Track: I'm Leanin'
Artist: Certified

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HHNLive.com sits down with up and coming Florida duo Certified to discuss street reps, the Florida Hip-Hop explosion, their debut album, Rick Ross's shirtless XXL cover and much more.

Group member Hollywood on Rick Ross's XXL cover: "Shit that's a boss move! We support that all the way. He can do whatever he fuckin want."

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HHNLive.com: Where in Florida are you from? Where do you rep?

Hollywood: I'm the Prince of the south from Ocala Fl...9th Ave baby!

Big Koon: I'm the Florida Fat Mac and I'm from Deland Fl.....East Voorhis right down the road from the candy lady.

Both: But Florida is our state and we love it so we rep it as a whole.

HHNLive.com: You hooked up with J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and Pleasure P (formerly of Pretty Ricky) for your lead single "Turn Off The Lights". How did the Pleasure P collabo come about? And what is it about the J.U.S.T.I.C.E.League sound that has so many people wanting to work with them?

Big Koon: The Pleasure P idea was something we felt would work as a feature for a good radio single and C. Wakeley began putting it together right away. It took a little while to line it up but he put everything in place and we delivered.

Hollywood: Well Justice League got their own sound fa sho but the real deal is that everybody want hot tracks no matter what and Justice League got hot tracks. Point blank.

HHNLive.com: Your bio says you're "street" certified and obviously your group name is Certified. Where does this rep come from? What were ya'll into before the Rap game?

Big Koon: Well I think I can speak for us both. In order to even use a name like Certified you have to be exactly that in every true sense of the word. Me and Hollywood have always been in the streets and we have seen and done a lot. But no matter what has happened in our life we have stayed true to our beliefs and our words. So we are Certified in the streets and in business also cause Two Dog Records is a solid record label that handles business in a certified way meaning their word is always solid and it stand for something. Basically we real and never fake. We been doing music shit and street shit forever it seems. We still around and we aint going nowhere but up just like you supposed to when you "really" Certified.

Hollywood: Let me say this though. We got "certification papers" in the streets all the way to the corporate lane.

HHNLive.com: Is Rap a business for you guys or is it an art? Can it be both?

Hollywood: Rap is an art foremost but shit if you paying your dues it better be a business too. So we love what we do because it's art from our heart but we plan to get rich so we look at it like Bill Gates look at his business. It's serious.

Big Koon: It's Certified business.

HHNLive.com: Who are some of your favourite artists in the game right now?

Both: Scarface, Rick Ross, Plies, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Lupe Fiasco. These really stand out to us.

HHNLive.com: What did you guys think of Rick Ross's shirtless XXL cover? How did that go over in Florida?

Hollywood: Shit that's a boss move! We support that all the way. He can do whatever he fuckin want.

Big Koon: Rick Ross is the man and we ride for him and what he stand for. Certified fucks with him. Rick Ross showing that the big niggas in style now. You know the heavyweights.

HHNLive.com: I know Uncle Luke is one of the godfathers of Florida Rap music. Is there a leader right now for Florida? Is there someone that everyone looks to as the "boss" so to speak?

Both: Clearly right now Rick Ross is the boss in Florida. It may be different later but right now no one can dispute that he is the BOSS.

HHNLive.com: Tell us about your up-coming debut album. What kind of vibe can we expect? Guests? Producers? Any surprises?

Hollywood: The album gone be gangsta. It's called Seven Days sort of like the seven day creation that the bible speaks of. See as artists and even the Two Dog Records label we have worked hard to build and then again to reconstruct some of that building in order to finally become the force we wanna to be. Trust me we are a force by having the right team finally and getting rid of some of the extra baggage or people that don't want to work hard.This album is for all the people that's real and true to whatever they do. The Certified people.

Big Koon: This album gonna change somebody life even if it's just our own life. Seven Days says it all.

HHNLive.com: Does Florida have its own sound? And if so, how would you describe it?

Hollywood: FL has always had its own sound and it grew over time even though people didn't want to respect it at first. The Florida sound went from bounce and dance to the more recent sound of Reality music and Cocaine music. Every region seem to have their time. I feel it's Florida time now cause we are doing quality music that the nation gotta pay attention to.

Big Koon: Florida gonna probably always have its dance sound but it's not the limit.When you talking about Reality music and Cocaine music tell me who can deliver it better than Florida?

HHNLive.com: What is it about Florida right now that has so many of you poppin' off in the game? Is there a reason why Florida is exploding right now as opposed to a few years ago?

Hollywood: Well it's just our time. There is a season for all things in life. Every area has its time. Texas had its time...east coast, west coast also had theirs. Even Nelly brought St Louis out the midwest then came Chingy. Now Florida is here! I think Khaled really helped with Florida uniting better too from a high profile DJ perspective. It even goes back further with T Pain putting Florida on the map to make the industry pay better attention.

HHNLive.com: Is it one big happy family in the Florida Hip-Hop scene kinda like down south? Or is it similar to New York where it's kinda every man for himself?

Big Koon: With Florida there is a family vibe and a true family scene but just like with any family, there is still some work to be done to get us all tighter. I think for the most part we do support each other but siblings will bicker and argue sometimes anyway. It's not perfect but we are a lot better than we use to be as a family music circle. Florida stand up.

Hollywood: It takes somebody deciding to remember where they from and having pride about their hood or their state then starting to want what's best for the whole movement. Florida is finally taking on that look.

HHNLive.com: What are your top 5 albums of all-time?

Both: Scarface-The Fix/Tupac-Makavelli/8 Ball-Lost/TI-I'm Serious/Jay Z-The Blueprint-Gift and the Curse/Trick Daddy-Based On a True Story/Biggie-Life After Death/. I know that's more than five but those are a mixture of what we both feel to be top albums for our personal liking.

HHNLive.com: What are some of your favourite websites?

Big Koon: Wherever there are some fine women plus I plan to start hanging out on yours.

Hollywood: Any site that will give solid information on hip-hop and not just the bad shit.

HHNLive.com: Where can people check out Certified online?

Both: www.2certified.com