Young Sonâ„¢ [http://www.youngsonmusic.com]

"Christ gave me this talent, so I'm about to use it right"Michael Alexander Hannah, better known by his stage name of Young Son, is an American hip hop rap artist based out of the Twin Cities, Minnesota.Motto: Hip Hop is what you make it, so I choose to make it RIGHTIn October 2006, Young Son formed an unsigned independent recording collective called “Influential Melodiez” with various artists from the Twin Cities. The label serves as a group of music independent artists as close affiliates in musical creation and promotion. Under this company, he released his first solo effort, “Soul Inspired: Hip Hop's Revival” on May 25, 2007, and since then, has been promoted through promotion and performances throughout the United States. Young Son hailed three 2008 Twin Cities Hip Hop Award Nominations, including the categories for Best Hip Hop Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop Song of the Year and the Best New Artist award.Young Son is a born again Christian, and in the words of Chrisette Michele in one of her interviews "is not afraid to be a Christian in this industry (of hip hop)". "I feel that hip hop is a positive tool within itself, and people have simply distorted it. It's not evil or from the devil, but people have taken it and used it to promote evil and wrongdoings. My goal is to take this spectrum that is the main voice of young people and be one of the few who uses it for good, showing the love of God and his only son, using the lyrics to express feelings, poetry and real life stories and situations that people can directly relate with. Also, at the end of the day, I was to have fun doing it and know others have had fun receiving it and that it touches their life that day. Plus, the media makes Christian people out to be aliens. I want to show that it's not all about the religious rigmarole and it's only about believing Christ is the savior and accepting him into your heart. It's that simple."When he began ninth grade, he began to write poems ritually, and with the help of his 9th Grade English teacher at Brooklyn Center High School in Brooklyn Center, MN, Mrs. Ashley-Grochowski, he began having his poetry published in national anthologies and was also accepted into the International Society of Poets, being nominated back to back years for the Amateur Poet of The Year Award in 2003 and 2004. He started rapping more seriously during his junior year and on through high school graduation, he performed in local talent shows and competitions.Young Son works heavily in his community in the Twin Cities by devoting time, efforts and concerns to issues he feels are important, including peace building, the fight against gang and street violence, anti-misogyny (the movement against the hatred of women), education of minorities, support for immigration and immigrant rights and the advocacy for Christianity and the beliefs he was raised upon. He is also a college intern and media correspondent for the non-profit youth peace organization, Youthrive, founded by Donna Gillen, as part of the Upper Midwest Affiliates of International PeaceJam, is an organization working with multiple Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, including Shirn Ebadi of Iran and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, promoting peace amongst the world. The organization is housed out of St. Paul, Minnesota. Young Son served as the main performing act at the Midwest Regional PeaceJam International celebration ceremony for 2003 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Shirn Ebadi of Iran in March 2007 at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN and will be a headliner at the 2008 PeaceJam Celebration for Archbishop Desmond Tutu in April 2008. Young Son is also currently on the "Youthrive Live: Hip Hop Peace Tour" across Minnesota and the Midwest at elementary, junior and senior high schools, a traveling concert tour promoting peace through hip hop with notable Twin Cities artists including Scribble Jam 2006 Beatbox Champ "DJ Snuggles", Maria Isa and Hypel (Hope Youth Power & Everlasting Life).Other major shows have included headlining the "Hip Hop 4 Obama" Fundraiser Concert in Minneapolis, Minnesota, opening up for One Be Lo of Binary Star and for Eyedea and Abilities of the Rhymesayers. Young Son is currently the executive producer for Minneapolis hip hop emcee/storyteller and label mate "Hypel" on his debut project "My Name is Hypel, This is My Story", a cinematic story epic hip hop album. Young Son is also working on his own album, his second solo LP, entitled "Philanthropist", which is slated for an September 2008 release.Youthrive Live will headline @ the 2008 Global Summit International PeaceJam Celebration in Los Angeles, California on September 11-13, 2008
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Discography Solo AlbumsSoul Inspired: Hip Hop's Revival Released on May 25, 2007Philanthropist/B Released Date: September 2008MixtapesComposition Book Released on June 17, 2007Bassline Calligraphy Released on December 27, 2007Collaboration AlbumsYoung Son and Teddy Roxpin presents...Next To Never: The Rough Cut EP Released on March 11, 2008CompilationsEycee Slim's "Underground Freshness: Vol. 1" Released on April 6, 2007Eycee Slim's "Underground Freshness: Vol. 2" Released on July 28, 2007Youthrive presents...Zero Element: The Reclamation Project Released on March 12, 2008