E. Grizzly was born in Lancaster City, PA, 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia, but was living back and forth from Miami to PA his entire life. He began writing when he was 14, but his music career didn't get started until 2002 when he was signed at a young age to an indie label in Philly called A-Type Tactiks. Grizzly released an EP with A Type Tactiks in 2003 called 'Anti-Matter' which was more of a down tempo, grime hip hop and he began doing shows in Philly for a few months after the release. E. Grizzly eventually felt like he needed a new start so at the end of 2003 he moved to Miami where he began working with a label called Puerto Roc Records. They were working on a new EP which was presented to Sony Europe at the end of 2004. Sony Europe offered to sign E. Grizzly to a lucrative contract but the contract said he will have no control over his music. E turned the deal down with Sony and went with a contract with the independent label Puerto Roc Records so he can have control over his music. E. Grizzly released his 2nd EP 'Hip hop is dead!' in 2006. He later got involved with a trademark infringement case with Nas and Def Jam Records because Nas used the same name and art for his 2007 Release 'Hip hop is dead' and Puerto Roc Records trademarked the name and art. That case is still pending to this day. E. Grizzly won the 2006 Independent Rap Artist of the Year at the 16th annual L.A. Music Awards for his EP Hip hop is dead. His EP was also nominated for Best Breakthrough Album of the year for an independent artist at the L.A. Music Awards. After the EP was released E. Grizzly was hand picked by MTV2 to write a song about Martin Luther King Jr for a special MLK tribute in January, 2007. He was invited to MTV2 studios, recorded his verse about MLK and MTV liked it so much they aired his MLK tribute through January and all through Febuary for Black History Month. In the spring of 2007 E. Grizzly began going to many open mics in Miami including The Cornerstone where the band The Cornerstoners was founded in the summer of 2007 by E. Grizzly, Michelangelo, and Lydian of NIAYH. Since The Cornerstoners needed shows E. Grizzly, Michelangelo, Lydian, and Level of Alukard founded A-Ha! Events in 2007 which is a non-profit organization to promote independent artists in South Florida. Every showcase put together by A-HA! is promoted by the artists and all profits go to the bands who perform instead of outside promoters and booking agents. The first show A-Ha! Events put together was called 'Indie Unplugged Miami' which was a live recorded show that was made into an album. E. Grizzly was the executive producer of the album, did all of the art, help mix all the music, got investors to pitch in money for the CD, did all the arangements, and helped put the whole show together. E. Grizzly began working with the band Alukard in 2008 and they were the first indie band to perform at Mansion which is one of the most popular clubs in Miami. E went on a few tours with Alukard and eventually joined the band due to differences with his old band The Cornerstoners. E has done a few things since then including helping to start a local hip hop show on 89.1, as well as putting together over 100 shows all through out South Florida with his promo company A-Ha! Events. E. Grizzly is currently in the studio working on his third release called 'The Revolution will be Televised' which will be released by Puerto Roc Records in 2009 and is curently performing and recording with the band Alukard. Their first studio album is scheduled to be released in 2009. You can get more info on E. Grizzly at e-grizzly.com and you can get more info on the band Alukard at myspace.com/305rock.

This is an interview I did with Aaris Schroeder from UBO magazine who is by the way one of the flyer cheif editor chicks I have ever seen.  I was expecting Jonah Jamison from Spiderman.  (you know I had to fuck with you a little bit Aaris.  lol)  But check it out.  The url is

http://ubomagfeatures.blogspot.com/

 

.. skip links for text browsers -->

UBO Magazine: Feature Stories

.. google_ad_section_start -->

Friday, June 8, 2007

Feature: E. Grizzly; Album: "Hip-Hop is Dead!" The Mix Tape Vol. 1

Feature: E. Grizzly
Album: Hip-Hop is Dead! The Mix Tape Vol. 1

By Aaris A. Schroeder
Editor-In-Chief
April 16, 2007

Erik Grizzly, also known as E. Grizzly makes his conscious effort towards hip-hop in Miami, FL with his album, "Hip-Hop Is Dead," under Puerto Roc Records who heads one-half of the production team but originated his musical path in Philadelphia during '01.

"It started with my ex-girl from high school. I wrote her this love poem when I was 14 [years-old] and she went crazy. I think I lost my virginity because of that poem. So I just kept writing poems for her because she was such a giver afterwards and then all that made me start writing rhymes. It all started with a girl," elucidates E. Grizzly.

E. Grizzly started off murdering other emcees in his rhymes with the release of an album, produced in Philly entitled, "Anti-Matter," under A-Type Tactiks, an independent label that is involved with the "Hip-Hop Is Dead" movement. The album was released before he moved to FL. in '03.

"There's so much freaking garbage out there it's ridiculous. It's not all about money, cars, hoes, etc. I don't necessarily want to be rich off the music. That would be cool if it happened but that is not why I make music," explains E. Grizzly.

Performing all over FL, E. Grizzly still takes it up to New York and Philly a few times a year to perform where he originated.

Pushing the "Hip-Hop Is Dead," effort has lead 25-year-old E. Grizzly down a political and litigating process as himself and Puerto Roc Records begin a nasty lawsuit to trademark the term.

According to E. Grizzly, Def Jam never licensed the phrase, "hip-hop is dead" and since Jonathan, also known as "Dj Primo" Padilla, CEO/President of Puerto Roc Records had created flyers, stickers and t-shirts with the phrase on it to represent the last 20 years in hip-hop. In April '06, Padilla and E. Grizzly filed for a trademark application to have the rights to use the phrase exclusively for the artist's album title not to mention awards that had been given to the artist after the album had been released.

Soon after the album release, NAS came forward to explain that he was releasing his album entitled, "Hip-Hop Is Dead," Sept. '06.

Padilla and E. Grizzly "feel strange having a pending trademark litigation case against one of their favorite emcees that they grew up listening to but have faith everything will work out in the end," according to a press release from Puerto Roc Records.

"It's a bunch of music business bullshit because NAS is one of my favorite emcees but that is what it is," explains E. Grizzly.

E. Grizzly has performed pretty much the entire east coast. Selling over 5000 copies of his album in the last year, the effort has assisted this urban artist to win "Best Independent Artist" and nominated for "Best Breakthrough Record" for "Hip-Hop Is Dead," at the 16th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards in '06.

E. Grizzly will spit at hip-hop shows, small spoken word joints, gangsta-rap orientated venues and folk-music spots.

"I know if the poetry crowd likes one of my songs then it is a good song. They are the hardest crowd to please," says E. Grizzly.

"Revolution Will Be Televised," will drop fall '07 under Puerto Roc Records. The new album will feature different independent poets, folk singers, emcees and R&B singers.

To learn more about E. Grizzly, you can check out his website http://www.e-grizzly.com or his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/erikgrizzly and pick up an album at http://www.cdbaby.com/egrizzly.

This was an article in the Sun Sentinel newspaper that I never got to post as a blog.  It was printed back in December in the Homegrown section.  Good looking out on the interview Beth.  The url is:

http://www.southflorida.com/music/sfl-homegrown.pg,0,546137.photogallery?coll=sfe-guide-4promos&index=28

 

 

............

..> ..>

28 of 71

..> ..>

E. Grizzly MP3: E. Grizzly -- Change the World When E. Grizzly takes over the mike, he doesn't rap about expensive jewelry and cars. "Most people don't have all that," he said. "I'm basically a regular guy. I try to make music that speaks for the people." A Philadelphia native of Puerto Rican descent, Grizzly has been spreading his hip-hop message for the common man to average Joes for 11 years. Grizzly, whose real name is Erik Tirado, said he earned his nickname on the streets of his hometown. "It's an urban term up North," he said. "Get on your grizzly. It means working hard to make money." After moving to Miami in 2003, Grizzly continued to stay busy by performing at clubs and signing with the Miami-based record label Puerto Roc Records. His recently released CD, Hip Hop Is Dead, earned Grizzly the shout out rap artist of the year at the 16th annual Los Angeles Music Awards. The honors, presented by LAmusiconline.com, were handed out Nov. 9. Grizzly said another CD with Puerto Roc Records, The Revolution Will Be Televised, is due out in March. Grizzly is booked 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursday at the Voices and Vibes open mike showcase at Troy's Package & Lounge, 2990 W. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-791-0120. Grizzly also frequently performs at the spoken word open mike nights on Wednesdays at Power Studios, 3701 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-576-1336. Visit egrizzly.com and myspace.com/erikgrizzly. (File photo) Nov 30, 2006 Copyright © 2007, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


E. Grizzly edged out thousands of rappers
internationally to win top honors as the independent
rap artist of the year for his album Hip-hop is dead!
at the 16th Annual International Los Angeles Music
Awards.
The LA Music Awards are the largest, and longest
running award show for independent artists. The award
show took place in Hollywood, CA, on November 9th,
2006. The winners were selected through blind judging
which means the judges were asked to grade music
without knowing who the artist was. "It's kind of hard
to believe," says E. Grizzly whose real name is Erik
Tirado. "I just love to make music. I didn't expect to
get an award for it."

E. Grizzly, who lives in Miami, FL, was also nominated
for best breakthrough album of the year for his album
Hip hop is dead!
You can learn more about E. Grizzly at egrizzly.com,
myspace.com/erikgrizzly or cdbaby.com/egrizzly You can
also contact  Jonathan "PriMo" Padilla, President and
CEO Puerto Roc Records at puerto_rocrecords@yahoo.com
or via Office: 786-380-7623, Fax: 786-524-0101, Cell:
305-479-1453.


Jonathan "PriMo" Padilla
President/CEO
Puerto Roc Records
www.puertorocrecords.net
Office: 786-380-7623
Fax: 786-524-0101
Cell: 305-479-1453

Hip Hop Is Dead!
www.egrizzly.com
http://www.myspace.com/erikgrizzly