http://islanddefjam.com/artist/home.aspx?artistID=7361

Like most of todays troubled youth, TrapStar was no stranger to the troubles of street life and fast living. While his mother was away working to provide a decent lifestyle, he grew up with his uncles who were knee deep in the neighborhood street life. Living in the infamous district 25, known for drugs & crime, he had his fair share of a lifestyle that eventually led to a run in or two with the law. Seeing his uncle get 30 years for murder really slowed him down. Teachers always told him he was too smart for his own good. So instead of writing reports he started writing the reality in which he lived to pass time in high school. Upon competing in and winning numerous talent shows (one judged by Ludacris), he decided to take the hobby seriously. He started making songs in local studios and decided to put together an album.

In October 2000, he released his first project, Street Mathmatics. After releasing the project the hard work began, which was selling the units he duplicated himself. Without local radio airplay, distribution, or promotional material he went on to sell over 1,000 copies. Not bad considering circumstances and the fact he manufactured his own CDs. With the profits from Street Mathmatics, he purchased some home studio equipment and began the grind most know as rap.

In 2006, TrapStar, linked up with Big Cat Records in hopes of getting the record deal he was after. The union didn’t last long with TrapStar returning home to continue pushing his own music. Then in 2007, opportunity came knocking again when he was invited to Echo Studios, home of Grand Hustle, to work with some of the artists such as J.R. Get Money & Yung LA. This union proved to be fruitful as TrapStar began building relationships and getting advice from the King of the South, T.I.. And leading into 2008, the future looks brighter than ever. With many appearances already booked for the year, TrapStar hopes to capitalize on his My Space popularity and get the recognition he’s been craving his whole life.

http://twitter.com/TrapSTAR1

http://www.myspace.com/trapstar25

Lil Brod a.k.a. Mr. Monticello earned a reputation as one of South Carolina’s hottest up and coming rappers by grinding in the streets. The path he took to get to where he is now is a testament to his relentless drive and hustle. Growing up in his grandmother’s house with 7 brothers and sisters, Lil Brod learned what it meant to struggle at an early age. His stomping ground, Monticello, located on the rough side of Columbia, S.C., is where he started hustling to help contribute to his family. From ages 10 to 14, this street entrepreneur did whatever he could to make a buck, from cutting grass to more risky activities that would periodically cause run-ins with the law. By the 9th grade, Lil Brod had become accustomed to making his own money and decided to drop out of school to pursue opportunities that would eventually lead to his first criminal charge at the age of 15.

In between hustling and doing what he had to, Lil Brod, began writing, recording and pressing his own CDs, mostly as a hobby. However, by 19, Lil Brod had 2 more legal brushes, one of which earned him a state-sponsored vacation. This was the beginning of a turning point for him. Lil Brod realized that what he’d experienced in the past 3 years, combined with frequent stints of homelessness and watching love ones pass away, was not what he had planned for his life. And with the news of a baby on the way, he chose to take his street hustle mentality and channel it into his natural talent of rapping and writing.

Lil Brod started writing and recording from his home what he calls struggle music. The pain and hopelessness that he was going through can be heard in “Sometimes I.” At the time when he recorded the song, he was frustrated with his current circumstances, “I was actually homeless and it was like I was crying out on the track.” The hook paints this vivid picture, “Sometimes I think about this money that I’m not havin and I’m lackin, so I’m down on my knees, so that’s why I, gotta keep on movin, keep on doin what I’m doin and one day I’ll succeed.”

Lil Brod, the persistent hustler, had 7 mixtapes under his belt by the time he recorded “Sometimes I.” And although he averaged over 5,000 units through hand to hand selling, “Do U Mind,” is considered his break out track by critics. “Do U Mind” is one of those songs that is both a radio smash and club banger, just an undeniable record. Brod is a talented artist that makes good music and has a chance to make it in the music industry,” stated Randy Roper, Ozone Magazine Music Editor and AllHipHop.com writer.

“Do U Mind”, a street ballad for the ladies, has gained attention across the South and in particular, South Carolina, through radio air play on at least 8 stations including 100.1, the Beat and Hot 103.9. As word started spreading, Lil Brod began landing opening act gigs for the biggest names in the South such as Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Gucci Mane, to name a few. Before long, booking Lil Brod to open for shows became a rite of passage for all of the top rap acts that passed through his market. These opportunities led to features on popular compilations and mixtapes along side Gorilla Zoe, Gucci Mane, and  on Hot Block magazine’s mixtape, where he was featured on “Nasty,” with Gorilla Zoe, Mr Flip & Collard Collard Greens. Lil Brod also had a review in The Fader.com, Blvd St.com & Ozone Magazine Website.

With comparisons to Lil’ Boosie and Webbie, Lil Brod has vowed to put South Carolina on his back and expand the Dirty South spotlight to his small town. In addition to writing, Lil Brod also produces, and for his latest effort, he teamed up with $9 Mill, Da Honorable CNOTE and the production team, Head Hunter Records. The messages in his music showcase what he feels hiphop is missing. With too much emphasis on monetary gains and glorifying material things, Lil Broad offers a pleasant departure. “I try to connect with people that feel there is no hope,” states Lil Brod.

When Lil Brod isn’t recording or performing, this full-time father spends time with his family. After a recent appearance at a local elementary school, Lil Brod became inspired to return to school and get his G.E.D., just another notch to add to this 21 year old’s accomplishments.

*Disclaimer in no way do i mean to ”Diss” any of the names mentioned in this blog this in too in light and inform!*

Hello World, Let me start by saying thanks Ms. Chriss for the opportunity you get a big ”salute” for that. Now let me introduce myself for those who don’t know my name is Darrien ”Young FM” Scott a 19 year old rapper in Columbia Sc by way of Amityville Ny. I have been in this state for about 4 years now and let me start by stating how hard it is to ”make it” so to speak in this state as a rapper.I have been subject to allot of let downs and been ignored by the best of them in this state, lets go in! For example my tenth grade year at Blythewood High ”Lil Ru” & ”Collard Greens” came to my school to talk to the students and ”encourage” them i guess anyway long story short i end up doing a impromptu ten minute 100 bar freestyle both said they loved it i traded number with Ru ”him saying he was gonna do a song with me and basically put me on Head Hunter Records” well i called the number and it was a whole different story he was very cocky (for no reason) and yells out prices ”blah blah blah” long story short i ended up hanging up and calling it a day. i can go on for days with stories like this you cant even imagine how radio play can cause a rapper to think there a better person than others. Here’s another more recent example not too long ago (like last summer) right after ”Lil Brod” dropped the ”Do You Mind” song he dropped ”Runnin My City” me seeing this as a time to get exposure scour the net find the instrumental and record a unofficial remix (inspired by Boss G doing It to ”Mr Taylor’s Shoot The Fuck Up”) well i wrote a verse recorded it and sent it to Nine Mill and waited…and waited… well you get the deal! finally one night they did that Head Hunter TV and i sent it to them DUMB MOVE first off they was all drunk and if it wasn’t a Head Hunter Song they didn’t really give two shits about it(pardon my french) well long story short Brod played it and after the first 2.5 seconds stopped listening and began talking over it not hearing one lyric at the end before he could say ”it was wack” or whatever he was gonna say Collard Green stopped him shouted me out and went back to drinking. Now as i sat and pondered why Brod would not like my song was it because the original song didn’t do as well as “Do You Mind” was it because my verse more lyrical (IMO) or was it because recent radio play had him thinking he was better than a young rapper on the come up i honestly to this day do not no well just a another day in the life of a young ”Karolina South Rapper” These are just two of MANY examples i have here’s another one. One day on twitter i decided to send a tweet to every DJ in the state and ask them to follow a hungry rapper i had to send it to about 50 DJ and outta them 50 djs two count em TWO! djs followed me Dj Phingas And Dj Gogetem i just don’t understand it! i don’t understand how a person like Nine Mill can say they put on for SC but when i message them i get no reply! And A special Shout Out To Charlamenge The God because i asked the man to follow me on twitter and guess what He did! if i send him a tweet even if he sends his trademark ”Pow” back i know he’s paying attention and he gives two shits about the artist in this state! And hes hands down the biggest to ever do anything hip hop related in this state so what does that say about the rest of you??? But yea I’m going to be 100% honest when i say this after living here for as long as i did i kinda understand why Lil Ru did what he did to this state NOTE i said ”kinda” Like allot of fellow younger rappers come up to me in person on myspace twitter etc and say ”how can i get on this rap shit” and you know what i wanna tell them so bad ”move out of this state!” I’m sorry but that’s just how i feel its more to say but ill leave it for another day so long for now and ill leave you with a quote from one of the realest in the state.

”Some of these rappers just want you to go through what they did and make it hard for you……..think big” -louis the 13 sdm Ceo

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http://thehiphophost.com/2010/08/monopoly/