Concrete nashville72 by CONCRETE Magazine

concrete615.com 6-12 .................... Drumma Boy 14 ......................... Hollyluyah 16 ........................... CEO Phil 18 ........ Nashville 10: Luxurious Jai 20 ................... FlexedupFletch 22 ................... Music Reviews 24 ...............J Dolla on da Track 26 ......................... Maneeyak 28 ............................. Klassik Publisher: Capo Ad Executive: Capo Art Director: Rex2-tm Editorial & Nash 10 Photography: Tavell Brown Staff Support: Deandre Haynes, Chris CMR Rhone, Nikila.A Ad Photography: Visual Flavor Ad Graphics: C3GRAFX, Kyro Ink Publishing Consultant: Bryan Deese

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CONCRETE: Where did you get the name Drumma Boy? Drumma Boy: It came from an ornament on the Christmas tree. I use to always hang the drummer boy ornament every year. My first job was at Just for Feet and I use to bring my beat tapes and play them in the stock room during inventory. Next thing you know the workers were coming back there like what’s that, I need that. Next thing you know all the workers in the back listening to my beats and they started saying man we going to call you Drumma Boy. CONCRETE: We are in Atlanta but you are from Memphis, how do you feel the two cities have influenced your sound? Drumma Boy: The influences of my sound comes from music, wherever it’s from. For me it was gumbo because my Pop listened to jazz and people like Duke Ellington, Bach, and Beethoven. Mom dukes would listen to stuff like Earth, Wind, and Fire, Temptations, Isaac Hayes,

and Anita Baker. We heard everything from Blues to Country and even the TV commercials and cartoons inspired me. When my mother was pregnant with me she would put her stomach to the speaker and play music. I feel that’s where the beats come from. CONCRETE: Both your parents are accomplished musicians in other genres, how did they feel about you pursuing hip-hop? Drumma Boy: My Mom was supportive of anything I was doing outside of jack squad, killing or getting someone’s daughter pregnant. I use to make beats upstairs in my room and she would see Gangsta Boo, Rap Hustlas, Yo Gotti and everybody coming through. Really the beats just kept me out of trouble. I remember going to the studio with my brother Ensayne Wayne and seeing Jazze Pha and everybody working on Tela’s album. I was only fourteen, just started making beats and ended up getting three beats on Tela’s album. continued on next page

CONCRETE: Do you feel Memphis is overlooked when it comes to hip-hop or is it finally getting the credit it deserves? Drumma Boy: Memphis always reps music from the early standpoints all the way back to Stacks Records. They were competing with Motown. It was like a DetroitMemphis thing and those are two of the top Pimp Cities. You have to take it all the way back to pimping because that’s the true juice of Memphis. That was the 8Ball and MJG era it was real deal fly, hustling, and pimping strong. Then came Three 6 Mafia with the crunk juice, they was like F*ck all that we about to tear the club up. Now you see generations fifteen years later redoing it and you hear this Memphis sound but people don’t even know it. I feel it’s finally getting its just do of our sound being duplicated around the world. That’s when you made it, when you’re the sh*t everybody going to try and do your sh*t. CONCRETE: We caught wind that you are executive producing 8ball and MJG’s new album, can you speak on that? Drumma Boy: Now I’m on an executive level where I’m putting together so many projects like the 8ball and MJG album called Timeless. We are picking certain beats for them so far we have Justice league, Big KRIT and I’m doing a few. You never know where they are going to come from. I was at Patchworks and heard a cat making beats and just went in and said bruh you want to be on 8ball and MJG album that beat sounds perfect for them. continued on next page

CONCRETE: CONCRETE: Do you remember the first time you ever made a beat? Drumma Boy: The first time I made a beat, I was with my brother and I replayed the James Bond theme. I found out a few years later that my brother had took that beat and sold it for a couple of racks to the Rap Hustlas and he was like boy, “I came up off you on that one (laughing).” Really my very first set of beats went on Yo Gotti’s Life album. CONCRETE: Do you feel you are one of the originators of the trap sound? Drumma Boy: I am one of the originators! I help paint the picture of trap no question.

Look at where me and Gotti come from, that was trap, no one was talking trap like Gotti where I’m from. You got to look up the Life album. Look up them Gucci projects, TIP, Jeezy. I produced “Standing Ovation”. I am the trap! CONCRETE: What do you feel you bring to an artist when working with them? Drumma Boy: When it came to Plies I told him I was going to change his life but we have to appeal more to the woman, so we did “Shawty”. I’m mainly around street cats and I’m telling them all this rah rah stuff is cool but let’s appeal to the ladies. continued on next page

First song I did with Drake “Money to Blow”, ﬁrst song with Waka was “No Hands”. I didn’t even know the Migos but soon as we link up we do “Look at my Dab” and had the whole world doing the dab and that’s real juice. It’s about the energy and that’s what I give to an artist way beyond just the beat. CONCRETE: You’re not only a producer but you dabble in fashion with your clothing line Fresh Phamily and also a clothing store House of Fresh, how did you get into the fashion world? Drumma Boy: Ever since I got out of college I was doing different reps for brands. I bumped into

Tony Shellman and he was like, “You’re Drumma Boy, we need to put some clothes on you.” From there it was just free clothes coming to my door and all I had to do was take pictures and shout it out. Next thing you know I did some production for Jeezy and he had me do some stuff for 8732. Everybody was like you’re a dope brand ambassador, the whole time I was just learning the business. So all that rolled into my own brand and then that rolled into me saying, ‘I have all these connects with all these other brands so let me put all of these brands in one store and call it House of Fresh.’

CONCRETE: Last time we spoke you were in a group now you are solo. What is going on with the solo tip? Hollyluyah: First I’m going to say free my dog Juggati, I’m still ABMF just real life situations came about and forced me to have to do me. Double R dropped September 11th and I’ve been pushing since. CONCRETE: Was is hard to transition from a group to being solo? Hollyluyah: Most deﬁnitely. Pretty much everything was my idea as far the songs, the topics, the hooks, melodies, all of that was all me. This time it was deﬁnitely different. I was use to having my boy right there helping with the process. CONCRETE: What’s the meaning behind the Double R title? Hollyluyah: The project was more of me presenting myself as a solo artist because most people have always heard me with my boy. There’s multiple meanings behind Double R it’s a acronym meaning Really Real, Real Raw and so on. I was pushed in a corner and it was crunch time. It was really real so I dropped Double R and went hard. I had custom rolling papers, double cups, shirts, cds, and stickers. The merch game was strong and still is. They will see a bigger push when I drop Double R Reloaded with some exclusive new records. CONCRETE: Talk to us about the single you have “Chosen1” featuring NBA Young Boy how did that happen? Hollyluyah: I was down in the A courtesy of my dog That Vato Capo. I was down there linking up with my dog DJ Scream. I got done doing a interview and walked out of the studio and bumped into NBA Young Boy in the hallway. We chopped it up and he was like, “I’m in studio A what’s up”, and once he said that it was a go. We got the beat from Bandplay, NBA Young Boy loved it and we knocked the record out right there. CONCRETE: How has the response to the record been? Hollyluyah: Getting crazy love outside of Nashville. It was picked up on Shade45 for eight weeks and DJ Scream has been playing it on his Hoodrich Radio show on Hiphop Nation. It was also picked up on DASH radio plus Jazzy T played it and interviewed me on 101. Beside that locally I’m not going to lie there is no love being shown. I’ve been getting more opportunities outside the city. Jazzy T rocking with the record, DJ Coop, DJ Svnny D and a couple of other DJs. It isn’t as nearly as much as it should be. I don’t know if it’s something personal or what but maybe everyone will come around when they see Hip-Hop Nation and Shade 45 playing it.

CONCRETE: Where are you originally from? CEO Phil: Nashville. I was born at Baptist and lived on every side of the city growing up except for out South. I went to Hunters Lane High School but didn’t graduate. From there some how migrated to Dodge City. CONCRETE: You have had several clothing brands but the most notable is the Benjamin Brothers line how did that come about? CEO Phil: It’s like this from 06-07 it was the first brand then from 07-09 it was something else then from 09 to now Benjamin Brothers came about. Over a period of time I seen that I made some money doing something other than selling drugs and that really peaked my interest. CONCRETE: When did you decide to make the transition from the streets to the fashion lane? CEO Phil: You get that type of motivation and form of action by being successful at what you do. First I had to figure out what was going to make me some real money and focus on that. That was my attitude towards it, I’m invested and we wanted to stay out the street. I made a decision that God showed me another way and I couldn’t turn a blind eye to that. CONCRETE: What’s your guys connection with DJ Scream he seems to be a supporter of the brand, how did you guys team up for the LIT collection? CEO Phil: I met Dolla and he told me he could get the clothes on DJ Scream. We had already went through a bunch of celebrities and felt there was a bunch of craziness to deal with but I ended up taking a chance and we sent Scream a package. We ended up getting a picture of him holding up the bag that we sent, it was the Dreams and Nightmares collection. That was a really good time for us. That was a partnership and a real collaboration that went perfect with his “LIT” single. CONCRETE: What can we be expecting for Benjamin Bros. next collection? CEO Phil: We have a real strong push coming up for this B6 collection. It’s a motor sport theme. It’s our version of the BMW M6 if it was a Benjamin Brothers BMW. Our first logo is the new B6 with the slanted stripes which is a tribute to the BMW M series. We also did a tribute to the bbs’s and the gas station we really just broke down the car.

Home Town: Memphis, Tennessee Measurements: 34b-25-34 CONCRETE: What’s your biggest Turn On/Turn Off? LJ: A strong mind/Lack of personal hygiene C: Favorite Designer? LJ: Gucci C: Three artist we would ﬁnd in your playlist? LJ: Yo Gotti, Nicki Minaj, SZA, Moneybagg Yo

CONCRETE: Where are you originally from? FlexedupFletch: I’m from Huntsville, Alabama the 256. CONCRETE: What drove you to do music? FlexedupFletch: I wasn’t really into music, at ﬁrst I was playing football. Around nineteen I dropped out of college, I was going for animation and business management, but school just wasn’t for me. I was always entertaining people and making people laugh. One day I was writing and thought it came out good, so I went to a studio to try it out and it sounded good and I took it from there. CONCRETE: You have a song called “Chucky” that went viral, how did you come up with the concept for the song? FlexedupFletch: I’m a little off, I guess I’m kind of weird. I went to the studio in Huntsville and was playing beats and played the “Chucky” beat, it just came to my head. I came up with the hook and it’s repetitive but I wrote it like that because Chucky was killing people over and over and over. Some people think it’s funny, some think it’s a joke, some think it’s hype, I guess it’s all about how you take it. CONCRETE: The video went viral what was that like for you? FlexedupFletch: It was crazy. My post on Facebook got two million views. A guy out of L.A. his post got two point one million and there was another post that got two in a half million views but in total like almost eight million views. It was featured on MTV, Joe Budden mentioned it, and DJ Akademics posted it. The video got a lot of attention me and my manager both thought it would be dope to dress up like Chucky in the video because it was something different. I was looking at doing something that no one else had done and a lot of people like Chucky. We knew it was going to be hype but didn’t think it would do the numbers it did. CONCRETE: Speaking of Joe Budden you took a shot at him in one of your songs, what’s that all about? FlexedupFletch: Joe doesn’t take the time out for the younger generation. We don’t respect that, for him to call us mumble rappers and all that bullsh*t, f*ck what he talking about. He didn’t even say anything about me when they posted it and presented the video he just said he wasn’t even going to listen to it. CONCRETE: For those that say “Chucky” is your only record what would you say to them? FlexedupFletch: I have a project I’m working on right now that I can’t speak on to much but know there is going to be a lot of tracks on there that will show people I have more than just “Chucky”. I’m FlexedupFletch and I am very versatile. The people will see that when I start releasing all this music I have for them.

CONCRETE Magazine - Ear 2 The Streets Vol.1

CONCRETE Magazine makes it’s highly anticipated return to the mixtape circuit with Ear 2 The Streets Vol 1 hosted by DJ Scream! The legendary Hood Rich DJ not only hosts but showcases Nashville front runners like JellyRoll “Heaven”, Lil’ Bre “Wafﬂe House”, and LRoy Da Boy featuring Young Buck “Never Looking Back” who helped put the country on notice that Nashville is set for a major 2018! Shout out to DJ Svnny D for a hot summer cookout and pool party mix! Don’t miss out on HollyLuyah’s hot single with NBA Youngboy “Chosen1”, along with strong singles from Fooly “Fooly Baby”, J Fresco “Heisman”, 93 Ramo “Cake” , and FlexedUpFletch “Chucky” to showcase the future of the area!

Klassik - Mr. EastSide

The project starts off with the intro song “VIBE”, a smooth sample based record painting a vivid picture of what it was like coming up out East before all the coffee shops and condo’s. The lead single “OF COURSE” has a catchy hook and ﬁre beat that will stick in your head for days. We can’t forget the song “East Be Ballin part 5” that sparked the entire album. It stems from Bezzeled Gangs 2001 record “South Be Ballin” which turned into a back and forth battle of songs between the South and East side. Lil Bre, Fooly, Lil Vac, Gee Slab and DH are just a few dope artist that lend their voice. Klassik never disappoints his listeners and this project is no different. Sixteen songs of quality production, on point wordplay, lyrical content, story-telling and delivery. Get this project and let us know if you feel the same.

Shon Gotti - Real Nation

A spotlight is being shined on all sides of Music City as Shon Gotti presents the ﬁrst installment of his new mixtape series, Real Nation Vol 1. This compilation features hot tracks from Hambino “Real Nation”, Hard Liquor Shawty “Making Moves”, SS Lil Goldie “Die Bout It”, and ABK Gates “Ghetto” among other dope singles. Real Nation has an array of 615’s newest talent from the likes of Sosa The Plug, C Maﬁa, Nutso and Fredo Ruthless. Whether it be as a rapper, promoter or entrepreneur, Shon Gotti’s hustle and love for Nashville is REAL!

TriplePlay Squeek - Release The Beast

TriplePlay Squeek dropped her debut project Release The Beast with a bright future ahead of her. The mixtape features heavy production from The Networkkas with a raw feeling rarely felt out of female rappers. She shows hit potential with “Who They Want”, which is sure to be a favorite amongst the ladies while her ﬂow sticks out on records like “Don’t Breathe” and “In These Streets.” Check out her follow up EP The Future which is a 5 song collection of material over some of Future’s biggest hits!

CONCRETE: You just dropped Jackin’ for Beats 2. What are the listeners going to get from this edition? Jdollaondatrack: The first installment of it was the theory, it was no big deal. I was just going in and doing what I felt. The second one I went with Rap City as a theme. So it’s all your favorite tracks that you remember listening to, if you came up on Rap City City. I’m a hip-hop head to the heart so I was just choosing all the classic beats from the Diplomats to the Beat Nuts, Nas, Street Dreams, anything that reminded me of that real hip-hop feel. Originally Jackin for beats came from Ice Cube. I am a student of the game, so if I’m going to do this I got to do it for real. I’m not taking it lightly, this is a real art form that I respect. CONCRETE: For some of the younger readers can you explain what Rap City was? Jdollaondatrack: If you were a kid growing up in the 90’s and going home watching BET when 4 o’ clock struck, Rap City would come on and it was hosted by Big Tigger. He would host it out of his basement at his mom’s crib. All the hottest hip-hop stars of the time would have to go there just like I have to come here to holla at Capo. CONCRETE: What do you feel separates you from other artists? Jdollaondatrack: First and foremost I won’t ever jump on the wave, you won’t hear any bars that sounds like a Migos flow. You hear that a lot and that’s not even people’s natural style. I understand the business and this isn’t knocking anybody. I just feel so much better when I know I’m coming original and from the heart. That’s one thing, I’m going to always stay true to myself. CONCRETE: How would you describe your sound? Jdollaondatrack: Easy on the ears, you can put it in on your long trips and really get something out of it. I send a lot of messages and truth in each verse. I have to drop a gem and I get that from my favorite rapper Andre 3000. CONCRETE: The word going around is you’re about to drop a new album called Hip-Soul? Jdollaondatrack: Yea all songs are produced by my producer TOB, Mississippi’s hottest producer. We have so much music that we’ve been doing straight from the heart. The way we create is ridiculous. He’s making the beats on the spot I’m writing on the spot. This is no bull sh*t throw away songs. I’ve got this track on there called “Everyday Struggle” and it’s a heavy Scarface influenced record. We flipped this Barry White sample on there, it’s so real and it’s about today’s issues and what’s going on with current events. Hip-Soul is just that hip-hop and Soul music this project is packed with dope verses about how it is in our demographic dealing with everyday life.

CONCRETE: Where are you originally from? Maneeyak: I’m from Nashville TN, South Side, Edge Hill on 14th ave. CONCRETE: How did you get your start in music? Maneeyak: I never thought of myself rapping to be honest. I was just a young cat in the streets trying to find myself. Believe it or not, I tried to join the military and they turned me down. Since that didn’t work out, I went to school for a little bit and ended up catching a case six months before I was finished. CONCRETE: What do you feel you are doing different than other Nashville artist? Maneeyak: I’m trying to build my own sound for Nashville. I want to be that new sound for the city. I want to be the trendsetter. I’m not trying to do what Atlanta or Memphis is doing, I’m just trying to do what Maneeyak is doing. CONCRETE: You recently dropped the Street Love project can you tell us about that? Maneeyak: Well for Street Love, I had a whole lot of things going on at that time. From family issues to fighting for my life. I just wanted the people to feel the pain I was going through. The music went out to everybody that’s out here really living that life and can relate. CONCRETE: Next you have an actual album dropping titled Trap Fever what can we expect from that? Maneeyak: Well, Street Love was like a mellow vibe you can ride to it with your girl. As far as Trap Fever it’s more for the streets. They are going to feel everything I’m saying. The project is going out to the people in the struggle trying to make it out the trap or even for the dope boys out here trapping. They going to listen and say this what I’m doing right now, he is talking straight to me. CONCRETE: You have been doing a lot of work with Young Buck are you signed to Cashville Records? Maneeyak: I wouldn’t necessarily say I am signed to the label. I would say I’m affiliated. There hasn’t been any paperwork or anything like that. Basically he showed love and received me with open arms and was like you’re Cashville Records. I’m running with it and loyalty is everything to me. We have a lot of haters out here talking down but I don’t pay any attention because I got love for him and he show love back so that’s what it is.

CONCRETE: Where are you originally from? Klassik: East side Inglewood. CONCRETE: Where did your passion for music come from? Klassik: It started when I was a kid, my uncle would let me pick the records to put on the record player. It started with BB King, Sam Cook, and Otis Redding. Then one day I found the LL Cool J “Rock The Bells” record and I was hooked. CONCRETE: You’re not only an artist but a producer, which came first? Klassik: I wanted to be an artist first. I have only been producing for about two years. I use to sit in the studio with Steveaux and Chino and be like man when you going to stop making beats, I’m ready to rap. Then it was like let me add something to the beat and there would be times Syk Sense would come down and give me game on becoming a producer. CONCRETE: You dropped a couple projects last year can you speak on them? Klassik: In April I dropped PIMPEN and that was suppose to be a mixtape but the response made it an album. I really sat down and was like you can make a thousand songs but what makes you different, so I just put my life on the record. The beats were really soulful and sample based and it was all original and happened organically. CONCRETE: You have some big shoes to fill with the other tapes you’ve dropped, what can people expect from the Mr. East Side project? Klassik: Klassik, that’s what they come for and that’s what they are going to get. The reason I called this project Mr. Eastside is because back in 2000-2004 when the east and the south had a little conflict I was the leader of the east rebellion. Before that people would claim hoods or streets but no one was really saying I’m from the east side or south side until “South be Ballin” and “East Be Ballin” came out. CONCRETE: For those that don’t know what the East Be Ballin and South Be Ballin records are can you explain? Klassik: Back in teen night we use to go to the mix factory and BOP or Bezzeled Gang performed a song it was called “South Be Ballin”, at the end of the song they said every side of the city was Ballin but they didn’t mention the east side and we ended up getting into a little scuffle. The next day my homies came to me and said you the rapper lets make a song about them. So I wrote a song and it leaked. Everybody was going crazy. They came back with a rebuttal and Fate Eastwood jumped on it so of course we had to come back for part 3. The songs caught fire and did way more then what we thought it would, it actually changed the city.