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The D.E.Y. | A New D.E.Y. in Music
Those who have survived the night's unforgiving darkness cherish basking in the light of dawn, in the warm promise of a new day. Every so often, in the world of music, an act emerges like a beacon of light, proudly proclaiming its uniqueness, its disinterest in the norm, and its potential for sparking a sonic revolution. In 2007, just like with The Fugees and the Black Eyed Peas, a new era in urban music will be ushered in thanks to a group fittingly known as The DEY. Composed of Divine, Élan, and Yeyo (DEY), the bilingual Latino trio fuses hip-hop, R&B, pop, and Afro-Latino influences for a unique, singing/rapping fusion-heavy sound that celebrates Latinos' rich cultural heritage while also inviting non-Latinos to share in the festivities. Their innovative Epic Records debut promises to unify English-only, Spanish-only, and bilingual Latinos, and to address the interests and concerns of today's generations of multicultural urbanites.
Each of the group's members boasts an extensive artistic resume. Puerto Rican MC Divine started rhyming as a young kid living in the South Bronx. He had a strong influence in the underground world of hip hop, earning the public's respect for his hard-edged rhymes, particularly for the single "Babyface," which was released in a mixtape. Aside from his growing reputation as a clever lyricist, Divine received accolades within the Latin market due to his work with the Afro-Cuban hip-hop band Yerbabuena, for which he co-wrote the Grammy-nominated "Guajira (I Love You Too Much)," which has been featured in films like Honey, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, and HBO's hit series Entourage. But the key to Divine's creative destiny lay in Puerto Rico. When a family crisis arose and he moved to the island in 1998, Divine met a like-minded MC, Yeyo, with whom he would form a creative partnership and establish the foundation for a boundary defying movement.
Though the trio of musicians who make up the DEY didn't grow up together, their interests, both personal and musical, were similar enough that when they eventually met they knew immediately that they should work together After holing up in Miami, the location of Yeyo's The Art of Sound Group production company, for about 4 days, where they began working on their own material, a combination of urban R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, and pop meant to have cross-cultural (and language) landing them a deal with Epic Records. Since then, they co-wrote and were featured on pop star Paula DeAnda's hit "Walk Away," which reached No. 4 on Billboard's Pop 100 Airplay chart.
The DEY is poised to revolutionize the Latin, Pop, and Urban markets with its eclectic debut which his now out as a EP titled "The DEY Has Come' with the full length album to be released during the summer of 2008. The EP features production by Timbaland, JR Rotem, Stargate, and more. The lead single, "Dame Un Momento," a sultry and clap-heavy bilingual club banger, showcases Divine's aggressive but playful lyricism, Yeyo's flirtatious Spanish rhymes, and Élan's soaring vocals, which speak to influences ranging from reggae to East Indian pop.
"¿Qué Vamos a Hacer?," meanwhile, zooms in on the conditions plaguing those in the 'hood. The mournful track addresses political corruption, the harrowing proliferation of violence, and the never-ending problem of racial profiling and, depicts how, as a result, people become hopeless over the governments' refusal to address these problems. "Bendecida Mi Nación," meanwhile, is an ode to our native lands in the tradition of Marc Anthony's adored "Preciosa" ballad. Each single in the album showcases a different aspect of the group, making them all the more relatable to audiences worldwide.
"We want to unify our communities," Divine says of The DEY's mission. "By being bilingual, we address all those people — the non-English speaker and the non-Spanish speaker — and we create a bridge between them, a space where they can all exist."
On May 11th 2008, in Los Angeles, California The DEY and NBC team up to show mom's how important they are to us. They are giving you the chance to spotlight your mom. The moms you love could be the lucky winners of over $250,000 in cash and prizes and have a chance to appear on national television. Make sure to tune in and watch The D.E.Y. perform their new single "She Said" at The NBC Teleflora Mothers Day Special.
Enter your mom here:
Americas Favorite Mom
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