Military veteran uses music to inspire movement against injustice with #SpeakOnIt campaign12/20/2016 DALLAS, TX – The only way to affect change in this world is to speak out against injustice. That’s the message hip-hop artist S.O.I. Duka is trying to bring to the world through his music and through the #SpeakOnIt movement that he’s started. The Dallas, Texas native started his music career at a young age before enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces and serving eight years both at home and abroad. He has served in Japan, Korea, Qatar, Afghanistan and Iraq – the last of which where he sustained injuries that necessitated five surgeries and his retirement from active duty. Upon return home, he decided to dive back into a music career – albeit this time with an intentional message that he hopes will inspire others to peacefully stand up against all the injustices he’s personally witnessed around the world. “The #SpeakOnIt movement came about because of all the violence that’s occurring everywhere,” Duka said. “There are too many limited conversations happening right now, and violence only occurs when you don’t understand each other. I’ve seen it over and over all over the world, when you have two alpha males or two strong minded females not understanding each other it can escalate to the worst conditions. It’s imperative that we learn how to communicate effectively through our different races and ethnicities. We need to get to know each other. That’s basically what this movement boils down to – effectively communicating across the world. When you see an injustice of the world, speak on it. You have to speak on it to raise awareness of the people. And when you see something right, speak on that and celebrate it, too. You have a voice – use it.” This attitude shift that Duka hopes to instill among the people of America is one that permeates his music. Two of his earliest singles – which will be featured on his album, “AwaKKKe The CritiXXX,” that’s scheduled to be released in late February of next year – focus on starting the #SpeakOnIt movement where it hits closest for most people: in the family. “’Pray For Me’ is a single that cries out to mothers across the world to pray for their offspring and all the children of America,” Duka said. “We are in perilous times and we need prayers of the righteous more than anything. We need a connection to something higher than ourselves. ‘Family Counseling’ kind of piggybacks off that idea and hones in on the mistreatment so many people feel from family members or people close to them. To date only about 50-to-60 people have heard that song, and every one of them has said they can relate to the pain that comes from family turning their backs on you in some way or another. That’s one of the most powerful songs on the album.” Duka isn’t one to merely preach on and not practice what he’s asking of the world. He puts his own philosophies to work as a dedicated father to three boys and one new baby girl. He said he’s seen so many people from his neighborhood grow up with absent fathers, and he knows that one of the first steps toward positive change comes by being a loving, involved father in the lives of his children. In fact, much of his music has a message that he said will cut to the core for fathers and inspire teenagers and young adults in ways that he hopes will further the #SpeakOnIt movement. Those seeking more information about the #SpeakOnIt movement can visit Duka’s website at soiduka.com. Fans can also pre-order the “AwaKKKe The CritiXXX” album on the website in January, which will eventually be available for purchase on iTunes after its release in February. Fans who want to find out more about Duka’s upcoming music releases or live performances can follow him on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Tatted Empire Presents, Too Far Gone by 407's own, TATTED! This hyped-type-smoker's anthem delivers energy and swag promised to get you bouncing asap. Tatted performed at Bombshell's Tavern for Hip Hop Everything's Artist Showcase hosted by Wolf G Live and he brought his A-Game. Look out for more Tatted soon.
BOSTON, MA. – Kristin Moura is a woman of many talents and interests. In addition to being one of Boston’s up-and-coming pop, rock and punk artists, she’s also a self-described “gamer chick” who has developed her own brand and created her own video game. “I’m unique and different,” she said. “I get my point across in a lot of different ways – music, games, social media – and I don’t sugar coat what I say. I put it all out in my music.” Her two latest singles – “Fade Away” and “Ordinary Kind of Girl” – speak to that life philosophy and serve as a demonstration of the unique sound that Moura brings to the pop rock genre. Both songs encourage others to embrace who they are and push past negativity in the world. With “Fade Away,” Moura paints a picture of a world where anyone can forget their fears and problems – just letting go of their fears and fighting for what they want. “Ordinary Kind of Girl” expands on that idea with a vocal pop track that’s different than anything else out there. The lyrics encourage listeners to be true to themselves and to be bold enough to take a chance, no matter what anyone else thinks. “I don’t want to be like everybody else,” Moura said. “I’m on a unique kind of path. I’m a normal person like everybody else, just chasing my dreams and making a name for myself. My music shows you who I am. My music says to stay grounded to what you’ve done and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Don’t let anyone tear you down. You are who you are, and that’s amazing.” “I’m going to release a holiday song right around Christmas and the New Year and it will definitely be an original unlike any other holiday song,” she said. “I didn’t want to cover the traditional classics you see everyone doing. I love to be different than what’s out there, so that I can stand out from everyone. The song is going to be the opposite of what you will hear around the holidays. In fact, it’s very anti-holiday, you might say.” Much of that music is inspired by Moura’s love for video games. About seven years ago her little brother introduced her to the game “World of Warcraft,” and she’s been hooked on gaming ever since. She said a lot of her music is inspired by the games she plays – and in fact avid gamers will likely recognize the themes developed through the instrumentation of her songs as they reflect the moods evoked by many of today’s popular games. “But even you’re not not an avid gamer, my music still tells a story and has more meaning,” she said. “It’s just that as I play games I hear key concepts and take those concepts or phrases that I hear and begin to wonder if they’ll work with other things I’ve done musically. As I experiment with it, I’ll turn it into a hook or bring it to a producer and see if we can work it out. I almost always start with the instrumental. For me, the instrumental writes the song. I believe it has meaning and definition for what I’m trying to do.” Not only does Moura love video games and create music inspired by video games – she’s also developed her own game called “Words.” The game is available on her website, KristinMouraOfficial.com, and is a game of acronyms. Unlike many of the other word games out there, “Words” takes the basic concept of chat abbreviations and uses it as a platform for game play (ie: See You Soon = SYS), with letters that slide left or right and puzzles that become increasingly harder as the game progresses. In addition to checking out Moura’s music and games on her website, fans can also follow her via social media on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Soundcloud. Cedar Grove, Louisiana – When rapper Demarquez (“RedDolla Quez”) met producer Marshawn (“Marshawn Hitz”), it was musical serendipity. As a young man, artist Quez would listen to big rappers the likes of Big Sean and Drake and found himself inspired. Relentless, the artist soaked up influence from every genre of music he could find and artist he listened to, to create a style of rap that is entirely his own. RedDolla Quez’s music covers a variety of subjects and vibes – but is all undeniably and equally intriguing. “I take a little something from everyone,” he explains, but insists his sound is original, “My sound is my own, and I use beats you won’t hear from the typical rapper.” Ready to carve his name into rap history, RedDolla Quez met Marshawn Hitz, a producer from his hometown and a childhood friend. When Quez discovered Marshawn’s talents for creating one-of-a-kind beats, he decided they had to collaborate. Together, the duo has put together an EP entitled Red River, a concept derived from the river that runs through multiple states and is home to some of the country’s most dangerous creatures. “All types of unidentified species,” says Quez, “and it’s hard – so that was the concept behind the EP, you gotta be hard.” Marshawn continues, “You can’t deny it, gotta love it. We put a lot of hard work and time into it.” The duo’s unique style and tenacity has kept them going, and is going to take them to the top. “Keep your head on strong, and don’t let anyone tell you anything,” advises RedDolla Quez. “The sky’s the limit.” Follow RedDolla Quez and Marshawn Hitz on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. CHICAGO, IL – Watch out world, there’s a new boss in town and she’s ready to take the hip-hop world by storm with her first single, “Blew A Bag.” In the same vein as powerhouse artists like Eve and Nikki Minaj, Tauzha (pronounced Tah-jay) is the kind of female musician who blends unique vocals and thoughtful lyrics with a confident attitude and a personality that already has her home town of Chicago abuzz. “My personality, appearance and energy all play a big part into who I am and what sets me apart from others in the industry,” Tauzha said. “My music is not the same as people from my city.” To hear her manager tell it, her unique-ness as a musician goes well beyond Chicago. In fact, he’s confident her music will show the world that she’s the next superstar waiting to happen. “When you think of the pool of female rappers in the world, what they’re trying to display is not overly authentic,” he said. “Tauzha brings a fresh, vibrant, mass-appeal quality that makes you want to listen and find out more about her. She’s not flashy just to be flashy. She makes you focus on what she has to say. She’s what this age group is missing.” Fans who hear her first single will know immediately what he’s talking about. “Blew A Bag (ft. Lil Durk)” is one of those songs that introduces new artists in ways that soon see them headlining shows on global tours. It’s a fusion of pop and hip-hop that includes a sampling of Tauzha’s unique lyrical stylings with a catchy hook and driving beat that makes it a great song to play at the club or just put on a loop while riding in the car. And best of all, it’s a song that Tauzha uses to identify who she is as an artist while exuding the confidence and swag that she wants to be known for. “It’s a song about ladies being bosses,” she said. “It’s also a song that’s inspired by my father. He’s kind of like my idol and I’m a representation of him. The music is based on him. He’s my role model and mentor. Since I was 8 years old, when he was incarcerated, he told me he was going to make me a star. He’d write me songs and make cassette tapes and I’d listen to them over and over and we’d come up with music together. I started performing in third grade and just continued from there. I eventually transitioned to rap, and I love it as much as I love singing because with rap you don’t have to have a filter. With rap I can explore things and be taken more seriously as an artist.” That reputation is already starting to build in her hometown in Chicago. Her music and personality has already caught the attention of one of the most well-respected music video directors in the business, Mr. Boomtown, who is currently in post-production on the video for “Blew A Bag.” Both the single release and the music video are scheduled for release before the end of the year and will be available for download on Spotify and Soundcloud, and to view on YouTube. Fans who want to find out more about Tauzha’s upcoming music releases – including a full album that should drop sometime in the first half of 2017 – can follow her on social media on Instagram and Twitter.
Scotty Chickens recently released, "Draco In The Louie Bag" hosted by Dj @SmackSilly & @B.H.E.G and it's getting around in a major way. This project delivers 23 records of pure turn up. Listen to "Not The" 1 featuring DamuLuv, produced by YoungForever and get a taste of Scotty Chickens. He performed at HHE's Artist Showcase, hosted by Wolf, G Live the Rockstar at Bombshell's tavern in Orlando Fl and he had the crowd jumping. Keep your eye on him.
https://twitter.com/ScottyChickensThe Cat in the Hat that can rap, YO$#! caught everybody off guard with, "Only In My Mind". This addicting record is featured on #GoofiJuice3 Prod by @BassNPurp and its not the usual trap joint... Vibe out to YO$#! as he shows versatility, drops real content and still remains to keep it catchy as usual. Watch "Only In My Mind", shot by Reginald, below and drop a comment. SAN BERNARDINO, CA – On Feb. 3, Jeremiah “Young Jay” McCoy will release a new album called “Dreamin’ Since ’97.” The title is aptly named because the songs on the album will put on display his journey as a musician – which, according to him, started the day he was born. “My whole family has a music background and I’ve been surrounded by music since the day I was born,” he said. “Everybody in my family sang in church. My uncles were drummers. My aunts were singers. It was perfectly natural for me to start singing when I was very young. By the time I was 11, I had grown out of those vocals, though, and I thought I was going to be a drummer because I’ve been able to keep a beat since I was 5 years old. But then I saw ‘Freestyle Friday’ on BET and I thought it was amazing. I started writing every day from that point forward, trying to perfect the art. And when I was 14 I decided to pursue it as a career.” That was five years ago, and today at age 19 he’s already parlayed his early forays into hip-hop into a successful international career. Earlier this year, he took a European tour, with most of his shows taking place in London. He said his hard work began attracting attention from MTV and VH1, and he was pleasantly surprised how many fans he had in England. “I didn’t realize that I had a movement of fans overseas, but every time I put out a new song I move quite a few units internationally,” he said. “Whenever I did a show over there they already knew the words to the songs I was singing. It was a crazy experience and I can’t wait to go back.” Young Jay has plans to embark on an even bigger international tour with his brother, STEEZO, who is also an artist, in March of 2017. Plans are to travel to Hong Kong, Japan, Amsterdam and along the West Coast of the U.S. Prior to that tour, however, he’ll be releasing “Dreamin’ Since ‘97” – an album that’s based on his whole life. He said it nods to his childhood growing up in San Bernardino, California and seeing friends die from gun violence. But he’s quick to emphasize that his music is not rap that highlights gang life, drugs or even money. Instead, he describes his music as “a positive new vibe in the hip-hop scene.” “More than anything I want my music to help people see that any dream is possible,” he said. “That’s kind of my slogan – DRAMA, which means Dream Realizes After Money Arrives. Some people don’t have any support whatsoever, they only have themselves, and I want my music to help them have confidence to do anything they want to do. That’s what the whole DRAMA movement is about. When they hear my music I want it to take them to another level.” His first single from the album called “Yeah! Yeah!” has already been making waves throughout the world of hip-hop. He recently released a music video for the single on YouTube, and fans can also listen to it on Soundcloud. Fans who want to find out more about upcoming music releases or live performances can follow Young Jay on social media @youngjaytothefullest on Instagram and @dramasquadjay on Twitter. Tyler, TX – Artist TommyDDVO has music running through his veins. Born to a musical family, when the budding star was brought back to his hometown to help care for his sick grandmother, serendipity brought music back into the artist’s life. “It was a natural thing,” remarked the artist, explaining that friends from high school had become involved in music, sparking a musical fire under his feet. Influenced by classic, influential rappers such as Nas, Tupac, and Biggie, TommyDDVO has always admired the “greats” for their knack for storytelling and commitment to lyricism (an art which is lacking in today’s popular music scene). Tommy shares their love for storytelling and engaging with his audience, eager to reach out and connect on a deeper, emotional level with his fans. “I want to take them on a journey,” says the artist. His music is its own brand, a style Tommy DDVO calls “Substance over Fluff,” continuing, “Real life music, for real people, trying to make it in the real world.” His creative process is unique: Driving a truck for the last 5years, TommyDDVO was left with hours upon hours to himself where his creativity was set free. The front seat of the truck became what he calls a “mobile university and recording studio,” where the artist would record his lyrics and develop his skill as a rapper with his cell phone and digital tape recorder. It was in that very truck where his latest project, a seven-track EP entitled “Catalyst for Momentum” was written. From that EP comes his newest single, “2Grown 4 That,” which is soon to be the next street Anthem, specifically written for those who are to grown for the childish, and petty things going on in the culture. The substance of this EP is refreshingly deep and different; a very intellectual and emotional experience told from a grown man’s perspective. It touches on the struggles of urban life, disenfranchisement and sticking together as a family, to money, success and the ups and downs of relationships when you don’t learn how to love people for who they are instead of who you want them to be. Though he’s eager to get his music out to the masses, his ultimate goal is bigger than himself and his own success. TommyDDVO is on a mission to show young people that through education and hard work they have more options to be successful than the streets. His vision is to use his talent and influence to motivate, inspire, and empower people to work hard and fight for their dream by using the DVO brand as a catalyst for change. https://soundcloud.com/tommyddvo https://youtu.be/TMhMa6-sulE 2 Grown 4 That Promo Video https://youtu.be/6jASfowA6z0 Warrior Lyric Video: Reg ver: https://soundcloud.com/tommyddvo/2-grown-4-that-regular/s-FQ0zs Clean ver: https://soundcloud.com/tommyddvo/2-grown-4-that-clean/s-UCZmB
ATLANTA, GA – There are always going to be critics out there who have negative things to say about the work or art that you create. For PradaBoyDigital, it was one such critic who served as the inspiration for advancing his career, and who helped influence the title of his first two mixtapes – the second of which is about to drop after the first of the year. Both of those mixtapes are titled “Supergay.” “What made me come up with the name is I was in the studio one day and you know there’s always that one person who has to be a hater,” PradaBoyDigital said. “And there happened to be that guy in the studio that day who told me that my music sounded super gay. Instead of being defeated by it, it put a fire inside me to prove all the haters wrong. And I thought I would come up with a name that would piss a lot of people off but make them want to listen, and so I came up with that name.” The mixtapes feature a variety of sounds that PradaBoyDigital has created over the past five years of writing and making music. He said many of the songs explore the ins and outs of relationships, and that he hopes listeners will be able to relate to the relationship struggles he’s had over the years through the stories that he weaves in-and-out of his lyrics. “A lot of my songs are about what I do every day,” he said. “They’re about working hard and making money and just life. But ultimately what I really want to make music about is relationships.” Two of the singles off the upcoming “Supergay Pt. 2” are indicative of that intentionality. The first, called “Sometimes,” is a song about a girl who broke his heart and broke up with him in a somewhat violent way. “She broke my TV and started threatening me,” he said. “In the song I explore these ideas of sometimes I wonder if she ever loved me. Sometimes I wonder if she ever wanted to be with me. It’s a song that has a more laid back vibe, but it could also be a club song.” That’s the way he describes the second single, “Peter Pan,” as well. Its laid-back vibe explores the relationship through the metaphor of the story of Peter Pan. One line from the song says: “Let me be your Peter Pan/ I can be your butterfly/ I can take you to the sky/ You can be my Tinkerbell/ You can be my butterfly.” “These songs and this mixtape should show people what I’ve been through and the relationships I’ve had,” he said. “My music is also about others understanding me and where I come from and being able to relate to that in their own lives.” To sample some of PradaBoyDigital’s music, fans can go to his Spinrilla page and check out “Supergay” the mixtape. The second mixtape is slated to drop sometime before the end of January 2017. |
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