SEARIUS ADD

For two rappers with their sights set on the future, Tuesday's show at Skully's hearkens back to the not-so-distant past. These days, Sinatra and Searius Add are rappers on the rise, promising young talents with ever-expanding Rolodexes thanks to mixtapes they made with superstar DJs DJ Drama and Mick Boogie, respectively. But back in the spring of 2007, momentum hadn't yet picked up for the MCs. They met outside Club 161 one night when Searius, already a known quantity in local rap, was passing out fliers for his next hip-hop showcase at the High Five. Sinatra, a fledgling producer looking to throw his hat in the ring as a rapper, was there looking to shake hands and learn faces. Sinatra hadn't had much luck getting a show, but Searius agreed to tack him on to the beginning of the show he was promoting. "Basically, he gave me a chance," Sinatra said. Thus began a close friendship and professional partnership that continues to this day. Searius liked what he saw from Sinatra and continued to include him on the monthly "Gallery Hip-Hop" showcases, where the two honed their stage presence, sometimes for a packed house and sometimes for a devoted handful. The rappers had those zealous fans in mind when they scheduled Tuesday's joint release party for their pair of new releases. They originally conceived the event as a "semi-private" party for the fans that supported them before anybody else. They've since decided to promote the show to a wider audience, but it remains dedicated to and geared towards those original devotees. As for the recordings that spawned this event: Sinatra is dropping a "no holds barred" mixtape called Executive Gangster, and he produced most of the beats on Searius' new release Smart is the New Gangsta. For his follow-up to the DJ Drama-assisted Black Trash Bags, Sinatra has assembled a project he called "raw" and "uncut" - the sort of roughshod variety pack that has become a staple of the hip-hop creative process. Executive Gangster marks the first time he's rapped over pre-existing beats or included skits and freestyles. Conceptually, Sinatra said "gangster" refers not to a life of crime but a mindset characterized by swagger. "Gangster is a personality, is an attitude," Sinatra explained. "Some people have it, some people don't." Searius, meanwhile, is proclaiming a different sort of shift from the traditional tough-guy definition of "gangsta." Smart Is the New Gangsta is about using your business savvy to get a leg up in the game. "I think most music is analogous to dessert," Searius said. "This is project is definitely dinner. It's real wholesome." - The Columbus Alive Newspaper

Regardless of how you feel abut the state of mainstream hip-hop and the?influence of the Southern rap grind, one thing truly American about it is the emphasis on work ethic. Columbus emcee/dancer/spoken word poet/actor/promoter Searius Add places heavy significance on this. He feels that he possesses a "college boy's mind with a dope boy's work ethic". So far, Searius' history goes down like this: He started rapping in sixth grade at a Toledo talent show. He kept at it when he came to Columbus to attend OSU in 2001. Since moving here, Searius has found a positive response in several competitive realms. He won the 2002 Columbus Hip Hop Expo MC Battle, then the African-American Heritage Fest Spoken Word Competiton in 2003. In February, Searius made his acting debut as "Captain Crunk" in The Adventures of Pan at Veterans Memorial. Currently he's got four nominations at the Ohio Hip Hop Awards (happening September 22 in Cleveland), including "Best Mixtape" for his work on The Hard Math with world-famous Mick Boogie. (Boogie's also done artist-commissioned mixtapes for Lil Wayne and 50 Cent, and he deejays Cavs games) He plans to keep it moving with several events on the Horizon. Searius starts the month of September by hosting his version of the Lyricist Lounge, based on the legendary NYC showcase event immortalized by a series of compilations on Rawkus Records, which jump-started the careers of Mos Def, El-P and Kweli. Searius' version of the LL has local heavyweights like ODOT's Meta4ce and The Catalyst ciphering with Ordinary People/Industry Standard affiliate B. Yonest, Streetkor's Focus and several other emcees. The format has each rapper starting off in the crowd for the first 16 bars. If the rapper shows and proves, he is welcomed on the stage. (This was inspired by an entertaining, friendly battle Searius had with Zero Star—it can be found in three parts on YouTube.) While Searius completely embraces being a conscious emcee, he was quick to clarify, "Conscious means awareness of your reality." Evidenced by his other hosting job in September, the Iota Phi Theta Fraternity's Annual Welcome Back Step Show on the 17th, and his membership in the Nation of Gods and Earths, Searius exists in various universe - The Columbus Alive Newspaper

Kids are so lazy these days. And honestly, why shouldn’t they be? It’s freezing cold outside, they are most likely broke, and all their friends are either at class or at work. So why not just stay home and watch another episode of “Law and Order”? That may all be true, but if so, someone forgot to let Searious Add in on it, because if James Brown was the hardest working man in show business, then without a doubt Searious Add has to be the hardest working man in show business in Columbus. Not only does he have a brand-new mix-tape coming out, with world renowned DJ Mick Bookie, but he is also hosting a release party for the mix-tape on March 3rd at the High Five, he MCs a concert series called “Deuces Wild”, and he has a novel in the works, as well as a DVD. So it goes without saying that Searious Add is a busy man. Luckily, U Weekly got to sit down and catch up with this prolific and talented young artist recently. Searious told U Weekly that on top of hosting the release party for his newest mix-tape, “The Hard Math “, he will also be performing at it and his fans should be ready for a few surprises. “I have a wonderful set planned. People are going to be leaving the release party going “Wow”. That’s my whole goal. I have some things planned for my show that you would probably only see if you went to a “concert” concert.” Not only will Searious be performing at the High Five on the 3rd, but DJ Mick Boogie will also be there with his crew “The League Crew”. Searious said he has an exciting up-and-coming singer from Ohio State who will be performing as well: “...a sister name Zuri who is actually a freshman at Ohio State and who sings very, very well...She performed at my event on February 10th and she did a great job so I talked to her about opening for me. I have a couple other Ohio State students opening up for me as well.” “The Hard Math” is Serious Add’s third mix-tape, and this time around he was able to get one of the largest stars in the mix-tape game on the boards for it. DJ Mick Boogie has worked with the likes of Common, Ghostface, 50 Cent, Lil’ Wayne, Kayne West, and that is just a tip of the iceberg. “I know a lot of people who have been trying to work with Mick for two years. He is a really busy guy,” Searious said, “I wish I had a more exciting story, but I just reached out to him and he contacted me and we started talking about this project back in November.” For an up-and-coming artist who obviously has a lot of potential, it’s interesting that Searious Add hasn’t yet come out with a full-length album, but the way Searious looks at it, it’s all part of a master plan. “The mix-tape approach feels more like a conclusion for me because I have done previous mix-tapes and I wanted this one to be my best. On a mix-tape I can be very, very creative. Not that I can’t be on an album...but on a mix-tape I can add some all-original songs, industry tracks, and a whole lot of other things.” As any fan of music might tell you, hip-hop and rap are always having to battle negative stereotypes in popular culture, whether it is the drug dealing rapper or womanizing MC. That’s why it is always refreshing to see an up-and-coming hip-hop artist who is able to go beyond those old stereotypes and create an image that is new and original. So for a breath of fresh air in a stale world of hip-hop culture, check out Searious Add; you won’t be disappointed. “The Hard Math Mixtape Release Party” hosted by DJ Mick Boogie featuring Searius Add will be held at the High Five on Saturday, 3/3; doors open at 9:00 PM. This is an 18+ event. Tickets are $10. For more information please call 421-2998 or visit www.highfivebar.com online. For more info about Searius Add please visit his official website at www.SeariusMusic.com.
- U Weekly Newspaper

Ohio State alumnus and rapper Searius Add will be performing Tuesday through Friday during the African-American Heritage Festival. Thursday night's performance will be a mini opening party for Searius' new company Bag Back. Bag Back is a business Searius and his friends are creating to promote entertainers. The company focuses on every aspect of entertainment, from rapping and songwriting to acting. The company chose its name in dedication to Searius's brother who wore a bag pack everywhere he went before he died of cancer. Searius first performed rap in sixth grade at a talent show. Hesun is Searius' musical partner and has been his schoolmate since high school. "Searius and I used to sit around the lunch room and free style," he said. He dropped his first independent release in November 2004 and has been making music about life experiences ever since. Searius said his friends describe him as "street rap went to school, and it came back Searius Add." Two of his most popular songs are "Money Object," which is about the problems money causes and "Baby," a song about a girl who becomes pregnant so a man will like her. "Instead of talking about drugs and gangs, I talk about working a job I don't like. I focus on more approachable subjects," Searius said. "I try to make everyday things sound good." Darrio Tope, an OSU alumnus who majored in theatre, collaborates with Searius. Tope believes Searius deals with many different themes, including class, age, education, race and the inner city. He also described Searius' music as feel-good music that makes people realize he feels their pain. "Searius can be the voice for minority students on campus, who need to get their voice out too," Tope said. "Searius is the kind of guy who tries to brighten up everybody's day." Hesun described Searius as well organized, focused and determined. He said he is a person who always has a battle plan, and his determination, raw talent and personality are all reasons Searius can be successful. Hesun also describes Searius as a great thinker, poet and scholar. "Searius is like mixing saliva with Pop Rocks. It is going to be a surprise in your mouth," he said. "It is time for Columbus to stand up, and Searius can do it. Nelly put St. Louis on the map, and Searius can do that with Columbus." - The Lantern Newspaper