Many determined rappers emerge from New York State Correctional Facilities but few achieve recognition beyond their own borough. Brownsville Brooklyn’s St. Laz is a notable exception. Features on tracks with major artists including Jim Jones, Styles P, Joel Ortiz, Uncle Murda and Sheek Louch along with a continual stream of hard-hitting, in your face mixtape tracks have made St. Laz an underground rap legend. The self proclaimed patron of the poor has singles playing on US, European and African radio stations, features on underground rap DVDs, videos on several US video shows and major Hip Hop sites and has licensed content to Sony Pictures, Showtime and Fox Sports.

DJ FADE, GET’ EMs Most Valuable Player in 2007, is a major force in independent urban music. Fade’s fans rewarded his flawless ear and unwavering support of independent talent by selecting him as the 2005 Southern Entertainment Awards innovative Mixtape DJ of the Year. DJ Fade avoids the awards show circuits and concentrates on the music and the mix and the true art of DJing. DJ Fade has moved over 2.5 million mixtapes across the world and was one of the pioneering members of the mixtape industry. Fade has risen from the Dirty South to become known worldwide in Underground Hip Hop. He was recently profiled in Juice Magazine in Europe as one the most innovative Mixtape DJ’s in the world. DJ Fade has become one the leading forces in online hip hop. Owning such power hip hop sites such as thatcrack.com hiphopspy.com hiphopstarship.com and over 20 other sites.

New Orleans native PeeWee Dread combines reggae, roots, dancehall music with hip hop for an original show. PeeWee has played all over the US and has shared the stage with Third World, Afroman, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Yellowman, Sister Carol, Marley Son’s, Elephant Man, Justin Hines, DMX, Tony Asher and many more. Peewee’s band Dread I Dread has twice been honored as the Minnesota Reggae Artists of the Year.

Opium aka “The Hangman” embodies New Industry’s commitment to real hip hop. A hard hitting rapper from the streets and an original member of Pottersfield, Opium is driven by an unwavering commitment to breaking down barriers for impoverished artists and creating opportunities for what he considers “slaves of the ghetto.”