YRB Interview: Pretty Ricky

Words By: Vic Reznik

The Legendary DJ Smitty once told me that the key to success in Hip-Hop was making music for the ladies, “If you can get girls to feel your records, dudes have no choice but to follow.” Pretty Ricky, the Miami quartet, have sold over a million albums by putting a brand name on making the ladies “feel” their music, and with their third official release, Pretty Ricky (Bluestar, Tommy Boy), “unadulterated sex” will be bumpin through Ipod docks all winter long. After a tumultuous stint at Atlantic Records, the death of close friend Static Major, a highly publicized fall out with former member Pleasure P, and a Spectacular YouTube grind that caught all the wrong kinda heat, the group’s focus is back on their music and giving the fans more Ricky to love.

Their latest project promises the same inescapable hooks and catchy concepts that made them bona fide celebrities before they were old enough to drink. Songs like “Say a Command” and “Discovery Channel” solidify the self titled album as a potential smash. Even so, the four members of Pretty Ricky won’t rest until they get “a hundred million fans”. With a work ethic that the VP of Tommy Boy Records describes as, “unbelievable” and a loyal fan base that is encouraged to connect with the brothers, their next hit might be right around the corner. Like a sprained ankle Pretty Ricky ain’t nothing to play with; four hungry young artists who know the pitfalls and peaks of the music industry and are determined to cum out on top.

YRB: How’d the name come about?

Diamond Blue: Pretty Ricky Fontane from Martian! He was so cool. He was that nigga! I remember one time we was on tour and bumped into Snoop Dogg and Bishop Don Juan. We was all out there on the motherfucking strip trying to find some shortys and Don Juan said, “I heard y’all about to change y’all name. Man keep that name, that was my best friend’s name and he passed away. The ladies loved Pretty Ricky, don’t ever change that name.” So we didn't.

YRB: Do you think dropping the “ie” off of Ricky was a good look?

Spectacular: Shit, boy going deep.

Diamond Blue: It was for branding purposes. When you look at the two “Y”’s together it’s easier to spell, easier when you see it, makes more sense. But I’ll tell you a funny story about Pretty Ricky, the record company wanted us to change the name, they were going around with all these crazy names, 305, Live From 305 these crazy ass names, but we decided to stick with Pretty Ricky.

YRB: How would you describe Pretty Ricky to someone whose never heard your music?

Diamond Blue: Pretty Ricky is pure unadulterated sex, straight up. You can be the most thuggish thug, but every thug need love.

Slick: That’s what it was back in the days. The thugs with the jheri curl listening to nothing but Al Green and James Brown while drinking yak.

YRB: Tell me how “Discovery Channel” came about?

Lingere: Shoot, “Discovery Channel” just came about like any other record we do, you know, we get creative. It all starts with Blue, he comes up with a lot of the concepts and ideas and just runs with the ball. He fucks with the tracks and everything so after a while it was really just like, being in the jungle, man. Lions and Tigers, for real.

YRB: Yea, I just heard “Say a Command” for the first time. Conceptually, is that the vibe of the album, using samples from everyday life?

Diamond Blue: Ya, I mean, I learned my song writing craft from Static Major from Playa. He taught me what I know as a songwriter. “This here for harmony, this here for melody.” But I’m not gon lie, Jim Johnson taught me the ropes when it came down to production. You always wanna have records that are gonna stick. Like right now, “Say a Command”, you might not really like it, but I guarantee every time you hear someone's Blackberry say, “say a command” it's gon' hit you upside the head like, “Shit, Pretty Ricky made a song using that sound.”

YRB: What do you think about Obama and the state of the nation right now?

Diamond Blue: Shit, I feel like we’re in a beautiful place. Obama’s coming in and making changes that we’re not gonna see until later. I feel like the people are together and united, us having a black president brings everybody together; I mean black, white, Jewish whatever, now you wake up in the morning, and you feel like, you can do anything. I feel like we’re banded together now.

Slick: YUHH

YRB: If Obama was a member of Pretty Ricky what would his alias be?

Lingerie: I don’t know, Barrack-That-Back

Diamond Blue: Panty Rocker.

YRB: Let's say you want to impress a chick, what’s the best award show to take a date?

Lingerie: I would have to say it’s gotta be the Grammy’s. Especially if I win, you know…

Spectacular: Like, girl, you can’t say no. This the Grammy trophy he just won!

Diamond Blue: If you really want to impress a girl, i’d say the BMI awards or the ASCAP awards. That's where all the songwriters are at so you will be seated with all the stars. When you go to the MTV awards, The World Music awards, The American Music awards, most of the people are seat fillers so there’s no connection in there. But the song writers award, we all in there touching hands, she can really get a good look a really good vibe, like, “Damn my man’s a star.” Russell Simmons over there, Andre Harrell over there, Lyor Cohen over there.

YRB: I know you guys are really “brand” conscience, how’s does that work?... each of you have your individual identities, and then it’s Pretty Ricky.

Spectacular: That’s the best part, usually each group has one or two people that stand out but we have four individuals that are stars… here you got four that the ladies love, [four] that have their own fans. We try to focus on each person for the social networks or just branding period. As a whole it’s ten times stronger, that’s why we have the separate Myspace and twitter pages then the group pages. That’s why we got the different Ustreams. Lingerie will get on there sing to ya, Slick’ll be in the streets giving the business to ya, Blue talking bout situations in the world, then I’ll come on there and do whatever, then all together Friday we got Pretty Ricky day.