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I.E. is the future of hip-hop. He is the epitome of the perfect artist. Both insightful and entertaining, this emcee's star quality is a force to be reckoned with. Born Derrick James Manley, he lived in Akron, Ohio until he was in his early teens. I.E. began rapping when he was only 10 years old and his 15 years of experience shines through his confident bravado and intense lyrics. Most become instant fans of his music and there's no denying that he is a star. At 26, I.E. has created quite a buzz with nearly a thousand tracks in existence and has gained a faithful following of admirers.
In his younger years, he was shot at, robbed and chased by the police but these events are now just the inspiration for his dynamic music. I.E. focused on perfecting his skills and in doing so, he avoided the ghetto's many distractions, like hustling and gangs. Later, he moved to Bad News, Virginia, where he attended the same high school as Pharell Williams, (legendary producer of The Neptune's) and he became more aware of his gift. As a ladies man, he learned that women were in abundance at church and began to faithfully attend every Sunday. Thankfully, his bad intentions turned out to have positive results and he found God. It was then that he started to take his rapping more seriously, performing Christian raps for his church and even touring in other States.
During this time, I.E. never stopped listening to his Tupac albums and seducing the ladies, so in time the Church rebuked him. Ultimately, the strong temptations of the world lured him back to the streets and he returned to his old ways. Eventually, I.E. had a daughter and began to focus on his music again. This is when he started to showcase his music on sites like SoundClick and Tagworld.
His lyrical content is intelligent and insightful and his determination continues to make him a household name. Now, his music is paving the way to his true destiny; reinventing Hip Hop. True hip hop fans, who have come in him contact with him, understand he's already a star. His musical range is incredible, from smooth tracks like, "Even When" and "Mah Babeh" to introspective tracks like, "Real N*ggaz" and "All I Wanna Be". He has the total package: the look, the maturity and most obvious, the talent. Just imagine all of this wrapped up in an artist who is known to write and record up to four full songs in one night. That's I.E., he's reflective, intelligent, witty and his music not only exposes his talent as an emcee but also his real life experience.
Currently, he is working on his debut album and his fans are waiting anxiously for the drop date. He recently returned from Toronto, where he recorded 10 tracks collaborating with 'fresh on the scene' producers, DT MUSIC (www.dtmusiconline.com). During his studio session at The Spott Music Studio, Kolor Brown (www.myspace.com/kolorbrown) jumped on the mic and blessed the newly recorded, "Let's Smoke" track, with his soulful impromptu hook. This event was a true testament to I.E.'s unsurpassed talent and those who were in the studio can attest to it. The head-nodding session, to the soon-to-be classic, 'mary jane' tribute, was revealing of his future. He captivates his audience with his charismatic flow and intelligent lyrical skills. His debut album will be released in 2007 and will be distributed by Legacy Recording Company, (www.legacyrc.com). They are working diligently, marketing his material and ensure his independent release will be a massive success and will change the course of hip-hop.
Bio written by: Lica of LatinUs Entertainment