Hip-Hop New Breeds "Drake", "J-Cole", and "Russell Young"!!
Date: Jun 12, 2009
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Richmond V.A.
In February 2006, Drake released his first mixtape Room for Improvement. It was made available via his website and official MySpace page. From the success of his first mixtape, he later began releasing more, capitalizing from the buzz.
In 2007, he released Comeback Season to much critical acclaim and praise. It was from here on where Graham started gaining popularity when he did his first song with Lil Wayne, a remix of the already popular song "Man of the Year" which Wayne didn't rap in but had ad-libs in the end of the song. In 2008, he released Heartbreak Drake, yet again a popular release and gaining more acclaim and buzz for the artist. So Far Gone, which included Drake's mentor Lil Wayne, and members of Young Money, was released in 2009. Also in 2007, Graham became the first unsigned Canadian rapper to have his music video featured on BET when his first single, "Replacement Girl" was featured as the "Joint of the Day" in April 2007.
While working on his mixtapes and his album, Drake has worked with Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Trey Songz, Robin Thicke and Little Brother. Drake has also written for Jazz Cartier, Bishop Brigante and Dr. Dre. He is currently working on his debut album, Thank Me Later.
He has achieved this success without even signing to a major record label, according to his management Hip Hop Since 1978[7].
In June 2009, it was revealed that a fake Drake album entitled The Girls Love Drake was up for sale on iTunes. A lawsuit is planned against the label.[8]
The bidding war for Drake has been serious. Despite him being affiliated with Young Money for some time now he never actually signed to Wayne’s label. However now it is being said that he has officially chosen a home to release his highly anticipated debut, Thank Me Later.
Atlantic Records will supposedly be Drake’s decision and we should be hearing the official announcement by the end of the week. I am hearing the deciding factor for Drake was not only the money but the fact that Atlantic will put his album out within a year and he will be a top priority in the building. Atlantic has been looking for their next big star since T.I. went away, so this really all does make sense.
Where ever this kid goes, he’s gonna do well. I just cant understand how Wayne would let Drake build such a buzz with him being right under his wing and not DEMAND that he sign at least some kind of deal with him? Do you think it’s shady for Drake to not break any kind of bread with Weezy?
Myspace Page: www.myspace.com/thisisdrake
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J.Cole
The rap world is at a crossroads. In the face of shrinking budgets, music executives, resting on their laurels, search out the next YouTube sensation with a catchy hook and dance move in order to amass digital single sales. While many artists have tried to break through despite an industry melt down, few have been met with critical praise. And the applause for those that have has not been loud enough to sway the course of the current rap market. Looking to excel where his contemporaries have failed, North Carolina native J. Cole (born Jermaine Cole) brings promise of a new day in hip hop music.
Raised by his mother in North Carolina, J. Cole's hometown of Fayetteville would provide much of the sights and experiences that would come to shape his sound. Cole fell into rapping at the age of 12 when his cousin from Louisiana spent the summer in Fayetteville, showing him the basics of rhyming. He was instantly hooked. From there he delved deep into the music of hip hop luminaries including Tupac Shakur, Nas and Outkast, taking from them a love for telling stories with an unbridled rigor. Seizing every opportunity to write, at age 15 J. Cole found himself with composition notebooks full of rhymes but no beats of his own to lay them on. Determined to create original songs, he begged his mother for a beat machine so he could produce music solely for himself. She granted his wish and from there, a young Cole spent all his free time creating sounds and songs that would lay the foundation for what his style has evolved to today.
Feeling the need to be heard, J. Cole used college as a tool to chase his dreams. He attended St. John's University on an academic scholarship, choosing the school so that he could be in the heart of the music industry: New York City. After polishing his sound and graduating Magna Cum Laude, J. Cole is dropping his debut mixtape, properly titled "The Come Up" hosted by DJ On Point. A mash up of dusty, soul filled sound beds, raw, energetic drums and an endless range of topics—everything from the carefree days of college to the seemingly endless plight of those have-nots scrapping for change—The Come Up puts J. Cole's broad palette of lyrical and production talents on display. "All a nigga wanna do is take his momma from that, but they rather lock us up and make sure we don't come back," he vehemently spits over the cascading keys and triumphant strings of the self produced "Lil' Ghetto Nigga."
With such a diverse display, J. Cole is poised to wake up a dormant industry and cement his name in this game. But more than that, with his debut studio album currently in production, he hopes to change the tide of current rap music, swaying it in a more insightful, meaningful and passionate direction."
Myspace Page: www.myspace.com/jcolemusic
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Russell Young
From a small town in "Virginia", a place that is non-existent to the hip-hop world's of "Atlanta", "New York", "Miami", or "L.A." comes an artist who to the naked eye is the lesser known of the "Future of Hip-Hop's Next List" is "Russell Young". Strong, witty, clever lyrics, draped over hard hitting southern beats reminiscent of a "Young Jeezy", "Gucci Mane", or "T.I." Song, "Russell Young" is by far the most "Street Savvy" person out of this bunch. Even though he sounds like a lyricist at heart, his music will pretty much be more accepted in "Ghetto America", because of his long list of "Hood Stories", and "Street Dreams". When listening to some of "Russell Young's" songs it's almost like you are right there in his world which is a very strong concept that alot of artist seem to lack these days. You can feel in his songs the "passion", and "determination" he puts forth in each of his stories. When one of his songs come on you suddenly think that because it is a hard southern beat that he is going to be screaming and hollering all over the track with no conscience, but that's not what happens. What happens is you hear an artist that can sing, which is different besides "Drake" being able to do it. Than after you hear him sing, you are suddenly bombarded by an arsenal of words spitting at you like an "M-16" coming in so many flurries that you have to start the song over again because it is not exactly what you were expecting to hear. "Russell Young" has just dropped his first single "My Life" produced by "Jus Fresh" off of his highly anticipated album "Finally" which is due to drop winter 09. As of now "My Life" has been the most added single to college and internet radio. He is getting features on many websites and blogs, as well as interviews from radio stations around the world. Even though he is the lesser known of the bunch and "unsigned" he is gaining strong momentum with his "Amazingingly Street Savvy Songs" and "hard hitting beats". He is the unexpected of the ones that are most respected and in time drastic measures will certainly change over!!
Myspace Page: www.myspace.com/russellyoungmusic
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IN Closing:
The tides of the music industry are about to change because there are some real lyricist on the rise who will take over once the light is shedded upon them. With all the "Rock", "Lean", "Snap" music abroad and blinding our hip-hop vision via "106 and Park" everyday, the game has been confusing for most, but not for "Drake", "J-Cole", and "Russell Young". Gone are the days of "Biggie", "Tupac", "Big L", "Big Pun", and "Easy E", and "hello" to the days of "Soulja Boy", and "The Stanky Leg Crew". But without further due, like all storms, they always pass and the sun will soon shine again!
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