South Florida has been swarming with talent for the longest time, Miami-Dade, in general, or even any section of the city you venture to, up and coming artists occupy those parts of the city. By due time some of those same artists will receive a record label and move on to bigger and better things in their lifetime. However, that’s only for those who actually take their music and their talent seriously. It doesn’t have to be said, but it is obvious and known to everyone that the grind and the hustle is what makes them and gives them an image. In the long run, all they are required to do is uphold that image.

One group of artists is a good example of how they push their grind to the image they uphold. These two talented artists take their craft in music very seriously; they practically keep their focus on the grind at an extreme high level. They are known across the city limits as the acronym T.O.D. and with a bold statement the acronym stands for Takin’ Over Dade. With their somber originality in their style and their music there are no limitations to what they can do. With the streets behind them, taking over Dade is just the beginning. I formally introduce you to the boys of T.O.D.

This is an exclusive interview that you will only see here on 24hourhiphop.com.

24: First and foremost where did it all start with T.O.D?

Ced: It started from us performing with our cousins Adolescence, going out of town and performing with them we enjoyed doing it so we decided it was time for us to branch off and do our own thing and stop living in there shadows.

24: The acronym T.O.D. stands for ‘Takin’ Over Dade,’ how did you guys come about that name?

Vio: Well, we came about ‘Takin’ Over Dade’ because we figure we’re from Dade and we’re trying to take over our home first then take over everywhere else, I mean T.O.D. is also for the ladies ‘Two for One Deal’ you get both of us for one deal.

Ced: Well, actually the name was a suggestion and we just ran with it. J5th of Adolescences suggested it, he felt like we’re trying to take over Dade and we both can spit so our mind, might as well call ourselves ‘Takin’ Over Dade.’

24: When can we expect a mixtape from T.O.D. and what is the title?

Vio: Right now, we’re wrapping up the mixtape we have a lot of artists from Dade County on there like Iceberg, Ballgreezy, Toro, we got Brisco trying to get him on there, it should be done by the end of this month, whenever we finish this track with Pleasure (P). The title is going to be ‘Life on Front Street.’

24: Your new single ‘I’m a G’ is now playing in the clubs, how far do you plan on taking it and what do you expect to gain from it?

Ced: We’re trying to take it nationwide.

Vio: We’re trying to take it to its farthest potential, we’re messing with a lot of DJs and with that we have a little distribution deal on the table that I don’t want to say too much about it.

24: When it comes down to the music we have a lot of artists tell us the beat speaks to them do you feel the same way?

Ced: I don’t need a beat, I write to write, my flow is different. I write and then I match it to the beat, it doesn’t have to match the beat; it’s how I rap it to make it match the beat.

Vio: Me, I write with or without the beat it doesn’t matter to me.

24: So where did the inspiration come from when it comes to your songs?

Vio: My inspiration, I have a little boy, he’s two years old and every day I look at him I say, ‘I have to get his money,’ so I do this for him and of course God andmy mother. Some artists that inspire me would be (Young) Jeezy, Lil Boosie, and Nosey Boy.

Ced: Everybody on the bottom, the underdogs trying to come to the top and Adolescence. They inspire me, too, and my family I do this for my family.

24: Define the definition for the song ‘I’m A G.’

Vio: Everybody sees it and they think it’s some gangsta stuff and we’re really not on that, it’s a g swag you know everything I do they try to do it like me because ‘I’m A G, g swag, we get fresh and we do what we do so you have swag jacker people that try to do what we do.

Ced: Our style is different, it’s not like everybody else we came up with our own style so if you copy that it’s called swagger jacking.

24: With the industry slowly declining what are you doing to assist in its untimely decline?

Ced: We’re just being us, we’re not trying to be like everybody else, we’re not trying to act like were gangsta this or nothing like that.

Vio: We’re trying to be original so ya’ll can copy us.

24: Are there any deals or anything we should know about?

Vio: Well for distribution St. John Dirty Cash, shout outs to them boys, we have a little deal on the table with Universal. We’re not trying to talk too much about it.

24: How would the fans go about contacting you if they wanted to listen to your music?

Ced: The major site we get a lot of plays on is MySpace which is myspace.com/todmusicpage or my page myspace.com/cedfbaby1

Vio: Mine is myspace.com/viothegreat, you can check us up at a show, we have shows lined up, we have the shows on MySpace, so you can check us out and on imeem.

24: Thank you for providing us with this exclusive interview any last words for your current and future fans?

Ced: I just want to give a special thanks to everybody who helped us with this movement, all the little groups, the girls everybody on the block, A Game, Scooter ENT, Street Connect DJs, my family, and God.

Vio: Street Connect DJs, TDB, DH, JCB, PCV, RSP, Dirty Cash, you know, everybody who helped us out we love ya’ll.