3

With styles of rapping and singing that flow as deep as the rivers of Mississippi, the sound of 3 gives rise to the notion that extreme power lay hidden underneath the smooth surface of his tone. With an upbringing rooted in the rough boroughs of Texas and a soul rooted in a dusty crate of music, 3s foundation lay ready to break molds and rock conventions. Born in Dallas and raised in the bayou city of Houston, 3 (Malcolm Maurice McDaniel) was faced with the harsh realities of gangs, drugs and violence from early on. A rough life seemed inevitable as he grew deeper into a world of corruption, but something always held him back; his love for music. To him, it was a calling that made him walk a different line. In fact, it seems that music was making him while he made the music. As a child, 3 made music at the expense of ruined furniture. With broken hangers, he would create his beat, playing off buckets and chairs. With his parents old turntables, he would scratch to the beat using their vinyl collection. At the age of 8, he recorded his first rap using the Isley Brothers For the Love of You as his background. However, 3s style was not born until the time of his adolescence. While at a party in junior high, the DJ gave him the mic and the music inside him took over. As he was rapping, he began to sing and the two elements blended into a style and sound that nobody was expecting, but that everyone was hungry for. Following the birth of this heat, a different opportunity came knocking at his door. It seemed 3 was also a highly ranked football player, and with scouts recruiting him in place of A&R reps signing him, making music took a backseat to athletic scholarships and a college education. Instead of a music icon, he became a football star with local fame and imminent pro league prospects. The path was clear and success was waiting, but music left its effect on 3 and he was called back. It was then that he decided to pursue his music career full time in Los Angeles. He left his football prospects, withdrew from college and drove to LA with a broken down ride, an empty wallet and no place to sleep. Surviving off of 99 cent fast food and sleeping in the back seat of his car, he struggled to follow his calling. But this time, nothing would take him off track and as fate would have it, he found what he was looking for. Working with the Stereotypes, a groundbreaking production team, he has become one of today's newest, most cutting edge artists and for 3, the sky is the limit for the rest has yet to be written.