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I’ve been reading OZONE for a long time. I used to get copies over at BME. I have worked in music for over six years, but I left three years ago because I got tired of the shadiness, lies, and people not wanting to pay you. That’s why I love this magazine so much. I’m proud of Julia’s success and her ability to stick to it despite the bull and drama. - Leslie Purifoy via Facebook, (Atlanta, GA) Hey Too Short, I just read your $hort Stories column. Your article in OZONE is the first shit I read every month when it comes out. I just got through watching you on VH1’s Hip Hop Honors. I’ve been checking for you since 1984. I’m from Omaha, NE, but now live in Orlando, FL. I remember when my homeboy used to bring back your tapes from Cali. I’ve been hooked ever since. When you came to Omaha in 1989 you let me and my little crew get on stage while you performed. I’m 37 and I know your Hip Hop Honors award is long overdue. It’s bullshit that they took so long, but people from the West and the Midwest know what’s up. - Chris Mudd, via email (Orlando, FL) I cannot tell you the difference that you made in so many people’s lives this weekend by covering the Ohio Hip Hop Awards. My phone has not stopped blowing up since Saturday. We have been waiting so long for the industry to show us love and now OZONE is going to be looked at as the forefront. The idea behind OZONE was a wellexecuted and ingenious plan. You focused on areas that everybody else was overlooking. You have breathed so much life back into an industry that has often become deaf to the underground Hip Hop movement. OZONE has taken off and now it seems every magazine is trying to fake the funk by piggybacking your concept. I saw a couple mags (who will remain nameless) go from a one page article to having half the magazine dedicated to indie Hip Hop artists. We can see through their bullshit and I know Ohio does too. - Rick Rucker, via email (Cleveland, OH) JB, I read your 2 cents in the Three 6 Mafia edition, and all I can say is WOW. I see your experiences with Publicists haven’t been too exciting. I was actually surprised to read about your past and recent experiences. From reading, I can understand why you’re not too fond of publicists. But there are some stellar ones like myself who are just like you, grinding and hustling to build a dream and earn the respect of the industry. I’m sure all Publicists don’t fall into the bad category. I can’t speak for everyone else, but all I can say is that I respect the hustle, from one hustler to another. - Portia Jackson, via email (Las Vegas, NV) What’s up, OZONE? Your mag is popping! I love how y’all do Rapquest, but where is Richmond, VA? Virginia Beach ain’t running noth-
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ing. Richmond and Petersburg are running the show. Don’t let them rag-ass bitches down in VA Beach fool you. We’re up here making good street music and begging these fuck-ass DJs to put our shit on the radio. They turn their shoulder and put them beach boys on. It’s bullshit! I ain’t mad at it because it’s all VA, but the Clipse ain’t the hardest group in VA, trust me. They’re good, but go to Petersburg or Richmond and stand on the corner and rep with those cats. And to Charlamagne da God, I know you’re a DJ and you took offense to the saying “the DJ is dead” but yo, that’s the truth. When DJ Unk got on the mic it was a wrap. Mixtapes are good for new artists, but let’s be honest, who the hell wants to buy a record with DJ Khaled yelling “We the best!” over every track? That’s reason #1 the DJ is dead. Polow da Don doesn’t need to be rapping either. Y’all need to be breaking records. Come to Richmond, VA and break some records for us, dawg. - Mic Archie, villianilla@hotmail.com (Richmond, VA) Great 2 Cents this month, JB. I have faith you can make it to the Olympics, and I’d fo’ sho’ put my bread on you in a race against Jeezy. - DJ Supa C, via email (Houston, TX) JB, I was recently put on OZONE Magazine. I must say I enjoyed reading it because you touch on the issues that other mags don’t. I really love the fact that you feature a lot of underground artists. On another note, I’m very intrigued that you are a young woman with your own magazine. You are a huge inspiration to me. - Jessica, via myspace (Alabama) OZONE is the Southern artists’ Bible. It is the real shit. But I live in the upstate of South Carolina and I feel that we aren’t represented at all. There are hot cats up here just like there are in Columbia and Chucktown. TD the Don and Lil Ru did a show this past weekend here along with a local artist called Carolina James. Is there any way we can get up in OZONE? Our events go unnoticed. OZONE is the best mag out there, though. Damn the haters! – Telly, via myspace (South Carolina) Y’all did it again! Issue #71 was a success, way better then the last two. They were missing so much that I’m used to. Charlamagne forever keeps it real and Wendy gives us inspiring artist information we wouldn’t know otherwise. I declare myself your biggest fan beacuse when y’all were here in Orlando I always had a copy. It’s motivation to me as a young artist to see that you can make it far despite of the so many others that’s trying to do the same thing. I’m still waiting for y’all to do an issue on teen rappers. I should be the highlight! - A.J.G Da Aviator, via myspace (Orlando,FL)