SEAN JOHN COMBS (Diddy)

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SEAN JOHN COMBS
(Diddy)


Sean John Combs was born in Harlem New York November 4, 1969, son of Janice and Melvin Earl Combs. He grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. When Combs was a child, his father, aged 33, was an associate of Frank Lucas (The New York drug lord), who was shot to death in his car at a Manhattan park after attending a party. Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes both stated they were close to Melvin Combs. Sean Combs played football at Mount Saint Michael Academy; in 1986 his team won the division title Sean Combs graduated in 1987. Sean Combs got his nickname “Puff” from his father, because he would “huff and puff” when he was angry.


 While attending Howard University in Washington DC he was good at marketing and a party promoter. He dropped out of school and worked full time at Uptown records. He had a hand in developing Jodeci and signing and producing Mary J. Blige. Bad Boy Records was established in in 1993, after being fired from Uptown Records. Puffy Daddy took two artists with him, The Notorius Big B.I.G. and Craig Mack when he started Bad Boy Records. That’s all he needed he blew up. After that he was signing artist like Carl Thomas, Faith Evans, Father MC, 112 and Total, and others. That’s when; The Hitmen an in house production team was formed.


In 1991 as a concert promoter and producer, he went by the name of Puff Daddy. Puff Daddy has had his challenges with the law. In 1991 he was promoting a concert at City College of New York featuring Heavy D, the place was overcrowded a stampede ensued nine people died. Puff Daddy was sued in 1997 for landlord neglect by Inge Bongo.
 Puff Daddy was arrested for aggravated assault in 1999 and gun charges but he always got off.


Puff Daddy by this time was on his way to the top. Puff Daddy debut single “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” was like his anthem. His debut album “No Way Out” won him a Grammy Award in 1998. Puff Daddy changed his name to P Diddy in 2001 he wanted to change his bad boy image. Now he just goes by Diddy. Diddy has his hands in television; he was on a reality show called Making The Band in 2007. In 2008 he came out with his own reality show I Want to Work for Diddy. Diddy now has a new album Last Train To Paris is in store now. “Hello Good Morning” his single you can hear on Streetwise Radio Big Hop 7-8 pacific standard time.


I can say Diddy is not only a promoter, producer, actor, and fashion designer. Diddy is the true definition of what it means to be an entrepreneur.


LM


 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_%22Puffy%22_Combs


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Making_the_Band

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RIHANNA

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Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty February 20, 1988. in Saint Michaels Barbados.
Rihanna is the oldest of three siblings, has two younger brothers.
Rihanna’s childhood was rocky, her Father was addicted to crack cocaine her parents marriage ended when she fourteen. Rihanna trained with the military of Barbados, she was in the army cadet sub-military program.
Rihanna and two other classmates of hers formed a singing group, they were introduced to Evan Rogers while he was vacationing in Barbados with his wife. The group audition for him, Rogers said “the minute Rihanna walked into the room, it was like the other two girls didn’t exist.”


Rihanna’s demo album took a year because she continued to go to school, she only recorded during summer and Christmas break. I say good for her.
Rihanna’s demo some how was heard by Jay-Z the president of Def Jam records at the time, he signed her admittedly. Rihanna’s first two album Music of the Sun and A Girl Like Me, considered in the reggae genre.
Rihanna’s look when she was produced by Jay-Z , look like a Beyonce` clone.  Rihanna’s style changed dramatically with the Good Girl Gone Bad album, some of the video’s to the songs on this album are out there. I guess you don’t have to know how to sing if your selling sex.


Rihanna’s Domestic violence episode in 2009, brought about STOParazzi to propose a law called “Rihanna’s Law” It would stop law enforcement from releasing crime victims photos to the media. Rihanna is not just a entertainer she is also a philanthropist, she has a foundation call Believe it helps terminally ill children. Rihanna is also involved in the marketing of her country of Barbados and she is the official face a tourism. When I was in Barbados in October, my tour guide told me that the highway we’re on is going to be change to the Rihanna Highway. He said “Rihanna has done a lot for Barbados, she deserve it.” I don’t particularly care for a lot of her sound or music, but some of it is catchy like “Rude Boy”,  “Take A Bow” and “Pon de Replay”.


LM


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rihanna


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3UjJ4wKLkg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82VE8UtW8A


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEauWw9ZGrA&feature=fvsr

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T.O.N.E-z

  About T.O.N.E-Z

Last month, Gangstagrass members Rench and T.O.N.E-z attended the Creative Arts Emmys for their nomination in the Best Original Song for a Television Show Category. The song, “Long Hard Times to Come” was written as the theme for the show Justified on FX. The song captured the public’s attention immediately, with fans from across the world trying to find the track and its creators. While the theme for Showtime’s Nurse Jackie took home the win, this marked a historic moment for both the Emmys and the Hip Hop/Rap music genre with T.O.N.E-z getting the nod as the first rapper ever nominated in this category. Now, T.O.N.E-z is set to launch his solo career in a way he has never done before. T.O.N.E-z While gaining mainstream attention as the co-writer of the Emmy Award nominated song, T.O.N.E-z, formerly “Style,” was an established musician before his work with Gangstagrass. In the early 90's, he was signed with Select Records, which produced such artists as Chubb Rock, and his first release was entitled “In Tone We Trust.” T.O.N.E-z went on to sell thousands of mixtapes, and starred alongside Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks in “Philadelphia.” His brothers are Special K, formerly of the Treacherous Three, and T La Rock. Now he can add the Emmy nomination to his impressive list of accomplishments. With an EP on the way next month and a full CD to follow within the next few months, T.O.N.E-z is set to expand his career from the underground and into the limelight. This move inspired the titles of his releases, the first one being “The Lime Light: The Warm Up EP” and the second being “The Lime Light”. While both discs have will hit the masses via International distribution, T.O.N.E-z stays true to his roots with songs that convey rhythmic power and lyrical depth. Lightning On the Strings, Thunder On the Mic” is the second Gangstagrass album. Available now through most online retailers, it features T.O.N.E-z on the majority of the tracks. Both Hip Hop and Bluegrass fans have taken to this seemingly impossible musical combination. The next track to hit the airwaves is T.O.N.E-z’s personal favorite and opening track on the disc, “That’s Right I’m Good.” You can learn more about T.O.N.E-z and Gangstagrass by visiting Tonezworld and www.gangstagrass.com. Who is T.O.N.E-z? Perhaps you've heard the name before, or by the previous alias Style (or Tony Tone not to be confused with any of the other people to go by that name). T.O.N.E-z signed with Select Records (a powerhouse in the early 90s, featuring acts such as Chubb Rock, Kid N' Play and M.O.P.: for a list of releases go here). His first release .. Records was entitled "In Tone We Trust". He also released two singles, "The ssassinator" (click to view the video on Youtube) and "What a Brother Know". br />After parting was with Select he dropped the Style alias they had given him and started going by T.O.N.E, which eventually morphed into T.O.N.E-z. Over the years he sold thousands of mixtapes, and worked on several releases including a project with Myzery and a full length solo album "The One No-One Expected". His exploits are too numerous to detail, but this interview with the Cavalier Daily will fill in some of the gaps: T.O.N.E. talks influences, goals, lessons learned. A good exclamation point leading up to T.O.N.E-z affiliation with Rydas Records would be his Mannequins / State of Hip Hop video.Pedigree If you've already checked out the mixtape and clicked the links you have probably seen the family connections that T.O.N.E-z has. The brother of both Special K formerly of the Treacherous Three and T La Rock both hip-hop legends in their own right. Special K's group (which featured Kool Mo Dee) was signed to Sugar Hill Records and T La Rock had what some consider to be the first Def Jam release, It's Yours. (To read a 1996 New York Times article about T La Rock (which details the T.O.N.E-z/Style and Special K family connection in the tenth paragraph go here. ) Needless to say T.O.N.E-z roots lie in the origins of hip-hop and he and his family has had a profound impact on hip-hop.

Read more:http://www.myspace.com/tonezworld#ixzz12SggRyEX

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LEO37

Artist Information
Biography"Lyricist, turntablist, label co-owner and creator of magnitude." (Rokon Magazine - Seoul) 

In only 5 years of work, prairie-born LEO37 (née Leo Shia) has managed to amass a resume that boasts accolades and accomplishments comparable to most industry veterans – and he’s done so independently.  2 solo albums, 2 digital releases, numerous studio collaborations and hundreds of performances in packed houses through 11 countries: it would appear that independence isn’t such a bad thing.

Beginning his involvement in music early on with organ lessons at the age of 8 and trumpet and drums shortly thereafter, it wouldn’t be until he got his 16 year old hands on a set of turntables that his part-time hobby mutated into full-blown obsession.  With the opportunity to both expand on his career and pursue a higher education, Leo relocated to Toronto in 2001 where he earned a degree from Ryerson University's prestigious Radio and Television Arts Program while also finding himself on stage and in studio with some of the city's most acclaimed jazz, folk, pop and hip-hop artists, including Christine Bougie (Ronley Teper), Dafydd Hughes (Esthero & Feist) and Soliva.  

In late 2004, following a mad season in the UK, Leo recorded Winter, his debut release on PPF House.  Met with rave response, the 7-track EP sold out of its initial pressing in just under a month and received a nomination for Best Hip-Hop Album at the 2005 Toronto Independent Music Awards.  This was followed a year later with Summer, a full length offering which traded in Winter's digital soundscapes for a live band made up of some of Canada's biggest jazz heavyweights.  "From jazz to rock...disco to drum and bass...the point [of Summer] is positivity, but there's also an emphasis on pushing musical boundaries." (The Star Phoenix - Saskatoon)

Since then, Leo’s gone on to release: Applause (2009) – with fellow prairie-born/Toronto-based producer, Sunclef; Icarus (2010) – with PPF House’s resident noisemakers, the Worst Pop Band Ever; executive produced and performed on the label compilation PPF House Basement Suite (2007) -- that was declared "...one of the most original sounds in Canada." by Exclaim! – as well as toured through Canada, the U.S., the U.K., the Netherlands, 7 countries through South East Asia and has been a featured guest at the: TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival, Wreckhouse International Jazz & Blues Festival, Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, Spring Scream (Taiwan) and NXNE.  "...skilled flow and massive stage presence... Even the people chatting in the back of the room had to stand up and take notice when Leo grabbed the mic." (+886 Magazine – Taipei)

Now back in studio, Leo’s preparing his yet to be titled follow-up to Summer with Toronto-based producer/multi-instrumentalist, John Poon due out Spring 2011. 

Having shared the stage with an eclectic mix of artists ranging from Del the Funky Homosapien to the Bad Plus, Tittsworth to Aloe Blacc, and drawing inspiration from the careers of artists like Miles Davis, the Soulquarians, the Native Tongues, Radiohead and Bjork, LEO37 strives for forward-thinking, content-driven music with a thick groove.  Be it as a solo performer, a producer or a turntablist, his range is deep and diverse, offering forth a smart, danceable and utterly unique soundtrack for our times.  

InstrumentationLEO37 - Emcee/DJ/Producer
Sunclef - Producer/Bass

Previous tour and album contributors: 
Banks, Chris                        - Bass
Bougie, Christine                  - Guitar
DaCosta, Justin (Mr. Blends)- Emcee
Hughes, Daffydd                  - Keys
Martin, Amery (Abyss)          - Emcee
McIntosh, Richard (RAM!)    - Emcee/Producer
Shia, Howie (S.Pop)            - Producer
Shia, Tim (Bok Sau)              - Drums/Producer
Trask, Jordan                      - Drums
Vincent DePaul, Shan          - Emcee
Zubeck, Nick                        - Guitar/Vocals/Producer
Discography2010
- LEO37 - Icarus - Writer, Producer, Performer

2009
- LEO37 + Sunclef - Applause - Writer, Performer

2007
- VARIOUS ARTISTS - PPF Basement Suite - Writer, Producer, Performer

2006
- LEO37 - Summer - Writer, Producer, Performer
- Worst Pop Band Ever - Thanks For Coming Out - Turntablist
- Urban Mythology - Cultural Cannibalism - Guest Writer/Performer on 'Good Morning' 

2005
- LEO37 - Winter - Writer, Producer, Performer
- Various Artists - Songs from the Bridge City - Compilation featuring 'Work it Out' from 'Winter'
Links

http://www.ppfhouse.com

Facebook

MySpace

Twitter

Bandcamp

The "Bitter-Sweet" of EMINEM

Image via Wikipedia

An only child of English, German, Swiss, and Polish ancestory, Marshall Bruce Mathers III was born on October 17th, 1972 in St. Joseph Missouri, where his father abandoned the family after a year--leaving he and his mother to live in poverty.

At the age of 12, they moved to Warren, Michigan near Detroit, where Mathers became interested in hip hop after buying the Beastie Boys album Licenced to lll.

Two years later, Mathers was performing amateur raps under the pseudonym "M&M", while also competing in free style rap battles at East Detroit's Osborn Highschool, where he would eventually drop out at age 17.

Upon joining the group "Soul Intent" and recording an extended play track called 'Steppin Onto The Scene', Mathers broke off to compete in more freestyle rap sessions, where he won numerous awards and gained approval of underground hip hop audiences.

It was also during these early, lean years that Mathers worked minimum wage jobs as a cook and dishwasher to support both his mother and young daughter Hailie,while honing his rap style and chasing his dream of wealth.

Before finally signing with FBT Productions in 1992, he lost his maternal uncle Ronnie Nelson to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, which devistated Mathers...who was close to his uncle.

While Mathers did manage to realease his debut album Infinite a few years later, its content often described his own life struggles raising a daughter, being broke, and abusing drugs, often to fight off depression and insomnia.

Shortly after the album's release, Mathers survived his own un-successful suicide attemt, which may have been the sling shot that launched him into better times...better yet--super stardom!

In 1998,record producer Dr. Dre signed Mathers to his 'Aftermath Entertainment' label, and they both began recording tracks for Eminem's first, major label album called "The Slim Shady LP".

In 1999, 'The Slim Shady LP' won a Grammy Award for 'Best Rap Album', as Billboard Magazine called it "light years ahead of any material Eminem has written so far"!

His next album, "The Marshall Matthews LP" became the fastest selling solo album in United States history, allowing Mathers his own label Shady Records, and his own group project "D12".

The Marshall Mathers LP and his third album, "The Eminem Show" also won Grammy's , making Eminem the first rap artist ever to win best album three strait years.

He also won another 'Best Album' Grammy in 2010 for "Relapse", giving Eminem a total of 11 career Grammy Awards!

In early 2003, I was working at the Mercado shopping center in Santa Clara, California not far from the AMC theater complex, where a huge crowd of teenage movie-goers packed the entire parking lot in long lines...all to see one of the first showings of a movie called 8-Mile!

It was nothing short of  a mob scene!  I later found out it starred the latest rap superstar Eminem...who, I admit I knew very little about...except that his popularity was capturing the imaginations of millions!

A week later, I saw "8-Mile" and truly enjoyed Eminem's only major film role.(He's appeared in a few more...and various TV shows including 'Entourage')

Wouldn't you know it, Mathers won an Academly Award for 'Best Original Song' for "Lose Yourself", who's lyrics portrayed him as the lead man, also growing up poor in urban Detroit with a single mom, troubled romances, depression, and a desire to prove himself as a star rapper--which he achieved in the film, and, of course....in real life!

"Lose Yourself'" went on to become the longest running #1 hip hop single ever recorded, and it led Mathers to take a breather from making records for a few years.

Then, in 2009 his successful release of the album "Relapse" awarded him the 'Best Music Artist of the Decade on theUS Nielsen SoundScan which also recognized Mathers as selling more than 80-million albums worldwide!

In 2010, he released his seventh studio album called "Recovery", which became his sixth consecutive number-one album in the U.S. achieving international, commercial success in several other countries, and stayed on top of the U.S. Billboard 200 chart for five consecutive weeks.

Throughout his career, Mathers has also been in the midst of controversy and criticism, mostly regarding terse lyrical references directed at stars like 'Michael Jackson', 'Mariah Carey', 'Christina Aguilera', and even the President of the United States,('George Bush')...who had the F.B.I. ready to interrogate Eminem for song lyrics implying his preference for a dead president!

However, despite the fact Mathers has never avoided pushing the envelope to its max, he's always performed in strait-up fashion-- in his life experiences, in his clear, intense, and inspiring lyrics, and, finally...with his own distinct and entertaining style!.

It's not hard to wonder why Vibe magazine labeled 'Eminem' the greatest rapper alive in 2008, while VH-1 has him ranked 79th on their Top 100 artists of all time list---just a slim shade better than Rolling Stone magazine's ranking of 82nd all time! 

Thanks so much, and make sure to catch Eminem on Streetwise Radio's BIG HOP!!

Sincerely,

PeteCam4 

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"Ne-Yo"...a fabulous song writer!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

' 

Ne-Yo' is only 30-years old, but he's already established himself as one of the elite song writers on the American pop and R and B scene.

Born with the name Shaffer Chimere Smith, 'Ne-Yo' is also an accomplished singer, record producer, rapper, and film actor.  However, it's as a song writer that he's collaborated with and written songs for a virtual who's who of superstars, including 'Mary J. Blige', 'B2K', 'Faith Evans', 'The Goo Goo Dolls', 'Rihanna', 'Beyonce Knowles', 'Leona Lewis', 'Whitney Houston', Celine Dion', 'Ciara', 'Enrique Iglesias', and 'Linsay Lohan'.

Ne-Yo's parents, both musicians, split up when he was a toddler, and it was his mother, of African American and Chinese descent who moved the family from Arkansas to Las Vegas, Nevada.

There, Ne-Yo joined a four-piece band called 'Envy', which broke up in 2000, after which he recorded his first solo album with 'Columbia Records'.

But, he was dropped from their label prior to its release, and that's when singer 'Marques Houston' snapped up one of Ne-Yo's tracks called "My Girl", and re-recorded it for his own 2003 album "MH".

This got him noticed, and for the next two years Ne-Yo wrote songs for many top stars.  His single "Let Me Love You" performed by American star 'Mario', topped the 'Billboard Top-100 list for nine weeks!

It's been an uphill climb from there!  'Def Jam Records' president 'Jay-Z' quickly signed him to his label, and in early 2006 Ne-Yo recorded his debut album "In My Own Words"....with hit singles "So Sick", "When You're Mad", and "Sexy Love" all making the 'Billboard Top-100'.

Next came his sophomore LP "Because of You", followed by last year's "Year Of The Gentleman", an album from which Ne-Yo infers that the essence of a gentleman is absent right now in the music business.

"Everybody's kind of rude and full of themselves, whereas a gentleman is couirteous, kind, and charming", he says.

This charming gentleman's latest album "Libra Scale" is due out in October, with the opening single "Beautiful Monster" having already been released this past May.

Ne-Yo's acting career features two movie roles in the 2007 films "Save the Last Dance 2", and "Stomp the Yard", with three other projects planned for later this year and in 2011.

As for the unusial name Ne-Yo, it was coined by producer 'Big D Evans', who claimed that Ne-Yo sees music the same way that 'Neo" sees the matrix. 

Evans kept calling him Ne-Yo, along with everyone else....and the name stuck! So have all of Ne-Yo's fantastic songs and lyrics.

Thanks, and be sure to log on to Streetwise Radio, on www.Streetwisesd.com  

Sincerely, PeteCam4

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Rock The Bells August 22 – SF – Shoreline Amphitheatre