Forekast

Forekast aka Trés Styles of Athletic Mic League and THE LAB TECHS Production Team---------As an Artist: --- Trés Styles hails from the six emcee team known as the Athletic Mic League who came together while still attending high school in Ann Arbor, MI. Known then as the Anonymous Clique: Buff, 14KT, Grand Champ, Texture, Tres Styles, and Vital joined forces with DJ Haircut and after two years of love and support from the local hip-hop community they made it official. Athletic Mic League was out to show the world what their brand of hip hop was all about.
By 1998 AML had blessed high school talent shows, house parties, and hip hop nights across Detroit. Following up with their underground classic demo The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Defeat, the buzz grew to deafening levels. In 1999 they settled in Jersey City, quickly building their reputation and skills in the neighboring New York hip-hop scene.
They capitalized on their growing notoriety by dropping their debut album Sweats and Kicks which received rave reviews from the streets and hip hop tastemakers alike. It also afforded them the opportunity of a lifetime. Their debut was heard by Yasser Khan, an upstart young manager out of Detroit's Barak Records. He was enthralled by their sound, and immediately set out to find what he knew was a once-in-a-career group. He introduced them to Barak's CEO, RJ Rice. Rice, a well-known record industry executive, recognized that AML had their finger on the pulse of what hip hop needed: an infusion of originality. Rice is the man behind seminal Detroit hip hop act Slum Village, and knew that if given the proper attention, AML had a chance to make history.
Athletic Mic League spent 2003 under the tutelage of RJ Rice, soaking up knowledge on what makes or breaks records in the ever-changing climate of the music business. The results are astonishing. In November of 2003, AML released their single "Feel It" to a thunderous reaction from the hip hop nation. Their new album Jungle Gym Jungle, is a highly anticipated watershed moment for both Detroit and for hip hop music. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



As a Producer: ---- Forekast is 1/4th of the team known as THE LAB TECHS! The sound machine behind the mighty Athletic Mic League (which he is also a member of) and other artists like Now On, Buff 1 and S.U.N., this four man production team hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan and is the back bone of their independent production company "Lab Technicians Productions". Forekast's individual work goes beyond the typical threshold of today's music, and can easily become the soundtrack of one's life. His catalogue of production credits reflect a combination of hip hop and r&b, seamlessly fusing old school soul, jazz, or rock with new age production for impressive and exciting arrangements for every artist that he works with. Within the Lab Techs team his soulful sound is emotionally thought provoking and distinguished; flexible enough to surpass or adapt to any musical genre. The Ann Arbor, Michigan producer was originally born down south in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He developed his love for music at an early age from his mother and father, as well as his cousins and local neighborhood friends. His parents kept their 70's and 80's soul and blues music on constant rotation, while his cousins and friends helped him absorb the hip hop of the 80's and early 90's. By the time his family had relocated upstate he was hooked on the sounds from the golden era of hip hop. Listening to a variety of artists like Common, De La Soul, Ghetto Boys, Spice One, The Roots, WuTang, Mobb Deep, Snoop, Ice Cube, Camp Lo, Nas, Jay-Z, B.I.G and A Tribe Called Quest kept his inspiration across the board. "In Michigan, you get exposed to every kind of music, so your sound can end up being a collage of all types of things. Music used to mean something back then, and would evoke some sort of awakening within people when they heard it. I believe music can affect people the same as weather can affect life itself. Depending on the climate of the atmosphere around someone as they go about their day, their moods and attitude are subject to change. So they're going to want to hear certain types of music and certain times. I want to nurture that through my music. When a beat or song comes on that I produced, I want it to touch a person's soul significantly, and be the right song for that moment in their lives." -Forekast Over the past few years, The Lab Techs uncanny production styles have caught the ears of several hip hop heavyweights locally and nationally such as Slum Village, Phat Kat, Pharoah Monch, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Mr. Porter, Eminem, Proof, Wajeed, DJ House Shoes, The Boot Camp Click, and many others. They have also provided production for artists such as Juice, Jean Grae, Marv Won, One Be Lo, Now On, Invincible, S.U.N., Subterraneous Crew, and of course the Athletic Mic League, just to name a few. From 1997 through 2006, the releases of Athletic Mic Leagues "Thrill Is Gone" Remix CD, "Sweats & Kicks," and "Jungle Gym Jungle" albums, the Lab Techs signature production brought them to the forefront of the Michigan music scene. Now having helped with production for entire projects outside the camp for S.U.N., "Universes," and Now On, "Eye Level" album, as well as a whole host of other local artists, Forekast is aiming for the industry heads now. Hoping to catch the ear of that one somebody that would catapult his career as an artist/producer to new heights, he keeps hard at work crafting his sound and perfecting his beats. Behind his crew's production company, Lab Technicans Productions, the recently released debut of Now On's "Eye Level" album, and the soon to be released solo album of Buff 1 from AML, Forekast and the Lab Techs team are destined to push and shove their way into a renowned group of elite producers.