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Dredknox
Dredknox is the antidote to the thuggish hip-hop music that legions of youth are into. Puerto Rico-born Roberto Torres (pictured center with Delvyn Crawford, left, and Nakia Hood) writes some of the group's original music, which varies from harder rap to more soulful, sensual tracks. Torres, an ex-gang member, says their music shies away from lyrics that demean women. "I don't come down on other groups who do that," says Torres, head of the independent label 7th Platoon Entertainment. "But we're all married and trying to move forward with our vision of giving hope." (RV) Contact: www.myspace.com/dredknox - Aqui Milwaukee Magazine - Aug - September 2007
By GEOFF FOX gfox@tampatrib.com
Published: Jul 29, 2005
TRILBY - A back-to-school concert featuring Christian rap artists from Milwaukee and around the area will be at Trilby United Methodist Church on Saturday.
The free concert is from 5 to 8 p.m. The church is at 37504 Trilby Road, just west of U.S. 98. The Greater Trilby Community Association is organizing the event with the church.
Association Chairman Denny Mihalinec said the event is free, but people are asked to bring school supplies for children around Trilby, Lacoochee and Trilacoochee.
Roberto I. Torres, president and chief executive officer of 7th Platoon Entertainment, which represents the Milwaukee acts performing Saturday, said he has known the Rev. Juan Garay of Trilby United Methodist for years. Garay was raised in Milwaukee.
"We did a lot of ministry together," said Torres, who also performs as hip-hop artist Top Rank. "We've been down several times. He told us there was a need, so we decided to take a road trip."
Torres said 7th Platoon Entertainment was founded in his basement in 1998. The label now represents several artists who "spread the gospel through the language of hip-hop," says the label's Web site, www.7thplatoon.com.
Rock and rap artists from around the region also will perform, Mihalinec said. For information, call Mihalinec at (352) 518-0980 or visit www.eastpascosteps.org.
Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 948-4217.
Tampa Tribune
Free Back-To-School Concert On Tap Today
Published: Jul 30, 2005
TRILBY - A back-to-school concert featuring Christian rap artists from Milwaukee and this area will be held at Trilby United Methodist Church today.
The free concert is from 5 to 8 p.m. The church is at 37504 Trilby Road, just west of U.S. 98. The Greater Trilby Community Association is organizing the event with the church.
Denny Mihalinec, association chairman, said people who attend are asked to bring school supplies for children from Trilby, Lacoochee and Trilacoochee.
Roberto I. Torres, president and chief executive officer of 7th Platoon Entertainment, which represents the performers from Milwaukee, said he has known the Rev. Juan Garay of Trilby United Methodist for years. Garay was raised in Milwaukee.
Rock and rap artists from across the region also will perform, Mihalinec said. For information, call Mihalinec at (352) 518-0980 or go to www.eastpascosteps.org.
Geoff Fox
- Tampa Bay Online
Friday, April 29, 2005
Bold Truth 2
I was on fumes yesterday morning---so couldn't write about Wednesday's Bold Truth event at US Cellular---but I sure wanted to.
Almost 9,000 attended, most of them kids. It was really a great event, from local hip-hop group Dredknox all the way through the end of the evening when Superchic[k] closed out the show, amazing things happened. I caught Jeremy Chapman from Brookfield AOG on the way out yesterday and he told me they estimated 700 people either accepted Christ or made recommitments. 700! Hey, it could have been 7 and been an success, but imagine the sheer number of changed lives who now are going to make a difference. Wow.
We always pray before The Fish Morning Show, and mine yesterday was for the legions of youth pastors across SE Wisconsin who now will go to work with these kids to make sure they remain grounded and connected.
Personal highlights from the evening: taking Sawyer, my 13 year old son who was able to see other on-fire kids celebrating their joy. Another was a simple moment I witnessed from my seat after Josh McDowell rolled a clip from The Passion Of The Christ. Three rows in front of me I saw a 18-ish woman wiping tears from her eyes after seeing Jesus on the cross. It was pure and lovely and I admired the moment.
I'd never seen Superchic[k] and was blown away. Musically, they're brilliant---from a lyrical standpoint, there might be none more effective in reaching a young woman's heart for Christ. From an entertainment standpoint, they were amazing. If you've seen the Fish Fest posters we handed out there, you know they'll be back at Fish Fest in August. Don't miss them---they've got the potential to steal the show.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Bold Truth
I rarely watch TV. I suppose it's because my morning starts at 2am and my day ends at 7pm when I go to bed. It seems the stronger my walk with God becomes, the less I find on television that even begins to pass the Philippians 4:10 filter (look it up, it's great). I care very little for who gets voted off the island, what Paris Hilton is doing, and since Jesus never shows up on Joan Of Arcadia, I gave up on that show after a half dozen viewings.
My morning routine has me arriving here at 330am for what is called 'show prep', culling various news sources for idea starters for The Fish Morning Show. To keep me company, I've got The Fish on in the background, but I also have the TV going. Inevitably, some sort of 'Girls Gone Wild' pay-per-view commercial comes on. I shake my head at these commercials, and I can only imagine what the parents of these nutballs think when they either see or hear about their daughters and what they're caught doing on camera on vacation. It's disgusting.
Where were their parents, by the way? Too busy at the country club, their 70 hour a week jobs, their quest for worldly goods, their own lives? What produced the hole in their souls that makes them seek approval by baring and showing all with little forethought or consideration? My wife often asks the same thing----'where are their parents?'.
That's why tonight's Bold Truth event at US Cellular is so important. That's why all the parents who laid out the money for the tickets so their kids could learn to strap on a little armor have my respect. That's why bands like Dredknox and Superchic(k) have my respect---they all could be doing something else that is far more acceptable to the world, that most certainly pays better---but yet they do their ministry in a quiet and Jesus-like manner. Read the interview with Superchic(k) in the new CCM, you'll see these young hipsters who give God all the glory and are UNAFRAID to live out loud. They rock.
Girls Gone Wild has taught me to stay close to my kids, so much so that I'm sure someday I'll drive 'em nuts, but not until I help provide that firm foundation that will prevent them from being in places where things like that happen.
- Danny Clayton Blog
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
As an ex-gang member, Roberto I. Torres, Top Rank, is determined to use the boldness and courage he once used to hurt others in a positive way. As the founder of 7th Platoon Entertainment, he has succeeded as a rapper, producer and songwriter. He formed the rap group DredKnox and has opened the company up to other genres of music, such as R & B and Gospel. He created the Beat Council, 7th Platoon’s production team, which specializes in production and songwriting. Beat Council has found it’s uniqueness in walking each artist through the creation of their project by providing support in the areas of production, conceptualization, songwriting and studio arrangement. As part of the company’s philanthropy, Torres encourages each member of the company to mentor youth that have the potential to develop into successful artists.
Nakia D. Hood, Sho’Nuff, is a North Carolina transplant that has brought his Southern roots to the Midwest music scene. As a rapper he has broken the mold of the stereotypical Southern sound. He is able to follow the trend in rap as well as set the bar above the trend. He describes himself as “more well-rounded than what you hear on the radio.” Hood is currently the manager of Beat Council and in charge of initiating meetings with artists and following up on each individual project. His community activism uses music as a base to attract kids to positive activities; such as fine arts, skateboarding, sound engineering, rapping and comedy; which allow them to interact with each other in a way they would not otherwise.
Delvyn Crawford, Street Life, retains the Chicago style of rapping that he first heard during childhood. His name really says it all, he grew up in women’s shelters due to the broken relationship his parents had. As an adult, he takes an artistic approach to articulating his experiences growing up on the streets. With a natural ability for storytelling, he is able to create songs that tell about everything from poverty to the love between a man and a woman. However, this does not withhold him from bringing lyrics that are entertaining and upbeat. A true performer, he stands out in live performances and holds the attention of every crowd he performs in front of. Crawford is also involved in Beat Council as a producer and songwriter.
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