Brooklyn's own Dollar Van Demos drives undiscovered artists down Flatbush Avenue on the road to stardom.

The year-old web series is a showcase of musical artists inside a Brooklyn dollar van with real passengers. The filmmakers call the results 'reality music videos' that are fresh, unpredictable and whole lot of fun.

The concept behind Dollar Van Demos requires some explanation.  First and most important: What is a dollar van? A dollar van is “share taxi,” which is an entrepreneurial response to a situation that's sadly common in major cities around the world: in neighborhoods under-served by mass transit, driver-operated commuter vans are needed to cheaply transport passengers to work, school and shopping along a specified route. This type of system is popular throughout many developing countries, where the locals have colorful names for the service: they're known as a Tap Tap (Haiti), Maxi Taxi (Trinidad & Tobago), Shekel Sherut (Israel), Combi (Mexico)– the list goes on.

Secondly, What's a demo? A demo is short for 'demonstration' which is to say a musical recording made for reference rather than for general release. Typically, a would-be performer will create a demo version in the hopes of landing a record deal so a more polished, fully-produced song can later be made. The music industry has a long history of new talent landing a lucrative recording or publishing contract based on their well-received demo.  

So in effect, Dollar Van Demos is the first impression an audience will get of a relatively unknown performer. The music video and subsequent sharing of the clip via social networks like Facebook and Twitter acts as a low-budget experiment for both the talent and viewer to realize if the artist's efforts deserve further attention. We
should also mention that this experience brings overwhelming sense of joy to the performer, the in-van audience and internet viewers alike. 

The show has triumphantly established itself as the 'go-to' place to discover up-and-coming talent with its winning formula of intimate performances in front of an unwitting yet accepting audience. This guarantees a fresh feeling to each music video clip. Also, since the show takes place on Flatbush Avenue (think of it as Brooklyn's 'Main Street' stretching from the East River to the Atlantic Ocean), we present to the viewers an authentic and positive portrait of the varied faces of the Borough.

'THE CEREMONY' OUT NOW! 
https://www.kevingates.lnk.to/theceremony

Real true lyrics are a must in today's Hip-Hop era, we as those who pocessed the craft of gab must assure Hip-Hop stays true and never lost..."-Raja ABF

Ashley J Plummer Woods AKA "SCOTTIE ARMONIE IS THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENT FEMALE RAPPER Coming From LONG ISLAND NEW YORK" listen to her music here and become a #ScottieSquad!!!!

Submit all beats for Dame Grease and his artist to thedamegrease@gmail.com

Grease has produced several artists throughout his career. He has worked extensively with East Coast hip hop group, The LOX. Their use of Grease's sounds helped them acquire the street buzz that landed them their deal on Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records in 1996. Grease produced several songs on LOX's debut album, Money, Power & Respect, including the hit We'll Always Love Big Poppa.[3][4] He was a producer on fellow Bad Boy artist Mase's quadruple platinum album Harlem World (1997). This led to Grease's work as the primary producer on DMX's debut It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998),[1][5] producing thirteen of its nineteen tracks.[3] With this project Grease helped Ruff Ryders Entertainment build its image. During this time, Grease mentored Bronx-bred disc jockey Swizz Beatz, who soon became another sample-free producer.

Dame Grease then landed a deal with Priority Records to release music through his own label, Vacant Lot,[1] despite offers to be one of Puff Daddy's legendary Hitmen[1] or an in-house producer on Ruff Ryders.

In 2001 Dame Grease began composing music, providing the score for the Steven Seagal/DMX blockbuster Exit Wounds, as well as for the 2003 box-office hit, Cradle 2 the Grave, starring Jet Li, DMX, Gabrielle Union, and Anthony Anderson, and for Never Die Alone (2004).[3][6]

Dame Grease also teamed up with DMX on the "Ain't No Sunshine" soundtrack, a remake of Bill Withers 1972 classic of the same name.

Grease put in work on several music projects throughout 2004 and 2005, including albums from LL Cool J, Kelis, DJ Kay Slay, DJ Envy, Slick Rick, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and an artist on Dr. Dre's Aftermath label named Aimee Terrin. Grease also kept the underground bubbling with "Crown Me", a collaboration between T.I., Cam’ron, and Juelz Santana. In 2006, Dame Grease produced "Life Be My Song", a track on DMX’s sixth studio album Year of the Dog... Again.[7]

Grafh, born Philip Bernard, hails from Jamaica, Queens, New York. He made a name for himself on the mixtape circuit, where he garnered early support from influential mix-show DJ’s in New York. His skill, charisma, honesty, and determination were so obvious that he generated a buzz nationwide and attracted the attention of the major labels. Even in the early stages of his career, Grafh was being heralded as the “Black Eminem.” Although he’s remained independent, Grafh has had distribution deals with Sony, Rocafella Records, and E1 Music (formerly Koch). He released a substantial collection of mixtapes and a street album, Autografh, to critical acclaim.

Despite having yet to release a studio album, support for Grafh and his music has been overwhelming – both among fans and within the music industry. His songs have been featured on HBO’s Entourage, Fox’s Meth and Red, BET’s Ultimate Hustler and in a number of video games, including EA Sport’s NFL Streets, Saint’s Row, and 25 to Life.  Grafh has also been heavily supported by his peers, including Drake, Wiz Khalifa, Raekwon, Bun B, Jim Jones, Busta Rhymes, Waka Flocka, and many others. Grafh was surprised, however, when actor Shia LaBeouf said he was “really, really, really good” in a late-night TV interview with Carson Daly. This sense of appreciation has motivated Grafh to stay true to his fans while touring and releasing new music online via his official website, GrafhOnline.com. He has also built a strong following on Twitter, where he applies an entertaining combination of sharp humor and brutal honesty to everyday life.

 Grafh is currently focused on completing his new project Pain Killers: Reloaded. The first single off of the release is "Magic Like Disney World" featuring his child hood friend Shalone. The project also features Jadakiss, Bun B, Chris Webby, Jarren Benton Styles P and Sheek Louch.  Over the last year, Grafh has built a creative team of young, talented people that are working with him toward the project’s release. He has redefined his sound – drawing inspiration from multiple genres – and has made a concerted effort to be more emotionally candid. The result has been the best music of Grafh’s career, with more songs still to record. With this album, Grafh hopes to prove that he’s more than just raw talent. He has set out to challenge the labels that have been put on him as an artist – to push his own boundaries musically, lyrically, and visually. Just as he did at the start of his career, Grafh plans to let the music speak for itself.

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