Hip Hop Congress

Gio album release party!

Check out the below E Card from Styles P [Koch]

ALBUM IN STORES: December 4th!

http://www.flashenhanced.com/stylesp/ecard/

“I don’t think they’re going to expect what I’m coming with, this album is a display of my best work yet” says Styles Peniro (né David Styles) about his upcoming third solo album, Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentlemen). As Styles P drops his follow up to 2002’s critically acclaimed A Gangster & A Gentleman (with more then 700,000 copies sold), he’s confident in his abilities to not only continue his cliques’ reputation for banging Hip-Hop, but also cement his reputation as one of the rap game’s most talented lyricists.

Styles P, a member of The LOX, grew up on the streets of Yonkers, NY rapping alongside Jadakiss (Jayson Phillips) and Sheek Louch (Shawn Jacobs). In their late teens the trio met Mary J. Blige who was so impressed with their tough street east coast lyrics she gave them a big break by putting their demo in the hands of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who immediately hired the trio to write for Bad Boy Records. With the label, The LOX quickly started collaborating hits with Diddy, the Notorious BIG, Mary J Blige and Mariah Carey which gave them instant notoriety and status within the hip-hop and mainstream charts.

In 1996 and 1997, the group wrote and performed on a number of Diddy hits, including “It’s All About the Benjamins” and “I Got the Power,” Mase’s “24 Hrs. to Live,” Mariah Carey’s “Honey,” the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Last Day,” and Mary J. Blige’s “Can’t Get You Off My Mind.” In 1997 The LOX received international acclaim when their tribute to the late Biggie Smalls, “We’ll Always Love Big Poppa,” was picked as the B side track off of Diddy’s album (3x Platinum) with the number one hit, “I’ll Be Missing You.” This single was the most played hit in 1997, which opened the door for The LOX first solo album debut in January 1998 entitled Money, Power & Respect (Certified Gold). Though the album was a chart toping success, The LOX felt the glossy sheen of Bad Boy Records conflicted with their grimier rap aesthetic and therefore cut their ties and moved on to Ruff Ryder Records. After another LOX album, We Are The Streets (2002), Jadakiss was the first to release a solo album in 2001 Kiss The Game Goodbye and Styles followed with his own in 2002 A Gangster & A Gentleman.

Whether a part of the triple threat The LOX, or as a solo artist, Styles’ razor sharp slick talk has created a cult-like following by his countless fans within the hip-hop and gangsta rap community.

“I always looked at myself as the hardest MC in the game” he says. “I’m proud to be independent & putting this album out myself. This 3rd Album is the best display of my work thus far”

From growing-up on the streets to slinging drugs to making ends meet and spending time in jail, Styles has earned respect from his peers in the music industry. These days, when Styles is not making tracks, he works a busy schedule as Co-CEO of D-Block Records, and raising his two kids-daughter Tai (10) and son Noah (6) with his wife, Adjua Styles. On the artistic side, he’s been a featured artist on smash hits including Akon’s “Lock’d Up”, Jadakiss’s “Why Remix”, and Mariah Carey’s #1 smash hit “We Belong Together” (remix), keeping him on the mainstream radar.

With the release of Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) his first album with KOCH Records, he continuously packs on the heat with one of 2007’s most anticipated urban releases. “I’m proud to be operating as an independent where I have total control of my project”. Styles’ undeniable talent is further showcased on this album by his more refined verses and finely chiseled songs. The first single, “Blow Your Mind” with Swizz Beatz debuted strongly on the urban charts and is currently the 2nd highest added single on urban radio. Other tracks include collaborations with Akon, Ghostface Killah, Ray J, Max B, and Black Thought making this record a standout hit.

Hip Hop Congress Partners with The Cipher in Austin TX

From one of the organizers:

Austin, Tx

The Cipher- Austin’s Hip Hop Project exists to ensure Austin youth a safe, supportive, dynamic and challenging community in which to discover their powerful voices. Through written, spoken word and hip-hop, they can express their views and strengthen self-esteem. This project encourages them to use musical self-expression to air their opinions on personal and sociopolitical issues.

We provide uncensored writing, recording and performance opportunities to Austin youth at no cost. Through our year-long curriculum and workshops, we aim to develop youth’s critical thinking skills, leadership, and to ignite a personal commitment to growth and learning. In addition, this program improves job and networking skills enabling youth to start and maintain community connections. We were inspired to create this program by the documentary film The Hip Hop Project and the program it features. www.hiphopproject.com

In our curriculum, we also include the films Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Byron Hurt and Before the Music Dies by Austin filmmakers Joel Rasmussen and Andrew Shapter. see http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/ and http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/

The Beyond Beats and Rhymes discussion is led by violence prevention specialist Sean Tate from Texas Council on Family Violence.

The teens also experience hip hop theatre through Zell Miller III’s Hip Hop Theatre Explosion http://sharonbridgforth.com/2007/08/05/hip-hop-theatre-explosion/ and http://austinist.com/2007/07/31/zell_miller_iii.php

This show, put on 4 times a year, allows the teens opportunities to perform in a non threatening space as they move through the Cipher program.

Some samples from the the artists work can be seen here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNGACXaR4WY
http://www.myspace.com/zellmillermusic
View Public Offenders’s EPK
and http://www.saulpaul.com/
http://www.balleteast.org/Bios/ananda.htm

All of the performers are guest speakers and involved in the day to day workings of “The Cipher”

We also partner with Austin Voices for Education and Youth, Southwest Key Programs, Texas Association for Nonprofit Organizations and numerous community organizers. This allows Cipher participants to be meaningfully involved in the community.

Did D.O. sign a deal?

New D.O. single “This Grind”

The new D.O. single produced by The Beatchild is hitting the airwaves.
DJ’s around the world are calling it one of the hottest new tracks out!

Check THIS GRIND out exclusively at our myspace page along with
new bangers produced by DJ Speed, Diz Dallas, and Classified.

Click here to visit D.O. myspace

Poizunus Album Release party , Saturday, December 1st

D.O. will be performing live as part of Poizunus’s album release party. Regarded as one of the World’s top beat-boxing talents, Poizunus also performs live at many D.O. shows.

It’s Poizunus’s birthday celebration and we going to pop some bottles to celebrate!

Saturday December 1st, 2007
10:00pm – 3:00am

Peridot Resto Lounge
81 Bloor St. E.
Toronto, ON
M4W 1A9

Special guests:

D.O.
SICK.SOUND.SYNDROME – Toronto’s Sickest Beatbox Crew
M-KUTZ – Toronto DMC Champion 2004-2006
Q – L.O.D. Fam
KOL & XAVIER – Founders of DigitalX – Classic House and Electro
DJ DUSSDISS – Old School n’ Classic Hip Hop

To get a sample of the Poizunus EP, check the Myspace:

http://www.myspace.com/poizun

For more info on the EP, check the Blog below:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=13061305

WWW.DOYALL.COM

The official home of D.O. aka Defy the Odds

D.O.’s debut album “THE NORTHSTARR” is available on ITUNES
and can be purchased online via the links on our site