Buy songs from Virtuoso’s first two albums here:
2007 was a banner year for Virtuoso, solidifying his reputation as a groundbreaking vocalist and a true renaissance man. His acoustical design firm, Blackmer Sound (www.blackmersound.com), has significantly solidified itself as an industry powerhouse with an amazing client list. Blackmer Sound most recently designed and installed major studio complexes in Puerto Rico for Reggaeton’s hottest producers, Luny Tunes and today’s hottest star, Daddy Yankee.
Right now, Virtuoso is preparing to release his new album, WW3:The Final Conflict while simultaneously working on his following project, a revolutionary collaboration with three of the industries most talented producers. But all this didn’t happen overnight, he has exhibited supreme dedication to living his dreams and despite resistance at every turn, Virutoso is rounding the corner and is poised to explode. Born just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, Virtuoso was blessed with a strong heritage in the realm of thought & sound. Virtually growing up in recording studios, he regularly accompanied his father on the job as a top studio electronics specialist in MA in the early 1980’s. His early exposure to the Boston music scene had him hanging around Rock&Roll legends like Aerosmith, Boston & the Cars and prepared him for what would soon become a career path of his own. In addition to his musical aspirations, young Virtuoso was also a workhorse on the pitchers mound. He was a starting pitcher on the Cambridge Rindge& Latin Varsity team from his freshman year on, and by all accounts he had the stuff to make the big leagues. But apparently his destiny laid elsewhere because a tragic line drive struck his collarbone on the mound. Never one to go down easy, Virtuoso still picked up the ball and threw the batter out before the pain hit and he hit the ground. During the difficult recovery period, Virtuoso returned to his childhood passion of music with a vengeance, and a year later he was devastating street corner cyphers and rocking any stage he could get his feet .. hearing a particularly vicious tounge lashing by Virtuoso of some local MC’s on the corner of Mass Ave, Fakts One invited Virtuoso to appear on his legendary "True School Thursdays" radio show. After he rocked it the phones lit up and Virtuoso started connecting the dots, soon pairing with Madsol Desar for the now classic "Omnipotence". By age 17, Virtuoso was making his own vinyl records, appearing on international releases and touring across the globe. Virtuoso’s fiery, intellectual battle raps and honest, cutting-edge social commentary quickly caught the attention of the international underground hip-hop community. With a deep, powerful voice and a versatile, unique flow, he debuted on wax in 1998 and was immediately recognized as a force to be reckoned with on the exploding Boston hip-hop scene. After whetting appetites with devastating off the head freestyles and a string of show-stealing guest appearances, Virtuoso released his first single, "Incinerator," b/w Orions Belt, featuring Mr. Lif and Esoteric............
After dropping two more 12s
he released his self-distributed debut album, "WW1: The Voice of Reason"
.....acclaimed by fans and critics alike for its lyrical prowess and diverse soundscape.... He followed up this succesfull debut with the Molemen produced 12" "God of Thunder"......
and appeared on many notable releases in the international music scene.............
Virtuoso has performed extensively in the United States, opening for such popular acts as A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, The Beatnuts, Eminem, Rakim, Bravehearts, Black Moon, Wu-Tang Clan, Deltron 3030 & M.O.P. He has toured Europe four times, including two stints with Oakland lyrical legends, Hieroglyphics. He has also collaborated on record with such musical luminaries as Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Casual, Jaz-O, Tatyana Ali, Bahamadia, Mr.Lif, Akrobatik, Jedi Mind Tricks,7L & Esoteric, Torch and DJ Vadim. His trail-blazing lyrical genius, packaged in a unique blend of hard-edged hip-hop containing elements of rock, funk and dramatic orchestra has garnered significant notice. Virt has been featured in magazines such as URB, XXL, Mass Appeal and Insomniac and was awarded a Boston Music Award in 2002 for Outstanding Hip-Hop act. His dazzling freestyle skills (a sample)
Virtuoso - Freestyle (Live At The UGHH.com Retail Store - 11/8/06) (Video) also earned him an appearance on CBSs The Carson Daly Show and resulted in a final-four finish in the HBO Blaze magazine MC Battle.
Staying true to the ferocious energy that gained him recognition, he came back with a vengeance for his RYKO distributed sophmore LP, "WW2: Evolution of the Torturer."............
Released in an election year, his former label Omnipotent Records partnered with the maverick NYC imprint Raptivism Records to unleash his fury. The album provides some of the most radical content in recent memory, including the controversial lead single Farenheit 9/11 b/w "Military Intelligence f/ Akrobatik" that plays like a hip-hop soundtrack for the war in Iraq & Afghanistan.
In 2005 Virtuoso released his explosive new mix CD "Big Bangers" ..........
on his newly founded Big Bang Records, and getting ready to start a tour in support of his upcoming 2007 LP "The Final Conflict"....
