.....................Black Diamond Militainment (or BD Milli for short) was started in 2006 out of a one-bedroom apartment by founder and CEO, Handz Down, in Austin, TX. Seeing potential in the powerful voice of one Ms. Candi Blu, he decided the time was right for change so he began to build a team. Pairing Candi Blu with her brother, Blu Haye, was a natural progression as they became "NawfCide Mays". After adding a couple surrounding memberz for depth, the vision was complete.///That vision was simple, to make a difference through music, period.///Armed with a potent message, a strong stance on activism, and a arsenal of "street-bangaz", Black Diamond almost instantly began to influence the local music scene. "We sort of took off on accident, feel me?" says Handz. "We wanted to make a gradual entrance into tha game so dat way we could make a personal connection wit as many of tha fanz as possible, but it didn't happen dat way. I kinda OVER-hustled ourselves, considering tha fact dat we really didn't have shyt to show for ourselves or any experience".///This "over-hustle" he speaks of included a very active grind and a "telemarketing" approach to introducing Black Diamond MILI-tainment to the local scene. "First we collected contact info from every flyer, cd cover, poster, and commercial we could find and compiled a call list of every Artist, Manager, Producer, Promoter, Photographer, Dancer, Model, whatever, it didn't matter. Then we went down tha list and jus started callin' EVERYBODY, jus fishin' for opportunities. We didn't care what ya role waz, if u had anythang to do wit Austin Hip-Hop, we waz callin', ya dig. I still hav peepz dat tell me dat they've heard of us and don't even realize dat it'z because I cold-called 'em and planted a bug in they ear, haha".///One bug that's definitely paid off was the one planted in the ear of local producer, T-Flo with T-Flo Productions. "Yeah, T-Flo waz one of tha first catz to really show alot of luv to us. He had a local hit wit this track called Gametime by Gutta Gang, and he had alot of different thangz goin' on around town so he waz poppin' and we had jus won a contest on Public Access where we won some original beatz of his so tha timin' was flawless".///Although free, those beatz turned out to be a pot of gold for BD Milli and started the groups uncontrollable tumble towards success.///After recording a couple of songs in Handz Down's bedroom closet, the group was offered an opportunity to perform at the local hotspot operated by the same Gutta Gang that helped popularize T-Flo Productions. When asked about their own role in seizing that opportunity, Handz responds "We can't take credit for dat one, all tha credit for dat goes to God. We came into tha game wit nuthin' at all, not even a dime and within' a couple of monthz we were blessed wit top-notch beatz and performance opportunities, ALL FREE". That performance led to regular performances at the club (Club 311) and invitations to perform at other clubs and venues around Austin, including Ruta Maya, Jump On It, and Back Room, among others.///It was at the Back Room where the next "domino" fell. "We waz at tha Back Room jus doin' our Black Diamond thang, gettin' live in tha club like we alwayz do and I waz told that someone wanted to meet me. I waz a lil surprised cause we didn't have an album or mixtape out, all we had so far waz our performances which, at tha time, were kinda spotty cause we didn't have very many resources. I mean, we couldn't even practice and shyt! haha".///It turns out that practice was not as important as the hustle and determination that led to this initial meeting with Clifford Gilliard of Another Option Productions, the hip-hop coordinator at The Historic Victory Grill, a mainstay of the Austin urban community for over 60 years. Impressed by the effort and dedication of the budding label, he set up a meeting with the group that translated into regular shows at the Victory Grill and additional shows at Rosewood Park, Givens Park, and Club 1808.///Within a year, and still without any album or mixtape releases, BD Milli had managed to open up shows for Artists like Casino & tha Gutta Gang, Basswood Lane (Carnival Beatz), Orlando Brown, H-Town, Cherish, Bavu Blakes, Chalie Boy, Trae, Juvenile, and others.///Never forgetting their purpose, Black Diamond also began a campaign in 2007 aimed at shedding some light on the growing Police Misconduct issue in Austin highlighted by the deaths of Sophia King (2002), Jesse Lee Owens (2003), and Daniel Rocha (2005) by Austin Police Officers. Determined to "Stop Tha Juneteenth Murderz", as read from the controversial t-shirts worn during the campaign (all three deaths occured within 2 weeks of "Juneteenth", a popular southern holiday), and fueled by the myspace blaze caused by the 2007 death of Kevin Brown by Austin Police Officer Michael Olsen ("RIP KB" posts could be found on the Myspace pages of Austin residents city-wide) Black Diamond used every outlet it could to get the word out, Police Misconduct IS alive in Austin, TX. With news that the Austin Police Department is now currently under Federal Investigation, the recent resignation of former police chief Stan Knee, and the firing of Officer Olsen by new police chief Art Acevedo, it would seem that the urban community of Austin is finally making it's presence felt and BD Milli is right in the thick of it.///Always building and never letting up on their hustle, 2008 looks very bright for "Da Milli".///Currently expanding into television, video production, and promotions, Black Diamond Militainment seems to have found their own lane. But don't worry, they vow to remain true to their cause. "We came into this game wit nuthin' at all. We didn't have a single resource, but we had grind and it'z startin' to pay off. Now we gonna take every single resource we've acquired thru dat grind and make a difference. Trust me, thangz about to get REAL different in a minute! If God wit us, who can stand against us!?!"///Who indeed... 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