RICHMOND, CA – When Lawrence Dawson was a kid growing up in the Bay Area of California, he often found himself hanging around hip-hop artist Too Short. His uncles helped Too Short get started in his career, and as a young boy who was just starting to love rap music, he was enamored with the lifestyle of Too Short. “I used to watch him – watch his movement and how he carried himself back then,” Dawson said. “He would always carry himself like a regular person, even when he was among the people. He never had security and he’d just walk up and just come and sit on the porch. To this day he still operates like that – even on the level that he’s doing he still lives among the people. When you get success and yet you can still live among the people without the pandemonium and still make great music … that balance is where it’s at. That’s the kind of career I want to have.” Today Dawson is currently signed to Bay Area legend/ambassador of the Bay Area E40's Sick Wid It Records, and operates under the stage name Laroo THH – which stands for Tha Hard Hitta. It’s a name both based on his birth name and the style of music he brings to the table. When he first started rapping as a teenager, his hard-hitting style became so noticeable that his big brother Donta “Stay Ready” Myles took notice and gave him the nickname that he uses today. Under that moniker, he has released a handful of singles and EPs – including a new eight-song EP called “FlashBang” that dropped on Feb. 3 through Empire Distribution. Much like his stage name declares, this album is what he describes as “throwing an impactful bomb of music into a room.” “It’s diverse,” he said of the EP. “Some of it is stuff to ride to. Some of it is reality rap. Some of it is club music. All of it shows my originality – my unique voice tones and patters. I want people to consider me a well-rounded artist who can paint a picture and follow a story to make you think and bring out a feeling – any feeling, whether good or sad or whatever – and just get a feeling from the music. When it goes beyond that, I want it to capture a moment in time or a point in their life of what was going on in that moment. I want to create a song that if they hear it years later, they remember what they were doing when if first time out and it elicits an emotional reaction.” The first two singles off the EP are “Act Out” and “Take It Or Leave It.” The first is a song that has already gotten more than 500,000 views on YouTube and is a club song that is all about being flamboyant and shining bright and having fun. The second is more of a chill song that explores relationships and the hardships people go through, and challenges the listener to commit to a relationship and understand what kind of baggage comes with that commitment. “A lot of my music is just based on the realities of life,” Laroo said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to pertain to me directly – I can be a journalist and a writer. Some of it does relate to my journey, but a lot of it doesn’t. Everything I do is to help you party, to make you think, and to make you react and have a feeling.” Fans who want to sample more of Laroo’s music can check out his YouTube page. Fans can also follow him on social media @Laroo_Rtk on Instagram, and @LarooThh on Facebook and Snapchat.
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Chicago, IL – Very few can say they’ve died and then come to life, but Chicago $lim is not just anyone and his story is anything but ordinary. Growing up, the up-and-coming rapper would listen to Nas and other classical rappers and admire their abilities to tell a story. Another musical idol, Kanye, inspires $lim to create a distinctly personal brand of rap. When asked to describe his music, he’ll explain, “It’s the best,” with a laugh, continuing, “It’s just my life, real shit. It’s a mix of trap but with a bit of melody.” Chicago $lim is not bound by any genre or put in any box; he’s happy to take whatever sounds good and use it to create musical genius. His music is, in a word, “dxpe.” The road to success has been long and paved with difficulty. Born the son of a pimp on the West side of Chicago, he was raised by a single mother. But that was just the start of struggle for $lim. The young artist has overcome something very few have dealt with. After a night with friends (the details of which are foggy at best) Chicago $lim woke up in a hospital room with no recollection of what had transpired. He was told he’d been in a car accident, an accident which incurred tragedy (the driver of the other car tragically passed away). $lim wasn’t driving, but suffered such severe injuries that his body went into shock and his heart stopped. With luck, EMTs were able to revive him, but he stayed in a coma for 72 hours. It’s not a stretch to say that life will never be the same for the up and coming rapper. He had to relearn everything: the names of people he loves, how to walk and talk and perform simple everyday tasks. But while his body went through rehabilitation, his soul did too. Slowly but surely, Chicago $lim got his groove back. The new and improved rapper came out of the accident with scars and a new sense of purpose. The artist knew he survived the accident for a reason – to become something worthy of surviving. He thought, “I gotta do better than this. I don’t have to be perfect, but I have to be better.” That’s exactly what Chicago $lim has become; better, smarter, stronger. His newest album, Wave$, is a testimony to his renewed sense of purpose. “It’s called Wave$ because that’s life. Life is ups and downs, and the ocean is forever going to be a gust of whatever I’m against. It’s going to be good - really good - and some downfalls.” He’s focusing on what’s important, and forgetting what isn’t useful to him. The hook to “Nah Nah” says it best: “You gon regret it, I used to sweat it, I used to know your name now I forget it.” Wave$ is available on all digital platforms, starting February 9th. Find him on social media: @iamChicagoSlim NEW YORK, NY – Hip-hop has had its share of legendary groups, and the duo from Rockland County known as Hirule hopes to soon join their ranks. The release of their new album “Bad Company Volume 1” is a testament to the hip-hop world that they’re on the scene and they’re ready to make a splash. KNG VEGAS and Eddy Morra consider themselves the perfect ambassadors for the emerging underground movement of new hip-hop artists. Fueled by high-quality production and attention to detail coupled with introspective lyrics, Hirule delivers pulse-pounding songs each and every time. The album is self-described as “dark and gritty,” and KNG VEGAS said the first single off the album – “Marvelous” – is “one of those songs that makes a statement that we’re back.” “Hirule originally started in 2011 with me and another artist,” VEGAS said. “We like to smoke a lot of weed and it kind of makes sense from that standpoint. Along the way we picked up Eddy, who was much younger than us but very good at what he does. He’s a very good rapper. We started working and making tracks together and we really liked the chemistry we had together and the way we were able to feed off each others’ energy. When my first partner disappeared, Eddy and I took some time to really work on our music and create something that would stand out.” VEGAS said the main thing that makes Hirule unique is their style – from fashion to sound to even the way they rap, the rhythm and flow of their delivery – is all very unique. “It’s not generic stuff,” VEGAS said. “I’m a perfectionist and I care about what I bring out. We want to be different – we seek to be different. We take a lot of pride in our work. We could listen to a beat for an hour just to get a good feel for it before trying to write anything to it. How I feel about the beat is how I attack the track. But once I do, I go all-in. I’ve always been someone who took crazy chances on things, even if the risk was higher than the reward. That’s why people started calling me VEGAS.” VEGAS said “Marvelous” showcases their lyrical prowess and diverse flows. That being said, VEGAS emphasizes the fact that the song is very lyrical and will inspire anyone who listens to it. Fans who want to check out Hirule’s music can do so by visiting their Soundcloud page, or checking out some of their videos on their YouTube page or here. Fans can also follow them on Twitter @KNGVEGAS and @GODMXRRA and on Instagram @KNGVEGAS and @Mxrra6 for updates about future music releases or live performances. Houston, TX – It all began in a hair salon. Texas native Joc Da Parona was only twelve years old in the salon where his mother was a hairdresser, when serendipity allowed him to meet Grammy Award-winning Static Major (of The Basement, best known for his work with Lil Wayne, Destiny’s Child, Aaliyah, and Drake). “I was thrilled,” confesses Joc, who felt a fire lit under his young feet, compelling him to take his talent to its full potential. Born to a small town, he knew his talent would take him as far up as he could dream. His quick-witted writing and authentic vibe make him a one-of-a-kind artist, he’s even created his own brand of music called “Hood Nerd” which is catching on rapidly in the south. His creative process is organic: Joc gets into the studio and pours out his thoughts. It’s entirely real life experiences, and once he listens to a beat and gets a vibe, he gets going and can’t be stopped. “It’s very different,” Joc da Parona explains, “My musical style would be more like a hippie, but in rap form. I tend to just go in the studio think about stuff that happened that day.” He follows up with a laugh, “and I write about women. I like to think I’m a ladies man.” Unsurprisingly, the artist is a hit with the ladies, and between his good looks and a healthy dose of wit and charm, it’s no wonder why. Most recently, he’s released two singles that have arrived to much anticipation by fans. The first, entitled “Bae,” chronicles his thoughts about a girl and what went wrong in a relationship. “I’m sitting and pondering, how can I fix us.” The next, called “Party Drugs” is about how the rapper is the life of the party. “If you want to hang with me I can get you in a rare form. I’m using my energy in the sense of a drug.” The up-and-coming star is eager for success and eager to be heard. “I want the world to know a star when they see one,” he explains. But, above all, he wants to be heard so his listeners can relate to him. “I want them to feel me, understand what I’m going through. And know that no matter how much money, I still deal with real life issues.” He insists, “I’m chilling with them.” Learn more about the artist at www.jocdaparona.com Follow him on Twitter & Instagram: @JocDaParona Like on Facebook Listen on YouTube Born in 1996 on the Southside of Chicago, Jaquez R. Hailey “Jayy Queezy” is hip hop rap artist that brings an honest and genuine sound to the music industry. He started by working with good friends and members of Arrogant Fame Productions, Travie, Kurtiss Berry and Chief Marco, they went to record at local engineer D. P. Thurty’s studio, he then encouraged them to take their music more seriously because of their unique sound. Jayy Queezy says this about his sound, “The music is my life story, how I feel about my life now and how I would like my life to be. What I been through already and what I would like to go through in the future. That is why my expressions can't be judged unless you know the background behind them.”
In June 2015 Jayy Queezy kicked off his career when he released his first video and song “I’m Just Livin Life the Remix” featuring Donny Konz. Touch of Daz quote “Chicago rappers, Jayy Queezy and Donny Konz, pair up for Jayy’s remix to I’m Just Livin Life, this is a song that you can turn up to wherever you are, whether you are in the club, a house party, the car or house, you won’t stop repeating the catchy chorus after hearing it. View the video for “I’m Just Livin Life” below.” http://touchofdaz.com/2015/06/25/im-just-livin-life-remix-x-jayy-queezy-ft-donny-konz/. Jayy Queezy later appeared on various mixtapes beginning in September 2015, a few are: • “I’m Just Living Life” featured on Stardom Magazine’s 2nd Annual mixtape on DatPiff • “Life Ain’t No Game” on Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes Presents: #Nextup Vol. 314 • “Real Nigga” Feat. Polo Gambino was placed on Europe’s Vittek mixtape in May 2016 which lead to the single being showcased on 70 radio stations in 20 different countries. http://spnr.la/O5pLrQeV https://jayyqueezy.bandcamp.com/track/gingerella http://www.datpiff.com/Jayy-Queezy-Revival-Of-Hip-Hop-mixtape.816501.html https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jayy-queezy/id1032989682 https://play.spotify.com/artist/1pfg4Tr1J2YnkxiV0H1ega?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open https://www.youtube.com/user/JaquezHaileyMusic https://twitter.com/TheFamousJaquez https://facebook.com/thefamousjaquez https://instagram.com/balloutjaquez https://soundcloud.com/jaquez-hailey https://listen.tidal.com/artist/7181595 ST. LOUIS, MO – Nina Maria’s journey through life has not been an easy one. Born Adeje Baki Tart in St. Louis, Missouri, the rapper and R&B singer started life as a gifted student – skipping grades and often excelling in every one of his classes. The death of his grandmother, however, derailed him and a series of events after that led to an increasingly difficult life. He soon discovered that he has schizoaffective disorder, and in 2012 was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. And in the middle of that he struggled to find his identity, until eventually he embraced the lifestyle of a hermaphrodite and began to work toward becoming a transgender female – adopting the name Nina Maria and turning that persona into an identity that not only infuses her life but also her music. Today she’s ready to release that music to the world through a 13-song album called “On The Real.” It’s an album that she says details the way she thinks as a person and gives her fans something to enjoy while giving insight into the journey to becoming Nina Maria. “I want people to understand that these struggles feel like this and cause me to think like this and lead to music that sounds like this,” Nina Maria said. “I created it in a way that people can move to the rhythm. It’s real trappy kind of sounds with a lot of club songs. That’s something I’ve been exploring a lot lately as I’ve been developing my style.” She said she first started becoming serious about music in jr. high and high school, after that passing of her mother – a woman who loved to play music when she was little. In high school Nina Maria learned to play tenor saxophone, and eventually began to embrace rap and the release she felt from her various conditions through the art form of freestyle. “When I freestyle and make my music, I want people to get some kind of feeling or message,” she said. “I also want them to have fun and enjoy the whole process of listening to music. I want to be diverse for my fans and for them to be able to feel me intricately – not the just the style when I freestyle, but to feel me deeply when I’m writing prose or even Haiku.” Her first single off the album, “Judge Not,” is the perfect example of what she’s trying to accomplish. It’s a song that talks about exactly what the title implies: to judge not lest you be judged as well. It’s a “loud song,” she said, that literally challenges people to guard their thoughts and words toward others because “God is watching you while you’re down here judging people, and he knows that in many cases you’ve probably done things worse than what you’re judging people for.” She said the song has a “down-South kind of sound with a laid-back beat and vibe.” Fans who want to find out more about Nina Maria and sample some of her music can visit her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter for updates about new music releases and upcoming live performances. DETROIT, MI – Nobody in Sean Earle’s immediate family is very musically inclined, so his path to music was somewhat unique. It started at age 7, when he went to a festival with his mother and found himself enamored with a puppeteer who was dancing around to a song as he was playing the piano. “She remembers me just wanting to sit there and watch it forever,” Earle recalls of the experience. “That’s when my Mom realized I was really into the arts, and she saw an ad for piano lessons and asked if I wanted to start. I did … and the rest is history.” Today those piano lessons have evolved to include songwriting, producing, mixing, mastering and live instrumentation of multiple instruments on almost all of his records. His songs can be recognized by their emotion driven lyrics over simple but ear pleasing melodies, reminiscent of what many pop stars were doing in the 80’s or early 90’s. It’s a sound that many throughout the North and Midwest have enjoyed, and he’s ready to expand that audience with the release of his new album “The Year of Honesty.” He said it’s an album that is the most authentic approach he’s ever taken with music, and because so many of the songs come from such a deeply personal and introspective place, he hopes it will connect with more people than any of his music has in the past. “I’ve been doing music professionally for about eight years and I’ve created many songs,” he said. “In some ways, though, I haven’t been totally authentic with songwriting. A lot of my lyrics were gimmicky and not so relatable because I was trying so hard to write a hit to demo out to superstar artists. But this album is authentic and heartfelt. All of the songs are pulled from my life. And that’s what I want for my music from now on – to be authentic; almost as if the music without the lyrics can speak for itself.” The album, which will drop sometime this summer, is a pop album with heavy electronic production but still features plenty of soulful vocals and live instrumentation. The first single on the album, “What Have You Done,” has already been released and is available on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube and Soundcloud. It’s a song that he said was written based off an actual event in his life, and it’s a story that will connect with anyone who has ever felt forgotten. The heavy pop influence – which highlights his skills on the piano – features lyrics such as “What have you done with my love? / Was I not what you were dreaming of?” “It’s a song about being betrayed by someone that you care deeply about,” he said. “The lyric video takes that even further and shows desperate text messages being sent in the middle of the night and indicates that someone is counting down the minutes until morning arrives. Like all of my music, this song is an expression. I think music is a medium for people to express themselves and express their feelings in a unique way. In that regard, that’s when I really fell in love with music – when I discovered it was a way to express myself through song and release material that people were able to connect to. That’s what the most successful artists do – they release music that speaks to people and gives them new perspectives on situations that they didn’t have before.” Fans who want to check out more of Earle’s music can visit his website at SeanEarle.com. Fans can also engage with him on Twitter and Instagram @SeanEarle and Snapchat @SeanRobEarle. He encourages fans to reach out to him via social media as he wants to be one of those rare artists who actually engages with fans and furthers the conversations that start with his music. Overtime Boyz show Philly a unique new sound by mixing diverse culture with hot new beats2/5/2017 PHILADELPHIA, PA – When Philadelphia-based hip-hop group Overtime Boyz tell you they don’t sound like anybody else in the industry, it’s not an exaggeration. They’re the first All-Asian, multi-cultural, trap group in the world. They have a sound and style that is uniquely born from their heritage and struggle on the streets of Philly. And now they’re ready to showcase that unique sound to the world with the release of their new EP “Road Runnerz,” which is scheduled to drop in March. The group began with Rick Dealz and Ajhie Le Grandeur, two friends who enjoyed rap and making beats together. As they made their way through the hip-hop scene in Philadelphia, they frequently found themselves in the same places as Chyfizza and Y.T. After hearing their sound, it soon became obvious that they should all combine their efforts to create something new and unique. “We’re all friends from the same area and everybody was already rapping so we figured we’d combine all our skills and make something new,” Dealz said. “Sometimes somone will be in the studio and lay down a hook and we’ll all come together after that to see what we can come up with; or sometimes we’ll just get together and play off each other and see what works out best; and then there are even times when one of us will get a beat and send it to the others to see what they can come up with.” Dealz said they chose to name the group Overtime Boyz because of the dedication each of them has to put in the hard work that’s necessary to make it in the music industry. He said the name stands for anyone who is working overtime on their passion to achieve their goals. And on stage or off, their presence is beginning to be well-known and seems to draw everyone toward them. “We channel the grit and griminess of this part of sound Philadelphia into our music,” said Chyfizza. “We’re turning the darkness into something positive.” The new EP “Road Runnerz” is the perfect example of that. Though the album has a bit of a commercial vibe, it embodies the gritty-ness that Chyfizza alluded to by embracing the raw-ness born from coming up in the streets. Dealz describes it as a “trap theme with a commercial vibe; trying to bridge the gap between underground and mainstream.” In addition to the new EP, the group is also releasing a new single called “Get That Work.” The music video for the song will drop on YouTube on Feb. 4, and the single is already available on Apple Music and Spotify. Although the group has only been together for about eight months, they’ve worked with Southside of 808 Mafia, Wooh Da Kid of Brick Squad, Alley Boy and trouble of Duct Tape. Overtime Boyz also has worked with Tampa Mystic, 520 promotions, DJ Alamo, DJ Culture, many of the CORE DJs, Videographers YSKSK and various other local artists. Fans who want to sample their sound can visit their Soundcloud page. Fans can also follow them on social media on Facebook, or on Twitter and Instagram under the following handles: @overtimeboyztse (Twitter) @overtimeboyz (Instagram) @rickdealz @hviofficial @ajhietse @chyfizza LOS ANGELES, CA – For many years the world of skateboarding didn’t identify with the rap community. The sport is often associated with the grunge music of the 1990s, or the punk and indie rock of the early 2000s. But hip-hop artists like Billie Gvtes – who is also a professional skateboarder with multiple sponsors – are bringing a sophisticated level of rap to the table that more and more within the world of professional skateboarding are beginning to embrace. “Everything is full circle,” Gvtes said. “Ten years ago it wasn’t cool to be a skateboarder in rap music, but nowadays a lot of people in that world are influence by rap through fashion and music. Now is the perfect time to be involved in both because it seems like that’s the culture right now.” Though he’s toured to compete in competitions both nationally and internationally, the last three years of his career have been more of a focus on his music. He’s worked long and hard on perfecting his sound, and is ready to display that unique sound to the world with a new eight-song EP he’s calling “LVTE BLOOMER.” All of the songs on the album are ones that he produced, wrote and performed. It’s a diverse album, with showcases of EDM, hip-hop, up-tempo and vocal harmonies that all surround a theme that explores what it means to come of age. “I started recording music in my early 20s”, Gvtes said. “My parents had expectations of me going to school and doing something different than what I wanted to do, but I finally decided to do what I want to do and what makes me happy.” Though it took him many years to eventually pursue music, it’s always been a form of expression that he’s loved. His uncle is a well-known DJ from the Los Angeles area who used to DJ for 92.3 The Beat in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and when Gvtes was young his uncle gave him his first turntables. “If it wasn’t for him I don’t think I’d be producing music,” Gvtes said. “It got me into wanting to mix songs and sample. I’ve been doing that for so long as a hobby and my parents didn’t want me to pursue it because they thought it was a waste of time. But the more I played with it and the better I got, the more I began to take pride in not sounding like anybody. I love finding the right beat and the right hook, and writing a song always depends on what the beat tells me to do. At the end of the day I want to be an artist who is branded and who people recognize right away as soon as they hear me.” Fans who want to sample his unique sound can visit his Soundcloud page. Fans can also follow him on Instagram and Twitter for more updates about music releases and upcoming live performances. Orlando, FL – For Brace Washington (Known better to fans as #TheREPLAYflu), showmanship is key. His music is unlike anything in the hip hop or rap scene today. #TheREPLAYflu has turned his music into his own personal brand of “#80Strap,” a fusion of classic 80’s records and current, popular Trap music. “I take the composition of records that were made before the Quincy Jones era – Smokey Robinson, Queen, Prince. I take those song structures but do them trap style.” No one else is doing anything like it, and Washington would know. He’s scoured the internet, and so far, he’s the first person to be experimenting with 80’s-infused trap. “So far on Google, I’m the first person,” he explains, “I’m at a unique point, where I have a new item and don’t know what shelf to put it on.” While you may not know what shelf to put #TheREPLAYflu on, you’ll want to find space for his music in your library. The up and coming 80’s trapper creates music that belongs anywhere – from the strip club to kicking your feet up at home. “My music has a sense of drive and rhythm so older people can listen and enjoy, but it will appeal to the younger generation as well.” Fans can expect a stream of new content coming from the talented artist, as he’s set to release his newest project – an album entitled #Exposure – the day after Valentine’s Day (February 15th, 2016). Why the attachment to February 15th? The artist laughs, and adds, “A lot of babies are made in the winter!” Implying that the title #Exposure might be a “double entendre.” The record is seeping with irony and is what one might call “an iconic existential crisis.” The album’s cover is of someone’s bottom. The artist calls it a “conversation piece,” explaining that he wanted to “get people to think.” Also releasing on February 15th is #TheREPLAYflu’s music video, “_Hologram,” which will be released via Instagram piece by piece. The video’s style will emulate the vibe of MK2 Ultra, “like the government uses for brain washing.” In a creative vision he calls “counter-marketing,” the artist wanted to find a way to draw attention to the video without being overtly sexual or violent, which is what usually draws engagement. You can’t miss #TheREPLAYflu’s one-of-a-kind music and his confident aura, which translates into the wit and purpose in his music. To learn more about #TheREPLAYflu visit www.thereplayflu.wixsite.com or follow him on: SoundCloud |
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