PATIENTLY WAITING:

DA BACKWUDZ APOLLO KREED BIG KUNTRY
“I kinda had that feeling on the low,” admits Sho-Nuff. “When we recorded it, I knew that ‘U Gon’ Love Me’ might be the one!” He wasn’t the only one with that feeling. With the help of Major Way Entertainment, the song exploded on Atlanta radio stations and quickly began spreading. “It’s a blessing how people have embraced the song,” says Big Marc. The BackWudz, comprised of cousins Sho-Nuff and Big Marc, were born and raised in Decatur. “The BackWudz is the area we grew up in, the East side of Atlanta,” says Big Marc. “That’s what the beads [we wear] represent,” adds Sho-Nuff. “We’re gonna be the first people in the game with platinum beads. They gon’ hate me.” While Atlanta is currently known as the Crunk City, the BackWudz don’t fall into that category. “We’ve got a lot of different ways to express ourselves,” says Big Marc. “We like crunk music, but we’re not one-dimensional.” Their road manager Boisie adds, “Atlanta has always had a broad spectrum of music, and the BackWudz have done a good job of incorporating all those angles. They’ve got the creativity of Outkast, the lyrics of a T.I. or Ludacris, and the crunk of a Lil’ Jon.” Thanks to the single’s infectious hook, many labels came calling, and the group is currently negotiating a major deal. Even if a big check comes soon, they don’t plan to squander the money. “It ain’t all about getting 24’s and platinum,” says Sho-Nuff. “You wanna be number one, of course, but you also want longevity in the game. You’ve always gotta keep working harder than the next man.” They hope to release their debut album, WoodWork, by the end of the year. “I’m tellin’ you, man,” Sho-Nuff says of their album, “You’ll get your money’s worth. It’s not just for the South or North, it’s for everybody.” - Photo & words by Julia Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com Born in Pittsburg, 23-year-old Apollo Kreed found his calling in junior high school after his family moved to Atlanta. “A cat moved in my neighborhood with a drum machine,” he recalls. “I found myself battling everybody, trying to eat a cat up at the lunch table.” At the time, the South was known for booty-shake music, but Apollo was heavily influenced by artists like Big Daddy Kane, Eazy E, NWA, Jay-Z, and Nas. Then, Outkast exploded on the Atlanta scene with Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. “[Outkast] was the first guys that made me realize there is real hip-hop in the South, not just booty-shake music,” says Apollo. He caught his first break in 1999 through DJ Magic Mike, who commissioned him to appear on six tracks on his album Magic’s Kingdom. He moved down to Orlando to work with Mike, but due to label complications, Apollo was sent back to the drawing board. He recently linked up with producer Vada Nobles, known for his work on Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation. Vada, serving as an A&R for VJ Records, signed Apollo as their first artist. “VJ Records is a true indie,” Vada explains, “We’ve got some structure, some backbone to it.” With some industry vets working behind the scenes, VJ Records is “straight independent” but in talks with several possible major distributors. With his numerous influences, Apollo describes himself as “a Southern rapper who puts a lot of emphasis on lyrics.” His mixture of passion, energy, and lyrical content helps separate him from the masses. “There’s a lot of things going on in the world that rappers aren’t talking about,” he says. “I’m political, I give people the news. But I love to party, too. Don’t get it twisted.” His mixtape, The Weigh-In, is generating a buzz in the Southeast, helping to prepare fans for his upcoming debut album, Hunger Pains. - Photo & words by Julia Beverly, jb@ozonemag.com While the P$C’s (Pimp Squad Clique) T.I. reigns as the self-proclaimed King of the South, it would be easy to call Big Kuntry King “The Prince.” But according to him, he already occupies a totally different position in a separate hierarchy. “That’s [T.I.’s] thing,” says Kuntry. “I’m a muthafuckin’ mobster.” Some dedicated P$C followers already know him as the husky brother featured on T.I.’s street anthem “Heavy Chevys,” while others simply know him as the voice behind underground hits like “Still Kuntry” and “Throwback.” He isn’t an instantly recognizable figure, but, he says, “It’s not about fame, it’s about letting the country hear my voice. I just try to keep it up and be consistent.” Consistency and all-around grinding are qualities that are promoted to the max in the P$C clique and the offices of their record label, Grand Hustle. Big Kuntry has relentlessly pounded the pavement with a wave of freestyles and songs popping up on DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz, Atlanta radio stations, and his own independent mixtape effort My Turn to Eat. “I do three songs a day,” says the Charleston, SC native. “I’m always in the studio.” As for his first official album, Kuntry plans to stick it out independently so the dollars will make sense. “‘Still Kuntry’ and ‘Throwback’ have both been on the radio, so when I bring my tracksheet to [major] labels, they’re ready to cash out. But I’m sticking with Grand Hustle, ‘cause that’s where the real paper’s gonna be.” Kuntry prides himself on his independence, hoping to avoid the identity crisis that artists like the St. Lunatics and D12 have suffered from due to their popular H.N.I.C.’s. “I did a mix CD by myself. When you stay under the shadow, you can’t show and prove,” boasts the 25-year-old. “When I come out, I’ma come out. I’m standing in front of the camera!” – Maurice G. Garland (Photo: JB)