Stack$
Website
Audio
Press: Interviews, Articles & Reviews
- In the Booth Vol 2 Mixtape feature on DJBooth.net – Sept 2009
- Interview @ DrJays.com – Feb 2009
- Interview @ TheBlackUrbanTimes.com – Feb 2009
- Interview @ RockMeTV.com – Feb 2009
“Music is in my soul and shocking the game is my goal. I live and breathe Hip Hop each and every day. My game plan is to redefine and expand Rap as an art form.” Respect, a vicious flow and bringing a fresh element to the game is what it’s all about for this 22-year old rapper.
With the Fall 2008 release of his debut album CraZee and ConfuZed, Stack$ was finally able to flex his musical skill after years of hard work. In 2009, he is preparing a new mixtape entitled Miami Mirage slated for March, and a new EP for later this year. Meanwhile he is helping to build a solid foundation for the SoBe Entertainment label.
Born Yannique Barker, Stack$ spent his early years in D.C. and Maryland. His story is a sure sign of Hip Hop’s ever-expanding appeal from its inner city roots. Stack$ earned his name from Miami rapper Brisco, referring to his ill songwriting skills and multi-dimensional personality. He has plenty to talk about, using elaborate rhyme schemes with a new kind of story —a young entrepreneur and film director immersed in Hip Hop, creating and finding his own way.
The music business is in Stack$ blood. His father, Cecile Barker, managed Sly & the Family Stone and Peaches and Herb, and also co-produced “Midnight Train To Georgia” with his partner Tony Camillo. A true entrepreneur, he founded and built a successful, global aerospace company, and later moved the family to Miami.
Hip Hop’s far-reaching tentacles had already snagged young Stack$, giving him the confidence to go after his own dreams. He submerged himself in studying the masters like Rakim, Biggie and 2Pac, crafting lyrics in the tradition of the great storytellers.
“I rep 305 and Dade County,” Stack$ says. “A lot of people think I only hang out in South Beach. I rep South Beach and hang out in the hood, at the same time. I spit about partying, sex, true life experiences, and the trials and tribulations of trying to gain acceptance in an industry refusing to change. I rap about the sublime and the ridiculous… even humorous incidents that go down in my every day life.”
“Everyone said I wouldn’t make it in Hip Hop, but I’m stubborn. I had to prove them all wrong,” says the new voice of Miami — a smooth, resonant and confident voice that strikes a nerve. After heavyweight producers Swizz Beatz, Pharrell, Steve Morales and Scott Storch signed on for his 2008 debut album, Stack$ showcased his undeniable skills on CraZee and ConfuZed. The album, a chronicle of Stack$’ personal experiences, is a mash-up of styles, regions and eras. It’s an exercise in organized chaos, which inspired the title. “You can’t give buzz to a new style without paying respect to the people who opened the game for you,” Stack$ explains.
Features on CraZee and ConfuZed include Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Twista, The Game, Paul Wall, MJG, 8Ball, Phyllisia, Trick Daddy, Beenie Man, Jah Cure, and Urban Mystic. The first single from the project was “Money Ova Here” featured Lil’ Wayne, followed by the Swizz Beatz-produced club favorite “Whatcha Lookin’ At?” and “That’s the Way” produced by Scott Storch, featuring Fat Joe & Trina.
Following his family’s trailblazing footsteps, Stack$ has diversified his talent in many ways. He attended USC’s School of Film and Cinematography for two years, but set aside filmmaking after he met Scott Storch during a spring break. He transitioned from the camera to the mic, his second love. “My life is dedicated to telling stories, whether in songs or in movies, or in any other medium.” He also focused his energy on the business side of the operation, launching SoBe Entertainment with his father and sister, releasing projects for Brooke Hogan, Jah Cure, Lola, Ce’Cile, Urban Mystic and more.
From Pops, as he calls his dad, Stack$ learned that hard work ultimately leads to rewards; but it’s not money that motivates him. “Money can be a gift or it can be a curse in this life. Pops taught me that my ‘self worth’ is more important than my ‘net worth.’ My goal in the music business is to gain acceptance throughout the industry. Some people forget that Hip Hop has touched everyone on this planet. What I rap about are real life experiences – disappointment, failure, success, drug abuse, sex, partying, financial woes, love, cheating, social, economic, judicial and political chaos – the type of problems we all face in our lives, no matter what our race, religion or culture.”
Stack$ reminds us, “All that should ever matter as a person or as a rapper is that one stays true to oneself and that we are real with each other; sooner or later, ‘real recognizes real.”’
For interviews and press information, contact dove@tygereye.net
