Shop Boyz Biography

Classifying their sound as "hood rock," the Shop Boyz tried to separate themselves from the Atlanta crunk scene, but as their 2007 breakout single, "Party Like a Rockstar", showed, the trio fit right in with its heavy bass and drums complemented by pop-savvy and edgy guitar riffs. Cousins Meany (Demetrius Hardin) and Fat (Richard Stevens) along with their best friend Sheed (Rasheed Hightower) all grew up on the streets of Bankhead, a western Atlanta neighborhood. They each worked on cars during the day in order to fund their growing interest in making music. Things began to fall into place when the three first met a local producer, Richard "Fire" Harris, who provided beats for free, and a local entrepreneur, OnDeck Records CEO Brian "Bingo" Ward, who allowed them to record in his studios. For about three years, the Shop Boyz were releasing straight-to-street albums and mixtapes, but when they recorded "Party Like a Rockstar" in January 2007, they knew they had a hot single on their hands. The song turned into one of Atlanta's biggest hits that year, prompting Universal Republic to pick up the single for national distribution and offer the Shop Boyz a major recording contract. When the single was officially released for digital sales in May, "Party Like a Rockstar" shot up to the number two spot on the pop charts, originating from position number 52. Although their knowledge of rock music was a bit iffy, and the Shop Boyz were constantly questioned about it in interviews, that didn't impede the momentum for their major-label debut, Rockstar Mentality (2007

Chris Brown Biography

Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is a Grammy Award-nominated American R&B and pop singer, dancer, and occasional actor who rose to fame in mid 2005 with his Billboard Hot 100 number-one, Scott Storch-produced debut single "Run It!", featuring Juelz Santana. His self-titled debut album spawned four successful Top 10 and Top 20 hits in the United States. To date, the album has sold 2.1 million copies in the U.S. and 3 million worldwide.Chris Brown was born and raised in the small town of Tappahannock, Virginia by Clinton Brown and Joyce Hawkins. He is one of two children. He gained his love of music when he was sent to stay with his Aunt in Arkansas, he and his younger cousins would perform in local talent shows. He was influenced by the artists his parents played on the home radio, such as Michael Jackson and Sam Cooke. Before becoming a vocalist, Brown was interested in becoming a rapper, but began to notice his singing talent by age 11. By 13, Brown was discovered by a local production team who visted his father's gas station searching for new talent. Brown began his recording career and moved to New York, staying there for two years.Brown's local production team organized an audition before Def Jam Vice President Tina Davis, who currently works as his manager. At the age of 15, Brown was then sent to perform for L.A. Reid and was subsequently signed in 2004 to Jive Records. By early 2005, Brown began work for his debut album, working with the likes of Scott Storch, The Underdogs, Dre, Vidal, Bryan Cox, Bow Wow, and Jermaine Dupri"Run It!" was a hit, peaking at #1 in the U.S. (5 weeks) and abroad. Chris Brown was released on November 29, 2005 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 200 selling over 155,000 copies in first week of sales. Five weeks later, became certified platinum, and within a year, went double platinum. Following "Run It!", "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" became Brown's second top 10 hit in the U.S, peaking at #7 and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. "Gimme That" was released in April 2006 which featured Lil' Wayne for a remix that was not featured on his album. The single peaked at #15, making it Brown's first single to miss Top 10 in the US. Brown also co-directed his videos for "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" and "Gimme That". Brown's third top 10 hit in the U.S. and second single to top the R&B charts was "Say Goodbye", which debuted at #79 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #10. The fifth and final single off his debut album, "Poppin'", has already debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #82 and has since risen to #48.The album scored Brown three Billboard Awards in 2006, one of them being the most prestigious, Artist of the Year. The album has also received a nomination for a Grammy, in the Best Contemporary R&B Album category.To further promote the album, Brown kicked off his major co-headlining tour, The Up Close and Personal Tour, in the late summer of 2006. Due to the tour, production for his next album was pushed back two months a second summer tour is in the works once the album is completed the tour may include artists: Pretty Ricky, Bowwow, Lil Wayne, Juelz, Neyo, Ciara, and Cherish. No official dates, and peformances, finalized.Brown has begun production for his sophomore release, tentatively titled Exclusive. such as: Ciara, Pharell, Bowwow, and more to come. Six of which Brown co-wrote. Producers on the album so far include Kanye West, Pharrell, will.i.am, Timbaland, Scott Storch and Bryan Michael Cox to create a bit more mature album than his first, thus giving the album its name. The album is scheduled to release by fall 2007.Other than his singing career, Brown has branched into some acting. He made short appearances on UPN's One on One and The-N's The Brandon T. Jackson Show on its pilot episode. In addition, Brown landed a small role as a band geek in the fourth season of FOX's The O.C. in January 2007. Originally scheduled to guest in eight episodes, it was cut to only three, so that Brown could work on his second studio album. Brown made his big screen debut in Stomp The Yard (originally titled Steppin') alongside Ne-Yo, Meagan Good and Columbus Short in January 2007. According to TRL, Brown began filming for his second film, and first true leading role in This Christmas.

T-PAIN

Who ever coined the phrase "never judge a book by its cover" must have had a premonition about 20-year old singer/songwriter/rapper/producer T-Pain when they thought it up. At a time when image is considered just as important as vocal capability, T-Pain is introducing music fans to a new sound as well as a brand new look for R&B singers. T-Pain is unique.Born Faheem Najm in Tallahassee, Florida to a pair of entrepreneur parents, T-Pain learned how to do things for himself as a youngster. At the tender age of ten he turned his bedroom into a mini sonic sanctuary with a keyboard, beat machine and four-track recorder. That same day he made a beat, rapped over it and he's been doing it ever since. His first foray into music industry was a productive one. He was one-fifth of the rambunctious rap outfit Nappy Headz who enjoyed moderate success in the early 2000's with regional anthems "Robbery" and "F.L.A." Being that he is the middle of five children, he had no problem sharing the spotlight. But after the group's flame burned out he dreamed of pushing the envelope and earlier this year he delivered. Disenchanted with the R&B he was hearing on the radio T-Pain flipped the script and started recording his own brand, called Hard & B, for his exclusive listening pleasure. As with most secrets, the word got out when a friend heard what he was making he relayed the message to 100.7 The Beat personality Felisha Foxx who asked for a copy of the CD. Impressed, she played the unplanned single "Time To Make Love" three times that night. Soon after, the song was added to the station's playlist. T-Pain continued to fan his flames by recording as well as directing and editing the video for his street record "Fucked Up," a timely reworked version of Akon's prison life ode "Locked Up." The song grew so popular that some thought it was actually Akon who was borrowing from the dreadlocked songster. More than intrigued, the convict turned crooner reached out the young music maker and eventually singed him to his newly formed Konvict Music imprint. The first single from T-Pain's aptly-titled debut Rappa Ternt Sanga is the Roger Troutman-esque "I'm Sprung," a catchy, but far from cookie-cutter tune about the crazy that love, not lust, will make you do. T-Pain built the song from experience as he is now married to the woman that he wrote the song about.His matchless songwriting skills shine through out the album, showing a rare range and compassion found in younger artists. Mid-tempo tracks like the cathartic "Going Through A Lot" leads listeners deeper into his musical psyche while the autobiographical "Fly Away" shares accounts of the relationship he has with his father. "You Not the Same" finds T-Pain pleading for a love interest to revisit the personality that he grew to appreciate. He also reveals truthful, and almost embarrassing, feelings for exotic dancers on the bravely stated "I’m In Love With A Stripper."While his moniker, short for "Tallahassee Pain," was created to represent the struggle of growing up in the oft overlooked Florida state capitol, the self-admitted fast driver also has fun with his music. His energetic stage show is unrivaled, featuring the Rappa Ternt Sanga demonstrating his other passion, dancing.Raised to be unapologetic and independent T-Pain is poised to be a threat to status quo of R&B music. Expect the music book with the rough looking cover to be on the bestsellers list for years to come.

Ciara Biography

Ciara Harris (sounds like Sierra) was born on October 25, 1985.
She grew up in a military household and as a military brat (her father was in the army, her mother was in the air force), she moved around her family moved around the country (and the world) while she was younger. She was born in Austin, TX, but with her father in the Army, Ciara spent time living in Germany, New York, California, Arizona, and Nevada before landing in Atlanta.
She always enjoyed singing. She began doing some modeling, but thought that singing would be her focus after she finished school. She graduated Riverdale High School in 2003 and she wrote down on a piece of paper that she was going to be a professional singer and set out to do just that. She cut out everything that did not have to do with a singing career, including talking on the phone, friends and even broke up with her boyfriend. She joined a girl group (Hear Say), but quickly decided that she should be a solo artist, and then she hooked up with record producer Jazze Pha and signed with his record label (Sho'Nuff).
Together with Sean Garret (co-wrote "Yeah"), and produced by Lil' Jon, they wrote her first single, "Goodies," which was produced in the Crunk & B style first originated by Usher. In 2004, she was the first female to release a song in this genre and after it became popular, she was dubbed with the title of the First Lady of Crunk & B. [Note: the word "crunk" was derived from mixing of the words "crazy and "funk".] Says Lil' Jon of the newly-formed genre, "Crunk & B songs are R&B songs that get you crunk. They make you wanna wild out. ['Goodies'] is a female empowerment record. The female has the power. The female is in control on this song. This is one of those records for the ladies." The album by the same name (Goodies), released by LaFace Records also became an instant chart topper (Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Top 10) when it was released in September of that year.
"I'm so happy I wrote 'Goodies'," Ciara enthuses. "I pray everybody gets it the way they're supposed to." In the hook, Ciara warns, "If you're looking for the goodies keep on looking 'cause they stay in the jar." "I think we all run across this problem," she explains. "A guy thinks you're gonna be with him because he's got the iced out chain, he's popular and all that. But that ain't it. That ain't gonna make me give you my number and that's definitely not gonna make me go home with you. It's the truth."
Jon says he was impressed by Ciara's approach to the song, which she co-wrote with "Yeah" songwriter Sean Garrett. "She did an excellent job on it," says Jon. "With this record, it's the way she rides over the track, the way she freaks the beat and the stuff that she says to connect her with other women. She's saying stuff that women can relate to. Guys are always trying to get some from a girl and she's like you can't have it. That's what makes her stand out and this is one of those records with that undeniable energy where as soon as the beat comes on it catches you and makes you move. You can't sit still when that song comes on. Crunk music, you can't fake because it's all about the energy. It's gotta be real."
And Ciara is as real as they come. Her self-titled Sho' Nuff/LaFace/Zomba Label Group debut is a heaping dose of real life issues conveyed through everyday language and extraordinary production and vocal delivery. The album is a complete work of art and a masterful mixture of messages for the young and not so young. On "Thugstyle," a song she wrote with songwriter Johnta Austin (Toni Braxton, Aaliyah) Ciara displays her true 'round the way girl' nature. "It's kinda how a guy would talk to a female, always spittin' game," she explains. "To me, it's a little slick. It's just a fun record. Everyone loves to sing along with it." "Looking at You" and "Pick up the Phone" with their groove-heavy tracks and sassy vocals, are signature Ciara, who says the latter, written and produced by Austin and Jazze Pha, talks about something that "everybody goes through." "I love this record because it's so real. I say, 'You know it would be nice if you could call somebody and let somebody know that you're alright....I know you see me on the caller I.D. so pick up the p-h-o-n-e.'"
The slow and sweet "And I," which Ciara did with producer Adonis, is about "loving someone for who they are and not what they have." And "Ooh Baby," written by Sean Garrett and Keri Hilson (Reuben Studdard, 3LW) is about good old-fashioned infatuation. "I'm just really into this guy," Ciara explains, in character. "I consider myself a 'round-the-way girl, down to earth and basically the kind of guy I like is like this guy who pulls up in the F-150 pickup with the crazy banging system. He's a 'round-the-way dude, kinda 'hood. But I'm like really into him."
With its easy-to-relate-to subject matter, the album is listener-friendly and accessible to anyone who knows even the slightest bit about 'keeping it real.' "The songs are very catchy," says Ciara. "They're for all demographics, all age ranges....They're not as personal as I want to be. I'd rather be more personal on the second album, once I grow a little more."
She released her Goodies video in 2005 which includes music videos from the album and the making of "1, 2, Step" other behind the scene scenes and bonus song. She is currently touring around the U.S. She won the 2005 BET Award for best collaboration for her the hit song "1, 2, Step" featuring Missy Elliot.
Considering the short time that she's been in the music business Ciara has grown plenty. She admits that she's a bit more mature than the average teenager. "Throughout life I've experienced a lot more than the typical 18 year old has. And being in this industry makes you develop more quickly than a typical child would. You mature faster." But much of Ciara's growth and maturity come from her determination to pursue her dreams. "I remember watching Destiny's Child perform on TV one day. That's when I made up my mind: 'Hey I wanna do this.' I watched my peers around me and they were worried about who's wearing what, going to school, trying to talk to somebody and I was like 'I'm trying to be somebody. What can I do to get there as soon as possible?'"
And now Ciara is ready to share her vibe with the rest of the world, but "It's not just about penning clever lyrics and singing and dancing to a banging track," she says. "My goal is to deliver a positive message and let people know they're not the only one going through things....I've been blessed to be able to counsel my peers. I'm here to deliver a message and I think the impression that you make is very important. I don't wanna write records just to write. I wanna have a message to everything that I write. That gives you longevity."