Pittsburgh Slim

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Pittsburgh Slim


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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Sied Chahrour
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Genre = Hip hop, alternative rap
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Years_active = 2007–present
Label = Def Jam
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Sied Chahrour, better known by his stage name Pittsburgh Slim, is an American rapper from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began as a member of the Pittsburgh indie rap group, Strict Flow, and after relocating to Los Angeles, California, he released the single "Girls Kiss Girls". The song gained popularity from its video on YouTube, leading Chahrour to sign to Def Jam Recordings, where he debuted with the album, "Tastemaker", in December 2007.

Biography

Chahrour was born and raised in the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to an Algerian father and a part-Mexican mother. He began working on beats and rhymes around 1993 while starting Allderdice High School, where he graduated in 1997. [" [http://www.classmates.com/directory/public/memberprofile/list.htm?regId=393732961 Classmates: Sied Chahrour] ". Classmates.com. Retrieved on February 23, 2008.] He played in rock bands and formed the rap group, Strict Flow, in 1996, with Masai Turner, Chad Glick, and Eric Dan. The group signed to indie label Raw Shack in 1999, and released the single "People on Lock". Their debut album, "Homegrown", sold over 6,000 copies, an unprecedented amount for a Pittsburgh hip hop group. Strict Flow opened local shows for artists such as Nelly, Jurassic 5, Usher, Nas, The Roots, Ja Rule and 50 Cent, but after releasing the album "Without Further Ado" in 2003, the group split up.

Chahrour relocated to Los Angeles, California in 2005 and worked as a waiter while he continued to work on his music. Chahrour conceived of a song based on the line "I like when girls kiss girls", and turned to North Carolina-based producer David Willis, also known as Ski Beatz, for help with the production. For the song, "Girls Kiss Girls", they made an "American Pie"-inspired video that featured "Penthouse" magazine model Krista Ayne. The video became a sensation on the video sharing website YouTube and started getting radio station play across the United States, beginning with KISS-FM in Pittsburgh.

Chahrour began receiving offers from record labels to release the single, but held out for an offer to make an album. Chahrour met with rapper and Def Jam CEO, Jay-Z, and was offered a five album deal with the label. Chahrour had come up with the name Pittsburgh Slim four years earlier, based on a line from Jay-Z's song, "So Ghetto" from "Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter", where he rapped "Iceberg, Slim, baby ride rims", referencing author and pimp Iceberg Slim. Chahrour released the single "Girls Kiss Girls" on Def Jam and his album, "Tastemaker", was released on December 4, 2007. Chahrour appeared on "Last Call with Carson Daly" on December 11, 2007 and will appear in the film, "The Bleeding", starring Vinnie Jones, Michael Matthias, Michael Madsen, DMX and Armand Assante. [McNary, Dave (March 23, 2008). " [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117982807.html Five cut teeth on 'Bleeding'] ". "Variety". Retrieved on March 25, 2008.]

Discography

*"Tastemaker" (2007), Def Jam - debut album

ee also

*Wiz Khalifa

References

*Aquilante, Dan (December 4, 2007). " [http://www.nypost.com/seven/12042007/entertainment/music/iron_city_rapper_hopes_to_kiss_and_excel_78539.htm Iron City Rapper Hopes to Kiss and Excel] ". "New York Post". Retrieved on February 23, 2008.
*Jentzen, Aaron (November 29, 2007) " [http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A38847 A Conversation with Pittsburgh Slim] ". "Pittsburgh City Paper". Retrieved on February 23, 2008.
*Mervis, Scott (November 11, 2007). " [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07315/832351-388.stm Jay-Z taps hip-hopper with local roots as next 'Tastemaker'] ". "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Retrieved on February 23, 2008.

External links

* [http://www.defjam.com/site/artist_home.php?artist_id=666 Pittsburgh Slim] on Def Jam Recordings
*Myspace|pittsburghslim
*Allmusic|11:0ifoxzy5ld6e
* [http://aipdaily.com/interview-with-pittsburgh-slim/ Interview with Pittsburgh Slim] at Adult Industry Press