A month ago I mentioned Bruce Leroy's Leroy and Boombox Massacre and Awall A.K.A. 2-Piece's Boomman and Mobbin as two possible local albums of the year. Another huge possible contender for that title could also be Leezy Soprano's, All Due Respect. I am throwing one more album in the hat for this category though, and it is DJ Jusz Nyce's Money on the Line EP. Even though it is only an EP, there are so many high-quality videos and really good songs that the EP comes across as a big monster album. The album is available on iTunes, but there are a handful of top-notch videos on YouTube: "Money on the Line" video featuring Bay Area's San Quinn, General Wojack and Doughkain (61,000 views); "The Warning" featuring Thunderbird Coogi, Young B Cole and Tommi Boi (5,400 views); "Ritee Here" featuring Lil Flip, San Quinn and Matt Blaque (77,000 views!); "Nobody's Throwing Me a Bone" featuring General Wojack, Big 6ixx and Kayley Rae (24,000 views). To say this album has had an impact is an understatement. Money on the Line is major in Washington state as well as the Bay Area right now. It's my favorite album of the year.

I caught-up with D.J. Jusz Nyce via phone.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: How and when did you get started?

JUSZ NYCE: I was DJing at the age of 19 to 20. My first set up I got for $150 out the back of a magazine. I had no idea how to set it up so DJ Cream Supreme helped me out. I had my first professional DJ gig when I was 20 at Gallager's, now it's Last Call (in Lakewood). This was all before I was 21. So, I was underage DJing for 21 and up spots.

VOLCANO: When was this?

NYCE: Back in 2000 to 2001.

VOLCANO: I am a huge General Wojack fan. You seem to really appreciate him as a lyricist, along with others from the late '90s to early 2000s era, artists such as Young Have-Not and Big 6ixx. Why did you choose to work with this class of MCs?

NYCE: I'm a true hip-hop head. I never was too into gangsta rap, shoot 'em up bang-bang. I always liked uplifting messages, where MC's taught something. Wo' was the first to be on the Billboard charts from this area. He worked with Sir Mix-A-Lot. Even though this was a while ago, Wo' is still getting better! As a lyricist, I feel his skill level is unmatched. I felt he never had the right beats. I'm not a Mix-A-Lot fan. I feel Tacoma could've been on top of the game if Mix would've pushed Wo' like he pushed Kid Sensation. "Nobody's Throwing Me a Bone" is not a Mix-A-Lot diss. If you listen to the track - all Wo' is saying is that he doesn't trust Mix.

VOLCANO: Do ya have any closing comments?

NYCE: Yeah, I think Seattle and Tacoma need to come together like the Bay Area. There, an artist can be from San Francisco or Oakland - but it's all still The Bay.

I also am proud of Macklemore. I supported marriage equality. I'd rather have a gay couple that is healthy and happy raise a child than a straight couple that is messed up and has lots of problems. I also have three albums that I will be dropping, 2 EPs and 1 full-length. They'll be coming out on Thizz Nation. One of the albums is a techno/dubstep album that's dropping in 2 weeks. General Wojack is on that one too. It has a real international style to it. Also, I cut hair, and my mentor is Yusef Shabazz. He's been cutting hair in Tacoma since the '80s. He was telling me how E-40 would drive all the way up to Tacoma to sell albums out the trunk of his car. Yusef would cut his hair. Yusef recalled how 40 always said the Northwest reminded him of home. Tacoma was one of 40s biggest markets thanks to his friendship with Mix-A-Lot. E-40 was actually influenced a lot by people and artists in the Northwest.

DJ Jusz Nyce also cuts hair at Legends Barbershop on 55th and Pacific in Tacoma.