Have you heard a song recently that samples Ray Charles and features Jamie Foxx? Nope, I’m not talking about Kanye West’s “Gold Digger,” I’m talking about DTP’s ode to the state of Georgia, logically titled “Georgia,” from the group’s upcoming album Ludacris Presents … Disturbing Tha Peace. And although Kanye is no stranger to Ludacris – he produced the rapper’s hit single “Stand Up” – Ludacris insists the two records are distinct and unique.
“I think they’re two totally different records,” Ludacris said in a conference call with The Diamondback. “[‘Georgia’] is more for the street and [‘Gold Digger’] is more for the ladies.”
And DTP aims to keep things as street and organic as possible. DTP, which stands for Disturbing Tha Peace, is a hip-hop label as well as a group created by Ludacris.
In addition to Ludacris, the group features female rapper Shawnna, booty crooner Bobby Valentino and the newest members of the DTP crew, Field Mob. Of course, the hip-hop label and crew is nothing we haven’t seen before. Before DTP there was Bad Boy, then Roc-A-Fella and the St. Lunatics, just to name a few. In fact, it’s pretty much standard that once a solo rapper makes it, he calls on his crew to come out, get some of the bread and put out an album to come out and get some of the bread and put out an album. It’s the posse cut. But Bobby Valentino believes DTP still has something different to offer to the scene.
“DTP is like a complete package,” Valentino said, “everything you hear in ATL, we got it and we put it all together.”
“I would say the versatility is what sets us apart,” Ludacris added. “I feel like we do what we do.”
There’s a certain attitude within DTP to achieve and succeed, which is by no means an accident. Bobby Valentino, one of the newer recruits, had a huge single with his song “Slow Down” earlier this year. His success doesn’t have him resting on laurels though.
“Bobby V [is] coming out with another album,” Valentino said. “We gotta keep coming out once again and again.”
One thing that DTP isn’t is subtle. Then again, Valentino could never have been accused of being subtle to begin with, with lyrics like “Oh ma, tell me how did you get that in those jeans?/The way you’re droppin’ it is killin’ me,” from his single “Tell Me.”
So continues the blunt sexual trend on the track “Table Dance,” from their upcoming album. Valentino doesn’t ask for much – as he puts it, “I just want a table dance.” The song is a blunt ode to a strip club and its employees, and Valentino’s smooth voice sounds right at home on the track’s slow-wind groove. Valentino’s a regular Bobby Brown and it’s definitely a song the fellas will enjoy.
While DTP is a mostly male crew, let’s not forget the two ladies on the roster.
The first, Shawnna, spits fire and comes harder than many of the guys on her label with her blazing track, “Gettin’ Some.” The beat is grimey and the hook is explicit – let’s just say it talks about getting some “knowledge” – and it’s all tied together with Shawnna snarling and stomping all over the track. With this track, Shawnna’s stepping into battle with Remy Ma for roughest female rapper.
The other lady is Sharissa. She comes off more like a hoodrat version of Faith Evans and prides herself on “bein’ real” and “holdin’ things down.” Sharissa is the R&B counterpart to Bobby Valentino, although she’s less concerned about sex and more concerned about herself and representing black women.
The king and head honcho of DTP himself, Ludacris, is easily the most charismatic and talented of the bunch. But he’s always willing to share the airtime with his proteges and artists. And he expects a lot out of them.
“What I always look for in artists are three elements: One, is the music sounding good? Two, do they have star presence? Three, are they a hard-working person?” Ludacris said.
He wants all the focus on his artists’ talents with this latest effort. That means no big-name producers on the disc, even though Ludacris has worked with most, if not all of the big names himself: from the Neptunes, to Timbaland and to Kanye.
“We’re just trying to put out good music,” Ludacris said.
Ludacris Presents … Disturbing Tha Peace hits stores Dec. 13.
Contact reporter Ricky Ribeiro at ribeirodbk@gmail.com
