Scholar

Scholar is a multi-talented artist located in Columbia, South Carolina by way of Arizona.  He is a rapper/singer/ radio personality, with a spot at the only Hip Hop station in Columbia, Hot 103.9 FM.  Since deciding to become a performer, he has been the opening act for artists such as Fat Joe, Neyo, Young Jeezy, Kanye West, Rick Ross and Pitbull to name a few.  He continues to build his brand and work on his currently untitled debut album.  Check out the video below for his sultry, lady-friendly single, Intoxicating below.  Enjoy!  Also, be sure to check out his Youtube channel by clicking here and become a fan on Facebook by clicking here or Myspace by clicking here.

Contact Info:

book.teamscholar@gmail.com

Project Alfie

Project Alfie is a English soul singer/ songwriter who is wildly reminiscent of a 1960's lounge singer (think Frank Sinatra or Sammy Davis, Jr.), but with a modern flare to it.  He is heavily inspired by both the 60's and Hip Hop cultures and it shows in every facet of his brand.  Taking from the Hip-Hop influence, he has created and released a self-titled mixtape in which he sampled various rappers including Nas, Kanye West and Jay-Z.  His superb talent and hard work afforded him the rare opportunity to be featured on Universal Records' Compilation R&B Collection 2012.  He is the first ever unsigned artist to be featured on the compilation.  He recently returned home from New York City, where he worked with the Hitmen production team on his debut release album.  He is also working on several tracks with Hip Hop artist Sway.  This is not the last time you are going to be hearing from Project Alfie.  I foresee 2012 is going to be his year.   You can download the Project Alfie Mixtape here.  Also, check out the official video for the track "Beggin", which samples Jay-Z's Dead Presidents, below.

Contact info:

Alex Katter

alex@twentyfirstartists.com

Nick Matthews

nick@codaagency.com

S. Dot

There aren't many artists who from South Carolina that are still relevant.  I can immediately think of two, Blind Fury and Angie Stone.  What South Carolina needs is an artist that can put the state on the map and keep it relevant.  Richard "S. Dot" Steward could just be the one to do that.  He has raw talent and can keep southern Hip Hop in the forefront.  His mixtape 'Can't Sell Dope Forever', has a positive vibe, starting from the title, and it trickles down through every track.  You aren't going to hear what has become the norm for rap from S. Dot.  There is true depth in his rhymes  and by listening to each song, you can feel his joys, his pains, his struggles and his determination.

The production on each track is pretty dope too.  Each track reminds you of a different artist from a different region in the country.  There's a West Coast infused track, a Southern, Louisiana early Cash Money or No Limit track (he is originally from Louisiana, so there's homage being paid) as well as an East Coast track.  This guy is versatile and has nowhere to go but up.  Check out his video for 'How U Luv Dat' below.

Contact Info:

Kevin Woods

803.760.5493

Amirrio Lovayy

Mark my words, this guy is going to be a star!  He has the look, the talent, he's the total package.  An 18 year-old from Atlanta, he is just starting out in the business, but from the videos posted on his Youtube channel, he won't be unknown for long.  He is being highly praised for his rendition of 'Player's Prayer' by Lloyd, and with good reason.  His voice is easily comparable with Lloyd.  He has done several other covers as well.  He has a cover of Frank Ocean's 'Thinkin' Bout You', as well as 'How To Love' by Lil Wayne, which, in my opinion, was MUCH better than Lil Wayne's singing. I'm just saying.  Check out his Youtube channel here.  Please take a second to listen to the 'Player's Prayer' cover below, and don't forget this name.  You'll regret it later if you do!

Contact info:

www.facebook.com/amirriolovayy

www.twitter.com/amirrioiam

Kevin Ross

Kevin Ross is a 24 year-old Washington, DC native singer who's on the come up.  I chose him because he gives off a mature gentleman vibe, not the sexed up, disrespectful male perfumer that we have been forced to deal with over the years.  He is a trained vocalist and performer, as well as a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, with a degree in songwriting.  He has been compared to legends like Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, which is definitely a fair comparison.

 He now lives in Atlanta, works as a songwriter, and has a publishing deal with Kon Live.  Kevin has worked with artists like Jaime Foxx, Usher and Akon, and was named "Best New Artist" by AOL Music.      He has also won the award for "Best Male Artist" at the 2009 DMV Entertainment Music Awards.  Take a look at the video for his single "So Incredible" below.

Contact info:
www.twitter.com/krossmusic

Mike Pain

Mike Pain is a versatile Norfolk, Virginia artist that is sure to make his mark in the Hip Hop industry very soon.  With his current single, "Strike A Pose" featuring Drew Sidora, is getting a lot of airplay, and currently has over 5,000 views on YouTube.  There is another song of his that I'm a fan of is "VA Anthem".  He definitely has thigh appeal that will capture his intended audience.  Check out his video for "Strike A Pose"with Drew Sidora below or click here.

Contact Info:

757.277.4187
mikepainsworld@gmail.com

Bone Intell

I can honestly say that Bone Intell is the last of a dying breed.  He is really one of the very few people that I would say can bring real Hip Hop back.  I don't mean the music only, but the culture in itself.  Through his music, you can feel his passion for the art.  It is refreshing to see someone who stays so true to himself without compromising his beliefs.  

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Bone was born in the place Hip Hop originated from.  He began rapping at the age of 12 and since then, has worked with acts such as Sonny Lewis, T-Pain, Koaz and Freddie Freeman to name a few.  He's been on countless promotional tours, including DJ Kay Slay's Streetsweepers Sirius Satellite Radio Show.  He continues to tour the Northeast region of the United States, as well as several countries worldwide.  He has become a household name in those areas, and hopefully soon, he'll become a household name, period.  Check out the video for his single "Body Language" below.  You can also check him out at Reverbnation, by clicking here. 

Contact info:
jwilliams8151@gmail.com
bone@boneintell.com

Cherine

Cherine Anderson is a Reggae artist originally from Kingston, Jamaica.  The reason I chose to feature her is because although I have Caribbean blood running through my veins and I love my island and culture, I am not the biggest Reggae fan in the world.  There are a few artists or songs that an grab my attention, and Cherine is one of them.  When I heard her song "Rebel", I was instantly hooked.  I can see this track becoming my new get-ready-for-the-club anthem.  It is very mellow yet you can still get hyped to it.  How many tracks do you know can do that??  She also gets massive respect from me because before she even put an album out, she collaborated on OFFICIAL remixes with industry legends such as Madonna, and get this... PAUL MCCARTNEY!!!! Please check her out ASAP. This girl needs to blow up in the states NOW!  Check her out at http://www.reverbnation.com/cherineanderson.   Check her video below for "Redemption Songs":

Contact info:

Patrick Lindsay- zlink@zlinkentertainment.com

215-628-3109 or 876-396-6849

SSTP

Struggle Since Turner Prince (SSTP) is a hiphop group from the Princeville and Tarboro areas in North Carolina.  The group's name was derived from a freed slave name Richard Turner Prince who was born into slavery in 1843. As Prince struggled to go from slavery to self-sufficiency, the group too is following in his footsteps.  The struggle continues to this day as the group is looking to get a distribution recording deal at the same time continuing to record music symbolizing everyday struggles and everyday life as they move forward to their vision of one day making a positive impact in the music industry. The group consists of twelve members: Calvin"K.KUTTA"Hagans, Derik"FLO"Downing, Kendrick"STYXX"Downing, Kenneth"YOUNG MILLZ"Frasier, Davius"DOJABOY"Dozier, Kelcey"ALLPRO"Jones, Quizondos"QB"Boddie, Darrius"REDIE"Wiggins, Chis"HI-FI"Nance, Jerome"YOUNG JABB"Joyner, Trevor"KASTRO"Howell, Corwin"CL"Farmer. To date, the group has done shows in NC,VA,and DC. With FLO, DOJABOY, YOUNG MILLZ, and ALLPRO already having solo mixtapes under their belts, the group as a whole has recorded two mixtapes: "WitnessThe Struggle,Watch The Movement" and 7787-vol 2 and is currently working on their third mixtape:Two-Thousand Turner Prince(20TP) with K.KUTTA, STYXX, and QB, working on their solo debut mixtapes as well.The group is now promoting the upcoming release of FLO and DOJABOY "The Handicap Match" and YOUNG MILLZ "Millzbury" mixtapes. The group has worked with such producers as My Brothers Keeper(MBK), T-Guda, Patrick Holloway,Dominique Callahand and JB da Dealer just to name a few. You can find each member on www.myspace.com/sstp1885.

Check out their video below:

Contact info:

iamyoungmillz@gmail.com

Jarryd Fillmore

Jarryd Fillmore is one of my new favorites.  He is an acoustic/ blues/ folk singer from Ontario, Canada.  He has a very pure voice that doesn't need  heavy background music, vocals and production.  His guitar is the perfect match for his soothing voice.

On tracks like "Long Days and Longer Nights", the passion is felt from beginning to end.  He reminds me of an early John Mayer.  I could definitely see him covering some Ray Charles or Donny Hathaway.  Please check him out on his youtube channel: www.youtube.com/jarrydfillmoremusic.  Also, check the video below of him performing "Long Days Longer Nights".  Enjoy!

Contact info:
jarrydfillmore.design@gmail.com

Novaman/ Joe Barrino

Charlotte, North Carolina natives Novaman and Joe Barrino have teamed up and created the anticipated summer anthem "She Want Me".  The Rap/R&B track was produced by Novaman, an artist and CEO of Villain Entertainent.  He also can also add lyricist to the credits, as he is the rapper on the song.  Joe Barrino, brother of Fantasia Barrino, appeared as vocalist on "She Want Me". 

The track will be released on iTunes and Amazon soon, but can requested on local radio stations now.

Contact info:
Whitney Johnson
whitney.justine@gmail.com

DK

Diamond Khalil, or DK as he is better known, is a Rocky Mount, NC native rapper taking his region by storm.  Considered a "veteran" by industry terms, DK has been rapping since the age of eight.  Since that time, he has done performances in places like New York, Washington, DC, and Atlanta, Georgia. 

He has done opening performances for artists including Trina, Freeway, and Petey Pablo.  He also made it to New York to perform in front of Black Rob and Craig Mack for Diddy's "Making The Band" series.

Most recently, DK has hooked up with Hip Hop legend DJ Kool, and released the track "Do It Big".  They decided to collaborate after a meeting in 2008.  This track can definitely become a club anthem.  The track was released through Iron Fist Entertainment and can be downloaded here: http://hulkshare.com/80fjnwecuk8z

Contact info:
Grif
cmrmangement@aol.com

First Fall

When I look for artists to write about, there are several components I look for. First, there has to be drive. I’m not going to help a musician who doesn’t help themselves. Next, I look for originality. Finally, I absolutely must see and hear talent. These guys have all of that and more. First Fall is a quintet representing Southern California. David Larrea, Joe Esparza, Gerardo Cisneros, Marvin Espinoza, and Adam Coronado are the members of the group that was founded in 2007. Since that time, they have performed at places like the Miami Music Festival in 2009 with RCA artists 2AM Club and Jared Evan and Los Angeles House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard.


One of the interesting things about First Fall is that their genre of music is really an undefined one. They infuse a very healthy blend of rock, alternative, blues and jazz. With an eclectic style, their debut EP, Tunnels, is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Adding a special touch, percussionist extraordinaire Alex Acuña, who is widely known for being a session player for major acts and was member of the 70’s jazz-fusion group Weather Report, was gracious enough to lend his talents as a special contribution to the EP. How awesome is that?!? The EP was mainly recorded at the Tabernacle Sound Lab, with fine tuning by producer Hugo Larrea and mixed by Tim Palmer, whose roster of collaborations include U2, Pearl Jam and Jason Mraz, as well as Grammy award winning mixer Benny Faccone, who has worked with Lou Rawls and Billy Paul, to name a few.

Tunnels is scheduled for a May release and will be available on the bands official site, as well as www.amazon.com, www.rhapsody.com and www.itunes.com. The video for their single “Inside Out,” produced by Antonio Lozano, is posted below; prepare to be blown away!

Check the members of First Fall out at www.firstfall.net and www.facebook.com/firstfall

Contact info:

Gerardo Cisneros

Infinite_shockwave@yahoo.com

Iration

Iration is described as a Rock/Reggae band from Santa Monica, CA that originated in Hawaii.  Joseph Dickens, Adam Taylor, Cayson Peterson, Kai Rediske, Micah Pueschel and Joseph King have been performing together professionally since 2006.

They have had four releases since then.  2006's New Roots EP, 2007's No Time For Rest, 2008's Sample This EP, and their most recent album, TIme Bomb.  THey have been on tour with the likes of Stephen and Ziggy Marley, Yellowman and Shwayze just to name a few.  They are a really talented bunch of guys and deserve the hype that they get.  Check them out on www.facebook.com/iration. Check out the video below for a taste of what these guys got!

Contact info:
michaelharlanllc@gmail.com

TP

TP is a rapper representing Winston Salem, NC.  Under the independent record label It's A Wonderful World, headed by superproducer 9th Wonder, TP gives his listeners positivity and hope in his rhymes.  The track "I Feel The Glow" can be felt by many, but understood by all.  It is the ultimate independent, hard worker theme song.  The drive and motivation is felt all the way through it. 

Check out "I Feel The Glow" and more at www.reverbnation.com/tpismyhero

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any video :( the search continues though

Contact Info:

info@iwwgroup.com

Deleveled

This talented group of guys hails from Columbia, SC.  I know, I know, Columbia is not the first place you think of when you hear talented, but these guys could change all that.  When I first heard them, I listened to the song "An I Hate You Song" (which, by the way became my new anthem), and it reminded me of a Green Day song.  Although they list their favorite influences as Bon Jovi and Smashing Pumpkins, which are two amazing groups to be influenced by, the lead singer's vocals are very reminiscent of Billy Joe. 
The band has received honorable mentions since 2003 by local periodical  "Free Times".  In 2003, they received the honor of Best Local CD for the album "Later Than Usual", in 2005, the guys were voted Best Local Band, and 2006 saw them get the honor of Best Best Local CD again for the album "Keep Them Closer".  Their most recent recording, "Rock is For Lovers" is available now.  Deleveled is working on their new album, with an anticipated release date of the end of 2011.  This time around, they have recruited the talents of singer Jessica Skinner to lend her talents on a few tracks.  "Like" them on Facebook, and follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/deleveled.  To hear "An I Hate You Song" and others, visit their website at http://www.deleveled.net/   Check the video of them performing "Billie Jean" live below.

For Bookings, contact:

jeffwpitts@yahoo.com

Benny Demus

Producer/writer/DJ/Emcee Benny Demus has been in the music business for a while.  He started out as a DJ in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands until he moved to New York in 1994 to become a lyricist.
     Since that time, he has become a DJ for Akon, Rock City, and Eve.  He is now finally making a name for himself as a lyricist.  With his self proclaimed "Virgin Islands Hip Hop" style, the uniqueness and talent that is Benny Demus is going to be around for a lot longer than a season.
     Not only is this guy talented, but he has a heart of gold.  According to his website, he personally sponsored the Virgin Islands Men's All Star basketball game, graced the children of St. Croix and St. Thomas schools and juvenile detention centers with the presences of Akon and Rock city as a morale booster.  He has also been recognized by Virgin Islands leadership for these contributions.
     He will be adding actor to his resume soon, as he is slated to make a cameo appearance in the Dwayne Boyd flick entitled "4 Minutes".  His mixtape "Ben In Black" is available for download now.

Check out his website:

http://www.bennydemus.com/

Jonathan Clay

There are very few people, that I consider real contributors to the Blue Eyed Soul movement, Jon B., Robin Thicke and Jonathan Clay. Jonathan Clay is more than just

His single "To Be Loved By You", is a timeless love song. Every harmony and chord flows effortlessly. I can really only describe this song in one word, amazing. The track "This Ones For Me", is a classic blues number. If you close your eyes, a picture of the juke joints in Memphis would fill your imagination. His voice and instrument selection is very reminiscent of Muddy Waters or B.B. King.

This 23 year-old has an old soul. You can tell by the sound of every note, every key and every melody, that he adores what he does. You don't see too many people who have such a passion that they drop out of school to pursue their dream. This young man did, and that makes me admire him even more.

Jonathan's third album, Everything She Wants, is coming out soon. PLEASE check him out at www.myspace.com/jonathanclay. You won't be disappointed.

Contact info:

Donna Larson

DL Management

270-319-2008

http://crossXswords.blogspot.com