I’m excited for [Trick Daddy]... It’s like a child getting to see the things he took his parents through. He’s arguing with one of his artists now, and I get to say, ‘Now you know how I felt when you used to call me at 6 in the morning.’
WHEN CAROL CITY MUSIC PROMOTER Ted “Touche” Lucas, 36, started Slip-N-Slide Records in 1993, Miami was mostly known for so-called booty music. Then Arthur Maurice “Trick Daddy” Young rewrote the region’s rep: Grimy and guttural, Trick was a thug paragon.
Slip-N-Slide has been synonymous with the rise of Florida rap ever since, making stars of local talents Trina, Rick Ross, and Plies. The label received $9 million in damages last year when Lucas won a lawsuit against TVT Records to release old Pitbull material. But the company got a swirl of bad publicity when Trick, accusing Lucas of exploiting his artists, defected to start his own label, Dunk Ryder Records. Here’s Lucas on how he’s put da bottom on top.
VIBE: Trick Daddy was your first major breakthrough.
TED LUCAS: Me and Trick’s brother Hollywood started this, may he rest in peace. After he died, me and Trick Daddy agreed we were going to follow through with it. Trick’s “Nann Nigga,” with Trina, took the world by surprise. We were off and running.
How did you feel about Trick leaving the label?
I’m excited for him, happy. It’s like a child getting to see the things he took his parents through. He’s arguing with one of his artists now, and I get to say, ‘Now you know how I felt when you used to call me at 6 in the morning.”
You still talk to him?
Every day. I give him advice. Try to make sure he’s on the right track.
For a while, there were words flying.
It takes a real man to get over that, get back on the right track and know that someone isn’t out to hurt you, not out to get you.
Rick Ross was going at you, too, before he was signed to Def Jam.
Ross was an artist before his time. I knew he had it. I was just trying to find that right record that would take his career to the next level.
Will the recent revelations that he was a prison guard will affect his career?
I’d like to let Ross answer those questions. Rick is going to continue to make great music.
You’ve stuck by Trina all these years, too.
From Day One, that was Hollywood’s girlfriend; she kept it real with me, through thick and thin, when the company wasn’t doing good. I have to do the same thing for her. She makes great music; in 2008 she outsold a lot of male artists. Every weekend she’s working, touching her fans, giving a great show.
After you won the lawsuit against TVT, the label filed for bankruptcy, bringing down Steve Gottlieb.
I didn’t take Steve down; he took himself down. It’s just coincidental I’m the last he went up against, and he didn’t win. You’re going to be the bully for so long, but sooner or later you’re going to run into your match.
I explained to Steve I wasn’t scared. I knew my rights. I knew what I was doing was correct. I wished we could have worked it out and continued to work together. I don’t want to see nobody lose their company.
Do you think, in these difficult times, people still want to hear songs about money?
Right now, people need music to feel better, something to take your mind off what’s going on around you. But you can’t be flossing and bragging in everybody’s face when they’re dealing with different situations. Trina’s going to give women women power, Plies is going to make the ladies feel like they’re the most beautiful thing in the world, and Rick Ross is gonna make everybody boss up and be a man about it.
Is there still talent to be discovered in Miami?
Miami is definitely that city—you can go out tonight and find a superstar. I’m truly happy and blessed to be based out of Miami.
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