FAMEUS IS NOMINATED FOR BEST UNDERGROUND R&B MALE 2008
YOU CAN VOTE AT WWW.HIPHOPPALACE.COM..
... FAMEUS noun (person)- A blessed, humble, gifted, soulful, determined young man who is giving entertainment his all. Ready to take his singing to the next level, Mr. Alfred William Gatlin will be known to the world as FAMEUS. He has been singing since the age of four. Being raised in the church, he thrived off performing. He loved the attention he received so he made it a point to continue to keep the passion of music in his life......An Ohio native, FAMEUS moved to Atlanta and began booking himself at local hot spots.
After returning home he was blessed to work with Many Ways Entertainment, an up and coming management and promotion company with a strong foundation in hip-hop. Under this new management, FAMEUS has strengthened his presence in the industry by way of various performances locally and nationally. He has created a supportive fan base through performances at numerous venues throughout Ohio.
He competed in Harlems Amateur Night at the Apollo three
times throughout 2004-2005. Fameus returned to Harlem after being selected
to appear on the World Famous Showtime@Apollo on May 13, 2006.Be prepared to experience the silky-smooth vocal elegance of FAMEUS.CHECK OUT FAMEUS ON THE APOLLO MAY 13, 2006
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Friday, May 12, 2006 BY Dan Kane REPOSITORY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
FAMEUSIf youve ever seen Showtime at the Apollo, the TV talent contest that airs late Saturday nights, you know how brutal things can get. Simply put, if you are onstage performing at Harlems Apollo Theatre and the audience does not like you, they will let you know.So imagine this scene:The gifted R&B vocalist Fameus, a k a Canton native Alfred Gatlin II, was tapped to perform at a Showtime taping Feb. 27 at the Apollo.Fameus was standing in the wings, nervously awaiting his turn onstage. Two R&B singers went .. me and they got booed, he recalls.In succession, both vocalists were shooed offstage by Sandman, the shows clownlike talent bouncer.Ouch.Just then, like a guardian angel, a show staff member came up behind Fameus and said, Ive been watching you, and I dont want you to get booed. Go out and give your best.That touched me, Fameus, 23, said.As he walked onstage to sing Gotta Go, a midtempo ballad by Trey Songz, the booing continued.I won em over, Fameus recalled. I had to sing something they knew. As his performance progressed, some in the crowd were singing along with him.Fameus did not win the show, but he also was not booed offstage which is no small accomplishment.The guy who beat me was a rapper, Fameus said. He had a lot of energy and what he was talking about made sense. He really deserved it.Fameus came away from the experience having learned a lesson: I just have to step my game up.The Showtime at the Apollo episode featuring Fameus will air at 1 a.m. Sunday (following Saturday Night Live) on NBC.GROWING UP SINGINGWhile hes a seductive, for-the-ladies type of singer, reminiscent of R. Kelly, Ginuwine and Musiq, Fameus has taken awhile to develop his style.Ive been singing since I was 4 years old, he said quietly, sitting on the patio at 7 Martini Lounge. Originally, he wanted to be a gospel artist.Fameus was born in Canton and lived here until he was 8. After my father passed, we moved to Atlanta, he said. There, he sang in a gospel group and began writing songs with a little kiddie vibe. One of his songs, Starburst, involved a girl and eating candy.I was writing songs for young groups that needed help, he said. At age 15, I decided I wanted to sing my songs. When youre in the spotlight with the girls at school, you get a lot of attention, a lot of invitations.Fameus began singing in programs at his Atlanta high school, and caught the ear of a young female substitute teacher whod grown up with the rapper Solé (who was then engaged to R&B singer Ginuwine).Solés father heard me sing over the telephone and he flew down from Kansas City. He was impressed and he wrote out a management agreement, Fameus said. I moved to Kansas City with him for awhile. There he hung out with Ginuwine, who he said told him he was a true vocalist.BACK TO CANTONAt age 21, at the invitation of a cousin, Fameus came to Canton for a visit, his first since leaving at age 8.Id lost contact with my fathers side of the family, he said. The love was so overwhelming here. I missed it. I stayed.His cousins, Jason Babi Cox and Anthony Peewee Cox, were doing hip-hop music here and through them, Fameus met his Canton-based manager, Jermaine Edmondson.When I first heard him, I couldnt understand why he wasnt already signed with a major, Edmondson said. His voice sounded so remarkable. He sounded already famous. So I took it in my hands and put him in a studio, man.I immediately got to work, Fameus said. I do concerts if the price is right.He has performed shows in Massillon, Akron, Wooster, Columbus, and sung in Canton at the Blueprint Lounge, Carousel Lounge, Negro Oldtimers and the Palace Theatre. He sometimes works with rappers, or as an opening act, and has hosted talent shows.LEVERT CONNECTIONIn show business, connections are everything.Fameus friend, La Toya Austin, is the niece of R&B vocal star Gerald Leverts mother.She introduced me to Gerald and he looked at me funny and said, Is you my son? Because we favor each other, Fameus recalls. He was joking, but he looked real serious when he said it.Levert liked my style, he said. So when the OJays featuring Geralds father, Eddie Levert needed an opening act for their homecoming concert last July at Canton Memorial Civic Center, Fameus was tapped as opening act.I did 15 minutes, he said. It was love. Great response.Consequently, Gerald Levert invited Fameus to be his opening act on a four-city concert tour.It was nice. Wild. Women is crazy, Fameus said, smiling at the memory of touring with Levert. When you hang around a star like that, you get a lot of respect just being in his presence.It feels weird when theres women who could be your mother beautiful women, 40 to 50 that can enjoy your music.LAYING TRACKSLately, Fameus has been writing and recording songs for his debut album, scheduled for release in mid-July. The material sounds very solid.The majority are original songs love songs, relationship songs, experiences, trials and tribulations, he said. Ive got party songs, happy songs, sad songs, Im-ready-to-go clubbing songs. Im trying to touch all bases.The song called Invisible is based on an experience with a girl who felt like I wasnt even there, he explains. Thats a phase I went through. I didnt want a girl. I wanted to be free.The Dawg Song is about a female who is all the time accusing and nagging, and chased me away. Satisfaction Guaranteed is about dating someone who I really liked and admired, and letting her know that my love is real.The CD will be released independently, under the auspices of Many Ways Entertainment.My goal for now is a major label, Fameus said. A lot of the shows I do are for the exposure. His manager, Edmondson, said hes looking for a band to accompany Fameus at concerts.I want to be in the entertainment industry for life, Fameus said. Ive never had a 9 to 5 and Im loving every minute of it. Even when Im tired, getting praise and compliments from people makes me even stronger.
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
Canton,Ohio
