Underground
rapper and 2005 Fight Klub battle champion Serius Jones is taking his act to the
majors as the newest member of Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace (DTP) record label.DTP
executives confirmed the signing with AllHipHop.com today (Jan. 16). The signing
ends months of negotiations and speculation about which major label the rapper
will call home. "I
saw him on AllHipHop.com and I saw him doing his grassroots movement and I was
impressed. He’s going to help the DTP record label expand from the south,"
DTP Co-founder/CEO Jeff Dixon told AllHipHop.com. "He’s focused and he’s
good with his craft. He’s a breath of fresh air. Everybody felt that he was just
a battle rapper, but I felt his swagger and he has a career far beyond that. He’s
a complete artist." DTP
Co-founder/CEO Chaka Zulu predicts Jones’ diverse talents will be an asset for
the label in 2007."I
feel that Serius is capable of changing the game as we know it," Zulu said.
"He is battle-proven, but not limited to being a battle rapper. His approach
to Hip-Hop is refreshing and challenging, and it’s no holds barred. ’07 is going
to be serious for Hip-Hop… pun intended."Known
for his witty realism, wordplay and distinctive voice, Jones made his presence
known in the music industry, after defeating 12 opponents and a legendary 2004 Fight Klub/AllHipHop.com battle where he defeated legendary freestyler Jin, to capture the 2005 title and cash prize.Soon
after, the New Jersey lyricist caught the eye of multi-platinum producer Needlz,
who noted Jone’s passion, broad appeal and charisma."Serius
is an amazing artist to work with," said Needlz. "He is a funny, charismatic,
approachable guy that is always coming up with new ideas and concepts that the
average person would never think of. It’s rare to work with someone that has a
personality so transparent through their music."The
rapper, who is currently working with DTP to unleash his original street album
King Me through independent distribution, expressed excitement over his
new recording home and elevated status in the rap arena."I’ve
sold over 8,000 mixtapes, from barbershops to corner stores, from the trunk of
my car," the rapper stated. "Now I’m ready to take the Life Is Serius
movement to the next level. It’s good to be able to announce my situation with
DTP. The label understands my vision and the Life Is Serius movement, and
they are behind my project 100 percent."Jones’
Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam debut album Life is Serius is slated for a
summer 2007 release.