JB – some advice – stop beefing with your haters in the magazine. If you have one if, if not the best, magazine to come out in the last couple of years. Don’t let them take away your shine. Misery loves company and your success is making a lot of people miserable. Just from reading the magazine I can tell that you’re dedicated to what you do and you really work your ass off. You seem to be everywhere. I’m from Miami and I’m up in NYC doing some music projects, and your buzz up here is even picking up. Ignore the non-believers, and when they piss you off, use their ignorance as the fuel to make you go at this dream of yours even stronger. Keep up the excellent work, and don’t give that publicist “bitch” any more satisfaction by letting her know she matters in your world. – Miami Mac, Miamimac305@aol.com I don’t really wanna be judgmental about your mag, but I’m starting to notice it’s starting to get like The Source. I mean, yeah, I see a lot of down South artists on there, but now it seems like it’s only cats that’s in the industry. What happened to all the local support? I still see a lot of groups with talent not being recognized here in O-Town. I was really hoping I could have gotten a blunt review on my album being that you were the first peeps to check it out. But I haven’t gotten one, so if you still have my album Surrealist (Tha Struggle) can you at least email me back and tell me what you think. Without the help of your mag the album is doing pretty well for a debut, but I feel it can go so much further with your help. I’m not trying to knock your mag in any way, just trying to give you some insight coming from a local artist. – Co from Surrealist, Calicosurrealist@aol.com I recently came across the article you wrote on Grandaddy Souf. I know nothing of him or his music, but now will make a note to find it. I dated [the cop that Grandaddy complained of police brutality]. He was nothing but kind to me and my daughter, until one time when he pulled his “rank” as a cop. I told him a story, as a girlfriend telling her boyfriend, and he got the story so twisted and biased that I ended up dealing with legal implications to this day. Pass along my regards to this artist. I realize the article
is well over a year old, but as you can see, years later I still search online for this cop’s name just to find out where he is and what he’s up to these days. The Orlando Sentinel even wrote an article in November 2003 about a lawsuit against him for [police] brutality. – Madelyne T., madelyne27@yahoo.com I love your magazine. I’m from Tampa, we’ve got a live hip-hop scene out here. You should come out here more often and catch shows. Y’all are the best hip-hop magazine out. – Illestperiod@aol.com I just read your “Florida Power” interview from last year with Cool & Dre. I believe Cool (Marcello) and Dre (Andre) might have left out a few minor details about they alone starting up Record Room Productions by themselves with their money! Cool & Dre happen to be very talented producers, but when I was running HEAT Music in Miami four years ago, they were our in-house producers. The owner of HEAT, Mr. Dennis Dellinger, spent his money to start up Record Room Productions and purchase the studio equipment. To my knowledge, he still owns 60% of Record Room Productions. I’m happy that Cool & Dre did well, however, they should make good on their commitments to the man that gave them inspiration, money, drive, and power when they had none. Figures that helicopters would make boys excited. What a game. – Fred Held, former VP of Operations of HEAT Music, f.held@comcast.net I just picked up my first issue of OZONE mag, and there’s just one word to describe it: fire! You guys are definitely working with something here. Keep up the good work, you’ve got a new subscriber! – PS and Non-U, Zagoodi2@aol.com I loved your “patiently waiting” article on Akon. He’s sweet as fuck. Keep dropping that hot shit! - Diz, dizocb@yahoo.com Correction: We got Terror Squad’s Macho and Raul mixed up in the Memorial Day issue - sorry! We also forgot to mention Kareem Johnson and director Coodie’s partner Chike on Pitbull’s video set.
“Can I take a picture wearing your spinner chain?” - radio personality Obie, to Lloyd Banks “Next time Lil’ Flip says he’s the King of the South, tell that fuck boy I said, ‘Say it in my face.’” - T.I. issuing a challenge at Hot 107’s birthday bash in Atlanta “What up, my niggas?!?” - White Boy, performing to an all-black crowd in New Orleans, LA black rapper can stir “2Pac is the voice of our generation. Are you angry because 2Pac gets so much respect? Furious that a dead Michelle Malkin’s columnist syndicated millions while you pleasure yourself by spelling correctly?” - Anonymous internet response to article blasting 2pac’s poetry as “crap” and women] want to “[Dylan] has acute ghettoitis. He has a self-destruct button and doesn’t take life seriously. [So many young men [they] look at other 35, at serious get to time it’s when spend ten years hanging on the corner, smoking blunts, sleeping all day, and August 2004) (VIBE, Diddy P. them.” at mad be and 16 was they since hustled cats that’s not gonna happen.” “These days hoes think that another bitch gonna grow a dick and stick it to ‘em and get ‘em pregnant, and that’s - Trick Daddy, (Strip Joint Magazine, June/July 2004) gonna get married “Just because you stay a virgin ‘til you’re 21 doesn’t mean you’re gonna find your Prince Charming and then you’re August 2004) (XXL, Banks, Lloyd there.” family your and dress with a big white