Ezekiel Ayo Idhe, better know as AYO is the triple threat music act who will be on the tip of everyone’s tongues in 2011 and beyond.
Born in 1986 in Hackney, AYO is one of seven siblings that were raised by a single parent. His brothers and sisters, one of which is rapper Naila Boss, used to spend their time listening and sometimes making and rehearsing songs to perform to the rest of the family.
AYO had a somewhat disruptive childhood. He moved schools regularly and ended up moving to the New York aged 13 to live with his uncle. “As I lived in a single parent household my mother sent me to New York to live with my uncle for a while to experience life with a male father figure/role model. This played a big part in my upbringing.”
The producer, rapper and songwriter dabbled with music from the age of 12 when he created a duo with himself and a friend called Illstarz – AYO was the lyricist and his friend made the beats. AYO recalls, “The group I was in was like a modern day ‘Gangstarr’; I was the rapper, Steph was the producer”. When AYO moved to the States he no longer had someone to make beats for him so he taught himself how to produce, and the rest as they say is history.
Upon coming back to the UK, AYO enrolled at Collage Arts Music School where he studied his craft for three years. Fellow producer/artist and friend Labrinth was a classmate of his. In terms of his passion for music “I have always been a big fan of all types of music, especially urban - hip-hop in particular... I think the passion of creation comes from all facets of life and the joy of being able to put it to song"
2010 was a big year for the self-taught musician as his track ‘Far Away’ featuring Ironik and Joelle Moses was released and put AYO on the map as not just a producer but also as a rapper. "I don't think I have had a sudden first big break! I think my career has grown gradually, but I think the point when I felt like "wow I am in the game now" was when I released my first self financed single which was 'Far Away'. It definitely changed a lot of things from an artist perspective". The soft release of ‘Far Way’ and the accompanying remix featuring Wretch 32, Ironik, Baby Blue, Bigz and Shay generated a massive buzz around AYO. ‘Far Away’ acted as a catalyst as artist Tza used one of AYO’s productions ‘Her and Me’ as his promo track, which AYO also featured on. The track generated 350,000 views on YouTube without being officially released.
As the co-owner of the record label Illstarz/Seismic Sounds, which he is also signed to, and his production company Illstarz, this entrepreneur is looking to take his career to the next level by releasing his debut album later this year, which he is currently putting his final touches to. In the mean time AYO will be releasing his first single for 2011 ‘Miracle Girl’ and ‘Illstarz Vol 1’, AYO’s EP that features tracks that AYO has made for himself as well as well known other UK rappers/MC’s. The EP is just a sample of all the hard work that AYO put into 2010.
‘Top Man’ remix one of the singles from Illstarz Vol. 1; the original features Birmingham’s Mista Downside. Ayo goes back and forth with Downside between a legendary Dizzie Rascal sample, paying homage to the U.K Veteran. However with the single and video receiving loud reviews, it was evident the remix had to be done, so AYO recruited the services of two rising stars 'Teezy' and Calibars (from Wretch 32's camp) and the result pulled off a U.K street anthem.
Born in 1986 in Hackney, AYO is one of seven siblings that were raised by a single parent. His brothers and sisters, one of which is rapper Naila Boss, used to spend their time listening and sometimes making and rehearsing songs to perform to the rest of the family.
AYO had a somewhat disruptive childhood. He moved schools regularly and ended up moving to the New York aged 13 to live with his uncle. “As I lived in a single parent household my mother sent me to New York to live with my uncle for a while to experience life with a male father figure/role model. This played a big part in my upbringing.”
The producer, rapper and songwriter dabbled with music from the age of 12 when he created a duo with himself and a friend called Illstarz – AYO was the lyricist and his friend made the beats. AYO recalls, “The group I was in was like a modern day ‘Gangstarr’; I was the rapper, Steph was the producer”. When AYO moved to the States he no longer had someone to make beats for him so he taught himself how to produce, and the rest as they say is history.
Upon coming back to the UK, AYO enrolled at Collage Arts Music School where he studied his craft for three years. Fellow producer/artist and friend Labrinth was a classmate of his. In terms of his passion for music “I have always been a big fan of all types of music, especially urban - hip-hop in particular... I think the passion of creation comes from all facets of life and the joy of being able to put it to song"
2010 was a big year for the self-taught musician as his track ‘Far Away’ featuring Ironik and Joelle Moses was released and put AYO on the map as not just a producer but also as a rapper. "I don't think I have had a sudden first big break! I think my career has grown gradually, but I think the point when I felt like "wow I am in the game now" was when I released my first self financed single which was 'Far Away'. It definitely changed a lot of things from an artist perspective". The soft release of ‘Far Way’ and the accompanying remix featuring Wretch 32, Ironik, Baby Blue, Bigz and Shay generated a massive buzz around AYO. ‘Far Away’ acted as a catalyst as artist Tza used one of AYO’s productions ‘Her and Me’ as his promo track, which AYO also featured on. The track generated 350,000 views on YouTube without being officially released.
As the co-owner of the record label Illstarz/Seismic Sounds, which he is also signed to, and his production company Illstarz, this entrepreneur is looking to take his career to the next level by releasing his debut album later this year, which he is currently putting his final touches to. In the mean time AYO will be releasing his first single for 2011 ‘Miracle Girl’ and ‘Illstarz Vol 1’, AYO’s EP that features tracks that AYO has made for himself as well as well known other UK rappers/MC’s. The EP is just a sample of all the hard work that AYO put into 2010.
‘Top Man’ remix one of the singles from Illstarz Vol. 1; the original features Birmingham’s Mista Downside. Ayo goes back and forth with Downside between a legendary Dizzie Rascal sample, paying homage to the U.K Veteran. However with the single and video receiving loud reviews, it was evident the remix had to be done, so AYO recruited the services of two rising stars 'Teezy' and Calibars (from Wretch 32's camp) and the result pulled off a U.K street anthem.
ayo-music.com
twitter.com/ayomusic
facebook.com/ayopersonal
For more information contact
Erica & Echo
Promotions Coordinators
Concrete Music Promotions
e: echo@concretemusic.co.uk
w: www.concretemusic.co.uk
w: concretemusicpr.tumblr.com
TopMan
Download illstarz Mixtape HERE
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