Chris Rel

Chris Rel, last name pronounced real was born in The Bronx, and raised in Spring Valley, NY. He began rapping at the age of 12. Influenced by the likes of De la Soul, Ras Kass and The Roots, his style was unique from the beginning. Battling and performing with the other kids in his neighborhood, Chris set himself apart from the others with his conscious rhymes.

Rapping throughout his high school days. Chris took his talent to another level while attending Stony Brook University. He and fellow classmate known as Omni-Blaize formed the group Kenek. The duo recorded and performed together, but never released a project. The two eventually parted ways as Chris went into the military. He became a light wheel mechanic in the national guard. Soon after graduating AIT(advanced individual training) he went into the OCS program and became a 2ND lieutenant. Recharged after receiving his honorary discharge from the military Chris recorded his solo debut “Follow Me”. Drawing influences from the life he had lived, and the emotions he’d longed to express on the mic. During the recording of “Follow Me”, Chris traveled abroad to perform his new material at venues such as the Redstar in London and also recorded several tracks in Sweden.

Now it’s 2007, and Chris has been writing for the past two years and has got a lot to say. He’s traveled to Sweden once again to record, and perform at the Swedish Music Festival in Malmo. Upon his return to New York, he hit the studio with Sire, producer of 50cent's "window shopper" to lay out the rest of his upcoming album. Digging much deeper than his past on “Follow Me”, and raising the bar for the expectations of this album "Voice of Truth".

Chosen by Jazz at Lincoln Center to participate in the Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad program to perform and teach classes in India, Malaysia and Burma. Lincoln Center sent the trio on tour to increase exposure to American culture in various countries. A month long program in which Chris, Denny Jackson, and Sire taught a hiphop 101 class in addition to performing in such cities as Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, and Rangoon.