Even the hangout room at Madd House, the group's Atlanta studio, doesn't speak only to his ATL roots. It's decked out, floor to ceiling, in the colors and insignia of the University of Georgia: red carpet, black walls, and hanging Bulldogs pennants. "Everybody ain't college material," says crew member Pinhead about the studio's collegiate decor. "But we stayed in the 'hood, and made it happen."
It was Troy who paved the way for D.S.G.B. with a string of gritty underground solo records like 1999's I Am D.S.G.B. that made him a regional star. But after blanketing Georgia with his group's rowdy indie release, 2001's The Last Supper, he's ready to crank up the Crunk-O-Meter for his crew's first major release, 'Till Death Do Us Part. While the name D.S.G.B. (aka Don't Stop God's Blessings) is a brazen shout to their home, the four members say the acronym has other meanings that represent them individually as well: "D" is for the Disciple, 23-year-old Rodriguez Jackson (aka Lil Pete); "S" is for Stamina, which Tavaris "Pinhead" Bridges, 25, has in long supply; "G" represents the Gangsta, Steve "Blackout" Watkins, 22; and Micah "Pastor" Troy, 26, says the "B" stands for Boss. That would be him.
But 'Till Death doesn't just celebrate Southern living, it's also a record built around the more intimate rapport between close friends. It's a brotherhood united, both in tragedy-like the bond born from grieving for a fallen friend-and in the party-hard spirit known to folks on ATL's crunk set. "Working on this album is the easiest thing in the world for us to do," says Troy. "We are boys first and foremost."
They're also confident that their frantic style of rap will continue to win people over beyond state lines. "Our fans are solidified," says Troy. "People are even starting their own D.S.G.B. cliques. I ran into a brother with a D.S.G.B. tattoo in Arizona." How's that for Southern exposure?
Copyrights
Roni Sarig. D.S.G.B. A Dirty Revolution. Copyright 2003 Vibe.com.
