Drumma Boy Appreciation

[optimusprimeaphia]

No southern beat-maker has been bobbing heads,

, more than this man.


[h1]The Complex 7: Drumma Boy[/h1]

Photo by: Hannibal Matthews/Helio PR

Memphis-bred, Atlanta-based producer Drumma Boy has been quickly adding hits to his discography. Within the past few years, the 25-year-old musician has worked with T.I. ("What Up, What's Haapnin'"), Gorilla Zoe ("Lost"), and most memorably, Young Jeezy ("Put On"); along the way, he's even earned two Grammy nominations. Drumma recently released a free mixtape (Welcome II My City), and his latest work with Plies ("Plenty Money") is steadily heating up the clubs (and the Complex office…Big Face Hunnids!!).

In addition to his studio work, the classically-trained beatsmith is gaining more attention these days for his role on BET's reality show Welcome to Dreamland (Tuesdays, 10:30 p.m.), where two teams of aspiring singers (one headed by Drumma Boy, and the other by Jazze Pha) compete for a recording contract. On top of our usual Complex 7, the speaks on the show, working with The Game, and how he's ready to compete against Quincy Jones and Dr. Dre…

Interview by Jaeki Cho

#1: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SNEAKER OF ALL TIME?

Drumma Boy says: I'll have to say the Jordans. I wear them all the time. I'm looking at my closet right now, and all I see are Jordans and Chuck Taylors.

#2: WHAT'S THE MOST EMBARRASSING PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU'VE EVER WORN?

Drumma Boy says: That's a good question. I regret wearing Tommy Hilfiger, man. Tommy was a little trend that was going on for a minute. I look at that #@%% now and I'm like, "How the #%%% was I wearing Tommy %!#%*%@ Hilfiger?" It's just not fly, man.


#3: WHAT HAS TO BE IN YOUR FRIDGE AT ALL TIMES?

Drumma Boy says: Water for me, man. Without water I get headaches. Body shuts down and all types of #@%%.


#4: WHAT'S THE WORST WAY YOU'VE BROKEN UP WITH SOMEONE?

Drumma Boy says: All of my breakups been cool, man. I'm not really on that drama #@%%. But there was an instance when I produced for a group of individuals, where I showed them love, I gave them music, and I put them out. Then they hated on me. It might have been some homeboys I came up with. But #@%%, I cut off anything that's not supposed to be around me, man.


#5: WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER ONE DEAL-BREAKER FOR A POTENTIAL GIRLFRIEND?

Drumma Boy says: There was one chick who was bad as a mu'****a. She was cool, but just her brain…I mean the conversation was just…the first three words that came out of her mouth just turned me off. She was concerned about the wrong #@%%. She was like 29, but she was still on some, "What kind of ride is that, what kind of rim is that." Like who cares?


#6: IF YOU HAD A WEEK HOLIDAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Drumma Boy says: I'll still be in the studio. We might go bowling or something with a bunch of ladies, and just kick it. But majority of the time, I'm working.


#7: WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Drumma Boy says: Probably when my grandmother died. When I was like 11 or 12? I remember getting super mad when I was watching Roots. You know how you get teary when you're super, super mad? But that's about it.


BONUS QUESTIONS:

Complex: What has been the response thus far to Welcome to Dreamland?

Drumma Boy: We got a good look nationally. It's the number-one show in Atlanta. A lot of girls, and people's aunties calling me crying. Even junkies started showing me love after the show. I'm getting a lot of positive feedback. We really made a lot of dreams come true, and we really did change every girl's life. Unlike other music shows where they sing other people's songs, for this show we actually had to write our own songs, and create artistic images for these girls with a team of photographers, writers, and choreographers.

Complex: How did they approach you for the show?

Drumma Boy: Actually this show belongs to Vawn who is the host of the show. Initially, if I'm not mistaking, it was Jazze versus Polow da Don. But I think Polow's schedule was too busy. So they reached out to me, and did couple interviews. They liked my personality and music. Plus, it just happened to be that both Jazze and I are from Memphis doing it big in Atlanta. It's also crazy because Jazze's like my godfather. I learned a few things from him coming up.

Complex: Do you think you have a good chance against Jazze Pha's team?

Drumma Boy: Anybody I go up against I have a great chance. I'll have a great chance if I was going up against Timbaland, Dr. Dre, and The Neptunes. If they were to put me up against a blues artists or a jazz artist I would've been able to jam out. Whatever genre of music you give me I'm cooking it up. I could go up against Quincy Jones, man! I write and compose all the instruments in my music. I do it all.

Complex: Out of your team, who do you think has the most mass appeal?

Drumma Boy: Man, I think the big girl. I don't recall her name. I just call her the big girl. Oh! Sabrina. I think she's definitely someone to lookout for, man.

Complex: I know you mostly work with artists from the South, but do you have any plans on working with artists from other coasts?

Drumma Boy: I'm working with The Game, and a lot of West Coast artists, man. I'm about working with the next generation out there. We definitely got the West Coast banging.

Complex: So The Game's retirement plans are thrown out, huh?

Drumma Boy: Yea, I heard about that, but I think he's definitely working on another album, man. [Laughs.]

 

[Jordan8]

Ah yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa boy

 

[n o r e a g a]

my FAVORITE producer hands down. some of dudes records are just plain

 

[air kalo]

Appreciated.

Too many ill beats.

Personal fave is still "Money Make Me Cum".

That #!*@ is bananas.

 

[redman]

That interview was a boring read but I do mess with Drumma boy.

 

[ultralightbeam]

I originally thought the man was gonna be a one trick pony...

But this man is a beast on the boards.

Drummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmma!

 

[36 ounces]

Umma Do Me>*.....




......

 

[debso]

the washing machine noise every few bars has to go though. one or two times per song, cool...once every four bars? na, son.

 

[eight2one]

he laced Paul Wall's last album correctly.

 

[primetime2124]