I AM MUSIC BUSINESS...!

From Murder to Major By Kandis KnightSota Fats is the ultra smooth, college-educated, contemporary hip-hop business impresario from the same gutter and grime whence rappers like The Notorious B.I.G. emerged, with similar swag, Fats delivers music that is guaranteed to make your head nod.Yes, you heard me, Minneapolis’, the North Star state with deep musical roots, is offering the music industry the long awaited epitome of the Rap/Rock Star and he is coming straight from the streets of Minneapolis.“I have a one album retail deal with Koch Records, I will be in Best Buy, FYE, you know? I got my own bins. I retained all my publishing,” explains the jovial emcee.Sota Fats, born Jason Brown grew up in Minneapolis. His single Rock Star Shit featuring Dipset’s Jim Jones has a major budget behind it, a music video produced by Push Media (Minneapolis) and is already getting rotation on both coasts.“I am the best looking big nigga this side of the Mississippi River!” proclaim’s Fats from his upcoming album The Perfect Candidate” Bricks & Politiks distributed ..cat/Koch Records.However the road to success included loosing his best friend and the second half of his duo. Famis Franklin was murdered in early 2007 on a blustery cold night. “At first I was driven by the entrepreneurial side of the rap industry. Since Famis got killed the goal is to make our life long goal a reality, we are all Famis now,” whispers the passionate twenty-seven year, with a determined glare. “It is no coincidence his name was Famis.”Fats is a contemporary hip-hop business man no doubt, who often raps about his former life as a notorious street dealer but a lot has changed. Famis was murdered as he lay on his sister’s couch in crime ridden North Minneapolis, the murder is still unsolved, leaving the wound gaping for Fats and his entire crew. “His murder was a call to action for me. It caused me to step up my game and use this talent for something that will change the way things are.”With his best friend Famis at his side, Fats and the Weon Records Crew has been busy in their studio since 2002, making over four albums (Nation Business, Radio Mix Vol. 1-1, The Baller Street Journal, Citiology, State Rehab and MN Fats) and being featured on fifty albums. Combined, the crew has sold an estimated ten thousand albums in the upper Midwest.“The first year we put out an album, we won an award, the American Music Search Award in Chicago. You know we got big ups for that and made a lot of industry contacts and we never looked back.”Over the years, the crew has struggled yet managed to keep the vision alive. “Things were just getting good in 2007 we were negotiating a deal with Copy Cat Entertainment and Koch Distribution. When the unexpected and unfathomable happened,” he looks down. “Cats was jealous of Famis, he was a dapper young man. We are on the verge of big things still,” he sighs, then moans.Since Famis’ murder, Fats has gotten a lot more reflective and has a lot more to say.“I have evolved as an artist, I can’t fabricate shit. If I can’t get fans when I am coming from the heart, then I mid as well be a lawyer and extort drug dealers because this is real music from yours truly. I can’t do anything else but keep it real at this point.”Join Fats for the exclusive listening party of the YEAR October 1st 2007 at Axis Nightclub 322 1st Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55401 8 p.m. to Midnight. Red Carpet begins at 8:00 p.m.R.S.V.P strongly encouraged at [email protected] or call 651-604-5013.VVVVVVVVVVVV