Debra Antney has a track record in Hip Hop good enough to make any industry figure jealous. High-profile artists including Gucci Mane, Nicki Minaj, French Montana and even her son Waka Flocka can all reference her in their career breakout moments. As the CEO of Mizay Entertainment, the New York -> Atlanta transplant helped change the A’s trajectory within the culture. Taking even more of a background role, she’s helped form one of the city’s biggest online radio stations, B100, which has earned a reputation as a starting point for many aspiring artists. For the reality TV-obsessed public, Antney has appeared more than a few times on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta by way of Flocka’s storyline with wife Tammy Rivera.
One thing is for sure. After speaking with Antney, calling her passionate about helping others succeed is an understatement. Initially planned to be a 10-minute conversation spanning her storied career and thoughts on Gucci Mane’s prison release this year, the interview went in some interesting directions. Chief among those is the revelation that she’s also started to help Minaj’s ex Safaree Samuels with his current music situation along with Love & Hip Hop: New York alum Jhonni Blaze.
“All Of Them Were Artists That Were Hurt & If You Know Anything About Me, That’s My First Love In Really Helping People”
HipHopDX: Many within Hip Hop seem to forget your fairly incredible track record in grooming greats including Gucci, Waka, Nicki, and French Montana, to name a few. What was your goal in ensuring these artists began to build a significant fan base and following?
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Debra Antney: One, I can’t take all the accolades because I really did have a very good team at that time. The biggest part of it is not so much the industry as it was the artist. It was about the artist. All of them were artists that were hurt and if you know anything about me, that’s my first love in really helping people. The background in case management that I have as a social worker made it just how it is. I can’t help my heart. It wasn’t so much where I was looking at them chart in the industry as much as it was healing them and actually fulfilling their goals or taking them somewhere where they wanted to be. I just wanted to make their dreams become reality and I wanted to save them. Again, it was multiple people that were just hurting. It wasn’t about the industry to keep it real. It was just something natural.
DX: How exactly did you transfer your years as a social worker to helping those artists?
Debra Antney: In case-management, you have 30, 60 and 90-day goals that you have to fulfill. You had one for your job and the next for the courts. These were things that had to be done. Everything that I do is a 30, 60 and 90-day case plan. Difficulties go to 120 days and usually for me, if I don’t get anywhere within that time space, I’m not going anywhere with you. That’s what case-management is. It’s healing with them. Even in the 30, 60 or 90-day plan, it’s a healing process that you have to go through with them also. You have to get them to that point to where they’ll reach their full potential. You really have to take them somewhere that they don’t think they had inside of them.
DX: You’ve seen Atlanta Hip Hop change drastically over the decade to the new crop of talent from the 21 Savage(s), Young Thug(s) and Lil Yachty(s) of the world. Must be interesting to watch, eh?
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Debra Antney: I know when we were there, there was something that was built there on this industry. Here’s the one thing that I pay attention to. One, I’m really proud of them. I’m grateful and thankful to see anyone of these kids jump off and make it to the alternative of these streets. That’s the first thing. Here’s the next thing I see. Some of them, I don’t want to use the term one-hit-wonder. I don’t want to say that because people may get into their feelings. I’m watching that some of them can’t come back. You can do it one time and maybe twice, but you can’t come back anymore. And, they’re so sporadic with these artists, I just think some of them need a little more home training. Home training means they need people who are really into them and not fascinated over these one hits and going out there making two dollars but, making them stand there long-term. I’m happy to see kids coming in that young people can identify with and they can grow together, but I still see training that needs to go on with them. There are still more things that need to happen with them. I’m not saying that negatively about them. I just don’t see where people are really taking their time with them and making them into the superstars they are.
DX: You also run B100 Radio, what kind of gains have you made through internet radio, especially for independent artists?
Debra Antney: I’ve always liked working with independent artists. That’s major for me. That’s something really, really big for me. B100 is more like a teaching ground because a lot of artists come and I’m tripping out on them. They can’t bring any styrofoam cup in my building. It’s a whole bunch of stuff. I really get on them because when they go to regular radio, they need to understand that they can’t come there and do those things. There are things that you can not do. There are interview points that we go through with them. There are certain ones who walk through that door, that you already know where they’re about to go to. You know it. Honestly, it’s not that many of them who come through there that I don’t see that in them. Once we sit there and talk, I’m cutting them. It’s really disrespectful for you to come through and I have to smell this stuff coming through. You only get one shot at this. How do you want people to view you? Do you want me to look at you like you’re a crazed-out junkie that I’m not going to get my money out of if I invest in you? It’s just about good etiquette and the way you come in. I want you to be who you are, but I want you to omit some things. Just selling points for who they are.
I’ve had plenty of people come through here and I look at them tomorrow and they’ve blown up. When I see them, just the hug that you get from them. That feels good when I see them and they’re able to take something that they were taught. That means more to me than anything. What they don’t know is that a lot of them have fears. It’s the fear of the unknown and there are things that you have to be taught. I’ve made mistakes. One thing about us in the urban community is that it’s not difficult for us to go out there and make a dollar. It’s not hard to make money at all because the hustle is in our blood. We not coming from platinum spoons. The hustle is most definitely inside of us, but nobody taught us how to keep the money. That’s why people get over and all the things are done. That’s why some of us don’t make it. Even your legendary people that I see today can’t pay a bill, don’t have a place to live or trying to find a job without embarrassment. There’s nothing there for them because of things that were never taught. That’s what B100 does. It gives them a platform and does things that regular radio can’t do. We’re able to place shows on there and don’t have the answer to anyone. There’s no policing with us. We get to create the way we see fit or want things done.
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Debra Doesn’t See Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Staying Away From Each Other Long
DX: Between that and the anti-bullying stuff you were doing on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, you’ve grown into a stateswoman for the city or teacher. Would that be correct from your point of view?
Debra Antney: You know what? I think I’ve always been like that. Even with my kids when they did something, I had to go through a whole drawn out thing with them. I would have to tell them why and things like that. As you get older, you become more settled in things and the experiences that you have change. Even though people are going to go through what they go through, you have to prevent some things. I don’t think so much of being a teacher, a little guidance will never hurt anyone. I wish there were people who sat me down with stuff and broke things down to me. Not just breaking things down to me because whatever it may be. I just wish I had that then. Some of the mistakes I made I probably wouldn’t have known. My mistakes have been my teaching points.
DX: One person who clearly has changed is Gucci Mane who finally was released from prison this year. He seems a lot clearer and doesn’t drink or do drugs anymore. Any thoughts on his drastic transformation?
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Debra Antney: I’ve seen Gucci like that before so it’s not anything new to me. Gucci is a highly intelligent individual whether people want to believe it or not. I love Radric. I love the Gucci Mane that I know. Not the Gucci Mane that the world knows. I know him in the good and the bad. It doesn’t matter how he is because I love him regardless. I’m happy to see him not incarcerated. I’m really happy to see him like that. That was a major goal for him in what he wanted. I remember he said to, “Auntie, I want my own label. I want to be the man. I want people to respect Gucci.” I want people to look at Radric and he’s a businessman. I said to him, “If he goes in there and cleans himself up, I’ll stand behind you and build whatever you want to build, but this is what you have to do.” I have that coin till this day. I stood in front of the room when he walked up and got his coin. He passed that coin over to me and tears dropped and I hugged him. I was so happy because he was on his way. Then came 1017 and he never looked back except when he got hit with jail. The only thing about him is that he has to have straight around him. He can’t have a lot of puppets because he respects it when you stand up to him and let him know that there’s something wrong there. He’s a highly educated man and extremely intelligent. He’s a little too intelligent for himself. I’m happy to watch him evolve. I’m watching him, he’s starting to blossom and come out a little more. He shed in prison and is coming back out to the world. I’m watching him.
DX: I’m a huge fan of the “Ferrari Boyz” album. What needs to happen for Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka to reunite considering how both have grown into more responsible individuals?
Debra Antney: That’s on them. The one thing that I know regardless of whatever they say is that they love each other. That’s one thing that I definitely know. Both of them are headstrong people. If they should reunite then that’s on them. If not, then that’s what it’s supposed to be. I know a lot of people would love to see them come together. Those calls come all the time. There are even calls of people wishing they could tour. I don’t see them staying away from each other forever. I don’t see that. It just has to happen in real time. That’s it. The world should really mind their business. I just have to add that cause that’s one of the biggest things. The world and the people need to really mind their business cause people know more than you know let them tell it.
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DX: As a cast member on Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, how much did that raise your profile? Should we see you back next season?
Debra Antney: It actually did a lot because I never talked. It was something that I never really got into so it became a mystery of who is this woman. Funny that you asked me about being a teacher because I’m a lot to different people. People started putting a face to a name. You would hear about this person, but you never really saw me. You didn’t know who that person was. It was never my name that was said, it was Auntie. Yeah, people got to see me, but they didn’t know who I was. Therefore, it raised my profile a lot and gave me nice stomping grounds.
Antney Doesn’t Care What Anyone Has To Say About Her Working With Safaree
DX: Are there any artists that you’re working with now?
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Debra Antney: Well, pray for me with Jhonni Blaze because she’s so talented. Her vocals are sick. She’s one that I’m really working with. I’m back working with Safaree. I have some Asian guys that I’m working with who are phenomenal. My hands are on a bunch of different people. Some of them are with me and some I’m just helping to develop.
DX: What made you want to take on Safaree?
Debra Antney: Tell me what would make me not want to deal with Safaree?
I love Safaree. I met the both of them together. I didn’t meet one, one day and another day. Safaree has always been an artist. Like I told you in the beginning about who I am, it was something he always wanted to be and it’s something that he always wanted to do. I was the one too who sat and asked him to sit back for a second and let’s do her. So, it’s who I am. That question baffles me when people ask why I want to work with him. There’s this idea that the two of us were going to go and bash Nicki. I really have to set the record straight. For me to downplay Nicki is to downplay myself. Whether people want to realize that or not, I love Nicki. There was nothing where we stood around talking about her or anything like that. I don’t like that. I don’t like when people think that you can’t do something because of someone else. What happens if you wasn’t with HipHopDX and you went something else and they asked why do you want to be with us when you were with them? That doesn’t define who you are as a journalist. This is what you do. Wherever you’re given a platform to do this at, you want to do it right? I just don’t get into the whole thing because Safaree is his own person.
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It’s not about what the world thinks and I don’t talk. One day, people will hear everything from me and it’s not to slam people. People will never, ever get that out of me. I wouldn’t care if they called me every name in the book, but a child of God. You will not get that same thing from me. I love every one of them. They’re all my babies. If you coming home because you need some healing and you knew that someone was going to unconditional love and guidance, I don’t care what people say. I don’t get into the trends of what people are doing. If everyone doesn’t like you, that’s not going to make me dislike you. As long as you’ve never done anything wrong to me then we don’t have a problem. I don’t do what the Jones do. I’m my own individual. This is so funny that you gave me that question. A person gave me that question about Gucci. A person gave me that question about Nicki. A person gave me that question about French. A person gave me a question about OJ The Juiceman. They never gave me anything about Waka because he was my son. They tripped about all these people. They told me if I worked with them, they would never mess with me again.
With Gucci, it killed me to walk away from Ludacris’ Foundation because I love Chris and I had the most fun in doing the foundation because non-profit is major for me. People said if I dealt with him, they wouldn’t deal with me and Gucci would never amount to anything. Don’t you know that every one of them that I mentioned, that’s the question they ask about them? It’s amazing how people forget about the people they once hated. I became the bad guy, they became the good guy. That’s fine. Somebody got to take the hit, but why wouldn’t I deal with him? That’s what I need somebody to tell me. I would like that question to be answered to me. And, don’t tell me about another individual. Everybody was telling me none of the people I mentioned was talented. Gucci couldn’t talk straight and Nicki was trying to be Lil Kim. All these other things people were saying. Nobody wanted anyone to blossom. If you go by that, you would never do stuff like that. They don’t like anyone except who they like. Who are you to say this is the next person? Give me a reason why. I have to ask you, what makes you ask that question.
DX: Though I think he’s very talented, there is an air of controversy surrounding around him, alongside dancehall isn’t the easiest genre to promote out here in the states.
Debra Antney: I’m glad you said that. You have to think about the controversy surrounding every talented individual. If everyone ran away from that, who would we have? Who would we have to point the finger at? Who would you have to interview about? Would you really have people you could talk about anything with if everybody ran away from all this stuff? That’s what the industry is. A lot of controversy. I like underdogs. I like everyone that people point their fingers at. I don’t like stars because they’re already out there and I don’t have work to do. It’s nothing to do and they’re boring. I like everybody that nobody wants. Then you can come up with a fantastic story about me and move on. Safaree was never presented as the artists he was supposed to be.
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DX: I think that’s changed though this year.
Debra Antney: He’s getting better and better. He’s getting more and more love. As far as his music, he’s just embracing his heritage but he’s influenced by so much. Now, people are not slandering him as much as they were doing. They were slaughtering him at one point. He was running around like a chicken with his head cut off. It was the way people were coming at him. It was crazy. It was just crazy. I don’t get into that stuff. We don’t conversate about stuff or any of that. We go through what he wants to go through. That’s it. I said that to you in the beginning because people asked if we were teaming up. That’s so stupid. For how many years have you gotten me to say negative things about her? Why the hell would I wait for Safaree to come around to say negative things. I got my own relationship with her. I know enough things about her that if I wanted to be nasty or make up something about her, I could have been done that a long time ago. I don’t have reason to do that. It ain’t about that. I don’t justify the things that people say. I don’t care what you think. I love her and I don’t allow anyone to come near me and say negative things about her. They can say anything but you’re not going to get me to say anything negative about anyone. you’re not going to get me to do that. I’m not doing that because I love every moment that I sat with each and every one of them. I had moments with these people. Even with Safaree, I had moments with him. I love all of them. This is just what it is. I love underdogs. Just remember that. I’m just that person that will take you in. That’s who I am.
