On his latest single, "Swing on His Ass," Arrogant tells us, "I’m more like the answer," which leaves one wondering what the question was. In a hip-hop industry where most artists focus their effort on a specific style, Arrogant presents "Business Before Pleasure," an album which delves into a vast multitude of sounds. Born George Gilbert, this 22-year-old MC was born and raised in the South Side of Chicago, a rough part of town often associated with gangs and drugs. Arrogant immersed himself in hip-hop, avoiding street violence, claiming, "Gangs and drugs have never been my forte." He chose to fight his battles strictly on the mic, and he held his own against the city’s finest MCs. He spawned a you-can’t-touch-me attitude from his roster of accomplishments, earning the stage name Arrogant. Tablefunk Muzik released his debut album, "Business Before Pleasure," an album which showcases his versatility. With his first release, Arrogant has already accomplished his goal of giving "listeners a good feeling" with tracks ranging from street tracks to party tracks. The album not only showcases Arrogant’s abilities behind the mic, but also as a businessman. By releasing an independent album, Arrogant is on the grind himself to promote and sell his album. Many MCs have talent, but simply do not know what to do with it without the backing of a major record label. However, Arrogant’s wicked combination of determination, talent, and perseverance seem to foreshadow a rather lengthy stay in the industry for him. He’s performed at several local events, including some backed by Chicago radio station WGCI, and "Swing on His Ass" has found its way onto mixtapes all across the country for a reason. – Rohit Loomba, ctpros@arcaneproductioncompany.com

When you’re born and raised on 133rd and Gramsterdam (nicknamed for the prevalence of drugs in the neighborhood), life in Atlantic City looks real good. At least to former DarkChild/Cash Money/Universal MC Fats, who recently parted ways with his celebrity sponsors. "I got peace of mind here," assures the natural born hustler, whose parents often spent time "away" throughout his childhood. After doing some time himself in AC, Fats discovered his future while at the mall, when a friend dared him to approach Rodney Jerkins in a music store and spit lyrics. Never one to back down, Fats did just that, and Rodney was so impressed that he invited Fats back to his studio. Fats soon found himself dropping verses that were featured on Michael Jackson’s "Invincible" and "Heartbreaker." He also began putting in work on his solo project, doing collaborations with everyone all the way from 50 Cent, Freeway and Lil’ Wayne to Brandy and Truth Hurts. But as the saying goes, we all know that mo’ money means mo’ problems, and Rodney Jerkins and Cash Money have since parted ways. Fats also saw fit to step out on his own and pursue his own dreams. With a talented roster by his side, Fats and his brother launched their own record label, Never Enough. Thus far, artists on the label include Bathgate, who was once signed to Virgin Records; J. Mathis, a white singer comparable to Justin Timberlake; Future from St. Nicks projects; and Pain, a female rapper from Philly. Fats hopes he can combine all the lessons he learned from Rodney, Baby and Slim and put that knowledge to work for himself. "You can’t hold real talent back. I got a raw talent for what I do. I represent for every hood. I’m my greatest asset." - Jessica Koslow, lovehiphop@aol.com

Like many other Houston rappers, the appropriately named Slimm Thugg got his start in the rap game through Swisha House in the late 90’s. With the help of Southwest Distribution Company, he followed the underground formula for regional success. "You start off on mixtapes – Screw tapes – they slowed down in Texas. Just like you got a DJ Clue up north, DJ Screw and Michael Watts was like that down in the South. It’s a different type of music, but that’s how you break an artist down here." After creating a buzz through mixtapes, Slimm dropped joint indie albums with fellow Houston rappers ESG and Lil’ Keke. After putting up impressive sales numbers throughout Texas and Lousiana, he caught the attention of several major labels. At first, he says, he was hesitant to sign. "Being independent is lovely when you’ve got big markets around you. You’re your own boss, and you can get like, $8 a disc. If you wanna drop a record right now and drop another one in six months, it works for you." After a while, though, he began to consider a major to help expand his career. "I feel like I’ve already conquered all the places the indie game could take me," says Slimm. "If I had just stayed [independent], I wouldn’t have seen my career go forward. I woulda been at a standstill. I never dropped a solo album, so [signing a deal] still ain’t gonna affect none of the other shit I do to get cash." He eventually signed with Interscope, and his debut solo album, "Already Platinum," is slated for a September 7^th release. Slimm says that the title, "Already Platinum," isn’t just optimism. "It ain’t about the sales," he says confidently. "It’s just the lifestyle. I’m livin’ like I done sold a mil already, you know what I’m sayin’?" – Words & photo by Julia Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com