BRANDON RANKIN A.K.A. LIL’ RYCH Hip Hop – Story-Telling Songwriter Single Title: “I Don't Believe You” Single Release Date: Aug 11, 2015 EP Title: Problem Child Music Label: Mason J Records When most 18-year old high school students are spending time on Snap Chat, Instagram and Twitter comparing the latest Jordan Retro Hydros to girls, boys and sex, hip hop songwriter, Brandon Rankin, also known by his stage name as Lil’ Rych, is in his father’s trailer home at the end of a gravel road, penning his thoughts on paper, mixing notes with story-telling lyrics, spitting verses, and crafting beats with a penchant – determined to deliver his music to the streets with a competitive edge. He keeps his mind on his music and music on his mind. The night started with a party and ended at University Hospital, where doctors pronounced Bryan “Phatman” Rankin dead from gunshot wounds. In what felt like an instant, Brandon Rankin lost his brother to gun violence in their hometown. In the days to come, the musical alter-ego, Lil’ Rych, was born in this vacant space. Several days following the shooting, he wrote his first song, “R.I.P. (Rest in Paradise),” a tribute to Phatman. This life-changing incident propelled him to write a song that would eventually help sustain him, and also unveil his gift for song-writing, at the young age of 14. A native of Portland, OR whose family was deeply rooted in music, Lil’ Rych grew up having to constantly adapt to change, as he was the son of a musician who toured the country quite often. Music was a large part of his family. His father performed regularly with some of the greatest voices in R& B soul during the 80’s and 90’s, and his brothers were very immersed in the rap music culture. Although he spent a good portion of his formative years being uprooted between Minneapolis, Iowa and Missouri, he finally landed in Atlanta to begin laying down the foundation to his own music career path. Granted, he had worked with local producers in his hometown, but he understood the importance of having a strong team behind him to support his music and take him to the next level. Smartly, he forged a union with super-producer Chris Starr, CEO of CSP Music Group and Mason J Records in Atlanta (song collaborations and associations: Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, David Banner, Jennifer Lopez, Gorilla Zoe…) who understood his vision as story-telling artist. After teaming with Starr and tracking engineer Bishop, he hit the studio, started writing songs and rolling out a collection of swag-filled contagious tracks for his new EP titled Problem Child. The first single from his new EP, the infectious “I Don’t Believe You,” is a story that talks people not keeping it real, boasting on social media when its not true. “She said her edges on fleek… I don’t believe you.” Produced by Starr and Bishop, the song which is available on iTunes through Mason J Records, is a sampling of what to expect, as he puts the finishing touches on his upcoming EP. Problem Child (fall, 2015 release) boasts a medley of tracks to get the club jumping, mixed in with backpack party beats and songs that tell authentic stories about Lil’ Rych’s own personal journey, from his perspective. Tracks like “I Don’t Believe You” describes how people try to be something they’re not, while “I’m The Man” talks about the confidence of a person who has strong beliefs that others know about, without them having to ask. Other songs like “Polo” and “All My Money,” are fueled by a ton of flavor, fun and imagery of fast cars, money, and attitude. With a swaggering performance, live arrangements of hip hop drums, rhythmic bass lines, a cut through lead guitar, and the sound effects of keyboards to back him up, Lil’ Rych is sure to have fans nodding their heads, the streets on fire and the girls “turned up.” There is no doubt that Lil’ Rych will make a lasting impact as one of the newcomers on the Hip Hop scene. He has learned at an early age that the road ahead is not always an easy one, but he’s ready to put in the work. Website: www.lilrych.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/Brandonmuzic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilRychMuzic?ref=bookmarks Instagram: https://instagram.com/lil_rych/