 (February
12, 2009 - Brooklyn, NY) - Bay Area-based record label Interdependent
Media announced that they will release the multi-media project Brooklynati by rap group Tanya
Morgan on May 12th. Highlighting the creativity and throwback
sounds of the emcee trio Tanya Morgan, Brooklynati is an album, a place,
and a state of mind. With Tanya Morgan providing the soundtrack, the Brooklynati project invites fans to become part of the virtual city of Brooklynati and
one of the most involved and intricate marketing campaigns ever created for
a hip-hop release. Hot off the success of their critically acclaimed debut
album Moonlighting which received nods from ?uestlove, The
Source and XXL,
Tanya Morgan is stepping out of hip-hop's shadow and moving to Brooklynati.
Are you coming?
Miles away from the watered-down hype of auto-tune, the glam
of Hollywood, big bank accounts, and even larger cars lays the virtual city
of Brooklynati. Brooklynati, is Anytown, USA; a place where small record
shops struggle to stay alive, local corner stores become impromptu gathering
spots, and people enjoy city parks, attractions and performance venues regularly.
Providing the soundtrack to our daily encounters, this album gives everyday
people a chance to discover the things they have in common with the three
members of Tanya Morgan; Ilyas, Donwill, and Von
Pea. Discussing his move
to Brooklynati, Donwill from Tanya Morgan says, "Brooklynati is the
most real place I know".
As part of the Brooklynati experience, fans
will have the opportunity to explore the city of Brooklynati through a virtual
metropolis outfitted with an extensive website, video newscasts, a zoo, mayor's
office, and even a fledgling mom and pop record store. Fans will have a chance
to "move" to Brooklynati, become part of the vibrant city, get
their very own Brooklynati driver's license, and order Chinese from their
favorite takeout spot. The multi-faceted multimedia campaign driving the
Brooklynati experience will feature a plethora of innovative limited edition
merchandise including New Era Brooklynati caps, one-of-a-kind MUNNY collectibles
from THIS SIDE UP DESIGNS, Brooklynati Public Library cards which will entitle
its holders to access the Library Systems files, Tanya Morgan paper toys,
and city destination relics featuring the most popular spots in Brooklynati.
The unveiling of the Brooklynati project will also include album release
parties in 5 major cities at premiere venues.
In 2003, Brooklyn resident
Von Pea teamed up with Cincinnati's Donwill and Ilyas to form Tanya Morgan.
Three years later, the group's Moonlighting LP took the rap world by storm,
receiving a 3.5 mic rating from The Source and high praise in XXL's Chairman's
Choice column. Donwill describes the group's uniqueness and appeal: "Instead
of jam-packing our releases with different producers and guest emcees for
attention, we carefully choose who we work with because we make it a priority
to cultivate our own sound and identity. We look to groups like Eric
B and Rakim, who honed their own sound and rarely collaborated with other artists." After
touring the US more than a few times following their debut release, the crew
came back in 2008 with release of their mixtape Tanya Morgan is a
Rap Group and their EP The Bridge. Brooklynati will be released via Interdependent
Media on May 12, 2009.
About
Interdependent Media:
Founded in 2006 in the Bay Area by Evan Phillips, Interdependent
Media has built unique strengths in the development, production, and
marketing of recorded music via new methods of marketing and promotion. Armed
with a comprehensive understanding of both traditional and emerging methods of
marketing, iM has successfully created multi-faceted methods
of raising awareness and interest in their projects. Industry veterans Ian "ID" Davis and Dominic
Del Bene head operations at iM and are credited with discovering and/or
developing artists such as 9th Wonder, Little Brother, Tanya Morgan,
Blackalicious, Del the Funky Homosapien, the Hieroglyphics and more.
In 2009, iM will be releasing multi-media projects from artists Finale,
Canibus, K'naan, Truthlive, and Tanya Morgan. For more information,
please visit http://www.imculture.com
Web editors contact Nora for
interview requests. Print editors contact Michelle
Photo credit: Robert Adam Mayer.
Critical
Praise for Tanya Morgan:
"The trio's latest, the savory The Bridge EP, demonstrates
why Tanya Morgan has been a critical favorite for the last several years.
Their deliveries are effortless, their beats run the gamut from smooth
to boom-bappy, and their music has an inspiring vibe." - The
Source
"Never mind the name — Tanya Morgan is a hip-hop
trio with an affinity for soul breaks, big beats and complex, conscious
lyrics."" - RollingStone.com
"their newest project, the highly anticipated The Bridge,
is garnering them more buzz than a U.S. soldier’s haircut." - XXLMag.com
"With all due respect to Talib and Hi-Tek, I'm actually
more inclined to revisit team Tanya's likeably loose, bordering-on-sloppy
inaugural effort than said ballyhooed backpack-crowd classic." - XXL
- Chariman's Choice
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