Patiently Waiting
I
n today’s music industry, it’s virtually unheard of to sign a major deal without a song already in rotation on the radio. But for Alley Boy, a well-respected rapper in East Atlanta, a bidding war between labels didn’t impress him, even with no single in rotation.
“I had [an offer] from Def Jam and I flew to New York,” Alley explains. “But what they were tryin’ to give us for the [deal], we already got that in jewelry. And then they wanted parts of my publishing. All in all, it wasn’t right.” Alley came back to Atlanta without finalizing paperwork with Def Jam, only to fly right back the next day after receiving a call from Atlantic. “They put up more [money]. They wanted it more, and ended up giving us a 50/50 joint venture.” Because Atlantic didn’t sign Alley’s entire label, Duct Tape Entertainment, Alley and the label’s CEO Big Bank Black are still able to brand their independent business venture. Big Bank Black, known for his popular hit “Try It Out,” is responsible for keeping Alley Boy’s name relevant in the streets, even when Alley was serving prison time. Due to his high demand, Alley inked a deal less than a month after his release from jail. “We were mashin’ hard. I had dropped the song ‘Look at My Charm,’ and right before Gucci got locked up he dropped a verse on it,” Alley says. “We were holding the song, and I got locked up a month after him, so we just put it out. Then my brother dropped ‘Try It Out’ and shit took flight. They were reppin’ me hard.”
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Through hard work and some well-timed collabos with his affiliate Gucci Mane, Alley was introduced to a lot of listeners that took to his sharp lyricism. “Niggas know that I can spit,” he says. “I ain’t no dummy. I ain’t tryin’ to swag my way in. People feel better about dealing with some authentic shit.” When it comes to gimmicks and one-hits, Alley Boy has strong opinions and it’s obvious he doesn’t plan to take that route. “Everything I got, we fought for. This ain’t a fad, I ain’t on no futuristic shit. I’m just here to stand for real niggas.” In telling his story, one that involves growing up with parents addicted to drugs and fighting to stay out of jail, Alley Boy found an angle that people could relate to. While doing so, he also caught the attention of the powers that be with his natural gift. “People respect the flow. A lot of these dudes get a quick deal when they got a little song on the radio, I ain’t got no shit like that. They just fuckin’ with me.” At this point, Alley Boy is focused on putting in work for Atlantic Records, and coming up with new music for future projects. He recently recorded “I’ma Smash It” with Gucci Mane, produced by Drumma Boy. Whether or not “I’ma Smash It” makes it to Billboard is yet to be determined, but there’s no doubt that Alley Boy will have plenty more smashes on deck. “This ain’t just trendy and catchy what I’m doing,” he asserts. “I’m tryin’ to push all these trendy niggas out of the way. I know this shit I’m doing ain’t gon’ never play out ‘cause it’s real.” Words by Ms Rivercity // Photo by Ms Ja