Glad 2 see my lil' homie finally getting some recognition out here 4 his God given gifts!!! He goes 2 piano & voice training under my grandma's school in Southeast Washington, D.C. called "The Shirley Ables Music Ministry". They taught him how 2 play piano over there from da basics 2 advanced stages all in no time, but it was his personal drive dat has taken his natural abilities 2 a whole nother level dat no school alone ever could by itself!!! U can find some of his recent Gospel work on the Waterbrook Baptist Church's CD dat was produced & recorded under De-U Records.
My Grandma & DC & De-U Records' own Shirley Ables has been using her talent to play the piano & using her voice to electrify audiences in her hometown of Washington, D.C. since the age of four. She's released several recordings, & even performed in concert for the President's cabinet. She's made appearances on radio & t.v. receiving rave reviews in local, national, & international media. She's a 1992 & 1993 "Wammie" award winner & a 2003 Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee. In recognition of her Hall of Fame induction, a flag was flown in her honor over the U.S. Capitol on October 7, 2003. Ables has performed internationally including Hawaii, London, England, Barbados, & West Indies. She's participated in such crusades as Dr. Billy Graham's "Youth Quake" & Evangelist Shirley Caesar's "Outreach Crusades". Shirley Caesar introduced Ms. Ables' debut album "Shirley Caesar Presents Shirley Ables MY JESUS". Ms. Ables organized the Shirley Ables Music Ministry where students learn piano, other instruments, sight reading, & voice. Students not only learn music, but also the word of God as Ms. Ables ministers to the entire person. Her students range in age from two up to adults & many begin playing for area churches when they are as young as six. Many Music Ministry students have go on to become great preachers, musicians, singers, actors, actresses, & teachers. Her Greatest Hits CD is available online through CD Baby or through De-U Records.
A lotta ya'll DMV outsiders don't really realize dat da Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has always had a rack of un-tapped original styles & swagger out da ass mo!!! Over da years we've had plenty of home grown comedians, actors, clothing, artists, musical stlyes, etc. swindled from right under our noses without even our permission. We even have several local music legends in the Rock & Roll and Gospel Hall's of Fame such as Chuck Brown & my grandma/labelmate Shirley Ables. It was announced recently that D.C. is officially now da newest fashion capitol next to Paris, & New York. My prediction 4 DMV fashion future is dat in da next 2-5 years da city of Washington, D.C. will be what ATL is right now 2 pop culture!!! Click on da highlighted words 2 find out more info about da DMV & D.C. Fashion Week...
De-U Records was formed late in the year 1999 by our CEO & my father David Printis Sr. & his brother & VP Steven Printis. We got off to an exceptional start immediately with our first Hip-Hop project receiveing radio play, our first gospel artist getting inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame, & our first kids educational product recieving national press all before 2003. In the first two years alone we had already managed to get The F.A.M.'s "Da Realist" played on WPGC's DC Home Jamz segment & the original "Multiplication Hip-Hop" featured on BET Nightly News. Since 1999 the majority of our success has come from our hip-hop dept./street team, children's dept., & our gospel department. As of late alot of satellite, mixtape, internet, & radio DJ's have been giving De-U's rappers alot of attention. E One Letter, De-U.c.e. Double, & MLG's solo music in particular has recieved alot of love lately. WPGC 95.5 debuted E One Letter & my solo singles this summer. The track "Sexy Lady" by myself De-U.c.e. Double is on "Check My Global Stats Vol.7: Hosted by Slim Thug". DNA & DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz mixtape "Motion Picture Sh*t Vol.3: Street Kings" features E One Letter's "Go Get It Boy" off his "You Talk It I Walk It" debut EP as well. Both mixtapes are available in stores & online right now!!! E & myself were also featured on Comcast Cable all summer long on a 30 minute show for CTV called "It's About Time" along side elements of "The Epitome Band & Show". As for future plans stay tuned for my new solo offering "40. Watt The Mixtape" & E's "Now Or Never" mixtape. They'll both be coming to a parking lot or street corner near you in the 1st quarter of 2009...remember U've been warned!!!
