Thug Life Army

VH1's five-time Emmy-nominated documentary series "Behind The Music" returns to focus on six of today's most influential hip hop/urban artists. This season's roster includes: Pitbull, Game, T-Pain, Akon, Brandy and Nas. In addition to the dramatic storytelling that made "Behind The Music" a worldwide hit, the series will feature originally shot footage of each artist at work today, anchoring each story in the current day and connecting the past with the present. The new season will premiere Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 9pm ET/PT.

"BEHIND THE MUSIC: PITBULL" – PREMIERES THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2012 AT 9PM ET/PT
It's only through struggle that resilience arises and for Armando Christian Perez, better known to the world as Pitbull, the past ten years have seen the charismatic Cuban-American rapper evolve from an embattled upstart to become one of the most entertaining acts in all of pop music. Growing up in the gang-infested neighborhoods of Miami, Florida, Pitbull saw hip hop as a way out of the streets and into a better life. With his lighter complexion and "Spanglish" rhymes, he made an unlikely battle rapper, but his quick tongue and talent for wordplay earned him his first record contract at 20 years old. He spent the next several years honing his craft and transforming himself into an international superstar whose rapid-fire rhymes, billion-dollar beats and infectious hooks continue to take the world by storm.

By the time his sixth studio album Planet Pit was released this past year, Pitbull had transformed into a platinum-selling global sensation, whose knockout smash of the summer "Give Me Everything" climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and Pop charts and was also a top ten hit in 15 countries. In this installment of "Behind the Music," Pitbull opens up about his family struggles and how reconnecting with his dad as an adult filled a void in his life. With interviews with Lil' Jon, rap legend Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew, and hip hop mogul Irv Gotti, along with Pitbull's family and inner circle, "Behind the Music" follows Pitbull's extraordinary journey from the negative to the positive, topping charts and touching lives all around the world.

"BEHIND THE MUSIC: GAME" – PREMIERES THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 AT 9PM ET/PT
"Behind The Music: Game" tracks the unlikely rise of a young gangbanger from Compton into the most successful west coast rapper since N.W.A. and Snoop Dogg. Born into a life of drugs and hustling, by the age of seven he was in a foster home. By high school, he was a full-time gang member and drug dealer. After being shot five times and left for dead, Game dedicated himself to becoming a rapper and against all odds, rose to the top of the genre, putting west coast gangsta rap back on the map. Despite numerous beefs, battles with depression and multiple arrests, Game has managed to stay on top with four consecutive #1 hit albums. Featuring candid, no holds barred interviews with Game, his family and close friends, Behind the Music: Game is a riveting portrait of one of hip-hop's most misunderstood artists.

"BEHIND THE MUSIC: T-PAIN" – PREMIERES THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012 AT 9PM ET/PT
"Behind the Music: T-Pain" explores the rise of a shy kid from Tallahassee, Florida to the heights of the music industry. T-Pain was born Faheem Najm into a stable, middle class family that supported his natural curiosity and talent in music at a very young age. An outsider in school, T-Pain spent his childhood locked in his makeshift bedroom "studio," producing his own music, eventually dropping out of the 8th grade to pursue his dreams full-time. As a teenager, he found local success with a group called the Nappy Headz. Frustrated by the lack of opportunities in Tallahassee, the falling apart of his family and a tense relationship with his father, T-Pain ran away from home and signed with Akon's fledgling label, Konvict Records. Finally on the national scene, his use of auto-tune created a signature sound and he quickly became one of the most sought-after producers, working with everyone from Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Britney Spears. A multi-platinum selling artist in his own right with 2005's Rappa Ternt Sanga, 2007's Epiphany, 2008's Thr33 Ringz and his most recent release rEVOLVEr, T-Pain has produced and been featured on over 45 top ten songs and 16 No. 1's.

Those participating in the special include: T-Pain, his family including wife Amber Najm, his parents and brother, Eric "DoeBoy" Youman, Akon and BU, Akon's brother and the person who gave T-Pain his first big break with a label and Michael Blumstein, Dave Abrams and Rocco Valdez from Chase Entertainment.

"BEHIND THE MUSIC: AKON" – PREMIERES THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012 AT 9PM ET/PT
In "Behind The Music: Akon," VH1 traces the artist's early beginnings in Senegal, Africa, through his struggles forging an identify in America and his criminal past as a car thief, landing him in prison. While there he ultimately found redemption by turning to music. Under heavy media scrutiny after his commercial success, Akon was forced to defend his heritage in the wake of several controversial onstage incidents. BTM catches up with Akon for a-day-in-the-life as he promotes his forthcoming album, "Stadium." In the special, Akon opens up about his home life and addresses the notorious onstage incidents that included dirty dancing with an underage daughter of a preacher in Trinidad and tossing a fan off the stage at a concert in New York. He also talks about discovering Lady Gaga and being the last artist to record with the legendary Michael Jackson. In an effort to promote cultural tolerance and understanding, Akon is charting a career path to become hip hop's first truly global artist.

"BEHIND THE MUSIC: BRANDY" – PREMIERES THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 AT 9PM ET/PT
"Behind The Music: Brandy" will chronicle the Grammy Award-winning artist from her days as young girl singing in her church choir to flourishing into a successful musician and actress. It will also follow Brandy's trials and tribulations, both personally and professionally, and illustrating how she re-emergered as a dynamic, hit-making musical recording artist with a successful acting career. At the tender age of 18, Brandy found herself dealing with the high costs of fame, maintaining her "perfect" image, all the while balancing her career as a musician and coping with the pressures of starring in her hit TV series "Moesha."

During this period, Brandy suffered life-altering tragic events, which are chronicled in this "Behind the Music" special. Raising her daughter as a single mom and serving as a role model in her community via her Norwood Kids Foundation, which supports music and the performing arts in public schools, Brandy is on top of her game and currently in the studio working on her debut album for RCA/Chameleon Records set for release later this spring, as well as being a go-to actress for several TV and film roles including her upcoming role in Tyler Perry's film "The Marriage Counselor," as well as her roles on "90210," BET's scripted series "The Game" and serving as a mentor on the reality TV talent show for kids entitled "Majors and Minors."

"BEHIND THE MUSIC: NAS" – PREMIERES THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 AT 9PM ET/PT
"Behind The Music: Nas" tells the story of one of hip hop's most daring and prolific icons. Raised in the gritty Queensbridge projects of New York City, Nas narrowly escaped his violent surroundings. He later channeled his experiences into a lyrical style that would revolutionize hip hop. A musical legend by the age of 20, Nas' passion for music has carried him through a tumultuous career. Despite very public distractions including multiple feuds with hip hop's biggest names, political controversy, a highly publicized divorce with R&B star Kelis, as well as the devastating loss of his mother, Nas' seven consecutive platinum albums have cemented him as one of the greatest hip hop artists of all time. The special features candid interviews with Nas, members of his family, friends and hip hop luminaries including Russell Simmons, Q-Tip and Common. "Behind the Music: Nas" is the truly unfiltered story of Nasir Jones as it's never been told before.

The soulful style and hard-hitting beats grab you first. Then you hear the smooth-yet-powerful baritone vocals deliver with a distinctive tone. You recognize the voice as it commands attention with provocative lyrics over the flavorful track. This MC shifts the rhyme from English to Spanish, and then back to English again seamlessly. Your head nods the whole way through and it doesn’t matter if you can’t understand the Spanish parts. Then it hits you…the voice and trademark rhyme-flow belongs to none other than “Kemo The Blaxican,” former member of urban-Latin hip hop pioneers, “Delinquent Habits,” whose highly-anticipated album, Upside of Struggle, is slated for release nationally Tuesday, August 17, 2010 on Dead Silent Records.

His new CD, Upside of Struggle, is series of hip hop tracks inspired by his roots; specifically southern California culture and the music that influenced his youth—from west coast funk, soul, and classic hip hop, to traditional Latin music. The album also features guest appearances by Sen Dog (Cypress Hill) and Tetsuya Weeping Willow Nakamura (formerly of War) on the track“Just What You Feelin,” as well as contributions by Sick Jacken (Psycho Realm) on the album.

Upside of Struggle is Kemo’s third solo album on Dead Silence Records, which demonstrates his evolution as an MC and producer. This 12-track incarnation bursts with musical styles and compelling arrangements. Kemo’s lyrical skills stretch back and forth between L.A. street slang and barrio Spanish, never hesitant to show both sides of his composite. He moves the listener through moods, harmoniously encapsulating contradiction, antagonism and the co-existence of good, even during bad times, all with mind bending ease.

The title track, “Upside of Struggle,” tells a story of the artists’ challenges growing up biracial in the barrio and the struggles his mother made as a single parent. Kemo the Blaxican, with his soulful musical maelstrom, brings the listener contagious hooks, grooves and beats, without compromising his signature, raw style. From the opening bars of the title-track, “Upside of Struggle,” the listener knows he’s in for something special. Your head bobs and you’ll find yourself excited with each track; which is removed from the sterile debates and orthodoxies of the time. Upside of Struggle, with its technically interesting beats, intelligent lyrics and coalition of styles makes it a progressive album, bound for national appeal.

Kemo The Blaxican is a former MC and lyricist for West Coast Latin hip hop pioneers, “Delinquent Habits.” Before Kemo went “solo,” he was most notable as the brainchild of Delinquent Habits (DH), who happened to also be the only Spanish-fluent MC in the group. He spent twelve years with the collective, with whom he released four albums, and took the Delinquent sound around the world. In 1996 the group struck gold with their very first single "Tres Delinquentes,” a song that masterfully fused a traditional mariachi sound (courtesy of Herb Alpert's "Lonely Bull") with the raw hip-hop backdrop of the streets. The sound was a breath of fresh air in a stale rap scene, and opened a new creative doorway into which many other Latin hip hop acts would follow.

"Tres Delinquentes" blew up almost overnight, receiving airplay not only on hip-hop radio but rock and Top 40 stations as well. The track eventually landed Delinquent Habits an appearance on the former-NBC show, “Late Night with Conan O'Brien” and tours with heavyweights like Korn and Ice T. In no time, "Tres Delinquentes" became a worldwide hit, selling over one million copies around the globe and pushing the group’s self-titled album to nearly the same figure. This was the public’s first introduction to Kemo's lyrical skills and flawless bilingual transitions. He stepped into the hip-hop game, introduced himself as “The Blaxican,” and never looked back.

Four Delinquent Habits albums later—after countless tours around the globe including the UK, Europe, Japan, South America, Mexico and Taiwan—Kemo left the group and embarked upon his solo career. Kemo walked away having played a major role in solidifying Delinquent Habits as one of the most influential Latin hip hop groups of all time and establishing himself as one of today’s leading bilingual MC's. The solo move has allowed him to record Simple Plan, Not So Rich & Famous, and Upside of Struggle on his own indie label, Dead Silence Records.

2005 saw the release of Simple Plan, Kemo's first album as a solo artist. The disc found ‘The Blaxican’ taking his talent for wordplay and ability to draw a vivid picture through rhyme and attitude to new heights. Kemo writes and raps about real life issues, than many of the superficial topics that saturate hip hop today. The album featured the hit single “La Receta,” which made its way into the Warner Brothers movie “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” as well as Morgan Freeman’s film “Ten Items or Less.” His track “I Drink, She Smokes” on Simple Plan is a jazz-soaked spoken word excursion that landed on the soundtrack to the acclaimed film “La Mujer de Mi Hermano.”

With Not So Rich & Famous, Kemo sophomore solo CD, he showed the world that he is not only one of the nation’s leading bilingual MC’s, but also a gifted producer who is not afraid to explore genres and coalesce the traditional with Latin hip-hop. Influenced as much by the west coast funk and soul icons he grew up listening to as by hip-hop, Kemo was joined by Tetsuya “Weeeping Willow” Nakamura (harmonica player for the legendary band, War) for the “5th of May.” The whole album with its range, depth and impact fed the good, bad and real.

Kemo reminds us with Upside of Struggle that the life has its highlights and hardships. Each track on the album increases with dynamism, as Kemo envokes emotion through his beats and words.

Kemo The Blaxican is always on the move. In 2001, the bilingual LA rapper recorded a song with Grammy-winning merengue queen, Olga Tanon, and Egyptian singer Hakim. The track fused hip hop, merengue, and modern Middle Eastern sounds and was a mainstay on the charts from the Middle East to the West Coast. On top of it all, he is also the proud owner of indie record label, Dead Silence Records and the urban fashion t-shirt line, Joint Clothing. Kemo also works successfully in publishing, garnering his music in numerous national T.V. ads and films for over a decade.

His latest album is available here for our TLA readers at a discounted rate only a flat $10.00ea. we pick up the tab for shipping and handling, just click on "BUY NOW" icon to the left next to the picture of the album and enjoy!