Interview By: ESTAXX

KeepItTrill brings you the newest artist on Cash Money coming out of Miami, who goes by the name of Young Duce. In this exclusive interview with KeepItTrill, Young Duce breaks down on how the Cash Money situation came about, what his plans are now that he is on the Bryan “Baby” Williams Cash Money imprint, his clothing line “Millions Wear” and plenty more. He also gives us an inside look on some new music he has been working on and gives his thoughts on the Florida Hip-Hop scene, Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat.

KeepItTrill.com: First off I would like to welcome you to KeepItTrill.com and to our viewers. I would like to say thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with us for this exclusive one on one interview. Let’s start this interview off by introducing yourself to the people that don’t already know who you are and where you from.

Young Duce: I’m a 23 year old marketing genius born in Miami, FL, raised all over Miami. Most people may know me from my clothing line “MILLIONS CLOTHING CO.” a.k.a. millionswear. (millionswear.com) Others may know me by “SLIDE OR DIE INC,” my markeing company. Throwing only the Best Events/Venues in Greater Miami, FL.

KeepItTrill.com: I have been following you for a little minute since I came across your MySpace profile and built a relationship. Growing up in Miami, what artist did you grow up listening and who influence you as an artist?

Young Duce: Well as you know, I’m 23. I was born in 1987, so I was 6 or 8 in 1993-1995. I grew up listening to JT Money, Master P, No Limit and Trick Daddy. Shout to DJ Uncle Al too! But What influenced me the most, was when Cash Money came out with the HOT BOYZ. With the whips, ice game, and crazy blowing money fast! To a young nigga, that really grabbed me and fucked my head up.

KeepItTrill.com: What made you wanted to become a rapper?

Young Duce: I was born in the music industry. My late father “Dwayne “Shorty” Smith Sr. owned his own record label and studio and living & watching artists come and record, having fun making music, seeing it on t.v, I was tuned. I started writing at the age of 10yrs. old then presented my music to my dad. He laughed and told me “You not read, stick to school”. It made me mad. From then on I used to go my close friend Protégé “Superior Studios” and start booking my own time. Going harder to show my dad I could do it and well…

KeepItTrill.com: How did you come about naming yourself Young Duce?

Young Duce: [Laughs] This is a funny one. I use to go by “Plasma” aka “Lil’Drama” way back in the days, ‘cause I was in my swag feeling myself thinking im “HOT” and also a lil wild nigga. Everybody loved my music, but never liked my name so one day my cousin “Chief” recording artist under my dads label at the time said “man your name DUCE” f**** all the other BS. You the 2nd of your Father and a jr. besides your Dad run this city” and from there it was Young Duce.

KeepItTrill.com: On this site we keep it trill with our viewers…. Can you keep it “TRILL” with us and to our viewers! Can you break it down to us and our viewers on how the Young Money/Cash Money situation came about?

Young Duce: Well, over the years being deep in this music game back in 06 when Cash Money was down in Miami heavy after “Hurricane Katrina” hit. You know, network grinding I ran into “Richmond Curry Young,” which is a A&R over there at Cash Money Records, he liked my humbleness and hard heavy grind. He told me to keep pushing which I did non-stop. Come to find out, he was watching me all this time. Late 2010, we went over the paper work made it official! YMCMB! DAT!

KeepItTrill.com: Recently, Joe Budden made a video where he stated “He wish whoever the best of luck” when he was talking about Young Money. Looking at the roster, Young Money has artists like Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Brisco, Cory Gunz and a few other names. How dp you feel you’ll fit in with the other artist on the label?

Young Duce: That’s the funny thing. I will never FIT in. I’m built to stand out. No matter what! I just live my life, speak my heart and my mind through current events. But I also have a creative marking strategy along with my music.

KeepItTrill.com: Growing up we all heard about the money problems with Cash Money that may be the reason B.G., Mannie Fresh and other artist left the label, except Wayne. Did that come into your mind when you signed the contract?

Young Duce: [Laughs] To be honest, it never crossed my mind. At that time, things were moving fast, along with getting money fast. But it’s all on the person. I understand the label can only put me in places to maximize my opportunity. That’s what I plan to do. “Goin’ in” with every breath I take. As ya’ll know, I already have a clothing line and marketing company. Without the deal. So y’all add it up. Merch Millions and Dame Diesel WHAT UP!

KeepItTrill.com: In a recent interview with DJ Drama, Wayne stated that there will be new artists signed to Young Money. Was Wayne talking only about you or is there other artists that Wayne will sign to his label?

Young Duce: No, I don’t think he was just talking bout me. There are a lot of new artists. Time will tell.

KeepItTrill.com: Now let’s get into something talk about your “Millions Wear” clothing line. What are your plans for the line in 2011?

Young Duce: Besides perfecting my craft as a music recording artist, my focus is to make the clothing line bigger and better than I can ever imagine. As ya’ll all know “Soulja Boy” made a music video wearing the clothing through out the whole video “smooky”. Ya’ll check that out and we got plenty more. Check out MILLIONSWEAR.COM

KeepItTrill.com: How do you feel about the Miami Dolphins? What positions do you think they need to improve at?

Young Duce: I’m gonna rep the home team no matter what, but they need a whole new everything.

KeepItTrill.com: How do you feel about Miami Heat?

Young Duce: Point blank period. See ya’ll at the ship floor center, court seats with my team YMCMB.

KeepItTrill.com: Any new projects you working on?

Young Duce: I have a lot of projects coming this year….. Right now my current project is my MIXTAPE & DVD *ICED OUT HUMAN*

KeepItTrill.com: What is the best way that producers can send you some beats for your next project?

Young Duce: THEY CAN SEND ALL BEATS TO YOUNGDUCEMAN@GMAIL.COM

KeepItTrill.com: What are your plans now being on Lil Wayne’s Young Money imprint?

Young Duce: Being under the best label in the world period, I’m just gone’ take over my generation of music. It’s our year now.

KeepItTrill.com: You just released your latest single “Like A Drumma” what’s the feedback you’ve been getting from it?

Young Duce: 8,000+ downloads in 48hours. I been getting heavy feed back telling me that “this is going to break the ice into the lime light of the main-stream industry”

KeepItTrill.com: How can people get at you on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, etc..?

Young Duce: I try to keep everything simple and easy for everyone so its /youngduce305 on all my social networks.

P.S. I WORK MY OWN SOCIAL NETWORKS!!! SO GET AT ME!

KeepItTrill.com: Any shouts out or last words for the fans you want to give?

Young Duce: 1ST I WILL LIKE TO GIVE THANKS TO THE GREAT GOD ALMIGHTY FOR BUILDING AND MAKING THE WAY FOR ME IN LIFE, 2ND MY MOTHER AND MY LATE FATHER “DWAYNE “SHORTY” SMITH SR. FOR MAKING ME WONDERFUL MAN AND NEVER GIVING UP ON ME….. 3RD GOES TO MY SLIDE OR DIE INC & MILLIONSWEAR FAMILY FOR BELIVEING IN ME HELPING ME PUSH MYSELF TO THE LIMIT WHICH IS NO LIMIT!!…….4TH GOES TO MY FRIENDS, FANS, AND SUPPORTERS BECAUSE WITHOUT YALL I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO LIVE MY DREAM… I FEEL LIKE WE ALL MADE IT! NOW 2011 AND FOREVER……..YMCMB SALUTE!!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST MY NIGGA ESTAXX AND THE WHOLE “KEEP IT TRILL” & “HIP HOP POSTAL FAMILY.” IF IT WASN’T FOR THEM,
YALL WOULDN’T BE TUNED IN TO MY TESTIMONY ….
-YOUNG DUCE MILLIONS-

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