Money SL (Pen Squad)

With two songs already getting radioplay on WAMO, Pittsburgh’s hip-hop and R&B station, the 21 year old rapper/singer/songwriter/ghostwriter- Money $L has found a place in hip-hop’s wide landscape. The upstart talent created a buzz when his single “Hold Up” won WAMO’s “Battle of the Beats” competition in September. Since then, his fan base has grown rapidly in anticipation of his debut mixtape, “CVillain: Expect the Unexpected.”Growing up in Connellsville, Pa., a small town on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Money $L (real name, Sean Lewandowski) has always had music on his mind. From everything from being raised on old episodes of Soul Train to his teenage years as a guitarist, $L has always been influenced by music in one way or another. "My material and my deep passion for music is very diverse consisting of my love for many different genres," He stated. But by the time he got to high school, he fully developed his love of hip-hop and creative writing, filling the margins of his notebooks with rhymes and verses, never thinking much would ever come of it.This passion followed $L every step of his life. But, he never shared his writing with anyone until he got a job as a dishwasher in Uniontown, Pa. while trying to pay his way through college. There, he met a co-worker named Stefan Richardson, who was the first to have a genuine interest in $L’s rhymes. Richardson was impressed by his friend’s writing abilities and raw talent, so he began telling others about him. $L gained some confidence, but between work and school, had little time to spare to devote his time for developing and displaying his skills. Soon thereafter, though, the restaurant that employed him shut down, leaving him unemployed. While searching for another job, $L was able to receive unemployment benefits. As every dark cloud has its silver lining, $L turned this difficult point in his life into a positive. He purchased his own recording equipment and started putting life into the words that, until now, he only had the chance to write.Fighting through the criticism and skepticism that follows white rappers, he set out to be a trendsetter differentiating himself from the many who have and continue to make the attempt unsuccessfully. His uniqueness and creative lyricism starting drawing much attention setting him apart from the rest. "I want to transcend race, nationality, gender, etc and make music that appeals to the masses," $L stated. "I think that the main reason why you don't see any white rappers on the mainstream level anymore is because many falsify their character by trying to portray fake images using gimmicks, and therefore for the most part aren't taken seriously by the general public," $L continued. "I think that at the end of the day that whether or not a particular person is a fan of my material that they will at least respect the fact that it is 100 percent me with life experiences of my own and those around me as well as my perspective on my surrounding environment and that is what matters most to me." He kept building his repertoire, eventually working his way into a premiere hip-hop recording studio called ID LABS located in Lawrenceville in the Pittsburgh region. Since he began recording, Money $L’s profile has ascended rapidly. After the success of “Hold Up,” $L teamed up with Wiz Khalifa, who was recently signed by Warner Bros., to record the Pittsburgh/East Coast anthem, “It’s a Burgh Thing.” $L’s first priority is holding it down for the Burgh and his hometown of Connellsville, but he’s proven to have universal appeal, as well. He has a club track, recorded with Miami native AG the Hustla, that is appearing on a soon-to-come mixtape in Florida, which features national artists including DJ Khaled, Snoop Dogg, Shawty Lo, Trina and many more.This moderate success has done nothing but fuel the up-and-coming artist. “Music is basically my life,” $L says. “ I'm happy with what I achieved so far in just a short period of time, but there is so much more I want to accomplish in the music industry.”Money $L has a solid group of collaborators around him, including the Pen Squad (consisting of aspiring artists such as All Day, Bay Weez, Marly, Lotoe, Mr. 6-5, S Dot and more). He’s also formed a sub-merger with another Connellsville crew, the 223 Boys further enhancing the street buzz and following. With top notch production from D12’s Mr. Porter (producer of 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P.” and G-Unit’s “Stunt 101”), Johnny Juliano (Wiz Khalifa’s “Say Yeah” and “Make it Hot”), AG the Hustla and many more to compliment Money $L’s apparent talent, it’s not farfetched to believe that signing to a major record deal is right around the corner.EMERGENCE VISUAL PRODUCTIONS
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