The Benzino Remix Project is a testament to the 15 years of hard work and determination that has won hip-hop producer and lyricist Ray Benzino the respect of his peers. As one third of the production team, Hangmen 3, he has produced tracks for some of hip-hop’s biggest stars including Nas and Mobb Deep. Yet Benzino is a man of many dimensions, who can also kick spitfire rhymes with the best of them--and he proves it on his latest release The Benzino Remix Project.
Executive Produced by Raymond “Benzino� Scott with creative direction by new jack legend, Teddy Riley, The Benzino Remix Project is a perfect blend of smoothed out party rhythms and head nodding jolts of hip-hop. "My goal is to do songs that you can ride to and get goose bumps off of," Benzino explains. “Teddy knows the party and I know the street. “We just put it all together."
It’s safe to say their musical union was successful. Funky tracks like the bass banging "Boottee" remix, featuring industry newcomers G-Dep and Fabolous, already have folks bouncing in the clubs from coast to coast. "Much respect to Dep and Fab,� comments Benzino. “They came into the studio and just murdered the track!�
The Benzino Remix Project also features special guest appearances by hip-hop heavyweights like P Diddy on the raucous “Who Is Benzino?,� Foxy Brown on the cut “Picture That,� Tupac protégés The Outlawz on the haunting “Feel Your Pain, pop princess Pink on “Nobody Liver,� and New York undergound kings M.O.P, Southern rap pioneer Scarface and West Coast big dog Snoop on the blazing remix of “Figadoh.�
But, the most heartwarming track on The Benzino Project Remix album is the lead single, “Shine Like My Son� featuring Benzino and his 8-year-old son Ray Ray trading rhymes, and platinum R&B recording artist Case singing the infectious hook. The song pays tribute to the special bonds shared between fathers and sons and the accompanying videoclip features a host of hip-hop fathers with their sons: Jadakiss, Master P, Treach, Guru, boxer Zab Judah, Jam Master Jay of Run DMC and many others. “Our kids are the future,� points out Benzino. “We have to take responsibility and guide ‘em on the right path early on.�
Raised in the Four Corners neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Benzino’s formative years were spent in the Academy Homes projects. His father, a former mafia man, taught him the importance of loyalty, while his mother, a postal worker, taught love. These lessons, added to Benzino’s natural ability to persevere and constantly steer toward success. At 9 he painted and sold rocks for $1. That first business evolved into selling lemonade and later into street to hustling to make money to buy production equipment and studio time.
Later, as part of the rap group Almighty RSO with DJ Jeff 2X, Tony Rhome, and Antonio 2G, Benzino released a single “One In Tha Chamba� on Tommy Boy records and later signed with Rap A Lot records. His second crew, Made Men released the critically acclaimed Classic Limited Edition on Restless records in 1999.
After years of dodging the pitfalls of the music industry, Benzino is poised to make his mark as a solo artist in the world of hip-hop. "Credit is not a big thing to me," he says passionately. “I want people to feel my music. "If they can feel my music, they can feel me, my spirit."
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