Trick Daddy says that everyone has to feel him

Trick Daddy has represented Miami ever since he stepped up to the mic with Uncle Luke on the 1996 hit “Scarred.” Through the span of eight years, Trick has released five solo albums, obtained four gold and platinum plaques and wrote more ghetto scriptures than a preacher.

With a lost of hits such as “Na’an,” “Shut Up,” and “Take It To Da House,” Trick is back and better than ever. With his rock/rap single “Let’s Go” playing on every major radio format (including rock), Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets, is expected to be Trick’s biggest album to date. With the album in stores today (October 26th), Trick spoke with The Hurricane about the album, single and of course, how “Trick loves the kids.”

The Hurricane: Talk about the album Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets and what it means to you.

Trick Daddy: I feel like Sean Taylor about to get drafted in the first round. It’s covering all aspects of the game. All aspects of the streets. It’s showing love for the kids. Showing love for the [older] crowd. Definitely for the thugs, the struggle you know? I put a sticker on it reminding everybody to go out and vote on the ticket. It’s Trick Daddy. It’s Miami.

Let’s talk about the first single “Let’s Go.” Who came up with the concept for the song and who decided to put Lil’ Jon and Twista on the track?

Unusual Suspects, producers from my camp, were the ones who came up with the idea for the song. My management decided to put Lil’ Jon on the track. Twista is my dawg. We’ve been doing music [together] for a minute now. Twista was on my first album.

The song samples from Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.” How did you get the clearance? Did you personally speak to Ozzy or was it through your respective camps?

Yeah, we contacted Ozzy and they were excited about it because nobody ever used their sample for a hip-hop record. They cleared it and I thank Ozzy for that because a lot of people don’t clear samples; they give you the run around and charge you high prices, but Ozzy went over and cleared it for us.

What were some of your favorite tracks on this album? What songs best represent the album as a whole?

We redid “If It Isn’t Love” by New Edition called “Ain’t a Thug.” “Gangsta Livin,””U Never Know,” and “4 Eva” with Jazzy Pha on the hook.

In the South, you are one of the top rappers in this region, but nationally, you haven’t gained the respect of the other regions. How hard is for you to make music, but not have everyone feel you?

I mean they feel me. Anybody who doesn’t feel me is a fool. I make music representing the thugs, representing the South. If they don’t feel it now, they never will. Laughs.

We know that “Trick loves the kids,” but now that you have a son, how important now is it for you to be a role model for the younger kids?

It’s real important because they [media] always put negativity towards hip-hop. So I always tell the kids, ‘Do as I say do, don’t do as I do.’ I always put children songs up there and they know what their songs are.

What are your expectations for this album and what do you expect for 2005?

I expect [the album] to be big, and if everything goes well, it should be. I’ve been getting good feedback from the record. [For 2005], I plan on going on tour and doing bigger and better things.

Marcus Washington can be contacted at

m.washington2@umiami.edu.