(le) poisson rouge

Sept. 13, 2010--Grammy Nominated Afropean sister duo Les Nubians are back and sharing their Nu Revolution! The French/Cameroonian pair, who have been casting their intoxicating musical spell on fans worldwide since their acclaimed international hit debut album in 1998, have been traveling the world, soaking up the diverse musical cultures and infusing their already distinctive afro/jazz/soul sound with new flavors, as is evident in their third album NU REVOLUTION, set for release in December 2010. The album's title represents a new universe, one in which the pair are now independent recording artists, and documents the many great people and events people they have been inspired by as they traversed the black Diaspora worldwide, from Brazil to Brooklyn-where both girls now reside. The duo are also embarking on a U.S. preview tour Sept 16-Oct. 15, backed by a world-class nine-piece band, to share their new songs with eager fans nationwide. Fans will be able to purchase a limited edition six- song EP at the shows or download select tracks on the Les Nubians site for the duration of the tour.

One of the most successful French language groups in the world, Les Nubians are recognized for their colorful auras, harmonious vocals and playful style which fuse a wide array of influences including Miriam Makeba, Ella Fitzgerald, Doudou N’diaye Rose, Fela Kuti, Edith Piaf, The Fugees, and Soul II Soul. Signed to Virgin France in 1998, Les Nubians' first two albums, PRINCESSES NUBIENNES (1998/Virgin) and ONE STEP FORWARD (2003/Virgin/Higher Octave) sold well over 750,000 units in the US alone,. Their debut also yielded the Billboard R&B Top Ten with their song, “Makeda," which earned the girls a 1999 Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Best New Artist.

Born and raised in Accra, Ghana, Blitz the Ambassador grew up to the sounds of Afro-Beat, Highlife, Jazz, and Motown. But when his older brother introduced him to Public Enemy’s classic album, It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, as a young boy, he was changed forever. “I had never heard young Black people express themselves in that way before,” recalls Blitz.

After moving to the U.S. to attend college, Blitz continued to hone his musical skills, releasing several mixtapes as an undergrad at Kent State University. After graduation, Blitz moved to New York City to pursue his dream. In NYC, Blitz began to record, Stereotype, a live-instrument-heavy musical exploration, that tests the limits of Hip Hop. Drawing from his diverse musical background, he dove into the project with explicit intent of changing Hip Hop forever. In order to achieve the live sound he was looking for, he formed a band, The Embassy Ensemble, and brushed off his own djembe skills.

After three long years of recording, Blitz took the album to several major labels. Getting the major label run around one to many times, Blitz decided go it alone.

“One day I just said, ‘Fuck it’,” recounts Blitz. “I was tired of record labels telling me I had to be like somebody else. So I came home and wrote, Remembering the Future,” Blitz explains. This epic, instrument-laden, track illustrates Blitz’ refusal to be a Stereotypical rapper. The chorus of the song is, ‘I am who I am / and you can never change me / Reaching for the sun / remembering the future.’

Now, his label, Embassy MVMT is proving that Hip Hop fans are ready for the future. Hungry for a change, and sick-and-tired of the juvenile radio hits, Blitz the Ambassador is here to give the people what they want.

With DJ & Remix work for Grammy-winners Lauryn Hill, The Roots, and Mary J. Blige under his belt, J.Period has become one of hip hop’s undisputed Mixtape Kings and most respected DJ/Producers. In 2009, his viral mixtape marketing campaigns for artists including Q-Tip, K’NAAN, and rising star Nneka earned over 2 million combined downloads/streaming plays online and were widely cited among the year’s best. Praised by The New Yorker for his groundbreaking Bob Dylan remixes, and named one of “the world’s top DJ’s” by The New York Times, J.Period was also featured in Activision’s blockbuster video game, DJ Hero, alongside a short list of DJ legends: Grandmaster Flash, Jazzy Jeff, Shadow, Z-Trip & DJ AM. As a composer/producer, J.Period has scored blockbuster film trailers (Universal’s American Gangster, Fox’s Street Kings) and video games (Activision’s Tony Hawk: Motion). And on stage, J.Period’s crowd-rocking skills have earned high-profile tour appearances with Lauryn Hill, Kanye West, Diddy and De La Soul in venues around the globe. Rising through the ranks of hip hop’s elite, J.Period is redefining the role a DJ can play while still staying true to his hip hop roots. Up next? Summer 2010 European Tour, the launch of J.’s Truelements Music record label, and the first in a series of official J.Period albums!