By Spiridoula “Speed” Zis
As a camera-shy journalist, there have been very few moments in my career that I have wished a video camera was present during an interview. While sitting in front of the four members of the Miami-based group, Pretty Ricky – in the Midtown Manhattan offices of Atlantic Records – I wish I had brought one to capture the comedic scene.
Sprawled out on separate black leather couches, in a fashion reminiscent of a Roman eating grapes, group members and brothers, Diamond Blue "Baby Blue" Smith and Spectacular Blue Smith would be the first to greet me. The tiresome day of press has seemingly exhausted member, Corey "Slick ‘Em" Mathis, who lays sleeping facedown on the hard office floor with no pillow.
Slick ‘Em’s slumber would not last long though, and he would eventually awaken to remove his shirt and notify the room that he was not wearing “any drawers.” To my right sits quietly Pretty Ricky’s newest recruit, 4Play/Ambition, a beefy crooner, also known as “12 Pack,” for obvious reasons. I was notified quickly, however, by the other group members that no questions will be answered by 4 Play. “He doesn’t talk. He just sings.”
After a releasing a slue of hit singles off of their platinum selling debut album,
Bluestars, and their gold certified sophomore album,
Late Night Special, the pretty boys are back with
Eighties Babies slated for an October 14th release. Closely guarded by their oversized security guard, who stands ever presently behind them, we talk sex, music, ladies, former member Pleasure P, R. Kelly and the eighties babies making babies?
AllHipHop.com Alternatives: For those of our audience that still might not be familiar with your music, how would you describe yourselves?
Baby Blue: I’m gonna set it off. This is ya boy Baby Blue A.K.A. “Diamond Blue, A Girls Dream Come True, I Wanna Make Love To You, Be With You, Marry You, Cuddle Up With You And Then Knock Boots With You.” That’s all I wanna do. You already know. This album is called
Eighties Babies and you can best believe we ain't forget about them '90s Babies or them '70s Babies.
Spectacular: Yea, yea, this is ya boy Spectacular A.K.A “Spectacular Six-Pack,” A.K.A. “L.L. Spectacular.” ‘Cause the ladies do love me.
Slick Em: Yea, Slick ‘Em Hound AKA “Gemini Bluestar” Baby. A.K.A. “He Ain't Freakier Than Me, I’ll Suck That P*ssy Ass Down.”
"One thing about Pretty Ricky is we’re not like these other artists or
producers. We don’t go into the studio with all these different artists
and producers. All these Pretty Ricky songs be real life stories and
fantasies come true." - Baby Blue
Baby Blue: [points to 4Play] And last but not least, we got 12 Pack over there. He don’t speak, he don’t talk, he don’t even know English, all he do it sing. Hit her with a little something, 12 Pack....
4Play: [sings a capella] “Late night I thought back/when we made good love/Listenin’ to some Pretty Ricky/all night long…”
Baby Blue: That’s from a single we did called “Knockin’ Boots” and we premiered the video on PrettyRicky.com. So, all you ladies can go online and get that. If you preorder the album too, you get a Pretty Ricky “Cuddle Up” ringtone and an MP3 of “Knock Ya Boots.” If y’all want any info on Pretty Ricky, you can text PR to 50505.
AHHA: Tell me a little about the direction you guys wanted to take this new album in?
Baby Blue: I’m gonna tell you a little something about this new album – It’s sensational. Incredible. Phenomenal. On top of all those things, the music just feels so good. One thing about Pretty Ricky is we’re not like these other artists or producers. We don’t go into the studio with all these different artists and producers. All these Pretty Ricky songs be real life stories and fantasies come true.
Pretty Ricky be original, Baby. We do this in our sleep. We go into the studio, dim the lights down, light some candles and make it pretty real. We fo’ real out here. We make love in the club, fo’ real. All of us [are] single. We ain't got wedding rings on. We ain't sitting at the front row of basketball games loved all up. Pretty Ricky is single, ready to mingle, looking for baby-mommas with drama. You know what I’m talkin’ about? All of us single like a dolla bill.
Spectacular: Ladies, if you wanna hit us up, you can call us on our hotline at (786) 258-6074.