We've got something special here.

We've always shared a good working relationship with DJ Mick Boogie . He's always put out those piff mixtapes and shown us love by doing free giveaways & contests with us. At the same time, we've enjoyed sharing a similar relationship with Little Brother and the whole Justus League fam, as they've all maintained an open line of communication and sharing their music with us.

With that in mind, we decided to touch bases with Mick as he and LB get ready to drop their newest mixtape, And Justus For All, which they've decided to release free via download. With fans eagerly awaiting new music from Phonte, Pooh and Mick, to say the stakes are high might be an understatement so we wanted to know the scoop & share it with you all. Enjoy the read as "The Commissionor" gives us the 411 on what we can expect to hear.

Words by Gotty™

TSS: Obviously, the DJ Drama situation and the aftermath of it all plays big in people's minds right now and they want to hear what DJs have to say. How do you think it affects mixtapes now and say a few years from now?

MB: Well, obviously, it's HUGE for the hiphop and music community. Drama changed the game, broke artists, and got paid by labels to do exactly that. So it's really complicated. But after he beats this situation, I think some positives may come out of it. Such as actual rules on what can/can't be done on mixtapes, and maybe even more major label support for the projects they are already funding.

TSS: Whose initial idea was it that you all should give away the tape on February 13?

MB: Well, originally all three of us (me, Pooh, and Phonte) weren't sure what to do about the cd. Because truthfully, its like 99.9% original music. It could definitely be an album (or two) of original new Little Brother songs. So it technically doesn't fall under any sort of copyright rules. However, Tay suggested in the spirit of hiphop to give it away for free, as a gift to the people who have supported Little Brother and Mick Boogie projects and we all agreed.

TSS: With it being a download, how will you determine if it was a "success"? Obviously fan feedback, the number of dl's from wherever you host it...but do you think that one day we'll look back and say "It all changed when Mick & LB...", nahmean?

MB: Maybe. I mean, I don't think there is any question of whether or not it'll be a success. Everything travels around the internet in near-infinite terms. And groups like Little Brother have the most internet-savvy fans in hiphop. So, I'm quite sure anyone who wants it will be able to get it, from wherever they want, whenever they want. I hope people look back on this as an exciting day for hiphop, but it's not unprecedented. Talib Kweli (who appears twice on the cd, coincidentally) just released an incredible free album with Madlib.

TSS: Do you think this is going to be a trend for everyone?

MB: Truth is, the current model for the music industry is not working. Some people get it. The Jay-Z's and Puffy's who are diversifying their portfolios into media, marketing, lifestyle products and websites. Puff recently said something about how much he makes on ringtones and how it helps make up for the loss of income on album sales, and he makes a great point. One of my favorite magazines, Fast Company, has an excellent cover story this month on John Legend, detailing the pitfalls of the music industry and explains the myriad of other unique ways artists can make an excellent living, way beyond the standard, point-of-purchase record sale. There is a fantastic book out there called "The Future Of Music" that describes how in the not-so-distant future, all music will be free, like water. Or radio. Just a basic human right. It's very interesting to apply that model to hiphop, promotion, and mixtapes. And that's kinda what we are doing on this "And Justus For All" project. It's ironic how the title plays into all that, actually.

TSS: The next biggest thing is gonna be addressing Little Brother, in their studio form and the trio that most people know, apparently not being together anymore. I know this tape has been in the works for a while. And since this is going to be the first collection of work since the rumors began flying and a precursor to the album, Getback, people are definitely looking to hear what it sounds like.

MB: Well, I don't think 9th really did any real production on this cd. A lot of other people did, however, so it probably a nice teaser for how the album will sound. Khrysis, Focus, Kickdrums, Oddisee. There is even production from Babu and RJD2. Plus a lot of the songs people have loved recently from LB had outside production, like Nottz and A-Trak, so I don't see it being a problem at all.

TSS: How did this all unfold creatively? Did you take the lead and help with the sound or did Tay and Pooh have material ready and you just put the Midas touch on it?

MB: Well, it was definitely the most hands on I've ever been on any of my releases. These guys are the easiest to work with, and some of the most creative people in the game. I kinda feel like it was more of an A&R project than a mixtape. I definitely played a part in securing beats, coming up with ideas and securing the guest features. It was a lot of emails back and forth between us three figuring out the perfect mix of what we are gonna do with this project. And to their credit, they also had a lot of stuff recently that they did which fit perfectly into my vision as well.

TSS: Will there be any suprises? Major or minor, give fans a hint on what to expect with this tape?

MB: Yes, lot of surprises. Guests galore. Like I said, Kweli appears twice on the cd. Kardinal Offishall. My homie Ray Cash. Bishop Lamont, who is gonna be the next big thing on Aftermath. Phonte really wanted one of his idols, the father of Reggaeton, Gerardo of "Rico Suave" fame, to appear on the cd, on this Spanish joint, but no one could find him. Rhymefest appears on a song. We even got Skillz on a remix of "Life of the Party" which was a perfect song for him, considering all the crap he has been thru. Plus, you can expect the usual appearances from the HOJ members. I'm telling you, this is a classic project.

TSS: Personally, I see you as a connected individual - tapes with Rick Ross, Eminem, Ghostface, The Game, etc. Home DJ for the Cavs/Lebron, MTV, all the accolades. But you're virtually under the radar for some of the average hip-hop fans. How can that be possible? How does your marketing strategy differ from any other dj so much? Do you feel like you've positioned yourself for a reason? Has it been beneficial/negative in any ways?

MB: Well, one thing about me is, I'm very low key by nature, in anything that I do. Which is good and bad. I'm not out there screaming my name. I don't talk or yell on my stuff. I've just recently started using more drops on my projects for branding purposes. I definitely like to let the music speak first. And I'm definitely not mad at the other guys, because if that was in my personality to be that way, I probably would. But it's not. So I choose another avenue. Another thing is, coming from the Midwest is not like being in NYC or Atlanta. You have to work 5x harder to get the access you need. So it kinda slows your growth a little. But persistence and perseverance are virtues. Lastly, I think I'm one of the most versatile deejays out there, which is good and bad. It confuses some of the audience who only enjoy listening to Lil Wayne. And it perplexes the backpackers who have Lupe tattooed on their arm. But to me, good music is good music. So, you may see me do something with Rick Ross hosting but at the same time, Def Jam is asking me to do a sampler for them with Ghostface. I'll do something with Lupe for Reebok but be talking to Game about a west-coasted oriented project to promote his album. This Little Brother project takes the cake though.

TSS: What makes your tapes so different that you have the caliber of artists you have seeking you out to do their tapes?

MB: I have a unique creative format to my projects that make them stand out. They aren't 100% exclusives; they aren't all blends, etc. They are well put-together overall projects. Of course, I have exclusives. But I make a lot of creative stuff, too. Sometimes the right verse added onto someone's song is the difference between people liking it or loving it. Plus, I always add in the right amount of freestyles, performance clips, skits. It's about the overall feel. I try to make projects you can still enjoy a year later. The overall goal is to create a great representation of the artist, cause all in all, the purpose of these projects is to promote them and their upcoming albums.

TSS: How did the collabo with LB come about?

MB: I met LB years ago at a Popeye's in Cleveland. I swear to God I'm not making this up. I saw them again mid-2006 at Oberlin College, a real liberal school out here in Ohio. I was opening for them and they enjoyed my set. We got to talking and turns out they had some of my cds. I believe it was the Kanye West CD I did for LRG Clothing. So we changed info and kept it moving. As time went on, I discussed with them about hosting a cd for me, and as ideas and excitement grew, it became the exciting original project that we are unleashing to the world on February 13.

TSS: Now I know Phonte is an interesting, talented dude and singing being one of those talents. I just heard a version of Toto's "Africa" that he did that was pretty remarkable. So were you able to get Percy Miracles to make an appearance on the tape?

MB: Sadly, Percy is retired. I begged and pleaded but no luck. However, fans of the Phonte sarcasm/hiphop humor will definitely enjoy some of the songs/skits on this project.

TSS: People always ask who influenced an artist. Let's flip it a little and ask you, who is under your wings, studying under you as an apprentice that we need to keep an eye out for?

MB: Well, I got my whole League Crew on deck. Some people are busier than others, but everyone in the crew is dope in their own way. My boy Terry Urban is next up though as far as creative stuff. His blending/remixing DJ skills are amazing, considering the short time he has been in the game. Also, I gotta shout out our in house producers. The Kickdrums. They had some big placements in 2006 but 2007 is their year. On the artist side, I'm working with Amanda Diva. She is bringing a breath of fresh air to hip-hop. Also, we have my man Al Fatz (aka Fat Al). He has one of the biggest songs in the Midwest right now called "Came Down" and has an entire movement behind him, including Lebron. You'll definitely be seeing some MB/Al Fatz promotional stuff soon.

TSS: With all of the accolades and acclaim, travelling the globe, watching Lebron chew on his fingernails and bubblegum up close and in person, what's left for an individual such as yourself? What is/are some dream gig(s) that you'd still like to do before you put the headphones down?

MB: I'm staying busy, man. I don't sleep. Ever. Definitely focusing on trying to do more A&R type things. I might have some things up and coming with the Hall of Justus on that end. Some labels have even contacted me about album deals, but I can't speak on that just yet. I have some exciting marketing things coming up with some business partners of mine. They run a company called Foundation Media. Terry Urban and I started a new, upscale t-shirt company called Thelonious Brand. On the deejay side, I'm definitely focusing on traveling and doing more events. I'll be doing a lot of stuff at All-Star weekend this year. Check my myspace for more info. Going back to Europe in mid-March for a week. Unlike a lot of mixtape DJs, I can actually rock a party. Whether its mashups, oldschool hiphop, south music, whatever. So...promoters out there, holler at me. Let's get something going!

TSS: Any other comments for the people?

MB: I have a brand new website going up soon. The all-new MickBoogie.com. Launching February 13 to coincide with the Little Brother Free Download day. Until then, check me at myspace.com/mickboogie. Oh...shout out to the homie Tansta for the Little Brother artwork. And thanks for your time.

And Justus For All will be available for free download on February 13 @ MickBoogie.com.