feedback song that’s tight!” Been there and heard all that shit. Anyone can be a rapper, but do you really have talent? Research what you are trying to put out and learn the business. And don’t step to me with some handwritten CD, name scratched out because you forgot how to spell your own name! If you think you’re talented and you have what it takes to make a record and sell it, no matter what you do, you need to invest in yourself. Go get some labels for the damn CDs. I’m running copies of this article right now and sticking them in our station’s van, and I will be handing them out each time an “artist” steps to me with a Sharpie-d CD, saying “Play my shit!” Read this article and come back when you have studied the lesson for today! - Cappuchino, cappuchino1@aol.com (Shreveport, LA)
Keep doing your thing, and don’t stray away from the Southern movement. It’s very important that we have a media outlet that properly represents us. A lot of New York cats fake like they’re with us because they want to capitalize off of what we got going on, but they’re not. They talk shit behind our backs and call us bamas, kind of like the new racist white and how he/she treats blacks (not to be confused with the bold Southern white who will let you know up front where they stand). They treat us the same way a racist white would treat blacks. It’s discrimination. It’s nothing new either, it’s been going on for decades. Don’t get me wrong, some folks from New York are cool and I fuck with them personally, but it takes a special kind of New York person from what I’m noticing. What people fail to realize is that the South has been here for years, but we’ve had no one to rep for us. I’m from North Carolina but we’ve got a lot of New York wannabes around here. North Carolina is the South no matter how you look at it, but sometimes I feel like the people around here are confused on who they really are. Some of the cats around here are scared to rep their true roots: the South. Don’t get me wrong, we were all raised off New York rap and still crank it, but all I’m saying is: Don’t knock our music, homie. I listened to some of your audio on the site and I see how people are still trying to play you like you’re not a credible magazine, the same way they’ve done with our music and culture. What New York and the rest of the industry fail to realize is that as long as we have one another, we don’t need them to validate us. They never have anyway. How the hell did Jeezy not win BET and MTV Awards for Thug Motivation? We got Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, the whole Carolinas, and the rest of the world that’s with us. Just keep doing what you’re doing – the magazine is getting better (not that it was lame or anything) and I loved the OZONE Awards trailer. I will try to make it next year. I normally don’t write shit like this to a magazine, but I’ve been watching you guys for a minute and I’ve seen the hate and opposition against you. Last time I bought a XXL Magazine it was full of so much New York hate I couldn’t even read it. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen The Source. - DJ Deluxe, sjacobs23@nc.rr.com (North Carolina) Hey JB, I just picked up this month’s issue of your magazine and I must say, I’m really feelin’ it. I been buying it for the last few months and I especially like the love you give to independent artists. Being an indie artist myself, I can really appreciate that. I’m from Detroit, and I wish we stuck together as artists as the South does. They may not be friends or hang out together, but everyone is on the same page with the same goal in mind – to come up. i think you’re absolutely gorgeous and part of me buyin’ this magazine is to see you in it, although I’m still waiting for a full body shot. Keep doing what you’re doing and you will be sure to succeed. XXL and The Source better watch out. - Carlos Gibson, cgibson@tmail.com (Detroit, MI) Man, I loved y’all’s September issue with the Top 10 lists. That shit was funny and real. Y’all keep it up, and soon the OZONE Awards are gonna be on BET live! - Dana, gitrdunbcol71@aol.com (Fort Walton Beach, FL) Wendy-muthafuckin’-Day for president! I’m loving this article on “How to Get Radio Play”! I am so happy someone hit the damn nail on the head and is hitting these new “rappers” with the same nail! I get frustrated having folks step to me with their music and when I try to explain things to them, they get pissed! I agree with Wendy when she said, “Learn the game before stepping on the playing field.” That’s what I tell these so-called artists when they see me at a remote – learn the damn business, man! They constantly call asking, “How much it’s gonna cost to get my music on?” or “Yeah, I got this 12
JB, YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!! QUIT??? YOU DON’T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE??? Tell me it ain’t so. After reading your 2 Cents this month I was shocked. You came out of left field with that one. But what you have to do is not dwell on the negative but on the positive. Your magazine is the reason the South is running shit now. The South has been going platinum since Luke, The Ghetto Boys, MC Shy D, and Magic Mike, so why wasn’t the South running shit then? Because media was in LA/NYC and they didn’t give us any shine. But here comes a lil mag out of Orlando. Not Miami. Not Atlanta. Orlando. Giving shine to the known, the somewhat known and the unknown. A true voice. You have accomplished much and there’s more to conquer. To quit or sell your interest now would have a devastating effect on this region. I know that your “supporters” can be a lil spoiled and take you for granted. Hell, you make it look so easy. Every time we turn around, no matter what city/state you’re there. So the rumors start: “Oh, she’s really one of a set of triplets. They just acting like it’s the same person. But actually it’s Julia, Jody, and Jane. They fooling all of us.” But people in the rap community are not used to a person with traits like yours: hard-working, consistent, creative, fair, accessible, honest, accommodating, and did I mention hard working? You don’t practice the politics and you make no excuses. Don’t start now. The devil got into your head. God has blessed you because you put faith in him and did something us worldly folks told you couldn’t happen. You put total faith in God, took a step off the edge of the world, and he made it happen ten-fold. Can’t you see this? He took a molehill and made it into a mountain. No big corporate dollars, no sponsors, beef with the biggest and baddest in publishing and yet you still stand. Now the devil wants you to doubt God’s work! The devil wants you to think God doesn’t have your back after all he has done which will definitely piss The Man off. Don’t fall for it! Look at the OZONE Award Show as a success. That’s what it was. Look at what you were working with and look at what you accomplished. IT WAS A SUCCESS. And let me tell you how successful it was: All the press that were complaining and felt slighted the night of the event have all softened their stance. Why? Because you addressed the matter and made us understand what went down - accessible to all of us. What big corporation would have taken the time to address that or apologize as you have done? None. And I think all those who complained now fully have your back and are here when you need us. Maybe God put those obstacles there as a test for that really big gig that’s coming up. Maybe The Grammys are gonna be calling soon. Or the MTV Music Awards. Look at it as a test, and you passed with flying colors. You can’t please all the people all the time. But you also don’t owe anyone anything. Your Patiently Waitings and Groupie Confessions and Wendy Day articles are the talk of the streets, the shops, the studios. You have the hottest magazine out now. Keep it going. I have an idea: Take a fucking vacation! Go to Hawaii for a week or two. No work. No phone. No emails. If the mag is a week or two late, we’ll wait. Hell, we’ll wait a month. Go get some rest. Rejuvenate. Regroup. Re-assess. Relax. But don’t regret anything that you’ve been given. You worked hard for it and you deserve everything, the good and the bad. That’s what happens to hardworking, successful people. - BashBrosEnt@aol.com (Miami, FL) I just got the new issue with Luda on the cover. You did it again! I read that thing from cover to cover as soon as I got it. I liked the article on Ludacris the most. I think all of Ludacris’ albums are classics. The Release Therapy joint is definitely one of the best. Chingy has to be kicking himself right now! Also, I just finished planning my big 21st birthday bash out here in VA and that was crazy. I can only imagine how difficult planning an entire award show was for you. Keep your head up! I read that you didn’t want to do this anymore. You can’t quit though, the streets need you! Finally, tell Paperchase to take off that extra rabbit jacket and hat. It looks stupid. If he had his ear to the street, he’d know that. - Derrick Francis, derrick_francis03@hotmail.com (Virginia Beach, VA) Hate it? Love it? Send your comments to feedback@ozonemag.com OZONE reserves the right to edit comments for clarity or length.