Growing up, Kevin heard the music within, and he began recording as a teen. “At 16, I wrote my first song,” he recalls. “I woke up in the studio one night and something literally clicked in my head! I really heard it, so I said, ‘I better write this down.’ For Kevin, music was the only option worth considering. He recounts, “I had the offer of a full scholarship to Hofstra, but I never seriously thought about it. I feel real strongly about doing what it is you want to do.”

Kevin Michael’s YaDig? EP, available only on Itunes, is an introduction to Kevin’s unique sound and style in advance of his album release on August 28th, 2007. “We All Want the Same Thing” is included in two ways: the hip-hop inflected version featuring Lupe Fiasco, and the stripped-down acoustic style featuring guitarist and beat boxer Akil Dasan, who also appears on the acoustic versions of “Vicki Secrets” and “It Don’t Make Any Difference To Me” featured on the EP.

“We All Want The Same Thing,” the EP’s opener, is both a statement of purpose and roots for the artist who lived in worlds both black and white (“All my gangster friends/and all my skater friends/We all want the same thing/DJ’s in the clubs/Jesus freaks and thugs/We all want the same things”).

“Vicki Secrets” showcases Kevin’s falsetto, and proves him as a singer with considerable sex appeal who knows how to communicate to the ladies. And then there’s Kevin’s ode to Michael Jackson, “Stone Cold Killa,” which weaves a Latin percussive feel with snappy pop phrasing and layered vocal harmonies to conjure up a world of good times, beautiful women and smiles on the dance floor.

“It Don’t Make Any Difference To Me” shows both the range of Kevin’s songwriting abilities and the depth of his pride in who he is (“All you gotta do is look at me/Three generations of my family you see/People treat you different/When you’re in between/He was black and she was white/You know that most people thought that it wasn’t right/I can still remember what she used to say/It don’t make any difference to me”). The song combines an irresistible pop feel with poignant lyrics, and what emerges is a trans-racial modern day anthem. The album version of the song was produced by and featuring Wyclef Jean, bringing a Caribbean flavor to the mix.

“I don’t know where I begin and the music stops,” Kevin professes. With a stunning debut ready to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting music public, this young man brimming with soul and confidence is ready to take his vision on the road and to the next level (www.myspace.com/kevinmichaelmusic)

Presenting acts from the U.S. and abroad, BMI will showcase an array of rising rock, pop and singer/songwriter acts. From the blues rock of the Isle of Man’s Back Door Slam, to the power rock trio of Inward Eye, infectiousness of Bang Bang Bang and John Paul White’s rhythmic guitar, BMI’s Lollapalooza stage is guaranteed to satisfy all musical tastes.

The schedule for the BMI sponsored Lollapalooza stage is as follows:

Friday, August 3
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. - The Switches: Hailing from London, England, the Switches debut album, Heart Tuned To D.E.A.D, is influenced by artists such as David Bowie, The Rakes, Super Furry Animals, and the Beach Boys.

12:30 – 1:15 p.m. - Tom Schraeder: With a delicate, drunken honesty and a knack for setting the simple desperation of young love against a background of Brit-pop-laced Americana, Tom Schraeder’s songs for his upcoming album, The Door, are not for the faint of heart.

1:45 – 2:30 p.m. - Bang Bang Bang: With influences like The Sex Pistols and Lenny Kravitz, Bang Bang Bang inked a record deal with Warner Brothers after dazzling them with their irresistible, infectious brand of greasy, sleazy Southern rock, spiked liberally with punk energy and songwriting smarts.

3:00 – 3:45 p.m. - Powerspace: This young quartet specialize in a cross between hooky power pop à la Fountains of Wayne, ironic glam metal in the tradition of the Darkness, and '80s-influenced dance-rock textures that recall early MTV stars like INXS and Duran Duran.

4:15 – 5:00 p.m. - Inward Eye: With a nod to the Jam and the Who, this rock trio from Winnipeg, Canada write and perform songs with the wit and guitar-based energy that have won them a global audience.

5:30 – 6:15 p.m. - Wax on Radio: Chicago' s Wax On Radio has emerged at the forefront of a new breed of important young rock bands. At once artistic, virtuosic, heavy, and reminiscent of an era when great songs and evocative aural atmospherics coexisted with strong hooks, the bands music resonates as an uncommonly multifaceted, engaging, and convincing statement.

Saturday, August 4
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Dear and the Headlights: Rock band Dear and the Headlights, calls Phoenix, Arizona home and consists of five members influenced by artists such as Radiohead, Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, and Leonard Cohen.

12:30 – 1:15 - Ludo: Critics embraced their second album, The Broken Bride, as “a rock and roll adventure for the ages” and “a competitor for the best EP of the year.”

1:45-2:30 - Kevin Michael: With an irresistible blend of soul, funk, r&b and pop, Kevin Michael invokes greats from the past while bringing something totally new to the game on his debut album, YaDig?

3:00 – 3:45 - Lady GaGa: Lady GaGa’s debut album combines her love of Beatles’ melodies with retro dance beats, plastic synth sounds, and a quirky rock piano style. Her dramatic live shows have won over fans and critics in her hometown of New York City.

4:15-5:00 - Cage the Elephant: Bowling Green, Kentucky’s Cage the Elephant formed in 2006, debuting their self-released album this past March. With a strong buzz off of their SXSW and Bonnaroo performances, the band is winning indie rock fans over with their no-frills,  no-boundaries performances.

5:30 – 6:15 - Back Door Slam: This blues-rock trio from the Isle of Man has made jaws drop when 19-year-old singer Davy Knowles showcases his exceptional blues-rock guitar skills and vocals, showing that the passion and heart of the blues is evolving outside the U.S.

Sunday, August 5
11:15 – 12:00 - The Graduate: After their debut album, Anhedonia, hit stores this past April, The Graduate has gained momentum due to memorable songs, an interactive live show and the friendly disposition of its members.

12:30 – 1:15 - Mr. North: This four-piece band, comprising two brothers, a first cousin and a next-door neighbor, started playing together when they were young teens. Their second album, Fear and Desire, showcases the bands’ powerful live sound.

1:45 – 2:30 - Smoosh: the first true rock Tween act to come from the indie scene, Smoosh offers a rare combination of honesty, perseverance, and passion for music.

3:00 – 3:45 - The Diffs: Inspired by early L.A. punk bands like The Germs, Black Flag and the Adolescents, the Diffs go back to the source and make the sound their own. The LA Weekly hails The Diffs as “L.A.’s coolest high-school band.”

4:15 – 5: -  John Paul White: John Paul White, a Lawrenceburg, Tennessee native, journeyed over to Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals this past fall to record his debut album with Capitol Records.

5:30 – 6:15 - Bound Stems: When reporting on the Bound Stems, Rolling Stone exclaimed, “These Chicago indie rockers build on Modest Mouse’s quirky popiness with low-fi samples and a bouncy groove all their own.”
Press credentials can be requested through Lollapalooza at www.lollapalooza.com/credentials_start.asp

BMI presents and sponsors a stage at all three of C3 and Capital Sports & Entertainment’s music festivals: Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival September 14-16, and the inaugural Big State Festival, October 13-14. BMI’s partnership with this elite festival is designed to offer more prime showcasing opportunities to its songwriters — a distinct priority of the organization. For more information on Lollapalooza, please visit www.lollapalooza.com; for information on the Austin City Limits Music Festival, visit www.aclfestival.com; and for details regarding the Big State Festival, please go to www.bigstatefestival.com.

Charlie Musselwhite	Nick Moss	Guy Davis

Leading the list of BMI blues giants was harp player Charlie Musselwhite, who took home an impressive five nominations that included Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album of the Year for his acclaimed Delta Hardware, as well as Song of the Year for "Church Is Out."

Irma Thomas	Big George Brock	Bobby Rush

Guitarist Nick Moss and his band the Flip Flops earned four nods, including Band of the Year and an individual mention for Moss in the instrumentalist catagory. Coming in with three nominations apiece were Guy Davis, Lil' Ed, Janiva Magness, Irma Thomas and Big George Brock, who is up for Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year.

James Hunter	Marcia Ball	Kim Wilson

Double nominees included acoustic blues artist Rory Block, veteran harpist Bobby Rush, British newcomer James Hunter (PRS), singer/pianist Marcia Ball and harmonica master Kim Wilson.

R&B pioneer Ruth Brown, who died Nov. 17, 2006, was posthumously nominated for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year, along with singing legend Etta James and Chicago blues vocalist Zora Young.

BMI's 2007 Blues Music Award Nominees

Acoustic Album of the Year
Bob Brozman - Blues Reflex
Guy Davis - Skunkmello
Rory Block - The Lady and Mr. Johnson

Acoustic Artist of the Year
David "Honeyboy" Edwards
Paul Oscher
Rory Block
Guy Davis

Album of the Year
Charlie - Delta Hardware
Irma Thomas - After the Rain
Janiva Magness - Do I Move You?
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops - Live at Chan's

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
Bobby Rush
Tab Benoit
Lil' Ed

Band of the Year
Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops
Magic Slim & the Teardrops

Best New Artist Debut
James Hunter (PRS) - People Gonna Talk
Slick Ballinger - Mississippi Soul

Comeback Album of the Year
Chicago Bob Nelson - Flyin' Too High
Jeremy Spencer - Precious Little
Jerry Lee Lewis - Last Man Standing

Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
Marcia Ball
EG Kight
Barbara Blue
Janiva Magness
Shemekia Copeland

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year
Janiva Magness - Do I Move You?
Guitar Shorty - We the People
John Mooney - Big Ol' Fiya

Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year
Kim Wilson
Tab Benoit
Guitar Shorty
Ronnie Baker Brooks

Historical Album of the Year
Junior Wells - Live at Theresa's 1975
Hollywood Fats Band - Larger Than Life
Otis Rush - All Your Love I Miss Loving (Live at the Wise Fools Pub
Chicago)
Freddie King - Live at the Electric Ballroom 1974
John Lee Hooker - Hooker

Instrumentalist-Bass
Bob Stroger
Bill Stuve

Instrumentalist-Drums
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Richard Innes

Instrumentalist-Guitar
Duke Robillard
Kid Ramos
Lurrie Bell
Nick Moss
Guitar Shorty
Hubert Sumlin

Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Charlie Musselwhite
Kim Wilson
Mark Hummel
Billy Branch
Big George Brock
James Harman
Mitch Kashmar

Instrumentalist-Horn
Deanna Bogart
Kaz Kazanoff
Calvin Owens
Eddie Shaw
Doug James
Greg Piccolo

Instrumentalist-Other
Robert Randolph - Steel Guitar
Otis Taylor - Banjo
Guy Davis - Banjo

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year
Mitch Woods
Marcia Ball
Floyd Dixon
Henry Butler
Dr. John
Honey Piazza

Song of the Year
"Icicles in My Meat Loaf" - Ed Williams, Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials
"Church is Out" - Charlie Musselwhite, Charlie Musselwhite
"Baptized in Dirty Water" - Chris Thomas King, Chris Thomas King

Soul Blues Album of the Year
Frankie Lee - Standing at the Crossroads
Irma Thomas - After the Rain
Jackie Payne & Steve Edmonson Band - Master of the Game
Johnny Rawls - Heart & Soul
Calvin Owens Blues Orchestra - I Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog No More
James Hunter (PRS) - People Gonna Talk
Trudy Lynn - I'm Still Here

Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year
Irma Thomas
Trudy Lynn
Sugar Pie DeSanto

Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Bobby Rush
Frankie Lee
Mighty Sam McClain
Solomon Burke
Jackie Payne

Traditional Blues Album of the Year
Charlie Musselwhite - Delta Hardware
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops - Live at Chan's
Big George Brock - Round Two

Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
Zora Young
Etta James
Ruth Brown

Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year
Charlie Musselwhite
Robert Lockwood, Jr.
Big George Brock

Cool & Dre met and became friends in high school in the early ’90s, and soon became part of a four-man singing group called Basic Unity. Although the group faded, their friendship and strong interest in music stayed intact. They began writing and producing hooks and beats — with Cool, the technical enforcer producing the beats, and Dre, co-writing and singing the hooks — that caught the attention of rapper Fat Joe, who soon sought out Cool & Dre to write and produce for both himself and the Terror Squad.

By 2004, the duo began gaining attention with such hits as Terror Squad’s “Take Me Home” and Ja Rule’s “New York.” On the list of BMI’s 2005 Top 10 Urban Producers, Cool & Dre have written and produced tracks for Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown, Juvenile, Christina Milian and Busta Rhymes, among others. They are also the production team behind one of the hottest tracks of 2005, “Hate It or Love It,” by the Game featuring 50 Cent, earning them a Billboard #1 Award at BMI’s 2005 Urban Awards and their first Grammy nomination.

Cool & Dre have finally arrived. They formed their own record label, Epidemic Music, through Jive Records, and are set to release Dre’s solo album, The Trunk, featuring the hit single “Chevy Ridin’ High,” this fall. They are also working with upcoming artists in Miami through their label and hope to continue to create good music and produce more No. 1 hits in the years to come.]]> 2006-10-15T18:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334966 Babyface, Bee Gees, The, Boyz II Men, Braxton, Toni, Brown, Chris, Bryant, Del, Carey, Mariah, Charles, Ray, Clapton, Eric, Cool & Dre, Foxx, Jamie, Game, The, Garrett, Sean, Jackson, Michael, Jazze Pha, Jerkins, Rodney, Kelly, R., Lil Jon, Mr. Collipark, Pink, Pretty Ricky, Trick Daddy, Usher1, West, Kanye, Williams, Pharrell, Urban, BMI Urban Awards

	BMI Urban Awards Photo Slideshow
	BMI Urban Awards Song List
	Billboard No. 1s

Mariah Carey took home two of the night's top honors, including Song of the Year for her smash "We Belong Together" and Songwriter of the Year, which she shared with Miami-based producers Bigg D and Jim Jonsin. A highlight of the gala event was a special presentation to prolific songwriting and production team Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid, who were named BMI Icons for their "enduring influence on generations of music makers."

Mariah Carey	Babyface	L.A. Reid

Other big winners included rapper Kanye West, who earned the Producer of the Year title for the second consecutive year; Warner/Chappell Music Group, named Urban Publisher of the Year; and Jazze Pha's "1, 2 Step," which nabbed the BMI Urban Ringtone Award. Executives from music trade magazine Billboard were also on hand to give out No. 1 Awards to the BMI songs that reached the top spot on its urban music charts.

Bigg D	Jim Jonsin

Song of the Year "We Belong Together," which Carey co-wrote, ruled the top of multiple charts for months after its release in 2005, relaunching the five-octave singer's career back into superstardom. BMI writers Darnell Bristol, Sid "Uncle Jamz" Johnson, Patrick Moten, Sandra Sully, Bobby Womack and BMI Icon Babyface were also recognized with the Urban Awards' top song prize, as were the song's publishers - ABKCO, Ballads by Design, Hip Chic Music, Mister Johnson's Jams Music, Rye Songs, Songs of Universal, Sony/ATV and Warner-Tamerlane.

Kanye West	Jazze Pha

As the best-selling female performer of the 1990s, Carey stood apart by composing all her own material, and was twice before named Songwriter of the Year (1993 and 1999). She takes the top songwriter prize for the third time this year by placing three of her own hits on the most-performed list - "Don't Forget About Us," "Shake It Off" and "We Belong Together" - all from last year's comeback release, The Emancipation of Mimi. Carey, who also wrote 1992's Pop Song of the Year, "Love Takes Time," has a total of 23 BMI Awards and 15 "Million-Air" songs that have had one million or more broadcast performances.

Sharing the Urban Songwriter of the Year spotlight were producers Bigg D and Jim Jonsin, who also had three songs on the most-played list with the co-writes "Let's Go" by Trick Daddy (featuring Lil Jon & Twista), and Pretty Ricky's "Grind With Me" and "Your Body." Formerly known as the Unusual Suspects, this Dirty South production duo has been cranking out the hits, LPs, soundtracks and re-mixes for such heavy-hitters as Trick Daddy, Pretty Ricky, Trina, Jacki-O, Cee-Lo and Pitbull since 2000.

Multiple Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producers Babyface and L.A. Reid then took the stage to accept their BMI Icon honors. As co-founders of LaFace, the record label they started in 1989, the longtime writing partners are responsible for launching the careers of such multi-platinum artists as Toni Braxton, TLC, Usher and Pink. With a vast catalog of hits recorded by such A-listers as Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Eric Clapton, Boyz II Men, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Outkast, Dido, Ciara, Jay-Z and Songwriter of the Year Mariah Carey, songs penned by Babyface and L.A. have accumulated more than 40 million airplays on American radio and television.

In addition to his behind-the-scenes talent, Babyface has enjoyed his own success as a recording artist, with 11 albums that have produced more than 15 Top 10 hits. He has been named BMI Songwriter of the Year a record seven times (90, 91, 92, 95, 96, 97, 98), more than any other pop writer in the history of the company. They add to the more than 50 BMI Awards displayed on his trophy shelf, which now features his first Urban Award and his third Song of the Year Crystal received tonight as co-writer of "We Belong Together." His other Song of the Year awards include Toni Braxton's "Breathe Again" (1995) and Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love to You" (1996). This year's top song win ties him with the Bee Gees as writer of the most Pop Songs of the Year.

With his exceptional ability to spot and develop new talent, L.A. Reid is currently Chairman of the Island Def Jam Music Group. He also served as President & CEO of Arista Records from 2000 to 2004, and is president of his own publishing company, Hitco Music, which tonight earned a pair of BMI Urban Awards for the Chris Brown smash "Run It!" and Fantasia's No. 1 hit "Truth Is." The 18-time BMI Award-winning hitmaker, who in 1990 shared the Pop Songwriter of the Year spotlight with fellow BMI Icon Babyface, most recently guided the release of Mariah Carey's Mimi CD, the mega-selling album that spawned this year's Song of the Year.

BMI Producer of the Year honors went to Kanye West for the second year in a row for logging the most producer credits on charting songs. The BMI Top Urban Producers list also included Mr. Collipark, Pharrell Williams, Lil Jon, R. Kelly, Sean Garrett, Jazze Pha, Cool & Dre, Rodney Jerkins, and Songwriters of the Year Bigg D and Jim Jonsin.

Top producers Sean Garrett, Lil Jon and Andre "Dre" Lyon also made the list of double winners, picking up two BMI Urban Awards apiece, as did The Game and Pretty Ricky members Marcus "Pleasure" Cooper, Corey "Slick'Em" Mathis, Diamond "Baby Blue" Smith, Joseph "Blue" Smith and Spectacular Smith.

Warner/Chappell Music Group was named BMI Urban Publisher of the Year by scoring the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs (through its companies Unichappell Music, Inc. and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.). This is the twelfth BMI Publisher Crystal for Warner/Chappell, which boasted eight songs on the most-performed list, including Song of the Year "We Belong Together" and Ringtone Award winner "1, 2 Step."

Other publishers recognized for multiple award-winning songs were Black Boy Hatchet Music, Dade Co. Project Music, Inc., Dimensional Songs of the Knoll, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Ensign Music LLC, Hitco Music, Jimi Mac Music/OG Music, Rye Songs, Songs of TVT, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Universal Music Publishing (Irving Music/Songs of Universal, Inc.) and Zomba Songs.

"1, 2 Step," written by BMI Top 10 Urban Producer Jazze Pha and published by Bubba Gee Music, Noontime Tunes and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., received the BMI Urban Ringtone Award for tallying the most downloads during the award period. The Ciara hit was also named BMI's very first Internet Song of the Year at the 2006 Pop Awards.

In addition to the BMI performance awards, Billboard recognized the BMI-affiliated writers whose songs reached No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Rap Tracks, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Hot 100 charts during the past year. Kanye West's "Gold Digger," featuring Jamie Foxx and writing credits by Renald Richard and the late Ray Charles, topped all four charts.]]> 2006-08-30T05:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/4058 Artists, Game, The, Goodie Mob, Sade, Suga Suga, West, Kanye, Musical Styles, Urban, Musicworld, On The Scene Adopting his stage moniker from his grandfather, Atlanta rapper Suga Suga is anything but bubble gum sweet. Although the baby faced 21 year old managed an above average GPA while juggling basketball practice during his high school days, he prefers to listen before speaking and has a deep appreciation and respect for family. His lyrical approach on the microphone is as raw as they come. Co-signed by two of southern music’s most legendary talents, Grammy nominated producer DJ Toomp (TI, Ludacris, 8 Ball & MJG) and business executive Bernard Parks, Jr., of NZone Entertainment, the effortlessly suave rapper is a hip hop mutation of throwback funk and present day crunk.

Suga Suga wears his Atlanta pride on his sleeve. Quick to point out that he is a “Grady Baby”, the East Point resident who was raised in a traditional, nuclear household, in addition to staying within a block’s distance of his aunts, uncles, cousins and both sets of grandparents, spent a few of his formative years in Dallas, Texas. While the 9 year old Suga Suga was bitter about relocating west of his home state, Georgia was always on his mind. “Dallas was cool, but all my family was in Atlanta. Everyday I was ready to get back home to all my little cousins and friends. Every summer, every break, every opportunity I had, I was going back to Atlanta. My attitude changed and I did some rebellious stuff, made some bad moves. So when I turned 14, I came back to where my heart was without my parents and stayed with my uncle.”

That fearlessness Suga Suga had as a teenager has served him well in his adulthood. It is not an easy mission to embark on a legitimate rap career in the ever popular breeding ground known as the dirty south, but this lyrically clever MC is not only catching people’s attention, but holding it as well. Announcing his arrival on the music scene by instructing listeners to follow the words of his titillating first single, “Do It With No Hands,” Suga Suga is quickly becoming one of the most impressive debut act’s in southern Hip Hop. Produced by Toomp, a man known for his blazing, career making beats, the track became an instant street certified success having both children and adults reciting the contagious hook like an anthem. “Toomp made me that beat in his studio right there on the spot and as soon as I heard it, it talked to me and the words “do it with no hands, “just came out of nowhere. After I recorded the song, I took it to some DJ’s at a few strip clubs, because down here, if the girl’s at the club like to dance off of your song, it usually means you got a hit And let’s just say that the girls made a lot of money off of my song that night”

Suga Suga graduated from what is considered the Juilliard of Atlanta, 4’n Cities High School, the star making institution that helped churn out entertainers such as OutKast’s Autwan “Big Boi’ Patton and Andre “3000” Benjamin, in addition to Tionne “T Boz” Watkins of TLC. A natural free¬styler, Suga Saga didn’t take his admirable mic skills and presence serious until his friends urged him to continue rhyming. Opting to further develop his natural gift for writing than pursue his hoop dreams, the multi talented performer picked up his pen and grabbed the mic and put down the basketball. “I’ve been doing music since I was 13, but I went through this phase where it was all about basketball. I thought! could go pro but I’m only six feet, so I figured I would concentrate on music. I started off really producing for my homeboys because they were the ones doing most of the rapping. I might put a little 16 bars on a song, but I was just making the beats, and I was just gonna keep making the beats for them. It wasn’t until I was 17, when I started doing my solo thing. My first song got a little buzz on the street, it was called ‘East Point 44,’ that was the neighborhood I was from.”

A magical experience takes place when a producer and artist share an unbreakable chemistry: multi platinum albums happen, Grammy¬ nominations occur, industry respect is earned and a career is firmly established. Toomp is very familiar with that supernatural power being that he handpicked Suga Suga off of the city streets like he did an unknown Bankhead rapper named TI years ago and we all know how that story goes. “I actually had that ‘Motivation’ beat before TI,” says the confident MC. “I met Toomp through a mutual friend that knew I could rap and he gave me two tracks to work with and ‘Motivation’ was one of them. But Toomp was so busy with the Trap Muzik album that he didn’t have time to work with me.”

As the old adage goes, “timing is everything.” While patiently waiting for his position on the NZone Entertainment team, Suga Suga used the interval to perfect his craft and play in the game using his own rules instead of being a bench warmer. He performed at various hot spots throughout Atlanta, filled several notebooks with personal and compelling words, constructed beats for himself as well as other people and was even a member of a group comprised of relatives named after their neighborhood, Meadowlark’s. The then teenager was arguably one of the hardest working artist’s in the business, but through the struggles has come invaluable wisdom. “The success I’ve had so far feels real good because I learned a lot from mistakes I made in the past. Since I know how to make beats, I’ve learned a lot on the production side and how to lyrically ride a melody and ! doing shows, I got knowledge on the artist side, too.,,

It comes as no surprise that his forthcoming album is a crowd pleasing blend of rich, profound and comprehensive yet entertaining, gansta-¬leaning music. Like his diverse musical influences (Sade, Common, Kanye West, OutKast, Pink, North Jones, B.G., Lil Wayne), Suga Suga’s music will consistently grow and shift directions over the course of his career. “I take pride in my music because I’ve been working hard at this since I was a kid. I know I have raw talent and! like creating and being different, so with me you don’t know what to expect because nothing about me is ordinary or predictable.” While Suga Suga’s lyrics explore playboy tales and club escapades, he also injects a degree of introspection that recaptures the essence of the Goodie Mob/OutKast era.

A multi faceted producer, songwriter and artist, Suga Suga with his laid-back swagger, signature country drawl and imaginative word play, is redefining rap music and the sound of filthy, dusty, dirty south hip hop. “I’m not a fly by night artist or a one hit wonder. I plan on being a brand and branching off into all aspects of entertainment. I was born to do this.”

The 28-year-old hip-hop superstar’s ubiquitous single “Gold Digger” (featuring some Ray Charles-ish backing vocals from friend Jamie Foxx) has effortlessly topped pop, r&b, digital and ringtone charts, while sales of its accompanying album, Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam), exceeded two million in less than two months. With eight Grammy nominations and his name on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, you’d probably think that the artist’s ego is probably as big as his bank account.

“I’m depressed,” he says.

Uh, come again?

“It’s hard when people are depending on you to have an album that’s not just good, but inspired,” he continues, referring to the out-of-the-box success of his debut album, The College Dropout, which in addition to going triple platinum, earned Grammys for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best R&B Song and launched the catchily meditative “Jesus Walks” into a million consciousnesses. “I mean, my music isn’t just music — it’s medicine. I want my songs to touch people, to give them what they need. Every time I make an album, I’m trying to make a cure for cancer, musically. That stresses me out!”

Any widespread concerns about West’s being a one-Trick Pony were dispelled by “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” a sweeping single that preceded Late Registration by several weeks and went to the top of the charts, pumped not only by West’s impassioned vocals but also by an ingenious utilization of Shirley Bassey’s James Bond theme, “Diamonds Are Forever.”

The pop smarts were gained from years in the production booth, delivering chart-toppers for Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Ludacris and Alicia Keys. Indeed, his production work on Jay-Z’s now-classic 2001 album The Blueprint, where he drew upon such sources as the Jackson 5, the Doors and the Temptations to put across Jay’s rhymes, made him the go-to producer in hip-hop.

That success was parlayed into a recording contract, but just as things started cooking, West was involved in a near-fatal auto accident in 2002. “I have flashbacks of what happened every day,” he says. “And anytime I hear about any accident my heart sinks in and I thank God that I’m still here. I found out how short life is and how blessed you are to be here.” The experience informed both “Through the Wire,” which he performed with his jaw still wired shut, and the triumphant “Jesus Walks.”

Flash forward to 2005, and with the help of composer/producer Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann), West has delivered an album that’s sure to lead many year-end “best of” lists. In addition to Foxx and Jay-Z, Late Registration’s guest list includes Brandy, Paul Wall, Cam’ron, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and his longtime friend and collaborator John Legend.

The result is an epic in every sense, ranging from the personal to the political, from the romantic to the off-the-wall hilarious. “Crack Music,” with its one-line hook from hip-hop icon The Game, examines the effects of drugs on the black community, as does the searing “Addiction,” wherein West wonders why it is that “everything that’s supposed to be bad makes me feel so good?” On “Bring Me Down,” Brandy lends her soulful voice to West’s cynical raps like “If you ever wanted to ever be anything, there’ll always be somebody that’ll shoot down any dream.”

On the flip side, there’s the infectiously cautionary tale that is “Gold Digger,” as well as the humorous “Drive Slow” with Wall, not to mention the breezy, harmonious confection with Levine on “Heard ‘Em Say.”

That he’s accomplished so much in such a relatively short time has, of course, worked to dispel a lot of that “depression” he speaks of. (The uproar over his Bush comments during a Hurricane Katrina benefit show didn’t hurt, either.) Of his outspokenness, West says, “People either love it or hate it. People love and hated Muhammad Ali. My grandfather loved Muhammad Ali and my grandmother hated him. But I bet you more people love and remember Muhammad Ali than less. Because he used to talk s**t – ‘Float like a butterfly, Sting like a bee’ – and I think I say the same kind of things in my own statements. It’s like, you can’t please everybody, but if anybody’s got a shot, it’s me.”

The 28-year-old hip-hop superstar’s ubiquitous single “Gold Digger” (featuring some Ray Charles-ish backing vocals from friend Jamie Foxx) has effortlessly topped pop, r&b, digital and ringtone charts, while sales of its accompanying album, Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam), exceeded two million in less than two months. With eight Grammy nominations and his name on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, you’d probably think that the artist’s ego is probably as big as his bank account.

“I’m depressed,” he says.

Uh, come again?

“It’s hard when people are depending on you to have an album that’s not just good, but inspired,” he continues, referring to the out-of-the-box success of his debut album, The College Dropout, which in addition to going triple platinum, earned Grammys for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best R&B Song and launched the catchily meditative “Jesus Walks” into a million consciousnesses. “I mean, my music isn’t just music — it’s medicine. I want my songs to touch people, to give them what they need. Every time I make an album, I’m trying to make a cure for cancer, musically. That stresses me out!”

Any widespread concerns about West’s being a one-trick pony were dispelled by “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” a sweeping single that preceded Late Registration by several weeks and went to the top of the charts, pumped not only by West’s impassioned vocals but also by an ingenious utilization of Shirley Bassey’s James Bond theme, “Diamonds Are Forever.”

The pop smarts were gained from years in the production booth, delivering chart-toppers for Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Ludacris and Alicia Keys. Indeed, his production work on Jay-Z’s now-classic 2001 album The Blueprint, where he drew upon such sources as the Jackson 5, the Doors and the Temptations to put across Jay’s rhymes, made him the go-to producer in hip-hop.

That success was parlayed into a recording contract, but just as things started cooking, West was involved in a near-fatal auto accident in 2002. “I have flashbacks of what happened every day,” he says. “And anytime I hear about any accident my heart sinks in and I thank God that I’m still here. I found out how short life is and how blessed you are to be here.” The experience informed both “Through the Wire,” which he performed with his jaw still wired shut, and the triumphant “Jesus Walks.”

Flash forward to 2005, and with the help of composer/producer Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann), West has delivered an album that’s sure to lead many year-end “best of” lists. In addition to Foxx and Jay-Z, Late Registration’s guest list includes Brandy, Paul Wall, Cam’ron, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and his longtime friend and collaborator John Legend.

The result is an epic in every sense, ranging from the personal to the political, from the romantic to the off-the-wall hilarious. “Crack Music,” with its one-line hook from hip-hop icon The Game, examines the effects of drugs on the black community, as does the searing “Addiction,” wherein West wonders why it is that “everything that’s supposed to be bad makes me feel so good?” On “Bring Me Down,” Brandy lends her soulful voice to West’s cynical raps like “If you ever wanted to ever be anything, there’ll always be somebody that’ll shoot down any dream.”

On the flip side, there’s the infectiously cautionary tale that is “Gold Digger,” as well as the humorous “Drive Slow” with Wall, not to mention the breezy, harmonious confection with Levine on “Heard ‘Em Say.”

That he’s accomplished so much in such a relatively short time has, of course, worked to dispel a lot of that “depression” he speaks of. (The uproar over his Bush comments during a Hurricane Katrina benefit show didn’t hurt, either.) Of his outspokenness, West says, “People either love it or hate it. People love and hated Muhammad Ali. My grandfather loved Muhammad Ali and my grandmother hated him. But I bet you more people love and remember Muhammad Ali than less. Because he used to talk s**t – ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’ – and I think I say the same kind of things in my own statements. It’s like, you can’t please everybody, but if anybody’s got a shot, it’s me.”