E A L R A P There were so many groups that came out of Atlanta around the same time, like Franchize, D4L, and Crime Mob, do you think the country has grasped who you are? What do you want people to know about Dem Franchize Boyz? I really think that out of all the groups that came out of Atlanta, people who are really into Hip Hop know us. A lot of the people who don’t know us are people who don’t really listen to Southern rap music. If you’re a fan of Southern music then you know the Franchize Boyz, cause we started a whole genre of music just being ourselves. Are you sticking with the snap-music formula like your first album, or going in a different direction? On our first album with JD, really, the only snap track we had on there was “Lean Wit’ It, Rock Wit’ It.” But because that song was such a big record, a lot of people kinda put us in that category because we’re the pioneers of that music. We’re the pioneers of snap music, so of course whenever somebody says “snap music” they’re gonna think of us because we’re the ones that introduced it to everybody. But we really ain’t did too many snap records. We got mislabeled as a “snap” group. Snap music was created on the West side of Atlanta; Bankhead. We’re from there. We did that in the club to have fun, but that’s not really us as artists. We do different kinds of music. We interviewed Shawty Lo not too long ago and he was saying that a lot of artists who rep Bankhead aren’t necessarily from Bankhead. Do you think that’s true? I think all the mainstream artists that rep Bankhead are from Bankhead, or they stayed on Bankhead, or have some kinda previous history on Bankhead. But it’s a lot of artists that stay in Decatur or places like that, and they say they’re from Atlanta but really Atlanta is Fulton County. How does Bankhead compare to the rest of Atlanta? We’re like our own city inside of Atlanta. Bankhead sets our own trends. I see you’ve got a couple new pieces. Well, the “DFB” piece, that’s Dem Franchize Boyz and that’s our logo. Then the “10 Entertainment,” that’s our record label that me and Buddie have, and the White Tee Gang is my production company. I’m writing movies now too. I just wrote a movie called White Tee Gang and we’re supposed to be locking a deal down with Focus Films for like $12 million. Of course I wanted to do the “White Tee” piece to take it all the way back to when we got started; we always reminisce on where we come from. What do you think is gonna be the next big record on this album? The new single is called “Talkin’ Out The Side Of Your Neck.” There’s a real popular song in the Sotuth that all the black college bands play, so we kinda took that band style and took the concept and flipped it on some everydayliving type shit based on the Franchize Boyz. Everybody’s always saying, “The Franchize Boyz ain’t comin’ back out, they ain’t gon’ sell no records. They ain’t gon’ put out no record without Jermaine. They can’t rap.” So we took that and put it on a record. When we first put it out a lot of people were sleeping on it, because they stereotyped us as “snap music,” but really, that’s not what we do. I think the more people see and hear [“Talkin’ Out The Side Of Your Neck”], they’ll catch onto it. I think it’ll be another real big record for us. Weren’t you on trial for murder at one point? What’s the story behind that situation? When I had got locked up for the murder charge, it really wasn’t nothin’ like that. The marijuana charge, it wasn’t nothin’. We were just in the studio puttin’ in work and [the police] came and found a little weed and a little cash and they just blew it out of proportion. Nobody else from the Franchize Boyz was int eh studio or had nothing to do with it, but you know how the media is, so they took it and blew it out of proportion. But that’s being taken care of right now, so everything’s good. I’m back on the road, traveling, and doing me. And what about the murder case? I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and being who I am- I mean, I’m the only person [there] that everybody knew. Everybody kept saying, “Parlae, Parlae, Parlae.” But in the murder case, they ain’t even indict me. They ain’t got no witnesses or no evidence or nothing like that. It was just that everybody knew me, and when shit started going crazy they just named me. You look like you’ve been eating good. Yeah, I’ve been eating good. I had a little boy, but then I got in the gym and
started runnin’ again. My manager Chico got me in the gym and I started running a lot and pumpin’ some iron. I’m trying to slim down. I ain’t trying to put on too much muscle, so I’ve just been doing a lot of cardiovascular exercises. What do you think is your role in Dem Franchize Boyz? I’m the point guard. The quarterback. I feel like I’m the point man. I make sure that everybody on the team is good. I make sure all the linemen are down on the line. I make sure all the receivers know their routes. I make sure the running back is on cue. I also produce; I produced the “Lean Wit’ It, Rock Wit’ It” record. Pimpin’ produces also. I do a little bit of everything. I did like three beats on this album. Do you produce for other artists also? Yeah, everybody I fuck with, I’m gon’ mess with them. I’m gonna go the Mannie Fresh route. All the artists I’ve got on 10 Entertainment, all the hot, hot tracks I make, I’m tryin’ to give it to them and get a hit and hopefully get another label deal in the future. I’m going to try to create another Franchize. Who are the artists on your label? if you’re familiar with the original version of “I Think They Like Me,” we had an artist on their named Young Nut. He was also on the first verse of “Lean Wit’ It, Rock Wit’ It.” He’s on the label, and my little brother Junior Junior is on the label. Also, we’ve got Jay Spitter, Joe Blow, Dosha, and an artist from Queensbridge named City Black. I’ve also got an artist from Memphis named Calico Jones. I’m just tryin’ to get it poppin’. Is there anything else you want to talk about? The album is in stores April 1st, Point of No Return. The new single out right now is “Talkin’ Out The Side Of Your Neck.” So act like you know, don’t act like you’re slow. OZONE MAG // 55