NEXT 2 BLOW
Slick Watts - 25 To Life
Published: Friday - May 30, 2008
One region at a time, Martins Ferry, Ohio native Slick Watts is stamping his mark on the hip hop world with Kashi Kicks. Yep, at this point in the short lived, global life of hip hop, even indie rappers step in the game with their own shoe endorsements. Add a mixtape release, with quick rising DJ Mick Boogie (“25 To Life”), to growing MySpace listens and the seedlings of a hood movement seem imminent.
Slick has yet to gain traction with major labels and networks, but the self proclaimed Kevin Garnett of the rap game is no stranger to the hard grind; just que up "Why Don’t You" on Slick’s MySpace to feel the hunger pangs. Maybe this summer will spell upgrade for Slick as last year did for Boston’s "Big Ticket." However, Ohio is a tiny market to the music industry, so home court advantage is limited; Slick, the baller turned street author, needs to consistently win on the road if he wants a title in hip hop. He uses an in-house production team, his personal tales of struggle and a crispy rap delivery to appeal outside of the Midwest region. Yo! Raps recently got up with Slick to talk barrowed lines, a future legacy and beatsmiths.
Is it difficult to get the industry's attention being from a small town in Ohio?
Yea, coming from a small town is always going to make it harder to get noticed. But I think the moves we made in 2007 along with the fact that I'm not from a major city in Ohio has helped out a lot. I've got good relationships with a lot of people in the major cities. It also doesn’t hurt to have Mick Boogie hosting your CD either. Mick's one of the biggest DJ's in the world.
Is it tempting to stick to the indie root considering the failing state of the conventional music industry?Definitely! Things are changing in the music industry. But at the same time rappers just got to change their hustle up. There's still ways to make money off of rap. I can't say whether I'm going to stay indie or not. I'll just wait until the opportunity presents itself and make the best decision I possibly can.
What other towns have been showing the most love to your movement?Columbus, Cleveland, Sandusky, Pittsburgh and the O.V. have definitely been showing me the most love. Big shout out to everybody in The Land that has been holding me down and the C.O. as well. I'm definitely trying to come to the Natti and get it popping as well when the CD drops.
What was it like working with Mick Boogie?An honor! Anytime you can have a DJ like Mick saying your music is straight. It's an honor. He's doesn’t just put his name behind anything! A lot of cats will do anything for a check but he isn't like that.
Did you guys really connect or was it just phone calls and emails?With his schedule and all the moves he was making, it was kind of hard to stay in touch the way I wanted to but whenever me or my manager needed to holler at him he always hollered back. My next mixtape is going to be hosted by him as well. So I'm trying to work closer with him on this one.
What projects are you currently working on?Just my mixtape which is "untitled" right now. Real excited about that. My shoe sponsor Kashi Kicks will be presenting, Mick Boogie will be hosting, my man BBanga and Ivy League Productions from Columbus, who has worked with Wayne, Santana and Cam, will be doing most of the beats. We're going hard in 2008 no doubt.
What producers are shaping the Slick Watts sound and which musicians influence them?I deal with a lot of cats when it comes to production. Major League is our in house producer so I'll definitely have something hot from him. My man Paramount from Tennessee aka the hottest producer in the south. Kore Luv with LuvStyle Beatz is from around my way he definitely got some heat. Killah Kalam from the Zoo Boys look forward to working with him and BBanga he produced "Suck It Or Not" with Wayne and Cam. I just linked with him. Shout out to Banger and his manager Kwame look forward to making big moves in 2008 with them.
Why shout out Lil Wayne and Jay-Z in "Slick Watts Show?"Jay-Z to me is the greatest breathing so that was an easy one. And Lil Wayne is the hottest rapper in America right now. Those are levels that I'm working towards so I shouted them out. There are a lot of hot rappers though. I could put a lot of different names in there.
Do you consider yourself a biter since you used those Jay bars in "Why Don't You?" Why or why not?Nah I don’t consider myself a biter! It fit with the theme of the song and I borrowed it from Jay. No big deal. I do my thing I don’t really need lyrics from somebody else. That was a personal song I had written to my girl. A lot of people love that song. Check that out on my MySpace page www.myspace.com/wattsymusic
If music was the NBA, who are you in '08?Kevin Garnett. I feel like any team that can get me on the squad is going to completely change there franchise around. My style is universal. I don’t feel like there's anything that I can’t do behind the mic. Any kind of song you need I feel like I can deliver it. That's how K.G. is he can do it all. Plays hard every night. That's the way I go on the mic. So it would definitely be K.G. Also with him the whole team eats. He looks out for his team-mates.
We've heard these same tales of hood life and dodging prison so many times. Why choose hip hop music to express yourself?Because hip hop is the ultimate freedom of expression. Anything your feeling or going through you can get in the booth and get off your chest. I don’t know too many other platforms where you can do something like that. My story isn't your typical rapper story. And I don’t harp on the same things most rappers harp on. There's way more to Slick Watts than the stories most these rappers make-up.
What else do you do well in life?It was either hooping or rapping with me. That's all I've known my whole life. So that’s the things that I'm best at. I've always hooped and I've always rapped. There wasn't time for much else.
How does that tie into your creative process?Just the whole competitiveness that goes into both. They’re very similar. Anytime I stepped on the court I wanted to be the best one out there. Same thing with rap, anytime I get on a track I want to be the best at it. Add that to an "I won’t lose mentality" and that’s basically gives you Slick Watts.
Why call yourself a star like everyone else who wants to be famous?Everyone else doesn't have the grind to be a star. It's easy to wake up one day and say I'm going to be a star but what are the steps that you’re taking to get there? I'm on my grind 24/7. Can't anybody tell me I don’t go hard at this. And this is just the beginning of the BittaSweet/WattsyMusic movement.
What will music fans say about Slick Watts in ten years?That Slick Watts was one of the best. He didn’t lie like most of these rappers do in there rhymes. That he gave back to the community and never forgot where he came from. Never stopped grinding and always appreciated the fans and their support.
What will the hood say?That Slick was one of the best. Never claimed to be something that he wasn’t. Always looked out for the hood. Gave people jobs helped in the community and kept it real. Never stopped showing love and never forgot where he came from.
Any final comments?Check my new mixtape hosted by Mick Boogie, presented by my official shoe Kashi Kicks. BittaSweet/WattsyMusic Movement! Ohio stand up! Shout out to all my people back home. The whole BittaSweet Fam Jax, H.U.G., Major League, 10th Wonder, and my manager Arica. Be sure to go to my personal website www.wattsymusic.com for all info on Slick Watts.
- By Mike Ivey
