DA INSIDER MAGAZINE 2

BEST NEW ARTISTS, A&R ADVICE, NEW FASHION MODELS & MORE

Da Industry Hotspot for New Talent-Music Swagazine

Da Insider

Magazine Co.

CONRAD DIMANCHE From

BAD BOY

to Entrepreneur

Who is

KGB???

EXCLUSIVE MUSIC REPORT

CEO Carter TAV Gang DJ Cavalier

Dolla - Beatknocka Rogizz Blago Nikia Model

How to Promote Your Mixtape

Ladii Jade

EXCLSV Clothing Co.

Diamond Girl Club Exclusive!!!

2

Contents

Feature Story

12.

Conrad Dimanche How to 6. Promote your

Featured Artists 19. KGB

From Russia with love...

27. CEO

Carter

Virginia's New Music Child

22. DOLLA

- BEATKNOCKA

Banging Beats In Brooklyn

TAV GANG

33.

Making Some Serious Waves

29. DJ

CAVALIER

Outlet DJs In The Building

45.

40.

NIKIA

Music Runs In Her Family

ROGIZZ BLAGO

More Than Meets The Eye

NEW FASHION EXCLSV Clothing Co. INSIDE PHOTOS

Diamond Girl Club

Insider Special 35.

Ladii Jade Role Model

KX AVAILABLE NOW!!!

CHECK OUT THE NEW VIDEO HERE!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJuJaoaImdM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

How To Effectively Promote Your Mixtapes have become the driving force behind much of the underground hip-hop music that we hear today. Most independent artists use mixtapes to promote themselves and create awareness surrounding their music. Creating a mixtape takes time and preparation, but it's fairly easy and inexpensive to release, which is why the mixtape market is presently so over-saturated. There are too many mixtape projects being released into the music industry, and what ends up happening is the good music actually gets lost in the clutter of mediocre mixtapes. Having a great mixtape is TIP: If you’re awesome but if no one takes the time to listen to it then going to use an instrumental it's ultimate purpose is lost. So how do you get your that's extremely mixtape to stand out from the rest? Here are a few tips popular and to help your needle stand out of the well-known to haystack. the public, make

There are several important

sure that your version is just as good or even better than the original!

factors you must consider before releasing a mixtape. First, it's important to make sure the mixtape is recorded properly, mixed down correctly and sounds as clear and crisp as possible.

Recording your mixtape on your computer or other low-quality device simply won't suďŹƒce. Professional audio engineering is absolutely essential to have a successful mixtape. First impressions are everything - and chances are if the quality of your music sounds crappy, no one will want to listen to it long enough to decide whether it's good music or not. And while we're on the topic of good music, your mixtape should be an adequate representation TIP: if possible, have a known DJ host your mixtape of your abilities as an artist. Throwing or a familiar artist feature together a bunch of half-assed songs on one of your songs. This just for the purpose of ďŹ lling up a one may be a stretch but mixtape is a complete waste of your the bigger the name, the time and money. Even if your plan is more validation it will give your mixtape! to give out your mixtape for free, be sure to put 100% of yourself into every song because although you're not selling your mixtape, you are attempting to sell yourself to the listeners.

Perception is key when it comes to the music industry, which is why professional photos and mixtape cover artwork is a must! It pays to invest in graphic design work if you're not very art savvy yourself, because a shabby album cover will never grab the attention of potential listeners and your mixtape won't stand a chance against the mass of other ones being released.

Once you have completed the production of your mixtape, it's time to come up with your master plan. It's up to you to decide whether you will sell your mixtape or distribute it for free. Both options have their advantages - it just depends on the artist's purpose for the album. Free distribution is exclusively for promotional purposes only - to raise awareness about yourself and your brand, to build your fan base, to extend your list of contacts, and to hopefully grab the attention of a music industry heavy-hitter that could possibly help further your career. If you decide to ditch the free route and charge a fee for your mixtape, that means your purposes for the album is

mostly for financial gain. Yes, your mixtape will still have some promotional value, however that value will be cut by more than half simply because you're charging people to hear it. And people are less likely to hear your mixtape if they have to pay to listen. Now depending on your marketing plan, you may very well be able to profit from your mixtape if you're able to sell yourself well enough to the public. Even if you decide to sell your mixtape, offering free samples of your music is a great way to begin building brand awareness. If your music is good enough, listeners won't mind paying for the whole mixtape! Also, if you re going to give away your mixtape for free, then try to derive revenue from sponsorships or advertisements.

So now that you've decided whether or not to charge for your mixtape, it's time to come up with a dynamic marketing plan. First, it's important to create hype around your mixtape before actually releasing it.

Get the listeners excited by picking out a song from the TIP: Put a mixtape that you think will have the most widespread snippet of a "bonus appeal, and offering it for free download. Also, its a good single" on idea to create a blog to draw attention to your upcoming your free release and to keep the subscribers updated on your mixtape, progress. Throwing a mixtape release party and then sell performing a few of the featured songs is another way to the full single on spread the word and raise the excitement level. If ITunes! possible do radio interviews, send out press releases and get mixtape reviews. Create e-blasts, post on Facebook, Twitter and even Craigslist. If you have a DJ hosting your mixtape, you should definitely have an agreement with the DJ that he or she will also promote your mixtape.

In addition to all of this (and most importantly) invest in a professional marketing company, the tried and true way to create the necessary hype around your upcoming mixtape release.

Last but not least, when you finally release your mixtape masterpiece, keep in mind that popular mixtape promotion websites such as Datpiff, Live Mixtapes, and even Sound Cloud provide a powerful advertising platform for upcoming artists. It's also a good idea to get your mixtape in record stores.

Some small record stores may even agree to sell your album on consignment but if you're distributing for free, even better! For example, if you're a rapper and a record store gives your mixtape out to anyone who purchases a rap cd, that definitely works in your favor. Your main goal is to get your mixtape in front of as many people as possible. How you go about doing that is a personal decision and artists should really find what works best for them and

make it happen!

Doll Domination By Aya Takano

!

E V I S EXCLU

An Interview With

CONRADDIMANCHE

Bad Boy A&R Turned EntrepreneuR Best known as the former Bad Boy Records "Senior Director of A&R", Conrad Dimanche is the embodiment of a music industry connoisseur. Ranked the #3 A&R in the world in 2006 by Hit Quarters, Dimanche has managed the production of numerous albums from artists such as Notorious B.I.G., Carl Thomas, Diddy, Danity Kane, and Day 26, just to name a few. From intern to top A&R, Dimanche's decade at Bad Boy helped him groom and polish his raw talent for knowing and making good music. But being an entreprenuer at heart, Conrad made the difficult decision to end his time at Bad Boy Records to further establish his own growing business. Now, using his experience and vast knowledge of the music world, Conrad continues to make moves in the industry, this time from an entrepreneurial perspective. We caught up with Conrad to talk about his current ventures, as well as tap into his expertise and get some advice for our aspiring artists. Check out this exclusive interview as Conrad Dimanche gives us "Da Inside"!

How did you make a living before you got involved in music?

My main way of making a living was as a barber. I had my first barber shop at the age of 17. I was really more of an entrepreneur, cutting hair was just a way to make some money as a teenager. Unfortunately, I was too immature at the time to own my own shop; it didn't last longer than a year. Then I had another opportunity to open a much bigger shop around the age of 21. So I made the transition from cutting hair & running the barbershop to working in the music business because I used to throw a lot of parties while I was trying to promote the shop. I started managing this DJ I used to hire a lot for my parties. He had noticed what I was doing with the business, and he asked me to manage him. From there I started to manage local producers and artists in the neighborhood. I knew Harve Pierre, who was currently the head of A&R at BadBoy, and I pretty much begged him for an internship. He gave it to me sometime down the line, and that was the start of me officially being in the music business at Bad Boy.

Would you say it was easy for you to get in the game?

Because Harve Pierre was from the neighborhood and hung out with my brothers, it's not like it was hard for me to get my internship. So getting in the game, I would say, for me it was easy because of the relationship. Staying in and actually achieving some success and holding on to that position, working for one of the hardest people in the business to work for, was extremely, extremely hard. My internship was grueling. I lost about fifty pounds. I interned at least a hundred hours a week for over a year, with no pay, so I really wasn't eating. And even after I got my job, I really had to maintain excellence working for him. I had to learn and get better at being an A&R. It was definitely a very high-pressure, high-stamina job, but I had a great nine years at Bad Boy.

So it looks like you went from intern to Senior A&R director is that right?

Yeah, not in one shot. My first job was as a production assistant. Then I went from production coordinator to director of A&Rs to Senior Director of A&Rs, pretty much running the department.

Wow. Climbed the ladder to success escalator-style! So I guess Daddy's House was like your second home?

Yeah, at one time I pretty much lived there. You know we had at any given time 15-25 artists on BadBoy and Daddy's House was our base studio, although we worked out of 12

different places, but that was the base studio so I pretty much lived there. I didn't even have an office actually, even when I was the head of the department, because in the studio was where I needed to be to really micro-manage the music and the artists. I went to the office for the important A&R meetings, budget meetings, things of that nature, but 99 percent of the time I was in the studio. A good amount of times I didn't even go home, I would just sleep there, especially if it was near deadline times.

Some of the albums

Who are some of the artists that you've worked with?

I worked on pretty much everything from Black Rob's first album, Carl Thomas, Faith, 112, Total, and everything up to like Danity Kane, Day 26, and everything that came out of BadBoy South, which was still one company because we didn't have an office in the south. So we were still responsible for Boyz in the Hood, 8-ball and MJG, Yung Joc, etc. I worked on close to forty albums total.

Wow, that's so impressive man. So, what type of characteristics do A&R's look for when considering signing an artist to a label?

For example at BadBoy, there was a persona of being a BadBoy artist, so we kinda looked for those qualities in artists. Whether it was a pop group or a rock group, rapper or singer, there was a certain swagg that we were looking for, and I think that's the case with every label to a certain degree. Some labels obviously look for the talent, the uniqueness of an artist, and certain labels were less concerned with talent and longevity, and more concerned about a hit record. It started to turn into a real single-driven market; some labels would only give you a deal if you had a song that seemed like it would be a hit, a "one-hit wonder" as they would say. With BadBoy it was about having true talent, longevity, and obviously a good hustle mind. Being a good artist and selling records is not just about the talent but also about having a great personality and a great work ethic.

Any advice for artists looking for a major record deal in the industry today?

Well, I would say the industry is a lot different than when I first started. Even when I left there was a very big difference. Back in the days, you could get signed a lot easier just by having a demo or for being on a hot mixtape. Today record labels are definitely looking not only for an artist that has a lot of their music well puttogether, as close to an album as possible, but they also look for artists with a genuine fan-base through YouTube views, Twitter followers, etc. But your social media coverage in general, your following, your trends and your activities as an artist really have to 13

Conrad has worked on...

"Now there's almost no positive messages in rap music. Just negative, derogatory stuff that kids can't listen to..."

be up to par to increase your chances of getting a deal.

It doesn't mean that artists don't get deals without having all of the above, but your chances are way better when you have all that in place.

Would you say that the major labels have an advantage over indie labels?

There's benefits to being on a major label, money being the primary factor as well as marketing. It all comes down to the aspirations of the artist and their resources or budget. You definitely have artists that stay independent and are able to get great sales and reach an audience. You can make more money definitely being independent, in selling units anyway. The difference is when you have a major behind you, getting on the radio and having the image, it opens you up for endorsements and there's obviously a lot of money in that. However, when you're signed to a label, you really have to take their direction as far as the kind of music you're making. Back in the days you had a lot more independent companies. A lot of the rap music that had positive messages, the Public Enemy's, the rappers that talked about "stop the violence", were born out of this independent state. But when the majors started putting their influence on the music, that's when things started to change. Now there's almost no positive messages in rap music. Just negative, derogatory stuff that kids can't listen to and that has a negative effect on our community.

Absolutely, I guess they both have their advantages and disadvantages. So Conrad, what business ventures are you into today?

Do you know?

PMP Worldwide can even help you find vocalists or rappers to feature on your song!

PMP Worldwide is the company that I launched while I was at BadBoy, and it took off. PMP is a platform for music producers, songwriters, etc. They can create profiles, upload their music - it's a great place for them to market themselves and also find work. Every major record company has used or still uses the PMP site to find music production for albums that they're working on. We have hundreds of platinum, Grammy awardwinning producers who actually use it to build profiles and upload their music, not only to get work from independent artists all over the world, but also to be able to stay in contact with all of the labels that A&Rs move to different companies all the time. We actually just launched a mobile application. It's not a mobile version of the site, it's more like a cousin to the site. It works the way Google works, but for music. You can use

14

keywords or search by genre for what kind of music you're looking for as an artist or a writer. Literally you can type in keywords like "I'm looking for an up-tempo aggressive club beat" and it will pull up the results.

You can listen to it, then send an instant message to whoever did the track. So it's a great tool. Besides that, I have The Firm A&R Consulting and that's a consulting company for independent artists. I help to guide them through their career and then ultimately try to connect them with record company executives because record labels don't take unsolicited music, I pretty much use my relationships, when an artist qualifies, to be able to put them in the office of an A&R so that they can present their music to the label.

That's a great service you're providing. So any artist that wanted to retain your services could just visit your links or perhaps call that phone number you promote?

Yeah definitely, most business days I'm available several hours of the day to pick up the phone and talk to artists about their particular situation and check out some of their music to see if they even qualify for me to take them as a client.

Well Conrad, it's been a pleasure talking to you and I thank you for giving us the inside!

Yeah, its my pleasure. Being humble has always been a big part of me and I'm honored that you would want to have me featured in your magazine.

Absolutely. We definitely recognize your hard work and want to pay homage to it.

To find out more about Conrad Dimanche and his services, visit: THE FIRM http://conraddimanche.com/home.cfm PMP WORLDWIDE http://pmpworldwide.com/ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/conraddimanche

15

The Unstoppable

KGB

The Untouchable

Meet KGB, a stylish, self-proclaimed anti-pop, pop singer. This classically trained pianist was born in Saint Petersburgh, Russia, and music seems to come as natural to her as breathing air. Sponsored by the Baldwin piano company, KGB remains one of the youngest vocal soloists ever to perform with the Russian Philharmonic. Her edgy persona and fresh approach to creating great music is certainly evident in her commercial release of "Juicy" (remix) ft. Juicy J (Three 6 Mafia). This is a Rap/ Dance/ Pop medley full of energy that's taking the club by storm. The hottest DJ's from all over the country and abroad are running this record like a triathlon. Great things are clearly in the making for this future pop icon and she is only getting better.

KGB is New York, L.A., and Miami based with a pop music approach like no other. Between her amazing gift to make great music and her uncanny ability to network makes this songstress an undeniable force.

When you mix beauty with style and you add a cutting edge sound you have a recipe for something groundbreaking.

Don't let another second go by without checking out KGB and all that she has to offer musically.

Download her new mixtape entitled "From Russia With Love Vol.2" featuring many great collaborations including Timberland, Spaceghostpurrp, Juicy J and much more!!!

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Word around town is this pop phenome has some very interesting collaborations to come with artists like Akon and Timberland. KGB has her first official highly anticipated EP entitled "Kiss My Heart" coming to an ear near you!

1

http://www.kgbbrand.com

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Dolla Aka "Knocka" Producer / Engineer Ceo Of Beatknocka Prod.

When it comes to music production, few producers are as hard-working and talented as the one we're about to introduce you to. Meet Dolla producer, engineer, and CEO of Beatknocka Productions. Straight out of Brownsville, this Brooklyn-bred talent has been creating beats since 2006.

His emotion-inspired music continues to lay the foundation for songs with hit-record quality. Using life itself as his inspiration, Dolla utilizes his music as an outlet to "communicate without verbally speaking", to make music that people can feel. Because when it comes to music, according to Dolla, "No emotion...no feeling... not good".

Dolla, aka "Knocka", is the CEO of Beatknocka Productions, an independent company that provides services in music production, vocal recording, vocal production, arrangement & mixing. However back in 2006 when the company was created, Dolla didn't know the first thing about producing music. The bass in his music would hit so hard that the "beat" would "knock" his speakers out!

After going through four sets of speakers, Dolla realized that he was actually good at creating beats. So he came up with the name "Beatknocka" and, reading

21

informative books by Cirroco Jones, he was determined to perfect his craft of music producing.

Now six years later, Dolla works with artists out of his studio, Knock Studios, at least six nights a week from 11pm - 6am. Beatknocka Productions has a number of "active" artists, as well as affiliated talent on-call for certain projects when needed. Dolla recently added a new producer to his roster as well, continuously building his company and his brand. He's always eager to work with new talent, and is ready to find an R&B artist or group to work with as his next endeavor. He makes it quite clear that he isn't afraid of hard work, as he lives by the motto, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

Dolla's talent and motivation has awarded him the chance to compete in numerous competitions and showcases. Starting out with "Urban Threshold" as his first producer showcase, Dolla has competed in the 2012 "America's Next Top Music Producer" competition, as well as the 2012 Kings Plaza "Best Buy Beat Battle", in which he won 3rd place. One of the spectators, Tylon "U-Savior" Washington of Black Waxx Nation, felt that Dolla deserved the first place win and invited him to do some future work within his film company. In another competition, out of 100+ producers, Dolla was offered one of ten slots to present his music to Jean Nelson at Fight Club Studios during the 2012 All Access Music Conference at Webster Hall. He was also nominated "Best Emerging Producer" in the 2009 Underground Music Awards.

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Dolla has already released "BEATKNOCKA: THE COMPILATION, VOL. 1" featuring various artists, as well as "BEATKNOCKA: THE INSTRUMENTALS, VOL. 1" featuring 20 original beats - both of which can be purchased through "Google Play" or "ITunes".

Currently he is promoting "BEATKNOCKA: THE INSTRUMENTALS, VOL. 2". Additionally, Beatknocka Productions has been working on developing their website which should be fully operational by the beginning of the new year. Visitors will be able to purchase original beats, listen to and purchase artists' music, watch artists' videos, leave feedback, and most importantly, stay connected with the movement of Beatknocka Prodctions as opportunities arise.

Dolla has made substantial progress with Beatknocka Productions, but this ambitious producer doesn't plan to stop there. His aspirations for the future include opening up a commercial recording studio as well as landing some solidified placements within the industry, whether it be television, film, music or even video games. He also plans to shop his artists' music and continue to gain exposure for Beatknocka Productions. As Dolla continues to grow as a producer and perfect his craft, his humility somehow remains intact. "I never would have thought I would be producing records & working alongside talented artists. But like I always say, I may not be the best, but I'm good at what I do!"

Wanna know more about Dolla??

DOLLA882@YAHOO.COM WWW.TWITTER.COM/BEATKNOCKA WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BEATKNOCKAPRODUCTIONS WWW.SOUNDCLOUD.COM/BEATKNOCKAPRODUCTIONS Google Play: Beatknocka Productions (click here) ITunes: Beatknocka Productions (click here) Also find his music on RHAPSODY, SPOTIFY, AMAZON, etc.

Coming Soon: http://www.beatknockaproductions.com 23

EXCLSV Clothing Co.

Twitter -@XCLSVClothingCo

24.

C

C

ARTER

EO

Rapper & CEO

Producer/

V

irginia has produced some of the hottest talents in the music industry today, including Chris Brown, Trey Songz, Timbaland and Missy Elliot.

Looking to join the ranks of these stars is none other than Christine "CEO" Carter, accomplished songwriter, rapper, producer and CEO of So Focused Music Group and Rich Cartel Gang.

B

orn and raised in Reston, Virginia, CEO has been deeply involved in music all of her life - from rapping and remixing songs with her uncle, to singing old-school tunes with her grandmother.

Performing since the age of eight, CEO has perfected her craft of songwriting and entertaining, and she captures the spirit of hiphop in every song she creates. CEO's positive influence speaks volumes in the underlying messages of her music: "To always believe in yourself and never get discouraged, no matter what life throws at you." Her mother is the reason for her strong will to succeed. Having to care for her mother throughout her illness, then dealing with her mother's death at the age of fifteen, CEO wants nothing more than to honor her mother through her success.

I

her hot new single "I Run This" featuring C.O.D., which is a definite must-hear. (Check it out now at Reverb Nation!). She's also working on a mixtape for her group, Rich Cartel Gang, entitled "Natural Born Leaders", which is sure to be a hit as well. CEO Carter is also the CEO of So Focused Music Group, a digital record label, located in Herndon, Virginia. So Focused Music Group serves mainly as a “digital record label�, following the traditional marketing aspects of ordinary record labels, along with new tactics that So Focused Music Group has conceived.

C

EO Carter has been influenced by a spectrum of different icons in the music world, from Teddy Pendegrass, Al Green, and Earth Wind & Fire, to Lil Wayne, Notorious BIG, Snoop Dogg, and Rick Ross. So far, her talent and hard work has landed her numerous opportunities, including a chance to open for Bad Boy/Atlantic Artist, Donnie Klang.

She has also been contacted by two different record labels, as well as a clothing label! At only 23 years old, Christine "CEO" Carter is definitely one to watch as she climbs the ladder to success.

With her determination, leadership, and talent, CEO is destined for a future of greatness!

NSOMNIA is the title of her newest mixtape release, which is only one of the projects that CEO has been working on. She recently released

Want to know more about CEO??

Facebook: www.facebook.com/iamceocarter Twitter: www.twitter.com/iamcoecarter Myspace: www.myspace.com/iamypthagreat Website: www.sofocusedmusicgroup.com/ceocarter Graphix: www.iamceocarter.com

OUTLET DJ'S

DJ CAVALIER DJ's from all around the world have always played an intricate role in the music business. Whether in the night clubs moving the crowd or hosting the best new mixtapes in the streets, it is clear that DJs are a necessary piece to this puzzle we call the music industry. DJs have come a long way and are now releasing their own albums, artists, labels and more!!! The music business for today's DJs appear to be pretty lucrative as long as you're prepared to work really hard and be absolutely dedicated.

Meet

DJ Cavalier. His determination to move the crowd, combined with a sharp ear for hot music, is the reason his stock will continue to grow in the music industry.

For this mix master it all started when he was 11 years old. One day he stumbled onto his father始s record collection and found a mixer. In that basement at that moment everything changed and would never be the same for him. Cavalier took the mixer home, cleaned it and began to home school himself everyday.

When you commit to something you have a passion for, it just becomes a matter of time.

The neighborhood house parties and block parties allowed he and his childhood buddies who shared the same passion for music to earn some cash. With that cash they were able to invest in music production equipment. DJ Cavalier, in an effort to be more than just a DJ, began dabbling in producing music, recording music, mixing and engineering.

In 2006, Cavalier decided to bring the focus back to his DJ grind and he hasn't looked back. He has begun touring as a road DJ for The Rockboy G's, an independent rap duo under the world- renowned super producer D/R Period. DJ Cavalier is now partnered up with the Chief Party Rocker, DJ Mel BEZ, (DJ for R&B singer Case) to form The Outlet DJs. Look out for DJ Cavalier hosting the exclusive new Mixtape from Da Industry Insider (www.daindustryinsider.com) entitled "Da Industry Needs Me Vol.1" Where he will be helping to promote some of the best new artists in the game!

L.D.U./ BEATKNOCKA PRESENTS "BREATH BACK IN HIP HOP" ON DATPIFF.COM - DOWNLOAD NOW!!!

-TAV GANG-

facebook.com/tavgang

Youtube.com/tavgang

New York City has produced some of musicʼs most extraordinary rappers and each day a new rapper is born with the hopes of joining the best at the top. It takes an extreme amount of hunger, motivation, determination, dedication, passion and patience to succeed in the music business today, but one group has emerged to stand out amongst the rest and that's the TAV Gang.

The name TAV GANG is an acronym for True Art Varies Geniuses Are Naturally Gifted, and the movement is not to be taken lightly. It consists of two spit-fire mc's that are on the TAV Gang frontline, Perfectionist & Emergency. Perfectionist is credited for being the founder and leader but between these two lyrical assassins there is no obstacle that is insurmountable. There have been some legendary rap duos through hip-hopʼs timeline such as EPMD, Tribe Called Quest, M.O.P, Mobb Deep, UGK, & Outkast just to name a few. In order for another duo to join the ranks of these amazing rap duos they must posses a chemistry that separates them from the rest.

It's pretty evident that Perfectionist and Emergency are aiming to make a name for themselves in the music industry. Their crisp, clear sound, thumping beats and lyrics that push the envelope make it hard not to gravitate to this edgy band of brothers.

Their music can be described as intelligent, witty, charismatic and provocative. On their song "Our Pain", these two flame throwers give you an urban inner city introspective. The track is a melodious, soulful medley that helps you to visualize the poetic thought patterns of each artist. The Tav Gang released their first mixtape "Welcome To Excellence" in November of 2012 and the response has been nothing but positive.

It's not often you find a group with enough moxie to address issues as controversial as religion and politics. Whether in mid-town recording with MNastry or closer to home in Brooklyn recording with Dom Bangs, you can be sure they are going to deliver another smoking track that would appeal to almost anyone that appreciates hip-hop. Tracks from Dom Bangs, Marvin Cruz, Sativa High, & Orbit Debar$ help to create the TAV Gangs unique sound with their ground breaking production. The TAV Gang can clearly offer you dope MP3 downloads but these two also have a stage show that moves the crowd every time. If you like new music from new talent the TAV Gang is certainly a group you should check for.

TAV GANG MIXTAPE “Welcome To Excellence” http://www.datpiff.com/Tav-Gang-WelcomeII-Excellence-mixtape.417210.html

http://www.remedydafranchise.com/

GFX Credit: @allendacreator

MEET

Ladii Jade

Twitter -@XCLSVClothingCo

http://t.co/jdXOX2OZ https://www.facebook.com/simplicity.bk.9?group_id=0

ROGIZZ BLAGO Allow us to introduce you to Rogizz Blago, a hip-hop artist who is so much more than just an artist. He's been described as innovative, conceptual, lyrical, humorous, and motivational. Turning his love of poetry into an affection for hip-hop music, he's accomplished an array of things from recording and promoting his own music to mentoring other up & coming artists. Rogizz is an artistically-inclined philanthropist whose interests include much more than just the music scene.

Born and

raised in Maywood, Chicago, a suburb outside of west side, Rogizz was one of the few young men in the area who grew up with a father figure in his life. Because of his father's presence, he took an active role in sports and athletics instead of taking part in the drugs and violence that occurred around him. As a college professor, his father continuously fed his mind poetry and as a result, Rogizz showed a talent for poetry at an early age. Growing up listening to Ice-T portray his life through

music introduced him to a love of hiphop. He learned that music is, in essence, poetry that you can write to a beat, and if you can do it well and evoke a certain feeling out of others, then that's a great accomplishment.

When it comes to his sound, Rogizz's songs can be as different as day and night. Being a diagnosed schizophrenic, Rogizz's two equally complex personalities have their own view of the world and their own sound and style of music. Rogizz is a political poet who raps about inequalities, the underdogs, and even love. He likes to write thoughtprovoking lyrics about social issues that matter, such as government conspiracies, prison reform, and the war on drugs. He feels he has the voice that can get people to look at life in a more positive manner.

He's straight-forward, clean-cut, and thinks that women are God's greatest gift to the world. "Black Blago", Rogizz's counterpart, is the complete opposite of Rogizz. He's an obnoxious pimp that doesn't care about anything other than lots of women and money. He's negative, superficial, and has lots of sex, and his rhymes reflect that entirely.

Rogizz's poetic talent landed him a deal with a major label, Dreamworks.

However, after moving to Los Angeles and witnessing many of the label's resources being diverted to other areas, Rogizz had no choice but to release his own music independently through his self-promoted company, Gizz Entertainment. After relocating to Miami and making Gizz Ent. Official, he released his first project, "Worldwide Domination Volume I", which is a compilation disk also featuring other

independent artists from the Chi. Rogizz eventually formed a group called "Worldfame" with rap partner Pask-1, Al Dog, and Flake the Great, and together they released a mixtape titled "Cut The Games: Chi to L.A.", which received critical acclaim. He then moved back to Chicago for a period of time to collaborate with some of the most accomplished producers in the game: S.C., Streety Wonder, Paperboy, Tony Baines, Matt Hennessy, 110% Pure, Boogz, Sherm, Austin "Smooth" Nelson and Ekim Pahkwah. After returning to Miami, Rogizz released two more volumes of his Worldwide Domination series titled "Worldwide Domination II: The L.U.A.U" and "Worldwide Domination III: The Union". The recordings famously took place over a Memorial Day weekend in Downtown Miami with all day and night studio sessions!

RoGizz sought to diversify his entertainment portfolio by stepping back from his own music to do management deals for other artists, mentor up and coming artists, establish a clothing line and pursue different philanthropic opportunities.

However, his love for creating timeless music has brought him back to the mic with his new project titled "RoGizz vs. Black Blago." In his own words, Rogizz stated: "This is one of my best works to date. I think it's very layered because of the elements it involves. I think people can definitely relate to the battle one may have between the good and evil inside us. It can be sparked by what we experience in our daily lives.

Politics have a lot to do with the creation of our daily lives. That's what I wanted to

convey with this work." Rogizz has also released his latest mixtape titled, "Politikal Pimpin’ Volume I".

In addition to music, there are many other goals that Rogizz would like to accomplish. One of these goals include writing screenplays or even books about topics that are overlooked by the general public.

Other goals of his are to help kids affected by drugs or gangs and to even do a stand-up comedy routine!

Working towards goals and enjoying the feat of reaching them is one way Rogizz defines success.

He believes that success is happiness and having peace inside you. Focusing on the positive aspects of life, knowing who you are and loving who you are are just some of the ways to live a successful life according to Rogizz. Today's generation could definitely learn a thing or two from an artist like him!

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ROGIZZ BLAGO:

Web: http://www.rogizz.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rogizz Youtube: http://youtube.com/rogizztv

Doll Domination by

Visit Doll-Domination.com

Aya Takano

Art By: Warren Stokes For prints visit http://www.8ighthwonder.com/

For some people, music is

their pulse - the life that

flows through their veins, the air that fills their lungs, the essence of their soul. For

this soul-stirring songstress,

music is all of that to her and then some. Meet Nikia, R&B and pop sensation of the future. With a voice the

listeners are sure to love, and a presence to match, Nikia is taking the music scene by storm.

Nikia began singing at the tender age of three and recorded her first demo when she was just twelve years old. It was then that she realized what her destiny in life was. Being raised in Los Angeles and listening to legends such as Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, & Whitney Houston has definitely influenced Nikia's sound and style of music. But more than anyone else, Nikia has been influenced by none other than her very own uncle - singer, songwriter and former lead vocalist of the Gap Band, Mr. Charlie Wilson. It was her uncle who taught her as a young girl to listen to music with meaning, and who helped inspire her soulful sound. In addition to her uncle Charlie, Nikia has had the pleasure of working with many veterans in the music industry such as Blue Magic, Melissa Morgan, Bootsie Collins, and DJ Scratch.

Nikia has graced many stages across the United States and Canada. She has also recorded several EP's and albums. Her most recent release (which is in stores now) is titled "Chapter II", for which she will begin her promotional tour this summer, "The Nikia Dream Tour", which will include several states from the east coast to the west. From the sight of a homeless person to the sound of a little girl's laughter, Nikia finds inspiration in everything around her, which is why her music is able to touch so many people. Her combination of confidence, determination and talent is guaranteed to take Nikia very far!

For music, tour dates, and much more, visit

soundsofnikia.com

https://soundcloud.com/rogizz/sets/politikal-pimpin-volume-i-1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/wt83g8fewd3lau7/Politikal_Pimpin_Volume_I.zip

GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/store/music/ artist?id=Aupaipaiouqxw2tbq5dzlimb23y ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beatknockaout/id548643842?i=548644228&ign-mpt=uo%3D4