Ill Magazine Tavi: Build A Berg Records

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erod Roberts… better known in the music industry as Mega [CEO of Mega Music] does the rarity of selflessly teaming up with other talented teams to work as one.

The Mega Music mergers along with a heap of knowledge, a big scoop of quality, a few shakes of passion, and a pinch of a secret ingredient that I believe Mega only knows, seems to be the special sauce in the recipe.

Mega Music started 3 years ago after Mega divided from his partnership with Hood Legend. While he was with Hood Legend. Mega stated, “We had an artist named Shafone Collier that we took almost to the brink of that name in lights type of thing. I kept saying to myself, if I did this with them [Hood Legend] and took her [Shafone Collier] to a certain place, then I could do this on my own.”

There was another artist that was in Hood Legend… Voe Black. Voe came over to Mega Music. Mega Music then added Peso Dolla, and then Chloe VA. Mega has created unification with the best of the best; Grind City, Gun Gang, and Pure Brilliance. These are top teams with the like mind of making it happen. Together the flag will be planted in the Virginia soil to mark VA’s 7 Cities as the music industry’s next explosion. Mega’s right hand in his organization and movement is Lesley… Ms. P.L.A.Y. VA. Lesley stated, “Mega Music is a fam. We

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and buy

work with each other and support each other.” CEO, Mega, agreed. “We have collaborations with CMG [Cheesetown Money Gettaz] et cetera. The problem with VA now days… everybody is in their own little clique. They will not reach out to another clique.” Speaking of industry trendsetting, Lesley filled me in about their apps, “Go to the android market and search Peso Dolla, Voe Black, and soon you’ll have Chloe VA.” You can link directly to their Facebook, Twitter, bios, fan mail, videos, show dates,

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the music. Mega gave an example of his artists’ magnitude. “There’s nobody in the 757 that can actually say that they’re getting video hits at 4,500 a day. ‘Cause in the last two days I’ve gotten hits… Peso’s videos have jumped from where they were to about 4,500 in the last two days. It was at 3,400 now it’s at 8,800.

There’s nobody in the 757 that has over 6,000 views period! These are recent videos… six months old. [Peso’s] Man to Monster has over 8,000.”

VOE BLACK [Mega Music]

When I asked Mega Music’s rap artist, Voe Black, what direction he was taking his music he stated, “I bring real life to my music; real life situations… real lyrics.” Voe Black has been rapping since 1999. Voe started rather early at the age of 10 years old. His passion for the hip hop culture’s musical art form was definitely not just

some childhood fad for him. Voe Black was the first artist that came aboard when Mega Music was at its beginning stages. His history with Mega Music’s CEO had rooted back from when they both were with Hood Legend. I asked Voe Black what he had to say about the strength of Mega Music. “Everybody has something different to bring to the table,” he said. “I think everything flows well.” Voe Black has different things coming up. “I’m doing a lot of performances. I’m doing a lot of collaborations with a lot of different artists. We got Uncle Lemonade…

Cool Cash… Ron E; also with Peso… Doubt Gotcha…I have collaborations with a lot of people. It’s a wide range.” Voe conveyed what he was bringing to the Mega Music round table. “What I bring to the table is getting back to the lyrics.” The rapper hasn’t just let his talent limit him to being in the booth and on the stage. Voe Black told just how seriously hard he hustles [with Beat King as his producer], “I did the intro song for the We Print It commercial and the commercial for STW Wrestling that shows on channel 11 [Cox]. I’m working!”

CHLOE VA [P.G.G. / Mega Music] Chloe VA is an amazing lyricist with a stage persona that commands the stage! Her energy moves the audience and her music grabs you instantly.

This was no exception when she opened up for the legendary Rakim. Chloe VA remains true to her passion for hip-hop and all while being a Sexi Monsta! Her truth is what makes her sexy.

The monster part… well, she’s a beast on the mic.

Chloe VA has been writing for about 14 years and performing for about 10 to 12 years. She explained, “I didn’t like to play a lot so when I was in school recess I just used to write. I would say a little something and I saw all the people in the crowds at school liked what I was saying I was like… maybe I could do this for real.” She bought beats from the back of the Source Magazine, plugged the mic in her stereo, and made copies of her tape… It was a wrap! The native from Brooklyn, New York [with Trinidadian blood], brought her talent and her gift to Suffolk Virginia by the age of 12. She continued practicing her skill. By 14 years of age she was residing in Portsmouth, VA [her current residence] and never left her music be-

hind; growing into the talented woman and lyricist known Chloe VA. Chloe has been heavily supported by her sister movement group P.G.G. [Pretty Gutta Gorgeous]; a movement of women empowerment. She spoke on her involvement, “We’re just coming together and trying to give back. Now I’m trying to organize it where we can setup a teenage group.” Chloe VA’s power moves with Mega Music for 2012 are already in high gear! Chloe VA’s mix-tape dropped December 3rd and her Trinidadian roots surfaces in her Sosa flavored single, Love Me or Leave Me. Also listen for the single, Bank Rolls. The Chloe VA app is coming very soon!

HORSE BOOGIE [Gun Gang] Horse Boogie of Gun Gang has collaborated with the Mega Music team. A hip hop artist originally from Newark, New Jersey, but moved down to Virginia in 1997. Horse Boogie carries street acclaimed hip hop credit for his solidified mixtape, Blue Flame, which came out and burned up the whole Tidewater area of VA! Gun Gang’s Horse Boogie ex-

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pressed his outlook on Mega Music and the movement. “Basically what Mega Music is about is we’re collecting all the heavy duty artists in the seven cities to come together as one coalition and bomb the whole area.”

Horse holds pride in his craft and what his craft represents in the attempt to bring the real essence of hip-hop back. He elaborated on his devotion, his team Gun Gang, and how it all derived. “The Gun Gang movement is under the label of Flame Bonds Ent. That’s consisting of Flame Bonds, myself…

Horse Boogie, R.I.P., Future, and Killah D. Gun Gang was established in 2004. We became a unit behind the death of my best friend, Daniel Maurice Riddick aka L.I.F.E. Horse is working on his album, Life Without Life II [a dedication to his deceased best friend Daniel Maurice Riddick]. There is Gun Gang mixtape Vol. 2 coming out and the development of Horse Boogie’s Blue Flame Vol. 2.

RON-E [Pure Brilliance] Ron-E is under the Pure Brilliance label… another one of the most recognized in the VA music industry. He told ILL Magazine how Mega Music became a part of what he has going on while still holding his Pure Brilliance team down. “We’ve known each other since I moved to Virginia. I’m originally from Macon, Georgia. I’ve known Voe Black for like five years now. I linked up through Mega Music and we’ve been collaborating ever since.” No one has let me down. It’s always a good look. I can’t wait until this whole collaboration drops!” Ron-E continued, “Pure Brilliance… we have ourselves in a lot of things. It’s not only music and videos. I design T-shirts. It’s a lot of stuff that we have going on; producing beats, The Green Room Studios…” Ron-E continued with telling about his recent activities. “No Elevator to Success, is out right now. I’m dropping my second project, Inspired… it’s due in March [2012]. Pure Brilliance… we’re dropping, Knights at the Roundtable. I got a

lot of things going on! Also Mega Music and Pure Brilliance we’re working on an album together. It’s going to be called, Royal Flush. Then we have the cipher.”

D READY ROC REALZ [Grind City / Mega Music / All N Records] D Ready Roc Realz is an artist that I’ve known for a while, but mainly as one of the movers and shakers of Grind City [one of the Grind City CEO executives; alongside other Grind City CEO Peso Dolla], a producer, and engineer. Realz gave me the details of his career transformation.

“For years I was just behind the scene. I did a lot of production. I did almost all the engineering. I still do engineering and production. Once we started Grind City I just fell back from the rap scene and I wanted to do the behind the scene so we could get our artists out there and focus on Peso’s project. Now I want to get out there.” Ready Roc has the forthcoming, Hell’s Kitchen, mixtape to be released New Years Eve. Look for a release party after the New Year; January or February 2012. D Ready Roc Realz has been in the rap game since he was 16 years old and Grind City has grown widely with him.

He is now also the newest of the Mega Music fam and he had this to say, “I plan on holding it down for the people who live it how I live it. Give them something to relate to. As far as Mega Music goes… we’ve all got different styles that complement each other. Everybody just helps everybody step their game up.”

PESO DOLLA [Grind City / Mega Music] Peso Dolla told me what was up with Pesobama. “It did 5,000 downloads out the gate the first four days. So that’s over a 1,000 a day. Then we put the app out so that jumped to like 10,000. It’s still rising right now. Actually on Reverbnation.com it’s going crazy… in the streets it’s going

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ebruary 2012 the newest mix-tape, NOW or NEVER, from indie rapper TAVI aka TAVI OSHON will be released to the public. Like any serious rapper will tell you, getting into the music industry takes drive and a sense of major dedication. The passion for an artist’s work must be just as present as the talent. TAVI , has been seriously involved with rapping, writing, singing, producing since middle school.

Rapping was something he always had in him. He remembers it since the age of 5.

TAVI’s mother told him that at an early age he was even standing on tables at the restaurant that his father managed; putting on performances for all the captivated patrons. Today TAVI has been gaining his publicity and musical rep through doing shows in VA, California, New York, Atlanta, and is currently working on projects in, NC and in Vegas. He has been taking on the challenges of wearing different hats with no manager and his own label. TAVI has to market promote and manage himself while also being the artist and producer of his own label. He does acknowledge the loyal support from DJ Mr. Nice, who was the mentor to DJ Baby Drew and DJ B Ryte. 2012 TAVI is staying true to his entitled CD, NOW or NEVER! Tavi is bringing the most dedication he’s ever put forth and giving the people his absolute best CD to date.

M. YVETTE: TAVI, Where are you originally from?

TAVI: I was born on the run. My father was on the run from the law; on the way back from California. They had me in Ohio. I had my first birthday in Texas.

He turned himself in not long after that.

Then I was living back in New York.

POWER KINGDOM, that’s where I’m really from; they just happen to have me in Ohio when he was on the run.

M. YVETTE: You started rapping when you were 5 years old?

TAVI: Yeah. When I was 5 or maybe even younger we would freestyle to whatever was on the radio. When i got a little older my brother had a rap group.

My brother is where I got inspiration.

My cousin Keenan and I used to dance for them. Back when people still did the running man, and the Kid and Play.

M. YVETTE: You know there’s something that I read and it kind of threw me. You were rapping in a duo group named NoN Fiction with a best friend named Sam Curtis aka TROM. Then you two came together within a mega group… but it was also a local street gang?

TAVI: Yeah. Really how it was… there were a bunch of rap groups in my neighborhood. We came up with this group called The Corporation [C.O.R.P.]. We just all came together to do shows and put out mix-tapes. People would get in trouble and then the newspaper would be like, Corporation the gang… they made us out to be like this notorious street gang. It really wasn’t designed to be that. It was really just rap groups that came together. Growing up on the street we all hustled. At that time I was younger. Not too proud of it… I have always been a hustler. That was just a part of my reality. Especially where I come from; you don’t grind you don’t eat. That’s just how things are. People would read about

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us in the paper or heard about us on the local news. Everybody knew us.

M. YVETTE: When you came to VA you started clicking with people that were known in the VA entertainment circuit. Like DJ Baby Drew and Hercules from Hot 102.1.

TAVI: They all were the crew of Hot 102.1 actually… Mr. Nice, Baby Drew, Hercules, Pezo and all of them. The first person that I actually met doing music in VA was ILL Note [Thomas Corbin-Currently Editor in Chief of ILL Magazine and Paragon Publishing]. I was working in a barber shop in Pheobus and Thomas lived around the corner from my barber shop. I met him one day. I told him I rapped, so he told me that he produced and had a studio in his house.

At that time the booth was in his closet. I used to record there. Eventually he opened up a studio out Buckroe Beach and I would go there. When I first met Pezo and Herc, they came to the cell phone store to do a live promotional broadcast next to the barber shop where I was working. I became cool with them.

M. YVETTE: You used to work for the DJ’s, right?

TAVI: One day at my shop I met this dude named Jonathan that lived out Buckroe Beach around the corner from me. He was from Queens and I was from New York too so we became cool. He had two roommates; Wink and James. They had a company called Crate Entertainment where they would carry equipment for DJ Baby Drew and DJ Mr. Nice; and pretty much any other DJ in the area. That’s how I developed my relationship with them.

M. YVETTE: You got a chance to perform for Blackout from Pastor Troy’s group, D.S.G.B., in Atlanta.

TAVI: Yeah. I met a kid name Mike Skee (Roy Jones Jr. nephew) that was originally from Florida. He came to me in the shop to

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get his hair cut. We were talking and come to find out he knew Pastor Troy and Blackout. He told me that Blackout was coming to VA. So he [Blackout] came into my shop and I edged him up while we talked about music. He heard one of the songs that I had on the Jack of Spade mix-tape… on the last Trunk Music. It was called Ride or Die for the Money. It featured Mike Skee and another one of my homeboys from Atlanta, Big Crispy. He liked the song and wanted us to come to his birthday party and perform at this big club in Atlanta. We got there too late for the performance.

He was like, “It’s cool. We have these big block parties every Sunday in College Park.” Pretty much all the big acts that come out of Atlanta have performed on this stage. He performed first then he let me go on after him. It was pretty cool.

M. YVETTE: Being a part of the Jack of Spade Trunk Music mix-tape; is that how you got with producer Hershey, and his brother the rapper / event host Double XL? TAVI: Naw. Hersh that’s my dude he works next to me in my barber shop.

This was about 6 years ago. He would give me good deals on beats and I would make my songs. That’s also how I know his brother, Double XL. We developed a relationship. Then about five years ago he started doing Rock The Mic. And I performed almost everywhere it moved.

M. YVETTE: What’s up with your mixtape Now or Never?

TAVI: That’s my new CD. It’s really dope it has 21 tracks total. It’s almost all original music except like three tracks. I got a lot of good producers like D-Boy, Kontour, Zomeone, Krush Beatz, Hershey, Da Banga… a few people out here that are up and coming. They’re pretty good! I have a feature with Double XL… Now or Never [single]. I got produc-

tion from DJ Baby Drew. He produced the song Head 2 Da Clouds. Then I got my boy Dezzy on a song called Bounce.

He’s really tight! He reminds me of how Beanie Sigel was when he first came out; just real raw and hungry. My boy Big Crispy. He’s from College Park, Atlanta… he’s featured on a song called 95. It’s pretty tuff. Mixed by DJ Mr Nice and hosted by DJ Baby Drew.

I have something for everybody on this CD… singers and everything. I’ve been promoting this project for about a year. I took the longest ever of all my mix-tapes to make this CD. I just wanted to put a lot of effort and time into it to make it the best I could. For 2012 it’s just going to be more everything. More music, more videos, more shows, networking, more connects, more features… basically push myself even harder and to make the best out of any situation that presents itself.

A Message from TAVI: “Any artist that needs management, wants to collaborate, or anyone needing help or advise hit me up anytime.”

Twitter.com/Tavioshon Facebook.com/Tavicoston Myspace.com/Tavi0732 TAVI757@gmail.com

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erse Simmonds’ name is all throughout today’s music industry. His earlier hit single, BUY YOU A ROUND, was a top club favorite. Today the current mixtape CD, SEXTAPE CHRONICALS Vol. 2 which includes his highly received single, BOO THANG, featuring Kelly Rowland, is flaming the DJ’s turntables. Very soon Verse Simmonds promises to have even more for us!

Born in Puerto Rico, raised in Virgin Islands and Florida, Maurice “Verse” Simmonds, along with his Jugganauts production partner, Shama Joseph, has worked alongside some impressive artists. A peek at Verse Simmonds production resume will reveal such performers as Rihanna [Man Down], R Kelly [Crazy Night], and K. Michelle [Fallen]. Verse Simmonds also has his name

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on multiple productions from the Jay Z & Kanye West 2011 honorable collabo CD, Watch the Throne [Who Gone Stop Me; Made in America]. Verse Simmonds’ Island B flavor [a musical genre he coined himself] seems to be possibly the secret ingredient to a billboard hit.

February 2, 2012 the singer, writer, producer Verse Simmonds came into the Virginia area to be the spotlight artist for Shiba Bunch’s promoted Thursday Live event at VA Beach’s Acapulco Tropical Lounge. Earlier that day ILL Magazine was invited to hang out with Verse as he shopped for a pair of the newest Jordan’s at Military Circle Mall’s Nacirema clothing boutique in Norfolk. I met up with him, watched him try on shoes, and we had a real interesting conversation about spending time with Kelly Rowland, his release from Interscope Records, being picked up by Def Jam and Akon’s Konlive, his diverse background, and his growing success within today’s music industry.

M. YVETTE: Hello Verse! The first time I heard of you was with BUY YOU A ROUND. There’s so much that you’re doing now. How long were you in this before then?

VERSE SIMMONDS: Well, I’ve been doing music all my life. When I officially got into the music industry was in 2003. Actually I went to work out in L.A. with an independent record label. We were working with them for a minute. I have a producer partner of mine with a production company, Jugganauts. We’ve been writing and producing music for a minute now. So it was like ’03 was when it actually started.

M. YVETTE: That’s what I wanted to ask you about. The production company Jugganauts; how did that all start? Was Shama “Sak Pase” Joseph someone that you already knew?

VERSE SIMMONDS: It’s funny because I actually met my partner Sham at a job that we were both working… AT&T in Florida at the time. It just so happened one day we were talking. We both produce music and we both write music. He actually had this session in Miami. Someone had rented out a studio and he needed to be able to write a song; come up with something and have it done. I guess the single that he had at the time really wasn’t working out. So he called me down. We started writing… we started producing together. We’re almost ten years deep now.

M. YVETTE: Wow! That’s cool! Now I don’t mean to bring up anything negative, but about the Interscope situation… can you say anything came out of that positive?

VERSE SIMMONDS: Absolutely. I don’t have anything negative to really say about it. It’s just the nature of the industry and the game that we’re in. Within this music industry with the artist it is important to find a perfect fit; a perfect plan for the music you’ve created. I just feel that they weren’t the label for me at the time. It was a blessing because I had already put out music before I signed with Interscope but we needed help with someone to get us out there a little bit.

Me and my team we ended up just using the machines to basically get as much leverage

as possible. So that when I would get released from the label then we would be able to move into another situation.

It happened in a really short time after that. So it was a blessing.

M. YVETTE: I want to make sure I have this understood properly. You’re now with Def Jam? VERSE SIMMONDS: Yeah.

M. YVETTE: You plan to follow up SEXTAPE CHRONICALS Vol. 2 with a CD with Akon’s Konlive label?

VERSE SIMMONDS: Well I have a joint situation with Def Jam, Akon, and BuVision. I put out SEXTAPE CHRONICALS Vol. 2 last year; that was my second mixtape. That was under Akon’s label as well as Def Jam. This year I’m putting out another one. I’m still signed to Def Jam and Akon at the moment.

Akon wanted to sign me and we wanted to make sure we had proper distribution for my music, so we ended up doing a deal with Def Jam as well.

M. YVETTE: How did you get up with Akon? He’s taken such a great interest in you.

VERSE SIMMONDS: Yeah. I’ve known Akon since ’03 really. One of my best friends is his DJ. That’s kind of how I met him initially. He always knew that I was doing my own thing and it got to the point where I guess everywhere he turned he just ran into me or ran into my name [of] doing something here… doing something there. So it just made since to him. Late last year he asked me to work with him on his album; to write and produce. We just took it from there.

By us already having a relationship made it easier for us to just kind of make it happen.

M. YVETTE: Talking about SEXTAPE CHRONICALS Vol. 2…

VERSE SIMMONDS: SEXTAPE CHRONICALS Vol. 2 for me it was great release of mine. Just for the fact of since the first one that I put out it was the most received. I lot of people really enjoy the music on there. I was

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really proud to put it out. It was a point of time when I wasn’t locked into any situation. So it was great because I was able to build leverage from that CD and get a lot of people aware of my music; whoever wasn’t following me from BUY YOU A ROUND. When they heard BUY YOU A ROUND they thought that was it. So when I put out SEXTAPE CHRONICALS Vol. 2 it reintroduced me to my old audience as well as new fans with BOO THANG, featuring Kelly Rowland. SEXTAPE CHRONICALS Vol. 2 was something I was proud about and I’m looking forward to dropping a new one soon.

M. YVETTE: How was it working with Kelly?

VERSE SIMMONDS: It was good! We shot the video in Miami to BOO THANG. We had a real goodtime doing that. Other than that, she’s just a lovely girl.

M. YVETTE: Yes. She seems like she is. Now, what made you create your own genre of music…

Island B? I think it’s a reason for it, because your music is different… but it’s not a crazy difference.

VERSE SIMMONDS: You can tell it’s a subtle difference. I did that because early on people that would pay attention to my music and they would ask me what I considered it. It’s not all

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the way R&B, and it’s not all the way Hip Hop. It’s somewhere in between, and then you throw in some island music.

People in the music industry will try to put you in a box… they try to figure out what you are so that they can be able to label you. It made it a little harder for me because especially with the music that I had at the time. It’s a versatile [style of] music that I bring. Whether it be a Hip Hop venue, an R&B venue, or a Caribbean festival; I can cater to all those audiences.

M. YVETTE: Do you think that comes natural because you’re originally from Puerto Rico, then you moved to the Virgin Islands, then you came to Florida?

You’re going to absorb all types of cultures.

VERSE SIMMONDS: Absolutely. That’s how it comes natural for me. As a kid I moved around a lot. I’ve lived in a few places in my life. Any musician that will tell you that your surroundings do not influence you is a liar. Anything that you take from life is going to come back in your music if you’re creating the music. I happen to be one of those creators of my own music.

M. YVETTE: I feel you. We’re waiting to see more of what you have going on.

What can we expect?

VERSE SIMMONDS: I have a new mixtape CD that I am about to put out.

It’s going to be hosted by DJ Trauma. It’s untitled right now… originally I was going to name it SEX TAPE CHRONICALS 3. But I felt SEX TAPE CHRONICALS 2 set a particular tone, and this CD is different than the last one. I didn’t want to brand it as a SEX TAPE CHRONICALS 3 knowing that it wasn’t going to be in that kind of feel. This one is going to be a little more up-tempo… a little more up-beat. It’s untitled right now but we’re dropping it like next month.

M. YVETTE: Thank you Verse for spending some time with ILL Magazine.

VERSE SIMMONDS: Thank you for having me.

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M.YVETTE: Boone, what’s going on with you right now?

BOONE: I just wrapped up my mixtape.

We’re about to push that; It’s called 3 Lane Monster. We’re in the process of wrapping that up and getting that out to the world.

We’re doing a bunch of shows in the Philly market.

M.YVETTE: Are you originally from Philly?

BOONE: Yes. M.YVETTE: You have the single, Club Like, where there’s a feature with Waka Flocka. How did that come about?

BOONE: I was in Atlanta doing some promotions with Cintron Energy Drink; they’re one of my sponsors. The owner from Cintron knew Waka Flocka’s manager. He sent them the Club Like track that I had already laid down. Waka liked it

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so he put a 16 bar verse up there. We just took it from there.

M.YVETTE: Do you have any other features on the 3 Lane Monster mixtape?

BOONE: A couple local [Philly] artists.

[Also] Beanie Segil, Gillie Da Kid, and of cause Club Like with Waka Flocka is going to be up there.

M.YVETTE: How long have you been doing this?

BOONE: I’ve been doing it for like 9 years; I’ve been going strong for like 5 or 6 years.

M.YVETTE: What’s up with you and Palmieri Jeans?

BOONE: It’s a clothing line out here in Philadelphia. It’s been going on since 1977. My partner, Victor, just partnered up with the owner about 5 years ago.

They started off just sponsoring me;

dressing me for my shows and everything.

M.YVETTE: I saw the commercials for the jeans. I really like it! What sizes? I know you have men and women.

BOONE: For women we go from 0 to 22. For men we do 28 to 44.

M.YVETTE: I love the lettermen jackets; they’re fire!

BOONE: Thanks.

M.YVETTE: How are you seeing everything as far as the growth with the music that you have? Also how would you classify your style of music?

BOONE: Right now I’m pretty much with the party; most of my music is on the party side. I like R&B and hip hop. I shy away from the hardcore rap. I do a lot of party music; I club a lot so I just put it in my music.

M.YVETTE: Are there certain producers that give you that sound that you seem to stick with?

BOONE: Like on my Euro tracks… my world tracks, I go with this guy name Cordell; also the guy that made Club Like, J. Strong.

M.YVETTE: What do you see for you in 2012? You got the mixtape, 3 Lane Monster. Do you plan on any touring?

BOONE: Yeah. We’re about to do some big promotions down south. I probably start in Atlanta, then move further down south like in Florida. Do Texas and all of that. I’d like to start down there real heavy.

M.YVETTE: Who would you say are some of the hip hop artists that you’ve listened to and influenced you to becoming who you are in the music industry?

BOONE: When I grew up I was listening to that Bad Boy… the Puffy, the Biggie. The Jay Z; and of cause Beanie Segil. I’m a fan of music though! I listen to all types of music. I listen to R&B more than I listen to rap.

M.YVETTE: How do you feel that came about… rapping with your party tracks and you’re listening to so much R&B? BOONE: Well my whole family is singers. I’m the only rapper in my family. Like my Grand-Pop… he was the lead singer for the Intruders [the group who sung the memorable classic I’ll Always Love My Momma].

M.YVETTE: Wow! So music is in your blood.

BOONE: I was the only rapper because I can’t sing [laughs]… but music is in my blood.

M.YVETTE: I feel you! Are you planning to come to VA anytime soon?

BOONE: I be in VA all of the time… VA and DC. M.YVETTE: We’ll be looking forward to seeing Boone partying in the clubs live as he tours, and most definitely getting that 3 Lane Monster joint! www.BooneMusic39.com Facebook: Maurq Boone Twitter: @Boone Music

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*ILL Magazine was invited to the Tony Star video shoot of his single, Even You [Haters]. It was cool being a part of the shoot. [Photo L to R]: Zedric of Zedric Productions; M.Yvette; & Tony Star.

*ILL Magazine was at the Bayside Inn for Local Lingo’s Ladies’ Night… The ladies hit the night hard! Da Groove TV was also in the spot! [Photo L to R]: rapper Kima Kima; M.Yvette; rapper Chloa VA and PGG.

*Formally known as lyricist Q.R.A.Z., now neo soul artist, Yaazmyn Denyze [Forbes Ent.] hit the red carpet of Palace on Plume in Downtown Norfolk with her soulful backup singers Kareen, Elana, and Scottie. The show was a magnificent event!

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*Platinum selling artist, Maino, made his way to VA’s Vision Nightclub to perform and show some NY love! Big shout out to Joseph of WAVY Ent.

M.Yvette: Your book… would you say that it is a great starting book for people that are just getting out there in the music business; or would you say that it is only for the people that have been working their music and getting a buzz on a local level. However, they have found that they are stuck.

WENDY DAY: I love that you asked me that. I will tell you a secrete that I’ve never told anybody. That was the hardest thing I had ever written in my life. The number one question that anyone asks me is how to get a record deal. What I really want to do is shake them and say, you don’t need a fucking re-

cord deal! For me to write a book saying that you don’t need a fucking record deal that would embrace the artists.

New artists come up thinking that there are certain steps that you follow, and that is the first step. They think that is the goal… to get a record deal. So when I wrote that I wrote that in the position of—here’s what a record deal is. If you really want one then here’s how to get one… here is why you might not want it… but if you do here’s how you get it… and if you really don’t want it here’s how to build a buzz to do whatever you want to do… you really don’t want one; but if you do… So really that’s how I

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W

hen Paragon Publishing’s Seven Magazine last talked with Paul Battle CEO of the record label BME [Battle Music Entertainment] we were introduced to the artist Nina Li. Some time has passed since I interviewed for that article, so I asked Nina Li was she still under the BME umbrella. Her response was a strong and definite, “All day!” She told ILL Magazine, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying with my team.” Nina Li’s genre of music is a mixed sort. She said, “I’m capable of doing the R&B. I do the R&B, but I’m just now embarking on the aspect of my talent. I can sing, but rap has always been the main factor in my life as the music. I’ve just been exploring, experiencing, and having fun with it. I just call myself a multi-genre artist.”

Nina Li’s background started early on, even before her time in the school’s choir.

She explained how she nurtured her musical talent at a very young age. “My family would have get togethers. We would get together when I was like 4 or 5; they would always get me to sing.” She never knew why they all wanted to have her to perform for family and friends though she was always happy to oblige them with a song. It did however take her a little time before she was able to share that talent with people outside of the comfort of family. She eventually became more serious about her singing and rapping. “I met my producer Hot Hands.” Nina Li still works

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with Hot Hands in addition to other producers. “We linked up when I was very young. I was like 13.” Nina at that time recorded her first track which was a merge of rap and R&B. It was Nina rapping and another artist singing the hook in which Nina Li had written. She was young but well aware from that point on that music was a part of her. She stated, “I never stopped since.”

The songwriter and lyricist gave her description of what her music suggests.

“I touch on a lot of things. I go from the challenges of life itself… love… streets.

This last single I recorded is about dancing. I touch on everything. I look at myself as somebody that has something to offer everybody. It’s not something that I try too hard to do. It’s just that I’ve been through a lot and have seen a lot. I’ve had a lot of fun and I’ve had a lot of trials and tribulations. I feed off that and I deliver it to the people.” The anticipated solo album of Nina Li is currently in construction. She exposed to ILL Magazine further details of her upcoming project. “I am writing and recording. We’re trying to make a decision of the avenue to take. Because I have R&B tracks and I have the rap tracks. It’s so many outlets of me.” Nina Li and BME are currently fine-tuning the direction of her uniquely designed multi-genre project.

I asked Nina what rapper or artist does she look to as an inspiration. She took no time to answer my question. Actually she sounded somewhat happy that she had the opportunity to show love for her musical influence. “One of the first female rappers that really intrigued me and caught my ear was Queen Latifah! My mom used to listen to her all day… everyday, as she would have me riding shotgun. I used to absolutely love Queen Latifah!” Nina also listed the other hip-hop artists that took a part as being influential to her as she was

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growing up. “Wu-Tang, L.L. Cool J… mainstream old school artists. I have nothing against the new artists that are out now. It’s just that back then, when I was growing up, the music had more substance. That’s why those artists really inspired me to pursue my music.” Nina Li took a moment to make her position clear. “I always want the consumer to know that I have something to say. I’m not just out here getting on tracks with these bubblegum lyrics. No disrespect to any artist. Some of that stuff I even vibe to. I mean it has good sound and good beats. But I don’t want to be classified as an artist that is always talking about clubbing all of the time; how big their jewels are; dudes with money. Do you know what I mean? It’s just that I have so much more to say.” Nina Li’s Loyalty to her personal standards for her craft emerged strongly when she spoke, “I feel like for me to take that avenue it would be like dumbing my rap game down.” It was evident that Nina takes pride in the fact that she stays true to who Nina Li is as a person and an artist. “It’s always something from the heart that someone can relate to.” Nonetheless, Nina Li isn’t stuck into some boring box. She gave the concept of her recently released track, Step to This. “It’s a dance track. It’s something that your kids and your grandma, your pops, your mom, or anybody can listen to. I don’t want to make music that can’t fit a certain demographic.”

Female rappers are not as obsolete as mainstream my exhibit. True, it is a male majority industry. Still, many of the female rappers that attempt to rise to the surface are faced with many complications that surround the fact of being a female and claiming ones respect in the game. Nina Li gave her opinion of the females in the rap game, as well as the facts about the female rapper that she is. “I’ve noticed that a lot of times, being a female in the industry, that the con-

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sumer and the public… society really, takes the sex thing and runs with that. I have to be careful about appearance and my image, as well as my lyrics. It’s never going to be a time when nobody is going to say… she’s sexy. But you’re going to always know that my craft is something that I love to do. I can get with the best of them and hold my spot down!” Nina’s spirit and confidence was present. “I separate myself from the vixen, but I still keep it classy as far as my image. I forever plan to make a statement. When dudes hear me spit they are always surprised. It’s almost like I’m one of them.

So I gain my respect in that form.”

Nina Li’s dedication to her craft somehow seems to have a lot to do with her loyalty for her label, BME. The CEO of Battle Music Entertainment believed in Nina Li’s ability and her talent even before he even fully had the label setup and running. When BME’s CEO began to startup his label he already had Nina Li in mind as one of the label’s artists.

When all of the wheels began to turn and the motor began to rev for BME, as well as Nina Li, it was freshness for all parties involved. Nina stated, “We’ve just been growing ever since. Now, we’re like family. We’ve been establishing relationships with each other.” Right now the label is focusing on Nina Li’s single, Step to This. Nina Li told ILL Magazine, “We just shot a video for that. It’s a very simple step that everyone can do. I featured a lot of different people in the video.” BME’s artist, Nina Li, will be busy in 2012 with the rising of her career.

Listen for her single, look for her video, and later in the year of 2012 be prepared for the Nina Li album!

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Y

G Don, who previously went by a different alias [Dirty Don], has changed not just his name.

He may just change the game. As YG Don expands his music, he realizes his growth within the VA music scene. The South Norfolk and Norfolk Virginia bred, rapper has been doing his music for more than nine years. He backed away from the public scene for a while but for 2012 the Don is planting seeds in this VA soil and nourishing it with something that’s been said the rap game needs more of… hip hop that’s saying something. Music is supposed to have a purpose; like all art forms.

YG Don took a moment to express to ILL Magazine of what his art speaks.

M.YVETTE: You’ve been at this like 9… 10 years. What’s been up?

YG DON: I haven’t been straight doing music. For a while I was just strictly in the streets. I had been doing tracks… and doing shows from time to time; but I wasn’t really competing throughout the whole time.

M.YVETTE: So now you’re taking things a little more seriously? Getting more into the studio?

YG DON: I got my money right so I’m going to try and make some noise now.

M.YVETTE: So what have you been doing in the studio? Are you planning to release a mixtape? Any features?

YG DON: Yeah. I’m releasing a mixtape in a few weeks. I plan to get a joint coming up with my man Horse Boogie from the Gun Gang. I also hope to work with Pusha T, Fam-Lay, Dout Gotcha, and Pharrell in the

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future.

M.YVETTE: Okay!

YG DON: My man Hanz from Hanz On Entertainment. That is my partner.

We do our own thing separately and together. That’s family though.

M.YVETTE: How do you know Horse Boogie… Gun Gang and all of them?

YG DON: I used to go to school with most of them.

M.YVETTE: You said for 2012 you have your mixtape CD coming out. What’s the name of it?

YG DON: It’s called D.O.G. With everything I do I try to do it with style. I don’t want to be looked at like the run-of-themill artist. I like to come with concepts.

I don’t just spit regular bars. I put a spin on them. I’m good with telling stories. I tell a story inside of a song. Like, where an average person might be listening to a track, if they listen closely they might get a good little jewel out it.

M.YVETTE: What is your biggest influence that brings you to music?

YG DON: People that I dealt with in the streets that are murdered. For real that’s my sole motivaation. I’ve been through a lot of things in the streets. I’ve seen how dudes get locked up for long periods of time. Dudes get killed. Seeing them and what they were going through when they were going through it. Learning from it; I put that motivation towards my music.

My brother just got killed in November.

M.YVETTE: Oh my god. I’m sorry.

YG DON: I know that he wanted me to pursue the music. I know he prefer me to chase this music than to be out there in the streets like that. Pretty much now my music is a tribute to my brother. Like the first track on my mixtape I’m glad I had the presence of mind to get him on that

mixtape. He wasn’t rapping or anything like that. I had called him while I was in the studio and put it on the track. That part is like real touchy for me. You know what I mean? I’m also definitely influenced by my man Daniel Riddick… he had the rap name LIFE. He died a couple of years ago.

He was real big in the 757… he was from Pleasant Park area.

M.YVETTE: Oh yeah! Daniel Riddick gets so much respect from so many artists in VA. I wish I could have met him.

YG DON: Yeah. He was real on every level.

He was definitely one of my biggest influences.

M.YVETTE: Do you plan on being involved in any of the events around VA?

YG DON: I’m trying to be involved in everything for real. I used to battle when I used to live in New York. If I come out the retirement of this battling thing I might make a little wager or something like that. I’m trying to do shows everywhere like the Norva… the Attucks Theatre, etc. I just want to come out real hard and make it monster form. Give VA something everybody is going to love.

Facebook.com/GrindinRebel Twitter.com/GrindinRebelDon

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