For more than 20 years, the streets of Florida have played a major factor in the
ongoing evolution of down south rap. From the 80s booty shake of DJ Magic
Mike and the 2 Live Crew to the thuggish raps of Trick Daddy and Plies to the
electronic R&B crooning of T-Pain, the Sunshine State has consistently set
trends within Hip-Hop above and below the Mason-Dixon line.

And the next big tidal wave from Florida set to change the game across the
country is two-man tag team Certified. Dripping steam from their seething
summer single “Turn Off the Lights,” they woo the ladies with young heartthrob
Pleasure P (formerly of R&B group Pretty Ricky) atop melodic, mid-tempo
organs and a hammering drum track. With mouthwatering beats and rhymes
like these, Certified has had fans eagerly anticipating the July release of their 2
Dogs Records independent debut album Seven Days.

“We gone give them the whole story, both sides, the good and the bad,”
explains group member Big Koon. “Our album is the soundtrack to life…We talk
about getting money and the big cars because you gotta give the people what
they want before you can give them what they need.”

Made up of lyrical livewires Hollywood and Big Koon, Certified came together as
a group only five short years ago. Both natives of small towns in central Florida,
Koon (who adopts his moniker from a deceased uncle) represents the town of
Deland. A fan of music for as long as he could remember, he spent most of his
younger years writing lyrics. But he didn’t take his talents seriously until a friend
D1 (who happened to be an in-house producer for 2 Dog Records) convinced
him to lay down a few rhymes in the booth.