LEATHAFASE

everything above thisLEATHA FASE FEATURES: Get Your Own! | View SlideshowLeathaFaseThe rapper known as LeathaFase was born Orlando B. Irizarry, Jr. on February 6 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. As an infant, he moved from Puerto Rico to New York with his teenage mom, bound for a better life. There, he resided in Brooklyn and Queens for a short stay, finally stopping in Staten Island, where the majority of his childhood was made in Park Hill Projects. This is a neighborhood where drug dealers state their territory on the block and police swarm the area in search for various criminal suspects ranging from robberies to murders, even police corruption. Witnessing one of his peers beaten to death by law enforcement and others murdered in random incidents was an everyday occurrence. After the death of his father at age 8, he had to help provide for his mother, younger brother and himself the best way he knew how. He found his “mentors” amongst the street corners from one of the largest drug dealer crews in the Clifton projects that promised him a way to be an independent individual, but in the wrong fashion. He knew that this was not the way a young man should live but there was no other option. Finding solace in them, a new young man emerged from “the black tar”. This was the basis for his method of poetic trilogies.Starting his writing legacy at the age of nine, he put rhymes together to formulate his own style. He adapted to his surroundings of hip hop, oldies and house music echoing through his Park Hill residence. Influential figures like Master Ace, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Run DMC, Special Ed, KRS-ONE, N.W.A and EPMD made this young mind develop a flow so rare, other followers of hip hop had to step back to take heed as to what was being said on his behalf. Constant battles throughout the Staten Island borough gained him recognition from all ages at a fast pace. In 1994, he met up with long-time friend and rap artist, King Just. From there, he joined a group called the “Shaolin Soldiers” and was featured .. on ‘Em Stomp”; a song on the B side from King Just’s hit single “Warrior’s Drum” off the “Mystics of the God” album (Select Records, 1995). Performances and appearances came in rapid succession, naming “The Warrior’s Drum” video, the first “Hot 97 Summer Jam”, “Uptown Comedy Club”, “Jack the Rapper”, and “The Arena” to date.The fame left as fast as it came, and the street life was still calling him back. In and out of jail, surviving shootouts and hand-to-hand sales were things that were lucrative at the time. This was the fast life that he knew and tried to escape. He had no reason to be in that life, then again there was nothing to pull him back. Then, on November 24, 1996, a new being became the motivation of his life in the form of a baby boy. It was then that he knew that there was more to life than the streets. There was no way out, being that this is all that he endured. But in late 1997, someone would come and try to put that to an end, for the time being. While on the block, U-God; a member from Staten Island’s multi-platinum selling group, Wu-tang Clan; approached him with a friend that alerted him of his lyrical ability. After being prompted by U-God to recite a freestyle to some beats he had for his upcoming album, he did as was expected. From there, he was asked to feature on the “Golden Arms Redemption” album (Priority Records, 1999). The four songs that he appeared on (“Glide”, “Rumble”, “Shell Shock”, “Knocking At Your Door”) were recorded and “Rumble” was also featured on the Playstation’s “Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style” video game (Activision Inc., 1999). He then came across all walks of life in entertainment. Working with the likes of RZA, Method Man, Inspecta Deck, Raekwon the Chef, and others made him an international “face”. “Wu-Chronicles 2” was a major album highlight for him. “To the Rescue” was his first professional recording with U-God. Not to mention “Wildstyle Suppafreak” moved a large amount of units as a single (Landspeed Records, 2002). Being in the hip hop genre, he also ventured off to record with the Russian rock group, Cooky Conspiracy (now known as “The Orphans”). He featured on two songs on their album, “C2” (AllCity Ent., 2002); “KeyHole” and “Sun Goes Down”.LeathaFase continued to work with U-God on upcoming projects. King Just and LeathaFase then rejoined to accompany U-God to recruit other artists from the neighborhood where he was raised. In 2002, the group “The Hillside Scramblers” was formed. Once that was established, recording was initiated and the “Ugodz-Illa Presents: The Hillside Scramblers” album arose (INDIEgo/Synergy Music, 2004). It was a compilation in which LeathaFase featured on eight songs, had one solo premiere, and produced thirteen tracks. There were two videos (“Destiny” and “Chippin’ and Choppin’ It”) released but received minimal promotion. In 2004, to explain the history of Staten Island’s most infamous lyrical team, U-God put out “Rise of a Fallen Soldier” DVD, which introduced LeathaFase as a member of the “Hillside Scramblers”. He was premiered on mixtapes from DJ Kay Slay to DJ Infinite.Finally, his last project with U-God was his sophomore solo album, “Mr. Xcitement” (Free Agency Recordings, 2005). Producing four songs (“Jenny”, “Heart of Stone”, “Bump”, and “Don’t Love the Drugs”) and appearing on two others (“It’s a Wrap” & “Hit ‘Em Up, Roll Out”), he eventually branched off and is now working on his first solo mixtape and album with his new company, Silent Movers Ent. Under this name, the intention is to put out more music from “The Hillside Scramblers” for 2007 and beyond.According to LeathaFase, “the mission is to create powerful music; tales of life's struggles, but add my own mixture to the equation. It will still maintain the hard core element that I possess but also incorporate my culture and life into what I do. I make my music for all and I'm not here to disrespect anyone’s form of art. As long as my point is being expressed to the point of at least one dude feels it then I know I accomplished something. What I spit is simply high, intense, cataclysmic obliteration.”