The South has a mixtape scene that spans across many states but that was not always the case. At certain points in hip-hop history some people felt like mixtapes were limited to Canal Street in NYC. When you think of Southern mixtapes, two names should come to mind, two DJ’s who have kept the South ahead of the game with not only their skills but their ability to put together the most bangin’ mixtape around.

Those two DJ’s are DJ Screw (R.I.P) and the legendary DJ Jelly. For years, Jelly has been a staple in the Atlanta hip-hop scene. He was around before Outkast was the biggest group in hip-hop and he was there when Ludacris became the ATL’s newest representative.

With television and radio shows under his belt as well as still being the mixtape 'King of the South', Jelly shows no signs of slowing down as he works with Big Oomp and Koch South to bring a new dynasty to hip-hop.

Sixshot.com caught up with the legend himself to discuss why he still plays at small country clubs, who he feels is the next best thing in hip-hop, and of course, the art of the mixtape.

People have been fiending for your mixtapes for along time. How did you make your mixtapes that popular?

Man, I think the timing was right. When I first started out, there wasn’t a real strong music sc ene here in Atlanta. This is the time when Outkast was just forming. It was like everybody was graduating high school and going to college. We were basically the radio station for the streets of Atlanta. I was able to get in real early and that’s what gave me that longevity on top of me being real competitive and my people being real competitive.

Have the changes that have been going on in the mixtape game affected you at all?

Nah, not at all. We always have people questioning me or hitting me up but the cops or anything never hit us up, thank God. We got several businesses so it ain’t like we’re just out here like that.

It seems like everybody can throw out a mixtape now. There’s like a thousand a week, how do you feel about that?

The microphone DJ’s, right. I don’t feel anything about it. Anybody can go out and make a name, it is what it is. If you’re out here helping the music and helping to break new music then that’s even better. That’s what I got into it for. People aren’t in it for that anymore and it’s the same thing with the rappers. That’s what it is and it down matter if it’s down South, East Coast, out West, it’s killing the culture, it’s killing it.

Do you feel that these dudes are lacking a lot of the skills you used to need to make a name for yourself?

Yeah, that too but even more than that, they are not breaking the music. They’re not breaking music. The DJ is supposed to want to be that man, it’s supposed to be like sports. A DJ’s role is to help break the music. Dudes today don’t wanna do that, they wanna break themselves, and they’re not breaking the music.

Like you said earlier, you got into the game early on. Did you think down South hip-hop was gonna be what it is today?

Nah, I had no idea that it would dominate like it is but I definitely knew it was a sound that was gonna make it’s mark. As far as the domination, I had no idea it would last this long. I just knew it was some good music. I came into it as a teenager and I was fan. I listened to it from a teen perspective and I loved it. I knew it was good music and I knew it was gonna be something special. It was new. I knew it would have an impact for sure but I had no idea it would be this dominant.

I gotta ask because a lot of people say it. Would you consider yourself the best DJ the South has ever had?

Other than DJ Screw I would definitely rank. Rest In Peace to DJ Screw. As far as making an impact and helping the music, the culture, the sound, then definitely. I mean I’m one of them. I’m definitely top ranking.

As far as the South goes, who are some artists that you like working with?

As far as the South I’d have to say Outkast, Ludacris, 8 Ball & MJG, UGK and I say that because I know these people personally. I’m not tryna give you the regular schpiel. I knew these people from the beginning and how they been from then until now. I respect their music and I respect them as people too. I like T.I as well. Those are some of the people I’ve been around and that I really respect.

Do you feel the fact that you’re a veteran who’s had so much impact helps you out in the game today?

Yeah, definitely man. I mean even as a DJ, I went from that to now doing the label thing with Oomp. I helped develop artists like Unk and Baby D and I help other artists get out there. I’ve always been the type of dude to help independent artists and at the very least I try to help them get heard. I mean, I can’t help everybody but I’m always listening for somebody fresh who’s coming up and is new to the game.

I have a TV show on the CW that’s been running for eight years and we use that to break a lot of music as well. The kids coming up today know me as the TV man. The kids come up to me and ask me if I’ll listen to their music. They know I’m a good dude to ask. I got a mix show as well as a syndicated show so I have a lot of avenues to break new artists and get new music heard.

A lot of DJ’s don’t do that, why do you take the time out to listen to the independent artists?

That’s how I came up. I was playing Outkast before they became Outkast. I was bumpin’ Jeezy on my mixtapes before he really got national recognition. I can make a whole list. I’m grateful for that. I was playing these artists when they were still trying to just get it together. It’s the same as If I lived in Brooklyn in the 1980’s, New York, it’s just like that, and I knew something was going on. I always had that gut feeling about different artists and music where I thought to myself, “Yeah, something is goin’ on”.

As a dude who has a good ear and who’s been doing this for so long, who do you think is gonna blow up heavy?

Comin’ up now? Honestly, I’m gonna tell you one person I know that with the right song, it’s a wrap and that’s B.O.B. Straight up, with the right song and how he rhymes and he got his people behind him. He got it and I can’t even explain what that is. He just got it so with the right song, it’s a wrap. I don’t wanna be biased but Baby D is another artist who it’s over with, he’s amazing. I know it’s one of my artists but it’s a wrap.

Do you still spin at the clubs?

Yeah, definitely, I travel a lot. I go to Japan a lot; I got to Europe a lot. I’m about to do something in Hawaii in a couple of weeks. I still do that. I still enjoy it brother because it keeps me up on what’s going on everywhere. I’ll still spin in a hole in the wall in the country and the next day I’ll be doing something in Europe, that ain’t nothin’.

What do you have coming up that we can check for?

Definitely Baby D. We’re about to drop him through Koch South. That’s something that Oomp and me are doing. My production company, you know, we produced all kinda records. We’re always placing beats so it’s gonna be a lot of production coming up. We’re doing some stuff with Ciara right now and Beyonce. Like I said, we’re getting ready to drop Baby D. He’s dropped two albums already but now he’s getting ready for his national recognition. His song “Bout Money” was MTV 'Jam Of The Week' all week this past week. He’s on 106 and Park and we’re really looking forward to dropping that on April 29th, A-Town’s Secret Weapon.

Anything you wanna say to the fans at Sixshot.com?

Just know what you wanna do in life and be true to that. Regardless of what people say, you have to pursue what you want and it’s that simple.