BOOTLEG

Bootleg, founder of the now notorious Flint, MI group, Hes back with a new C.D., The Product due to be released on Fharmacy Records, October 25, 2005. Bootleg, already a legendary component of the Midwest underground scene has done it again with a hot new single titled, Oh My! Its the first release off the highly anticipated album titled The Product and is an anthem that speaks to a lifestyle many only hear or read about.



Life in the trenches of the Midwest is far from easy, in fact more often than not, it can be reminiscent of the most brutal battleground. And if that analogy is true, then Bootleg is definitely a soldier whos war tactics include setting fire to mics and sound-booths all over southeastern Michigan.



In the wake of two successful The Dayton Family albums, a solo debut and a follow-up, Bootlegs latest solo effort is packed full of a realism so magnetic that it permeates every bass line and beat. The Product is just what the title suggests-a commodity that meets the peoples demands. It lends to the rap game a level of life, passion and art so integrated that upon first listen one seems to be transported instantaneously to the gritty streets of the F-L-I-N-T.



Bootlegs seasoning and overall hardcore persona are attributed to lifelong street influences coupled with a brief stint in prison. Hes no wanna-be gangsta but instead hes a byproduct of what Flint city life offers. Bootleg extends to the listener a generous soundtrack that documents the days in the life of a modern day hustler. In the grimy Midwest, where players of the universal game convene, you will find Bootleg and his Product being pushed by a Fharmacy whos medicine includes some of the most street, hardcore, gangsta music this side of the rap game.Bootleg not only made a name for himself in the Midwest hardcore rap underground as a member of the infamous Flint, MI, group but also as a solo artist. While many MCs rap about crime and the gangsta lifestyle, few can actually back up their talk. No stranger to crime or prison, Bootleg is one of the few hardcore rappers who speaks directly from experience. It's this sincerity and experience that sets him apart from his wannabe peers, making him one of the Midwest's most notorious hardcore rappers.



After joining forces with fellow Flint MCs Shoestring and Matt Hinkle, Bootleg tagged the trio the The Dayton Family in commemoration of the shady, crime-ridden street they called home. By 1995 the trio had released their first album, What's on My Mind?, followed a year later by the gold-selling F.B.I. While both albums generated a substantial amount of attention and hype in the underground hardcore rap scene, the law unfortunately intervened, and the group members soon found themselves behind bars for various crimes. Of course, prison wasn't a new experience for Bootleg. In fact, he'd spent the greater part of the '90s behind bars, accumulating priceless experiences that fueled his criminal-minded rhymes.



Once Bootleg finally got out of prison, he used every free moment to work on his solo debut, 1999's Death Before Dishonesty. Unfortunately, partly because of the three-year interval since F.B.I., Bootleg's debut didn't sell as well as hoped for, and Relativity Records quickly parted ways with the troubled rapper. In 2001, Bootleg returned to the rap game, though, joining forces with the Detroit-based Overcore label (Esham, Natas). He released his second album, Hated By Many, Loved By Few, that year as did the other The Dayton Family members