If you dont know him, this would be the best time to find more about about him. Dontyaknowme, L.A.s new self-described Master P. I signed myself, stupid, he says, is poised to takeover the rap game.
His mixtape, Right Place Right Time Right Money, with 100.3 The Beats DJ Dense is burning up the streets of Los Angeles. This is more like a pre-album because it has all original beats, he says. Once you hear the mixtape youll be yearning to hear what his album sounds like.
But dont get it twisted, Dontyaknowme me is no novice to the rap game. When he was seven, he moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles with his mother following the divorce of his parents. He soon began listening to KDAY 1580 AM, the only rap station in L.A. at the time. Inspired by what he was hearing, and only in the second grade, Dontyaknowme wrote his first rap. A couple of years later a guy working as a teachers assistant at his school formed a rap group called The Fresh Kids. The group consisted of Dontayaknowme and three other kids. This afforded him the opportunity to be in the studio and learn the ins and outs of music promotion and marketing at a young age. The group pressed some vinyl and did a few shows but had to disband because of financial restrictions. He got back in the studio once he hit high school and started writing and making more songs but still wasnt fully focused on rap. He left California and went to Alabama to attend Tuskegee University, but left a couple of years later because of lack of financial support. I had to hustle to get my money right and couldnt keep my mind on school so I came back to L.A. so I could pursue music.
As soon as I came back the following day I met my sons mom. And a few days later I met Levelle Ruckwelle. We were both feeling this music thing so we formed a group called Ghetto Fab, he says. In 1999 they dropped an album titled Who These Niggaz and sold about 2,500 copies independently. The two tried to shop a deal but got tired of waiting for majors to come knocking. A string of personal losses caused the group to set their dream of making it big in the music business aside. The passing of his fiancé in 2002 left Dontyaknowme to raise their son without her. Although pained by this tragedy, the young artist found enough strength to finish school and get his Masters Degree.
In 2004 he called up his old partner Levelle and told him he wanted to get back in the studio. Levelle was done rapping so Dontyaknowme set out to complete his own project, aptly titled The Don Dada Project. I felt like in the music game everybody was attacking me so I said let me take them all on, Im the real Don Dada. His momentum gained speed and people began to recognize his swagger. He secured some great collaborations with industry veterans like L.A.s King Tee. Bone Crusher, Atlantas 112 and still has a list of artists set to make appearances on his next project. Brian Barber the acclaimed music video director calls him "a true hustler...business man with true skills". The young businessman has his own company called The Conglomerate, Ltd. It serves as a record label and also has divisions that handle artist management and development as well as entertainment and promotions. Hes set to hit 40 cities this summer on his Takeover Tour with a group called Ghetto Life.
So, if you dont know him by now you should definitely check out more about raps next big mogul, Dontyaknowme. Check him out at www.dontyaknowme.com