Artist Bio: Mac Fame

While those born in the ’90s may not recall the career peak of the industry’s legends, there are others who lament over the loss of the music. The loss of lyricism. The loss of what first endeared them to Hip Hop.

And there are others who look towards the future….by transforming themselves into a bridge to close the generational gap between the two.

In an age where luck and You Tube can collide to make literally anyone a star; there are others experiencing a simmering frustration at the current state of affairs in the Hip Hop community. Many artists are now being faced with a dilemma, trade their artistic souls for infectious hooks, or give up hope for any radio play at all.

For Chris, otherwise known as Mac Fame, the choice is clear:  Either find a way or make one.

As Fame will attest, “It’s about mixing the old with the new. Taking the aspects that people liked from the past and making them new for a younger audience.”

For many, this proves to be easier said than done. Music is more than just lyrics, it’s about how it makes you feel, hence the difficulty for current artists looking to bridge the gap between lyricism and mass commercial appeal. Just how do you appeal to an audience that’s less apt to embrace a ‘Beat without Bass?

To Fame its simple, “Back in the day, songs came on and you automatically felt something. But you can take the same classic metaphors, and combine it with a catchy phrase or a hook.” “I believe in lyricism. Lyrical content can appeal from the old heads on down to the younger generation.”

The result is a smooth sound as laidback as he is. With a wry smile on his lips and a blunt in his hand, Fame carries a quiet air of confidence, yet can easily be overlooked in a crowded room due to his chilled demeanor…until he steps to the mic. For him, it’s all about the music.

As he will affirm, “Music is my motor. The studio calms me. I feel most at peace with myself when in front of a microphone.”

A regular on the burgeoning music scene in Houston, many will ask just what sets him apart from the deep pool of talent that can be found in the city?

Simple. He’s not from Houston.

As he will tell you, “I’m definitely not like other artists in Houston, because I’m not from Houston. Most people connect the south with club music, that’s not what I do.”
A native of Oakland, California, Fame escaped the violence of the West in exchange for a college education in the South. Degree obtained and a financial career underway, from all appearances Fame has a firm back up plan should his musical endeavors cease.

But he has no worries.

Says Fame with a laugh, “I’ll admit it. I’m hella cocky. If you not feeling your own stuff how can you expect someone else to?” He adds, “I embody the same cockiness of Wayne. And I’m just as off the cuff with my delivery as say the Cool Kids.”

For an artist intent on merging lyrical content of the old with the commercial success of the new, it truly is all about the music and Fame is poised to be a living testament that the music truly can speak for itself.

As he will tell you determinedly, “Music is a form of expression and everyone has an opinion. I don’t need to hype my music up…it just needs to be heard.”

And if music really can’t be stopped, it will be.

 

 

Artist Bio: Core DJ Rhyno

At only 23 years of age, Ryan Fitzgerald has already invested almost a decade into the game; and accrued an enviable track record while doing so.

 A pure love of hip hop spurred Ryan, otherwise known as DJ Rhyno, to get into the game.

 As Rhyno will admit, “I started out as a teen, hooking my parents DVD player up to a pair of stereos until I could graduate to purchasing my own equipment.” 

 His willingness to humble himself and hustle hard would become the recurring theme of his career. By the time he had entered high school, the days of rigging together homemade equipment had long passed. He utilized stints at both Pearland High, and The High School for Performing and Visual Arts, which also claims fellowHoustonnative Beyonce Knowles, to procure gigs at the hottest school functions.

 Taking a cue from his predecessors, he realized early on that practice does indeed make perfect; thus in order to perfect his craft he took on a multitude of local gigs; ranging from:

 Annual NAACP Gala

Boys andGirlsClubCityofHoustonBeauty Pageant

TheHoustonWolverines Championship Football Game (Delmar Stadium)

“Top Teens ofAmerica” [HoustonChapter] Spring Gala

The UnitedNegroCollegeFund Annual Youth Gala (HornbergerConferenceCenter)

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center International Fest (hosted by Madd Hatta, Morning Show host of 97.9)

 The transition from high school to college also brought about a change of scenery; as well as new business opportunities. After pursuing academics at theUniversityofArizona, Rhyno landed a marketing internship with Walt Disney inOrlando, which also landed him squarely in theFloridamusic scene. Utilizing this new opportunity, Rhyno quickly immersed back into his craft, making appearances at Firestone and a plethora of other clubs around Florida, and would ultimately go on to open up for Young Jeezy.

 Destiny surfaced once more for Rhyno, when a chance encounter in an airport terminal steered him down his current path. While on a layover in ’08, he struck up a conversation with a woman who shared his passion for music, that woman was Core DJ Director of Marketing Mercedes Streets; and it was Streets who opened the door to a new opportunity, becoming a Core DJ.

 Though many in the Houston area have questioned why he chose this path versus aligning with the GO DJ’s, a powerhouse coalition in the Houston and Dallas area that includes, but not limited to, GO DJ’s, GO Hustlers, GO MC’s, and even GO Models; Rhyno’s reasoning was as sharp and direct as he is.

 “There’s no animosity. I was provided with an opportunity and I took it.”

 Now firmly back inHouston, Rhyno is once again applying the same work ethic that has gotten him this far, and as an accomplished percussionist, and music composer, is quickly establishing himself as a go-to producer as well.

 His mantra: ”Study the competitors methods and exceed their accomplishments.”

 The Rhyno has arrived at the Houston Zoo. Welcome back kid, welcome back.

Artist Bio: K.R.T. “Knights of the Round Table”

This bio was written for knightimemanagement artist K.R.T. It can be found in it’s entirety at: http://knighttimemanagement.com/artists.html

In a city renowned for it’s “slow, loud, & banging music,” and an affection for all that is screwed; Hailing from the Southwest side of Houston, TX, duo K.R.T. is quickly rising among the pack of new artists eager to step out from under the shadows of their musical successors and blaze their own path in Houston.

A passion for music and a commitment to the creed “family first,” inspired cousins Sir Polky and Prince Charles to come together, and K.R.T., otherwise known as Knights of the Round Table, was born. They’re primary focus being a return to good music; something that is casually thrown around in the industry, but rarely seen anymore. 

“We not trying to make gangster music,” as Charles stated, “Our music is for everybody. We just want to make you feel good.”  

Something that has seemingly come second nature to a pair raised in the church and surrounded by a family full of musicians. 

As Polky can attest, ““Music is in our blood. My grandmother played and sang at church, and my mother sang as well. Singing came natural to me, and rapping came along around the age of 14 after I heard Bone Thugs & Harmony. I got good at free styling at school and stuck with it.” 

K.R.T. effortlessly walks the fine line between lyricism and delivery wrapped in a playful package, as evident in their current local hit “She Turning Heads.” K.R.T. has swiftly made a name for themselves, and can be seen at various events and venues around town.

The duo themselves are just as endearing as the music that they are producing. When asked what differentiates them from other local artists around town, Charles responded, “Because I wear purple.” While Polky added with a wry smile, “I’m probably the flyest big guy that you’ll ever know. I’m in my own lane because I’m my own different person.” 

In short, their music speaks for itself. No gimmicks needed.

 

 

Artist Bio: Illicit Flo

This bio was written for knightimemanagement artist Illicit Flo. It can be found in it’s entirety at: http://knighttimemanagement.com/artists.html

The music industry personifies the creed “This is a man’s world.” While the Golden Age of Hip Hop produced icons like MC Lyte, the enduring Queen Latifah, and the prolific Lauryn Hill; the state of the genre shows a far removal from its heyday. A shift from substance to fantasy has decimated the already sparse number of female emcee’s, leaving a generation of young women more concerned with becoming walking Barbies than advising girls not to “Play with my YoYo.”

  The year of birth for Tamitra Deshira Eaglin, 1979, is significant because it shows the ushering in of a new era. While “Off the Wall” may have ruled the charts that year, the 80s would show the transition from pop to rock, and ultimately funk to hip hop. Tamitra was literally born into hip hop.   While many were quick to laud that “Hip Is Dead,” there are many that have proven that the only thing dead is the radio; as many artists have returned to lyricism and substance. It was a command of these two entities that would earn Tamitra her name: Flo, aptly named for a return to a trait that many emcees have forgotten…or never had.    

 It was poetry that first caught Flo’s interest. With writings dating back to the age of 9, by the early 90s she had already had two poems published in the Young Americans Anthology, and by 13 negotiations with Rap A Lot records had already garnered her two features for the rapper 2low; and would later go on to work with local artists 007, Bido, Pee Wee, Big Chief and CrazyC.

  By the time she became a teenager, Flo already had credits behind her name, but she wasn’t through yet. A move to La Porte, Texas in ’99 saw the formation of a live hip-hop band called Crooked Concept, where she would go on to tour the local event and club circuit, including Fitzgeralds, Deep Elm, Deep Phat, and even The Heights Garden Festivals.   Much like hip hop, Flo was ever changing, ever diversifying. She would go on to become a formidable MC, amping up crowds for Techno Drum and the Bass Break Beat DJs.   Illicit Flo is another one of the many pulses around the City of Houston proving that Hip Hop is not dead, its just not always found on the radio.

While women’s anthems may have reverted to catfights and mixtape disses, Illicit Flo has endured; and her new material promises to show that like their male counterparts, female emcees can too offer varieties, and better yet, coexist. After all, some girls would rather rule the world than play with Barbie.

-Cecilia M. Smith