In 1994 the Wu-Tang Clan impacted the music industry with the unprecedented sound of nine unique emcees, rugged and raw production provided by the RZA, and a vast landscape of cultural and philosophical inspirations that secured the groups blueprint for success as a monument in hip-hop.
Fast forward to present day 2006 where the Wu-Tang sound of yesteryear has found a home on Dreddy Krugers own Think Differently Music Group. With the labels debut release, Think Differently presents: Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture, conceptual genius, label CEO, and President A&R for Wu-Tang Corp. Dreddy Kruger presents an unprecedented pairing of Wu-Tang artists, producers, and affiliates with some of hip hops independent and underground elite from across the United States.
The compilation features the single Biochemical Equation with production by the RZA, featuring RZA and MF Doom, which debuted this past September on Apple iTunes. It also features vocal and production contributions from an all-star line-up including The GZA, Ras Kass, U-God, Aesop Rock, Del the Funky Homosapien, Sean Price, Casual, J-Live, C Rayz Walz, Cannibal Ox, Planet Asia, Tragedy Khadafi, Littles, Sunz of Man, RA the Rugged Man, Bronze Nazareth, Allah Mathematics, Preservation, and DJ Noize. Even award winning filmmaker Jim Jarmusch makes his presence felt in what can surely be considered a monumental release for hip hop.
It was only a matter of months before the compilation was set for release when Dreddys intuitive business sense led him to reach out to Chuck Wilson, former A&R Executive at Priority Records and CEO of Babygrande Records, in releasing Wu-Tang meets the Indie Culture as a joint venture between the two rising independent rap labels. Based out of New York, Babygrande Records boasts an ever so expansive roster of hip hop greats and industry newcomers including GZA, Dipsets Purple City, Jedi Mind Tricks, Canibus, 7L & Esoteric, Immortal Technique, and many others. It was this long past due pairing of both the Think Differently and Babygrande labels secured Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture a distribution deal independent market leader Koch Entertainment. Now in its eighteenth year, Koch Entertainment Distribution is the largest independent music and video distributor in North America and holds the highest market share among independents. It was 1991 when Koch revolutionized independent music distribution by becoming the first national independent distributor of domestic labels in the United States, offering the first alternative to the traditional system of regional independent distribution or national label distribution.
Since its October 18th release, Wu-Tang meets the Indie Culture has received several accolades among the music industry including being named best independent album of 2005 by the Source Magazine. (January 06: 2005 Year in Review) Other notable accolades include the compilations impressive stats on the Billboard charts ranking in at ..6 on the Billboard top 20 compilations chart, ..17 on the Billboard top 50 independent albums chart, ..68 on the Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B Top 100 chart, and ..190 on the Billboard top 200 charts. (Issue date: 11/05/05) On the albums debut week of release, Wu-Tang meets the Indie Culture was Apple iTunes 3rd most downloaded album coming in behind Kanye Wests Late Registration and The Black Eyed Peas Monkey Business. (Issue date: 10/24/05) In light of the albums conceptual precedence, the pairing of Dreddy Krugers Think Differently Music Group, Babygrande Records, and Koch Records distribution helped propel the Koch label to the top spot on the Billboard Independent Charts for the 5th year in a row. (Market Wire)
Though Dreddy Kruger had always held the vision of wanting to inspire the world through his own prowess and ingenuity within the music industry, Dreddy is no stranger to the grind and relentless work ethic that separates the greats from the rest of the pack. Similar to the career start of the late Tupac Shakur and his affiliation with the group Digital Underground as a backup dancer turned emcee great, Kruger worked alongside late Wu-Tang Clan founding member Ol Dirty Bastard in the early 1990s as a back-up dancer for the GZA/Genius during the Cold Chillin era. Soon after, Dreddy Kruger was signed as an artist under Rzas Wu-Tang Records Imprint. As a member of the Royal Fam, along side Timbo King, the groups debut album was never released in the U.S., but went on to sell over 150,000 copies overseas. While Dreddy has been featured on several albums, including GZAs Liquid Swords and Beneath the Surface, and Killah Priests Black August Revisited, his greatest accomplishment as an emcee came when Kruger was awarded a French Grammy for his lyrical contributions to the track La Saga by French rap icons IAM. The album featuring La Saga went on to sell over 2 million records worldwide.
Krugers passion for the art of Hip Hop also provided him the opportunity to branch out beyond the mic to that of the silver screen by making appearances in both Jim Jarmuschs Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai starring Forrest Whitaker and the forthcoming Wu-Tang Revealed, a retrospective look on the progression of the Wu-Tang movement by filmmaker and Wu-Tang Clan member the GZA.
Leaving the center stage for an environment more conducive to the creative elements within, Kruger became President A&R for Wu-Tang Corp. in 2002. To date, Krugers A&R credits include Wu-Tang Clan member Masta Killas debut LP No Said Date courtesy of Nature Sounds (selling over 100K units worldwide); the self-titled LP from The Black Market Militia featuring Killah Priest, Tragedy Khadafi, Timbo King, and Hell Razah courtesy of Nature Sounds (selling over 25K units); and is currently A&Ring several projects scheduled for release in 2006-2007. They include GZA Presents courtesy of Liquid Swords Entertainment/Babygrande, LA the Darkmans sophomore release, debut LP from artist/producer Bronze Nazareth, and group LP from coast to coast greats Planet Asia and Timbo King, all scheduled to be released under Krugers Think Differently imprint.
Prior to Think Differentlys nationally distributed debut Wu-Tang meets the Indie Culture, the label attained success with its vast release of internet only mix cds and compilations including contributions from RZA, GZA, Ghostface Killah, Killah Priest, and filmmaker Jim Jarmusch (on the release of the soundtrack to the highly regarded film Coffee and Cigarettes).
As CEO of the Think Differently Music Group and President A&R of Wu-Tang Corp., there seems to be no boundaries Dreddy Kruger is unwilling to explore in the pursuit of conceptually advancing the music industry and the coveted Wu-Tang sound.
