LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Thug Life Army Records) - Thug Life Army Records, a division of Star Sound Group International based in Hollywood, California; is releasing their latest project titled 'In the Shadow of an Icon' and the album will be available on digital download sites beginning November 13th. It is a collaboration of artists who all learned and grew out of the words and teachings of the late hip hop Icon Tupac Shakur (2Pac). Thug Life Army Records is a division of Star Sound Group International based in Hollywood, California.
The album will be distributed thru Fontana/Universal/AMG on Thug Life Army Records. The album will be available for digital download on Itunes, Umusic and all other download sources November 13th. The album will be in stores nationwide January 15th 2008.
The project contains no music by Tupac (2Pac), but it does reveal artists who grew out of the shadow of the hip hop Icon.
As Tupac did in his short life, Thug Life Army Records looked for hip hop and rap artists who could use a 'hand up' to get their talent noticed. The VP of Thug Life Army Records, RB says 'We hope this project will do just that. Our hope is this project will bring 'light' to those artists who have participated out of love for Tupac and what they learned from his lyrics. Hip Hop is not 'Dead' as many people believe; most people are just not looking in the right places'.
When asked about the artists on the CD RB explains 'On the project there will be some artists names that you will recognize, while others may be new to you; but the artists represented on the CD 'In the Shadow of an Icon' are some of the best conscious hip hop and rap representatives from all over North America - 'Coast' to 'Coast' and Canada'.
When asked about the direction the music takes in the CD, RB explains 'The various sides and teachings of the 'man', Tupac Amaru Shakur are represented on this CD - from his street side, to his political side, to his deep inner self. A total look is taken at the course Tupac had traveled in his short life. A picture of Tupac's life is a picture of many of our lives. His up's and down's are roads many of us have shared along the way. That is why Tupac gained the respect of almost everyone in the hip hop community - we could feel his pain and joys, as he felt ours. His words and teachings remain relevant today because the situation has not changed since Pac first started exposing the real truth of hood life, and the artists on this project continue with Pac's message of 'keeping it real' thru real talk. No spinning rims or drinking in the club, just solid true about the reality of being raised in a society that does not understand you or your situation'.
Violence has touched many in this country, not only the hip hop community. This is not only a requiem for the life of Tupac and for all the fallen 'souljahs' who have died needlessly or have found themselves in situations they cannot control, but it also emphasizes why the lyrics that Tupac spit and the knowledge he put forth is still relevant today; because nothing has really changed over the last 11 years since Tupac was murdered, and the artists on this project came together to put out a hip hop album with a 'meaningful message'.
With over 25 different artists participating in the project, there are many backgrounds and each artist has their own region where they rep from and their own experiences in life.
The official 'leak' song titled 'Speed of Life' by K-Loron, was released on MySpace (at https://www.myspace.com/intheshadowofanicon ). This is the first single off the album. It along with the second single 'We Live and We Die' by Hustle Creed will be serviced to radio nationwide on November 12th.. Everyone who has heard the track by K-Loron loves it and they are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the full project.
Here is the track list for 'In the Shadow of an Icon' and more information can be found at https://www.myspace.com/intheshadowofanicon or on the Thug Life Army Records web site at https://thuglifearmyrecords.com. The album will be distributed thru Fontana/Universal/AMG on Thug Life Army Records. The album will be available for digital download on Itunes, Umusic and all other on line sources November 13th. In stores nationwide January 15th 2008
Track list for 'In the Shadow of an Icon':
Disc One
1. Boo Kapone - KNOWLEDGE
2. Concrete Souljahs - Walk wit me
3. allfrumtha i - Everywhere I Go (good and evil)
4. SUPe - The System
5. Hustle Creed - We Live and We Die
6. Purple Lounge "H.O.P.E"
7. Nolan - PEOPLE
8. 1223 - Wish I Knew
9. Jasiri X and Franchise - 2 Pacs More
Producer: Paradise Gray (X Clan) and GM3
10. Page 1 - Fallen
11. Ebony Burks - Choice
12. G Luv - Revelation
13. FAME - Next 2 Kin
14. U.N.D feat. Teeka - Understand
15. binky mack - Conflict Of Interest
Disc Two
1. Kemo the Blaxican - Breathe
2. Celly Cel - No Tomorrow
3. Dolo - So Much Drama
4. Qwiccshott - Never
5. Sammy B feat Big Dee - No Half Steppin
6. 3RDegree - Broken Home
7. allfrumtha i - Me & My Dawg
8. K - Loron - Speed of Life
9. Concrete Souljahs - Related to the Undergroud
10. Tommy Danger - Run for Cover
11. Wize-Fool - DANGEROUS FREE THINKER
12. binky mack - Taken Over
13. Malign20 - Hopes and Dreams
14. Queen Josie - Young Men of Today (Spoken Word)
For radio mp3's and for press promo copies of the album please contact Thug Life Army Records at [email protected]
