The O’My’s are the new sound of Chicago Soul. Rising stars in the midst of a Chicago music and cultural renaissance, The O’My’s have recorded and shared stages with Chance the Rapper, Wyclef Jean, ZZ Ward, Ab Soul, Twista, NoName Gypsy, Mick Jenkins, Save Money, Yo Yo Ma, and Kids These Days. A multi instrument, multi-ethnic crew, The O’My’s are led by co-founders and songwriters, singer/guitarist Maceo Haymes and keyboardist Nick Hennessey. The crew’s rhythm section is comprised of bassist Boyang Matsapola and drummer Barron Golden. Erick Mateo on sax, William Miller on trumpet, and J.P. Floyd (formerly of Kids These Days) on trombone complete the horn section. All Chicago natives, The O’My’s sound captures the tremendous love, pain, warmth and bitter cold found in the city’s streets. Delicate arrangements, a pounding rhythm section and soaring horns provide a perfect home for Haymes’ commanding, smokey rasp and smooth falsettos. Drawing from Chicago’s rich musical traditions of blues, jazz and rock, The O’My’s pick up where their musical forefathers left off, taking Roots Rock’n’Soul to the present. The O’My’s are now in studio recording their third project, Keeping the Faith, a Psychedelic Soul record slated for release in the late fall of 2014.

James Clay Jones III p/k/a Boldy James was born in August 9^th 1982 in Atlanta, GA to his parents James Clay Jones Jr. and Toni K. Broadus.  In 1983, Jones and Broadus returned to their original home of Detroit, MI with their son after Jones was wounded in the line of duty serving as a police officer. They resided on the Eastside of Detroit with James’ grandmother. In 1989, James’ parents separated and his mother sent him and his younger sister to live with their father to live on Detroit’s westside on Stahelin “Hell Block” near McNichols Rd and the Southfield Freeway.

James’ love for music came to the forefront at the age of 12, when he performed in a middle school talent show and begun writing his first raps shortly after.  He attended high school at Detroit Cooley, and dropped out after the 9^th grade. It was at this moment when he begun to get involved in the streets and live the stories that you hear in his music today.

There is a story behind James’ stage name Boldy James. He got the name from his friend from his block, James Osely III, who people in the neighborhood called Boldy. “He didn’t rap, he just sold cocaine, and I liked the name because his name was James too” says James. When his friend was murdered he decided to carry on the name using it to rap.

In 2009, Boldy James first big break on the national scene came in the form of 2 features on The Cool Kids and Don Cannon mixtape “Merry Christmas”, on the records “BBQ Wings” and “Tires”. That was followed up by his record “Gettin’ Flicked” appearing on The Cool Kids’ 2010 mixtape “Tacklebox”.  Also in 2010 he was featured on the record “Fat Raps” remix alongside Big Sean, Asher Roth, Chip Tha Ripper, Dom Kennedy, and Chuck Inglish. Boldy James and Cool Kid member/producer Chuck Inglish are cousins.

On May 24, 2011 Boldy James released his solo debut mixtape “Trapper’s Alley Pro’s and Con’s”. He released several videos from this tape including the fan favorites “JIMBO”, “I Sold Dope All My Life”, and “Concrete Connie”. The project went on to be named by Pitchfork as one “2011’s Most Overlooked Projects”.

The momentum continued in 2012, with the Februray 27^th release of his follow up mixtape “Consignment: Favor For A Favor the redi-rock mixtape” via www.thefader.com. The project received great reviews from The Source, Pitchfork, and Stereo Gum. After riding the wave for 2012 the top of 2013 saw Boldy James in full swing. He released a 6 song EP titled “Grand Quarters” on March 5th 2013, which will feature the records “For The Birds” and “One of One”.

On October 15^th 2013, Boldy’s debut album, My 1^st Chemistry Set (M.1.C.S.), which is produced entirely by Alchemist was released via ConCreatures/Mass Appeal/Decon Records.

GLC (Gangsta L. Crisis) captured the attention of listeners looking for honesty and integrity in Hip Hop music with one heart-felt guest appearance. Just as much as it was his flow, it was the power in the words he rapped on “Spaceship” that gained GLC an audience and fan base. Now a few years removed from his entrance to Hip Hop’s mainstream, GLC is the epitome of the ism, honor, mackin’ & integrity.

One must wonder how a rapper without any full-length album, and little radio play can manage to pick up two Grammies as well as the respect and admiration of Hip Hoppers across the board? GLC’s formula for doing so is a combination of Life, Love, and Loyalty. GLC is able to connect to listeners both in the streets, as well as professional walks of life by possessing an uncanny display of ism. He says, “When I go into the booth, I don’t have a rap voice, or a rap character that I become. I’m the same G at all times. I’m that man with an interesting life off 87th street who loves woman & spits the rawest of life changing game. I speak to the Cathedral! Come & join the congregation, hustlers, players entrepreneurs, people trying to better themselves are all welcomed.”

GLC has continually bettered himself and his music through hard work and dedication. He found poetry and Hip Hop at an early age, and used both to cope with the passing of his parents. While dealing with the pain, a growing talent presented itself. For years GLC seemed to be caught between two worlds. He worked in clothing stores, while continually hustling in the streets. Throughout this time he also harbored dreams of being a Hip Hop artist, and infused his songs with lyrics that spoke to his people grinding in the streets of Chicago, as well as those working a 9-5. Eventually he decided that music was the best way to accomplish his dreams and he would not let any roadblocks stop his journey towards success.

“As long as you’re talking about the negativity, you’re only attracting more negativity into your life. Stay positive. I was dead broke. I was living in my sister’s basement. All I had was a VS-880 (8-track recorder) but I did 2-3 songs a day,” GLC recalls.

“The way the music was back then, the skill level I’ve acquired over the years, it wasn’t that back then. But it took that to get to where I am now. It took that hard work. It took that perseverance, it took the dedication, discipline, and determination. I wasn’t sitting around complaining about what I didn’t have. I focused on getting what I didn’t have. So, as long as you focus on bettering yourself, that’s what’s going to happen. If you sit around letting your problems get the best of you, you’re not going to make it in nothing. That’s negative. Negativity is not the way. You got to eliminate negative people out of your life.”

That positive attitude is what has led him to become one of the most respected and sought after artists in a city known for its cold temperatures and colder shoulders. A full believer in Karma, GLC chooses to collaborate with artists even if the short-term benefit is small. He reasons, “God has really blessed me to make it this far, and to almost be done with my album. As long as God has blessed me, it’s only right for me to spread those blessings. So that’s why I get in the studio with somebody and they can put ‘featuring GLC’ on the cover of their thing. This might help push what they’re doing, and I don’t see nothing in return. My blessing’s going to come.”

It is only natural for GLC to have that mindset. After all, his blessings started when childhood friend, Hip Hop icon Kanye West, offered GLC a guest appearance on his debut album, The College Dropout. GLC took advantage and delivered a verse that will resonate with listeners for years to come. He followed it up with another stellar performance on “Drive Slow,” from Kanye’s sophomore LP, Late Registration. Since then, GLC has released mixtapes with DJ A-Trak (Drive Slow), DJ Geno (I Ain’t Even On Yet), as well as Sean Mac (Honor Me). All the projects show that he is more than a one-verse wonder. In fact, he welcomes the doubters as they only propel him. “I thank God for the haters. I look at it like this, if everybody doens’t like you, then you’re doing something wrong. If everybody says they love you, you got to question that because someone might be being phony.”

Beyond the haters, GLC is fueled by his own motivations for greatness, and his honor as a man. He says, “I could have been like, ‘yeah. I made it on a Grammy award-winning album,’ and quit. Or, ‘now I’m on two Grammy award-winning albums,’ and quit. I performed all over the world, Staples Center, United Center, Madison Square Garden, I did all that. Abbey Road where the Beatles recorded, I did that. I did so much that I can tell these stories to my grand kids and be like, ‘this was my life and I’m cool.’ But there’s so much more. I want to leave a legacy. I don’t just want to leave memories when I’m gone. I want to live forever. You live through your legacy. I want people to say, ‘you see that building right there? That’s the GLC Foundation.’ When people see my grandkids they say, ‘that’s GLC’s grandkids.’ That means something. That means that I’m still alive because I’m still in your head when I’m dead and gone.”

GLC presents a refreshing alternative in an industry that is quick to stab someone in the back, as well as forget a name. After introducing himself to the world via Kanye West, GLC is ready to take flight on his own accord. And he’s got plenty of room to take his audience with him.

“My album is going to take you to a place, It’s not going to be a listening experience-it’s going to take you to my world. So, whenever you feel like you’re in a certain mood and you want to escape all your problems, although you’re still going to have to face that reality at the end of the day, whenever you need a simple escape, that’s when you put my CD in. My album will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it make you feel unstoppable! You will be inspired to get it, being what ever you desire! “

No artist has pivoted the cultural zeitgeist more in the past decade than Sir Michael Rocks. When Banco isn’t rewriting the rules of modern fashion, he shifts the sounds of popular music. From The Cool Kids to his solo projects Michaels’ stuck on forward.

Before “Asleep in the Bread Aisle” dropped on 4/20, there wasn’t much to base an opinion on besides a catchy party song and the first white boy rendition of a Gangsta Grillz tape, “The Greenhouse Effect” hosted by DJ Don Cannon himself.

I was living in Atlanta for a year under the support of Scooter Braun, Steve Rifkind and a couple of best friends. Ditching school prematurely and “seeing what happens” in ATL was a fool proof plan. I had been rapping in my basement on Matlack St as a elementry education major at West Chester University. I felt fairly confident in the change of scenery. With the help of kiniesology major, Tom “Boyder” Boyd, and social skills major with a minor in “chill-daggie,” Brian “Brain” Bangley, and Sweet Potato Kang DJ Wreckineyez we set out to change the world.

Once there I would stay up late, hang with hot moms and make a few rap songs. Amongst a few parties and bike rides to Kroger, I penned a few tunes that led to a platinum-single in “I Love College,” collaborations w Cee-lo Green, Busta Rhymes and a whole collection of fond memories.

One thing led to the next and I found myself on a country wide tour with fellow sensations Kid Cudi and B.o.B conveniently named “The Great Hangover.” Boston, New York, Dallas, Los Angeles….London, Ireland, Amsterdam! I had had my first taste of “the life” and I did not want to go back.

It never felt right going at this alone. And it never will. I’m excited to bring you all along on this journey through Asherrothmusic.com. The foundation will be the same feel good tunes that got me here and the rest will comprise of the stories, friends and family I make along the way. Be well. Peace. Love.