Los Angeles, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Universal
Music Latino) - Universal
Music Latino has launched
Rebel Music Group, a new joint venture with Jack Gonzalez aka "Sick Jacken," the frontman of L.A. based rap group Psycho Realm. In doing so, the label has made a defining move in positioning itself as the leader in Latin hop-hop music by aligning itself with one of the most respected names in the underground hip-hop scene.
"We are very excited to be able to work with RMG. We admire the talent and credibility of Jack and his team and are happy that we can be a part of this new stage in his career," comments John Echevarria, President of Universal Music Latino.
"The strategic union between Rebel Music Group and Universal Music Latino will be the base of a new bilingual urban movement," assures Walter Kolm, Senior Vice President of Marketing and A&R for Universal Music Latino.
The new partnership with Gonzalez and the Psycho Realm brings Universal Music Latino an alliance with one of the most influential brands in rap music. The group has already solidified itself as an international phenomenon, selling hundreds of thousands of albums and selling out shows in the United States, Latin America, Europe and Japan, all without the backing of a major record label. This success can be attributed to the group's ability to connect with the streets by highlighting social conditions while calling for rebellion and change whether it be in Los Angeles or other neighborhoods where gangs, injustice and tragedy exists. In doing so, Psycho Realm has amassed more than fans but "soldiers" and has transformed their music into a movement.
Rebel Music Group will use this influence to market, promote and distribute a brand of urban music that does not confine itself to the boundaries that have become commonplace in the genre. Both the product and the marketing approach will remain unapologetically street, while relying on Universal Music Latino's reputation as the leader in Latin music to take their successes to new heights. The label will fuse street and lifestyle marketing tactics together and will also focus on the booming online digital market with the goal of developing their artist's visibility and selling potential without sacrificing the integrity of the music. "We\'re looking to provide a home for music that doesn't fit the current formula for mainstream record sales, and we hooked up with the best in the business to help us distribute this idea worldwide. "The Rebellion Is Coming," commented Gonzalez.
Joining Sick Jacken as the General Manager of RMG is Tone Lopez who has managed Psycho Realm for the last three years and will be influential in mapping out the direction that the label will take. "We are excited and prepared for all the challenges that lie ahead with this joint venture" stated Lopez. Also on board are Joey Castillo as the Creative Director and Big Tiny as the label's Art Director. Both Castillo and Big Tiny have been a big part of the day to day activities of Psycho Realm and the various projects that they have been able to roll out in the last few years and are ready for the new tasks that lie ahead.
The first release from RMG will be DJ Muggs VS Sick Jacken "The Legend of the Mask and The Assasin", a concept album that marks the first time that members of Cypress Hill and Psycho Realm have collaborated since the release of the Psycho Realm debut album in 1997. The album is already one of the most highly anticipated releases in the West Coast hip-hop scene and will fuse Sick Jacken's unparalleled lyrical skills with the production of hip-hop legend DJ Muggs, a pioneer in the genre. The album will be released on August 21, 2007 and will include the two Spanish-language tracks. A full length Spanish-language Psycho Realm album be released in 2008.
