Down Bad

I'm always impressed when I watch artists begin their trek in the game and actually continue to push forward instead of giving up when they find out that the music business is full of shady-ass executives, fake-ass artists and is a hell of a lot more work than it seems.

Down Bad is one of those groups.

Hailing from Baton Rouge, La., Down Bad has been on the grind for several years. I remember these guys doing features and hopping on every mixtape they could several years back to when they dropped their first album, D.R.U.G.S. (Dope Records Used 2 Get Scrilla), in 2005.

They recently released their sixth album (yes, I said sixth), The Sickest 2K8, in August and it's getting a lot of love. Their single "Out Da Box" featuring Blue Black has got the whole BR going crazy!

- Sohh.com

While Baton Rouge’s Boosie and Webbie soak up the national spotlight, another crew—Down Bad Entertainment—has been adding even more heat to the local scene. The childhood friends—Cage Da Conducta (artist and producer), Terror (a.k.a. Cheez; a.k.a. Tha Hood Grim Reaper), JR Dot, Supaman (a.k.a. Young Supa) and Jack Da Rippa)—recently snatched the title “Group of The Year,” at 3rd Coast Radio’s annual “CrunkFest” and they were previously nominated for “Album of The Year,” at the Southern Entertainment Awards. Regional hit tracks like “Keep Rollin,” and “Let A Nigga Thru,” have kept Down Bad performing steadily and equally as important—their getting dough, with at least one paid gig per week over the past year.





How did Down Bad Come together as a group?

JR Dot: Me Cage, & our manager J-Dirty went to school together and Terror is my cousin. Supa stayed by Cage and we eventually clicked up with Jack and put our bread up and started our own shit.



With Trill Entertainment making major moves out of Baton Rouge, What exactly does Down Bad bring to the table that's different?

Cage: We're not a group just thrown together. We really grew up together and had it set in our minds that we were gonna do this as a group and started our own label. Trill is mostly known for making straight gangsta music. We making gangsta music too, but we also giving you that "original" Jigg City music that can't be found nowhere else but Jigg City. You might hear a pill song; you might hear song about some shit we got into the other day. Basically we are the other side of Baton Rouge music kinda like Cash Money and No-Limit in New Orleans.



With so many different styles within the group, whats bring the chemistry together to provide a hit?

Jack da Rippa: A lot of good weed! That's one thing we all have in common. And with different styles that adds flavor to it. Everybody attacks the track from a different angle.



How was 2008?

Young Supa: We already dropped a street album on that boy Terror (When Terror Strikes) and got one on the way from me (Live From 225). We got a free mixtape we gon’ give away all over the region and from our website ( downbad.com) and our myspace page as a free download, and finally in '08 the new album D.R.U.G.S. 3: Tha Shakeback came out with better distribution than last the album.



Do you feel that its beneficial for an independent artist to stay independent or go major?

Young Supa: You gotta look at the independent game as like the NCAA. They got some people that go straight to the NBA, but it's a question of are you ready? The major labels gotta see that you're built for them. What have you accomplished on your own? If you just sitting back not doing nothing, why should they have faith that you gonna do something with them? And if you a real with it, when that major get behind you, you gonna be unstoppable if they market/promote you right. If you do just happen to go straight to the majors, then you don't have a clue of what to expect in the game. You ain't even got your feet wet.



How do you feel about the negative light reflected on Hip-Hop from some of our Black leaders?

J-Dirty (manager):Mane them niggas trippin like Pimp c said Hip Hop made Rus rich then a muthafucka. So by him talkin down on us he need to give us all of our money back. And Al Sharpton’s old and outta touch. some of these niggas just be talkin to be talking like senior citizens seem to do. Our culture is the reason a nigga like my self know whats going on I first heard about that [Jena 6] on wordofsouth.com’s forum. Then David Banner spoke on the shit on 106 and Park a few weeks before ol’ Al said the dumb shit he said.



With your initial hit, it really promoted the use of exctasy in the club. Was there any backlash? Jr.: Yeah, “Keep Rollin” or “I Pop These” or the infamous “Pill Song” put us on the map because that was what we was doing at the time and eventually most of the state after we dropped the song. So it became a huge club hit and at the same time it made its way to radio thru mixshows (without a radio rep). But as much as our PD's down here wanted to play it they couldn't put in regular rotation because we was talkin’ ‘bout pills and it was obvious. So that fucked us out of a lot spins that would have easily got us a deal. But we did and still do get more club play than a lot of niggas with deals and we have been gettin’ a shitload of show money and mixshow spins so u can't take that from us.



What makes Baton Rouge’s style of music different from Shreveport or New Orleans.

Terror: New Orleans is known for either bounce music or some straight gangsta shit. Shreveport really isn't that different, but we do have our own category, which is a mixture of gangsta music, and club shit. We're like a pot of gumbo. "We mix that jigg music with that real shit!" A lot of Atlanta's underground scene is really starting to sound similar to some of Baton Rouge's style. Jiggin’ was a dance that was created by the Jiggalators as a dance for when you rollin’ or full of them pills. It's just a different culture and movement comming out of B.R. For the longest we were in N.O.'s shadow. But now we have our own swagger and identity from our slang to our beats



Contact: www.myspace.com/downbadent
- Down Magazine