PATIENTLY WAITING

WEBBIE
19-year-old Webbie isn’t sure how many records he’s sold independently along with his rhyming partner Lil Boosie, but he knows it’s a lot. “Buku. Buku for niggas who ain’t got a deal,” he responds when asked about album sales. “I don’t even look at that shit. I just know it’s been way more hoes comin’ up to me than before. That’s how I know them muthafuckers sellin’. I don’t know if it’s bootlegs or what, but somebody’s makin’ money!” In true bootleg fashion, the Baton Rouge native has street fame without a major deal. “I was rappin’ before that Chronic shit,” he recalls. “Back in the third grade, right after my mama died. I just started talkin’ about what’s happenin’ and shit, going to school and rappin’ against my boys. I used to always win the contests.” As a young teenager, Webbie linked up with Lil Boosie in the Lousiana club scene and the two signed with Pimp C’s label, Treal Entertainment. “Them niggas took care of me like it was a family,” Webbie says of his decision to sign to Treal. “I ain’t really sign shit until it was time to get serious. I used to just rap and they’d take care of me.” Boosie and Webbie churned out mixtapes and albums that generated buzz in the Southeast. He’s hesitant to discuss details of major offers they’ve received, but best believe their radio play and album sales has generated interest up top. There’s just one more piece of the puzzle that needs to fall into place: Pimp C. “He supposed to be out in ‘05,” says Webbie. “My dawgs Mel and Turk and Bun B, they all stepped up and been holdin’ it down til Pimp C get home.” Even though Webbie’s a solo artist, he assures fans that the Boosie/Webbie chemistry is built to last. “You gotta stay on the same page with your people,” he says. “Don’t let the outsiders come and tell you shit!” - Words and photo by Julia Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com

O.H.B.
The Oak Hill Boys – better known as O.H.B. – don’t have a record deal, but their single “Paralyzed” has been moving crowds in Florida clubs steadily for the past year. As you might guess from their name, they’re reppin’ Oak Hill / Haines City / Polk County, a small area in West Florida. The three members, ages 19 and 20, include producer C Slaughter, unofficial spokesman J Green, and Snap Dogg. To promote the lead single off their upcoming independent album, they hit the streets. “Every city I step foot in, I might give out a hundred CDs to promoters or DJs,” says J Green. “Shit just picked up from there.” The street single’s popularity led to airplay in nearby cities like Tampa and Tallahassee, and the song was nominated for Street Banger of the Year in the upcoming GFL Awards held by Clear Channel’s Tallahassee radio station. C Slaughter emphasizes that all the beats from their upcoming album Da Haines City Flawda were generated on Playstation. Even with a localized name for their debut, J Green isn’t worried about being limited to Haines City. “I don’t think it’ll hold us back,” he theorizes. “I see Lil Jon and them reppin’ the ATL, so I feel like we’ve got to do the same.” Currently studying business at Florida A&M University, J Green plans to use the book knowledge he’s gaining along with their street buzz to build up an independent label until the majors come calling. “We stay up all night, every day, seven days a week. If we ain’t got shows, we in the lab,” he continues. “It’s the effort we put in that’s gonna help us make it.” - Words and photo by Julia Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com

HOMEBWOI
Based in Griffin, Georgia, a small town south of Atlanta, Homebwoi has been rapping “forever,” inspired by an older brother who used to torment him during their rhyming sessions. When his brother joined the military and went on a four-year stint to Germany, Homebwoi got motivated. “I just kept rhyming so I could prove that I was better than him,” he laughs. “It became a competitive thing. By the time he came back, I was working at a recording studio and I could outshine him.” Having perfected his lyrical skills, Homebwoi focused on the next obstacle: tracks. Tired of paying producers for uninspired beats, he started doing his own production. His talents caught the ear of Ying Yang Twins’ producer DJ Smurf, who signed him to their Collipark Record. “I also mix and engineer my own stuff,” Homebwoi explains. “Smurf felt like I was so self-contained he wouldn’t have to babysit me.” His first single, the Smurf-produced “Where They At,” featuring B.G., is a potential club banger. It hasn’t been serviced to radio yet, but is already getting rave reviews from Southern DJs. Although the single is a good representation of Homebwoi’s party side, there’s cuts on his upcoming album No Place Like Home that are a little more meaningful. “I used the sample from ‘Gimme a Break’ out of frustration, because I’ve been doing this stuff for so long. I also had a son that passed this year, so I’ve got a song that I dedicated specifically to him,” he says. While some predict “Where They At” will finally give Homebwoi the break he needs, he isn’t stressing the end result. “I just put it in God’s hands,” says Homebwoi. “But if I had my way, I’d like to be known as one of the guys that really held the game together. I’d like to be able to put out records ten years from now and still be valid.” - Words and photo by Julia Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com