J-Kwon's Debut Album 'Hood Hop' Hits the Top 10!

So So Def/Zomba Label Group recording artist J-Kwon proves that an ambitious 18-year old can take the hard breaks of his St. Louis 'hood to the top of the charts, as his debut album Hood Hop hits #7 on the Soundscan charts scanning over 125K in its first week. The single "Tipsy" moves up to #3 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart, and #1 on the Rap Monitor! With a Hot 100 listening audience of well over 50 million+, J-Kwon has tapped into every format -- up to #2 on the Rhythm Monitor, #3 on the R&B mainstream chart, and bulleting to #3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart.

"Tipsy" was produced by the Trackboyz for Trackboyz Entertainment, and executive produced by Jermaine Dupri and the Trackboyz. Opening with a spoken admonition about teen drinking, "Tipsy" is described by J-Kwon as "a crazy party joint with an old school feel." Co-written by J-Kwon, it's the first hit single from his debut album, HOOD HOP, which arrived in stores March 30th. In addition to cuts produced by the Trackboyz, the album also finds the young artist in the studio with Jermaine Dupri at the controls, and producer Bryan Michael Cox (who has worked with Usher).

The promotional video for "Tipsy" has just been completed with actor-turned-director Life Garland, whose credits include the brand new "Get Low" with Lil' Jon and the Eastside Boyz, and last year's "Ride With Me" by MC Lyte. The video is currently on the video channels including MTV, MTV2 as well as BET.

J-Kwon is a survivor of the mean streets of St. Louis, where he has carved out a rugged existence ever since leaving home four years ago to become a rapper. His tale unfolds in the melodic "They Ask Me," which opens with a supple strumming of a guitar. "That's my story," he says. "For anybody who wants to know the story go to that song and you get the story." He raps, "Times got hard, I had to get harder/Let me take that back, I had to get smarter."

The buzz is already out-of-control in advance of the release of HOOD HOP, whose standout cuts include the passionate and urgent "U Ain't Gotta Like Me," and the cleverly deceptive "You & Me." "I wanna introduce hood to pop and I wanna introduce pop to hood," J-Kwon says of his music. "I want people to understand me. I want love and I want respect and I'm gonna give out respect."

Stay Tuned for upcoming television performances on Last Call With Carson Daly end of April and Summer Music Mania in May.

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   Contact:
   Tice Merriweather, 212.824-1707
   email: Ticeman.Merriweather@bmg.com

SOURCE: So So Def/Zomba Label Group

CONTACT: Tice Merriweather, +1-212-824-1707,
Ticeman.Merriweather@bmg.com, for So So Def-Zomba Label Group

Web site: http://www.j-kwon.com/