PAULIE RHYME (Paul Richardson) is not your typical emcee, but he should
be. Raised in the Rustbelt city of Cleveland, OH, RHYME was bred in a dichotomy
of struggle and privilege, poverty and wealth, school and streets. This
translated into the musical surroundings where gospel, funk, jazz, rock,
and an emerging art form were bringing people together, and keeping people
apart. These experiences would shape the viewpoints and creative voice
that would turn an inner city college athlete into an aspiring educator
(RHYME has his BA in Political Science and Master’s in Adult Education) into a
torchbearer for this thing we call, Hip Hop.
In 2001, PAULIE RHYME would step to the stage fulltime as a
part of the live hip-hop band FINLESS BROWN. FINLESS BROWN gained immediate
fanfare through their unorthodox, interactive live shows and open mics, getting
nominated for Best Cleveland Band in 2002 and Best Hip Hop Band (Cleveland
Scene) in 2003. Releasing 4 projects to date, the BROWNTOWN EP, NEXT CAPER,
LIVE IN CLEVELAND, and UNDERGROUND SUPERHEROES,
By 2004, FINLESS BROWN would relocate to the burgeoning Bay Area scene.
Being based in the Bay Area would proved to be an invaluable experience
for RHYME, as he would continue to grow with FINLESS BROWN and also as
a solo artist. 2007 would see the release of PUBLIC RADIO, a collaborative
effort with SF producer DEEDOT, featuring appearances by RASCO, KHAI SHARRIEF,
POWER STRUGGLE, and MOTO. PUBLIC RADIO would hit 9 on the CMJ Hip Hop charts,
and the video for the single, SQUARED CIRCLE, would be featured at the
Santa Cruz Film Festival. The project would also be nationally distributed,
allowing RHYME more opportunities to plant his roots in the tour circuit,
doing shows all over the United States and Canada. From rocking venues
to college panels to outdoor events, schools, and even churches, PAULIE
RHYME is providing a positive, alternative take on music rooted in stepping
outside the box, being yourself, and having fun. |
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