SMC Recordings and Town Thizzness Releasing New Albums by Oakland Roster Launching Thizz City Imprint in Early 2010
SMC Recordings and Town Thizzness prepare to reprise their recent success with a new wave of releases, including albums by Oakland eminent artists, Philthy Rich, J Stalin, internet phenomenon D-Lo and newcomer Sleepy D.
Coming from Bay Area label Thizz Nation and former home to slain rapper Mac Dre, Town Thizzness CEO Chioke “Stretch” McCoy felt the urgency to build an outlet for underrepresented Oakland artists to tell their story. “Oakland has a lot of talent but not much of a platform to be heard,” says Stretch. “I wanted Oakland’s story to be told by its own natives, because it’s been so misrepresented in the past.” And Philthy Rich, J Stalin, D-Lo and Sleepy D will get that chance, starting next month.
Riding high on his current buzz, Philthy Rich (Anthony Beasley), the star of the highly debated Discovery Channel’s “Gang Wars” (Oakland episode) is not afraid to tell it like it is in front of a camera or a mic. The 26-year-old rapper from the infamous “Sem City” neighborhood of Oakland speaks his truth on his debut album Funk or Die. A sobering chronicle of life on the streets of Oakland, Funk or Die offers a compelling look into the often dangerous world he comes from.
West Oakland’s J Stalin (Jovan Smith, 26) prepares to release his sophomore debut, “Prenuptial Agreement” this winter. The charismatic rapper dubbed “the future” by Bay Area rap veteran E-40, kicks things off with lead single “Birthday,” a feel good track about celebrating everyday as if it’s special. Stalin’s grittiness and knack for vivid narrative offers listeners an optimistic perspective to an otherwise grim existence.
D-Lo (D’angelo Porter, 21) has experienced the type of success most artists dream about in just two short years. His underground hits “No Hoe” and “You Played Me” generated a fervent following both in the streets and cyberspace. Impressively, “You Played Me” generated 1.1 million plays within a couple of months and found itself on heavy rotation on KMEL, the #1 rap/urban radio station in the Bay Area. D-Lo is gearing up to release his first project through SMC, You Played Me EP, later this year with a full-length album to follow in 2010.
Sleepy D (Devon Porter), D-Lo’s younger brother, didn’t start out dreaming of a career in hip-hop. “Rap was kind of an accident” recalls Sleepy D, the soft-spoken, 20-year-old East Oakland native. That “accident” has turned into a considerable street buzz and the forthcoming release of his debut album, Sleep Deprivation.
In the last five years, Thizz Nation has experienced a swell of success with over 100 releases to date, including PSD, Messy Marv and Keak da Sneak’s Da Bidness and Mistah F.A.B.’s The Baydestrian. Both albums sold over 20,000 units in conjunction with SMC Recordings, leading to a subsequent partnership in early 2007.
Thizz Nation and SMC made it official with the launch of Town Thizzness, the subsidiary that exclusively works with Oakland artists. “Town Thizzness is all about keeping it’s finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the streets of Oakland and delivering it raw and uncut,” says Will Bronson, co-founder of SMC Recordings.
2010 looks to be a promising year for Town Thizzness’ with it’s current line-up in addition to the launch of it’s counterpart, Thizz City, an imprint that will look to develop and release San Francisco artists. Already in the works are projects by Messy Marv and new recruit, Roach Gigz.