 "Photo: Courtesy Photo")
Breaking into today's hip-hop industry takes the right connections, marketable artists and the perseverance to push record executives to the brink in order to get the right record deal to rake in profits.
Chris Jones is a 21-year-old San Diego State student, former San Francisco resident, member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and founder of the hip-hop and entertainment company Ridiculous Entertainment. Front lining Jones' up-and-coming company are three key artists: Mario "Rio" Holten hailing from East Oakland, Colbie Comage from Sacramento and Marques Russell from Carson. Each of them bring his or her own unique talent and love for music.
Tracing his love of hip-hop back to childhood when he was denied the chance to catch MC Hammer in concert, Rio said he began rapping when he lived in East Oakland and continued his career when he came to San Diego to attend SDSU. After graduating last year with a degree in economics, Rio has had more time to focus on his music career and has spent a lot of time in the studio. He said he's been with famous artists such as Paul Wall, E-40 and has opened for Nappy Roots.
Rio said he knows the importance of reaching people with music, and in the past has idolized the works of Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG, especially their ability to cross over from club music to heartfelt, emotional songs dealing with their deepest fears and inner feelings. With so much emphasis placed on keeping it real in today's rap game, Rio knows the problems that can arise when a rapper boasts about a life he hasn't lived or circumstances that one has never experienced.
The best quality to have, he said, is to just be real to oneself. Recently, Rio's been spending time in the studio working on getting his first solo album done, recording tracks for Ridiculous' first major mix tape, all while continuing the marketing of his group EOS's compilation.
Comage, 21, is Ridiculous' first-lady R&B artist and plans to appear on mix tapes with Rio. Inspired by Musiq Soulchild and old school R&B, Comage said she's been singing since she was 5 years old around family and friends. She said she wants to delve deeper into the meaning of her music, acknowledging the fact that far too many artists base their songs on sex, materialistic needs or money and often leave out issues of real concern in society such as poverty and racism.
Jones' third artist, Marques Russell, 22, is originally from Carson and, until recently, has always been too shy to get his talent on display. Thanks to encouragement from his family and close friends, he has finally found his comfort zone in which he can put his soulful voice to work. Russell said he wants to add catchy hooks to Rio's music as well as joining the rest of the company on its first major mix tape due out this December.
Knowing that the dream of establishing a successful company can come crashing down at any time in today's industry, Jones said he firmly believes he and his crew have what it takes to push themselves to the next level. Following his past success as a car salesman, a successful stint working for Levi Strauss - that ended up providing him with a college scholarship and experiences in marketing and promoting music - Jones said he has the credentials necessary for Ridiculous to succeed.
He often reminisces about his fraternity brother Kirk Morrison, seeing his dream come true by being drafted into the Oakland Raiders and hopes one day his goals and aspirations will be fulfilled just the same.
For more information on Rio and company check out www.oaklandsfinest.com or www.eosmuzil.com.
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