Boyz N Da Hood: Takin' Back The Block

Known for beats that pound with street muscle and drip with gutter grit, Boyz N Da Hood (BNDH) have made themselves known in the rap game with singles like "Dem Boyz" and the self-titled, "Boyz N Da Hood" released in 2005. Since then, the group has undergone some changes as Young Jeezy parted ways with the Boyz to pursue his own solo career. In his place, the group adopted its newest member, Gorilla Zoe, a fellow Atlantan MC from the mean streets. Armed with a hot new addition to the crew, the Boyz are back this year with their latest album, "Back Up N Da Chevy". The album, to be released on Bad Boy South October 2nd, features a heavily rhythmic collaboration of lyrical flow paired with those dirty southern beats that have become ever-popular on the billboards. BNDH fans will have heard their first single from the album, "Everybody Know Me", a song which showcases BNDH's self-proclaimed popularity and the world-wide recognition they receive as street savvy MCs. Two of the Boyz, Gorilla Zoe and Lee "Duke" Dixon, stopped by to chat with Teen Music about the latest album, the new group dynamic, and what it's really like to work with Diddy. Check out what they had to say below...

TeenMusic: Hey guys, Teen Music here, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. First off, what can fans look forward to on your new album, "Back Up N Da Chevy"?

Duke: The most gangsta gutter music!

TeenMusic: Does the sound and feel of the new album reflect the changes made in the group?

Gorilla Zoe: When I bought the first album, I loved the first album. So we went the same route, kept it gutter grit, gangsta, kept it all the way G. Of course, you'll have a new spice and that's me. I think we'll reach out to some more fans with this album! I try to make it country gangsta, put some positive music inside of it. We came together as a group on this one and we reached out to different people to help influence us.

TeenMusic: Gorilla Zoe, how has joining Boyz N Da Hood been for you?

Gorilla Zoe: It's been great. It's like going to a new school or a neighborhood and you make new friends and you adjust and adapt. It is what it is, our chemistry really turned out well.

TeenMusic: As a group of 4 rappers, do you guys find it easier or harder to create tracks?

Gorilla Zoe: For me, every song individual or group-wise, it's all or one for me. I recorded my first solo album at the same time as I recorded my first group album, I'm just all in.

TeenMusic: How does recording a solo album differ from recording a group album?

Gorilla Zoe: You get to really just pour your heart out on a solo, and you get more time and focus on just you, it's you reaching out to the people. With a group, you have to come together as one and move together as a unit, so that's the difference.

TeenMusic: You have some new collaborators on the new album, like Yung Joc, Ice Cube and T-Pain, how was it working with them?

Gorilla Zoe: It was great working with all those guys you know, they all big artists. And anytime you work with a big artist, it's another challenge. Challenges are good; they're what make you better. It was an honor.

TeenMusic: Do you enjoy working with other rappers outside the group, or do you typically prefer to keep it a "Boyz Club"?

Duke: I know personally for me, I like to keep it a boys club. With our boys, just the whole block entertainment, we keep it real. We got other people that we really like, and the people we really like, a lot of them have already made it. With our music, we want to focus the attention on us four, so people know who we are. Nothing personal against other rappers, we're just trying to get ahead in the game.

Teen Music: The first single "Everybody Know Me" pounds with street muscle. Does the group feel the music game is too watered down and needs to reflect more of a raw, gangsta sound?

Gorilla Zoe: I think personally, that it all goes back to music and business. This is the business; people that are in the business are in it to make money. The record sales are down because of boot-legging and the internet, so now when you're trying to make money you got to be careful what you push. You only get a certain amount of chances to make that money. So it's easier for you to sell the safe product. You can't take a chance; you can't keep losing on a product, which is why people make safe music.

TeenMusic: Do you feel the new album helps to bring rap back to the streets?

Gorilla Zoe: Of course, because the album is what it is. Anybody who buys it will definitely gravitate towards the hard sound of the streets and the struggle.

TeenMusic: Do you guys feel there is anything else that rap music is missing these days?

Duke: Not really, I think there's a little bit of everything out there. You got your street music, you got your conscious rap, you got your rock and roll rap going, you got your party rap, you know for the clubs, it's that happy-snappy rap for dancing. There's a lot of variety.

TeenMusic: How did it feel to join Diddy's Bad Boy team with Block Entertainment?

Duke: Well we started Block Entertainment and we did the deal with Diddy in '05. He's doing what he's for, exposing us to the world opposed to just the same region in the South. You get lots of exposure when you're with Diddy.

TeenMusic: Any big plans for BNDH after the album drops on October 2nd?

Duke: We're going to sell 1 million records first. Then BNDH got a lot of stuff going on: movies on deck, we got a cartoon they're trying to make right now. My movie I have coming out is called Making Rain featuring Omar Gooding and Daz Dillinger, coming out on Paramount in spring '08, and we also have a clothing line.

TeenMusic: You guys are going to be touring, correct?

Duke: Right after the album comes out, we'll be touring. Zoe's on tour right now!

Zoe: I'm out here on the ScreamTour with Yung Joc right now, promoting his album that comes out August 28th called "Hustlenomics". After the ScreamTour I'm going out on my own tour to promote my own album that comes out September 25th, called "Welcome to the Zoo". Then we're promoting the BNDH album after October 2nd.

TeenMusic: Cool, thanks for speaking with us. Is there anything you'd like to leave our readers with?

Duke: October 2nd, "Back Up N Da Chevy"!

Zoe: Thank you for your time for the interview and thanks to all our fans.

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Copyright 2007 Lyn Kenney