PRESS RELEASE
Braille To Release Fourth Album ‘The IV Edition’ on Syntax Records
February 20, 2008
RAPPER CONFIRMED FOR THE VANS WARPED TOUR THIS SUMMER WITH SELECT DATES THROUGH THE SPRING
Always on a musical mission, BRAILLE has become one of rap’s best-kept secrets. He has released three solo albums; performed throughout the U.S., Europe and Japan with artists like the late James Brown, De La Soul and others; been named one of the “Next 100” by URB magazine; and collaborated with rap heavyweights such as 9th Wonder and Pigeon John. All of these accomplishments set the stage for Braille’s fourth album The IV Edition, set for release April 15 on Syntax Records.
The album’s first single and title song serves as an ode to Braille’s rap roots. Produced by Marco Polo and featuring scratches from Rob Swift, the energetic drum-driven tune is a lyrical showcase that caters to rap’s tremendous subterranean following. “The underground hip-hop base is a lot bigger than people think it is,” Braille reveals. “Sometimes when people think of the word ‘underground,’ they think of basement albums that just get dubbed on tape. So I’m sticking to my roots. I believe that the audience for lyricism and good hip-hop is much larger than most people assume. I wanted to start with the hip-hop base and take it from there.”
Elsewhere, Braille acknowledges his personal and artistic history on “Remember Your Path” and channels the energy of music icon James Brown on “Main Squeeze,” with whom Braille toured as an opening act during 2005 and 2006. Then on “Calculated Risk” Braille gets personal by examining his decision to pursue and create lyric and beat-drive rap music with spiritual overtones.
In addition to being his fourth album, the title represents three other things. Braille wants the album to serve as an IV to distribute musical medicine for social illnesses directly into the veins of the society. IV also stands for “International Vision” (becoming more aware of what’s going on in the world around us) and “International Version” (the album is made for an international audience and features German, French, Finish and Australian producers like M-Phazes, Aetoms, Staffro, etc).
Hailing from Portland, OR, Braille began his life in hip-hop at an early age. In 1999, when he was 17, independent startup ESWP music released his first album, Lifefirst: Half The Battle. Next came 2004’s Shades of Grey, which featured collaborations with 9th Wonder (Jay-Z, Destiny’s Child) and Rob Swift, and Box of Rhymes followed in 2006.
Leading up to the release The IV Edition, BRAILLE will be on tour with Ohmega Watts and Galactic performing material from the album. Later this summer he’ll be appearing with Othello on the Vans Warped Tour. Complete tour dates follow below.
The complete track listing for Braille’s The IV Edition is:
- Beautiful Humanity – beat by Ohmega Watts
- Submission Hold – beat by Shuko
- Calculated Risk featuring Mr. J Medeiros (Procussions) and Manchild (Mars ILL) – beat by The Are
- The IV featuring Rob Swift – beat by Marco Polo
- Main Squeeze – beat by 88 Keys
- Remember Your Path featuring Rob Swift – beat by Staffro
- Constantly Growing featuring Speech (Arrested Development), Surreal and Sojourn – beat by DJ Spinna
- Blessed Man – beat by S1 (Strange Fruit Project)
- Many Stories featuring Barry Hampton – beat by Barry Hampton
- Raise the Dead featuring Poems (LA Symphony) – beat by J-Thrill
- Double Dose – beat by Mr. Mar of the Stieber Twins
- Counter Attack featuring Theory Hazit and DJ Idull – beat by OhNo
- Mental Guards (Snitch Blade) – beat by Aetoms
- Get it Right featuring Ragen Fykes – beat by Kno (CunninLynguists)
- Restless – beat by M-Phazes
- The Cure – beat by K-Murdock (Panacea)
- ADDvice featuring DJ Bombay – beat by J-Zone
Catch BRAILLE live on tour now:
Thu 2/21 Majestic Theatre Madison, WI
Fri 2/22 Parkwest Chicago, IL
Sat 2/23 Music Mill Indianapolis, IN
Wed 2/27 Hiphop for Hunger Puyallup, WA
Mon 3/10 Green RiverCollege Auburn, WA
Thu 3/13 UGHH.com at SXSW Austin, TX
Fri 3/21 WOW Hall Eugene, OR
Sat 4/12 Willamete University Salem, OR
Tue 4/15 Berbati Portland, OR
Thu 4/17 Nectar Lounge Seattle, WA
Fri 4/18 WOW Hall Eugene, OR
Sun 4/20 Peanut Butter and Jelly Party Nashville, TN
Mon 4/21 GMA Week Nashville, TN
Tue 4/22 GMA Week Nashville, TN
Fri 5/2 TBD Albuquerque, NM
Sun 5/11 RevolutionChurch Gary, IN
Tue 5/20 UndergroundHipHop Instore Boston, MA
Fri 6/20 Vans Warped Tour Pomona, CA
Sat 6/21 Vans Warped Tour San Francisco, CA
Sun 6/22 Vans Warped Tour Ventura, CA
Wed 6/25 Vans Warped Tour Phoenix, AZ
Thu 6/26 Vans Warped Tour Las Cruces, NM
Sat 6/28 Vans Warped Tour Salt Lake City, UT
Sun 6/29 Vans Warped Tour Denver, CO
Tue 7/1 Vans Warped Tour St. Louis, MO
Wed 7/2 Vans Warped Tour Kansas City, KS
Thu 7/3 Vans Warped Tour Dallas, TX
Sat 7/5 Vans Warped Tour San Antonio, TX
Sun 7/6 Vans Warped Tour Houston, TX
Wed 7/9 Vans Warped Tour Atlanta, GA
Thu 7/10 Vans Warped Tour Orlando, FL
Fri 7/11 Vans Warped Tour Tampa, FL
Sat 7/12 Vans Warped Tour Miami, FL
Sun 7/13 Vans Warped Tour Jacksonville, FL
Mon 7/14 Vans Warped Tour Charlotte, NC
Tue 7/15 Vans Warped Tour Virginia Beach, VA
Wed 7/16 Vans Warped Tour Washington, DC
Thu 7/17 Vans Warped Tour Cleveland, OH
Fri 7/18 Vans Warped Tour Detroit, MI