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London rapper Phoenix da Icefire and producer Husky Brown released their debut collaborative album “Panacea” through New Dawn Records on May 5th.

It has just been announced that the pair have been shortlisted as nominees in the “Best Independent Album” category at this year’s AIM Awards, an annual event hosted by The Association of Independent Music who represent UK artists, labels and affiliated businesses worldwide.

Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID 19 pandemic, this year’s ceremony will take place entirely online broadcasting on Wednesday August 12th. The full list of categories and a highly impressive line up of nominees is available HERE

The inclusion of “Panacea” is in recognition of the extraordinary musical and lyrical construction of the album. Husky’s unique blend of hip hop, rap, soul, dub, electro, r&b and bass provides the backdrop for Phoenix’s renowned wordplay and lyricism.

Given it was written in 2019, the subject matter is almost precognisant in nature, addressing global issues of well being, mental health, racism, climate change, the environment, knife crime, spirituality and aspiration, but refreshingly all delivered with the underlying theme of hope and determined optimism for a better future.

The category “Best Independent Album” is in association with Spotify where you can hear the album in full.

Connect with the pair on social media via Instagram @PhoenixDaFire @HuskyBrown.Official and Twitter @PhoenixDaFire @HuskyBrown

You can learn more about the release at New Dawn Records’ official website www.newdawnrecs.com

All media & press enquiries regarding the artists and album can be sent to us at UrbanElite PR. Our contact information details are available HERE

UrbanElite PR

www.urbanelitepr.com

T @urbanelitepr IG @urbanelitepr

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2019 has been a landmark year for our overall operation.

Parent company & hip hop label New Dawn Records originally operated from 1996 – 2004 before lending all its resources to developing their in house promotions team UrbanElite PR to becoming one of the leading independent hip hop & rap publicists worldwide.

Now with this year’s label relaunch, UEP have reverted back to its original role.

With a vinyl back catalogue and having signed a digital distribution company with US company Ingrooves, New Dawn Records will look to release in both formats moving forward, and expect to announce some new roster additions in the weeks and months ahead.

To mark the relaunch, a series of specially commissioned EP’s have been released. Beginning with hip hop crew Belles in Monica’s “Y’All in Meltdown” on April 26th, it was followed by Underground Cartel’s “Sapientia” on May 17th, an international collaborative project featuring rappers from the USA, UK, France, Africa, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Germany & The Netherlands.

Belles in Monica’s second EP “Natsukashii” drops June 7th, and all are available to stream and download from Spotify, Apple, Deezer, Beatport, Soundcloud & Amazon.

This short video reflects the label’s past & present

This, UrbanElite PR’s website, has been redesigned and upgraded recently in line with recent developments and change in role.

This short video reflects the work with multiple Major and independent artists over the years securing international press coverage, arranging guest appearances on stations such as Sirius XM and BBC and providing tour press. The client list includes Souls of Mischief, D12, Ultramagentic MC’s, 050 Boyz, DJ Sarah Love, Kid Vishis, Constant Deviants, Horseshoe Gang Melanin 9, Rah Digga and Copywrite

We also have our popular Hip Hop Bangerz playlists on Spotify, Youtube and Soundcloud which showcases the music of the artists we’ve promoted, again represented within the visuals

To keep up to date with all of the label’s news, visit the new official website at www.newdawnrecs.com – all of their social media is linked on the hompage

We at UrbanElite PR handle all media related issues regarding New Dawn Records, and this site will publish examples of latest news and coverage. Points of contact for all forms of media inquiries can be found HERE and our Homepage includes all our social media links.

UrbanElite PR

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The past few years have proven to be an exceptionally busy and productive time for us, not least due to our various activities evolving beyond the original UK and European marketplaces.

This natural expansion developed over 5 years means we also now operate within the United States, Canada and Australia in addition to some further residual territories.

Simultaneously we streamlined some aspects of our promotional services which are now concentric around core products, typically EP’s and albums incorporating any affiliated singles or videos. In turn, this enabled us to provide further logistical support assistance for our clients which has regularly proven highly beneficial given we predominantly operate within the independent sector often working with new, emerging and developing artists and labels.

Handling publicity for an established artist is very different in nature to that of a new or emerging name, as are the promotional procedures.

Having worked with both categories for over a decade, and with a more re-alligned focus on the latter, our experience means we understand the multiple factors which media will consider in their decision making processes.

Consequently the additional guidance, assistance and support we regularly provide has proven pivotal in consistently securing a high turnover of coverage and airplay internationally, irrespective of an artist’s original perceived standing.

Our re-structure also means that while hip hop and rap music has diversified and become in itself multi-genre, by specializing in defined niche markets we ensure your music is provided to the most appropriate targets.

While our main site page is updated primarily with news of ongoing campaigns such as new published coverage, reviews, interviews and general release information, the pages provide all the details you would require to gain a clear understanding of all the services we provide, and the marketplace within which we operate. They are linked below as follows :

PREVIOUS MEDIA CAMPAIGNS

Recommended for those wishing to understand the full range of services we provide, this section includes summaries of the activity we undertook for select cases with a particular focus on campaigns involving new and independent emerging artists, the logistical assistance provided and resultant media coverage.

SINGLES PROMOTED

Now always affiliated to an ongoing EP or album campaign, this section has music content as a guide to the style we most commonly promote. Similarly the ARTIST VIDEOS : MUSIC & INTERVIEWS section has a mix of official music videos together with media and radio interviews we arranged.

MAGAZINES & PRESS

This section contains snapshots of media coverage secured for select campaigns. Most of the artists we’ve worked with are listed HERE

These pages have been designed to answer the questions we are most commonly asked, however if you would require any more information, our contact details are available HERE

UrbanElite PR
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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Earlier this month, NY state producer Frost Gamble – now resident in Winnipeg Canada – hit NYC to finish recording his new “Rare Fabric” EP with Tragedy Khadafi which releases on October 20th. It is available to pre-order on Bandcamp

While there, he took the opportunity to meet with several members of the press including journalist Shamika Sykes who sat down with him for online “My Hip Hop Life“.

The interview was recorded for Shamika’s “Hangout Session” series of interviews and was published yesterday.

The pair began by discussing his earliest days in hip hop, and how “The Message” was the single that first reeled him in as a fan. He then explains his initial link up with rapper Tone Chop, first as friendly rap battle rivals before refocusing on beatmaking. The pair have the new album “Respect Is Earned Not Given” releasing on September 29th featuring Kool G Rap, D.N.A., Tragedy Khadafi, Planet Asia and Canadian upcomer White Rhino. Available again to pre-order through 22 Entertainment in digital and CD formats HERE

Moving onto the subject of production more generally, Frost compares his original recording techniques through tape splicing and the MPC to the current technology used, explaining methods are of secondary importance to the result having “a soul”. Citing Diamond D, The Beatnuts, Pete Rock and Madlib as some of his influences, the conversation turns to Fat Joe’s recent comments that “boom bap’s not the wave anymore”.

Frost speaks on the over indulgence in labelling genres, stating “ultimately everyone is replicating what Kool Herc did” as an evolved extension of the turntable, with many contemporary styles having a comparatively shorter shelf life.

This leads him to outline his own longevity and how advice helped him adapt and work within the modern music industry which has resulted in his deal with 22 Entertainment.

Following his views on the current Canadian scene, he then discusses the development of his own stable of artists, his new work with Horseshoe Gang and Royce da 5’9″, the aforementioned albums and his new “I Missed My Bus” project which includes guest artists Skyzoo, Ras Kass, Ruste Juxx, KXNG Crooked, Rah Digga, Guilty Simpson and more.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW IN FULL ON SOUNDCLOUD

FROM THE NEW ALBUM “RESPECT IS EARNED NOT GIVEN”, LATEST SINGLE “GUILLOTINE CHOP” ft WHITE RHINO & PLANET ASIA

Connect with Frost on social media via twitter @FrostGamble, IG @Frost.Gamble and FB FrostGamble

All international media, press and radio station DJ enquiries regarding Frost gamble and the new album “Respect Is Earned Not Given” can be sent to us at UrbanElite PR. All our contact details are available HERE

UrbanElite PR
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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VerbalSwardz-IAmHipHopMagInterview

British online publication I Am Hip Hop Magazine met up with Iron Braydz recently in west London to discuss his new Verbal sWARdz EP which was released on his Unorthostract label on 14th April, available from http://braydz.bandcamp.com

The conversation did develop on, and Braydz speaks on hip hop generally, addressing the similarities and differences in the British and American scenes, the future of British hip hop and unity within it, business over artistry and the perception of hip hop in the wider community. He is asked for his views on perceived racism in the music industry and society as well as his thoughts on the likelihood of a repeat of the 2011 London riots

Read all he had to say HERE

The EP is largely self produced by Iron Braydz, and features Prince Po, Triple Darkness, Sean Price, Kyza, Phat Kat, Skriblah and Kiss FM’s DJ Shortee Blitz. From start to finish, the 10 tracks deliver bangin hip hop beats and lyrical fire.

Hear the full audio stream on Soundcloud

All media & press inquiries regarding Iron Braydz and the Verbal sWARdz EP can be sent to UrbanElite PR HERE

Meantime, keep up to date with Iron Braydz on social media, on twitter @Braydz and on Facebook at “HollaAtBraydz”

UrbanElite PR
www.urbanelitepr.com
T : @urbanelitepr

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THE LOCK IN BLOG

We have just launched a new blog on Tumblr, “The Lock In”

As a company, Urbanelite Promotions have several online platforms on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, various blogs etc to help promote our international client base

We decided to launch a less formal platform on tumblr to highlight anything that entertained or interested us. This could be news, videos, tracks, sport, music industry “advice”, anything of any nature that we just felt like posting.

This will also be a platform for artists & labels, most likely involved in hiphop, rap, r&b, soul or any other form of “urban” music who we may not be directly involved with, but we like, to have their videos or tracks uploaded. Any artists interested in having their material or details of events added should check the site first, all the contact details are there.

As a taster, we have uploaded some examples, including a rare interview with Souls of Mischief & Sarah Love & “tour stories” from their time in the UK supporting the release of the album Montezuma’s Revenge, when we took D12 to meet Tim Westwood & news of their tour last year & dates in the Uk this year, and some other videos of Stateside & UK artists such as Copywrite, Vast Aire, Supar Novar, Depprooted & we’ll be adding more soon. We also uploaded a couple examples of our 8Tracks mixes featuring international hiphop artists we’ve been in touch with over the years.

Here are a couple examples (the full tracklistings are on the new blog)

Mix 1 incl Phi Life Cypher, Genesis Elijah, Epsilon Project & Classified

http://8tracks.com/mixes/301217/player_v3

Mix 2 incl MC Life, Sway, Skinnyman, Vast Aire, 6th Sense, Saigon, Eternia, Scram Jones

http://8tracks.com/mixes/343905/player_v3

Every week or so we’ll then summarize the latest content in our various other online platforms. Only submissions to the contact quoted at the tumblr page will be considered. General mp3 blast companies need not apply….!

Otherwise, drop by & if you want added, drop us a line

URBANELITE PROMOTIONS
twitter @urbanelitepr