INTRO MAGAZINE issue #13 June/July 2010 by AVIANA EASTER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

20 -RIZ

EDITORIAL

JUMP OFF Like the white rabbit “I’m late, I’m late” but its all for a good reason. We caught up with Triple C’s Torch, Gunplay and Young Breed. We also got a moment to get at the beautiful Keyshia Dior. Also check out the special guest writer Lola Sims. Trust that these are some of the best interviews to date and you are definitely going to love what you read in this issue. Also I have been working on a new radio show entitled “Mentally Orgasmic” If you have checked the other website then you have an idea of how the show goes down. In the meantime chill out relax and check out issue #13 of INTRO Magazine.

CEO/Editor-In-Chief: Aviana :Miss E” Easter Chicago Director: Dj Quest95 Graphic Design: INTROMAGAZINE Hustle Bunny: Keyshia Dior Photography: Alain Green Special Thanks: General MrsPrDiva Quincy Taylor Prince Kennedy KishaKish Guest Writer: Lola Sims INTRO™ (ISSN 1939-5477

Sincerely, Aaviana “Miss E” Easter 216-308-7979 Aaviana@intromagonline.com www.intromagonline.com www.intromagazines.blogspot.com

issue#13 June/July 2010 is published bi-monthly by Aviana Easter, PO Box 202252, Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120, Single copy price $8.90 Subscription price is $25 for six issues. Copy written 2007. All rights reserved. Submission considered un-solicited material and the publisher does not assume any responsibility for se items. Reproduction in whole or part without written consent from publisher is strictly prohibited. INTRO MAGAZINE is a trademark produced by Aviana Easter

J. HARDEN

away. So I understand that someone needs to be lifted up!!

LOLA SIMS: As an independent, what do you find is one of the biggest Hailing from Atlanta, GA, J. Harden challenges you face in trying to get is the original “King of Hood and your music out there? Blues.” With a sound that is uniquely his own, his new single “Work Dat Pole,” J HARDEN: Finding real people ,that which pays homage to the women who do real shit, to help you accomplish a take their craft seriously, is making quite real goal and what I mean is that you a few waves. Inspired by Marvin Gaye, have real people out here like Wendy Teddy P, BB King, R.Kelly, Prince, and Day, Bigga Rankin, and list of other a number of other greats his sound is DJ's and promoters that will see you completely different from grinding hard and will jump what is out today. Bringing “165 shows in the game with you. Then originality, power, exciteyou have these other people ment and a one of a kind won in a year who just want suck your stage performance, J. and a half, pockets dry and won't give a Harden has the ability to 36,000 single dam if you make it or not. make a mark. LOLA SIMS: What makes you different from other new artist that are now coming out?

giveaways, 4 shows a night until I was hoarse for a month”

J HARDEN: I do HOOD & BLUES. I don't have a direction. My direction is whatever comes to heart weather it be motivational, street, inspirational. do what the artist of the past did. I write what I see and just so happen a lot of people can relate to it. For instance work dat pole, Strippers can relate to it and professional pole dances can relate to it. It is art imitates life. Another song is. We fucking , everybody fucks lol. Songs like lifting me up feat. Jadakiss in today’s economy people need to be lifted up spiritually. People don't understand the state of society shit it's about more than the bezzeled out necklaces, 32 inch rims

LOLA SIMS: You had some early success with your 1st single. How do you feel you were able to make such a great first impression without being on radio?

J HARDEN: 165 shows won in a year and a half, 36000 single giveaways, 4 shows a night until I was hoarse for a month, performing in front of 1000 people, 100 people, performing in front of just chairs, loading up my pole by myself on cold winter nights and searching hot summer days riding from town to town trying to prove myself, having pole dancers come and go, having business partners stop believing and parachute out of what they thought was a burning plane and last but not least believing in Continued Page 24

YOUNG BREED INTRO: Whats been going on with Triple Cs? What mixtapes did you guys do?

catching its buzz all throughout Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. You know that the whole southern market. Ross noticed me cause I had the streets blazing. The birth of Maybach was 20082009 and that is around the time that I got signed to the label. Since then I have been working and grinding. I was in the studio with Gunplay, Torch, and Ross and we were dropping so many hits that they felt that it was time for Triple C to get that new look and that is what we did.

YOUNG BREED: We back in the lab. Our album is in stores now “Custom, Car, Cycles”. We are working on the new album. “Custom, Cut, Clarity”. We have “Sticks & Stones” we about to release in a minute. That is the groups whole mixtape that fea- “That mixtures Gunplay, Torch, and my- tape marself. We also have our own ket is mixtapes we are gonna drop. You have Rick Ross about to Triple C’s drop that “Teflon Don” so you We we know that is definitely about to claiming be a problem. INTRO: I heard that this one is suppose to be better than the last one.

that and and owning it”

YOUNG BREED: Yeah its got a movie coming out with it.

INTRO: What started you to become a rapper? YOUNG BREED: I always had a love for music. I used to want to be a DJ and scratch the ones and twos every now and then. I have developed a liking for the music so I started writing rhymes and free-styling in high school halls. Everybody in the hood started listening to what mixtapes I put out. I just grew a fan base and kept it pumping from there.

INTRO: The character that you played was it more so like playing INTRO: Are you in the movie as well? yourself? YOUNG BREED: Yeah! The whole Triple C’s in the movie. I want everyone to check that out. I am going to be about 7ft tall. That is the only time you are going to see me that tall.

YOUNG BREED: Yeah! I don’t want to give up to much of the movie but its about stuff that we have been thru. Its one of those classics. It was just some thug shit. I was kinda self portrayed by myself. I wouldn’t mind persuing a caINTRO: How did you hook up with reer in acting. Yall gonna see whassup. Triple C? INTRO: How would you describe YOUNG BREED: Well I was a solo yourself as an artist? artist here in Miami and I was just putContinued page 25 8

TORCH INTRO: Since I last spoke to you “Yams” was going hard in the streets and in the clubs and in the streets. Whats the next single we can expect to go hard if not harder? TORCH: There are a couple and I really don’t put the names out right now cause we want everyone to focus on “Teflon” right now. We got that Maybach Music in the streets right now but trust me there is one called “Lay It Down” you ain’t heard it from me but watch for it. INTRO: Since the last time we talked you were getting ready to drop your first album and now you are working on your sophomore album. Can you tell us what we can expect from this album? TORCH: Its gonna be a certified classic unlike the last album this is a more polished look for Triple C. Its not going to be so raw and rugged like the last album. We are going to have a few cuts for the ladies on this one as well as a few radio cuts. You are going to get a more grown Triple C on this one. INTRO: You were very street and rugged on the first one. TORCH: You still gonna get that gutta appeal but you know you what I

mean. At the end of the day the gutta is always gonna love us but we are not trying to go back there so we gotta appeal to the masses. INTRO: What kind of features are you going to have on the album? TORCH: The features on the album are going to be more calculated. We are going to have a couple of the O.Gs in the game like Jay-Z and all that stuff. The last album was oversaturated with features. We are going to keep the features this time to a minimum. We may have a few singers for the hooks but this album is going to be more Triple C and less features. INTRO: What singers do you have featured on the album? TORCH: We got Trey Songz checking in. We got Lloyd checking in and the big homie T-Pain just to name a few. We got a lot of surprises in store. We have a song called “Diamonds and Maybachs part 2” with the homie Ryan Leslie. Look out for that its gonna be a banger. INTRO: Now are you in the new movie Teflon Don with Rick Ross? TORCH: Of course I am! You know I also have my own thing going on with “Specialyst Films Beyond Vision” I am in the process of writing a screen play. Its like a biography but I don’t want to call it that.

I also have the model management company “Means and Models”. I cast most of the models in the Miami videos. We doing big things of course Specialyst Ent has a few artists.

drop more mixtapes, more albums which means more money.

INTRO: For the ladies that want to get with the modeling “Means and Models” how would they get in conINTRO: Whats going on with Specia- tact with you. lyst Ent? TORCH: You can send them pics to TORCH: Its huge! Its one of the big- ceotorch3@gmail.com . We are always gest movements in New York. When looking for models. We are not all about Ross talk about that muscle he got he is the cosmetics stuff. We like genuine girls. You know even if you talking about me and my homies. We run New York. “Beef is have a couple of flaws still send a pic. There is The Bronx is officially in the when there building!We have a mixtape INTRO: Since I last spoke to out right now. We are work- is blood on you “Yams” was going hard ing on another one that will the floor and in the streets and in the clubs drop after my solo album someone is and in the streets. Whats the drops. My solo album will next single we can expect to dying” drops after the next Triple C go hard if not harder? album. I would go on the record and say the name of it but people TORCH: There are a couple and I rebe biting and shit so I am just going to ally don’t put the names out right now keep that to myself. cause we want everyone to focus on “Teflon” right now. We got that MayINTRO: When can we expect the albach Music in the streets right now but bums to drop? trust me there is one called “Lay It TORCH: You can look out for that in Down” you ain’t heard it from me but Spring 2011. The Triple C album watch for it. should be out in December of this year INTRO: How long have you been coming up right after the Teflon album. working on the screen play and are We have a lot of albums coming out this you working with anyone to produce year. We have the mixtapes that are out the movie once its done? such as “Sticks and Stones” and my new mixtape “Crash Course”. Young TORCH: I have been working on it for Breed and Gunplay have their mixtapes two months right now. This is my first out right now and Ross just dropped a time trying to write a 11 Timeless collection. We are about to

movie that is why it is taking me so long. It really easy to verbally tell someone but it takes more work to write it down. The name of the screen play is called “Tell Myra” its going to be a good movie. I am in the perfect position to make it happen on the production end cause I own a film crew. Usually you go through screen writers but I am doing this myself. We are going to put it down and look for a company to put it out. We already have all of the filming in the bag. INTRO: What made you want to start a production company/ Torch: I wanted to eliminate the general. You know I see how you stay prevalent in the game is to maintain the internet presence, being able to do your own videos, and own your own business rather than blowing your money on trivial stuff like most artists. I invested in myself with the films and the studios.

be the next thing up. INTRO: Is that going to include model Amazin Amie? TORCH: Hey!! How do you know about that? Shout out to Amazin Amie she doing big things. That is my partner right there. INTRO: How do you feel that the fans have accepted you as far as the Ross and 50 Cent beef? TORCH: At the end of the day beef is when there is blood on the floor and someone is dying. That is the element that I love. It is like wrestling to me so I don’t even consider it beef. As far as the fans, after Ross did what he did they showed us even more love because it takes a strong team to accomplish what he did. Ross is still here and relevant in the game as one of the best and that is enough in itself. FOR MORE INFO: www.torchisny.com @TORCHCCC

INTRO: Now as far as the models that you have working with you what videos did you have them cast for? Were they just for Rick Ross/Triple C videos? TORCH: Yeah just that to name a few. They have also been featured in a couple Khaled videos and most of the videos shot in Miami. We just keeping it low key right now, A lot of people don’t even know that we are a team but Amazing Models is definitely going to

automatically think I was a model when I wasn't, so I took that and ran with it. I've done Say Something w/ Timbaland feat Drake... 4my town w/ Birdman, and Drake also Bedrock with Keyshia Dior is the new “It Girl” that Wayne Young Money. has been featured in the Timbaland and Drake video “Say Something”, the new INTRO: I read in an interview that Gucci “911” video, “Loose My Mind” you did with 24HourHipHop that you with Jeezy and Plies, and also the next are interested in acting. Are you curissue of Show Magazine. As the new “It rently taking any acting classes or Girl” it hard to make time for interviews audition? but we got a chance to get one from Keyshia Dior. KEYSHIA DIOR: Yes, I just started

KEYSHIA DIOR

INTRO: I understand that you are in the beginning stages of creating your own cosmetics line. What was the inspiration for the line? What do you think will make your line different from current cosmetic lines? KEYSHIA DIOR: What inspired my lipstick line was my fans. I would wear different color lipsticks and my fans wanted to know where they could purchase them. My line would definitely be different from other lines because I will have crazy unique color lipsticks.

acting classes. INTRO: How did you get the name Keyshia Dior? KEYSHIA DIOR: Keyshia is actually my real name. The Dior represents my fashion side. INTRO: Who is your favorite photographer and what photographer would you like to work with? KEYSHIA DIOR: My favorite photographer is Alain Green. I would love to shoot with Derek Blanks

INTRO: I read that you are also a stylist. Who have you styled and for INTRO: What video/movie director what occasions? would you like to work with and why? KEYSHIA DIOR: I've styled for many people for different occasions. KEYSHIA DIOR: I would love to

work with Hype Williams because he's INTRO: You wear many different very creative and so am I. hats as a business woman. What lead you to become a model? What other FOR MORE INFO: videos have you been in? @KeyshiaDior www.keyshiadior.com KEYSHIA DIOR: People would

H U S T L E

BUNNY

get on that street shit. That’s really the masses (the streets). When I do the album I tone it down to appeal to the masses. The mixtapes are strictly for the GUNPLAY: Grinding hard and letting streets, slums, and ghettos. them know that Gunplay coming. I am about to drop a mixtape with Dj PCutta INTRO: Are you in the movie Teflon out of Philly . The mixtape is called Don Don?

GUNPLAY

Logan. Don Logan is my alter ego and GUNPLAY: No. my company name as well I am starting to implement that in my music so that INTRO: You didn’t want to be in it? people know that I am not only Gunplay GUNPLAY: I didn’t know but Don Logan as well. “That was they were shooting a movie. INTRO: So Don Logan is cool to build INTRO: Yeah! Young Breed your music label as well? the brand just told me about it. GUNPLAY: Yeah that’s my label right there. We are in but now we GUNPLAY: Its news to me the beginning stages. I grind trying to baby. out Maybach Music and Tri- make money INTRO: What else are you ple C so I am doing the same with it” working on now? for myself. GUNPLAY: We working on INTRO: Do you have any artist on the second album now. Color, Cut, Claryour label? ity” I am doing three projects right now. I am working on mixtapes but I am also GUNPLAY: Yeah! Gunplay working on my solo album now called INTRO: What kind of feel can we “Kill Switch”. On the last album we kept expect from the Don Logan mixtape? it street. On this album we are really trying to crossover with this one. We are GUNPLAY: I get to talk about that trying to get on the radio. The last album street shit. On my mixtape I can really really didn’t hit the radios like that. It talk that street shit versus an album just hit peoples CD players. That was where you have to cater to a broader cool to build the brand but now we tryaudience. I cater to the streets wit the ing to make money with it. I also have mixtape. The streets know me. They “Apples and Onions” magazine and a know what I am about. They like to hear what I am talking about when I

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

INTRO: Are you doing any shows or features at the moment?

The motto of “Apples and Onions” magazine is “you gotta have a waist like a wasp and a ass like a horse”. Hopefully I can spin off with a strip club cause you know Don Logan loves the ladies.

GUNPLAY: We are doing some spot shows here and there in Florida, Texas, and New York. We aree back in the lab working on the second album. I am doing features and people can reach me INTRO: The ladies that are reading at donlogandjs@gmail.com or they can this and want to be part of the maga- hit me on twitter @gunplay. I do want zine Apples and Onions how would people to know that the features cost. they be able to contact you? INTRO: Is there any particular artist GUNPLAY: I don’t have the web site that you would like to work with? up yet but you can send your pictures and info to donlogandjs@gmail..com I GUNPLAY: I would love to work with am about to get things set up now. Once Sade. I have already worked with a lot of the web site is up you would be able to people like Young Jeezy, Bun B, Game, see the girls that I am already working and Gucci however I would really love to work with Sade. with. INTRO: You mentioned earlier that FOR MORE INFO: you would like to be able to spin off @GUNPLAY and do a strip club. What location would be ideal for you to open up your club? GUNPLAY: I would do it in Atlanta. Down here it is a lot of competition. There is competition in Atlanta also but the way that I want to do it is different. You will be able to get a hair cut in mine. INTRO: So after a fresh cut they can run over to see the ladies. GUNPLAY: Yeah you can get ya shape up, you play ya pool, and get ya sports on the plasma. You got pretty girls doing your manicure if you want.

years to really understand the business. I have identified a sound that I was comfortable with. You have to have a u certain so people can identify you. When you hat hear 50 Cent you know “RIZ is a talented songwriter and its 50. When you hear Drake you know visionary with concepts and flow. His its Drake. When you hear Lil Wayne songs have a vast array of style that will you know its Lil Wayne. They have that provide him longevity in the industry” niche. Years ago it was hard to find that Lenny S. Senior A&R, Def Jam. It is niche. I found that out working with so not often that I start off an article with many producers that and being pulled quote but I wanted you to understand by so many people. In that nature I how serious this Harlem artist could not find a consistency so “I have is. We now INTROduce to you now I am able to create an idenRIZ. discipline. I tifiable voice. I have discipline. I have a good work ethics. I am INTRO: I know that you have a good not a person that will go to a have been in the industry for work ethics. studio for 20 hours and make a minute and you have been I am not a one record. I am not going to working on a new project. blow a budget just sitting in the Can you elaborate more on person that studio. I am going to make sure will go to a it sounds good before I leave that? studio for 20 the house. I don’t roll with an RIZ: I haven’t been on the entourage. I used to that and try hours and to put people on (trying to do scene for about a year or so. I make one positive stuff). You can’t contook a break from it because I record” trol other people’s actions bewas being pulled in different cause what they do that stigma way creatively. There were a falls on you. I just really had lot of different people involved with the been moving light. I feel like I am full project. I really wasn’t able to make the circle and more prepared. records that I felt good about because I INTRO: How did you hook up with wasn’t putting up the money. When you Sha MoneyXl? get in situations like that its really a rough situation. So I just stepped away RIZ: I hooked up with Sha Money thru for a minute to just redeem my own David the Jeweler. I had been doing artistic views. I am just approaching it records with David for about three or different now. four years before meeting Sha Money. Dave has all these music industry types INTRO: How would you describe that he makes jewelry yourself as an artist?

RIZ

RIZ: I am well rounded artist because I

Continued Next Page

for so he wood take me around me around video shoots. I went to 50’s video shoot and Lloyd Banks video shoot. They would see me around but they just didn’t know what I was doing. So at the time Dave was it was James Cruz from Violator Management that came to Dave and was talking about some jewelry and Dave jumped on it and played some of my music so we started a venture with Violator. Then right after that we linked up with She Money cause he was mixing Young Buck’s albm at the time while he was still with G-Unit. Dave went into the studio and played some of my music. Sha was blown away and he said to Dave “When I hear that kid he giving me that feeling like when I first used to hear Fif out with that hunger” so that attracted him so we started working on some records. We around to a few labels but things didn’t pop off they way we wanted them to pop off. INTRO: So you are still independent? Self Made. RIZ: You got it. Self Made is a company that I started in 2005. I was doing other things. I had caught a case and the case slowed me down and like changed my life. I wanted to do things different in my life after that so I wrote all down all my experiences. The music is really a form of expression for me because I really don’t talk much. I am sort of like a loner because people will mess your whole world up. People are so negative and I am really trying to stay away from negative people. When I got to the studio its like therapy I get to say whatever I want and talk over these beats cause the beat don’t talk back.

I put a tape together and put it out in my neighborhood and people were feeling it and they said I should stick with it and that’s what I did and I haven’t stopped since. We are still basically are in a process of building a following. I have had a meeting with Jay-Z and I have met with Atlantic records, Fifty and all the top people in this industry people. The research in the industry has changed in the industry so now we are in the progress of developing a new following with the new way that I am making my music as compared to a year ago. I am starting over ago again and building a new awareness. INTRO: What artist have you worked with that you haven’t worked with yet? RIZ: I am at the point in my career that I don’t want to work with anyone that doesn’t want to work with me. I am not the type of person that picks and chooses who I work with. If it makes a good record, it makes a good record. I don’t intend to make albums with other artists to boost my own morale. Some artist will do an album with another artist because that artist is relevant to other people. That’s not how I function. People tend to see that I did the video with Ray and tend to think that I tried to attach myself with something hot and that is not why I did it. I did a favor for him way back so I went to shoot the video with him. I did it to show him love cause he asked me to come thru so I did it.

In the end it was like a return. I prefer to work with people that are keen to working. I tried to work with Bun B and he was like $16,000. He wanted $1,000 a bar. It kind of threw me because here I am an up and coming artist and here it is this guy is trying to make money off of me. He deserves to make his money but for me to pay $16,000? I would rather take that money invest it into another song and make a couple videos. That’s why I don’t do songs with a lot of rappers cause they are thinking about making that quick bread. I am not really trying to do a feature with nobody if I don’t have to.

RIZ: I used to do showcases where I was the featured artist but I stopped that because it was a scam. I really don’t do many shows now because I am focused on rebuilding my awareness. I am working hard on the internet because it is extremely hard to get the radio. It’s hard to get the radio because it’s controlled. The only people that you hear on the radio is the artists that labels have paid to the stations because those artists have to make it than the average artist off the street because they are not benefiting from it because they are in the business of making money. INTRO: Do you think that Djs are important when it comes to breaking a record?

INTRO: Where do you see yourself RIZ: I say no and yes. The DJ has to feel in the next 5yrs? a connection with the artist that he is RIZ: Retired. I come from a commu- breaking the record for because there are nity where people feel like its nothing so many people in the business that. left for them to do besides drink, What one Dj think is hot 10 other Djs smoke, and be violent. I want to make a may not. What I am starting to see is that some people only want to attach themshift in that. If I make it then I will be in selves to certain people because it only a position to give back. I want to start makes themselves look better. If I come an organization like a basketball AU to the club tonight and see me with some team but it also has a nutritionist and jewelry and I am popping bottles the Dj personal trainers to show them how to is going to give a shot out cause it looks work out. They would also have the good. If I come to the club and I don’t have any jewelry and I only have a cup schooling because you can have all the the Dj is not trying to rush to play my knowledge in the world but if you can’t record. It’s a ruff business. Its crazy that pass that SAT then you will be back in I say that and I am trying to get in the the streets. I see myself doing some business. It’s a million people out here really ground breaking things once I get waiting to get your money because you are uninformed about the business. this foundation set. INTRO: Do you have any shows FOR MORE INFO: @RizSelfMade coming up?

J Harden Continued myself and hoping that god would make a way an he did. Work dat pole has been making money for me and that shit feels awesome. LOLA SIMS: How do you stay consistent in your genre? JA HARDEN: Stay grinding and sticking to my single and sound no matter what " WORK DAT POLE". and " THE KING OF HOOD & BLUES! LOLA SIMS: What are you working on now and when can fans expect to hear more from you? J HARDEN: I'm Working on taking Work dat pole to radio and letting the masses here it and feel this Hood & Blues. The street album is coming The King Of Hood & Blues!!!

CONTINUED PAGE 9 YOUNG BREED: I am just a real around the board rapper. INTRO: What is the feel of the mixtape “Sticks and Stones” that fans can expect?

Jazmine Sullivan. She is real talented she does her thing. INTRO: Do you have any other projects that you are working on?

YOUNG BREED: Its straight hardcore gutta street shit. Its not like other albums. Its just us cutting loose in the studio, rapping, and making music for the streets. We are so much focused on making radio singles. We are giving the streets a lot of freestyling and just hot songs that are bubbling in the clubs. We just gave them the Triple C flow you know what I am saying.

YOUNG BREED: I have my clothing line called “Uptown Appereal” under StillIncOriginals.com. You can order our sweat shirts and we also have nice shirts for the ladies. You know I am just pumping my brand right now. We rep so hard that they liked the way that we dressed so we decided to give the public an opportunity to get their hands on it. Its going to be in stores soon. We also have a book deal on the table. We are in the process of working on book tour right now.

INTRO: As a solo artist did you have any mixtapes that you did?

INTRO: Is the book an autobiography about yourself?

YOUNG BREED: Yeah we got my “Extortion” series out. I think we up to volume 5 on that. I had “Young Boss, Dollars and Donks”. We have “Project President and Trap Talk” coming soon. That mixtape market is Triple C’s . We we claiming that and and owning it by saturating the mixtape market. That’s for the streets and I feel that is who we need to feed. Those are our consumers, audience, and fans. They love us so I am not going to stop doing it for the mixtape circuit.

YOUNG BREED: Its almost like a autobiography. Its about one of my homies that just got out of a federal institution. Its based on a true story vibe. The book is called “Diversity” by Andrea Pearson and its at Barnes and Nobles. The sells of the book have been good and we have been on a few tours for that. We are thinking about doing a movie for the book. Its about a young youth growing up and his uncle was a made man and he got murdered so its up to the nephew to continue on with the family business. Its a real good book and I think that my hood and ghetto niggas can relate to it. It will open up their mind so they can see something new.

INTRO: Is there a particular artist that you would like to work with that you have not worked with yet? YOUNG BREED: I would like to work with Justin Bieber. On the female side I would like to work with