LONDON, UK (Top40 Charts/
National Marketing Cision) - One of the hottest emerging British music talents of the moment, Belfast born rap star 'DEABLO' is set to become the UK's answer to US RAP star EMINEM after his single 'EVERYBODY' has stormed into the official
Music Week Dance Club charts at No. 11 ahead of its commercial release on the 15th February.
Remixed by MADONNA's favourite DJ/producer TIMOTHY ALLAN, 'EVERYBODY' has been rocking up the UK's dance floors and become an instant club smash across the UK. Canadian born musician, DJ and producer TIMOTHY ALLAN one half of Australian dance out fit Hong Kong Blondes, has earned a solid reputation in the electronica dance music scene with a multitude of worldwide Top 10 hits. The Hong Kong Blondes remix of 'Walking on a Dream' by 'EMPIRE OF THE SUN' saw a No 1 charting on the UK charts and over 30 weeks in the Australian top 15 ARIA club charts. As if that wasn't enough, MADONNA herself hand picked one of the Hong Kong Blonde's first songs to appear on her 2009 compilation CD 'EQ Sessions'.
'DEABLO' aka James Dougal, doesn't hail from hip hop's spiritual US heartland but from Belfast, Northern Ireland. At the tender age of 26 and like EMINEM, DEABLO is un-stereotypically white for a rapper, he's also a self cured epileptic, who happens to rap in a Belfast accent and has produced/self funded his own debut album. He's had personal audiences with former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and the DUP's Rev Ian Paisley to talk politics and music. He's hung out with hip hop's royalty Jurassic 5, while rap star COOLIO holds the MC DEABLO in high regard after hearing the Belfast boy rap. An undisputed battle MC, DEABLO has his sights firmly set on loosening the stranglehold of London's urban music scene, giving the likes of DIZZEE RASCAL, TINCHY STRYDER and CHIPMUNK a run for their money and a name to watch out for in 2010!
In his quiet and softly spoken Belfast accent DEABLO waxes lyrical; 'Why can't a white guy with a Belfast accent do rap music as good as someone from New York or South London? Belfast isn't quite New York's Bronx or Queens district, but there is no better place than Belfast to give you a true perspective on music, the people say it how it is, if they don't like you, or your music and what your about, they let you know in no uncertain terms! Being a battle MC at a club on the Falls Road at 3am is better than any X Factor audition you could ever imagine. It's not for the faint hearted.'
'EVERYBODY' which entered the Music Week Club charts at No 11 is taken from the forthcoming album '8 Track Tape'. Unashamedly an infectious pop rap, with an R&B edge that even Justin Timberlake would be proud to hang his hat on. Mediterranean guitars flutter and shimmer over a beautiful, driving falsetto rap, where New York's Bronx meets urban Belfast under a bumping R&B groove! Fusing hard, break-inspired beats with flamenco guitar; rock atmospherics with dance music exuberance; lushly orchestrated live instrumentation, framing lyrics that buck all the prevailing rap stereotypes, delivered in a thick Belfast brogue - a voice hip hop has never heard before, but one that's as authentic as the music has known.
DEABLO's debut album '8 TRACK TAPE', co-produced with long time collaborator, musician and beat maker 'LABRINTH' has produced one of the most exciting hybrid hip hop albums. The album has hallmarks and similarities to EMINEM's semi autobiographical '8 MILE' which tells the story of EMINEM's journey of self belief, his dream of being a rapper and gaining respect from his black peers. 'Everybody' is a song about havin' a bad day, not being able to please everybody, but still doing your best to try. I'm trying to tell my story through the music," DEABLO explains. "Hip hop, to me, has always been about the music, about the struggle and on my level, it's more about the personal struggle: me, why I make music, why I'm hungry to make music, and why music means so much to me. I have an urge to write quality rhymes, and say something that maybe hasn't been said before, or to say it in a different way."
DEABLO's life story to date isn't marred in the troubles of Northern Ireland and about growing up in a tough city and his struggle to be heard, as you would expect, but more a story of how by perseverance and sheer determination in your life you can triumph over personal adversity.
A diabetic since the age of four and a former (self cured) epileptic DEABLO has tried many different career paths;, a stint as an actor, a call centre worker and political TV documentary producer, before realising his true vocation in music. Ironically it is his work as a TV/political documentary producer working alongside his father, respected RTE and BBC journalist/broadcaster JAMES DOUGAL senior, that has bought him into contact with the likes of Irelands biggest political heavyweights such as Gerry Adams, Martin McGuiness and Ian Paisley as well as former Prime Minister TONY BLAIR, where they both chatted about bands and music at No. 10 Downing Street in between filming and the news that North Korea announced they had the bomb.
'Eminem, Tupac Shakur, Coolio, Snoop Dog are all artists I would aspire to be like one day, they have all struggled in the face of adversity. Belfast is no different to New York's Bronx or LA's south central. Rapping is all about the struggle, wanting to better yourself, wanting to be heard to get out of your current predicament to persevere when life is at it toughest.'
His optimism, his perspective and outlook on life belies his youth, citing old school rock and roll heroes and poets like Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and John Lennon as his mentors; 'John Lennon said you have to inhale before you exhale, musically - and I totally live by that" he adds "Unless you've actually experienced something, how can you legitimately write about it in a way that's gonna touch people?"
DEABLO's debut single 'EVERYBODY' is released on the 15th February 2010 and is available along with the album EIGHT TRACK TAPE, for download on ITUNES and at www.deablomusic.com
Check out DEABLO'S interview with respected BBC music journalist Ian Youngs at https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8378580.stm
DEBUT SINGLE: 'EVERYBODY' 15.02.10 - TAKEN FROM THE DEBUT ALBUM '8 TRACK TAPE'
Available to download at I TUNES & www.deablomusic.com
