"Rich Kidz"
"Rich Kidz"
The Rich Kids are the next musical movement from Atlanta, Georgia.
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Follow twitter Kaelub aka P'U
Follow twitter Skateboard Skooly aka Skool Boi
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Members in this days:Kaelub & Skool Boy, The Rich Kids have the Atlanta underground music-scene going nuts. Rich Kidz are an Atlanta-based teen musical force. This force is founded, marketed, promoted, funded and executed by teenage artists. The group's name is symbolic of their mission - young entrepreneurs achieving success - Rich Kidz.
The group rose to national recognition when their single "My Partna Dem" reached the Billboard singles chart in 2009.
The group was founded in 2008 by group leader Yung PU, while a senior at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta, Georgia. His mission was to collaborate with other talented teens and make a mark in the music industry.
The group was originally a loosely banded group of all-star solo artists from various Atlanta high schools. Members Yung Pu, Baby Charles and Rich Kid Shawty all attended Frederick Douglass High. Other members Juney and Big Man attended Westlake High School. Yung PU later recruited a talented underclass performer Skateboard Skooly, a freshman at Frederick Douglass to join the group. Skooly's unique combination of rapping and singing made the group different from its competitors.
Although not officially a group, the collective referred to themselves as the "Rich Kidz". Their first recording was a compilation of original songs entitled "Rich Kids" that they promoted in their schools and surrounding neighborhoods by passing out CDs.
That first recording featured a song entitled "Wassup". With its melodic chorus it instantly became a radio and club favorite. Its popularity gained the group a growing following. Kids at school had the song as their ringtone and began asking when the group was going to record more songs.
The guys began performing and promoting "Wassup" at local parties and began getting requests to perform at parties and Sweet 16s. At the same, they continued to record new songs. Within a month, they began recording more songs and releasing YouTube videos for new songs "My Partna Dem" and "Ball". The resulting popularity encouraged the guys to seek and record another compilation.
Before having the chance to release another compilation, both "My Partna Dem" and "Wassup" gained a major underground buzz. They each became staples at Atlanta radio stations. All this without any backing or a record label.
The songs also caught the attention of Atlanta's most notable rap performers. Ludacris, Lil Scrappy and Bow Wow recorded their own remixes of the single "My Partna Dem". T.I.'s Grand Hustle label also saw potential in the group and began mentoring the group.
Later in 2009, the collective released a second compilation "Money Swag", hosted by radio-personality DJ Infamous. As a result, the group and the single "My Partna Dem" gained national attention when the single charted on Billboard's Hot Hip-Hop/R&B Singles chart.
On the success of that release, they recorded a third compilation "24/7" hosted by DJ Spinz. Although it did not spawn any radio singles, it kept the group's momentum going and enabled them to continue touring.
As the fame of their first two singles wained the collective took a change of direction. Since it was a collective of solo artists and without a group-record buzzing several members began recording solo material. Ultimately Rich Kid Shawty secured a solo agreement with Grand Hustle Entertainment. Juney secured a solo agreement with Grand Hustle artist Young Dro. Baby Charles' participation was inconsistent.
Ultimately Yung PU took the reigns, not wanting his creation to die. Along with Skateboard Skooly the two made a pact to continue the force they created and continued recording and performing as the Rich Kidz. They made it official by founding their independent record label Rich Kidz Music Group, LLC, signed themselves to the label and began recording new material.
Their fourth release was the appropriately titled "We Supposed To Stop But We Didn't " hosted by DJ Kutt Throat. Due to the state of uncertainty surrounding the group, the release was highly anticipated. Everyone wondered what the duo would sound like.
In the Rich Kidz tradition, it too was a collaboration with another local young crew, Money Savage. This release spawned the radio-friendly hit singles "I See You" which became a staple at radio throughout the southeast in 2010. It also featured the club anthems "Bend Over".
Off the momentum of that release they continued touring and went back into the studio. With a Thanksgiving release date the duo released "Straight Like That" hosted by DJ Scream and DJ Spinz. This marked a new chapter in the Rich Kidz' story; different members and a different sound that is more melodic and more polished.
The release was an instant success and spawned 60,000 downloads the first day. It features the "I See You" remix which features Young Money/Cash Money's teen artist Lil Chuckee, a revised version of "Bend Over", the street single "Blind Hatin" and female favorites "Friends With Benefits" and "Me and You".
The Rich Kidz are the next break-out act from Atlanta.