Nappy Roots

SKINNY

"A damn shame gotta grind anything and every thang, Jimmy Crack Corn 'cross the county line wit' Mary Jane" – Skinny Deville



Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Skinny DeVille is the oldest of four brothers and sisters and the father of three. After high school, he attended Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and then went on to hook up with Clutch, Big V, Scales and B. Stille to form what would soon become a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum super group known as Nappy Roots.



Although there is no official leader in this band of brothers, Skinny DeVille is the man with the plan and is considered to be the unofficial H.N.I.C. Also known as "The Bluz Travela", Skinny's style, demeanor, swagger, and vision coincides well with the other joint chiefs in Nappy Roots; and with his eclectic vintage vibe, confident attitude, and laid-back demeanor, it's safe to assume that this pioneer of reality rap has more to offer the hip hop community in the near future.



Skinny is currently working on various independent projects with NREG (Nappy Roots Entertainment Group), including his debut solo album "The Bluz Travela".



SCALES

"My first song was like 48 bars with no hook…" -- Fish Scales



Though he speaks a slum language, his conversation is one of positivity. This was the introduction to the world of Fish Scales. From the first line of their hit "Awnaw", Fish Scales made it clear that he carried the spirit of hip hop through his lyrics. Compared to the likes of Nas, Kanye West, and Talib Kweli, Scales has the ability to bring pride and respect back to the MC.



Born and raised in Milledgeville, Georgia, Scales moved to Kentucky with a basketball scholarship and continued his education. Soon after, he and a group of friends formed Nappy Roots, who would soon meet tremendous success within the music industry. When asked what element Fish Scales brought to the group, he replied "that laid-back crunk, down south Georgia boy feel." Indeed his Georgia ties equated to a mass of support from his home state.



In between Nappy Roots projects, Fish Scales used the time to distinguish himself as a creative solo artist and built a significant fanbase in middle Georgia. He released "Da Sticks Mixtape, Volume 1? in late 2006, which featured members of Nappy Roots, Jay-Z and members of his side project, The Stick Boyz.



Fish Scales is currently working on his debut album "The Balance" to which he explains, "For the first time, you're going to hear an artist really speak on both sides of the game. I've been through the streets, the college, the church, the drugs, the 9-5. I'm not glorifying any of these things, but you'll hear influences from them all." His life is a unique reflection and balance of all these elements, and Scales promises to deliver the same equilibrium to the music.



His street smart style can infect radio stations, while still tackling the listener's consciousness with a socio-economical or spiritual meaning. That's Fish Scales.



BIG-V

That's The Balance.



Nicknamed the "Southern Big Papa" and known for his warm, infectious, animated personality, Big V aka Vito Banga has a likable quality that reaches out and grabs you; a trait which is threaded into his music. He takes credit for understanding people and music and how music makes its statement.



Born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Big V began rapping at the age of 13. He began his professional music career as a member of the platinum-selling group Nappy Roots eight years later in 1995, who has since earned nominations for several music awards, including the Grammy's and the American Music Awards.



Remembering such legendary artists as Tupac, Big Papa and Outkast, Big V desires to bring rap back to a time when there were great lyrics and artistry, while also showcasing his ability to adapt to today's style with his versatile flow. He describes his style as "Reality Rap."



Big V helped put the south on the map in the rap industry and is considered to have been very influential in the southern movement. He also attended school for acting and prides himself in being a great actor, songwriter and scriptwriter.



Rather than projecting a hard image, Big V's vibrant spirit thrives on realness; therefore it is only appropriate that his forthcoming debut solo album be titled "Too Real Too Be Hard".



B-STILLE

B. Stille, also called Buffalo Stille for possessing the self-described animal traits of a buffalo, is the youngest member of Nappy Roots and was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. The middle of three children, B. Stille was the only boy who found himself interested in music at a very early age. By twelve years old, he had already written and recorded his first album entitled "On a Mission" and also co-produced many of his first recordings.



In high school, B. Stille won several talent shows and even appeared on local news channels for his freestyle ability. One of the first of many talented rappers from the city of Louisville, B. Stille was destined to be a recording artist on the national scene with his introspective and deeply lyrical rhymes.



B. Stille -- who was recently featured in The Source magazine for having the prestige hip hop quotable -- kicked one of the critically-acclaimed performances and fan favorite verses on the single "Down 'N Out" featuring Anthony Hamilton.



Be sure to check out B. Stille's mind-blowing freestyle "Put Your L's Up" on HipHopDX: http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/audio/id.4432/title.b-stille-nappy-roots-put-your-ls-up-freestyle and be on the lookout for B. Stille's upcoming solo album, 'Distillery'.



CLUTCH

"They wanna know what makes Ron Clutch tick, I tell 'em [it's] unconditional love for my click." -- Ron Clutch (from "Fast Car")



Ronald Clutch Wilson, known to the world as Ron Clutch, was born in Louisville, Kentucky on November 5, 1974. Growing up in the eighties, Clutch was exposed to a rich mixture of music consisting of Funk, R&B, Rock 'n Roll, Gospel, and not to mention the birth of one of the most influential music forms -- hip hop.



At a time when drugs and violence consumed the block, Clutch narrowly escaped the trappings of poverty. Always aware that education was the key to success, he enrolled in school at Western Kentucky University in 1993 where he was first introduced to Skinny DeVille.



After countless late night parties and drunken freestyle ciphers on and around campus, Nappy Roots was born. With a shared love and passion for hip hop, Nappy grew in size and stature to what it is today. Ron Clutch, along with Nappy, continue to strive to bring a fresh, down-home feel to hip hop with a big dose of soul, mixed with reality.



Clutch, the senior member of the group is considered to be the "conscious of the group," this according to Nappy Roots' member, Big V as quoted by Rolling Stone magazine.



Along with his continuous work with Nappy, Ron Clutch is also busy working on some other different projects as well (as reported by Skinny DeVille to Word of South).