What's being "down bad?" Being broke, unheard and unsigned? Or how about having all of your studio equipment blazed in flames? Supa, Jr., Cage, Jack, and Terror have been through all of the above and more, but instead used it to their advantage. By being only an hour away from the home of legendary Cash Money and No Limit Records, it is natural that a slight bit of influence came from New Orleans as well as Roc-A-Fella Records. Not forgetting about originality, each member coming from a different part of Baton Rouge brings their own flavor. After marketing the streets with three mixtapes, April 12, 2005, they are finally set to release their debut album, "D.R.U.G.S.," (D**e Records Used To Get Scrilla). "Underground $h!t Vol. 1 was a free cd we passed out and we received a lot of good feedback (people trying to sign). Vol.2 was the first cd we sold and was our first taste of money and made everyone realize we could do this sh*t on our own with no help, or no investors. Even though the rap game has changed it's still the same every thing is going back to 98-99 when out the trunk was the only way and if you don't how to grind and push and sell your own you won't make it." Not having everything come so easy, the group faced a tragedy that seemed to be a blessing in disguise. All of their studio equipment and recorded material was lost in a fire. "That was a bitter sweet thing in the beginning it was a terrible thing but in the end we got broke off real nice. That was what helped us take it to the next level. Vol.3 was the mixtape that made the most noise and gained us local respect as well." The streets weren't the only place that C.E.O. "J-Dirty," saw as a market. Keeping up with the technology, he also saw potential fans to be gained online and uploaded various tracks from each mixtape. "The internet gives us a chance to reach a lot of people with ease. Download and burn these tracks and spread the word cause we tired of being Baton Rouge's best kept secret." D.R.U.G.S. features guest appearances from SouthCoast Coalition and Fatality with 18 songs all produced by Cage. With the help of a local Baton Rouge station, 94.9, the lead single "Souf Step," is just a taste of what they hope to have streaming across the Gulf Coast. For more information and audio on Down Bad, you can visit www.downbad.com.