Jim Jones is preparing to release a new album next month with the members of his ByrdGang crew. One of the members, NOE, has a voice that is strikingly similar to Jay-Z's. In this Exclusive Jim Jones and NOE discuss the Hov comparisons.

"The way they comparing him just ain't about his voice," said Jones. "They're saying they're comparing the content of his lyrics. That's a different comparison. That's a great thing."

But the Jay-Z comparisons were not always such a great thing for the 29 year-old rapper from Baltimore, MD. NOE recalls a time when A&Rs were reluctant to sign him because of his similarities to Hov.

"When I met Jim my self-esteem was damaged," he said. "I had A&R's throwing my CDs out of windows and sh*t like that."

After taking a meeting with Diplomat Records CEO Jim Jones, NOE's luck turned around. Jones, who describes NOE's lyrical skills as "dead nice," offered to sign the rapper.

"It wasn't a gimmick with him," said NOE. "I had skepticisms like damn, maybe he may be using me to get back at [Jay-Z]. None of that. He believed in me."

The Dipset Capo admits that he did get a certain pleasure out of signing a rapper who sounds so much like Jay-Z.

"I ain't gonna front," Jones said. "That tickled me too because I knew that would just irk a person like 'Oh God!' That gotta hurt."

"Now somebody else gotta worry about their guard. Not us, we ain't got nothing to lose and everything to gain," he continued. "I always tell [NOE] like, sh*t that's all money in the bank. Everybody sound like somebody in some way shape or form. It's just all about you take it. For us we gon' take it to the bank."

M.O.B. (Members of Byrd Gang) The Album which features Jim Jones, NOE, Chink Santana, Sandman, Oshy and Mel Matrix hits stores on July 1st.