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Unlisted Artist |
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To read the FULL interview
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BIOGRAPHY
UNLISTED Artist was raised in Teaneck, New Jersey into a family that has extensive musical tastes and knowledge. Having a brother 7 years older, was the ideal situation growing up to be schooled in the genre of music that would later become UNLISTED Artist's passion. With Hip-Hop filling the house, as well as great Motown artists, Doo Wop artists, Jazz Artists, and many others, UNLISTED Artist musical knowledge was known as "beyond his years" to many older people he associated with. The first rhyme ever written came as part of a school project in 8th grade, and after much praise, became a major hobby that consumed all his free time.
In Teaneck at that time, if you rhymed, you could find someone to rhyme with. UNLISTED Artist (then known as Distress) was starting to take freestyle and written rhyme "Battles" very seriously and joined an unofficial crew of solo artists. During that period, he and the crew had been known to make demo after demo (homemade) and perform for anyone who would listen. Having the background of Hip-Hop given by his brother, UNLISTED Artist was inspired by Original School artists like LL Cool J, Slick Rick, and Run DMC the most, but at High School age he found himself influenced by the likes of Wu-Tang Clan, Onyx, and Black Moon.
UNLISTED Artist was "discovered" during an impromptu performance at a college party he was invited to in his late teens. After rhyming over multiple instrumentals thrown on by a DJ he had never met before, a completely unrehearsed performance got everyone's attention. That next Monday UNLISTED recieved a phone call from an in-house producer at Gee Street Records who had gotten his number through a long line of people. Within weeks, they had a production deal in place, which eventually led to a contract. During the recording of his first projects UNLISTED collaborated with many artists in many different ways. He had started performing heavily, and opened up for such artists as his Hip-Hop idols Wu-Tang Clan as a group, the solo Wu projects that followed, Mobb Deep, Channel Live, Peter Gunz and Lord Tariq, and a few dozen more. Performing sometimes 4 nights a week. He was also becoming very successful in the Battle forums in which he had perfect streaks of 20+ in some cases. During this time, he also wrote some alternative songs, R&B songs and helping to develop other artist he came across in his travels. Not for professional reasons, merely to give back to artists who were struggling to make it. He also wrote professionally later on, and had sold many rhymes to managers, artists, and producers all over the industry.
Word Up! Magazine had printed a small article about him in 1997, that wound up getting him even more buzz on the streets and industry where it was needed. They were quoted as saying "His versatility is what sets Distress apart from most artists of today." After the leak of a few songs set to come out on his album, there were two songs "Who You?" and "High Noon" that got a lot of underground attention that took his efforts to Japan and also the UK where he performed for thousands of people who had heard the songs on their underground stations. However, in the states Gee Street Records had started to be dimantled after being bought by a much larger label. So, UNLISTED Artist was once again back to the drawing board. Still recieving compensation regularly for work on other projects with up and coming artist, he decided to start a label with a few partners called Runaway Records where he and another group would be featured acts. Due to a few untimely emergencies and people having to move away, Runaway Records was put on hold, then eventually disbanded. Having only released one single, "Know Who We Are".
Since then, Distress changed his name to UNLISTED Artist because he feels that UNLISTED is the perfect word to describe the kind of artist he is and will always want to be. Being labeled and remembered for being "A Battle Emcee" is blessing and a curse to him. Being UNLISTED is being unclassified, it is being not put on any lists, it is being unpredictable, it is being unchained to any particular "style" of the genre that he loves. UNLISTED Productions (the music organization he is currently under the banner of) is about finding creative, original artists and helping them develop their real Hip-Hop talents and keep real Hip-Hop in the mix of today's music at all costs. Recently, he has been working with an artist by the name of E Rex Muzic of E Rex's Studio. UNLISTED feels E Rex's Studio is the perfect place to not only help showcase UNLISTED Productions ideas, BUT also bring real Hip-Hop elements such as real scratching back to the listener. The most recent UNLISTED Productions release, "Blue Shadows" is a compilation of songs from UNLISTED Artist and E Rex showcasing creative Hip-Hop that contains a classic 80s and 90's feel. E Rex Muzic adds inputs to every record to make it a complete project. This project is available for free download on www.UNLISTEDProductions.com. |
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