Cali Swag District: The New Generation of Hip Hop
Comprised of rapper/DJ C-Smoove, rappers Yung and JayAre, along with their resident dancer M-Bone, they are a practical four-man performance machine hailing from the streets of Inglewood.
Known as Cali Swag District (CSD), theyve created a great deal of internet buzz and crowded club dance-floors with their infectiously hypnotic single, Teach Me How to Dougie, through Checkmate Music Group/Capitol Records. Their own viral video for the song has generated over 1.5 million views on YouTube.
Cali Swag District has captured the mood of the streets with the Dougie which was introduced to them by a high school friend that attended Texas Southern. Knowing the dance originated in Dallas, TX the guys wanted to add their Cali Swag to the dance movement. In the end, we loved what they where doing in Texas so much that we wanted to bring it to Cali explains Yung.
With its emerging airplay at radio stations around the country, Teach Me How to Dougie, has taken Cali Swag District to the next level. The single remains in rotation at Power 106 in Los Angelesprompting the station to invite the group to perform at one of its numerous radio shows. CSD is most proud of its high-energy stage shows--touching off with a string of performances by going on School Tours around Southern California. Theyve also performed in front of thousands of car-enthusiasts at the Dub Show in Los Angeles.
It was Checkmate Music Group co-owners Big Wy and his partner Dairold Potts along with Checkmate executive, Poly Rob that noticed the chemistry of CSD and forged the guys into a unit. They brought in their team of in-house producers like PolyRob, Solini, Disko, Jay Hustle, Drums and GX to lace the group with banging tracks.
Cali Swag District talks about why it's important to graduate high school and why everyone should register to vote. See M-Bone register to vote on the Democracy Class site! They Rock the Vote to stay in school and get registered - why do you?
Part of CSDs charm and fire is that the guys are energetic, fun, zany and truly know how to entertain their fans. We perform like were members of the audience and how we want to see a show, says C-Smoove, 19. Playing constantly to audiences of screaming girls, their popular song hooks and commands to party are only heightened by M-Bones ability to get the crowd hyped with his dancing. The guys are long-time friends that all attended Inglewoods Morningside High School.
With Cali Swag, we get fly with everything we do, says Smoove, who is like the general of the group. He is influenced a lot by West Coast hip-hop artists like Snoop Dogg and Tupac. Im funny and pretty happy all the time. I just like to be me.
Yung, 19, is just a fan of good music. I play too much, but I want the crown Tyrese has! Im about to put him out of business. Im like sexy chocolate, Ive been lifting weights and as soon as I take off my shirt, Im taking everybody out. he says half-jokingly.
JayAre, 19, is the cool laid-back one, but dont get it twisted, he says, I get the job done when playing my part in the District. An artist who likes to paint and draw, JayAre is influenced by Jay-Z, Drake and Lil Wayne.
M-Bone, 19, a big fan of acts like Michael Jackson, New Edition and Kris Kross, considers himself to be the wild one of the group. If it aint fun, then it aint me! I bring the fun, the energy and the hype something I believe thats missing in entertainment today. Im about to bring something new, something theyve never seen before.
Cali Swag Districts much-anticipated debut album is slated for release summer 2010, through Checkmate Music Group/Capitol Records.
www.myspace.com/caliswagdistrict
http://twitter.com/CaliSwagDstrct
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