Interview with Bigga Rankin — Corporate Thugz Ent / Hittmenn DJ's / Real Nigga Radio.
IAJ: How did you get your name, "Bigga Rankin"?
BR: 'Cause I'm a big nigga and I always do big shit. If you check it out we've got Shabba Ranks. We've got Louie Rankin. All the Jamaicans that's a Rankin is nigga in high ranks. You know what I'm saying? They do big shit. Big ranks. You feel me?
IAJ: What was your first monumental move in the industry?
BR: My first monumental move in the industry was when I used to play strictly reggae, cause I'm from Jamaica. But then what did I do? The first hip-hop song I ever played was, "Gangsta Gangsta" by NWA, man, and I haven't ever turned back. You feel me?
IAJ: Since then who are some of the artists that you've worked with?
BR: Primarily in the South, I've broken artists such as Young Jeezy, Boosie, Webbie, Pastor Troy, and Rick Ross. The list just goes on and on. Plies. You feel me? You know. You can check my resume. It's longer than 95-South. Rankin, man, goes from here, there, everywhere. Real Nigga Radio, man. We've booked so many artists, my nigga. And when I get an artist record, my nigga, I act like it's my own record and I go in. I've got 40 Cool Runnings DJs and they're the best in the industry right now. I work with The Hittmen DJs and The Core DJs. I have all the people that break records, man. That's what we do, we break records man.
IAJ: You're also with Corporate Thugz Entertainment, is that correct?
BR: Oh Right. I've got to give it up to Young Jeezy. He's one real nigga. He gave a street nigga a job and I respect him for that. He gave me a brand. I've got the Real Nigga Radio brand. The Team Bigga Rankin brand. The Cool Runnings brand. Got CTE. That man Jeezy though, he gave me a job. He had seen something in me that nobody else saw, and I respect him for the rest of my life. He's one of the realest niggas who has ever done something this big for me. Young Jeezy, man. Thank you!
IAJ: I see that you've been working a lot of big records with Billy Blue. Can you talk about that?
BR: Billy Blue is one of them artists which, I just don't feel like, he has got the 101. He was never really given that 6-month run. If they gave Billy Blue that 6-month run, then he's going to be that nigga 'cause he's pure. He just talks about what he knows, what he lives by. He's real. He the realest, man. For real.
IAJ: What advise could you give these artists as far as what they have to do to break a record?
BR: My advise: You've got to push yourself. You go 100, I am going 120. You've got to take care of the white paper so you could get the green paper, my nigga. Take care of your business. Come handle business with me and I'll handle business with you. Everybody out there, I love you but all you independent artists, you all need to work with each other. You all have to respect each other. Buy each other's albums and get somewhere. If you would all be like crabs, then nobody's going to get anywhere. Most of you independent artists are like crabs. You don't like each other's business. You all just want to make it and be the first one to do so. Support each other, my niggas, and you will win.