DX: That has to help your business structure?
LRoc: Well yes as that makes it more definite. There are no disputes over who produces the tracks and things like that. There is a reason why the producers that stay in the game and have hits for so long, it is about more than the music. It is to do with how their businesses are set up and it’s about being consistent. That I knew already about Jermaine as I have friends that have worked with him for years.

DX: With such an extensive history, what are your plans for your own projects?
LRoc: I started a new company called I Speak Music, like we just talked about music being a language. I want to work more internationally and I am planning a trip to Europe to work with artists over there, Africa, as I want to expand my company to be a bit broader in a sense. I got a lot of my influences from artists and producers over the years and that is combined with my influences from culture as I like to travel. I get a lot of inspiration from travel and indulging in other cultures and feeling what people grasp from music and other cultures. There are young artists that I am working with also and I plan on moving into video games and commercials on the corporate side and of course movies. I am like to work with new producers too.

DX: How easy is it to find talent these days as everywhere you look there are people who are trying to get their start in the music industry?
LRoc: It is like I want to say smoke and mirrors. In Atlanta with it being a Mecca of music everyone here produces and when people ask me what I do and I tell them I am a producer you can see them thinking, "Oh another producer." [Laughs] There are some talent out there, it is just a case of finding the ones that are talented, gifted and have a good head on their shoulders. I have been meeting quite a few and putting them together. I mean I don’t look for them, they normally come to me and that is pretty much how my career has been. Instead of looking I just prepare so when the opportunity comes along it means I can execute when the project shows up. I have some good potential writers I am working with who are writing to a lot of my tracks. You know having a solid team is what I am trying to build right now. Having been on Jermaine’s team and being part of that, my business is building that team and traveling the world and making music.

DX: Would your company be coming under the So So Def umbrella?
LRoc: No that would be something totally separate. What I do with Jermaine is something that doesn’t compromise anything I do with my company. I took a different route creatively with my company so it doesn’t interfere with Jermaine. When you have great management you can structure a company to do that and I think that is one of the problems people have, they didn’t set up their business right; but when you do set it up and do it right it proves it can be done.

DX: Would you say that being the type of person that can flip from being an employee to an employer in their every day life encourages longevity?
LRoc: Absolutely and I kid around sometimes that I have the best day job and it is a privilege for anyone to do something that they love doing as opposed to someone who is doing a nine-to-five and they have what they enjoy as a side job. Doing what I do, it humbles you and I am able to work with Jermaine and still be able to do what I do without it restricting me. I just take advantage of it in a good way. To me, it is about creating jobs and giving opportunities.