The Sounds of VTech

PR2010

Dig Deeper…

-LIVE PERFORMANCES-

BILAL
Bilal Oliver is one of the most important singers of our generation. A classically trained singer, this Philadelphia native reaches for a sound that is beyond the limitations of genre. Having only officially released one album, his debut First Born Second in 2001, Bilal has managed to increase audiences’ interest in his music the longer he is away. His brilliant second album leaked in 2006, and while his label ultimately decided against releasing Love For Sale the positive feedback from fans and critics worldwide acknowledged that Bilal was only beginning to develop as an artist. Having collaborated with luminaries such as J Dilla, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and Robert Glasper, there is no one other artist quite like him. His official sophomore album is nearly finished and will be a Plug Research release in 2010. 

BLU
Known as Blu to fans, John Barnes to his family and Azulito to Latin women, this Los Angeles native has taken the rap world by storm in the past three years. His debut album with Exile was certified classic by audiences across the world and two follow up records with Ta’Raach and Mainframe only certified his position as one of the best new MC’s doing it today. 

DJ DAY
Championed by the likes of Gilles Peterson and Jazzy Jeff, DJ Day is a producer, DJ and musician from Palm Springs, California and one of the founding members of the Innernational crew with Rip One. He has played all over the world at venues such as The Rub, Root Down, SXSW, WMC and shared the stage with artists as diverse as Eminem and Amy Winehouse. He is currently following up his successful “Got To Get It Right” EP and first full length “The Day Before” with a new album due in 2009. 

EXILE
Born and raised in Southern California, Exile has been making undiluted hip-hop since the 90’s. He first attracted attention with Aloe Blacc in his group Emanon, but most recently heads have been woken up to Ex through his production on debut albums by Blu and Fashawn. Not one to hide from vulnerabilities, Exile’s music conveys his personal ideologies of love and community, as well as his crazy sense of humor. He released his concept album Radio in which he made the entire record from sampling different radio stations in Los Angeles, on Plug Research this past spring. 

OM’MAS KEITH
Talented multi-instrumentalist, singer, producer and engineer, Om’Mas Keith is a musical renaissance man. Having been exposed to a vast range of music tremendously as a child, by his teenage years Om’Mas knew his future would be in music. Soon after he met Shafiq Husayn and eventually Taz Arnold, not long after the Sa-Ra conglomerate was formed. As part of Sa-Ra, his compositions have served as inspirations for classic artists like Pharoahe Monch, Herbie Hancock, and Jay Dilla. Having already a vast experience in music and production, Om’Mas has begun to craft his own solo debut, City Pulse, to be released on Plug Research in 2010. 

SHAFIQ HUSAYN
Shafiq Husayn has been one of the most innovative musical architects in Los Angeles in recent years. His personal discography spans decades, from Ice T to King Tee to recent additions like Bilal and Erykah Badu. A true Master Teacher, Shafiq often expounds on larger themes through his music. Whether he is drawing inspiration from his Moorish ancestry, contemplations on nationalism and sovereignty or a record he’s sampling, Shafiq Husayn’s art is layered and meaningful. His long awaited solo debut, Shafiq En’ A Free-Ka was released on Plug Research this past October. 

MILOSH
Milosh started playing cello at the age of three and since then has never strayed from music. The Toronto native absorbed everything from rock to jazz and even studied music formally at the University level. These experiences culminated with his 2004 Plug Research debut, You Make Me Feel, which garnered praise for its mellow electronic soul. He followed with 2006’s Meme and 2008’s iii. He has garnered a reputation for his unusually emotive take on electronic music, do not miss a rare Los Angeles appearance from Milosh. 

-HOSTED BY-

 
PHAROAHE MONCH
Legendary lyricist Pharoahe Monch has been a favorite of hip hop heads since he took the underground by storm as part of the highly influential group Organized Konfusion in the early 90’s. As one of the flagship artists of Rawkus Records during the indie boom of the late 90’s, Pharoahe released Internal Affairs in ‘99 with its monster single “Simon Says.” After a hiatus from releasing official music, Pharoahe presented his long awaited follow up, Desire in 2007. His tenure in the game has established him as one of its most consistent lyricists; even Diddy sought him out to ghostwrite a song for his last album. He is currently working on his third LP tentatively titled W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). 

-DJs- 


DAEDELUS
Los Angeles bred Daedelus has slowly risen to the upper echelon of electronic producers. With more than a dozen releases as a solo act as well as various titles as part of several groups, Daedelus is nothing short of prolific. Having worked with Madlib, Prefuse73, MF DOOM, Busdriver and Sa-Ra, Daedelus’ style is highly malleable. His music sounds as equally natural on a dance floor as in a bedroom, bringing a rare intimacy to the electronic realm. He has cemented himself as one of the musical staples of the Los Angeles community. 

J.ROCC
The Funky President of the Beat Junkie Crew. For well over ten years, this man has established himself as one of the illest DJs around, with his signature blends and supreme selection. A steady globetrotter, J has traveled extensively and showcased his solid knowledge of music with the very best talents, including the late great Jay Dilla. His deep catalog of mixtapes and CDs are considered classic. J Rocc is well versed in a wide array of musical styles and always gets down something serious behind the decks. 

KUTMAH
Kutmah arrived in Los Angeles via Brighton, England during his early teenage years. His first passion is drawing but he quickly developed as a DJ and by the beginning of the 2000’s he was garnering a reputation for his selections. He was of the founding brains behind the highly influential Sketchbook nights at the now defunct Temple Bar. He’s released his own 10″ on Poo Bah Records as well as numerous mix CD’s. When he’s not secretly making beats, Kutmah regularly DJ’s around Los Angeles and shows why he’s one of the most talented DJ’s in the city.