II Face

II Face visits The Bahamas

Up coming Rap Star II Face arrived in Nassau today for a little rest and relaxation. Face as he is affectionately called was accompanied by executives from Black Russian Music Group, the label to which he is signed. During his short stint here on the island he was interviewed by a barrage of media personnel who got a personal glimpse of who the artist really is.

II Face
Born Miguel Martinez, states, 'I am a rapper first of all, but I bring much more to the game than many of my counter parts.' He sure does, this multi talented artist is also a writer, producer and engineer. In todays world where most artist are usually exploited early in their careers, before they learn enough about the entertainment industry to properly represent themselves, is not a question where Face is concerned. He has paid his dues and has spent ten years in various aspects of the business honing his craft. He has produced, engineered and sold over thirty thousand units to date of his latest mix tape release The Die Hard Family Mix Tape Vol. 1. That was done under his own label Die Hard Recording. He has something for everyone. A little rap some reggae and even a tear jerker called Daddy, that definitely will have worldwide appeal. He has just wrapped up shooting and is set to release a major music video worldwide for his hit single called ....................

II Face Heritage

He is definitely a keeper a great talent with the good looks to match.. When one first looks at him, he certainly does not look like your average rapper, but instead he looks like a R& B crooner or a movie star. To put it bluntly God has blessed him in many ways, for which he is grateful. I am mixed, Black/Hispanic to be specific which accounts for my looks he states humbly. Originally from New Jersey, Face now resides in Virginia Beach with the rest of The Black Russian Family.

Black Russian Music
They are a close knitted bunch, that bring lots\' a diversity to their label. Rodney Baylor, better known as the gentle giant is founder and President of Black Russian, he has worked with the likes of Timbaland, Missy Elliot and numerous other people in the industry. He is very proud to be one of the forces behind Face and recognized his talent immediately upon hearing him. He has the makings of a superstar, he was quoted as saying.
Bill Cason, Director of Operations also believes in Faces\' talent and stands behind him one hundred percent. I find his music very appealing and I am not of his generation. It is being very well accepted all across The United States and since we sent the music here ahead we are now receiving lots of air play here in the islands for which we are very pleased.
From the streets of Camden, New Jersey to Virginia Beach, The Caribbean watch out world II face is here.

- Junkanoo Beat

We all do it. Lead an industry life, balance it with our personal life. Sometimes the result is imbalance, sometimes the challenge is too much. For rapper, T.I., this personal turmoil was expressed in the platinum album, T.I. -vs.- T.I.P. The album, set in three acts, articulated the often unsaid difficulty of being a rap artist and just being a man.



Camden native turned Virginia transplant, II Face, takes a brave look at the same issue. How does a rapper put his best face forward, without forgetting who he really is? On 2 Faces 2 Every Story, the rapper opens the album with an interlude that finds him getting ready for a show, when asked what is taking him so long, he replies, “I’m putting my face on.” His conflicting personalities are only compounded by the fact that he is a Gemini, naturally double-sided. He was born on the same day as Prince and poet, Nikki Giovanni, June 7th.

A rapper for over ten years, Miguel Martinez was motivated to rap because he felt a strong need to express his life’s story, “We (rap artists) speak from what we go through and I definitely went through something, and when you set that to music you have the opportunity to help somebody else.” Growing up in Camden, New Jersey, Martinez states that he had the “typical hood story, Mom over here, Dad over there.” Describing an all too common broken home, and an all too common lack of relationship with his father until his late teens. He was forced to grow up early surrounded by drugs and crime. “I was raised in a bootlegger house, my house in the hood was the house that people came to get the liquor and drugs.”



The turbulence of his childhood, sent Martinez from Camden to Portsmouth, Virginia to live with his grandmother, he describes the move as giving him balance and ‘tightening his loose screws.’ His grandmother, an avid churchgoer kept her grandson in church “ten days a week,” he says with a laugh. The exposure to church life brought out his instrumental side, he began to play the keyboard, and sharpened his skills as a producer, after being deemed by his friends as “too smart to be a rapper.” He was encouraged to study the business of music, he did, this study would come in handy later in his career.



Growing up in VA, Face, as he is affectionately known, was exposed to master producers like Pharell Williams, Timbaland, and the incomparable Teddy Riley. Producing became a skill that Face could benefit from and eventually he began to sell his beats locally, later getting some interest on a national level. He plans to push his production career between albums because it comes so naturally to him. “I do that like you drink water, it’s nothing.“ Keeping some of his hottest for himself as he honed his rap skills, it was the birth of his two children that when “the beast came out.” Face who describes himself as a “dude that smiles all the time.” However, he sometimes wore that smile like a mask. He realized that a rap career is not a hobby it is a lifestyle and as he put more and more time into it, he knew he was in too deep to turn back.



Creating mixtapes became an outlet for ‘Face, he produced and wrote tracks for The Die Hard Family Mixtape Vol. 1 and Jet Noise Vol. 2, together the albums sold an incredible 75K units, independently. He was courted by major record labels only to be slept on, he chose to sign with a large independent label and be a priority rather than sign with a major and sit on the shelf. Face found a home at Black Russian Music Group/One Disc Distribution. His debut album was released on September 4th.



Featuring hot beats, ill lyrics, and touching stories, the album can stand toe to toe with any major artist. The single, Party Naughty is a dance song that grows every week at radio and Parking Lot is slated to be the second single. Face has a cool delivery that is to the point, on Time is On My Side, Face says, “You can hear me but don’t judge me, feel me but don’t touch me.” There are few detractors from this ambitious debut, his music is blunt, yet emotional, with features from up coming rappers and the legendary DJ Kool, 2 Faces 2 Every Story is an album that is worth listening and exploring.



And listening and exploring is what not only music fans have been doing, but so have major corporations. II Face has a song the McDonald’s Back to School Campaign disc, entitled The After Party. He and other artists who participated in the campaign will be performing on Nov. 17, in Alberqerque, NM for World Children’s Day.



In addition to a gig with McDonald’s, II Face has been tapped to record the theme song for “Cowboys of Color”, an all black rodeo. He has been performing at Army bases, and is preparing to stretch his wings and act in the new play, “Will a Real Man Stand Up” featuring Johnny Gill, Clifton Powell, and Dave Hollister. With a radio audience of over 2 Million, major endorsements, and an acting debut it appears that II Face has definitely put his best face forward
- The Hip Hop Cosign

Give the fans a round down about
your stuff.

I can't say too much about my style
because it is forever changing. I'm not
South or crunk music, I'm just animated
and something new. I'm not in the box
because I can do a song with Jay-Z, Lil'
Jon or something west coast and I won't
sound silly doing it. I make it my
business to adapt well.

What is the title of your album?

2 Faces 2 Every Story and it is dropping
on the Black Russian Music Group. It is
my freshman album but it definitely has
a veteran sound. I got the mixtape in the
street Jet Noise Volume Two which to
date I have sold 50,000 units. Volume
One sold about 20,000 units. The feed
back is crazy. On the mixtape scene I
Recording Studios in Virginia Beach.

What made you want to pick up the
mic?

I wanted to pick up the mic because I
had a lot to say. I have a story to tell that
people really want to hear because it is
not watered down with chains, whips,
and rims. You can't hate on something
that is real.

Where are you from?

I live in V.A. and rep V.A. but I am
originally from Jersey.

Do you do a lot of shows?

A lot of them is promo because you have
to pay your dues. I've been on a lot of
radio shows in the U.S. but I have done
shows from here all the way to Dubai in
the Middle East and the Bahamas.

When will the album drop?

September 4 is the official date to drop
on iTunes and a few weeks later it will
drop everywhere else.
Aren't one of your songs on a

McDonalds CD?

Yeah! I have a song on their Summer
Promotion CD. They thought I was a
singer at first but when they found out I
was a rapper they were a little skeptical
at first. I gave it a shot and they loved it
and I made the compilation. You can
check it out @
www.theafterafterparty.com.

Who does the distribution?

One Disc out of Texas.

Is there anything else homie?

I want to let the people know that I am
coming.
Scott Bejda
www.myspace.com/2faces2everystory
was batting 1,000 so the people are
waiting to get the new album.

How important is it to hit the streets
with your music?

If I had to be a spokesperson for every
underground artist, the number one rule
is to grind. If you think grinding isn't a
part, then you've already lost. I moved
all of those units with no manufacturing
company, because it is all done out of
our office, and that's how I got where I
am today - grindin'!

How long have you been rapping?

I would say since I was fifteen. I was
switching back and forth from producing
to rapping because I was producing
first. I basically produced all the tracks
on "2 Sides 2 Every Story" at Die Hard
Recording Studios - Downlow Magazine