Ruff Ryders - All In The Family

By: Mark Lelinwalla

March 6, 2006

Stop, drop, shut ‘em down open up shop…

When it comes to the Ruff Ryders, one of the most widely-spread street crews and movements in hip hop culture, they prefer keeping business a family affair.

Just ask Joaquin 'Waah' Dean, Co-CEO and founding member of the Ruff Ryders since 1988, who along with his brother, Darrin 'Dee' Dean appointed nephew Swizz Beatz as the new RR President in January to kick off 2006 right.

"That's where it all started - with Swizz, DMX, me and my brother,” says Waah about the R's foundation. “Putting Swizz in the forefront brings a whole different flavor administration-wise, and plus, he makes hits!

"With Swizz, it's a family thing, anyway. We try to keep it real tight with the family."

It don’t stop with Swizz though. Three of Dee’s and Waah’s siblings handle marketing, promotion, business and legal affairs, and the RR’s foundation as well. And, as if business wasn’t personal enough, even the parents get involved from time to time, especially during sibling arguments.

"With family, sometimes we have old problems that haven't been hashed,” explains Waah. “So, that's the whole balance of having your parents take you to the side and settling it. At times mom and pop are coming in like, ‘What's wrong with y'all? Respect that move that he or she made.’’”

Despite the occasional quarrels, having a family-ran business has paid off for the RR camp, professionally and personally. After Waah’s parents divorced, him and his six siblings scattered. It was the love of hip hop and the RR company that [brought them] back together. The company, who started at the bottom, has now sold more than 20 million records, runs a well-documented bike club, is shopping a reality television show documenting the RR family and is prepping its very own line of exclusive bikes.

“Now there are 30, 40, 50,000 RR members everywhere from the lifestyles, bike clubs, car clubs and the street elements,” says Waah. “It's like a religion. You have RR family in every state, like the law. It's a following that's going to live beyond my son's son.”

The family hopes to be extra efficient in preparation for this year’s blueprint, which includes successive album releases from DMX, Styles P, The Lox, Drag-On and Jadakiss beginning in April and stretching out till the fourth quarter.

Waah and the rest of his RR family are counting on DMX in 2006 to bring it back to the X of 1997-98, when it really was The Year of The Dog. After orchestrating a deal that saw DMX leaving Def Jam to sign with Sony Records in January, Waah is optimistic that the dog and the RR can bring unity back to New York City hip hop.

"If you notice when we Ruff Ryders came in, we were with everyone in NY- Jigga and everybody" says Waah. "Now everyone is looking at each other sideways and they're not moving like they should. There are a lot of fast-food babies in hip hop that want in now, but they don't want to put in work.”

"X is the definition of the struggle and the grind. He's like a prophet of hip hop - a messenger."

With the current stress of delivering a stellar X album and having the RR put hip hop on its back once again, Waah still feels the rigors of running the company on a daily basis. He makes phone calls, follows up with paper trails and keeps lines of communication open with heavyweight execs like Jay-Z, LA Reid, Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles.

But ask Waah and he’ll tell you, all the hard work is worth it at the end of the day. That’s because not only is he aiming for the RR’s success, but he’s also looking out for his fam’s future.

The RR is working with two MCs from the West, Kartoon and female rhymer, My-My. They are also in the studio with a rapper named Flashy from New Jersey, whom Waah says has “that big voice and appearance like X.”

In addition, Waah is also grooming producing successors to Swizz Beatz within the family and is particularly proud of his niece Bre, who appeared on season five of Tyra Banks’ hit show, America’s Next Top Model.

“We’re trying to launch the next generation of the family,” says an excited Waah. “Our blessing is bigger than just rap because it's really about family. When we first started and we were arguing, we wouldn't talk for six months. Now my father, mother and all of us come together more than we ever did. It’s a blessing.”

Ohh, noo, seems like that’s how Ruff Ryders roll.

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