STARR MEDIA GROUP   (October 2007) | Written By: Rud

      Usually when we tackle an On The Come Up article we focus on an artist or a group however on this occasion when presented with an entire label packed with talent, it was only right to feature them as a collective.

Having been in the game for just ten months most could be excused for just finding their feet and looking at year two to make some major moves. That is not an option that the Starr Media Group have approached the industry with. In less than a year the Starr Media Group, a.k.a. S.M.G.,  have already made an impact on the underground circuit and are now targeting the mainstream.

S.M.G. is a multimedia entertainment company founded by life-long friends Ron "Ronnie Knottz" Clark and Andre "Dre Dinero" Davis. Rather than the often "testing the waters" attitude of most start-up companies, the duo ensured S.M.G. hit the ground running with a mix of artists that had the ability and more importantly the drive to succeed. Using the mentality that it is essential that artists get the special attention needed to go from a talent to a star.

Without any financial backing of a major, S.M.G. has already produced and distributed CD singles and material during 2006 that includes rapper C-Gutta’s "One Hell of a Drug," the "City of
Starrz" mixtape (hosted by Kay Slay’s DJ Radio), the collaboration record from Joe Clark, Ox Pro and C-Gutta entitled "I’m Fresh" as well as their R&B singer Rita Tyler’s "I’m a Flirt" single that recently hit Hot 97’s Playlist.

As its first year in the industry nears completion S.M.G. has already started talks with major labels as regards its next steps. When asked about the talks Andre Davis and Ron Clark stated; "We are in meetings with a huge label that established artists would love to align themselves with," indicating that the wheels have been set in motion that could see S.M.G. under the umbrella of a multi-national organisation by 2008.

The picking of the team that makes up the Starr media Group has been a process that required time and effort to ensure the integrity and the ethos of the company were built from solid foundations. The label now consists of 6 members; 5 rappers, an R&B singer and a Reggaeton artist as well as a four-member in-house production team; The Presidentz.

In 2007 the group have already seen accolades fall upon their R&B star Rita Tyler, who is a current nominee for the 2007 Underground Awards Category "Most Promising R&B Singer," as well as the in-house Production team, The Presidentz, who have been labelled "the craziest Reggaeton producers on this planet," according to Grammy-Award winning producer Rocwilder. The Presidentz received this accolade from the producer himself when they recently gained recognition in Rocwilder’s tournament, RocBattle. They left the battle as undefeated Grand Champions.  S.M.G. artists also walked away as winners from the Urban Threshold Music Showcase, where they were up against 17 other acts.

Regular Dubcnn visitors will have noticed the Starr Media Groups advertising campaign for their Sophomore CD release, "The Cookout" which hit stores in August. Distribution has also been set up at the official company’s website, Starrmediagroup.com and internet retailers including CDBaby, ITunes and Snocap.

S.M.G. artists have been featured across Print Media publications as well as a host of online outlets and will soon be featured on the Hot 97 Playlist CD, All Access and Smack DVD releases. Andre Davis and Ron Clark are quickly gaining media attention and industry respect through S.M.G.'s relentless grind and desire to succeed.

As we mentioned earlier the Starr Media Group is a multimedia entertainment company and as such the organisation is now operating a television and modelling division as well as a functioning international arm being developed in Perth Australia. "We are taking over the industry. You can ride with us or get job eliminated, either way, it’s going to happen," Andre Davis and Ron Clark explained.

With that said we feel its only right to supply you with some audio from the Starr Media Group to give you a flavor of what they bring to the table.

We have selected the latest single to be taken from the sophomore CD release from S.M.G., "The Cookout" entitled "Yes Yes Ya'll," a track that sees Joe Clark and Synatra combine over a Presidentz produced track. The duo deliver over this high energy, club ready beat that is sure to be in heavy rotation over the coming weeks.

Joe Clark & Synatra - Yes Yes Ya'll (Produced By The Presidentz)

The Starr Media Group is most definitely a label and a company to watch over the next 12 months, with a strong ethos on building artists and working with talent to nurture them into future stardom - its an interesting mix and possibly a recipe for mainstream success. Stay tuned to Dubcnn for more news and media and dont forget to check out more media and information on the official company website, Starrmediagroup.com and their MySpace page.

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