The Rise, Fall & Rise of K-BETA “I came out of the womb with the power to move mountains and hills Reverse the flow of water my body was instilled With strength beyond imagination, performed miracles Object of fascination…” Born amidst an already troubled marriage, K-Beta was brought into music early on. His mother was in a funk/soul band in the 70’s, and his father frequented the jazz and blues circuit in Mississippi and Chicago. As a very young child, Beta soaked in the sounds of Kool & The Gang, Chuck Brown, Sade, and others that provided the soundtrack to his early years. “…my curiosity led me to look, for the meaning of manhood In the same hood that never taught my pops The same hood in which I fought the drops Of tears, and ripped off the tops Of beers in defense…” In 1988, Beta was off to live with his father in District Heights, MD. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, his heart and mind were completely engulfed in a mix of the positive and uplifting ideals of the music of that era, and the harsh, grim reality of life in the ghetto. During this time, Beta began writing raps of his own, emulating the styles of the MC’s whose words were permanently burned into his memory. Attending Suitland High School, he was a silent observer of rhyme ciphers in the hallways and the locker room. “…chasing a dream like a dog playing fetch & catch Then it faded like a picture shaken off an etch-a-sketch Stretched out on a bunk. 20 months self-pity On my way to hell and trying to take everyone else with me…” Over the next 10 years, his life spiraled into a whirlwind of crime, prison, homelessness, drug addiction…all leading up to now. Having adopted the name K-BETA for undisclosed reasons, Beta is primed and prepared for success. After coming out of his second incarceration, he has begun an all-out assault on the rap game. No stage in DC has been spared the weight of his force. His street CD, nigger, is rapidly becoming the talk of the Metro. This is the championship run. The story continues as it is lived. “…desire burns in the spirit I live the lyrics.”