Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
AQword's debut CD explains his life journey.
Taking the rap
In the Snoop Dogg-like story telling track "My Life," hip-hop artist AQword explains the journey that led him to become a cocksure hip-hopper with a taste for sharp lyrics and vibrant, expressive beats. The song, off AQword's offering,"100% PRODUCT," begins with the artist as a child banging on a bucket to a boom-box beat. Then the story shifts to him rocking out in a garage outfit before ultimately finding his place as a freestyling rapper at late-night parties. But then, he received a call from his cousin, DJ JOKER, who would go on to executive produce, "100% PRODUCT." In that life-changing phone call, Joker offered to help the young rapper realize his hip-hop dreams. Like "My Life," the rest of the 16 track disc tells an often-times explicit tale of striving for rap glory in between enjoying/lamenating the company of beautiful women. AQword said he revels in speaking his mind through all those fluid lyrics. "If I'm having a bad day, I'll probably go home and write about exactly what's going on in my head, you know?" He said in a sit-down interview. "It's the only way, because I don't have money to go to a therapist, and I don't have money to go get hammered every night and drink myself to death. And even so, that isn't goin to get me where I want to be. "If I can make a 16-song CD that gets all that off my chest and people buy it, then I'm making money off of why I'm so angry, and so that makes me happy." AQword will release "100% PRODUCT," Saturday night at Club Barcode, 71st street and Lewis ave. Doors open at 9pm, VIP tickets are $15. M.G. - Matt Gleason
Discography
Debut album 100% PRODUCT
Singles are: "Fiesta de la Noche", "Get Wet", "Hello Industry". He also has been featured on various mixtapes from varying DJs throughout the nation. Along with doing custom radio station intros, and drops for the DJs.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Whispers of change have been circulating in the conversations of hip-hop fans for years now, and finally the wait is over. An amazing lyricist, Aqword is definitely ahead of the game. His debut album 100% PRODUCT, is presented to the hip-hop community as a breath of fresh air. By the end of the first song, it's quite obvious that Aqword is destined to be a permanent fixture in the music industry. When the smoke clears and silence fills your ears, one thing is for sure; you will feel…Aqword.
His first single, "Fiesta de la Noche" featuring label-mate Int'lekt, is an instant summertime classic. With catchy tracks like: "Get Wet", "Fly by Night" and "AQwho?", to more intense tracks: "Leap", "Fire in da O", "Hello Industry" and "Things 2 Me", Aqword gives meaning to his album’s title 100% PRODUCT. DJ Joker, CEO of Melted Wax Productions and executive producer of 100% PRODUCT, says, “This album has something for everyone…Aqword has created a collection of material that proves his versatility.” With distribution, endorsements, regional tours and a video in the works, Aqword is one hundred percent business.
Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a place traditionally known for its heritage in country, jazz, soul, and rock music; Aqword was influenced by many genres at and early age. His first musical experience was in middle school as a guitarist and lead singer of a garage band, which broke up quicker than they formed. Not until high school did he find his love for hip-hop music. Early influences include: Busta Rhymes, Dr. Dre, and Outkast. It wasn't long before Aqword found his abilities in hip-hop, through freestyle rhyming/ciphering with friends, just to see the look on their faces. As time went on, college seemed to be the only route for the young emcee until one day in the fall of 2001; he received a phone call from DJ Joker, whom as fate would have it, is also Aqword's cousin. Two trips to New York, recording songs and freestyles at Unique Recordings in Times Square was all it took to convince DJ Joker that Aqword had a certain star-like swagger on the mic. In 2004, Melted Wax Productions relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma and now is the most official music production studio in the state. With a unique sound, fresh faces and an endless supply of product, Melted Wax and Aqword are taking the industry to a higher level.
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