The best kept secret in Atlanta just might be Jody Breeze.

As a founding member of the popular group Boyz N Da Hood which issigned to Bad Boy Records, he has enjoyed success in the music business.

Having worked alongside and holding his own with such artists as Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne, it’s no surprise that he is developing a heavy buzz with his recent mixtapes.

His street stories and gritty sound are receiving a warm welcome amongst a music industry filled with ring tone rap.

Jody has also been making news lately for other reasons, mainly his departure from longtime label Sho Nuff Records. Sixshot.com caught up with Jody Breeze to discuss what we can expect from him in 2008, the future of Boyz N Da Hood, and his relationship with Jazze Pha.

So let’s start with the most recent news, you left Jazze Pha’s label, Sho Nuff. It seems like a good situation, as Jazze is a top producer. Why did you walk away from that?

You know I just been a part of that situation for like four years goin’ on five and I ain’t really made no progress, I mean you know how it go man. You just outgrow that little family and it’s time for something new man, ’08 is New Year.

Your popularity is through t he roof right now with the mixtapes and everything. Why do you think you weren’t made a priority over there?

I think with Sho Nuff it was because I was back and forth with the Boyz N Da Hood so I really couldn’t be a Sho Nuff artist the way I wanted to be. I had to do a lot of Boyz N Da Hood shit and it took up damn near all of my time. I was just being dedicated you know? That’s how the game goes man, you live and you learn.

Do you still have a good relationship with Jazze even though you guys parted ways?

Oh most definitely, he’s like my uncle. It never really had anything to do with Jazze. He wasn’t that aware of what was going on because he’s an artist himself. It was just a conflict man, it was more family than business and you can’t mix that up. It’s like, I know we’re family, and I know I’m in your heart but I gotta be put out in some kind of way and it just wasn’t happening.

The original Boyz N Da Hood had Jeezy on the roster and then he left to pursue the Def Jam deal. Do you feel like him blowing up as big as he did took some shine away from the group?

I don’t wanna say it took away the shine but it slowed down the movement, you know what I’m sayin’? It was so big, and us not knowing each other really and coming out to do something that big but then we parted ways so early. We lost some of our fan base, it wasn’t like a movement. At the time I didn’t know that he only had a one album deal with the group so I’m just riding along with the group but I had a 2 or a 3 album deal. It allowed him to get out of that situation and start a new situation and he did real good, he did his thing. A nigga just gotta wait his turn. I look at it like I’m almost there.

How was the addition of Gorilla Zoe to the group?

It was good man, he did his thing. He made a name for himself; I’ll give him that. He a good nigga, he a real nigga.

How’s the situation at Bad Boy right now?

Bad Boy, same as usual man, you know.

Any new situations over there now that you’re a free agent?

Nah, no more new situations with Bad Boy. I’m not really tryna do any more Boyz N Da Hood albums. I might, I might make an appearance but I’m not really concentrating on that.

So you’re done with Boyz N Da Hood?

Yeah for right now man, this year is more about Jody Breeze than Boyz N Da Hood.

You were around Puff, did you learn a lot from him business wise?

I learned a lot from him man but not just him I think I learned the most from Jazze. They just work man, they never stop working. I don’t care what day it is, what time of day it is, Jazze is always in the studio or on his way to the studio. If Puff isn’t at a Sean John meeting then he’s at a cologne meeting and then he goes to the studio to record. Stay busy man, that’s how they get money, just stay busy.

Your mixtape game is crazy right now, they are getting a lot of love. What made you decide to come so hard on the new mixtapes?

Because I know there are a lot of fans out there that are really waiting on my music so with these mixtapes I really try to make them to the best of my ability. It count man, it’s not an album but it count, I can still get my point across. The mixtape game did wonders for me, I still get 8 a show off of mixtapes, the same crowd, the same everything as a platinum artist.

Now that you’re looking for a label, what kind of situations have come up?

I’m just waiting for the best deal I could possibly get. I don’t wanna go somewhere where I could be the second option or the third option. I want to be their first priority. I want them to be behind my movement.

In today’s music industry it seems like the indie route might be the way to go, have you considered that?

Yeah I considered it because you get a bigger percentage of your money but at the same time I need that big push. See, independently I gotta control everything and I don’t really wanna control everything. I wanna hear different ideas and get different opinions and not do it all myself.

The new video, “Work” is hot, how’d you get up with Rick Ross for that?

Ross is Ross man. We been kickin’ it forever so it ain’t nothin’ to get Ross on something. He 's an original Boy In Da Hood too.

The music business is crazy right now. Executives don’t even know what’s going to happen day to day. Do you feel it’s going to be real hard for you to sell records in an environment like this?

You know what man? The way shit is going right now, I can’t even tell you, bro. They so sold on this bubble gum ass shit and this ringtone ass shit. I mean it’s like okay I’m with it but we need to bring it back, not all the way back to that gangsta shit but we need some more realism in it.

It’s the same bubble gum ass topics. Everybody ain’t happy all the time where they could go make a dance song. There’s real shit goin’ on and I’m gonna rep that.Boyz N Da Hood, we brought gangsta shit back to the industry. I just wanna get back to the street shit.

Is there any music you’re feeling right now, what albums are you listening to?

Recently man it’s the Makaveli and 8Ball and MJG. It ain’t the newer shit, I’m listening to that hard shit, you know what I’m sayin’? It’s a whole different type of world now, like cats make one song and they think they could rap now, that’s it. I just like that real shit. And I got people that for 2 years straight been trying to get me to make a song that I could do a dance to. I’m too versatile for that man, I can’t do that.

What should we be expecting from you?

I just got a talent agent so I got a couple little movie roles, a watch line .I’m trying to get out. I’m probably gonna do some clothing modeling for some big clothing lines.

So Jody, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?

I just wanna let ‘em know I’m comin’. It’s ’08 and it’s a new year, I got new situations and I’m gonna make it happen.

This interview was conducted and written by Jon Michael. For comments or suggestions, hit him up at sixshotjm@gmail.com