Certified

CERTIFIED
For more than 20 years, the streets of Florida have played a major factor in the
ongoing evolution of down south rap. From the 80s booty shake of DJ Magic
Mike and the 2 Live Crew to the thuggish raps of Trick Daddy and Plies to the
electronic R&B crooning of T-Pain, the Sunshine State has consistently set
trends within Hip-Hop above and below the Mason-Dixon line.
And the next big tidal wave from Florida set to change the game across the
country is two-man tag team Certified. Dripping steam from their seething
summer single “Turn Off the Lights,” they woo the ladies with young heartthrob
Pleasure P (formerly of R&B group Pretty Ricky) atop melodic, mid-tempo
organs and a hammering drum track. With mouthwatering beats and rhymes
like these, Certified has had fans eagerly anticipating the July release of their 2
Dogs Records independent debut album Seven Days.
“We gone give them the whole story, both sides, the good and the bad,”
explains group member Big Koon. “Our album is the soundtrack to life…We talk
about getting money and the big cars because you gotta give the people what
they want before you can give them what they need.”
Made up of lyrical livewires Hollywood and Big Koon, Certified came together as
a group only five short years ago. Both natives of small towns in central Florida,
Koon (who adopts his moniker from a deceased uncle) represents the town of
Deland. A fan of music for as long as he could remember, he spent most of his
younger years writing lyrics. But he didn’t take his talents seriously until a friend
D1 (who happened to be an in-house producer for 2 Dog Records) convinced
him to lay down a few rhymes in the booth.
“D1 always made some hot beats, and that motivated me,” explains Koon, who
also refers to himself as Kunta Garvey and Kunta Marley.
Hollywood is from the adjacent town of Ocala. Penning r&b jams as well as
vicious raps as early as the fourth grade, Wood has been famous in his city
since he was 12 when his holiday rap won the middle school Christmas talent
show.
“I always was rapping and writing in the hood, but I was never serious until I
got with a label,” says Hollywood. “I’ve always been a hood star.”
They both grew up admiring the artists distributed by local label 2 Dog Records.
The independent powerhouse pushed music through the peninsula for more than
10 years. So when Koon and Hollywood got their individual chances to be
featured on songs with different artists on the label, they jumped at the
opportunity.
It just so happened that label CEO One Lee and president JV both felt the
rappers complimented each other. So the two businessmen put the
soloists together as a duo. Their first attack on the streets was the 2005
mixtape This Is the Life. Then came the Bigga Rankin and DJ Drama-hosted
mixtape Mob Affiliated the following year. In 2007, they hit them with the
DJ Chuck T-hosted Mob Ties. And early 08, they dropped mixtape Code of Silence hosted by DJ Secret.
So now that the streets have fell in love with Certified, watched their movement
strengthen and demanded for more, Certified ups the stakes in rap music with
the July release of their full-length debut album Seven Days. And with gems like
the living testament “All I Need” featuring down south legend Scarface, Seven
Days will be well worth the wait.
“We give you everything that life has to offer- the good and the bad,”
Hollywood sums up. “We are bringing reality music back.” The real finally returns.
Contact C.Wakeley of C.Wakeley Management
1-352-246-4495 or [email protected]