New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ A.aron T.he P.riest Official Website) - A.aron T.he P.riest is preparing to release his debut album, marking a huge stage in the career of the multi-talented rapper, producer-songwriter. A.T.P, who lives in So. California, has just put the final touches to the album, and is now preparing for the imminent release that will hopefully build upon his fan base and get his music heard by more people than ever.
The album, 'God's Grace', consists of twelve original songs from A.T.P, each providing a combination his high-energy guitar playing, melodious vocals and heartfelt lyrics. The rhythmic undercurrent bears testament to Gospel Rap, and the music is punctuated throughout with elements of gospel, hip-hop, funk, jazz, pop and Godsta music.
The album was recorded at Sky Praise International Studios in California, and its creation was supported by musicians who have been associated with A.T.P. It was produced, recorded, and mixed by Aaron Harris.
The theme of the album underlies the changes that A.T.P has gone through over recent years, the biggest of which being the 'switch' from gangsta rap to gospel. It was this that allowed him to thrive off the new opportunities presented to him, to explore fresh sounds and develop his musical style.
'God's Grace' reveals the stunning array of influences that have found their way into A.T.P's music. Whilst his grounding came in traditional gospel/R&B music - he began to get himself known whilst playing in venues throughout So. California - he was always keen to bring something unique to a traditional sound. For this reason, his emphasis on rhythmic guitar playing has been enhanced by his ability to play other instruments including the keys, the bass and the percussion.
A.T.P's life has certainly been full of experiences. He has said of his work: 'I was brought up in a very musical family. My parents would always expose me to a wealth of music as a child. Although I learned a lot of instruments as I was growing up, it wasn't until I was 25 that I actually picked up my first guitar, and that was a real changing point for me.
'Since then, my style has developed and I've incorporated other sounds and genres which have all made their way into 'God's Grace'. The album is a reflection of my influences over the years and the changes that I've experienced recently in my life.'
With an album collection that takes up an entire room, A.T.P refuses to restrict his influences to one genre. Instead, he has been influenced by numerous artists and genres of music from across the globe, including Hendrix, Sam Cook, Bob Marley, Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles, John Coltrane and Stevie Wonder, amongst many others.
A.T.P does not shy away from including political references in his music, reflecting one of his other long-term interests, Bible prophecy. This can be deduced from recent samples of his songs which include sound bites and excerpts from news broadcasts relating to the spiritual warfare of this nation in a song called pointman.
The album will be launching shortly, and fans are encouraged to visit A.T.P's website, which provides everything you could want to know about the young musician. As well as checking out videos of A.T.P being interviewed and photos of him in action, you can also sign up for the mailing list to receive news and information about upcoming gigs and new releases. www.skypraiseintl.com
Fans can also check out his Twitter"ATP77 page and can even join up to be his friend on Facebook.com/Aaronthepriest
