Everywhere you look these days you see Hip-Hop’s influence. Even Fortune 500 companies and major brand names like McDonald’s use it to market and brand products as cool, hip, or trendy in the opinion of the High School and College crowd. Although the Hip-Hop community has worked very hard to attain this stature and genuinely deserves the recognition, there’s also a sterile, commercialized black cloud hanging over this success when you see or hear someone rapping in practically every advertisement on TV. Many artists have tried to capture and represent both perspectives, but few succeed as the bitter feud between underground and mainstream separates the two like an equator. Few artists can walk this tightrope between business and creativity, between being a visionary and staying current, between making sure you’re getting paid and being true to the essence of Hip-Hop the way Bambino Brown does.
Bambino's first Rap concert with his Dad as a young boy included a dose of pure inspiration courtesy of a classic live performance by one of Hip-Hop's first superstars, Rakim. Years later while attending Westchester High School, Bambino and his four closest friends recognized their common talent for witty word play and decided to form a group, calling themselves Anotha Level. Their demo quickly caught the attention of the west coast legend and worldwide Rap icon Ice Cube, who signed on to executive produce the group’s major label debut album. Even at the age of 16, Bambino rose to the challenges of being a young artist like a champion, juggling football practice, homework and his responsibilities to his label and his group without complaint.
Anotha Level released their track “What’s That Cha Say,†a groundbreaking west side anthem which subtly captured Hip-Hop's first steps toward an era where the admittedly non-urban clothing designer gained street credibility and an urban market once their imprint was mentioned by a Hip-Hop artist. The flashy extravagance of the L.A. lifestyle was apparent in Anotha Level's rhymes, but they also influenced the lyrically intricate styles of many future MC's. Their debut single shot to the top of the charts, pushing the group’s sales to over 250,000 units and crowning Bambino as the recognizable green-eyed MC whose charm and good looks belied both his verbal and physical dexterity. Since then he has maintained this position, pushing the boundaries of his own creativity and fine tuning the eloquent, cleverly worded lyrics and smooth as silk delivery which have become his trademarks.
Constantly challenging himself, Bambino took the initiative to begin his own independent label called Cali Untouchables, re-introducing himself as a member of the Himalayaz, a new Rap duo whose debut album sold over 20,000 units independently out of car trunks, through mom n’ pop stores, car shows, and local television commercials. Two video clips and a tour documentary DVD followed soon after, and now a much anticipated sequel DVD and first solo album project have both been scheduled for release on Cali Untouchables. Some of Bambino’s colleagues and collaborators include The Pharcyde, Kurupt, The Luniz, Spice 1, Dru Down, Tha Liks, Defari, Ice Cube, Ice T, Dk All Day, D-Maq, Arch Bishop Storm and Jazze Pha.
As CEO of Cali Untouchables, Bambino Brown continues to raise the bar for himself and Hip-Hop as a whole with consistent quality and innovative ambitions. In a world saturated with commercially processed, mechanically engineered, cookie cutter rhymes talk is usually cheap, and this determined, charismatic entrepreneur leads by his shining example, remaining dedicated to the pursuit of success that he can take to the bank, but all the while staying true to the wide-eyed elementary school kid who realized what he wanted to do with his life after watching a magnetic, soon to be legendary, young MC named Rakim bless the microphone. It’s really no surprise. After all “real†has a tendency to recognize “realâ€, and Bambino is, and has always been, real Hip-Hop.
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