What Ya Know (Feat. Ricky D & Mississippi Fatz)

It’s been more than a decade since New Orleans native Master P first exploded onto the music scene with his historical 85 percent distribution deal and shook up the industry from his seemingly impenetrable No Limit empire. Cranking out hit after chart-topping hit, Percy Miller provided the blueprint for block hustlers across the country to maximize their games from the street corner to the board room. Following directly in P’s footsteps of musical independence is self-made Mississippi CEO Huggie “B.” Now after three full-length solo albums, one group effort and a mix tape distributed through his Big Nut Records, Huggie returns with his forthcoming solo assault Get Ya Weight Up. “I’m a leader, not a follower,” Huggie explains. “I get on the streets and do my own promotions. I do whatever it takes, and I stay humble with the fans.” Born Gerald Jackson in the sleepy southern Mississippi town of Columbia, Huggie began rapping in high school as a member of trio Cutlass 3. Making noise around town, the group garnered local favor and was even selected for spokespersons for regional child abuse charities. Unfortunately, the group disbanded when one member moved to Texas and the other quit rapping altogether. All alone, Huggie was forced to pursue a musical career for himself. Expanding his record label operations, he relocated to the small town of Bogalusa, La. “Columbia got too slow for me, and Bogalusa got slower after a couple of years,” says Huggie from his present home base in Hattiesburg, Miss. “I outgrew the town, and I’m outgrowing Hattiesburg now. People ain’t ready for me because I am ahead of their time.” Determined to make his mark on music, Huggie learned every aspect of music making. “I didn’t know how to use the keyboards and drum machines,” he recalls, “so I just stayed in the studio all day and all night with a highlighter and an instruction book learning how to use the equipment.” After mastering drum machines like Roland XP-80, MPC-60 and Nsoniq-XR10 along with computer programs Cakewalk and Soundforge, Huggie dropped his 1997 independent debut Money Talks and came back two years later with the follow-up Money to Burn, both distributed through now defunct Southwest Wholesalers. “I ain’t never been no follower. I always been a leader,” he says. “I had money so I did my own thang. I didn’t like asking people to do anything for me. I take it in my own hands.” In 2002, he kept the hits coming and dropped his third solo release Shining and Grinding and in 2004 he released a group album from four-man group Bentley Boys entitled Bentley Boys For Life. The group consists of Mississippi Fatz, Rickie D, Don Mack and headed by Huggie. Keeping his hustle consistent, he recently released a mix tape entitled Dope Boy Music hosted by Atlanta-based DJ Goldie which features nine original songs. Fully strapped with an arsenal of spitfire rappers and 80 percent of the production laid down by himself, Huggie is locked, loaded and is now taking aim at rap’s number one spot. And judging from the heavy club and radio rotation received from his seething lead single “Like That” featuring local sensation Ms. Smurf, Huggie “B” is sure to make his own mark on the industry. “A lotta cats out right now are looking for a major label deal to fall out of the sky. They are afraid to get out and make their career happen. I’m not; I’ve done it all- from rapping, producing, buying TV commercials,” Huggie explains his appeal. “I function like a major label myself. You can check my resume and ask anybody around me. It’s real, and I’m still in it.” Believe that.