A&R

A&R first began rapping at the age of nine. By age twenty-two he had gained national recognition for his music and was on his way to becoming one of the first rappers in the Twin Cities to make history.

Born as Antonio Richardson on July 6th, 1984 in Saint Paul, MN A&R's only dream was to be a legend. Until age nine he couldn't imagine what
path would take him to his dream, but soon after entering the fourth grade it was revealed. He began writing raps and performing for close friends and family, acquiring his first taste of the high of
performing and instantly being inspired to do more. By the age of eighteen he had written several songs and was ready to step into the limelight that he had dreamed of at an early age.

Through determination, ambition and focus, A&R began his journey without a record deal, promotional team or manager. Within months he began making history. After releasing his first smash hit single "So Fresh" the unsigned artist gained national recognition and radio playfrom some of the hottest radio stations in the Nation including
Atlanta's V103, St. Louis' 100.3 The Beat, and Tallahassee, Florida's 90.3 FM. Following this success, A&R made history yet again,
being the first Hip Hop artist to ever perform at the Minnesota Centennial Showboat Theater, a performance that shut down the entire
venue and sold out in merely two weeks. This feat only added fuel to the fire that drove A&R, selling out concerts and making history was a vision that he had held for more than a decade and he was determined to accomplish his plethora of goals and continue to make history.

July 19th, 2007 A&R headlined the First Annual St. Paul Urban Bowl Football All Star Game with 3,546 people in attendance. This was the
largest crowd he had ever performed for; the response was deafening, his hometown crowd accepted his talent, swagger and lyrical content. Within weeks he became a hometown favorite, gaining recognition and support from many djays, promoters and fans within the industry. His
accomplishments were solidifying him as an artists and his drive solidified him as a young entrepreneur. The year 2007 proved to be an
even bigger year than A&R imagined. His smooth style, down-to-earth demeanor and lyrical versatility landed him on the guest lists of some of the most well known promoters, business owners and entities throughout the Twin Cities and within months he found himself speaking with Minnesota Twins star catcher Joe Mauer.

Meeting Joe Mauer lead to yet another historic moment. Soon after hearing another song written and performed by A&R, Joe Mauer asked A&R
to write and record a song especially for him. Hits performed by world-renowned rapper TI were Joe Mauer's usual choice when going to
bat, but on March 31st, 2008 at the Twins season opener history was made. The Song "The Joe Mauer Theme Song" was the first song to ever
be created especially for a Twin Cities athlete by an unsigned Twin Cities Hip Hop artist. On that day A&R's new hit played each time Joe Mauer went to bat in front of a sold out crowd of nearly 50,000
people. Proving to be an amazing feat this accomplishment set a new tone for A&R's career.

A&R was in overdrive, exploring more possibilities than ever before and pursuing more stardom than any other rapper in the Twin Cities area. In
2008 he will become the first Twin Cities Rapper to ever launch his very own publication. "The A-List", a quarterly magazine that will focus on individuals and entities on the top of their profession, (e.g. sports, music or film) will be the first publication from a Twin
Cities Rapper. In June 2008 A&R will become the first Hip-Hop artist to ever premier a film at the AMC theaters in the Mall of America. The film "Green Light" a documentary that goes behind the scenes of the historic Showboat Theater performance, has created a buzz within the Twin Cities as fans await the arrival of this rare behind the scenes view into A&R's life.

These accomplishments were complemented by A&R's newly found support from local radio stations. Prior to this his hometown had lagged behind other cities, snubbing the local talents and refusing to show the support and love that other cities provided their artists with. However,
A&R's goal to make his city respect their local talents, was unfolding before his eyes. After being the first rapper to ever release two singles on the same day, A&R's "Whatchu Wanna Do" and "The Joe Mauer Theme Song" became hits. On March 13th, 2008 the songs debuted on the Twin Cities hit Hip Hop radio station B96 and continues to be requested by fans on local radio stations throughout the Twin Cities.

Since the young age of nine years old, A&R was determined to make history, break down walls and burst through barriers. Because of his hard work, determination and real life lyrical content he was able to accomplish his goals and live out his dreams. These days he is not only continuously setting the bar hig