Pizon
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Scala also known as Pizon, is an Italian-American rapper, record producer
, and computer science
graduate on the verge of earning his law degree
. He is the son of the late actor
Michael Scala (aka Mikey "Shades" Scala), who played Sally Gaga in Martin Scorsese
's first feature film Who's That Knocking at My Door?. The Pizon alias is derived from the Italian word paesano, which literally translates to countryman.
He is currently seeking the Democratic nomination to represent New York's 6th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives
.
, Pizon initially broke into showbusiness acting in plays alongside his father. His interest in Hip hop
peaked upon listening to rap music in the dollar van
on his daily commute to Cardozo High School
. By the time he graduated in 2000, his focus shifted to pursuing Hip Hop as a full time career. Though he went on to attend college and become the first member of his immediate family to earn a degree, music remained his top priority.
Eager to establish himself independently, Pizon founded his own record label La Scala Entertainment (named after the famous opera house in Milan
) and signed himself as the flagship artist. In 2000, he recorded the single "Dozo Dawgs" with three of his high school classmates and used it as a springboard to release the first full-length project on his label, 2001's Battle Mode compilation. In 2002, the follow-up compilation XIV:XIX was released on La Scala Entertainment/Third Visional Records. Pizon executive-produced
and appeared as a performer on both albums. His first solo project, The Growing Pains EP was released in 2002 and featured guest performers Timid and Killah, artists he met while producing the aforementioned compilations. Pizon, Timid, and Killah went on to release The Lost EP in 2003, a joint effort that included seven collaborations and one solo track from each artist. The trio decided to use the project as a promotional tool and made the entire album available as a free download. It included the now famous Pizon solo track "Angel Wings" (a remastered version of the song would later appear as a bonus track on his 2006 full-length solo debut) and an introduction from Hip Hop legend Jaz-O
. That year also saw the release of The Fam Mixtape, a project conceived by Pizon protégé EJ that featured previously released and exclusive new songs and freestyles from Pizon, Timid, Killah, EJ, Analyze, and Da 27th Element, who collectively called themselves The Fam. The success of these releases led to Pizon securing outside work as a producer, and the Pizon-produced "Funky Nassau" by Mr. Fayce received national airplay in his native Bahamas (Pizon also produced "Danesha" and "You Don't Know Me" on Mr. Fayce's 2003 release).
In 2004, Pizon and Timid began co-hosting OneTwoOneTwo Radio on the online network HipHopFundaMentalz (iHHF) after receiving on-air training by WNYU
. In addition to playing a mix of mainstream and independent Hip Hop, the weekly show featured discussions on current events, commentary, interviews, and more, and included the controversial "Ticklish Thug" segment which poked fun at the vast amount of homophobia
in Hip Hop. Guests on the show's initial run included Jin
, Slim Thug
, Brooke Valentine
, Sir Mix-a-Lot
, Chali 2na
of Jurassic 5
, Rob Swift
, OC
, Q-Unique
, and others. Despite rumors that the show was making the jump to satellite radio
, it went on indefinite hiatus in March 2006 as Pizon and Timid decided to focus on completing their solo albums. The show returned on August 28 of that year with a special edition called "The Masturbatory Hour" (in which Pizon and Timid welcomed special guests Pizon and Timid to the studio) on Psychopathic Radio.
On December 2, 2006, Pizon held his album release party and birthday bash in his hometown of Queens, New York. His debut full-length solo album I Am Hip Hop was sold for the first time at that event and subsequently released internationally via his own La Scala Entertainment label. The album featured production by Domingo (Big Pun
, Fat Joe
, Eminem
, G-Unit
, KRS-One
, Rakim
), Kno (CunninLynguists
, Lil Scrappy
, Jay-Z
's White Albulum), Versatile Music Productions (Cam'Ron
, Jim Jones
, Fabolous
, Young Jeezy
), and Pizon himself, and boasted guest appearances by Deacon the Villain, Timid, EJ, Aday, and others. It was a concept album that tackled many subjects and detailed Pizon's personal progression, using karma
as a recurring theme to tie the songs together. The song "Streets Never Change" was first leaked as an early buzz track off the album in 2005 and received notable play on college radio throughout the country. Closer to the album's release, Pizon sent "Four Letters" to radio and it quickly picked up momentum despite limited circulation. "Drastic Measures" was later introduced as the third radio song for the album, however "Four Letters" continued to receive more spins. Due to its prolonged success, it was named the official single and a video for the song was announced. The I Am Hip Hop DVD, featuring concert footage from the album release party, is currently being offered for free with donations to Pizon's initiative to fight domestic violence, Hip Hop Is Not the Enemy.
In March 2007, Pizon signed a deal with the legendary Rawkus Records
, who recognized him as "one of the 50 next important Hip Hop artists," for their Rawkus 50 campaign. In September 2007, Pizon appeared in XXL Magazine for the first time as a result of this deal. On November 27, 2007, I Am Hip Hop was officially re-released worldwide by Rawkus and is now available from major retailers such as Amazon
and Virgin Megastore
. The iTunes Store
would later honor the Rawkus 50 as one of the best independent Hip Hop projects of 2007. Pizon also received accolades in 2007 for his appearance on Random's 20th anniversary Mega Man
album Mega Ran, which made waves in both the Hip Hop and video game worlds and was named one of the best underground
Hip Hop albums of the year.
During October 2007, Pizon began co-hosting the syndicated Pi and I show which aired on cable television in the Washington, DC area. It was essentially an enhanced radio broadcast, using visuals such as photographs, scrolling text, and video footage to supplement the audio. Episodes were also streamed online. For its innovation, the show was later nominated for a Monty Award.
On December 1, 2007, at his Family Reunion 2007 concert featuring fellow Fam members Timid and EJ and other members of the Rawkus 50, Pizon announced his new project, And Then There Was One. It was a digital-only release on his own label, La Scala Entertainment. According to Pizon, much of the project was recorded in complete isolation and focused on his coping with the losses in his life detailed on his debut album. Originally made available via Snocap
on December 11, its official release would come one month later, debuting on iTunes on January 11, 2008. It is also currently being offered via other key online retailers. Lyrics from the song "Low Gravity" were later sung by Chris Brown on the Jordin Sparks
hit "No Air
."
In 2008, The Fam's debut studio album Family Business was announced with the official roster cut to Pizon, Timid, and EJ. Starting in June, subscribers to The Fam's voicemail update service were able to hear a song from the album in its entirety. On July 4, the album's lead single "Dreams Come True" was serviced to DJs. Its commercial appeal helped bring about some crossover success. WPGC-FM
in DC was the first major station to break the record. However, it would soon be featured on various mainstream-geared playlists, podcasts, and mixtapes. The song's performance in clubs and on radio landed it on several record charts. In September, the Family Affair mixtape was released as a free download. Hosted by the fans, it contained the "Dreams Come True" single and other new tracks, acting as a precursor to the album.
During the summer of 2008, Pizon additionally joined fellow Queens native Nas
and MoveOn.org at a rally outside the Fox News headquarters to protest the network's alleged racist slander of presidential candidate Barack Obama
. Pizon's own coverage of the protest was featured on major Hip Hop websites such as AllHipHop
and HipHopDX, and he himself appeared on many news broadcasts and programs such as the Colbert Report in the aftermath. His involvement with politics continued in October, when he performed and spoke at a rally at Morgan State University
aimed to register students to vote. He then worked with the Obama campaign in Virginia to help students vote early in the week before the election.
On December 31, 2008, Pizon performed alongside Timid and DJ Girl 6 at the New Year's Nation
party in Los Angeles
. This event was notable as it marked the first time Travis Barker
and DJ AM performed together since the plane crash
that September. With surprise performances from Warren G
and Paul Wall
, and everyone from Dr. Dre
to Axl Rose
in attendance, it was one of Pizon's most high profile appearances.
The second single from the Family Business album "Get Off My Ass" featuring Kon Artis
of D12
premiered on the radio and Vlad TV in March 2009. The album was released on June 2 to critical acclaim. A music video for the song "Inferno" was released in April 2010.
A new Fam EP titled Floodgate, containing a new group song and solo tracks from each member of the group, was released in June 2010. In early 2011, Pizon appeared on the We've Got A Pulse (i.e., Hip Hop is alive) project featuring exclusive material from him, Crooked I
, Royce da 5'9", and more. He also co-wrote a parody about Donald Trump
called "Toupe Fiasco" that criticized Trump's exploitation of the birther controversy. The song was played on the radio by Chuck D
, who declared him one of the few members of the rap community to speak out on the issue.
Pizon has performed throughout the United States
, and has appeared as a special guest on Internet, college, and mainstream radio stations. His music has received local and national airplay in the US and overseas. He's also rapped at the New York City Marathon
every year since 2006, and made several cameo appearances in the second season of MTV
's Yo Momma
. He recently appeared as a zombie in Zombies: A Living History, which aired on the History Channel.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
graduate on the verge of earning his law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
. He is the son of the late actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Michael Scala (aka Mikey "Shades" Scala), who played Sally Gaga in Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
's first feature film Who's That Knocking at My Door?. The Pizon alias is derived from the Italian word paesano, which literally translates to countryman.
He is currently seeking the Democratic nomination to represent New York's 6th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Career
Born December 2, 1982, in Rosedale, QueensRosedale, Queens
Rosedale is a suburban neighborhood in Queens. The neighborhood is on the Nassau County, New York - Queens border and is part of Queens Community Board 13.- History :...
, Pizon initially broke into showbusiness acting in plays alongside his father. His interest in Hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
peaked upon listening to rap music in the dollar van
Dollar Van
A dollar van is a privately owned type of bus service used to carry passengers in the United States of America. Dollar vans typically operate in neighborhoods within urban areas that are under-served by public mass transit or taxis. Some of the dollar vans are licensed and regulated, while others...
on his daily commute to Cardozo High School
Cardozo High School (New York City)
Benjamin N. Cardozo High School is a public high school in Bayside, Queens a borough of New York City, USA. The school is named for Benjamin N. Cardozo, who served as chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals and then as a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Like all New York City public...
. By the time he graduated in 2000, his focus shifted to pursuing Hip Hop as a full time career. Though he went on to attend college and become the first member of his immediate family to earn a degree, music remained his top priority.
Eager to establish himself independently, Pizon founded his own record label La Scala Entertainment (named after the famous opera house in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
) and signed himself as the flagship artist. In 2000, he recorded the single "Dozo Dawgs" with three of his high school classmates and used it as a springboard to release the first full-length project on his label, 2001's Battle Mode compilation. In 2002, the follow-up compilation XIV:XIX was released on La Scala Entertainment/Third Visional Records. Pizon executive-produced
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
and appeared as a performer on both albums. His first solo project, The Growing Pains EP was released in 2002 and featured guest performers Timid and Killah, artists he met while producing the aforementioned compilations. Pizon, Timid, and Killah went on to release The Lost EP in 2003, a joint effort that included seven collaborations and one solo track from each artist. The trio decided to use the project as a promotional tool and made the entire album available as a free download. It included the now famous Pizon solo track "Angel Wings" (a remastered version of the song would later appear as a bonus track on his 2006 full-length solo debut) and an introduction from Hip Hop legend Jaz-O
Jaz-O
Jonathan Burks better known by his stage name Jaz-O, is an American rapper and record producer active in the late 1980s through the 1990s, best known for being the mentor of Jay-Z. Jaz is also known as the Originator and had a song called "The Originators" that featured a young Jay-Z in 1990...
. That year also saw the release of The Fam Mixtape, a project conceived by Pizon protégé EJ that featured previously released and exclusive new songs and freestyles from Pizon, Timid, Killah, EJ, Analyze, and Da 27th Element, who collectively called themselves The Fam. The success of these releases led to Pizon securing outside work as a producer, and the Pizon-produced "Funky Nassau" by Mr. Fayce received national airplay in his native Bahamas (Pizon also produced "Danesha" and "You Don't Know Me" on Mr. Fayce's 2003 release).
In 2004, Pizon and Timid began co-hosting OneTwoOneTwo Radio on the online network HipHopFundaMentalz (iHHF) after receiving on-air training by WNYU
WNYU
WNYU-FM is a college radio station owned and operated by New York University. Until 2004, it served lower Manhattan and surrounding areas, but thanks to a new booster, it now broadcasts to the tri-state region. The station can be heard on 89.1 FM at 8,300 watts from 4pm until 1am on weekdays,...
. In addition to playing a mix of mainstream and independent Hip Hop, the weekly show featured discussions on current events, commentary, interviews, and more, and included the controversial "Ticklish Thug" segment which poked fun at the vast amount of homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
in Hip Hop. Guests on the show's initial run included Jin
Jin (rapper)
Jin Au-Yeung , who performs under the stage name MC Jin, is a Hong Kong hip hop rapper, songwriter, and actor. Growing up in the Miami, Florida area, and later living in New York City, he decided to reside permanently in his motherland, Hong Kong...
, Slim Thug
Slim Thug
Stayve Jerome Thomas , better known as Slim Thug, Boss Hogg or Thug Boss, is an American rapper. He gained mainstream attention for his contribution to the popular single from rapper Mike Jones, "Still Tippin'"....
, Brooke Valentine
Brooke Valentine
Kanesha Nichole Brookes , better known by her stage name Brooke Valentine, is an American R&B singer and former member of the group Best Kept Secret. In 2005, her single "Girlfight" was a hit on the United States single charts....
, Sir Mix-a-Lot
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Anthony Ray , better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an emcee and producer based in Seattle, Washington. The founder of the Nastymix record label, he debuted in 1988 with Swass...
, Chali 2na
Chali 2na
Charles Stewart , better known as Chali 2na is an American rapper and hip hop artist, formerly associated with the groups Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli.-Early life:...
of Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5 was an American alternative hip hop group formed in 1993 from members of two previous groups, Rebels of Rhythm and Unity Committee by rappers Charles Stewart , Dante Givens , Courtenay Henderson , Marc Stuart , and disc jockeys Mark Potsic and Lucas Macfadden...
, Rob Swift
Rob Swift
Rob Swift is an American hip hop DJ and turntablist. Swift is a former member of the turntablist group The X-Ecutioners as of late 2005 and as of 2006; with Mike Patton’s project Peeping Tom.-Early life:...
, OC
O.C. (rapper)
Omar Credle , known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper who has been involved with several renowned underground hip-hop groups and also released many solo albums.-Recording career:...
, Q-Unique
Q-Unique
Anthony Quiles, better known by his stage name Q-Unique is an Puerto rican-American rapper, record producer and a member of rap group Arsonists and the hard rock band StillWell...
, and others. Despite rumors that the show was making the jump to satellite radio
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
, it went on indefinite hiatus in March 2006 as Pizon and Timid decided to focus on completing their solo albums. The show returned on August 28 of that year with a special edition called "The Masturbatory Hour" (in which Pizon and Timid welcomed special guests Pizon and Timid to the studio) on Psychopathic Radio.
On December 2, 2006, Pizon held his album release party and birthday bash in his hometown of Queens, New York. His debut full-length solo album I Am Hip Hop was sold for the first time at that event and subsequently released internationally via his own La Scala Entertainment label. The album featured production by Domingo (Big Pun
Big Pun
Christopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
, Fat Joe
Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
, Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
, G-Unit
G-Unit
G-Unit is an American hip hop group originating from New York City formed by 50 Cents. G-Unit emerged on the New York scene by independently releasing several mix tapes...
, KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
, Rakim
Rakim
William Michael Griffin Jr. , known by his stage names Rakim , Rakim Allah, R.A.K.I.M., and The Master, is an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled emcees of all time. Eric B...
), Kno (CunninLynguists
Cunninlynguists
CunninLynguists are a hip hop trio from Lexington, Kentucky and Atlanta, Georgia. The group currently consists of Deacon the Villain, Kno, and Natti...
, Lil Scrappy
Lil Scrappy
Darryl Kevin Richardson II , better known by his stage name Lil Scrappy, is an American rapper.Richards was discovered by producer and performer Lil Jon while performing at a bar, when a fight broke out during his set in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia...
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
's White Albulum), Versatile Music Productions (Cam'Ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
, Jim Jones
Jim Jones
James Warren "Jim" Jones was the founder and leader of the Peoples Temple, which is best known for the November 18, 1978 mass suicide of 909 Temple members in Jonestown, Guyana along with the killings of five other people at a nearby airstrip.Jones was born in Indiana and started the Temple in...
, Fabolous
Fabolous
John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
, Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
), and Pizon himself, and boasted guest appearances by Deacon the Villain, Timid, EJ, Aday, and others. It was a concept album that tackled many subjects and detailed Pizon's personal progression, using karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
as a recurring theme to tie the songs together. The song "Streets Never Change" was first leaked as an early buzz track off the album in 2005 and received notable play on college radio throughout the country. Closer to the album's release, Pizon sent "Four Letters" to radio and it quickly picked up momentum despite limited circulation. "Drastic Measures" was later introduced as the third radio song for the album, however "Four Letters" continued to receive more spins. Due to its prolonged success, it was named the official single and a video for the song was announced. The I Am Hip Hop DVD, featuring concert footage from the album release party, is currently being offered for free with donations to Pizon's initiative to fight domestic violence, Hip Hop Is Not the Enemy.
In March 2007, Pizon signed a deal with the legendary Rawkus Records
Rawkus Records
Rawkus Records is an American hip-hop record label known for jump-starting the careers of both Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Rawkus started in 1996 with initial releases ranging from hip-hop to drum and bass...
, who recognized him as "one of the 50 next important Hip Hop artists," for their Rawkus 50 campaign. In September 2007, Pizon appeared in XXL Magazine for the first time as a result of this deal. On November 27, 2007, I Am Hip Hop was officially re-released worldwide by Rawkus and is now available from major retailers such as Amazon
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
and Virgin Megastore
Virgin Megastore
Virgin Megastores is an international chain of record shops, founded by Sir Richard Branson on London's Oxford Street in early 1971. Virgin Megastores are best described today as entertainment retailers....
. The iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
would later honor the Rawkus 50 as one of the best independent Hip Hop projects of 2007. Pizon also received accolades in 2007 for his appearance on Random's 20th anniversary Mega Man
Mega Man (video game)
Mega Man, known as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It is the first game in the original Mega Man series and the entire Mega Man franchise...
album Mega Ran, which made waves in both the Hip Hop and video game worlds and was named one of the best underground
Underground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
Hip Hop albums of the year.
During October 2007, Pizon began co-hosting the syndicated Pi and I show which aired on cable television in the Washington, DC area. It was essentially an enhanced radio broadcast, using visuals such as photographs, scrolling text, and video footage to supplement the audio. Episodes were also streamed online. For its innovation, the show was later nominated for a Monty Award.
On December 1, 2007, at his Family Reunion 2007 concert featuring fellow Fam members Timid and EJ and other members of the Rawkus 50, Pizon announced his new project, And Then There Was One. It was a digital-only release on his own label, La Scala Entertainment. According to Pizon, much of the project was recorded in complete isolation and focused on his coping with the losses in his life detailed on his debut album. Originally made available via Snocap
SNOCAP
BackgroundThe company was founded by Shawn Fanning , Jordan Mendelson, and Ron Conway. Other SNOCAP employees included music lawyer Christian Castle, the company's first General Counsel, and Ali Aydar, the company's Chief Operating Officer, who joined imeem after its acquisition of SNOCAP in April...
on December 11, its official release would come one month later, debuting on iTunes on January 11, 2008. It is also currently being offered via other key online retailers. Lyrics from the song "Low Gravity" were later sung by Chris Brown on the Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...
hit "No Air
No Air
"No Air" is a song by American recording artist Jordin Sparks featuring American R&B singer Chris Brown. The song was written by James Fauntleroy II, Eric Griggs, Michael Scala, Harvey Mason, Jr., Damon Thomas and Steve Russell...
."
In 2008, The Fam's debut studio album Family Business was announced with the official roster cut to Pizon, Timid, and EJ. Starting in June, subscribers to The Fam's voicemail update service were able to hear a song from the album in its entirety. On July 4, the album's lead single "Dreams Come True" was serviced to DJs. Its commercial appeal helped bring about some crossover success. WPGC-FM
WPGC-FM
WPGC-FM is one of the most popular among Washington, D.C.'s urban format radio station's, and has been ranked as one of its top rated radio stations for over 20 years, according to the Arbitron ratings. It has a city of license of Morningside at the 95.5 MHz frequency on the FM dial...
in DC was the first major station to break the record. However, it would soon be featured on various mainstream-geared playlists, podcasts, and mixtapes. The song's performance in clubs and on radio landed it on several record charts. In September, the Family Affair mixtape was released as a free download. Hosted by the fans, it contained the "Dreams Come True" single and other new tracks, acting as a precursor to the album.
During the summer of 2008, Pizon additionally joined fellow Queens native Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
and MoveOn.org at a rally outside the Fox News headquarters to protest the network's alleged racist slander of presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Pizon's own coverage of the protest was featured on major Hip Hop websites such as AllHipHop
AllHipHop
AllHipHop.com is a hip hop news website. It was founded in 1998. At five million visitors a month, it is the world's most popular hip hop website. Essence magazine has dubbed it "the CNN of hip-hop". In 2006, AllHipHop won the Rising Stars Award from Black Enterprise magazine. In 2007, PC Magazine...
and HipHopDX, and he himself appeared on many news broadcasts and programs such as the Colbert Report in the aftermath. His involvement with politics continued in October, when he performed and spoke at a rally at Morgan State University
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
aimed to register students to vote. He then worked with the Obama campaign in Virginia to help students vote early in the week before the election.
On December 31, 2008, Pizon performed alongside Timid and DJ Girl 6 at the New Year's Nation
New Year's Nation
New Year's Nation is the only event of its kind, connecting thousands of people in multiple cities on the biggest night of the year. The New York-based company, founded by Jann Yogman, throws a simultaneous New Year's Eve party across four time zones...
party in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. This event was notable as it marked the first time Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
and DJ AM performed together since the plane crash
2008 South Carolina Learjet 60 crash
The 2008 South Carolina Learjet 60 crash occurred just before midnight on September 19, 2008, when a Learjet 60 crashed while taking off from Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina. Weather at the time was cool, dry, and clear...
that September. With surprise performances from Warren G
Warren G
Warren G , is an American West Coast rapper and hip hop producer. He is also Dr. Dre's half-brother.His biggest hit is the song "Regulate" with Nate Dogg released in 1994...
and Paul Wall
Paul Wall
Paul Michael Slayton , better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper. He is currently affiliated with Swishahouse Records, having released several albums under the label as well as...
, and everyone from Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
to Axl Rose
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years...
in attendance, it was one of Pizon's most high profile appearances.
The second single from the Family Business album "Get Off My Ass" featuring Kon Artis
Kon Artis
Denaun Porter , known by his stage name Kon Artis or his alter ego Mr. Porter, is an American rapper and record producer, who is best known for being an original member of the Detroit rap group D12, as well as the co-founder of Runyon Ave. record label...
of D12
D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...
premiered on the radio and Vlad TV in March 2009. The album was released on June 2 to critical acclaim. A music video for the song "Inferno" was released in April 2010.
A new Fam EP titled Floodgate, containing a new group song and solo tracks from each member of the group, was released in June 2010. In early 2011, Pizon appeared on the We've Got A Pulse (i.e., Hip Hop is alive) project featuring exclusive material from him, Crooked I
Crooked I
Dominick Wickliffe, better known by his stage name Crooked I, is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the hip hop group, Slaughterhouse with other members Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9. Slaughterhouse is currently signed to Shady Records / Interscope Records....
, Royce da 5'9", and more. He also co-wrote a parody about Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
called "Toupe Fiasco" that criticized Trump's exploitation of the birther controversy. The song was played on the radio by Chuck D
Chuck D
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...
, who declared him one of the few members of the rap community to speak out on the issue.
Pizon has performed throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and has appeared as a special guest on Internet, college, and mainstream radio stations. His music has received local and national airplay in the US and overseas. He's also rapped at the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
every year since 2006, and made several cameo appearances in the second season of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Yo Momma
Yo Momma (TV series)
Yo Momma was an American reality television game show. Creators, executive producers and hosts are Wilmer Valderrama, along with Sam Sarpong , Jason Everhart and Destiny Lightsy.-Season 1: Los Angeles:* Week One: Method Man...
. He recently appeared as a zombie in Zombies: A Living History, which aired on the History Channel.
Releases
- The Growing Pains EP (2002)
- The Lost EP (with Timid and Killah) (2003)
- The Fam Mixtape (with The Fam) (2003)
- I Am Hip Hop (2006)
- Rawkus 50 presents I Am Hip Hop (re-release) (2007)
- And Then There Was One (2008)
- Family Affair Mixtape (with The Fam) (2008)
- Family Business (with The Fam) (2009)
- Floodgate (with The Fam) (2010)