CONCRETE Magazine - Nashville Edition #30 by CONCRETE Magazine

6-12 ...................... Young Buck 14 ........................Whip Game 18 ..................... DVD Reviews 20 ................... Music Reviews 22 ........................ Nam White 24 ........... Barber Proﬁle: James 28 ............... DJ Proﬁle: Wheezy 30 ................. The Nashville 10 CONCRETE Magazine PO Box 239, Madison, TN 37116

615-860-6006

concretebryan@gmail.com © CONCRETE Magazine 2009

Published by: CONCRETE Marketing Ad Executives: Bryan Deese, Capo, Will Art Director: Audie Adams Cover Photography: Dylan Mire Nash10 Photography: Tavell Brown

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Photo by Dylan Mire

When you talk about Cashville you’ve got to talk about Young Buck. After years of grinding behind the scenes he exploded worldwide with Straight Outta Cashville and put our city on the map like never before. It was the same time this magazine started, and naturally Buck was on the first cover. Then, a year ago, Buck had a very public feud with G-Unit head, 50 Cent. Dis records and rumors flew around hip-hop, leaving many to wonder what was true and what wasn’t. Well ... we have always rolled with Buck, so we got with him to set the record straight about the state of his music and his career. CONCRETE: It’s been five years since the release of, Straight Outta Cashville. How have you evolved as a man and an artist? Young Buck: It’s been five years since Straight Outta Cashville. Straight Outta Cashville was my first album. I was blessed to be able to go over platinum. I’m at like 1.3 (million sold) with that album. That was my first solo album, so the success of G-Unit at the time was so broad, that all I had to do was deliver a platinum album. And I did. It showed up. My second solo, Buck the World World, it’s been probably two years since that album dropped. That album kind of came out with out a lot of promotion on either side. With Interscope, I did what I had to do pushing the album, but I didn’t have a lot of promotion put into that album. And, It still went gold. Honestly I still consider myself a platinum artist, and the industry and everyone else would consider me a platinum artist even though my last record was a gold record. They have a thing in this business called the sophomore jinx. Most artists that go platinum they don’t go gold or platinum on that second album, that second go around. So, I’m blessed to even get a gold plaque out of that, being that it was during the time of the whole download era. I don’t blame nobody for the lack of sales or the numbers on Buck The World World, cause I know, honestly, in my heart that record was better than Straight Outta Cashville. It showed the growth of me as an artist. But, some things don’t work out the way you planned, but you just keep it moving. I’ve just been staying active. I’ve got Cashville Records, my label.

Photo by Dylan Mire

I haven’t dropped nothing under Cashville Records. I still have a situation with Sony Red (distribution). I haven’t dropped nothing under Cashville Records mainly because I want to create the energy with my own situation. (I’m getting) to the point where I’m able to drop another solo record, and then start releasing records through Cashville Records, and cross promote the energy. Instead of just going at it as Cashville Records, I still have some loose ends tot ite up on getting my own solo together and getting another record out there. The push could be bigger with the two. Other than that my artist C-Bo and The Outlawz which is my official artists, the only official artists that I have within Cashville Records, they’re doing good. They staying working. They doing they own shows. They’ve been active before I actually got active. They make my situation a little bit easier, because they’re more experienced. It’s kind of tough working with a lot of artists out here, local artists, or looking to find an artist locally to get on board with what you’ve got going. Without having that experience a lot of artists have different expectations. Sometimes we don’t meet the same expectations. I work good with the experienced ones, or the artist that actually knows what he wants with his career and knows where he wants to go. It’s kind of too late for me to hold your hand and walk you through this game. CONCRETE: We’ve heard you’re working on a new album. What’s going on with new music and a new album? Young Buck: At this point I’m not signed to Interscope Records. Interscope dropped G-Unit Records, which made me be a part of that drop. Jimmy Iovine who is the CEO of Interscope Records did not want to let me go from Interscope. He didn’t want to let me go. I think it really hurt him. But at the end of the day, it was the business ties. Keeping me at Interscope and letting everybody else go would cause a lot of confusion. He granted me to be able to walk away. I don’t owe Interscope nothing. So, I’m free from that wing. The only contract being held over top of me is the G-Unit contract. I would have already dropped another album and had a lot more commercial activity, but I’ve been battling what I call, ‘The 50 Cent game.’ It’s a situation where we had the misunderstanding with each other. Instead of me going my own way and he going his own way and doing it like that, his thing is to make it as hard as possible for me. Even though he may be in a better position than me. He has a whole thing to make it as hard as possible, mainly because we can’t come to an agreement. We don’t see the same thing. I’m looking to get away from G-Unit Records. You got a million labels out there that’s waiting on me. I’m in the middle of a bidding war. Cause I’m at a point in my career where I’ve tried to work it out from every angle possible with dropping another record with G-Unit before they was ever dropped from Interscope. I’ve went as far as submitting my budget for the next record, the whole nine. Lawyers have stretched out back and forth trying to create conversations with even his lawyer’s side of things, told one thing and then it shifted the other way. It’s been pretty much that whole way of things for the last year and a half to the point where it’s only one way for me to get out of that contract with 50 Cent, in my eyes, and it may come with the term of me having to file bankruptcy just to free myself out of all contracts. But it would at least put me in a position where I’m able to go and get a new situation and drop another record. So, if I have to go that route I will, with no shame in my game. My thing is just to stay active and stay relevant to my fans and to the people until I work out my situation. That’s why I’ve got the #1 mix tape. continued on pg 10

Photo by Dylan Mire

CONCRETE: So let’s talk about mix tapes, cause you’ve been doing a lot of mix tapes over the years. Why do like doing them? Young Buck: The mix tape game right now, if you from the streets, or if you are just a product of music and you really pay attention to music, then you know that the mix tape is the foundation for an artist. It’s almost to the point where if you’re not bumping on your mix tape then, ‘We’re not going to buy your album.’ So I treat a mix tape like an album. Outside of that it keeps the artist relevant. It keeps you fresh. It gives you a chance to just release certain things that you wouldn’t be able to put out on an album. Also it establishes the DJs, the most important thing to this game. You understand what I’m saying? Cause, they are the ones who get the music to the people. The mix tape thing for me is always been serious. It’s more serious at this point and time, cause it’s my way of eating outside of me getting to drop another record. You got cats out right now that’s not seeing no where near the numbers that I’ve sold as far as album wise. But they’re getting numbers at shows through, just having hot ass mix tapes, that I’ve never seen as far as in the U.S. The mix tape is definitely an avenue where for a foundated artist or an artist that’s trying to come up. It definitely should be if not your first stop your second stop. Because it gives the fans a chance hear you before you give them what they really want which is an album. I look to stay relevant with it. That’s the whole thing. That’s why I drop so much is to keep those fans. Cause I know music marks time, and it gets old too. But a person can hear a record and you can remember what you was doing ten, fifteen years later, when you first heard that record. You can hear a record and it can take you back to, ‘Damn, I remember when I was 9 years old, and I was listening to that record.’ So I treat it as it’s sacred. I don’t treat it like, ‘It is what it is.’ No. Everything I put into a mix tape, into an album, if you hear me rap, I don’t give a fuck if it’s on “Joe Local Blow” that don’t got a name for himself, I’m going to put my all into it, because it marks time. I’m aware of that, because I’m aware of what music has done to me. So when you do go get a mix tape from Young Buck you’re getting more than your money’s worth. It’s just now getting across to the people, because the energy of G-Unit at the time, we dropped so many mix tapes, but it was more of a group thing. Since my separation came about from that whole G-Unit situation, that’s one of the best things to happen to me in my life, because it’s brought these fans and all these people more in tune tome as an artist. A lot of people are just now seeing the talent in Buck. It put a little more pressure on me, but I feel like there ain’t shit I can’t handle. I’m good. continued on pg 12

CONCRETE: Any last words or shout outs? Young Buck: Basically, just shout out to everybody in the city of Cashville. Everybody out there that’s paying attention. Shout out to Hang Time clothing, because that’s a clothing store that really, really, really looks for the hood. They need light shined on them. Shout out to my man over there at Heavy Detailing and my boy at TNT Detailing, these are all independent, black owned businesses. People that are trying to make an honest living from the ground, so every chance I get I try to give them that love. And shout out to all the Harley riders out there. Shout out to everybody at Silverados on bike night. Shout out to everybody at Murfreesboro at their bike night. Shout out to everybody that’s on them bikes. I think Nashville is really experiencing the epidemic of that Harley Davidson, and I got a lot to do with that. Shout out to CONCRETE Magazine, Fifth Anniversary, these cats been here for me my whole career in a sense from being amongst G-Unit cause I remember my first album Straight Outta Cashville was my first experience with CONCRETE Magazine which was five years ago. Which makes me a part of this Fifth Anniversary and a real true part of it cause the longevity. That’s what it’s all about, it’s about staying down. What don’t kill you makes you stronger. People look at me and the things I’m going through, and I can say honestly, ‘OK, I might not be as hot as I was at a time, but I’m going to be hotter than I’ve ever been!’

Photo by Dylan Mire

CONCRETE: So we heard you started a motorcycle club. What’s it all about? Young Buck: Cashville Riders M.C. We got everything already mapped out. We just incorporated Black Harley Riders Incorporated also. We’re just a group of guys that’s got a real true love of bikes, and just like getting together and riding. Basically that’s it. You know my father is the President of The Flaming Knights. They’re one of the biggest motorcycle clubs out there. He the president of The Flaming Knights which has 39 chapters in 39 different states. They’re based in D.C. My father’s named Kenny Black. I never knew what his love came from, but I just met my father last year. So now, all of this is coming to me and I’m seeing where (his love) come from. So I’m just like an offspring of my pops, just basically bringing that whole ﬂavor to the city. As far as the motorcycle world, we’re not no outlaw riding type shit. We’re just for getting on some clean ass Harleys and getting out and having a good time. If you’re out there reading this and you’re paying attention and you want to be a part of Cashville Riders Motorcycle Club we accept Harleys only. No disrespect to the cats on the crotch rockets and all that good stuff. But this is a situation where it’s strictly H.D.s, Harley Davidson, High Dollar BIKES! So holler at us, we’re doing it big.

2005 GMC Denali 26” Mazzi Kranks Custom Painted by RimTyme

1990 Cadillac Brougham 24” Limited Rims Custom Wrap owner: Rehab Get Money

Streets of New York

Underground, documentary film maker Al Profit drops a gripping profile on crime in New York City. It breaks down many eras, neighborhoods and organizations. Al Profit touches on everything: the black out and riots of 1977, the mafia, the Savage Nomads, Son of Sam, the 1980s crack crews, crooked cops, Tactical Narcotics Teams (T.N.T.), the Guardian Angels, the Lo Lifes, the Decepticons, Bernard Gets. He also weaves in politics and their influence on the streets. Mayors Ed Koch, David Dinkins, Abe Beame and Rudy Giuliani are all included. The film starts in the late 60s early 70s Harlem and all the way to today. There are many former prisoners who talk on the extreme racial tensions inside the New York jails that created gangs which then spilled to the outside. Old news reports gives the viewer a real sense of the city during each time period. The film ends on the note that crime is way down in New York because of several reasons: more police, higher cost of living and tougher prosecution of crime. Streets of New York is informative and entertaining. This one is really serious.

Code Red: The Miseducation of the Bloods

This DVD explores the Los Angeles founded, but now nation wide gang the Bloods. It mainly focuses on the differences between West Coast/Los Angeles Bloods and New York/East Coast Bloods. It breaks down that Los Angeles sets are neighborhood gangs that members join because they are from that neighborhood, whereas in New York the Bloods took hold as a prison gang ﬁrst, then moved to the outside. Only a small portion looks at the history of the gang. Instead, from the beginning of the ﬁlm it shows guys in the streets arguing about and dissing the other coast for their traditions. It seems many West Coast Bloods don’t respect their East Coast counterparts or their emerging gang customs. One cat from NYC/Baltimore named “Dough Boy” gives a really good explanation why the differences from coast to coast are so great. There is no mention of Bloods down South or in the Midwest. The only thing the gangsters agree on is that Lil Wayne and Jim Jones are not real Bloods, and that there is a lot of fake computer/ myspace wanksters. Original West Coast Blood T. Rodgers gives the video credibility, and he is upset about how loose things are in New York. This video may actually serve to unify traditions and groups within this gang, but it could also further divide them.

Young Buck - Back on my Buck Shit

Young Buck knows what a mix tape is all about! He made national attention with this one when he teamed up with DJ Smallz (Florida) and DJ Scream (Atlanta). All new and original material gives his hungry fans a taste. His stories always reﬂect his current affairs, and he touches on every subject you’ve wondered about. One of the realest tracks is “Letter to the Labels” where he tells all the major labels that he’s ready to sell millions for them. Young Buck is always on his grind and the lyrics reﬂect it. He drops an anthem for Cashville called “My City.” It’s mostly all Buck, but All Star and Yo Gotti show up and blast heat on “Bag It Up.” He even has a track with Lil Wayne. This is a classic mix tape.

Yo Gotti - Cocaine Muzik 3

Yo Gotti knows how to make an entrance! Right from the jump he hooks you in for the whole ride. This ride is all about grinding out that coke. Gotti is steady making underground hits, and this mix has got a grip of them. “36 O’s” and “Standing in the Kitchen” keeps it real for the d-boys. “Five Star” is one for the down ass, top billing ladies. “Cocaine Muzik” featuring AllStar (Maybach Music) shows his versatility. The reason Gotti is so popular is he always comes hard, and this one is no different.

CUB - Da Cook Up Boss

Representing that Cashville lifestyle to the fullest comes CUB: Tha Cook Up Boss. Your boy spends a lot of money cause he makes a lot of money. So you know there’s a lot of raps about kitchen recipes and shopping sprees. Tracks like the Fate Eastwood produced “Watch Me Looie,” “Swagga 2 Da Roof” and “Racced Up” featuring OJ Da Juice Man exemplify his style the best. He’s sitting on a stack of money looking down at you petty, broke boys! You small fries need to get your weight up!

C.O. Cakes - Streets 101

Streets 101 is an introduction to hustling and exactly who C.O. Cakes is, a young Cashville hustler hungry to get his due. His rhymes reﬂect the gritty reality of a young man struggling to get riches any way he can. His ode to the city “Cashville Stand Up” is a big, synth heavy production that’s ready for the radio! “Get Like Me” is another swagtastic banger. This cat has clever lines, mixed with Southern hustler swag. We’ll be watching to see if his movement takes hold. Streets 101 is solid, so get behind this guy. He can deliver.

Tiko - First 48

Part time rapper, full time gangster Tiko has a story to tell. The one that will surely get the most attention is the ﬁrst song “Star a F--- N----” in which he goes hard at All Star. There’s something in there about a Moet bottle upside the head and getting chased out of a club. Hard to blame anyone ﬂeeing from Tiko after you hear the actual news clip (track 4) about this guy’s rap sheet. East Side Outlawz aren’t to be played with. Once you get past the initial headlines, the album is really good. Songs like “Show Me the Way,” “They Ain’t Real” and “Ole Lady” are American tales that many can relate to.

CONCRETE: How would you describe your sound? Nam White: My sound is like the guy who gets up, goes to work everyday, has health insurance, comes home kisses his kids and cooks dinner. I mean that’s me. That’s the one beef I have with hiphop is the fact that they try to put everyone in a box. Like, “Mother F------ you in a box, get comfortable, 6x9, yo bitch ass in a box. If you think outside that box your shit ain’t going to work.” I don’t live in box. That’s why my shit is different. I’m completely comfortable in my skin. If I could butt-ass naked without catching a charge I would. (laughs) I’m that comfortable. So I don’t feel like I have to put on (an act) or change who I am to make people like me. CONCRETE: What’s up with your new project? Nam White: Think Big, the project started about a year ago. Big shout out to Steve, we’re working with Steve in the studio. After we ﬁnished Semi’s project, I knew what was coming next. I was doing a lot of traveling at the time, I spent my time in the airports just writing. I wrote most of this in the airports or in ﬂight. When I’d get home I’d go to the lab, lay it down and get more beats. For this album, I usually do all my own beats, but this one I only have one beat I made. I linked up with NYSE, he was in between situations. I was able to offer him a place to work. I was able to vibe on his style, which is so sick. I also got my man Derrick Golden in Indiana, an incredible musician. He does a lot of heavy melody stuff. CONCRETE: So what changed to were more people know who you are now? Nam White: The way I looked at the game changed. It’s funny, but really, I have to give it up to the city, Nashville cats really made me change the way I looked at the game. They can say what they want to, but Nashville cats, the successful cats, really promote hard. They promote hard. Promoting wasn’t really in my mind frame. You have to pay money to get advertising and get people to know who you are and to do shows and videos. I always considered it an insult if someone used to ask me for some money. So that’s one thing that has changed as looking at it from that aspect.

CONCRETE: So how long have you been a barber? James: I’ve been a barber for about twenty years. CONCRETE: So how did you get into the business? James: My brother introduced me to it. CONCRETE: Was it mainly your brother you looked up to? James: I looked up to him more than anybody. He was doing all the designs back in the day. Like in ‘88, ‘89 with Public Enemy, he used to cut the Public Enemy design in the back of people’s heads. CONCRETE: So you have a new shop now called Liquid. How long has the shop been open? James: We’ve been here since September (2008). We have a barber shop, a paint and body shop, window tint, rims, performance, suspension work, pretty much anything that has to do with cars or hair cuts. CONCRETE: What gave you the idea to combine a barber shop with an auto shop? James: I’ve been doing them both for about the same amount of time. I’ve been doing hair and cars for about twenty years. CONCRETE: So when did you decide you were going to open Liquid barber/auto shop? James: Well I moved over here into the space next to what was Twinky’s, so I could have my barber shop close to my paint and body shop. My paint and body shop is right up the street. (Twinky’s) went out of business, so I just took over his side of the building, and it grew from there. CONCRETE: Why should people do business with Liquid? James: Because we take care of our customers. It’s tough economic times, so we’re not here to take more than what we need. There’s a lot of businesses out there trying to take more than what they need. We take what we need and pass that blessing on to the customer. CONCRETE: What would you say to a young person who might want to be a barber? James: Now the barber industry is very watered down. I would pass on the wisdom of learn your trade. Learn your trade before you jump to the conclusion that you already know it.

CONCRETE: So what clubs do you have gigs at now? DJ Wheezy: I’m at Club LAX every Saturday. I help bring different artists in. I’m doing Bar Flys on Thursdays. I do stuff on Sundays too, but where I’m at is about to change. I’m about to be at LAX on Sundays. CONCRETE: What mix tape series do you have? DJ Wheezy: It’s the Trill Skillz Series. Right now I have four Trill Skillz completed and I’m working on the next one now. I go by the alias “The Mix Tape Taste Maker.” With that being said, I try to do different things to the mix tape, to get the mix tape game up to par. I do things like putting movie scenes and breaking different artists from Nashville, putting them on and letting them host. It’s a valuable brand. It’s really getting out there. I did a Trill Skill special edition with Kia Shine called “The 2009 Shine” mix tape. I’ve done one with West. I’m working on some with a couple of more artists. Right now I’ve done about thirteen mix tapes, but as far as the Trill Skillz, I’ve done four. CONCRETE: We know you’re a hustler. What can you tell us about the business side of being a DJ? DJ Wheezy: It’s A-List Entertainment and it’s a promotion and entertainment company. We have three producers, DJ Tuk, Grade-A Wayne and Mack Cox. I have an artist named Star Murphy that I’m working with. We throw major events around Nashville. Some of the events that we’ve thrown is we had Lil Boosie come through at LAX, we’re doing Yo Gotti. I have different investors that’s come in and helped out and we’re throwing major events for TSU for the classics, TSU Home Coming, John Merrit Classic and Southern Heritage Classic which is based around TSU. We hold the same cards as the club owner, cause we have the ability to book out the club and generate proﬁt. CONCRETE: Do you have any last words or shout outs? DJ Wheezy: Shout out to everyone that’s really been on my side and helping me out. Shout out of course to Concrete, The whole A-List staff, Janiro. Everybody that’s been helping me get to where I am.

Photo by Tavell Brown