Written by strictlyTIKI
Monday, 1 March 2010 12:01

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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In an industry dominated by solo artists, D.C-bred Hip-hop group, Likeblood takes the new-age mantra, “more for your money,” and makes it a reality. With a trifecta of voices that are unique in both perspective and sound, Likeblood (aka Eric “Yung E” Mann; Andre “Dre Strong” Strong; Mbea “Mbea Da 1″ Bassil) emerges onto the scene to remind music lovers and Hip-hop heads alike, just how special a cohesive group of emcees can be.

Being from Washington, D.C., automatically raises the stakes for any emcee. The original “Murder Capital” is one of America’s top urban markets, is the nation’s #1 most watched political center, and is the birthplace of Go-go, a musical subculture which has influenced Hip- Hop since its inception. Even with all of this in hand, the true voice of D.C. Hip-Hop has yet to be defined, and for Likeblood, establishing that voice has always been paramount.

True to their name (“Likeblood” represents “like family”), Likeblood started off as a full regime of comrades, even crossing intra-city boundaries to fill its ranks; But as everyday life soldiered on, the group found itself scaling back to the current trio (ironically, the three original members) to officially push their product. In early 2006, the group signed a record deal with indie powerhouse, Soblu Music Group, who cast the group alongside Wood Harris (“Next Day Air“) and Clifton Powell (“Next Friday“) in the company’s debut feature film, “Jazz in the Diamond District.” In addition to acting in the film, Likeblood was heavily involved in creating the music and placed a number of songs on the film’s soundtrack, which was co-produced by renowned producer, Chucky Thompson (Notorious BIG/Mary J Blige).

In March 2009, after the release of Mbea Da 1 (previously incarcerated), they dropped their first single from the film’s soundtrack, “Red Carpet,” featuring their label mate, Chris. The video garnered them enormous visibility, premiering as the “New Joint of the Day” on BET’s 106 & Park, and getting airplay on MTV Jams, Music Choice and Fuse. In addition to the video exposure, the song peaked at 89th on the Urban Mainstream Billboard chart, putting the group, their music and their story on the industry’s radar. “The video debuted on BET and the single got a lot of radio support across the country. I think that really put us on the map and now it’s up to us to continue to deliver quality music to our fans. We have a lot of great records on the way,” says Yung E.

Following the success of “Red Carpet,” Likeblood headed to the studio to begin working on their debut LP, “#dabiness” (slated for release in May 2010). The album speaks on the groups journey as up-and-coming artists, and includes the pound sign (“#”) before the title to brand it as a Twitter trending topic, which has proven to be an important element of one’s visibility in the music business (i.e. “dabiness”). Drawing on past experiences, which include opening up for artists such as Drake, Nicki Minaj, LeToya Luckett, Rich Girl, New Boyz, Lil Scrappy and Bun B and features in Hip-Hop Weekly and in Urb Magazine’s “Next 1000 to Blow,” Likeblood gives listeners a taste of the path that they have traveled so far and what it has taken for them to make their way in “#dabiness.”

After finishing 2009 on the road as the opening act for Raekwon’s highly-anticipated, “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. 2″ tour, in January 2010, the group went to urban radio with the first album single, “Money Over Here,” featuring . With a strong debut as the #2 most-added urban record earlier this year, Likeblood has been steadily expanding their fan base and familiarizing the industry, both nationally and internationally, with the Likeblood brand. “The music game, especially now, isn’t about a quick fix. It’s about quality and consistency…that is really our focus right now,” says Dre Strong. “We just want to prove that we can stand with the best and make classic albums. The only way we can do that is to put in the work and just keep grindin’,” says Mbea Da 1. That quote encapsulates the message of “Money Over Here,” which speaks to the grind needed to maintain success.

Look out for “We All Alone: 3010,” a promotional EP from Likeblood dropping in March. Also be on the lookout for Likeblood’s upcoming mixtape, “Capital Wasteland” which is based on the hit video game, “Fallout 3.”

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