[From DUB Magazine Issue #27]
Having flirted with a lifestyle that could have landed him in jail at an early age, Slim Thug (whose real name is Stayve Thomas) instead focused his attention on developing his skills as a mix tape artist—writing new rhymes for popular Hip-Hop beats. “I used to go to a little club where high schoolers used to party,” Slim said. “I used to go in there and do a freestyle to get the party started.” Local producer Michael Watts, of Swisha House, heard Slim’s work and invited him to partake in Swisha House ’98, which further exposed Slim’s burgeoning mix tape skills, and gave him a taste of rap.
About a year ago, Slim was prepared to release his first solo album. However, the tapes were stolen and bootlegged, so it was back to the drawing board—but not entirely. Slim worked hard to write new material for Already Platinum, which includes some material from the bootlegged album in addition to a DVD. Having written enough material in the last two years for a double-album, Slim still found some time to do a few shows with The Game and Snoop Dogg, currently on tour. “I’m not going to be able to do the whole thing with them since I’m still busy with the album,” he said.
Now, a tall man (Slim comes in at 6-foot-6) needs a big car with proper style. Slim’s black BMW 760Li fits the bill. Looking almost identical to theV-8-powered 745Li sedan, the rear-wheel-drive 760Li comes with a 6.0-liter V-12 that pounds the pavement with the power of 438 ponies. That, of course, is an understatement since the 760Li is a grown up car with a rare mix of grace and command. “I lost my license in the 760,” Slim said. “You can’t help but go fast in that. We’d have to drive from Houston to Dallas for a show and we’d be so late we would speed to the max. Every time we got pulled over we would switch drivers. I got so many tickets in that car that my license was suspended indefinitely. I’ve been in jail three times for driving with a suspended license. One more and I’d get six months in jail so right now I’m not driving at all.”
Until he gets his license back, Slim will have to settle for rides to and from. But when talking about the 760Li, that is not so bad. Although it looks virtually the same as the 745Li, the 760Li is built with a longer wheelbase (123.2 inches long) that includes a pneumatic rear suspension. The longer wheelbase means that the 760Li stretches to 203.5 inches total, which translates into 5.5 extra inches of limo-like legroom for backseat occupants, which is great for Slim. A longer door also eases movement into and out of the vehicle. Rear passengers get first-class treatment courtesy of independently-controlled air conditioning and a cooling box for drinks. Slim’s 760Li rocks Axis wheels and 22-inch Pirelli 265/35 R22 Scorpion Zero tires.
Even with its litany of amenities the 760Li must bow to the Phantom lord. Much has been written and said about the venerable Rolls-Royce Phantom. Yet, it is never enough. The Phantom is a thing of dreams, moving silently and sleekly as a specter traveling on a baby’s breath. It is pure luxury. It is all muscle.
Slim’s 2005 Phantom has the trademark long hood that is characteristic of Rolls-Royce sedans before it. Lying beneath the hood is a beast—a 453 hp, 6.8-liter V-12 that gets the 5,577-lb Phantom from 0 to 60 in 5.7 seconds. The majestic Phantom glides on color-matched 24-inch GFG Trento-7’s wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires, ensuring a gentle ride.
Although it weighs in at nearly three tons, the Phantom was built using an aluminum frame, which is the lightest ever used by Rolls-Royce. Like the 760Li, the Phantom comes with a spacious interior and generous room in the backseat. But there is no comparison. Passengers are safely nestled in a virtual lounge, with seats that are located next to the C-Pillars instead of the doors. “I had been wanting a Bentley for a long time,” Slim said. “But it wasn’t big enough for me. I seen the Phantom in a 50 Cent video—P.IM.P.—and the Phantom is a big car.”
Considerably a tall guy, Slim never really played sports in high school. “I was trying to get home from school, not stay after,” he said. Instead, he would devote his time to cars–one in particular. “I had a 1975 Cadillac El Dorado and I used to spend all my time trying to fix it up,” he said. “It was an old car and I was a young dude and I didn’t have a lot of money. There was so much to redo and restore.”
Since the Eldo was a drop top similar to Boss Hogg’s ‘69 Caddy from “The Dukes of Hazzard,” Slim’s friends would call him Boss Hogg. Later on, this inspired Slim to name his label Boss Hogg Outlawz. Although that old Eldo is now a thing of the past, Slim never forgot and added a 1975 Eldo with wire wheels and Vogue tires to his collection. A Kenwood head unit, JL audio amps and six 15” JL Audio subwoofers let you know that Boss Hogg is coming through. Getting truly authentic, Slim also obtained a 1970 Cadillac Coupe Deville (what Boss Hogg actually drove on the TV show) equipped with Dayton wire wheels and Michelin Pilot Sports tires, an Alpine head unit, JL Audio amps, and four 15” JL Audio subwoofers.
When not chasing the Duke boys with Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane at the wheel, Slim can go for a ride in his 1995 Chevy Impala Super Sport. Riding on 20-inch Lowenhart LDR rims and Nitto NT 555 Extreme ZR tires, the SS is also equipped with a Kenwood head unit and JL Audio amps and subwoofers. Rounding out Slim’s collection is a 2001 Ford Excursion that rides tall on 22-inch Oasis L1 rims with Toyo Proxes S/T tires. Slim also added JL Audio amplifiers and four massive 18” JL Audio subwoofers to his audio arsenal. Rounding off Slim Thug’s fleet is a huge custom built chopper bearing Boss Hogg Outlawz tags.
If you thought Already Platinum and the tour visits were enough to keep Slim busy, then you would be surprised to hear that Slim was also putting together Boyz-N-Blue, featuring the entire Boss Hogg Outlawz crew, which drops this fall.
Recalling artists that influenced his music, Slim listed Scarface, Underground Kings, the Geto Boys, Snoop, and Tupac, among others. Nowadays Slim enjoys the work of T.I., The Game, Kanye West, Young Buck, 50 Cent, and Young Jeezy.
Still, the tall Texan is a bit critical about the state of Rap and Hip-Hop in the States. “I think it’s a lot of dudes with hit songs instead of a good album,” he said. At least the rivalries have died down, he mentioned. “By losing Tupac and Biggy a lot of people got away from that sh*t.”
Referring to the motivation behind his music, Slim said, “It’s life for me. It’s me telling my story, letting people know how I do it; representing my sh*t.”
Although he misses having his driver’s license, wherever Slim goes he still rides in style, lounging in the back, calling the shots. Just like good’ol Boss Hogg.
