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Unified as one six-headed monster

Little Rock hip-hop artists start IAmTheLife.

By Shea Stewart (Contact)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

MUSIC IN HIS SITES — Chane Morrow, who goes by Epiphany onstage, heads the launch of a new Web site, IAmTheLife.net, designed to give more exposure to local hip-hop and R&B artists.

It’s a new era in Little Rock hip-hop.

Part indie hip-hop movement, part reality TV and part reply to being pigeonholed, a group of six Little Rock hip-hop artists have launched a new venture designed to define their music while also promoting and marketing themselves to an online audience.

IAmTheLife.net follows six on-the-verge Arkansas hip-hop Legends — Epiphany, Sean West, 607, Suga City, Carteaire Custom and DK & Soulja T — as they struggle to accomplish their musical goals. Each artist who signed up for the online venture has stated goals they hope to reach and exceed within the next eight months. Fans will be able to view the artists’ progress through the site, which offers chronicles of each artists’ path, and behind-the-scene glimpses into the obstacles and aids along the way.

But beyond the reality TV aspect of the site, IAmTheLife.net is intended to allow fans closer access to the artists through Legend blogs, music, videos, pictures and downloads. The site bypasses record labels by delivering music on a regular basis straight to the fans.

“We want to entertain people who actually care,” said Epiphany, the founder of the site. “We’re really big on doing grass-roots, bottoms-up marketing. Each artist has a fan base.”

While neither a label nor management team, the site is intended to market, promote and brand the six independent artists while offering high-quality content to viewers who are more and more likely to turn to social networking sites, viral marketing and blogs to discover new music.

The site is textual, musical and audio/visual based, delivering Little Rock (and worldwide) hip-hop fans news on each artists’ upcoming show, insights into the Legends from close associates, breakdowns of select tunes by the artist, performance videos and living mix tapes — mini mix tapes that can be downloaded for free with each Legend delivering one mini mix tape every six weeks.

“I feel as though IAmTheLife.net will be the cornerstone of the Little Rock hip-hop movement,” veteran Little Rock hip-hop artist and entrepreneur Razormack said. “I think the stars, the sun and the moon are lining up. I think what Epiphany ... is doing is definitely in line in being a conduit for the success of the movement.”

Beyond individual marketing opportunities, the site also markets the Little Rock hip-hop culture as a whole, a hip-hop scene that has struggled for national attention.

“This is a hip-hop hub,” 607 said. “It’s been a hub for the past five or six years.”

The possibility exists of moving onto new artists (and maybe other musical genres) following the original eight months.

“I started with what I know best,” Epiphany said. “After all the Legends reach all their goals we will go on from there.”