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“I am the Definition of Effort and Zeal iN Ambition and Dedication to Opportunity”
— Dez Nado
Who Is Dez Nado?
IN-DEPTH BIOGRAPHY
C.E.O., Television & Music Producer, Artist, Curator, Entrepreneur: all titles that collectively describe singer-songwriter Dez Nado, which is an acronym for The D.efinition of E.ffort and Z.eal iN A.mbition and D.edication to O.pportunity. Florida's own Dez Nado is truly raising the bar(s) in hip hop.
Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Dez Nado was introduced to music at very young age in the late 1990s with his siblings who all got together one day to form a hip hop group of pre-teens and teen-aged amateur rappers. They dreamed of fame while recording on what was then considered “high-tech” Talkboy recorders. After his siblings went off to college and his cousins whom he credits for “teaching him how to rap” moved back to the birthplace of hip hop (New York, New York), the passion for music stuck with Dez well into high school where he gained notoriety performing in his first talent shows and local artist showcases while developing his business acumen by selling home-made CDs and even school supplies that his mother, who was a teacher at the time, brought home as surplus materials after every semester.
He saw his first successes after high school as an independent artist; generating a fan base by plugging his own projects at local shops and hot spots, working part-time and attending school full-time splitting his earnings between books for class and studio time, as well as booking, promoting, and organizing his own shows by the age of 19 as a college freshman. He landed his first gig as a college DJ his sophomore year and started what would become the north Florida/south Georgia market's biggest all-indie annual platform for talent and likeminded entrepreneurs "Duval Spring Fest", which he hosts and organizes every Spring Break to this day. Dez's buzz as both a talented rapper and hustler led him to get booked for his first opening act performance gig in 2007, when Dez opened up for Atlantic Records/Pretty Ricky member Pleasure P in front of his biggest crowd yet. Word of his intense work ethic rapidly spread as one of Jacksonville’s premier rap websites at the time (Duvalcountyluv.com) recognized him with the title of Jacksonville’s Grinder of the Week for several weeks between 2006-2009, in addition to Dez winning both Undergound Oscars for 2007 Rookie of the Year and 2007 Grinder of the Year, and his song "Go All Out" being chosen as the University of North Florida's official athletics theme song for the 2007-2008 school year. Dez was at the peak of a three-year run of good fortune when in early 2009, after being recognized by Source Magazine executives at a local showcase as one of the city’s top 7 performers (out of over 50 competing), he was shot in the chest after leaving a Jacksonville nightclub just inches from his heart. Dez used the opportunity to shed much of the negative stereotypical imagery in his music, and re-focus, changing his overall message from potentially self-destructive to self-productive, making a promise to himself that he would never take another minute for granted.
After he took a brief hiatus, and relocating temporarily to Orlando, Florida to finish his degree, Dez returned to the studio and released “No Hands”, which gained enough attention to land him a distribution deal for a follow-up album “No Hands 2” with KKR/Island/Def Jam in 2011. Dez began to break out of the local scene with the No Hands series and shine in bigger markets like Atlanta, central Florida, and Las Vegas (as evidenced by the feature interviews and fans calling in on his 2011 & 2012 projects “Freestyle Filez: Volume 1” and “Freestyle Filez: Volume 2“). To this day, Dez has made good on his promise to not take one minute for granted, going from inches away from dying to becoming one of Florida’s most promising recording artists, self-started CEO, and college graduate receiving his Master’s in Arts degree in 2014. His name is much more than just a name; it has become something that he lives by.
Most Recently, Dez has added “promoter” to his résumé; promoting, coordinating, and booking his own monthly regional showcases and sharing the spotlight with other independent artists, creating his own avenues to build his brand (photos of past events up at www.VIPSquadNation.com | www.facebook.com/DezNado). Dez’s work ethic and growing popularity were recognized in summer 2014 outside of the Jacksonville market as he was nominated for a 2014 Georgia Music Award in the Hip Hop (Male) category for the second consecutive year off the strength of the buzz of his 2013 track “#DoSumn” , which features Kanye West and JANA MiziK, the All Star remix of YMCMB/Cash Money records artist T. Rone’s smash hit “Hello Love” whom Dez also opened up for in April of 2013 at the YMCMB signing party in Jacksonville, FL, and other major features with Cash Money Records' Caskey, and a Master Shortie & Bruno Mars release. Following the momentum of these accomplishments, Dez was named “Next to Blow” by Music Connectz Mag, and one of 2013’s “Artists to Watch” by New York’s Underground Music Awards committee with his follow-up singles “STFU” and “RideTonight” getting radio play from California to the UK, Germany, and France. It’s no surprise that Dez’s annual mixtape series “#FLAsFinest” (a compilation of solo & collab records from the hottest Florida indie & major artists every year) and #FreestyleFilez (the unofficial BET Hip Hop Awards weekend mixtape) to this date have received over 500,000 streams collectively and over 20,000 downloads.
His buzz has lifted him to become one of the most talked about artists in the north Florida/south Georgia area, as evidenced by his winning of the title of 2014 Jacksonville Artist of the Year at the Duval Music Festival. This is a significant achievement that Dez has added to an already solid resume, which includes 2015 Mega Sum Fest (Hip Hop Stardom Mag) performer invitee, Official 2015 & 2016 BET Hip Hop Awards weekend performer & official affiliate, and 2015 BMI Hip Hop/R&B Awards special invitee (invite-only; Saban Theatre – Los Angeles), and as of 2017, Official Member of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.
He recently appeared on the local news in promotion of his latest ventures, two regional cable TV series that garner over 40,000 regional viewers per airing. The shows "Life & Grind", and "LIVE from New Jax City", both negotiated, edited/produced, and partly filmed by Dez himself, were smash hits after their respective first seasons in 2014 and 2018. "Life & Grind", a one-of-a-kind docu-reality TV series documenting the lives and grinds of 9 rappers, comedians, singers, actors, and entertainer-entrepreneurs, was the most watched TV Show on the regional Bounce network in Fall 2014 (add another title, “executive producer”, to Dez’s résumé). "LIVE from New Jax City", a freeform music video and interview platform based on urban events and entertainment, was the first of its kind to premiere on the larger CW regional affiliate, viewable in both Florida and Georgia to an audience of over 40,000 per airing. Building on the buzz and success from the TV Show, he branched out to regional markets like Dothan, Chattanooga, and Atlanta among others who have shown interest in airing their own local Life & Grind spin-offs while touring surrounding markets in promotion of his Universal Music Group-distributed album entitled “LaDolceVita“, which he promoted throughout 2017 and 2018 specifically in those markets that showed interest. He continues building all of his brands inter-dependently now through his own cable TV media platform, which led to him landing his media team a spot on the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards green carpet, as well as the 2018 BET Awards Fan Fest, as official media partners with BET Networks.
His music videos, TV series, major brand media partnerships, consistent music releases and hundreds of thousands of plays/views/downloads accompaying all have become indicators of Dez Nado’s versatility, one-of-a-kind work ethic, and growing popularity. Dez is hitting the road this summer/fall and featuring up-and-coming talent on the current seasons of both of his TV shows while capturing his life and grind from his own perspective for a new TV series to come in late 2022. He's also promoting his latest single "Flawda Ish" featuring J Chat, a part of his upcoming mixtape "LPYH SSNZ: Twerk Tape", a twist on/celebration of Twerk culture that was preceded by a mixtape entitled "LPYH SSNZ: 90s Tape" (pronounced Logophilia Sessions: Nineties Tape; a themed mixtape with songs inspired by popular trends of the 1990s) which dropped Valentine's weekend 2020. The LPYH SSNZ series will also include a mixtape album to be released this fall inspired by popular trends from the 80s, and other mixtapes in the series counting down to what Dez anticipates being his final solo rap project, a major LP finale: LPYH (LogophiliYaH) in 2023 which will feature several "surprises", according to him.
The “Shoot Ya Shot” album has been called "catchy yet lyrically cerebral, Caribbean-influenced, attention-grabbing with a versatile, fresh yet familiar, timeless hip hop vibe, reflecting Dez Nado’s mixed southern and up north U.S. rap influences as well as his Jamaican, and Panamanian roots” (CDBaby). The Shoot Ya Shot single itself, within 48 hours of release, was added to several notable Spotify playlists like Caltify MX (53.5K followers), Release Radar, and Discover Weekly, along with over 10 U.S.-based Spotfiy user playlists, earned nearly 1,000 streams & 500 + new listeners on Spotify and 2,000 plays on Soundcloud with generally favorable feedback from the Soundcloud user community. 4 weeks in, the album earned nearly 30,000 Spotify streams, with over 12,000 new listeners, and over 8,000 plays on Soundcloud. As of Spring 2022, the mixtape album is expected to cross half a million total streams on Spotify by summer time--right on time for "Flawda Ish", his current single, to take the spotlight with its expected music video release in time for Memorial Day weekend. Flawda Ish has already been played over 100,000 times on digital mixtapes alone thanks to the backing of the renowned Mixtape Monopoly.
With a steady, unshakeable “grind state of mind”, Dez delivers from the smallest 16 bar verse, to the largest indie concert platform in north Florida, to the biggest indie media deal signed by a hip hop artist in north Florida/south Georgia, to the full-length independent LP. It’s becoming more and more clear to more and more people that he’s not just a threat; Dez Nado is a promise!
Wikipedia's Dez Nado Page
LaDolceVita Press Release (Newswire/PR)
Discography as of 2017
TV
"Kindaded" appeared on Episodes 1, 2, and 9 of Life & Grind: Duval Appeard as a cast member of Life & Grind: Duval, Season 1 - CW17/BounceTV August 2014-August 2015 (4,500 households) Radio Straight Rida (2007-2008) - 105.7 FM Jacksonville FL Throw It Back (2008- Present) - 105.7 FM Jacksonville FL - 93.3 Jacksonville FL - 99.5 FM Washington, D.C. - (nationwide --> http://www.983kissfm.com/new2/artists/i/130144?psid=190979 // http://www.kyld.com/new2/artists/i/130144) Check Out My Lean (2010) // I'm Paid Now (2011) - JACKSONVILLE FL - 93.3/97.9 FMI'm Paid Now & Ride Tonight (2011/2012 - NO HANDS 2 Singles) played on:
"Reaching out to his fans, you can really feel Dez’s energy pouring out and it feels like he wants to party with the whole world till the break of dawn. This collaboration has to be one of Dez’s greatest accomplishments to date and it’s clear that he has been blessed with talent and that fame does not just come knocking at your door, you gotta DO SUMN! - Melissa Arditti, Vents Magazine
Placing a nice spin on the single, Dez Nado’s lyrics do remind me of Kanye West from the College Dropout and Late Registration albums. Influenced by many big rappers of the 90?s and early 2000?s and life around him, Dez Nado strives to stand out in the rap game for the long haul." - Matt Bible, Mattbible.com
Magazine/Blog features - Feb/March 2013
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"The hip-hop scene has been saturated over the past decade with artists who are clearly brilliant at their craft of rapping, but fail to create a memorable presence that shows the world who they really are. No doubt, Dez Nado’s acroynm: The D.efinition of E.ffort and Z.eal iN A.mbition and D.edication to O.pportunity. is a mouthful, but coming straight out of Jacksonville, Florida, he rightfully earns his title by not only perfecting his style as a lyricist/musician, but taking every opportunity he is given in life and turning it into something meaningful.
The highly-anticipated release of Dez’s new track “Do Sumn” features iconic superstar rapper Kanye West, alongside multi-talented singer/songrwriter Jana MiziK. The song has a lot of strong points, from flirtatious vocal call and answer formula with the sassy Jana to the fast guitar strumming accompanied with playful lyrical momentum. The party vibe can go all night long with this song. It has a whimsical nostalgia throwback to old skool rap of the early 90s which so many can appreciate, and Dez hits it out of the park with some wicked rapping skills to complement Kanye’s undeniable style that has gained a worldwide following.
Reaching out to his fans, you can really feel Dez’s energy pouring out and it feels like he wants to party with the whole world till the break of dawn. This collaboration has to be one of Dez’s greatest accomplishments to date and it’s clear that he has been blessed with talent and that fame does not just come knocking at your door, you gotta DO SUMN! Check out
Dez’s website: http://whoisdeznado.com/
by Melissa Arditti"
- See more at: http://ventsmagazine.com/do-sumn-by-dez-nado/#sthash.fSi5DXpy.dpuf
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Dez Nado Intent On Waking Up The Hip-hop Industry Rising Star Releases "Do Sumn" Featuring Kanye West And Jana Mizik
Jacksonville, Florida (Top40 Charts/ Grit PR) Just two semesters away from getting his Master's Degree in Mass Communication, and with three mixtapes and two albums under his belt, Hip Hop artist Dez Nado is poised to make his dreams a reality. After battling through some rough times, he is back with a new perspective on life and ready to drop his hot new single "Do Sumn," which features iconic rapper Kanye West and JANA MiZiK.
"Do Sumn" is an older track, but with a brand new spin to it. As Dez says, it's "one you can throw in ya CD player or pull up on ya computer and literally say 'this sounds like absolutely nothing else out right now.'" Creative juices were flowing throughout the process of making the single, and everyone was completely on board, including Jana, who miraculously recorded her vocals in less than an hour. Although Kanye wasn't present in the studio, the vibe was incredibly strong and the collaboration has truly set the bar high for Dez Nado in the Hip Hop community. "Regardless of distance, it's clearly an honor to have him featured on the new track, states Dez."
Going for a grassroots approach first, Dez wants to get the track out to the streets, hitting college, community, and Internet radio stations throughout the world with the goal of making the single an international hit. "Not everybody is going to like me or think I'm talented, but if they are real they will respect the grind, they will respect the hustle, and once I get that respect on a noteworthy level my mission will be accomplished because that means I earned it. Then it'll be time for part two of the plan!"
Video production is in the works for the track, as Mastermind Productions has started the shoot in Florida. The concept behind the video is one that Dez calls "crazy, but in a good way." If you actually listen to the song, you'll see the video emerge in your imagination. The debut is aimed for Spring break, where excitement is at every turn for young people across the country.
For more information on Dez Nado and his new album, please visit: www.whoisdeznado.com
http://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=87446
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Urban Music Awards Committee Review March 2013
Our Talent Scout staff gave the song an evaluation rating of 8 out of a possible 10. It's a good song. We feel that the music is industry Standard.
We were impressed with the writing skills, lyrical skills, cadence, delivery, rapping skills, production and flow on the song.
Hence, we would like to place the song on The Underground Music Awards Artist To Watch Music Sampler, which will be hosted by Jesse Jess, sponsored by Exclusiv Vodka.
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September 2013
Appeared on 291 & Campbellton TV Show in Atlanta
Took over A-105 Atlanta Radio for an hour and did own show "VIPSquad Takeover Hour"
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/a105-radio-the-voice-of-the-future
Released single “Kindaded” on iTunes, Amazon, online retailers
Music video for Kindaded
Music video featured on Internet Music Video database and other sites
Appeared on Gsnaps Radio – Las Vegas debuting Kindaded
Appeared on power 106 Los Angeles GudTymezRadioShow debuting KindaDed
December 2013
Cliche Magazine feature - "We loved the music and posted Dez's Vid on our Blog and Cliche TV....." – Wilson Greene, Cliché Magazine (22,000+ Likes FB)
RUNTV Champion Television feature (Freestyle) http://nealheart.com/ctv/run/s1/run1.html#.Usv_jQiWhMk.twitter
Power 106/Hot 89 Los Angeles/Las Vegas GudTymezRadio Awards Show Nominee for
Male Artist of the Year
Single of the Year “Kindaded”
January 2014
Duvalfest 2014 (Jacksonville, FL) 
Top ten reverb nation charts week 52 2013, week 1 jan 2014, for Jacksonville FL region 
Duvalhiphop.com January 2014 Video of the Month “Kindaded”
Feb-March 2014
Was a “focus character” and starring cast member of Jacksonville’s First and Only Reality TV Show, “Life & Grind: Duval” (Season 1; aired Fall 2014 on CW 17/Bounce Tv, yourjax.com)
May-July 2014
Created, booked, and coordinated Jacksonville's largest independent Spring and Summer annual concerts, Duval Spring Fest 2014 and Duval Unity Summer Fest 2014
August-October 2014 Dez's show "Life & Grind: Duval" Season 1 airs and achieves #1 ranking for new programs in Fall 2014 on the Jacksonville network; Dez lands official sponsorship from Clique Vodka/Premier Innovations Group (Pittsburgh) for the show December 2014 Off the success of the reality TV show, Clique Vodka/Premier Innovations Group extends their sponsorship for another year and grants marketing/distribution rights to VIPSquad Entertainment (Dez's independent label) for the entire region of Florida/Georgia "Life & Grind: Duval" Season 1 picked up for additional airing on a second TV channel; local channel 18.1/Mee Mee TV Jax ( Mee Mee TV - Jax Homepage ) Dez Nado officially named a Rude Boy Clothing artist; International Magazine Rude Boy Lifestyle Magazine and Clothing Line Rude Boy Clothing officially offers Dez Nado and "Life & Grind: Duval" a clothing sponsorship (www.rudeboymag.com) Jan-Feb 2015 Featured in Void Magazine/Void Live for winning 2014 Artist of the Year http://voidlive.com/music/dez-nado-wins-artist-year-duval-music-festival/ Awarded DuvalHipHop.com’s title of 2014 ARTIST OF THE YEAR
-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— March 2015 Jacksonville, Florida— Jacksonville-based rapper Dez Nado notched another big win in his rapidly growing belt of successes this past Saturday night as DuvalHipHop.com awarded him the much coveted title of “2014 Artist of the Year”. The award, given to Dez during the Duval Star Awards ceremony at the 4th Annual Duval Music Festival at 1904 Music Hall in downtown Jacksonville, comes amidst an undeniable rise in buzz and regional notoriety for the rapper since he independently launched and produced Jacksonville’s first and only reality TV series “Life & Grind: Duval”, which airs locally on Comcast channel 225 (Bounce) every Saturday at 8pm EST. Dez says he’s “learned a lot” since he won his first local, music-related awards in 2008 for Performer of the Year and Rookie of the Year: “I’m not big on awards, but it means a lot to be recognized for all the work you put in,” the rapper remarked, “It’s motivation, and validation to keep the grind up…work harder and see what else you can push yourself to achieve…” While Dez Nado (www.whoisdeznado.com) is becoming known for his work ethic and his grind, he didn’t deny spending a little time celebrating at the awards show in his hometown after receiving the award Saturday night. The celebration was definitely deserved, as he won with over a third of the total votes received in a competitive group that included artists signed to both major and independent record labels. Sticking to his promise to push himself to the next level and see what else he can achieve, Dez Nado is staying busy in 2015 with several projects, including Season 2 of his Clique Vodka-sponsored cable TV reality series “Life & Grind: Duval”, which premieres Saturday March 7th at 8pm EST on Comcast channel 225 (Bounce), along with the incorporation of his own independent record label “VIPSquad Entertainment” in March, hosting of several parties and showcases for his Life & Grind movement during Jacksonville’s One Spark festival in April (250,000+ attendees expected this year), and hosting and performing in his Duval Spring Fest 2015 ( https://www.facebook.com/events/1412900665674605 ) concert, his own creation that has become North Florida/South Georgia’s biggest independent annual spring concert. If you’re just picking up on the moves Dez is making and the spectacle going on in north Florida, you’re late. We’re definitely staying tuned to see what’s next to come out of Duval county from him and his movement. March 2015 Commentary featured on International Political website DailyCaller.com Featured as an Official Rude Boy Clothing sponsored artist in international publication Rude Boy Lifestyle Magazine (via @RudeBoyAsia) April-November 2015 Appeared on ABC25/NBC12 daytime television show "The Chat" in promotion of his 2014 album "VIPSquad All-Starz" (Full Interview viewable on homepage @ www.whoisdeznado.com)
Duval Spring Fest 2015 & Summer Fest 2015 host and performer (featured on jacksonville.com, Florida Times-Union, VOID Magazine, First Coast News, Folio Weekly, and more)
http://events.jacksonville.com/event/duval-spring-fest-2015
2015 Mega Sum Fest (Hip Hop Stardom Mag) performer invitee
2015 BMI Hip Hop/R&B Awards special invitee (invite-only; Saban Theatre - Los Angeles)
Freestyle Filez 3 (mixtape host) release - www.soundcloud.com/freestylefilez3
VIPSquad Entertainment presents #FreestyleFilez3 - a collection of exclusive and VERY rare freestyles from the hottest major and independent lyricists of all time spanning 20 years of hip hop, specially mixed and cut by up-and-coming VIPSquad DJs (Full FREE download @ www.whoisdeznado.com ) Florida's Finest 3 (mixtape host and feature artist) release - www.soundcloud.com/flasfinest3 -- FULL Free .zip MediaFire download HERE VIPSquad Ent presents #FLAsFinest3 the only mixtape bringing you the hottest all-genre indie and major music from Florida artists/bands -- soundcloud.com/flasfinest3 | whoisdeznado.com for FULL free .zip download | vipsquadent@gmail.com for inquiries mixed by VIPSquad DJs Hosted by @deznado Official 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards weekend performer (Hood Critic Magazine Feature:
http://hoodcriticmagazine.com/2015/10/07/meet-up-and-coming-indie-hip-hopreggae-artist-dez-nado/
"IMMEDIATE RELEASE – SEPTEMBER 2015 Orlando, FL
Indie up-and-coming hip hop/reggae artist Dez Nado announced earlier today that he was one of the few artists selected to perform at this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards. The event is held annually at the Atlanta Civic Center in midtown Atlanta and is part of a full weekend of highly publicized events collectively regarded as the “Super Bowl” of hip hop. Past Hip Hop Awards performers have included several big names in the hip hop world such as Lil’ Wayne, T-Pain, Outkast, Ludacris, 2 Chainz, Kanye West, Eminem, and more major artists as well as rising independent artists who are gaining the industry’s attention. Dez Nado is the first and only indie rap artist from Florida to be selected to perform at the Awards, which will be hosted by hip hop legend Snoop Dogg and televised nationally on the BET Network Tuesday, October 13th at 8pm EST.
The BET Hip Hop Awards has become a staple event not only to the hip hop community here in the U.S. but to international music industry executives, artists, and fans throughout the world. The Awards event regularly gives several rising independent stars a chance to shine in the national spotlight between the performances of A-listers like J Cole, Drake, and Atlanta’s own breakout star Future. Dez said that he felt “blessed” and is looking forward to representing the state of Florida this year during BET’s famed Red Carpet Experience, which is one of the aforementioned segments that will be filmed and televised as the stars arrive at the Awards. The local rapper neither confirmed nor denied the rumor that being selected to perform at such a premier, red carpet event like the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards means he’s close to inking a deal with a major label, stating that “right now anything can happen, [the independent artists selected] are competing for a chance to achieve a dream in front of the people with the power to make that happen”.
Dez, who graduated from UCF in 2013, is most known in central/north Florida for producing and starring in his own locally airing, cable reality TV series “Life & Grind” (airs Sundays at 8pm on the Bounce network). He remarked that he felt “slightly nervous, but confident and relieved” when he first heard the news.
“A year ago, I was just starting a new TV show to showcase the talent here in town, like myself, that very few people even know about, now I’m performing on national TV at the Hip Hop Awards”, he commented.
Benefitting from a noteworthy buzz that more and more people are picking up on, Dez Nado gave credit to the supporters of his TV program, “Life & Grind”, which highlights independent musicians and entertainers and gives viewers a firsthand look into their daily efforts to “make it big”. Support for Dez’s movement is evidenced by his recent accomplishments, including being named 2014 Artist of the Year over other artists like YMCMB’s T-Rone, and heavy hitter Swordz by Jacksonville’s hip hop music hub duvalhiphop.com, being nominated twice (2013 & 2014) for Best Male Hip Hop Artist at the Georgia Music Awards, and being featured on daytime television show “The Chat” (ABC25/NBC12; viewable at www.whoisdeznado.com) following the success of his TV show becoming the most watched new program on the Bounce network for Fall 2014.
Currently working on an independent project featuring Lola Monroe of Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang, Caskey of YMCMB, and Super Bowl XLVIII halftime performer Bruno Mars, Dez stated that he intends to take full advantage of the opportunity to perform in front of the industry’s heavyweights as well as a national television audience, with the ultimate goal being to “put central and north Florida on the map” in the often overlooked and under-appreciated genre of indie hip hop. For info on the Awards, passes to attend, or info on Dez Nado, please contact VIPSquad Entertainment at vipsquadent@gmail.com, or visit his website www.whoisdeznado.com and/or www.facebook.com/deznado, or contact manager J Scott at 904-651-7960. Season 1 and 2 of “Life & Grind” can be viewed at www.youtube.com/LifeGrindDuval December 2015-January 2016 "Life & Grind" Season 3 begins filming, LaDolceVita gains press (Newswire/PR, PR.com, 1888, ArtEntertainment Breaking News, Retro Mix 107.9, ThinkYouKnowMusic.com, more)
Indie Rapper Dez Nado Uses Self-Produced Cable Reality Show to Gain Major Label Support for New Album Release
Indie singer-songwriter breaks ground by leveraging support gained from self-produced cable reality TV show "Life & Grind: Duval" to broker deal for distribution from Universal Music Group.
Jacksonville, FL, January 01, 2016 --(PR.com)-- 2014-15 Jacksonville Artist of the Year and 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards performer Dez Nado announced earlier today via his website that he will be releasing a new album in early 2016. The album, entitled “LaDolceVita,” has a February 14 release date and will be backed by Universal Music Group, according to Wikipedia’s artist reference page for the up-and-coming hip hop/reggae artist. The release coincides with the season premiere of the new, regional hit cable reality TV series “Life & Grind: Duval,” a cable television show that Dez Nado produces which premieres Sunday, January 3rd at 8pm ET on the Bounce-Jacksonville TV Network.
The album will be Dez Nado’s first since his 2011 debut release “No Hands 2,” which was distributed digitally by KKR/Island/Def Jam and saw moderate sales success despite the lack of press/media. Dez spoke about the near 5-year hiatus:
“…[with his last album] I was so focused on the music. But I had no guidance, and no business experience in the [music] industry. So, I took time out, finished school and learned the game hands-on. I built streams of revenue and legitimized my [fan] base, which I leveraged and used to get a real good major-level deal. Now, the buzz is there, timing is everything and now is the time.”
The LaDolceVita album is preceded by 3 major, compilation mixtape releases from Dez Nado, including Florida’s Finest – Volume 3 (FLAsFinest3), Freestyle Filez 3, and VIPSquad All-starz: Volume 3, which featured Lola Monroe of Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang, Caskey of Cash Money Records, and Super Bowl XLVIII halftime performer Bruno Mars. Dez stated that LaDolceVita will feature an exclusive version of his current TIDAL/iTunes single “Futuristic,” which is currently gaining solid support internationally following its release in early December.
Dez, who earned his Master’s degree in communication from University of Central Florida in 2013, is most known in central/north Florida for producing and starring in “Life & Grind: Duval.” He regularly credits the show’s uniqueness in that it’s the only show in the U.S. that not only provides a first-person look into a select few artists’ and models’ active “lives and grinds” as they develop and work to “make it big,” but it also innovatively builds on his already notable buzz while using the regionally untapped television avenue to maintain engagement with his growing base of fans and supporters.
Dez Nado emphatically credited the supporters of his TV show, “Life & Grind,” for its successes and his successes as well, which have since the show’s premiere included a BET-featured performance in Atlanta during 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards weekend, being named 2014-15 Artist of the Year over other artists such as Cash Money Records’ T-Rone, and heavy hitter Swordz at the 2014 Duval Music Festival, being invited to the invite-only 2015 BMI Hip Hop/R&B Awards in Los Angeles, CA, and being featured on daytime television show “The Chat” (ABC25/NBC12; viewable at artist website) in addition to his TV show becoming the most watched new program on the Bounce network in the Jacksonville market for Fall 2014. Dez is also collaborating with some local promoters and hosting an official “Life & Grind” Season 3 Premiere Party in downtown Jacksonville at 1904 Music Hall where both he and the new cast members will perform on Friday, January 1 starting at 9pm during TaxSlayer Bowl weekend, which is one of the biggest entertainment weekends of the year in the north Florida/south Georgia market. For info on LaDolceVita or Dez Nado, please visit his website www.whoisdeznado.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dez_Nado, or contact manager J Scott at vipsquadent@gmail.com.
- Street Drop: No Hands (Mixtape - Hosted by Melle Mel) - July 2010 - Indie release - DatPiff Rating: 5 Stars; 654 plays/downloads, 750 CDs distributed
- No Hands 1.5 (Mixtape - Hosted by Dez Nado) - February 2011 - Indie release - DatPiff Rating: 5 Stars; 218 plays/downloads
- No Hands 2 (Album - MTV/Island/Def Jam/VIPSquad Ent) - April 2011 - KKR/Island/Def Jam (Digital Release; Currently MTV.com) – over 1,100 units sold, Vegas Life Radio Feature Album
- Freestyle Filez: Volume 1 (Mixtape - Hosted by Dez Nado) - May 2012 - Indie release – DatPiff Rating: 3 Stars; 332 plays/downloads DatPiff/MediaFire, 500 CDs distributed – Album of the Summer 2011 (Hip Hop Stardom Magazine)
- Freestyle Filez: Volume 2 (Mixtape - Hosted by Dez Nado) - October 2012 - DatPiff Rating: 5 Stars; 1,302 plays/downloads, 350 CDs distributed
- #FLAsFinest (Mixtape - Hosted by VIPSquad Entertainment) - June 2013 - DatPiff Rating: 5 Stars; 128,210 plays/downloads | www.soundcloud.com/flasfinest
- NO HANDS: IRIE - (Mixtape - Hosted by Dez Nado, Bob Marley) - December 2013 - DatPiff Rating: 5 Stars; 3,104 plays/downloads, 1,200 CDs distributed www.soundcloud.com/nohandsirie
- #FLAsFinest2 (Mixtape - Hosted by VIPSquad Entertainment) - July 2014 - Indie - DatPiff Rating: 3 Stars; 11,751 plays/downloads | www.soundcloud.com/flasfinest2
- VIPSquad All-Starz: The Album - Volume 3 - November 2014 - Indie ALBUM – DatPiff Rating: 5 Stars; 3,024 plays/downloads | www.soundcloud.com/vipsquadas3
- Freestyle Filez: Volume 3 (Double Mixtape - Hosted by Dez Nado & VIPSquad DJs) - Sept 2015 - Indie - DatPiff Rating: 5 Stars; 9,616 plays/downloads www.soundcloud.com/freestylefilez3
- Florida's Finest 3 (Double Album - Hosted by Dez Nado & VIPSquad DJs) - Nov 2015 - DatPiff Rating: 5 Stars; 177,985 plays/downloads www.audiomack.com/artist/flasfinest3/
- LaDolceVita (Album)/Futuristic A-Side; Duele B-Side Singles - March 2016 - Universal Music Group/VIPSquad Entertainment 85,000 Sound Exchange/Pandora streams, 1,113 Spotify Streams/Downloads, 719 iTunes/Amazon Streams/Downloads, Indie Digi/Physical Distribution: 13,560 (Digiwaxx/PlayMPE Int'l distribution); 389 Total DJ downloads, global www.soundcloud.com/DezNadoLaDolceVita
- Freestyle Filez: Volume 4 (Double Mixtape - Hosted by Dez Nado & VIPSquad DJs) - Sept 2016 - Indie - Independent Release; 6,558 https://www.audiomack.com/artist/freestylefilez4
- Florida's Finest Vol. 4 (Double Mixtape - Hosted by Dez Nado & VIPSquad DJs) - Nov 2016 - Indie - VibeMixtapes/Independent Release Rating: 5 Stars; 2,113 Independent Downloads (Media Fire) 9,407 plays https://www.audiomack.com/artist/flasfinest4
- Freestyle Filez Vol. 5 (Double Mixtape - Released Independently & Hosted by 1017 Brick Squad Mafia Gang Nation Artist Seerious Penny & Dez Nado) - Oct 2017 - MEDIAFIRE Secure Full Download - SoundCloud -- 425 Independent Downloads, 5,885 multi-platform plays/streams Total
- Freestyle Filez Vol. 6 (Double Mixtape - Released Independently & Hosted by Dez Nado) - Sept 2018 - MEDIAFIRE Secure Full Download - SoundCloud -- 296 Independent Downloads, 6,989 multi-platform plays/streams Total | Stream FREE on AUDIOMACK here: https://audiomack.com/artist/dez-nado-1
- Florida's Finest Vol. 6 (Double Mixtape - Released Independently & Hosted by Dez Nado & DJ Purfiya) - Oct 2018 - MEDIAFIRE Secure Full Download - SoundCloud -- 175 Independent Downloads, 9,612 multi-platform plays/streams Total Stream FREE on AUDIOMACK here: https://audiomack.com/artist/flasfinest6
- Shoot Ya Shot LP (Album)/Shoot Ya Shot A-Side; Squad Goals/What U Tellum B-Side Singles - March-Oct 2019 - VIPSquad Entertainment 254,318 Spotify/Pandora/Apple Music streams + Sales as of Sept 19 2019 | Purchase FULL Album at VIPSquadNation.com | Stream the New Music Video for "Shoot Ya Shot" and New Visuals as they Release at YouTube.com/DezNado
- Freestyle Filez Vol. 5 (Double Mixtape - Released Independently & Hosted by 1017 Brick Squad Mafia Gang Nation Artist Seerious Penny & Dez Nado) - Oct 2017 - MEDIAFIRE Secure Full Download - SoundCloud -- 425 Independent Downloads, 5,885 multi-platform plays/streams Total
"Kindaded" appeared on Episodes 1, 2, and 9 of Life & Grind: Duval Appeard as a cast member of Life & Grind: Duval, Season 1 - CW17/BounceTV August 2014-August 2015 (4,500 households) Radio Straight Rida (2007-2008) - 105.7 FM Jacksonville FL Throw It Back (2008- Present) - 105.7 FM Jacksonville FL - 93.3 Jacksonville FL - 99.5 FM Washington, D.C. - (nationwide --> http://www.983kissfm.com/new2/artists/i/130144?psid=190979 // http://www.kyld.com/new2/artists/i/130144) Check Out My Lean (2010) // I'm Paid Now (2011) - JACKSONVILLE FL - 93.3/97.9 FM
- Light It Up Radio - Edmonton, Canada
- Simply Radio - Orlando, FL, USA
- ADO 97.8 FM - Paris, France
- Flava - Auckland, New Zealand
- Vegas Life Radio - Las Vegas, NV, USA
- MyRadioNetwork - Charleston, VA, USA
- http://www.youtube.com/deznado
- http://www.twitter.com/deznado
- http://www.whoisdeznado.com
- Clear Channel Home
- KLASSIC KLIQ Records Home
- Pure Cash Magazine Feature
- International Hip Hop Feature
- FACEBOOK MUSIC PAGE
- http://www.numberonemusic.com/deznado
- http://www.datpiff.com/profile/deznado
- Indie Charts NATIONAL
- FREE DEZ NADO RINGTONES
Top ten reverb nation charts week 52 2013, week 1 jan 2014, for Jacksonville FL region
Duvalhiphop.com January 2014 Video of the Month “Kindaded”
Feb-March 2014
Was a “focus character” and starring cast member of Jacksonville’s First and Only Reality TV Show, “Life & Grind: Duval” (Season 1; aired Fall 2014 on CW 17/Bounce Tv, yourjax.com)
May-July 2014
Created, booked, and coordinated Jacksonville's largest independent Spring and Summer annual concerts, Duval Spring Fest 2014 and Duval Unity Summer Fest 2014
August-October 2014 Dez's show "Life & Grind: Duval" Season 1 airs and achieves #1 ranking for new programs in Fall 2014 on the Jacksonville network; Dez lands official sponsorship from Clique Vodka/Premier Innovations Group (Pittsburgh) for the show December 2014 Off the success of the reality TV show, Clique Vodka/Premier Innovations Group extends their sponsorship for another year and grants marketing/distribution rights to VIPSquad Entertainment (Dez's independent label) for the entire region of Florida/Georgia "Life & Grind: Duval" Season 1 picked up for additional airing on a second TV channel; local channel 18.1/Mee Mee TV Jax ( Mee Mee TV - Jax Homepage ) Dez Nado officially named a Rude Boy Clothing artist; International Magazine Rude Boy Lifestyle Magazine and Clothing Line Rude Boy Clothing officially offers Dez Nado and "Life & Grind: Duval" a clothing sponsorship (www.rudeboymag.com) Jan-Feb 2015 Featured in Void Magazine/Void Live for winning 2014 Artist of the Year http://voidlive.com/music/dez-nado-wins-artist-year-duval-music-festival/ Awarded DuvalHipHop.com’s title of 2014 ARTIST OF THE YEAR
-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— March 2015 Jacksonville, Florida— Jacksonville-based rapper Dez Nado notched another big win in his rapidly growing belt of successes this past Saturday night as DuvalHipHop.com awarded him the much coveted title of “2014 Artist of the Year”. The award, given to Dez during the Duval Star Awards ceremony at the 4th Annual Duval Music Festival at 1904 Music Hall in downtown Jacksonville, comes amidst an undeniable rise in buzz and regional notoriety for the rapper since he independently launched and produced Jacksonville’s first and only reality TV series “Life & Grind: Duval”, which airs locally on Comcast channel 225 (Bounce) every Saturday at 8pm EST. Dez says he’s “learned a lot” since he won his first local, music-related awards in 2008 for Performer of the Year and Rookie of the Year: “I’m not big on awards, but it means a lot to be recognized for all the work you put in,” the rapper remarked, “It’s motivation, and validation to keep the grind up…work harder and see what else you can push yourself to achieve…” While Dez Nado (www.whoisdeznado.com) is becoming known for his work ethic and his grind, he didn’t deny spending a little time celebrating at the awards show in his hometown after receiving the award Saturday night. The celebration was definitely deserved, as he won with over a third of the total votes received in a competitive group that included artists signed to both major and independent record labels. Sticking to his promise to push himself to the next level and see what else he can achieve, Dez Nado is staying busy in 2015 with several projects, including Season 2 of his Clique Vodka-sponsored cable TV reality series “Life & Grind: Duval”, which premieres Saturday March 7th at 8pm EST on Comcast channel 225 (Bounce), along with the incorporation of his own independent record label “VIPSquad Entertainment” in March, hosting of several parties and showcases for his Life & Grind movement during Jacksonville’s One Spark festival in April (250,000+ attendees expected this year), and hosting and performing in his Duval Spring Fest 2015 ( https://www.facebook.com/events/1412900665674605 ) concert, his own creation that has become North Florida/South Georgia’s biggest independent annual spring concert. If you’re just picking up on the moves Dez is making and the spectacle going on in north Florida, you’re late. We’re definitely staying tuned to see what’s next to come out of Duval county from him and his movement. March 2015 Commentary featured on International Political website DailyCaller.com Featured as an Official Rude Boy Clothing sponsored artist in international publication Rude Boy Lifestyle Magazine (via @RudeBoyAsia) April-November 2015 Appeared on ABC25/NBC12 daytime television show "The Chat" in promotion of his 2014 album "VIPSquad All-Starz" (Full Interview viewable on homepage @ www.whoisdeznado.com)
Duval Spring Fest 2015 & Summer Fest 2015 host and performer (featured on jacksonville.com, Florida Times-Union, VOID Magazine, First Coast News, Folio Weekly, and more)
http://events.jacksonville.com/event/duval-spring-fest-2015
2015 Mega Sum Fest (Hip Hop Stardom Mag) performer invitee
2015 BMI Hip Hop/R&B Awards special invitee (invite-only; Saban Theatre - Los Angeles)
Freestyle Filez 3 (mixtape host) release - www.soundcloud.com/freestylefilez3
VIPSquad Entertainment presents #FreestyleFilez3 - a collection of exclusive and VERY rare freestyles from the hottest major and independent lyricists of all time spanning 20 years of hip hop, specially mixed and cut by up-and-coming VIPSquad DJs (Full FREE download @ www.whoisdeznado.com ) Florida's Finest 3 (mixtape host and feature artist) release - www.soundcloud.com/flasfinest3 -- FULL Free .zip MediaFire download HERE VIPSquad Ent presents #FLAsFinest3 the only mixtape bringing you the hottest all-genre indie and major music from Florida artists/bands -- soundcloud.com/flasfinest3 | whoisdeznado.com for FULL free .zip download | vipsquadent@gmail.com for inquiries mixed by VIPSquad DJs Hosted by @deznado Official 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards weekend performer (Hood Critic Magazine Feature:
http://hoodcriticmagazine.com/2015/10/07/meet-up-and-coming-indie-hip-hopreggae-artist-dez-nado/
"IMMEDIATE RELEASE – SEPTEMBER 2015 Orlando, FL
Indie up-and-coming hip hop/reggae artist Dez Nado announced earlier today that he was one of the few artists selected to perform at this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards. The event is held annually at the Atlanta Civic Center in midtown Atlanta and is part of a full weekend of highly publicized events collectively regarded as the “Super Bowl” of hip hop. Past Hip Hop Awards performers have included several big names in the hip hop world such as Lil’ Wayne, T-Pain, Outkast, Ludacris, 2 Chainz, Kanye West, Eminem, and more major artists as well as rising independent artists who are gaining the industry’s attention. Dez Nado is the first and only indie rap artist from Florida to be selected to perform at the Awards, which will be hosted by hip hop legend Snoop Dogg and televised nationally on the BET Network Tuesday, October 13th at 8pm EST.
The BET Hip Hop Awards has become a staple event not only to the hip hop community here in the U.S. but to international music industry executives, artists, and fans throughout the world. The Awards event regularly gives several rising independent stars a chance to shine in the national spotlight between the performances of A-listers like J Cole, Drake, and Atlanta’s own breakout star Future. Dez said that he felt “blessed” and is looking forward to representing the state of Florida this year during BET’s famed Red Carpet Experience, which is one of the aforementioned segments that will be filmed and televised as the stars arrive at the Awards. The local rapper neither confirmed nor denied the rumor that being selected to perform at such a premier, red carpet event like the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards means he’s close to inking a deal with a major label, stating that “right now anything can happen, [the independent artists selected] are competing for a chance to achieve a dream in front of the people with the power to make that happen”.
Dez, who graduated from UCF in 2013, is most known in central/north Florida for producing and starring in his own locally airing, cable reality TV series “Life & Grind” (airs Sundays at 8pm on the Bounce network). He remarked that he felt “slightly nervous, but confident and relieved” when he first heard the news.
“A year ago, I was just starting a new TV show to showcase the talent here in town, like myself, that very few people even know about, now I’m performing on national TV at the Hip Hop Awards”, he commented.
Benefitting from a noteworthy buzz that more and more people are picking up on, Dez Nado gave credit to the supporters of his TV program, “Life & Grind”, which highlights independent musicians and entertainers and gives viewers a firsthand look into their daily efforts to “make it big”. Support for Dez’s movement is evidenced by his recent accomplishments, including being named 2014 Artist of the Year over other artists like YMCMB’s T-Rone, and heavy hitter Swordz by Jacksonville’s hip hop music hub duvalhiphop.com, being nominated twice (2013 & 2014) for Best Male Hip Hop Artist at the Georgia Music Awards, and being featured on daytime television show “The Chat” (ABC25/NBC12; viewable at www.whoisdeznado.com) following the success of his TV show becoming the most watched new program on the Bounce network for Fall 2014.
Currently working on an independent project featuring Lola Monroe of Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang, Caskey of YMCMB, and Super Bowl XLVIII halftime performer Bruno Mars, Dez stated that he intends to take full advantage of the opportunity to perform in front of the industry’s heavyweights as well as a national television audience, with the ultimate goal being to “put central and north Florida on the map” in the often overlooked and under-appreciated genre of indie hip hop. For info on the Awards, passes to attend, or info on Dez Nado, please contact VIPSquad Entertainment at vipsquadent@gmail.com, or visit his website www.whoisdeznado.com and/or www.facebook.com/deznado, or contact manager J Scott at 904-651-7960. Season 1 and 2 of “Life & Grind” can be viewed at www.youtube.com/LifeGrindDuval December 2015-January 2016 "Life & Grind" Season 3 begins filming, LaDolceVita gains press (Newswire/PR, PR.com, 1888, ArtEntertainment Breaking News, Retro Mix 107.9, ThinkYouKnowMusic.com, more)
Indie Rapper Dez Nado Uses Self-Produced Cable Reality Show to Gain Major Label Support for New Album Release
Indie singer-songwriter breaks ground by leveraging support gained from self-produced cable reality TV show "Life & Grind: Duval" to broker deal for distribution from Universal Music Group.
Jacksonville, FL, January 01, 2016 --(PR.com)-- 2014-15 Jacksonville Artist of the Year and 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards performer Dez Nado announced earlier today via his website that he will be releasing a new album in early 2016. The album, entitled “LaDolceVita,” has a February 14 release date and will be backed by Universal Music Group, according to Wikipedia’s artist reference page for the up-and-coming hip hop/reggae artist. The release coincides with the season premiere of the new, regional hit cable reality TV series “Life & Grind: Duval,” a cable television show that Dez Nado produces which premieres Sunday, January 3rd at 8pm ET on the Bounce-Jacksonville TV Network.
The album will be Dez Nado’s first since his 2011 debut release “No Hands 2,” which was distributed digitally by KKR/Island/Def Jam and saw moderate sales success despite the lack of press/media. Dez spoke about the near 5-year hiatus:
“…[with his last album] I was so focused on the music. But I had no guidance, and no business experience in the [music] industry. So, I took time out, finished school and learned the game hands-on. I built streams of revenue and legitimized my [fan] base, which I leveraged and used to get a real good major-level deal. Now, the buzz is there, timing is everything and now is the time.”
The LaDolceVita album is preceded by 3 major, compilation mixtape releases from Dez Nado, including Florida’s Finest – Volume 3 (FLAsFinest3), Freestyle Filez 3, and VIPSquad All-starz: Volume 3, which featured Lola Monroe of Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang, Caskey of Cash Money Records, and Super Bowl XLVIII halftime performer Bruno Mars. Dez stated that LaDolceVita will feature an exclusive version of his current TIDAL/iTunes single “Futuristic,” which is currently gaining solid support internationally following its release in early December.
Dez, who earned his Master’s degree in communication from University of Central Florida in 2013, is most known in central/north Florida for producing and starring in “Life & Grind: Duval.” He regularly credits the show’s uniqueness in that it’s the only show in the U.S. that not only provides a first-person look into a select few artists’ and models’ active “lives and grinds” as they develop and work to “make it big,” but it also innovatively builds on his already notable buzz while using the regionally untapped television avenue to maintain engagement with his growing base of fans and supporters.
Dez Nado emphatically credited the supporters of his TV show, “Life & Grind,” for its successes and his successes as well, which have since the show’s premiere included a BET-featured performance in Atlanta during 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards weekend, being named 2014-15 Artist of the Year over other artists such as Cash Money Records’ T-Rone, and heavy hitter Swordz at the 2014 Duval Music Festival, being invited to the invite-only 2015 BMI Hip Hop/R&B Awards in Los Angeles, CA, and being featured on daytime television show “The Chat” (ABC25/NBC12; viewable at artist website) in addition to his TV show becoming the most watched new program on the Bounce network in the Jacksonville market for Fall 2014. Dez is also collaborating with some local promoters and hosting an official “Life & Grind” Season 3 Premiere Party in downtown Jacksonville at 1904 Music Hall where both he and the new cast members will perform on Friday, January 1 starting at 9pm during TaxSlayer Bowl weekend, which is one of the biggest entertainment weekends of the year in the north Florida/south Georgia market. For info on LaDolceVita or Dez Nado, please visit his website www.whoisdeznado.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dez_Nado, or contact manager J Scott at vipsquadent@gmail.com.