A-CLAY

About Me

A-Clay
Born and raised on the west side of Harlem, in the same neighborhood where the movie Juice was filmed, A-Clay began writing poetry at an early age. Writing was an outlet for him as he survived on welfare with his mom and watched family and friends lose their lives to the streets. At 12, his best friend Chopin was shot and killed, and his mother decided for his safety and her sanity that he should go live with his father in North Carolina. It was in North Carolina that he began putting his poetry to music at open mic competitions, winning consistently. After returning to New York, his music career began to blossom. Michael Bivens had placed A-Clay, Poster Boy, and Menace in a group together for his Biv 10 record label, Heavy Hitter DJ S&S took him under his wing where he caught the eye of Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, he was featured on an and1 mixtape, and the future was looking bright. On the eve of his mother’s birthday, A-Clay was strapped for cash and resorted to a robbery in an attempt to get money for a gift and ended up at Riker’s Island for her birthday instead. Shortly after returning from his few months away, he began working with Big Russ and Caution Entertainment, and Bottomline Productions who released the Destined to Make It mixtape featuring A-Clay. Stevie J at Bad Boy Records held a meeting with A-Clay in the Biggie Room to express his appreciation for the music. And then the unthinkable happened. His mom, who had already fought and beat breast cancer once, was fighting it again. Only this time the cancer won, and A-Clay and his six year old brother, Shaquille, were on their own. Music took a backseat to a custody battle between him and Shaquille’s paternal grandmother. It ended with Shaquille going to live with his grandma, and A- Clay putting himself in the studio as often as possible. Heavy Hitters DJ Craig-G and P-Nice released the Welcome to Top Floor Records mixtape in 2005 featuring A-Clay, which remains a hood classic from Harlem to Hartford. He performed at the Back to School Jam show for hot93 in Hartford with Hartford artist Seven and fellow Harlem artist Money Munz. In 2008, A-Clay independently released his first album Under Oath. He appeared on a P-Cutta mixtape, and released his own Wild Wild West mixtape hosted by Super Star Jay with Stick2theStreets Entertainment. He began doing more open mics around New York City at Pyramid and Karma Lounge and even got involved with some off Broadway theatre. Becoming frustrated with having to dictate
the type of beats he wanted to the producers and engineers, he began teaching himself how to create his own. After coming in second in the “Top Unsigned Artists of the Tri-State” contest to a dance music artist, A-Clay became curious about this genre of music. He became an artist for Pure Music Group/Youngstar Mbc. and began working with world-renowned serial refixer DJ Chew FU and R&B Rock singer J-Cast(son of Jimmy Castor). He first appeared as a Youngstar artist on the J-Cast for President mixtape, on which he both performed and wrote songs. With the Youngstar crew he performed at Rain and Moon nightclubs in the Palms resort in Las Vegas, he traveled to Canada where he performed in Edmonton and Alberta, and he did the “Nope is Dope” show in Amsterdam. While overseas, he traveled to Holland and worked with Dutch film makers on his “Dominator” video. DJ Chew FU’s released his EP And...Vol.1 featuring A-Clay on “Dominator”, “Wild Out” featuring Ms. Fitz, “Without You by my Side” with Thom Kerr, and “Hit the Dance Floor” with J-Cast. George Clinton and Bootsy Collins have recorded a hook for A-Clay’s song “I’ll be Home in a Minute” produced by DJ Chew FU. His Lady Gaga “Edge of Glory” remix on YouTube created quite a buzz and currently A-Clay can be heard worldwide on Songcast Internet Radio and seen on Youtube in his newly released video “Murder Rate” by Yahtzee Productions and the “Can’t Quit” video off the Shade 45 “Stoners Only” mixtape produced by Self Service. A-Clay’s first production credits are with former Dipset Artist Tom Gist’s EP From Scratch and his own second album Words Of Honor, Vol. 1 released in 2015. Currently, A-Clay is collaborating with Tom Gist on an project titled “SaintVille” set for release in 2017. To take it a leap further, A-Clay enrolled into SAE Institute of Technology in 2016 to accomplish a higher education within his craft. He is now Pro Tools certified and is fluent in music programs such as, Reasons, Logic, and Ableton, as well as being skilled in recording, mixing and mastering along with song writing, producing and performing. All of these opportunities and experiences have created the well-rounded, diverse, and real artist that is A-Clay.

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