BOYZ N DA HOOD
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24: In the beginning for Boyz N Da Hood,
everyone was a solo artist. Did you think the group was going to be as big as
it is?
Big Duke: Yea I think so. We definitely built
a bigger fan base. A lot of our fans and the records we sold didn’t just
come from [being played in] the strip club, people were fucking with us. We really
only had one single. We didn’t really have any big push since the album
came out. It seems like we built up a lot more fans. It seems like a lot more
people bought the album after the hype was going down. Some people probably weren’t
aware or didn’t buy [the first album] at first. Then there was the [Young]
Jeezy controversy. A lot of people went and bought it to hear what it was like.
That’s why this time I think people will buy it to see what it would sound
like because Jeezy isn’t a part of it. Even if they don’t want us
to do good, they just want to hear to see if it’s going to be garbage.
24: You just replaced Young Jeezy with
a new member?
Big Duke: You know people like Jeezy, Rick
Ross and Lil’ Wayne, they will always be honorary members. We just got
another little cat from the hood and put him on. That’s how the movement
starts anyway. That’s how we want to bring it instead of bringing in another
big name. We want people to be into the group instead of the individual.
24: Do you feel like being in Boyz N Da
Hood helped your career as a solo artist?
Big Duke: I definitely think it help me in
the sense of putting me in the position to do other things in this industry.
I came in with other aspirations other than artistry and that’s why I
got a job at the label. When we actually got the label, Block appointed me the
A&R position. That opened up that door for me as well as the opportunity
to get in. I got a couple of movies coming out called ‘Ghettoville’
and ‘Southern Tony.’ It put me in position to make certain contacts.
But as far as Boyz N Da Hood as a group and setting me up as a solo artist,
it definitely brings light to me. If it wasn’t for Boyz N Da Hood, nobody
would know who I was other than the people that already knew me. It definitely
introduced me to the world. I think after each [album], it’s going to
bring a little more light to each member.
24: Are you currently working on the new
album?
Big Duke: Yes. Right now. We’re working
on it right now.
24: When is the album scheduled to drop?
Big Duke: It’s supposed to come out in
February. On the schedule it’s February.
24: What guest features do you have on
the album?
Big Duke: We got Ice Cube. We got one song
with Lil’ Wayne and T.I., but it’s been on so many mixtapes we don’t
know if we’re going to use it. Cube is featured on a song called ‘Choppers.’
24: Early last year, it was rumored that
Lil’ Wayne was going to replace Young Jeezy and then it was rumored that
Rick Ross was going to fill that spot. What happened in those situations?
Big Duke: Nothing happened. It was just going
to be a complicated situation. It was more label problems as opposed to us.
We wanted to do it but certain [labels] wanted to come in because one label
was getting more money. Another situation with Ross’ was his album was
just about to come out, so it would be complicated with us moving around. It
didn’t seem like it wasn’t going to work for real.
24: What producers did you work with on
this album?
Big Duke: We got a dude named DJ Dano. He’s
an in-house producer. He did most of the album so far. We’re probably
going to work with Jazze Pha. We’re still working with the same people.
We got Drama Boy. We like to work with the same people to keep that sound. They
already know what we’re used to.
24: Do you have a single right now?
Big Duke: We have a record out called “G’d
Up.” It may not be the first single. It was a record on the mixtape that
picked up and heated up the clubs. They’re working the record right now.
24: Are you eventually going to release
a solo album?
Big Duke: Yea. It’s going to come out
after the next Boyz N Da Hood album. Block is trying to put me in the position
to get a label situation. We’re pretty much done with the album.
24: If you could work with any artist,
who would you want to work with?
Big Duke: Honestly, Eazy E.
24: Was he a big inspiration to you?
Big Duke: He was my whole inspiration when
it came to this music. Growing up, I wasn’t exposed to a lot. Our music
is a reflection of what we came up on. Our whole life and way of living was
based around the whole era of Eazy E. I didn’t know him personally. He
looked like a gangsta that made money. He made shit happen. That’s what
I liked about dude. He had his own hustle. He wasn’t a flashy nigga. You
know he had cake but that’s not what he represented. I always saw him
in white tees and jeans and that’s why we we’re banging white tees.
That’s where it came from. Get money and still be g with it.
24: Who were some of your influences?
Big Duke: I would have to say Outkast. I don’t
know if they really influenced me, but people who I like to listen to and motivate
me to work. Outkast, Jeezy, Snoop, the Geto Boys back when they were poppin.
UGK and 8 Ball & MJG is what I came up on.
24: How do feel about the state of hip-hop
right now?
Big Duke: It’s just like everything else
in the world, things change. It goes through different phases. Things change.
It doesn’t stay the same forever. It’s got to change at some point.
The south is big. We’ve been doing what we’re doing. It’s
everybody else that wanted to label us the booty shaking era, then they want
to label us crunk then leanin’ and rockin.’ In the mist of it, we’ve
been doing it the whole time. We’ve been doing on the street level that
just got nationwide. Now music is back to where people are having fun. People
like to dance. People like to be in the clubs. The strip clubs are poppin harder
that ever as far as popularity. People in strip clubs want that. They dance
to the beat. They don’t care what you’re saying, they’re dancing
to the beat. Down here, clubs break records. We do what we do. Atlanta makes
music for the clubs.
24: Are you originally from Atlanta?
Big Duke: Yea. I’m from the east side.
24: Do you want to do anything outside
of music?
Big Duke: I got a clothing line right now.
Definitely that movie thing. I have some other projects as well. I’m writing
scripts as well.
24: Is there anything you want to promote?
Big Duke: We got young Gorilla Zoe coming up.
The new Boyz N Da Hood. We have the Boyz N Da Hood ‘Hood 2 Hood’
showcase looking for new talent for the label. That’s it.
Interview by: Ryan 305DJs
