Jay Rock Special De livery
“W
watts, Ca
hen I started out, I was just playing around rhyming different little bulls hit together,” he remembers. “Then little doing people start feeling it. Then I shit I was said, ‘Shit, a nigga might have some type of talent.’ So I really started conc what I was writing, making sure the entrating on shit was really on point.”
However, the streets continued to call Jay Rock and he continued to answer. A Bounty Hunter (Blood gang) to the as Care Free Curl at the Compton Swap heart, he was active meet in the mid ‘80s. But one day that all changed. The Big Homie, Dude Dawg Rock’s growing legend and let it be known that he wanted to have a sit , heard about Jay down. “I was kind of running from the kinda big homie that will tell you need nigga, ‘cause he the to cut that bullshit out,” he tells. “I’m trying to hide from this nigga ‘cause all that bullshit he talking about.” I don’t want to hear Without warning, Dude Dawg showed up one day while Jay Rock was getti ng his hair cut. They had their sit down himself and by the end of the conversat , Dude Dawg expressed ion the budding rapper found himself on his way to Top Dawg Entertainment’s There, the menacing CEO would orde r Jay Rock to stay put until he made headquarters. four songs to his satisfaction. “I got in there four quick songs for the nigga,” says Jay Rock. “I’m on the bullshit right now, and knocked out cause I’m trying to get out. I got mone and this nigga tripping on me.” y on the streets Needless to say, Dude Dawg ordered the door to remain locked until Watts ’ newfound phenomenon came corre gas was praising me so I good I was ct. And when he did, “Niglike, ‘Shit I ain’t never felt like this!’ Niggas was patting me on my back and and shit.” Soon after the yelling and hollering brouhaha came a deal with Warner Brothers, which was inked just last September. Jay Rock’s kept the streets lit with his Watts Finest mixtape series (three volumes). He’s also set to drop another mixtape entitled No Sleep Til NYC – an old school tribute of sorts. But nothing he’s done will match the energy he promises to bring on his heavily anticipated album, Follow Me Home, scheduled for a first quarter release. “I’m going to show everybody what I been through what goes on in my projects. It’s just my story man it’s coming from the heart. It’s real.” // myspace.com/jayrock Words by N. Ali Early
OZONE WEST // 17