Since I know what it's like to self promote, I'm always helping promote others in my own way, even when they'll never even know because they have so many loyal fans out there. But if I can bring even one new fan their way, then I have succeeded. I believe music should be shared. It should be appreciated. That's what this blog is all about. Sharing music.
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| Memphis Bridge, spanning the Mighty Mississippi River #photooftheday |
I was listening to my Spotify playlist today when a song came on that gave me the inspiration for this post. Lil Wyte said it best when he said, "I can't even count how many legends my city's made ..." It got me to thinking, just how many artists do I know that is from my area? For those of you who don't know, my area is about 30 miles north of the city of Blues, Memphis. Guess you might be able to see why I'm such a music lover, huh? I grew up going to concerts on Beale Street. So let's see who hails from here, shall we?
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| Beale Street, Memphis, TN |
Justin Timberlake
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| Justin Timberlake (Image: GQ) |
Who doesn't know this household name? This famous singer came from the same podunk area I'm located and it's not hard to find someone who remembers growing up with Justin, pre-Nsync (for you younger generations, this was a boy band he belonged to in the '90s to early 2000s).
He's certainly come a long way from appearing alongside Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera on The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and is now one of the most known singers in the world. This just goes to show that you don't have to be from a big city to make it in showbiz.
Three 6 Mafia
Nothing brings back the nostalgia of my youth like Three 6 Mafia. Living in a small town meant we spent Friday and Saturday nights cruising the strip, bumping Two Way Freak or Baby Momma. Yeanknow? Some members of this group have broken out on their own and found success, while others might not be as well known. But you know what they say ... it's hard out here for a pimp. That's right. If you've seen Hustle and Flow, you've heard Three 6 Mafia. |
| Three 6 Mafia |
DJ Paul is one of the founding members of Three 6 and one of the only two original members left. He's also the producer of all of their albums. He's tried his hand at a solo career and is one of the more well-known members.
Juicy J is another founding member of Three 6 and is also still active. He is one of the members that went beyond the group and really found success. My kids love his remix with Katy Perry "Dark Horse". He's also collaborated with well-known artists like Kevin Gates, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, and Lil Wayne, just to name a few. Not bad for someone who started out in one of the most dangerous cities in the country.
Lord Infamous is another one of the co-founders of Three 6 Mafia and was also born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the half brother of DJ Paul. Lord Infamous wasn't able to become as successful as some of the other group members and ended his partnership with Three 6 after getting arrested. Sadly, he passed away from a heart attack in 2013.
Koopsta Knicca also isn't very well known. He was with Three 6 Mafia from 1991-2000, when he had to leave the band due to incarceration. He released multiple albums was never able to gain much of a fan base, outside of Memphians and loyal Three 6 fans. He passed away in 2015 after complications with a stroke that left him unresponsive and on life support.
Crunky Black joined Three 6 in 1993 and continued to collaborate until 2006. At that time, he dissolved his role in the group, citing a desire to branch out as a solo artist. There were some disputes between him and group members, Juicy J and DJ Paul, which also contributed to the breakup. Since being solo, he hasn't released anything since 2015.
Gangsta Boo was the only female to ever be an official member of Three 6. She's had a bit of moderate success on her own but she's collaborated with tons of folks. To me, she is the Queen of Hip Hop and helped pave the way for artists like Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj.
Lil Wyte:
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| Lil Wyte (Image: Lil Wyte) |
If you listened to Three 6 back in the day, you've no doubt heard some collabs between them and this rapper. Nowadays, you'll most likely hear him with Jelly Roll. Lil Wyte is at the top of my favorite artists from my area and my kids love him too. He raps about what life is like around here. Some of his songs are about the hardships of life and growing up in Frayser, a very dangerous place, and some are about living it up country style. The song Come Ride was actually filmed right next door to my best friend's house. His line, "80 acres in Tipton County is where I be kicking ..." Yep. That's my area!
Leebo:
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| Leebo Music (Image: Leebo Music) |
Since I've mentioned Tipton County, let me introduce you to a new up and coming hick-hop artist Leebo. He's from the same stomping grounds as me and I've seen him perform a few times at local bars. He keeps the raps real about country living. If you've never experienced backwoods country, give this man a listen and learn how it's done.
Part 2: Coming Soon
These are just a few artists that emerged from the infamous land of Blues. Keep an eye because part two will be coming soon with even more artists. Do you know a local band or artist that's trying to get their name out there? Comment in the links for your chance to win a free promotional piece featuring them.
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