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“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>When they caught each other in passing as they came in and out of Saints studio way back when, neither could have guessed they were destined to be partners.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Orlando “Pretty Boy” Watson was the veteran and Bradd Young was like the kid brother of the bunch who used the facility – so much so that he would be forced to stand by and wait for the older producers to finish before he could have his turn in the booth.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>At the time, Young wasn’t even an afterthought in Watson’s universe as a record label owner and producer.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>More than ten years later, the tide had indeed changed.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I was like ‘we either gotta sign this dude or partner up because I don’t want him as competition,” Orlando Pretty Boy Watson said after hearing singer Young’s grown man talent as a producer and artist.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>It was just that simple. Even before the label was formed they had hit records from the production side of things working with artists like Akon, June 5th, Kelly Rowland, Jibbs, Swizz Beatz, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Yo Gotti, Young Jeezy to name a few.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>But then it became complicated, so they decided to jump in head- first in order to ensure their music would be delivered to the masses.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“We hadn’t planned on starting a label, we were just planning to make some money on the production side and then segue into Bradd getting a record deal as a solo artist,” Watson said. “But when you are a producer for hire you don’t really control that content. Like with Tyra – we did Tyra’s entire album and they only released three singles so the rest of the material is on the shelf forever.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The R&B singer’s singles were in heavy rotation and well received by fans, but the finished project never saw the light of day.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“That’s heartbreaking because we put a lot of time and passion into that album and it’s incredible,” Watson said.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>What started as a production duo five years ago has evolved into a full-fledged label with a team of artists (including Aloha MiSho, Young, Donnie Banxx, Mai Lee and Vega) with a spectrum of sounds that represent STL R&B and hip-hop that come together to form Rockhouse Ent.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The name is homage to “the house that Rock built” tribute to St. Louis’ stamp on mainstream music, thanks to the contributions of Chuck Berry.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Rockhouse’s mission is to make St. Louis a musical Mecca.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“What we’re shooting for is a little lofty in these times,” Watson said. “But we want to have a company that embodies the same type of thing that Babyface and LA Reid had with LaFace Records. We want to be for St. Louis what they were for Atlanta.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Their goal is ambitious to say the least – and it is all but expected that haters will pull one name in particular from their bag of tricks as a reference to offer up a “been there, done that.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Nelly and The Lunatics didn’t start as a label they were an act,” Watson said. “When people knock Nelly about what he did or didn’t do, Nelly did exactly what he set out to do…and that was being a superstar – which wasn’t easy! He didn’t want to be a Russell Simmons. And even still he’s employed 30-40 people through Derrty Ent. People have to respect what people’s visions are.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Watson, Young and the Rockhouse family seek to transform the game in St. Louis through the perfect blend of sound and swagger.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“There is so much talent in St. Louis that you almost have to weed through it,” Young said. “What separates the artists on Rockhouse honestly is the style. This can be history with all of these great artists.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Singer Aloha MiSho actually credits Rockhouse for allowing her to step into herself as an artist and songwriter since her days as a semi-finalist on American Idol.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I feel like I’m reborn and Rockhouse is definitely an extension of it,” MiSho said. “I’ve been embraced in such a way and I don’t think I could have grown this way on my own.” “font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>As Rockhouse grows as a label, the team seeks to find acts that are unique help them to be developed and put them on a national scale.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“The sound of Rockhouse is traditional but it’s also innovation,” Young said. “Our tag is: ‘We follow history, not trends.’ We strive to make music that will stand the test of time.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>When you think about people like Quincy Jones and Babyface, their goal was to make classic music.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>As an organization, they want to be to St. Louis – U. City in particular – what Motown was to Detroit.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>MiSho has already earned bragging rights thanks to her EP “Badd,” which features Rockhouse artists Vega and Donnie Banxx.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Young, Mai Lee Banxx and Vega are currently in the studio finishing projects.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“The mission is not to get Bradd and Aloha a quick deal, take a couple of dollars and then disappear,” Watson said. “Our goal is to reestablish urban music. It’s not something that happens overnight and it’s not easy – some nights you want to throw in the towel. We keep going because number one we know that we have the talent and we have the drive to move forward.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Survivor’s ball
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Watson’s successful battle against cancer has been anything but a secret over the years. Starting at 7 p.m. next Sunday (May 1) he will be celebrating his survival and moving beyond his health issues with his “I’m A Survivor All White Party and Cancer Benefit.” Fox 2 News’ April Simpson – who faced a health struggle of her own as she underwent brain tumor surgery and treatment – will be a special guest when the party takes place at The Forest Park
Golf
Clubhouse (6141 LAGOON DRIVE).
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>For or information about Rockhouse Ent., visit
“http://www.rockhousemusic.net/”>
“color: windowtext;”>www.rockhousemusic.net information on the Survivors Ball, visit
“http://www.survivorstl.com/” target=”_blank”>
“color: windowtext;”>http://www.survivorstl.com/
