Stevie Stone

For Stevie Stone, the release of Rollin' Stone, his debut album on Strange Music, signals a move
beyond his past and his arrival with the premier independent rap company. "The album is all
about progression," he says. "It's about my shift from Ruthless Records over to Strange Music.
Everything about Strange is about getting out and touching the people. Everybody's in tune
with the music and with what I'm doing. I've got their undivided attention. They make sure they
know and understand their artists."
Stone backs his words up on the explosive, bass-heavy lead single "808 Bendin'," which features
a remarkable verse from Strange Music honcho, Tech N9ne. The two bonded early on regarding
their mutual love for the 808 drum machine that was a signature of many classic rap songs
created in the 1980s.
"I'm 808-driven," Stone says. "I love that pulse, that backbone. Without pulse, there is no life.
That's what Tech is always saying. I heard the beat for '808 Bendin',' did the verse and the
hook. I thought it was something way, way different for Tech."
Stone keeps the energy at a fever pitch on the confrontational "Raw Talk", featuring Hopsin and
SwizZz, the menacing "Get Buck" and the stark "Keep My Name Out Your Mouth", featuring
Kutt Calhoun.
Elsewhere, Stone showcases his storytelling abilities on the tremendous "Dollar General."
Inspired by the 2007 film, Street Thief, Stone flows with a controlled fury about robbing a series
of businesses. WillPower's somber, piano-driven beat and the whispery chorus, delivered by
Yelawolf, create a potent, otherworldly, sonic ambiance. "I put it like it was a dream," Stone
explains. "I'm not saying that I'm the one that's robbing. It's almost like I'm watching the movie
and fall asleep. It's about my dream."
Music has enabled Stone to live out his dreams and escape his problems. On the soulful "My
Remedy," he details how his problems fade away as soon as he hits the stage. Nonetheless,
music has not provided a total escape. The wistful "2 Far" reveals how Stone's love for music
has created tremendous struggle in his relationship with his woman.
Then there's the dramatic "My Life." On this emotional cut, Stone details the challenges he's
created for himself and his family by pursuing his music career. Although the emotions were
raw, the song took Stone nearly two years to write. "I was wrestling with how much I want to
give to the people," he says. "It's revealing a lot of stuff. I'm talking about my being away from
my kids, my family and loved ones. I'd been writing it for a year or two because I had the beat
for a minute, but I didn't know how much I really wanted to put out there. I just let go and let the
music take me."
Music has taken Stone on the road. Given his love for touring, it makes Stone a natural fit on
Strange Music, as one of the company's key components is its touring enterprise. Add in Stone's
bond with Tech, his high quality music and his dedication to his craft and it's no wonder Stone
is the latest addition to the Strange Music roster. It's also why Stone wrote the song "Perfect
Stranger."
"My first show ever, when I was in high school, was with Tech. Eleven years later, it comes full
circle," he says. "I'm on the label. It's something that I've always wanted. I think I'm a perfect
fit with them."
Born and raised in Columbia, Missouri, Stone has been surrounded by music his entire life. His
mother was a singer and choir director who played piano and organ. One of his sisters also sang
and played instruments. While his mother favored gospel, blues and the work of Marvin Gaye,
Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross, his sisters listened to rap and R&B, providing a wide
range of sounds, styles and artistic influences.
By the time he was five, music consumed Stone. When a beat would start playing, Stone would
be instantly compelled to dance. He later started playing the piano and practicing on the drums.
Stone was simultaneously developing his basketball skills. He received an offer to play
basketball at a junior college in Des Moines, Iowa, and was going to pursue the opportunity.
A few weeks before he was slated to report to school, Stone landed a performance as an
opening act at a concert at the Fulton Fairgrounds. "When I hit that stage, I got the bug," he
recalls. "There was no doubt about it. Music was what I was going to do. I've never turned
back."
Within a few years, Stone secured a production deal in St. Louis with Fly Moves Productions,
requiring he relocate from Columbia. Stone jumped at the opportunity. "You should never be
content with where you're at," he says. "I've got the shoot-for-the-moon-end-up-in-the-stars type
of attitude."
Stone signed in 2007 with Ruthless Records, the label founded by the late gangster rap pioneer
Eazy-E and the recording home of N.W.A. While signed to the imprint, he learned the work ethic
needed in order to succeed in the music industry. He realized that an artist has to do as much as
possible for themselves and not rely on a label.
So, when Stone parted ways with Ruthless a few years later, he was poised for success. He
reconnected with Tech N9ne and Strange Music, which had developed into rap's biggest
independent success story.
Now, with Rollin' Stone about to arrive in stores, Stevie Stone realizes that his climb to success
isn't over. "After every ladder, there's another ladder. You've got to keep climbing the ladder,
keep moving. That's what I'm doing right now."