PURPLE PICK: This months pick is singer songwriter Mateo. I have been following him since the days of when MySpace was my favorite past time. He is an AMAZING artist that with a growing fan base all over the map. Very seldom do I get excited about new artist but i admit that I was blown away by  Mateo the minute I heard him sing. He has toured with Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Mario. The crooner describes his music as “piano based” and “all about love”, writes all of his songs and plays the piano.  His mixed tape “Under the Sky ” is set to be released later this year, but for know he has blessed our ears with his live album entitled “Get to Know Me” Live from the Swing House. Many may try to pair him with the likes of Alicia Keys or John Legend, simply because he plays the piano (which is not a bad league to be related to!) – But Mateo is definitely in a class of his own. He’s been under the radar for a while, but the Mateo train is in full locomotion, and quickly moving full speed ahead to the top.  His music is available on iTunes and Amazon. Visit Mateo on www.Mateoonline.com for more stories, videos and music.

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PURPLE BOOK PICK: This months pick for a great read is by Russell Simmons called “Do You” , although the book was published in 2007, I just now got my hands on it and ever since then, I cannot put it down. Simmons serves up the most practical 12 laws on how to move forward in life, business, success, and entrepreneurship. Straying from the quintessential “Self Help” book, Simmons delivers a no “BS” type of approach to each chapter. “Do You” is filled with concrete examples and knowledge that is relevant to today’s society, and it keeps you enlightened and on your toes at the same time. What keeps me the most intrigued with the media mogul, is that he continues to reinvent himself in such a genuine and  philanthropic  way that keeps him relevant to our generation, and many more to come. This book has inspired me to continue to reach new heights  as an entrepreneur.  It is an awesome tool to add to any approach towards success. You can find “Do You” on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

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Coming out on November 6, 2009 the motion picture “Precious” is a film with sheer audacity and utter authenticity, director Lee Daniels tackles “Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire” and creates an unforgettable film that sets a new standard for cinema of its kind. Precious Jones (Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe) is a high-school girl with nothing working in her favor. She is pregnant with her father’s child – for the second time. She can’t read or write, and her schoolmates tease her for being fat. Her home life is a horror, ruled by a mother (Mo’Nique) who keeps her imprisoned both emotionally and physically. Precious’s instincts tell her one thing: if she’s ever going to break from the chains of ignorance, she will have to dig deeply into her own resources. Don’t be misled – “Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire” is not a film wallowing in the stillness of depression; instead, it vibrates with the kind of energy derived only from anger and hope. The entire cast are amazing; they carry out a firestorm of raw emotion. Daniels has drawn from them inimitable performances that will rivet you to your seat and leave you too shocked to breathe. If you passed Precious on the street, you probably wouldn’t notice her. But when her story is revealed, as Daniels does in this courageous film, you are left with an indelible image of a young woman who – with creativity, humor, and ferocity – finds the strength to turn her life around.

As you all have witnessed, 2009 has been a year of many untimely,  and heart wrenching deaths. I am sure more than a few people we have lost this year come to mind as soon as you think about it. The most recent and pointless death we all may be familiar with is the beating death of  a high school student Derrion Albert, who was publicly attacked and beatin on school grounds. Purple Label PR is so honored to represent  Elusion Clothing as a client and a brand that actually stands for something more than just clothes and fashion. The self proclaimed “relatively small brand with a big message “

that has been seen on BET’s 106 & Park hosts Terrance and Rocsi; found it neccessary to design a tee that embodies the need for change in our society. The CEO of the brand, Danita Davis blogged “So far, 2009 has been an insane year. So many people have passed, many to senseless violence and carelessness. Derrion Albert’s passing hit me hard. Hard enough to create a tee, not only in his memory, but for a lot of the violence and deaths that have been happening in the last decade.  The world needs to unite. Sounds impossible, but we have to start somewhere.” Very seldom do you see a clothing line that will stray from the norm of “trendyness” to actually contribute their platform of design to make a difference.

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Elusion Clothing came up with the concept of designing a shirt called “Shatterd Peace”  that retails for $ 25.00 in additon to their collection of eclectic tees; part of the proceeds are given to the family of Derrion Albert. Making a statement and a form of expression is often used as a way of defining fashion. Hands down, without a question –  Elusion Clothing is making one in a stylish and phenomenal way.

For more info on Elusion Clothing visit   www.Elusionclothing.com

PLPR gives Kid Cudi’s album 4 stars hands down. Could our opinion be a bit biased because he is from Ohio? Nah, not at all ! As all purveyors of taste and G.O.O.D. music know, today’s the day Cudi’s album dropped. Man on the Moon has been critically heralded as a classic album of this generation already and from what I’ve heard so far, I would be inclined to agree. I finally got to hear the full version of that song “ALIVE” I was going crazy over a few weeks ago and man it did not disappoint but is probably one of my favorite joints on the album. So make sure to find yourself on the moon sometime this week to get his soundscan poppin’ and while you’re putting on your moonboots be sure to check out that “Alive” track.

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The PLPR video pick of the week is actually not a  music video at all, it’s a commercial that caught our attention simply because in our opinion, it’s one of the dopest one minute ads we’ve laid our eyes on in a while. Just nine days away from “The Blueprint 3″ release date, Jay-Z does promotion for the album on giant digital retail, Rhapsody. In the promotional ad, “Hov” is seen undergoing several clothes changes from donning a formal suit to sporting a casual t-shirt and cap.

“The Blueprint 3″ is scheduled to be released in U.S. on September 11. Several singles from the album have made their way out. My favorite of the few is “A Star Is Born” featuring J.Cole. His most recent songs which hit the web are “Empire State of Mind” featuring Alicia Keys, “Hate” featuring Kanye West .
“I may be the most bootlegged artist in history,” Jay-Z commented on the leaks to MTV. “It’s a preview. I’m excited for people to hear the album. I’m very proud of the work I’ve done, so enjoy it.”

On the day the effort arrives in stores, Jay-Z will perform at a concert dubbed “Fuse Presents JAY-Z Live from Madison Square Garden. Answer the Call” on September 11. Accompanied by his wife Beyonce Knowles, he recently held a press conference announcing the gig.

The concert is aimed to raise money for New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund, a charity created to support the families of police officers and firefighters who have died in the line of duty. Tickets for the show will go on sale starting on September 8 for $50.

“I turned the TV on September 12 [a day after 11/9 World Trade Center incident] and I saw footage of these heroic actions, people running to buildings and saving each other and I saw the strength of New York,” Jay-Z told the press. “It made me proud. So, as I was embarking on putting out ‘Blueprint 3,’ it was only right that we revisit that day. This is my chance to do something to help out.” On who will perform at the gig as special guests, he stated, “I’m trying to put that together.”

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“Crumbling Therapy”

Our Purple Label Pick of the month comes from natives of Inglewood California. (West-Sieeede!!) Comprised of three twenty-somethings guys by the names of Sleezy, Kent, and Tube, together they form a trio called OverDoz. As cliche’ as it may sound, these guys really have a sound all their own. They have an Outkast-meets-electric circus kind of vibe, that you can dance to, rock to, or just ride out to. The main thing that I really dig about OverDoz is, not only do they have a good lyrical standout  with eclectic beats, get this – they can sing to!  With a mixtape in circulation, and a recent video shoot under their belt for their single ‘Crumbling Therapy” these guys are totally on our radar as one of the next artists to watch.