Eleven years, one marriage, and two states in the making, Atlee “Tha Anthem†Urquhart is set to release his first solo album. Raised in California in what many would consider northwest Tijuana, Imperial Beach, was the proving ground for this 23-year-old artist. The influences of the Chicano culture along with the southern California lifestyle are evident in his writing. Now a Texas import, Tha Anthem is quick to show everyone that the Lone Star State has left its mark on him as well. The dynamics of his style don’t stop there. A fluent Spanish speaker, Tha Anthem further incorporates the Hispanic lifestyle that surrounds him in both languages. His album entitled “The Exception, Not the Rule†is a reflection of his many nuances and influences and how he seamlessly merges them together.
In 1996, Tha Anthem wrote his first original verse at the age of 12. From there he moved on to writing full-length songs and freestyling. Though not a battle emcee, it is said that his freestyle skills are prolific. Occasionally he will step into a cipher, but he will be the first to tell you that it isn’t his comfort zone. In middle school he began writing music with friends Mark Marsh and Derrick Reynolds and together they formed G.S.L. (God Sent Lyricists), which later became Manifest Destiny after gaining one more member; James Wardrobe. The group remained together from 1999 to 2001 when they disbanded for a number of reasons. Tha Anthem then went on to attend Mar Vista High School from 1999 to 2002. There he became the reigning four-time champion of the school wide rap-off. Owning this title since its inaugural year, he returned a year after he graduated to host the competition. During this time he met Nathan “Naeshun†Howser. The two were mutual friends, but did nothing together musically.
In 2003, Tha Anthem and Naeshun finally got together and created a serious of diss tracks against Palmdale, California group “Perfect Players.†The two of them quickly learned that together their styles meshed wonderfully and their lyrical content outshined the rest of the competition around them.
In the fall of 2003, Tha Anthem enlisted in the Navy, taking him away from his home on the west coast. Going to such places as Chicago, Monterey, and finally San Antonio he took a brief hiatus from making music. He was then married in February of 2004. During this period he decided that music was no longer in his future and he began to focus on his new career in the Navy as well as being a family man. The marriage soon ended. Now alone and unable to find an outlet to express his emotions he was persuaded back to the Mic. In April 2007, he was approached by Iris Avenue Records, the owners of which were his long time childhood friends Kyle Ginter and Joe Knox. They began to discuss the label philosophy and soon realized that this was a situation that suited him perfectly. Since that day, Tha Anthem and Iris Avenue Records have strengthened their ties and he was added as the third CEO of the label as well as head of the United States Southern Region’s distribution department.
With the release of his album “The Exception, Not the Rule†Atlee “Tha Anthem†Urquhart hopes to open the public to a whole new look on rap music and help blur the lines of regionalism.
