Showing posts with label kon live. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kon live. Show all posts

Monday, March 1, 2010

Ya Boy: Bay Area MC Finds Label Home With Akon's Kon Live



via the press release

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 1, 2010) – With over 45 million Myspace views, 37 million plays, dominating Southern California radio stations Power 106, KIIS FM, AMP with over 3,000 spins of hit single "We Run LA", opening up for artists such as Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Sean Kingston and more serve as a brief rap-sheet for newly signed Kon-Live artist, Ya Boy. The record label is lead by internationally acclaimed artist and entrepreneur Akon. Ya Boy joins label mates Lady Gaga, T-Pain, Colby O'Donis, Kardinal Official and dynamic duo Rock City as the first artist from the west coast signed to Kon-Live. "Ya Boy is one of the hardest workers today…He's an amazing artist that never got a chance to shine. He never gave up and now he has a chance to shine not only on the West Coast but internationally," says Akon.

Catchy punch lines, versatility, eyebrow raising topics, witty wordplay combined with his no-color lines policy have helped garner Ya Boy aka YB The Rock Star widespread appeal. In 2002, he further gained notoriety from his song "100 Bars of Crack" where he rapped a 100 bars over Dr. Dre's "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" also featured on The Black Wall Street Journal Vol. 1. In the summer of 2005 Ya Boy released his first solo mixtape, "Future of the Franchise" followed by the 2006 release of his debut album "Rookie of the Year ." The album featured collaborations with his Bay Area rap neighbors E-40, Turf Talk, Clyde Carson of The Team, San Quinn and more. The album's first single, "Step Ya Game Up", was produced by musical architect, Rick Rock. That same year, Ya Boy wrote and appeared on the Kevin Federline's rap album Playing With Fire allowing him to expand his horizon.

Seamlessly pounding the music industry's pavement YB The Rock Star secured his position on the West Coast in 2008, when he released the single "Holla at Ya Boy" produced by Cool & Dre. Successfully saturating the web with viral videos and music on hundreds if not thousands of multi-media stations across the globe.

Meanwhile, The Source Magazine featured him in the Unsigned Hype section, BET's Rap City awarded Ya Boy the mixtape of the week title, while XXL Magazine, Ozone and Hip Hop Weekly all co-signed him as the "Next To Blow." In 2009 Ya Boy released hit single "We Run LA" feat. Dr. Hollywood, the song is currently spinning on multiple radio stations throughout Los Angeles. "Ya Boy truly deserves this moment…We felt there's no one on an international level bigger than Akon. We're excited and happy to join the Kon-Live family," says Manager Mike G, Nitevision Management.

With multiple Ya Boy videos and mixtapes saturating the web, a total seven years of paying dues, Ya Boy will finally reap the benefits of his labor. Now that his path has been paved and recognized "It will impact music with a breath of fresh air," says Ya Boy.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Akon Plucks Lady Gaga From Talent Farm Obscurity To A Global Phenomenon



via the Assoicatee Press spotted on barkbiteblog

Akon's done some regrettable things since making it in the music industry: Signing and unleashing the autotune-fueled artist known as T-Pain, dry humping an underage girl at a Caribbean concert and letting his fists fly at a fan in the crowd are just a few examples. But putting aside what you think about Akon as a person or an artist, the truth is if he didn't take a chance on Lady Gaga when many others had turned a blind eye to her, we might not be enjoying her new world order now.

A few years ago, Gaga was bouncing from label to label and Akon had closed the deal on his imprint under Interscope. He collaborated with Gaga in the studio and walked away incredibly impressed with her talents. He later told Jimmy Iovine of Interscope that he wanted to sign Lady Gaga to his label Kon Live Distribution. Voila! Before you can say "Ro-ma-maaaa!" Gaga was signed to a joint deal with Interscope/Kon Live music and put to work with RedOne on what would be her multiplatinum debut album, "The Fame." Akon explains his role in Lady Gaga's success in an interview with the AP.