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DOWNLOAD CHAMPAGNE FOR THE PAIN
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/champagne-for-the-pain/1316169423

Masi & HP 
Inspired by the movements of 90s hip-hop from the south (Scarface, 8 Ball & MJG, Outkast, No Limit, Cash Money), west coast (Snoop Dogg, Too $hort) and mid-west (Bone Thugs & Harmony, Do or Die), rappers Mazi & HP are creating a similar legacy. The rap duo, who were both born in Rockford, IL, believe in the quality over quantity mantra. Their music incorporates the funk of classic southern soul with cerebral lyricism that moves the body yet also provides food for the soul. 

Before Masi & HP began making music together, they were solo artists. Masi started rapping at age 9 and got into production in high school, though he eventually opted to devote all his energy to being behind the mic. For HP, writing and spitting rhymes was more like therapy; an artistic outlet for his pinned up frustrations, which became the catalyst for his own creativity. What started out as a hobby turned into a legitimate career move and laid the groundwork for their debut EP entitled, Champagne for the Pain.

The 8-track project, backed by business partner Terrell of All In Entertainment, doesn’t compare with the street sounds emanating from today’s popularized hip-hop. Neither Masi nor HP are interested in competing or chasing trends. Instead, they are curating old head-friendly, feel-good music that also contains introspective rhymes focused on relatable messages complemented by 808 bass lines. Their brand of hip-hop is steeped in tradition yet their wordplay speaks to all generations. HP & Masi decided against features on the EP and opted to use an in-house production team. They prefer to secure loyal supporters by choice and not force. 

The first single from Champagne for the Pain is entitled “Harder Days,” a slow tempo record that speaks powerfully to anyone who has experienced grief and sorrow. HP meditates on the loss of his childhood friend, while Masi reflects on the ups and downs of his life. Bar-for-bar every track is fueled by passion; purpose and personal testaments that are a snapshot of the attentiveness and respect they give to their craft. 

Masi, who copped and cropped his name from the foreign sports car Maserati, operates like a well-built machine. Besides being a rhymer who can also sing, his work ethic is refreshing and inspirationally brilliant. “We have nothing to prove. You either like us or you don’t. We stand on our music, we stand by each other and our own clique.”

HP, an acronym for Hater Proof, is a rapper’s rapper. He prides himself on carefully painting vivid stories with his words, all of which contain an underlying message of motivation. “Ultimately, I do this for me and no one else. But my goal has always been to empower other people who are also going through tough times.” 

Focused on building an empire, HP & Masi compliment each other well.  While their lives have been riddled with pain, it’s now time to celebrate and doing it with champagne seems to be the best method for healing.

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