruh” up off these streets. When did you realize that your brother was destined to be a star? He didn’t really wanna share the music with me until he thought it was right. But once I heard it I knew we had something to work with. But mainly, the night he called and told me he had signed to Dre, I definitely knew it was big time. That was him really, really makin’ it. Tell us an entertaining story that people will be surprised to hear about Game. One thing that comes to mind is the fact that I was always into music and I always wanted to be a Hip Hop artist my muthafuckin’ self. I always wrote my shit. I always did whatever it took, but it ended up fallin’ on deaf ears I guess, and nothing ever came of it. But once he was out there, it came to me it was just my God-given place. Once I saw him on stage from my point of view, everything I did wasn’t for nothin’. I just felt like everything I had done for him was all written.
RONELL “GATES” LEVATTE, 32 Plies’ older brother co-CEO of Big Gates Records Check back next month for an exclusive interview with Gates, who has been incarcerated since a July 2006 shooting incident at a Plies show in Gainesville, FL.
If you were to compare your role in The Game’s rise to a body organ, what would it be and why? It would have had to be the mu’fuckin’ brain. To me it’s self evident because of the way the nigga’s losin’ it out here. It’s not like he doesn’t have one. It’s just that Fase was always there to take it a little bit further for him. He’s quick to do something and might not think in certain instances, where I’m more of a thinker. I wanted him to be the best at everything he was doin’, so if I saw him strayin’ a certain way, I’d try and pull him to the side. That’s kinda where everything got fucked up, when I couldn’t talk to him no more. I just kinda threw my hands up and gave up. I ain’t sayin’ he ain’t doin’ good, but shit ain’t the best and that’s what I expected out of the whole shit. And for the record, you two are still at odds with each other right? At odds, yeah. “At odds” is probably a good way to put it. I ain’t spoke to the dude in a long time. A lot of promises was made and he never came through on ‘em. I’m kind of over it, just tryna push on and make the best of what God gave me and what I still got to work with. I ain’t holdin’ no grudges. // Words by N. Ali Early OZONE MAG // 61