When K'naan talks about refugee status, he's not being metaphorical or hyperbolic: the Somali-born musician fled the mean streets of Mogadishu in 1991. The Siad Barre regime was, at that time, in full collapse, and although Somalia has known periods of relative peace since then, there's been no full restoration of government. From his musical base in Toronto, K'naan has acted as a Somali spokesperson in exile - in '99, he even read a confrontational spoken-word piece in front of the United Nations. But although he raps eloquently about the problems of the African Horn (and sometimes even dares to use his native language on record), his pleas for political reconciliation and an end to pointless violence resonate for progressives and egalitarians in all countries. When he writes about "Strugglin'" to make his voice heard, he's not just bemoaning the state of the contemporary airwaves - he is speaking for every kid living in an underdeveloped nation ignored by the mass media.
His experiences have given his music a moral authority rare in contemporary hip-hop, and authorize him to speak out. "Soobax", the propulsive liberation anthem that introduced K'naan to his international audience, was an incredibly courageous broadside against belligerent African warlords who have rendered Mogadishu virtually unlivable. Some naysayers suggested that the rapper's specificity and intellectual precision would turn off first-world audiences. But "Soobax" became one of the most copiously downloaded songs of 2005 (and was recognized by mtvU as such), and The Dusty Foot Philosopher, K'naan's debut album, won the Juno Award for Best Canadian Rap Album of the year. Since that initial success, the emcee has become a genuine international musical voice, recording with Nelly Furtado, M1 of Dead Prez, Mos Def, The Roots, and many others.
The Dusty Foot On The Road, K'naan's latest set, is at once more raw, more exciting, more spiritual, and more hardcore than his heralded debut. Tellingly, it features several live tracks - K'naan, whose name means "traveler", is renowned for his explosive concert performances. As lead single "Strugglin'" demonstrates, he's improved on the mic, too: his performance here feels assured, energetic, and deft. If "Soobax" was the undeniable underground hit - the cut that sets the boomboxes ablaze - "Strugglin'" is K'naan's coy overture to mainstream radio. Without making any compromises whatsoever, he's managed to craft a track for the charts.
We're comfortable calling the "Soobax" clip one of the most stunning music videos we've ever encountered. Shot almost entirely in the African Horn, the clip captured footage of places that Americans rarely see: Kenyan cities, shantytowns and countryside, abandoned supermarkets, playing fields, and war zones. Again, the Somali rapper was giving voice to the voiceless, and turning international attention to the condition of his homeland. Though it's been shot in the First World, the "Strugglin'" video is no less breathtaking - or compassionate. Opening with footage of K'naan reciting his fiery poetry over traditional African instrumentation, it switches to interior shots of typical low-income housing. The rapper takes us on a guided tour of his urban neighborhood, showing us the barbershops, the tower-blocks, CD stores, underground pool-halls, sneakers hanging over telephone wires. Throughout, his camera focuses on the faces of the people he encounters: serious faces, determined faces, stop-you-in-your-tracks faces, each one bearing marks of some unnamed, individual struggle. It's the connection he makes with each of these neighbors that he's dramatizing - his own unerring ability to identify with the longing, the striving, the passion of the dispossessed.
Mikel Knight is a twenty-six year old rap and urban artist originally from Houston, Texas. His career started at age fifteen performing at local South Texas clubs and writing music. Throughout his teens and in to his twenties, Mikel slowly climbed to the top of the heap in the South Texas hip hop scene. 11 years of recording experience in the studio allowed him to create a fresh new sound that combined strong elements of pop and southern street rap. In 1995 Mikel was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but he used the time away to write and formulate what was soon to be his 1st album. After a reversal of evidence in 1996, he was released and landed an artist development deal under the name A-GEE with Sonar Records and released his first album "Suthern Comfort-Life of A-GEE". The album quickly became a regional favorite among PDs at several urban stations, and put Mikel on the map.
Not content to sit back and wait for the world to notice, Mikel Knight went back in the studio with producer Matt "Mack Damon" Gallegos and Quinton "Black" Banks III of Too Short/Jive records in 1999 to create his sophomore album "Strugglin 2 Hustlin". With his second album, Mikel continued to promote his budding talent to the Texas hip hop industry and beyond. Mikel became the focal point of several articles in national magazines Billboard, Blaze, Murder Dog and the Source. In addition to producing for Mikel, the duo continued to co-produce traxx for other artists and expand their sound to other markets. The unmistakable commercial edge they gave underground street music, with melodic hooks and slick production, transformed much of the Texas/southern rap scene and forced others to follow suit. But soon, another run in with the streets caused Mikel to be fighting for his freedom once again while trying to promote his second effort. Less than a week after the album was released, disaster struck again. Mikel was arrested and jailed for assault when a brawl broke out in a Texas nightclub where he was promoting his single for the album. Mikel's legal team was able to negotiate a deal, and he was released again. He began a coliseum and radio tour to support his new album. Some of these past and future performances have included shows with: Eminem, Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri, Dru Hill, Next, Juvenile, Hot Boyz, Trick Daddy, Trina, Genuine, South Park Mexican, Kid Frost, ESG, Lil' Troy, Big Pokey, the Screwed up Click, C-note and the Botany Boys and Knight Owl.
Realizing that it was time to branch out beyond the regional rap scene of Texas, Knight sent out feelers to several major and indie/ major labels. After starting up his own independent label, 1203 Entertainment, Mikel was soon taking calls from A&R reps and executives from big industry dealmakers from BMG, Arista, Blackground, The Firm, Def Jam South, the Edmonds Group and more. While he was still developing his label, Mikel began work on his next project.... the Mikel Knight album.
Now assuming the new name, Mikel headed to Oakland, California to work with Bay area hit maker Steve D. and San Diego slugger DJ Fingaz(E-40, Richie Rich, D-Shot, Celly Cel, and B-Legit). To diversify his sound, Mikel also enlisted the production from Platinum hitmaker Happy Perez (Master P, Fat Joe, Capone n Noreaga, Ashanti and Murder Inc. and dozens of Texas rap stars). Determined to forge a new sound and direction in hip hop, Mikel went to L.A. to record with Platinum and Grammy award winning producer Bobby Jones of Bone Thugs and Harmony and Mo-Thugs fame. The first song written by the two became Mikel's hit single "Peckawood" which instantly caught the ear of the industry and started causing controversy wherever it was heard! While managing his career and running his independent label, Mikel managed to secure another deal. After signing a distribution deal for his solo projects with American Music Co., Knight permanently relocated to L.A. to record with the industry's elite. The Hardest Wood Outha Forest was completed in the Summer of 2001 and set for release that fall. Mikel and his group the Game Officials (made up of several childhood friends) set out to promote the breakaway hit "Peckawood". Mikel and his crew shot the video for "Peckawood", and success was just beyond the horizon, but the album and its single were tied up in court less than three weeks after the release when Knight was forced to part with AMC due to a breach of contract.
Taking the reigns, Knight set off on his own to continue the buzz "Peckawood" started, releasing the video which subsequently played on BET and MTV2. With a rapid fire lyrical flow and slick hook, the "Peckawood" video was soon causing Miekl's phone to ring off the hook again. Still, not ready to begin negotiating yet, he decided to do one more push before taking meetings. Spring Break 2002 Mikel and the Game Official crew flew to Florida, loaded up the SUV and placed Peckawood videos and cd's in the hands of thousands of fans in Panama city and Daytona. Pirate radio and video shows put the video in rotation immediately. Recording in his Texas studio just weeks later, Mikel got a call and was flown back to L.A to sign a production/ radio promotion deal with Gary Marella of Universal/Motown and Rick Sackheim of Arista records. Continuously working and promoting his music, Mikel toured the Southern US briefly in the Winter of 2002. Mikel brought down the house night after night as the only white act on the all Latin Texacali tour. Just when momentum was peaking, another breach of contract resulted in the separating from a label once more..... but If you think that Mikel has stopped since then... your wrong!
Returning to Los Angeles, Knight has since been recording two albums at the same time. The new and highly anticipated Mikel Knight album and the 1st album for his group Game Officials. All the while Mikel has continued to record for others, appearing on albums across the U.S, produce and write lyrics for artists, as well as making publishing and film advances.
In Fall of 2003, Mikel allowed a documentary crew to capture the sessions and lifestyle that will become the "Memoirs of a Texas Boi" record. The all-star cast of guests on the record offer a glimpse of the rap game from the inside, including Bun B of UGK, Baby Bash, Happy Perez, Rasheed, Paul Wall, Russell Lee, and a host of other talented friends. The footage will appear in "Huntsville to Hollywood", a special edition DVD to be released Spring 2004. Your favorite Bad Guy is also exploring a development deal with several TV networks to realize the commercial potential of his story as it unfolds. What makes Mikel Knight so different from other rappers/writers and producers? Innovation, Talent, Confidence, Ability and Progressive Maturity. Mikel has a knack for creating the perfect combination of production, lyrical performance and stamina it takes to succeed. With a tight flow and melodic delivery, it is no surprise that the "Mikel Knight Sound" is starting to appear in other markets. Whether its a hard knockin' Southern club track causing controversy or a smooth "playa, playa" anthem, a vivid storytelling ability that documents the struggles of one of the world's talented rappers remains at the core of Mikel's delivery.
For a long while, Mikel Knight was a Texas rapper making albums and singles on a regional level. With the hard work, and recognition from his first two records and the hype leading up to his 3rd, Mikel was able to leap to the national scene with the release of "Peckawood". Now free from any label attachments and free to record fresh new material Mikel has set out to tackle European and Asian markets and reinvent himself for his next Major Label debut which will undoubtedly come soon!
"The national audience is ready for me to come out with a shocker" says Knight " "If you haven't heard me, you've heard OF me". "Its destined for me! So don't be surprised if you're in the club one night and you hear the bad guy, cuz I'm comin back again! The Peckawood ain't done by a longshot!"
Clifford Smith, also known as Mr.Vegas, developed an affinity for music at an early age. But it was the moment he voiced a track on the Playground Riddim for producer Jeremy Harding, despite a serious injury to his jaw, which sealed his fate in the business. Unfazed by the injury and ambitious, Mr. Vegas laid his one-of-a-kind vocals and created "Nike Air" - an instant hit!
Ever since Mr. Vegas catapulted his way to the top in 1997 with "Nike Air" and the follow up smash "Heads High," the thriving artist has never looked back. This singjay clearly has the Midas touch when it comes to producing hit songs. Respectfully, "Heads High" became Mr. Vegas' biggest selling single, receiving heavy rotation on mainstream media outlets including MTV. And the single graced the Billboard charts for quite a few weeks.
Just like the single, the album Heads High of the same name on Greensleeves, made the world stand up and take notice. This exciting debut album took Mr. Vegas and dancehall to another level. With hit songs like "Jacket," "Sweet Pineapple" and "Everywhere I Go," Heads High was a chart topper. To top it off, the singjay earned a coveted British Music of Black Origin (MOBO) award for Best Reggae Artist. This honor symbolized that Mr. Vegas' fan base had expanded way beyond America and the Caribbean.
To prove that the success of his first album was no fluke, Mr.Vegas followed up with a sophomore release on Greensleeves, Damn Right. Laced with a strong R&B and hip-hop flavor, this album contained a myriad of favorites including "Girls Time" and "She's A Ho" and the monster hit "Hot Gal Today" on which he collaborated with Sean Paul. Overall, this album was quite a success for the artist.
Incidentally, the "Hot Gal Today" single was voted one of the all time best collaborations by Vibe Magazine. With his move to the Los Angeles-based independent label Delicious Vinyl Vegas, Mr. Vegas released his third full-length release Pull Up. The title track, which was recorded on Scatta Burrell's hugely popular Coolie Dance riddim, entered the Billboard Charts and again thrusted Vegas to international status.
Later, Mr. Vegas recorded and released the sizzlin' album Constant Spring. The lead single and title track topped all the major charts in Jamaica. The single was backed by a very creative video that captivated the interest of the dancehall community.
In between releasing well-crafted albums, this dancehall sensation has appeared on all of the Reggae industry's major shows each year including Guinness Sting, Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, Fully Loaded and Reggae Sunsplash. In additional to blasting his way through the Caribbean, Mr. Vegas has also thrilled fans in Europe and the U.S. with highly rated performances. He even caused havoc in Japan with his energetic performance. Mr. Vegas is in world-wide demand.
In August 2007, Mr. Vegas released his latest album Hot It Up, distributed by Delicious Vinyl/Fontana in the USA, Five Man Army in Japan and Cargo throughout selected countries in Europe. The critically acclaimed effort includes the fiery tracks "Tek Wey Yuhself," "Lean Wid It," "Nuh Friend From Dem," "Hot Wuk" and many more.
Mr.Vegas has maintained a steady presence on the music scene with chart toppers such as "Hot Wuk," which dominated all of the major American, Caribbean and European charts. The single even made an entrance on Billboard's Hot R&B/ Hip Hop Singles chart. For Dancehall artist Mr. Vegas, every day provides new opportunities. As entertaining the massive with quality Reggae music is his passion, Mr. Vegas will continue to be a dominant force in the music industry.
"Thief's Theme" is a single from Nas' double album Street's Disciple. It is the last song of the album (13th track of the double album to be precise). The single contains vocals from Nas' song "The World Is Yours" from his first album Illmatic:
"The Thief's theme, play me at night they won't act right Understandable smooth shit that murderers move with."
This was intended to remind listeners that it was Illmatic's 10th Anniversary.
The song featured an interpolation of the famous riff from Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" performed by Incredible Bongo Band. Nas would again use the same sample on the 2006 single "Hip Hop is Dead".
Nas sponsored a contest in the United Kingdom in 2004, encouraging entrants to record a verse using the instrumental version of the song. The winner would perform a verse on the song, which would appear on the UK version of Street's Disciple. Rising Son would win the competition.
Atlanta has given us its share of unusual R&B and hip-hop singers: Diamond and Princess of Crime Mob are from there, Erykah Badu has long been based there, Janelle Monaé made her name there. To this list of celebrated frontwomen we now add the name O'so Krispie. Everything that makes Atlantan music great is present in the singer-rapper's exciting tracks: absurd catchiness, sharp production, flexibility, a willingness to take chances, clever incorporation of retro elements, good humor, vocal i.d., flash, vibrant color. And with the release of the delightfully-retro "Slumber Party", O'so Krispie may just have come up with a song to scale the charts with
Krispie is no stranger to the public eye. Fans of primetime TV will remember her as the winner and star of R U The Girl, a reality show juried by T-Boz and Chilli of TLC. As the victor of the nationwide talent search, O'so Krispie won the right to appear in a featured role on TLC's comeback single "I'll Bet" - and to perform the song during the show's finale. But even before rising to fame on R U The Girl, Krispie distinguished herself as an indie choreographer, and clips of her acrobatic, eye-popping dance routines are still in heavy circulation on video-sharing sites. Since the Girl finale, O'so Krispie has relocated to Los Angeles, collaborated with Chris Brown on the remix to "Poppin'", and continued work on her anticipated debut album
Whether she's singing or rapping, O'so Krispie's style is unmistakable and characteristic: it's conversational, friendly, energetic, hyped-up, articulate, approachable. "Slumber Party", her latest single, is, among other things, a platform for her prodigious talents. As on "Roll With You" and the amusing "I Need A Boyfriend", her first two solo cuts, the singer makes a solicitation to her audience; this time out, she's skipping the clubs and inviting the ladies over for an old-fashioned gossip session and getdown. With its big beat, its Eighties-funk synths, its talkbox chorus, and its winning performance from Krispie herself, "Slumber Party" feels firmly in the tradition of sparkling leftfield summertime hits.
O'so Krispie busts out some of her famous dance moves in Scenario's playful clip for "Slumber Party" - but she also spends lots of time atop the mattress on her big white bed. Amidst a shower of sparkling digital pixie dust, her friends arrive, and soon they're all up in her bedroom, gabbing on cellphones and looking adorable in p.j.s and argyle socks. A pillow fight breaks out (of course), and since it's all being broadcast via personal assistant, the boyfriends watching can't help themselves from coming over. Before you know it, Krispie's slumber party has turned into a co-ed affair - and nobody seems to mind very much. Scenario presents the "Slumber Party" video as a vintage clip from the Eighties: the introductory titles could have been taken from Solid Gold, and much of the story is told through an idiosyncratic visual frame. The upper left and lower right corners of the frame are filled in, and the action takes place in the diagonal slash between the two triangles. It's a little off-kilter, a little loopy, a bit wonderfully off-balance, and it all matches the song perfectly.
Unique and untouchable, absolutely no comparison. Independent, not Incompetent, Unsigned not Unrecognized.
Unique and untouchable, absolutely no comparison. Independent, not Incompetent, Unsigned not Unrecognized. 2007 UMA (Underground Music Awards) Best Reggae/Dancehall Artist; Three(3) AIU (American Idol Underground) Competitions Won; Two(2) Nominations for the 17th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards including "Best Reggae Video", and the list goes on. This star is not planning on slowing down anytime soon; he's got to be doing something right. This is history in the making. With no backup funds from major labels, He worked day and night to Independently release his first two(2) solo albums - "Action Dancing (2006)" and "Healing Time (2007)", which was well received on the streets. Root Doctor Abe is gradually working his way to the very top as his third album - "Higher Ground" is set to be released in 2008!!. As a child, Root Doctor Abe spent most of his early years in Nigeria before moving to the United States. After spending a few years in the mid-west, and touring the country, Root Doctor Abe finally settled in the Big Apple (New York City). He combines his voice and style to make his crowd scream for more whenever he hits the stage. The Award Winning Singer / Songwriter once said, "I believe in being different because Variety is the spice of life, so get use to it.... I like to make people think different." Root Doctor Abe is not only bringing healing to Reggae music, but to the world of music in general. Here's what critiques from The World's Leading A&R Independent Company has to say: "You truly have potential as a Roots Reggae artist and your message in your music is sure to reach beyond the genre."....TAXI. He's making unbelievers believe that this movement is for real. Feel it now or later; He's here to stay.
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