Bio
Making music that embraces all that is new school while staying true to the old is a rare talent among hip-hop artists. Because of this, it is musically refreshing to hear Richard Raw, an artist who gives his listeners a touch of musical genius with every song written, lyric spit, and beat produced. Born on August 17, 1979 in Wilmington Delaware, Raw displayed his passion for music at a very young age. He was raised listening to 70s music with Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and Stevie Wonder as some of his early favorites. Born on the cusp of the 1980s hip hop boom, the same year that hip hop entered the mainstream with Sugarhill Gang’s hit song ‘Rapper’s Delight’ and the year that Kurtis Blow became the first rapper to sign a major label record deal, it was inevitable that Raw would become immersed in hip hop.
It was at the tender age of seven that Raw first realized he had musical capabilities. During this time he watched as his older sister and her friends formed a rap group. He began to imitate them and soon found that he had lyrical talent. Raw matured as the years progressed, as did his musical ability, and in 1997 at age 17, he signed his first contract with Stars of Tomorrow. Raw’s personal choice for the direction of his music career clashed with that of Stars of Tomorrow and they decided to part ways. Raw used this experience and his ever-growing talents to jump-start his musical career. He began being a featured performer in shows across his Tri-State area and caught the attention of Landspeed Records who gave him a distribution deal in 2001. While on Landspeed, Raw released his overseas hit ‘America’ but was unable to release a complete album because of a devastating fire that destroyed his music. After the fire, Raw immediately began to re-establish himself as an artist, and in 2002 he became an official member of the Philadelphia underground hip-hop group, Lost Children of Babylon (LCOB). LCOB went on to release 3 independent albums on Baby Grande Records, enabling them to have worldwide distribution.
While remaining an active member of LCOB, Raw embarked upon his career as a solo artist. In 2004, through a mutual friend, Raw met Mike J Music, also known as DJ Mike Nite and together they formed Headlinerz, Ent™. Using Headlinerz as his foundation, Raw reinvented, renewed, and improved himself as an artist. Since 2004, Raw has gained artistic credibility by releasing countless mixtapes and the critically acclaimed albums ‘My City’ and ‘I’m Rich’. On September 23rd, 2011 Raw releases his third official album as a solo artist, entitled ‘The Renaissance’. This album, a diverse blend of sounds and musical influences is an authentic representation of Richard Raw.
As a poet, MC, producer, and songwriter, one cannot deny Richard Raw the comprehensive title ‘artist’. As proof that there is big talent in the small state of Delaware, Richard Raw is up and coming competition for hip hop artists across the globe. When asked what makes him different, Raw simply states, “I’m versatile; no one is the same everyday and I am lucky enough to be able to express those differences through my music.”
