The oohNO-Zone Awards

The Ozone Magazine Conference weekend came to an end Monday night with the long awaited Award ceremony held at the George R Brown convention center downtown Houston. This year's ceremony is the third year that Ozone Magazine has awarded the culture of Hip-hop on all levels ie. mix tapes, DJ's, producers trillist artist etc.

This is the 1st year that I've ever heard of The Ozone Awards. I personally had no desire to attend any of the pre-activities associated with "The Ozone conference" let alone the Award ceremony however I recieved an opportunity (Good-looking out Monie-Luv) to cover the show and there I was in the midst of what I'm going to call "The Zone."

Here's my breakdown: 1st of all I could find no one within my age range who wanted to attend, they all laughed at me when I ask them to go out on a Monday night(folks gotta go to corp-plantation's in da morning).

I skipped (4p -6p) red carpet. I arrived @ about 6:30p because the show was due to start @7p (What was I thinking? This is a Hip-Hop event nothing ever starts on time.)

Chill-laxed & networked in convention lobby with other journalist. Spit my drink out as I watched the various hideuous Ghetto-couture hair/outfits stomp around the hallways. (lucite stripper sandels were all the rave.) I was fashionably dressed for battle. I went ol' school on em', since we are into the retro punk look these days. I hit em' with the Ola Ray from MJ's Thriller video ensemble ala Whopped-sided curly do, magenta satin baseball jacket and stilleto's (which I downsized to flip-flops in the midst of the battlezone.)

8:30 - 9pm> Enough socializing it's time to prepare for war. So I pulled out my Canon aimed & clicked. Once I surveyed the land I felt it was time to conquer new territory...time for PR Ninja to do her thing. 15min's later I'm navigating myself through the tunnels of the George R Brown & arrive conviently backstage in the media room. Snap a couple shots of David Banner, Slim Thugga (the last grown man with cornrows'... Im sorry I had to say it.) & Latoya Luckett conducting interviews.

9:30 - 11p > The show begins and I've found myself in the media pit center/side stage snapping shots of Big Boi, Mya, Scarface, Bun B, Willie D. & Lil J (Congrats Big Bro on your Honorary Award.)

Comedian De-ray Mc'd (provided some funny moments yet held his own among a rowdy crowd.)

Flo Rida & Latoya presented Young Jezzy w/an award. My position was compromised by enemy forces ie. fake-a$$ event security (Dude for the record you didn't have to "big boy" me I was the only female photographer in the pit and I only weigh 145lbs... ok I lie but still pick on someone your own size.) right before the Pimp C tribute featuring Big Boi, Too Short, Billy Cook, David Banner Pimp C's mom and family. (Ha Ha got my shot anyway.)

Highlights of the evening:

James Prince makes a very heart-felt acceptance speech advising more artist to become involved in building community centers in their neighborhoods. (One of the most intelligent things said all night.)

David Banner also speaks from the heart as he shares personal stories about advice/conversations he has had with Pimp C. He now has those conversations with his mentor "Face" therefore he gave his award to Brad Jordan aka Scarface.

Mike Jones presents award despite getting his nose cracked open earlier by Rap-a-lot newcomer Trae over some bull$hit!

There was some chaos backstage among event security/staffers, HPD, roadies, groupies, journalist you name it. (However a good PR ninja knows when to stick and move and blend into the right environment. If you see groupies head the opposite direction if you stand around them too long they will leave the scent of cheap perfume among you and some how you'll be tossed into the same non-professional category that gets your a$$ tossed out of the event but... don't get it twisted groupies are good for info and bait. But... that's another conversation.)

11:30 A little scuffle breaks out backstage among Rap-a-lot peep's, event security & HPD. I believe this occurred when Lil J and his people were trying to leave and some of his people Big-Boy'd their way through the hallway that HPD was in the process of clearing. (See pics) All I know is walkie-talkies where buzzing and some bystanders were being hauled off to jail.

11:45 Ozone Awards are coming to a close. Imagine the look of shock on my face when I walked outside and saw HPD lined up in riot format handcuffs ready. I think we all knew what that meant "act a fool if you want to & yo a$$ is _________." Once I got outside I knew they meant business because the engine was running on the po-po paddy wagon parked outside. Not to mention the street was lined on both sides with cop cars blazing red & blue lights.

Enough of this nonsense... PR ninja packed up the cannon and disappeared into the night. Right after she stop by the drive thru of WHATABURGER. (Hell... you didn't have a good time out in Houston unless roll thru.)

Pics will post this evening.