But they recognize Dem Franchize Boyz because the group’s moves have left an impression. “Do that dance,” says one woman softly during a spur-of-the-moment performance from the foursome. “I’ll do it if you do it, baby,” says Bernard “Jizzal Man” Leverette, 22, watching with a missionary’s satisfaction as the lady makes a shy attempt at the finger-snapping twostep that DFB exported out of Atlanta’s tough West Side. Another convert down, Jizzal sets his sights on the rest of the world.
“We want everybody part of this new crunk era, where you can do your dance without even having to put down your drink,” he says of the smooth moves and laid-back sound that branded the group’s two hits, “White Tee” and “I Think They Like Me.” He continues, “You don’t have to be all hard to be down.”
These ghetto folk heroes — Gerald “Buddie” Tiller, 23; Maurice “Parlae” Gleaton, 22; Jamall “Pimpin’” Willingham, 21; and Jizzal — began their street crusade in summer 2003, when they started making music in a West Side apartment with Pimpin’s $400 laptop and a microphone taped to the ceiling.
Months later, the track “White Tee,” off their first mixtape, exploded onto local radio, and the major labels came calling. They chose Universal, but quickly learned the price of sharing a label with industry heavyweights: The label dropped their debut album on the same day it released Nelly’s Sweat/Suit. The DFB project fizzled, and the group quietly obtained a release from Universal soon after.
But with a drive as irrepressible as their music, and a crucial hometown fan in Jermaine Dupri, who remixed “I Think They Like Me” into an even bigger hit, DFB has bounced back from its first album’s demise.
With their own star barely born in the hip hop universe, the foursome already has its eyes on an empire: They have their own label, Franchize Recordz, and an anointed first artist they plug relentlessly in interviews, even when they’re supposed to be talking about themselves.
“It’s all about strategy,” said Buddie, referring to both the music industry and the PlayStation NCAA Football game that’s monopolizing life on the tour bus right now. They even christened a virtual team after themselves. “Oh, oh, oh, that boy Pimpin’! Pimpin’! Pimpin’! Touchdown!” Jizzal hollers. “DFB! Franchize just scored again.” But for this crew, the game has just begun.
Do you want VIBE delivered to your home or office? CLICK HERE.
home