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hen you think of Hip Hop in the state of Florida, the first place that naturally comes to mind is the MIA. That’s because for the most part, on the national scene, the rest of the Gunshine state has been, well, M.I.A. Ready to change all that is the Jacksonville, FL crew The Bread Boyz, consisting of brothers Raw Dog and J-Baby with cousin Big Hoss completing the trinity. Proudly repping Duval County to the fullest, the group has been riding the momentum of their regional hit “Say No Mo,” a song that has garnered them attention from outside of just their home state. With their backs to the wind, an ever-growing buzz and a remix to “Say No Mo” featuring Hurricane Chris and Rick Ross all on deck, these boys are poised to get their bread, and then some. “The song just took off faster than we could have expected,” says J-Baby of the success of “Say No Mo.’” “It started to catch on [through] the radio down here and it even crossed over to the white stations. So you had the white people loving it and them playing it in the white clubs. We never thought it’d be like this here.”
Raw Dog chimes in, “Once you heard it, you couldn’t deny it. But we’re not like some artists who get a hit and then they wanna hide behind that hit. With us, we’re letting you know it’s just the beginning.” This beginning involves the release of their latest street album, Bread Boyz 09, which hit the pavement in October. An independent release that they define as “straight powerful music,” the disc is mainly devoid of feature appearances in an effort to properly introduce newcomers to the crew without all of the distractions of too many emcees with not enough mics. But while the Boyz are definitely focused on success in the game, they also help feed the homeless and clean up neighborhoods throughout Jacksonville, stressing a one-for-all message that is deeply tied to not just their music and their hood, but all hoods. “We’re bringing breath to the streets. We’re trying to better our people as we better ourselves,” explains Big Hoss. “Artists are glorifying being in these streets, but where I’m from, ain’t really no glory in it until you get up out them streets. What I been through here could be the same thing a cat in Georgia is going through. It’s not just about the Bread Boyz. We’re really here for the people.” Words by Anthony Roberts Photo by Paul King
(l to r): Raw Dog, Big Hoss, & J Baby
Patient Waitingly
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