It's hard to say what BenRoss's sound really is. Such a versatile emcee performing on hip hop stages to various other types of music and venues across the country; this rapper/producer is a driven man. He got his beginning in 1998 writing rhymes and battling other kids in Northern VA. From there he moved on to making beats and had success selling and producing for local artists. He has worked with many of the United State's finest underground/indie hip hop artists for the past 5 years. His most recent venture his band "Houthern Sauce-Pitality" a make up of VA bread musicians with a live souther rock/hip hop/soul feel is an amazing live act and music you can truly chill to. Keep an eye out for up coming shows, exclusive freestyles and new releases.
For booking, beats and performance info for BenRoss, send all inquiries to: [email protected]
For booking and all other information for Houthern Sauce-Pitality:
[email protected]
If I had a lamp with three wishes I would rub and rub until that genie popped out to grant me what I yearned for; allow me to fill you in. I remember the first time I ever really heard music that made my soul groove. It was the winter of 1994, I was sitting at my house, 11 years old. I had snuck up to my bedroom and turned on the radio, much to my over abundant enjoyment I was listening to "Take it EZ" by Common Sense. It's hard to put how I really felt in words, but I can count on one hand a how many times I have ever felt that inspired..“Brothers out here sayin you should come on the gangsta tip, other brothers sayin you should come on the smooth tip. Ya know what? Just be yourself and take it easy . . .†It was that experience that started molding me, and in due respect a lot of other people alike. That single moment turned me into who I am. I begged and begged for that tape, but my parents (who are great people that love endlessly) were un-willing to give it a chance. The common(no pun intended) Caucasian suburban parent, denied hip hop because of its "negative connotation, and it would not be good for me" So like any other boy with one thing on my mind, I rode my bike to circuit city and shoulder tapped until I found someone to buy the tape for me." That tape never left my Walkman until my 5th grade teacher Ms. St. John took it from me for listening during class.
All in all what I am getting at is "Our Third Renaissance." A hip hop reality that is taking place right now as I am writing this. Brought to my attention by a phenomenal emcee, writer, a man that I admire and have more respect for then most people I will ever encounter in my lifetime. iCon the Mic King, wrote an article that inspired me like the first Common album "Can I Borrow a Dollar" did when I was 11. The article so perfectly titled "HipHop’s Third Renaissance: Taking Back the Music We Love" by iCon can be found here: http://www.myspace.com/thirdhiphoprenaissance. He explains how hip hop has the chance RIGHT NOW to make it's rise back to where it belongs, and how we the consumer hold the power to help hip hop climb the ladder back to the top...back to real music; with soul and truth. Real timeless joints that will forever bang around inside you, helping mold who you are. I watch, wait and pray, that we move out of this ignorant era, lacking talent and emotion. There are so many emcees, producers, writers, lovers and supporters out there that can make this happen. I have watched great emcees fall further and further down in their record sales, touring almost broke with so much energy and love for what they do. I have stood at many shows and seen so many people feeling their music and then walk out with out supporting the artist in one way or another. Then go out, get in my car, decide to give radio another shot and hear some ignorant rapper talking about nonsense and riff raff with a bass numbing beat distorting the song; and I wonder why when I tell people that I am a rapper why the scowl at me. It's because that is what they see and hear on a regular basis. I don't know about everyone else, but I want people to see what I saw 13 years ago. What the hip hop community gets to experience, away from the media's portrayal. Well, lets get that in to the public eye. Take the reigns and support the artists you like. Call and ask for radio play, BUY THEIR MUSIC, go to their shows, talk about them, listen to their entire album. Get involved! That is how you bring hip hop in to it's Third Renaissance. Please read iCon's article, and support our community. Help the public walk away from their pre-concieved notion that rappers are a bunch of drug slangin, hoe pimpin, ignorant untalented people trying to make money by exploiting anything they can. There is nothing that moves me more then a track with some real soul that I can vibe too. Let's bring that out of the underground. Bring out the soulful beats, the lyrics with raw power and emotion, those emcees, producers, dj's that make you feel right. play it to public ear and let them hear it for their self. Let's take back our community and make it whole, not split up into sects and sub cultures. I am taking my love for Hip Hop right now and putting out here for everyone to read, please do your part. "Until death do us part..she'll always have me." Support the artists and the movement. Much love and respect to everyone that took the time to read this, and does something about it.
Be safe,
BenRoss
