6-8 ...................... Gucci Mane

10-12 ......................Rick Ross

14 ............................No Soda

18-19 ........................DJ Kutta

20 .............Tattoo Artist: Big Jay

22-23 ..........Remembering Hypo

24-27 ......... Memphis 10: Cassie

28 ....... Mind Right, Money Right

Editor: Cory SparksOnline Editor: Daria GreeneContributing Writers: Rachel Benford, Tatiana JohnsonSales: Ricardo Hunter, R. AshfordDistribution: Connell BoylandArt Director: Rex2Publishing Consultant: Bryan Deese

CONCRETE Magazine - Memphis8001 Centerview Pkwy, Suite 205

Cordova, TN 38018901.531.6117

concretememphis@gmail.com© CONCRETE Magazine 2010

What a time of year! There’s so much energy and change. School is in, football is back while the mornings and nights have a crisp air that signals the dog days are almost over. Fall in South is a beautiful thing ... we love Memphis!

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CONCRETE: You grinded for years on the underground, but 2009 was your year. You had a #1 album with a #1 record. With great success comes great expectations. How do you handle those expectations?Gucci Mane: It’s easy to deal with high expectations. I did have the #1 album, #1 song. This time I’m going for another #1 record and two or three #1 songs of that album. I want it to do better. I set the bar so high last time, I really feel like it’s going to be easier for me to get the #1 album this time. I defi nitely know I’m going to have better songs. So we should have the chance to have two or three #1 songs. It’s a good problem.CONCRETE: You always got a lot of credit for your adlibs, hooks and swagger. But on The State vs. Roderic Davis you got praise for your lyrics. Is that something you worked on, or has that just developed over time?Gucci Mane: I think I was never in the position that I was with The State vs. Roderick Davis. I didn’t usually have the time to put a lot of effort into my lyrics. It was kind of like a mixtape hustle. I guess I did sacrifi ce a lot of quality thinking about quantity to keep my name out. I applied a lot of hustle, the ideas I had learned hustlin’, to the rap game. It did in a way affect my works previous to (The State vs Roderick Davis). I’m glad to be in a position now to take my time and get it the exactly how it should be.CONCRETE: What can fans expect to hear on the new album The Appeal?Gucci Mane: The Appeal, I don’t think it’s going to be a shock. The State vs Roderick Davis, a lot of people

told me they enjoyed it. So this album like you said they’re expecting a lot, and they’re going to be pleased. I like it. It was challenging knowing that people expect a lot out of it. So it made me push myself.CONCRETE: Your features are in high demand. Everyone wants a Gucci Mane verse for their single. Who are some people you worked with recently that we can be looking out for?Gucci Mane: The new, new singles that I’m on, Trey Songs “Bottom’s Up” remix, Chris Brown “Deuces” remix, Wack Flocka “No Hands” remix. I did the new Flo-Rida single, me him and Luda. I did a song with

continued on pg 8

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Brisco and Lil Wayne. I’m about to get on the new single for Rick Ross. I’m trying to jump on everything. DJ Khaled, we working on something. I try to keep my hands in everything.CONCRETE: With your last album you had a lot of features. On

this album not so much ... why the change in formula?Gucci Mane: I don’t have a lot of rap features. I have two, Bun B and Nikki Minaj. But I had fun making the album, because I got to collaborate with so many different people. The last time it was more like I got a song from somebody and paid them. And, that was great, that was love. But this time I got to go in the studio with Jared1 and made a record with Estelle. That’s still a feature. She’s from London – he’s from Haiti. Go in the studio with Wyclef and build something special with him. Or go in there with Pharrell for the fi rst time and actually building something with him in the studio, and throw ideas back at each other or Bun. It was great. It was like I can stand on the job, cause I did it my way, ya dig. If you hear them licks, I know that I put it out exactly how I wanted it to be put out, and I think it’s another hit.

CONCRETE: Your mixtapes have been as popular as some artists albums. How do you decide what’s right for

a mixtape and what’s right for an album?Gucci Mane: To be honest when you put out a CD or body

of songs, when you’re dealing with a major label it’s usually twelve songs. When you do it independently you have more fl exibility, you can have eighteen, nineteen songs. So when I record, every time I go to the studio, I try to make the best song I can make and do the best I can. At the end of the day, when

it’s time for me to pick my album, I pick the twelve songs that is the hottest songs that nobody has heard and I put them out on my album. That all make sense. The rest of them I start to release to the public in my mixtapes.So all of those have the chance to be on my album, every song, every producer, every time.CONCRETE: Any last words for our readers?Gucci Mane: Big ups to Tennessee. Thanks for chopping it up with me. Gucci new album September 28. Flockavelli coming October 5th. Much love.

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CONCRETE: You have three, soon to be four platinum #1 albums, numerous hit singles and a killer mixtape out now. This has defi nitely been your year. How does it feel?RICK ROSS: You know it’s humbling. It feels good to know that the streets is connecting with the music fi rst and foremost. As an artist, it’s humbling.CONCRETE: With each album, you bring us something fresh and new. What was your inspiration behind this one?RICK ROSS: Really just knowing the possibilities. Coming up on my fourth album, I never thought I would have made it this far. So just by me making it to this point, I know so much more shit is possible. So that’s what really inspires me to always come better than the last time. I want my outfi t to be fl yer than the shit I wore last week.CONCRETE: When Albert Anastasia dropped, did you expect it to Albert Anastasia dropped, did you expect it to Albert Anastasiabe as well received as it has been?RICK ROSS: I mean, you know, that was the fi rst mixtape that I really went in and did new material just for the actual project. I know me doing that was gone be much better than any tape I’ve ever done. The response has really been crazy, know what I’m saying.CONCRETE: Since you’re national debut, you’ve consistently put out hit after hit. How would you describe your hustle?RICK ROSS: You know, by me being a hustler and coming in and seeing that success or whatever that comes with it, it ain’t affect me as much as the average artist. So, I think me being able to stay focused is the reason I’m still here and more relevant than ever.CONCRETE: Now Diddy has hailed you as the second coming of Biggie. How did you feel after receiving such praise?RICK ROSS: You know, fi rst and foremost, I want to clarify that. Biggie is one of one. There will never be another Biggie. I’m most defi nitely doing my own thing. I think Puff just draws those similarities. You know, we two big, black, fl y dudes smoking good green and rocking the crowd. But there will never be another Big.CONCRETE: What’s your whole vision and movement for Maybach Music?RICK ROSS: We’re really set out to build an empire. I’m fortunate to have relationships with people like Birdman, Puffy, Tony Draper who created Suave House Records and J. Prince over there at Rap-A-Lot. I’m a boss but to really boss up, I have to accomplish those things, know what I’m saying. Really building brands, breaking artists and really being the outlet and the source for the South because that’s what them dudes did. Them dudes really pushed those doors open for niggas like me.CONCRETE: What’s going on with the Triple C’s and what can we expect to hear from them?RICK ROSS: We in the studio right now. They’re recording overtime. New album – Color, Cut, Clarity. You know the last album Cut, Clarity. You know the last album Cut, Clarity Custom Cars & Cycles debuted #2 on Custom Cars & Cycles debuted #2 on Custom Cars & Cycles Billboard behind Billboard behind BillboardJay-Z’s album. So it was a great building process. continued on pg 12

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CONCRETE: So when can we expect the album to come out?RICK ROSS: You can expect that at the end of this year. I want to give y’all a stocking stuffer.CONCRETE: At the lowest point in your life, did you ever see yourself on top or as successful as you are today?RICK ROSS: To be honest, the low points in life...you have to salute the homies that are locked up. Niggas that’s dying, know what I’m saying? Other than that, I feel that if you’re free ain’t no low points. Even if you ain’t got shit, you’re just starting at ground zero which we all did. Starting from ground zero and building it up. My mom’s from Clarksdale, Mississippi – fi fty minutes from here, less than an hour and twenty minutes past Tunica right down Highway 61. She didn’t have shit, so I saw her hustling. I saw her grinding so that’s all I know.CONCRETE: Are you in the process of working on your highly anticipated movie?RICK ROSS: It’s Tefl on Don: The Movie. But we’re going to release the trailer to that hopefully within the next couple of weeks. We got appearances by all the dudes that I affi liate with. So, it’s most defi nitely going to be like a hood Menace II Society. Just some niggas, us, spending our own money and shooting it ourselves. So, y’all know what to expect. We gone keep it 1000.CONCRETE: Ok, so your album drops on the July 20th. What more can we expect from you in the future?RICK ROSS: Look for Masspike Miles – Maybach Music’s R&B sensation. Y’all can follow him on Twitter, @MasspikemikeMiles. So, you know he’s most defi nitely doing his thing. Of course, Triple C’s so just Google the whole thing.CONCRETE: After listening to Tefl on Don, one the lines that caught my attention was you saying that you’d like to be remembered like [Beatles icon] John Lennon. When it’s all said and done, what do you want people to remember you as or to say about you?RICK ROSS: You know, like my grandfather told me a long time ago, as long as you accomplish what you came to accomplish. Maybach Music being on top of the game. I want to be the young Berry Gordy – the kush-smoking Berry Gordy. The purple-smoking Quincy Jones making people strong.CONCRETE: Do you feel as if you’ve somewhat arrived at that point, or that you’re in the process of getting there?RICK ROSS: Oh, there’s always a lot to accomplish. That’s something that I pridemyself on. Always be willing to learn. Michael Jordan was the greatest nigga to ever play basketball, but even he had a coach. So, that means you should never be too good to take advice. I just want to take it from muthafuckas who make beautiful music – long lasting music. Music that really stands the test of time. That’s why you hear me with Cee-Lo on records and Ne-Yo. I want the music to really have a life, know what I’m saying? Because I could just give you that...CONCRETE: Right now music.RICK ROSS: Right now. Quick shows. Have the clubs packed. But I really want to give you something so that fi ve years from now you can say, Damn, remember Super High? And it comes on and puts you back in that zone.CONCRETE: Is there anything else that you would like to say? Thanks for the doing this interview.RICK ROSS: Most defi nitely. Thank you for having me. Shout out to Tennessee. Welcome your boy on Twitter @rickyrozay.Interview by Amariah Tyler for CONCRETE Memphis

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CONCRETE: How long have you been rapping?No Soda: No bullshit, it hasn’t even been a year yet. I spent alot of time around people in the industry so the progression from hype man to rap artist wasn’t hard.CONCRETE: Explain the “No Soda” movement?No Soda: By understanding how this business goes, I decided to push it like a brand off top versus getting on then starting a brand. That way my lane is bigger and gives me more avenues than a regular artist.CONCRETE: You’ve been putting out a lot of music and videos in the past year. What’s your goal for the upcoming year?No Soda: I’m starting a larger scale push, more videos, more music, more shows, No Soda clothing, and a lot more. We goin’ hard in the paint.CONCRETE: It’s obvious that the game is oversaturated. What are you doing to stand out above the competition?No Soda: I invest in myself and my company. I stay humble and take time to learn this business instead of getting the big head. I’m also taking advantage of the resources I have right here in Memphis like Concrete Magazine, Hunter Promotions, and Memphisrap.com.

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CONCRETE: When and where were you when you decided that you wanted to become a DJ?DJ KUTTA: I was in the Marines living in Oceanside, CA. This was back in 1986-87. I’ve always wanted to be a radio personality. That was my thing coming out of high school so being a DJ just fell in line because I’ve always loved music. I’ve always just been engrossed in just music period.CONCRETE: Do you feel like Memphis DJs get as much respect as DJs from other cities?DJ KUTTA: Not nearly. But, it’s our own fault though because we aren’t cohesive and we aren’t together. We don’t support each other. When we have

an opportunity, we don’t plug each other in. As a result, people look at us and say, They don’t support each other...why should we?

CONCRETE: Is that something that’s just set in stone? Being non-supportive of each other?DJ KUTTA: I think it’s just the ‘crab in the bucket’ mentality. That ball has been dropped. Every DJ has dropped that ball,

including myself. Nobody is willing to say, “The buck stops with me” and “I’m going to do this. I’m going to do that. I’m going to change the cycle.” Everybody is kind of content with where they are and nobody wants to do something to get ahead. Nobody

wants to be a sacrifi ce to make sure other people get ahead or the city gets ahead. So as a result, we all lose.

CONCRETE: Everyone kind of runs in the same circles...DJ KUTTA: Pretty much.

CONCRETE: What would be your solution to everyone working together more?DJ KUTTA: First things fi rst, you need to get everybody together and out all the differences and quit smiling in each other’s faces when you know that you don’t particularly care for a person. Let’s go ahead and let’s talk about those as men, or adults, and then move forward from there. But you got to start somewhere and nobody wants to do that. And second of all, you’ve got to want to be an individual in terms of how you deejay and how your sound is infl uenced or you’re infl uenced by other people. So many times you go to clubs and all the DJs are playing the same songs. It almost seems like they’re playing them at the same time, behind the same songs. It’s because everyone’s copying each other. Someone’s copying one DJ, and somebody copies him, and copies him, and copies him. Nobody has any kind of originality. Everyone is scared to go out and break records – especially local records. That in itself is a real problem. DJs won’t break local artists and local artists don’t mess with local DJs. There’s the core of your problem right there.CONCRETE: What about the new technology that has been incorporated with deejaying? Has that helped or hurt?DJ KUTTA: I think it’s great, but I think it’s a gift and a curse. It’s a gift and it

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helps the real DJs who initially started this thing—who has the real passion and a real love and want to make their style different from everybody else. It’s a curse because now anybody that knows how to push a button can go get a laptop, get online, download some music and say “I’m a DJ” and know good and damn well that they’re not.CONCRETE: What about the younger DJs that are coming up now? All they know is the newer technology. Does that make them less of a DJ?DJ KUTTA: Let me say this. When I came in to the game, I had to “pay my dues.” You know, carrying records, learning how to set up, and learning how a night goes. New DJs...I mean, you got some who are truly hungry for what it is and respect the DJ game for what it is. You got some who just want to get laid and try to make some quick money. Those are the ones that are messing up the game. They care not about the history of how DJs were born. They don’t care about how to make a party hype or how to keep the crowd going. They care about how to get through that night playing whatever songs they need to play. That messes up the night and it clouds up the whole scene. So, some of the younger DJs I respect and I got love for them. But there are some who ain’t DJs – they’re button pushers. I’ll call them out. There’s a certain “umph” you have to have to be a DJ and some of these dudes don’t have it.CONCRETE: So what’s your solution to the problem? As far as the game and yourself is concerned?DJ KUTTA: Me, myself, I’m never satisfi ed with what I do. As much as people say “You were great” and “You did this good”, its okay but I always look for a way to do something a little bit better than I did yesterday. Some people call me anal for that. I am what I am. I’m not into for a popularity contest. So, when people want to talk to me at the club, I’m not there to talk to you. I’m there to do a job. I’m there to make people dance and that’s where I am with that. So, I’m comfortable with people calling me an asshole because I know what I’m doing.

The time that people don’t bother me allows me the time to make sure I’m doing the best job I can. As far as other guys and how to alleviate and change that process, I can’t really say. I don’t know many DJs that are out now who are really and truly deejaying because they love to do it as opposed to deejaying because they’re getting shine or money behind it. Until you weed those people out...it’s just like having a city that’s got a lot of crime and criminal element in it. Until you weed that element out, you’re going to always have problems. The DJ game is no different. That’s just the way that is.CONCRETE: Where can people fi nd you?DJ KUTTA: Tuesdays and Saturdays I’m at Classic Soul. I am available for bookings and parties. You can reach me on Twitter @Kuttaboi and Facebook under Khris Ruger. I’m a barber so you can catch me at Stylez Barbershop next door to Silver Spoon. You can always catch me in my city. I love Memphis for the good, the bad, and everything in between. I love Memphis and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

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CONCRETE: How did you get into doing Tattoos?Big Jay: Actually someone told me I couldn’t do it. I was a hair stylist and barber as well as a barber instructor. I took my wife to get her tattoo fi xed one day and someone told me I couldn’t do it. Me being hard headed I wanted to prove them wrong. Now I have one of the most successful tattoo parlors in the city.CONCRETE: Do you remember your 1st Tattoo?Big Jay: I was in Italy. I got one on Thursday; I got my name Jay. It was cursive on my arm. Then I got one Friday, and then Saturday. I got three tattoos back to back! I was young, in the Navy and in the presence of alcohol.CONCRETE: What’s the most popular tattoo right now?Big Jay: Right now the most popular tattoo is also to me one of the most retarded of tattoos. It’s your current girlfriend or boyfriend’s name. Then to back that up the follow up tattoo would be the cover up or repair of the past boyfriend or girlfriend.

CONCRETE: What’s the difference between the art of tattooing and drawing on someone’s arm?Big Jay: The art of tattooing is totally different from paper. I know hundreds of great artists that can draw very well. However transferring that onto skin it’s different. If your drawing on paper you can erase, but tattooing you have to do it right the fi rst time. You know the saying, “Measure twice cut once.” With tattooing, you have to draw six times and tattoo once.CONCRETE: I know people are kind of scared on their fi rst tattoo but can you take the sound of screaming pain of someone getting a tattoo?Big Jay: To be honest I don’t get a lot of that but my other tattoo artists do. I’m a different type of individual. I will literally tell you to shut up, but in a joking matter. I will ask the most off the wall questions to a client to make them forget that they’re getting a tattoo. Anything to get their mind off of it.CONCRETE: Where’s the craziest body part that you’ve tattooed?Big Jay: Literally I’ve tattooed every inch. There’s no

place too crazy. Well you know what last week I tattooed a guy a goatee and a pencil line beard.Big Jay and House of Ink is located at 2252 Frazier Blvd.

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It was K97’s Summer Jam in 2003. Howard Summer Jam in 2003. Howard Summer JamQ was on the ones and twos spinning the latest music and concert goers were enjoying the party. A few of the crowd goers got a little too wild and began to fi ght in the risers of the Mud Island Amphitheatre. Emcee and crowd motivator, Isaac “Hypo on the Mic” Shivers signaled to Howard Q to change up the music and play some old school slow jams to calm the crowd. Hypo gets the crowd to sing along to the song, and while most of the crowd was vibing to the music, singing along, the handful of trouble makers continued to try and steal the fun for everyone. A true crowd commander of his crowd, Hypo looked out into the sea of people, squinted his eyes and called the trouble makers out by name as well as the names of their parents and their churches and said to them “Hey, hey mane don’t let me have to tell your folks you were out here starting trouble. I know your pastors too!” The crowd burst into laughter and with those few words, the fi ght ceased. That is the Hypo that so many people knew. He could capture the hearts and souls of people. Whether it was by rocking a crowd of club goers with a call and response or a group of kids at a school pep rally, Hypo’s gift was connecting with all kinds of people.

A native Memphian, Hypo graduated from Melrose High School and went on to attend college at Tennessee State University (TSU) in Nashville, where he played the bass drum for the Aristocrat of Bands. It was there in the band that he gained his nickname Hypo for the way he bounced when he marched and simply just getting everybody else hyped up. While in the band, Hypo and DJ Howard Q. became friends and business associates. At that time Howard Q. along with friend, Lamar Taylor, who was from Detroit, were throwing parties around campus. The team, Voice Entertainment, was promoting their events grass roots style, making fl yers by hand, cutting them out, and passing them out on their own. “There were no programs to make it simple, so while Lamar and I would be up late at night cutting out fl yers, Isaac (Hypo) would volunteer to not only help cut, but also pass the fl yers out,” said Howard Q. “Isaac knew everybody, and it would be an even larger turn out when he would pass out fl yers.”

One of the fi rst parties that Howard Q. dee-jayed, he didn’t want to be on the mic too so he asked Hypo to emcee. Never turning down an opportunity, he did and continued to be an emcee from that point on.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Hypo emceed parties all over the state of Tennessee with Howard Q. The two left their mark on such clubs as, Club No Name, the Aristocrat, The Spot, 380 Beale, the New Daisy, and the infamous Denim and Diamonds.

Encouraged by Howard Q. to market his skills as an emcee, Hypo took his craft very seriously and used it to always connect with people. In 1999, Clear Channel station K97 executives recognized Hypo’s gift of gab and hired him to head up the stations street team. “Street teams were competitive and a major part of the marketing then,” said Devin Steel, DJ and Program Director for K97. “Isaac (Hypo) volunteered so much time and would do anything to be a part of what was going on,” said Steel. “Not many people these days have the same passion for wanting to win and learn. He did everything and anything the promotions department needed him to do.” Not only did Hypo make his mark in the clubs, but also in the community. A selfl ess man, Hypo gave of his time to anyone who needed help. From speaking to kids at schools, emceeing school and community events or driving the church bus on Sundays, Hypo’s dedication to people left an infallible mark on everyone he touched. Hypo’s untimely death on January 1, 2008 shocked and saddened all who knew him. He was 37 years old. Through his family and the lives of people he touched, Hypo’s legacy will live on and continue to inspire not only those he met along the way, but also a new generation of emcees and hype men.

By Rachel N. Benford

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Ever since we introduced this girl on our “Sooooo Memphis” t-shirt promotional ads and posters, the question we always get is “Who’s the chick with all the hair”? Well this Chicago-bred Rhodes student has picked up a sizable fan club in the past few months. So on that note it’s only right that we make her a Memphis 10. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Cassie...

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Nowadays you need credit for everything! You need credit to fi nd an apartment, to rent a car, to open a bank account, even

to get a job! The problem is that some of us have not been properly trained to manage credit, so

we mess it up at such an early age and spend a very long time trying to get it right. Credit can be a gift or a curse! Assuming it’s now a curse lets talk about some ways to get it together. In order to get where you going you have to know where you are. The fi rst step in fi xing your credit is to get your Credit Report. Most states allow you to get a free credit report once a year by going to www.AnnualCreditReport.com. If you would like to know what your score is then you can purchase it from one of the three major credit bureaus, which are Equifax, Equifax, Equifax Experian, or TransUnion. Secondly you need to review for discrepancies. In today’s age of technology where identity theft happens more often than not, it is imperative that you check your credit report for fraud or discrepancies at least twice a year. Make sure you are not paying for someone else’s bad habits. If you do happen to see something on your credit report that doesn’t quite belong there than you must notify the proper credit bureaus as soon as possible. By law they have 30 days from the date they receive your dispute to resolve it. You also need to get rid of bad debt! If have issues paying a debt, in the near future make sure you call your creditors fi rst and set up some type of payment arrangement. They are always willing to negotiate debt because they would rather get something than nothing. Also it is a great idea to start getting rid of the cards that you no longer use starting with the ones that have the least credit history. Creditors do not want to see too much credit outstanding. Lastly you must begin to build good credit by showing creditors that you are stable and can pay your bills on time. The way the credit games works is that creditors give money to people they think don’t need it. With this in mind, it is important to have low usage on your revolving credit accounts. Simple Rule of Thumb: you should never go over 20% usage which equates to $20 for every $100 of credit.