Yung Joc Says Diddy wasn't sold on him until he visited Atlanta

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Atlanta-based rapper Yung Joc will release his debut album, New Joc City, next Tuesday (June 6th) on the Bad Boy Entertainment label in conjunction with the Warner Music Group. The project's first single, "It's Goin'Down," is the Number One song this week on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart.

Yung Joc recently explained how he got his deal. After signing with Atlanta-based Block Entertainment, he took a trip to New York City to audition for Sean "Diddy" Combs and Bad Boy executive Harve Pierre. Joc said he left New York City without getting an answer: "They come to the A (Atlanta). They in the club... 'cause they had heard the single. They was like, 'Yeah it's cool. We think we can do something with it.'We hadn't done nothing yet. They come to the A. They're at a party in Atlanta, and the record come on and the whole club go crazy."

Joc added: "So next thing you know, we all getting two-ways first thing in the morning, like, I mean, e-mails, like, 4 a.m., like, 'Yo, I didn't know the record was this stupid.' So by the blessing of God, opposed to us just doing a regular deal, artist deal, we end up landing a major label deal, which is Block Entertainment through Bad Boy South and the Warner Music Group."

New Joc City features guest appearances by Marques Houston, Lil Wayne, Cheri Dennis, Jody Breeze, Duke, Big Gee, and Dro.