Demosthene .. This Is me
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Welcome to my membercard at Europe's No. 1 Urban Music Spot !
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The year is 1994. An eager and animated 16 year-old African boy is being given a haircut in a Cameroon hair studio. The stylist snips away as the young man hums along to the hip hop radio. One familiar song after another, he croons casually ... Until something changes. Goosebumps. Hairs standing on end. A song chimes in on that radio that resonates with him and he feels fireworks. This one enthralling, emotionally-fuelled song ignites a passion in that young heart to pursue music with urgent zeal. It's that urgency that has brought Demosthene and his hard-hitting sound to your ears today.
Demosthene, or Gilles D. Ngainsi as he was named at birth, bought his first keyboard while studying electrical engineering at the university of Stuttgart, Germany. "Even though I came home from university exhausted, playing on this keyboard energized me," The eager rapper explains. "After lectures and workshops at school, I would rush home to search for new tones, create beats and melodies, and write lyrics. It wasn't long before I added a computer into the mix, enabling me to record my own songs!" But with discipline equalled only by his dedication, Demosthene graduated university in 2004 before pouring himself into his music full-time.
The now 28-year old hip-hop artist from Munich, Germany explains from where he borrows his name: "Demosthene was the name of the greatest political leader and orator in ancient Greece around 300 B.C. When he was only 15, he was able to plead successfully for him and others in court, winning cases in an era when attorneys did not exist." With a passion for music and a conviction for poverty, Demosthene is doing the same - speaking for those who can't speak for themselves, and aggressively affecting change in a dying world.
"My music explores the varieties of various genres," He begins. "It's a mixture of modern rhythms with influences from the 70's, 80's as well as African culture." Drawing influences from a variety of artists (50 Cent, Michael Jackson and Elton John, to name a few), Demosthene has crafted a fresh hip-hop sound that fits right alongside heavy-hitters like Akon, Outkast and R. Kelly.
To strengthen his music's resonance on the world-wide stage, Demosthene writes and performs in three languages: English, French and German. His voice, simultaneously authoritative and vulnerable, creates the perfect atmosphere for his mix of party songs, and socio-critical ponderings. And lyrically, Demosthene covers a lot of ground, confidently tackling fundamental themes such as love, hatred, failure and success.
In November 2006, Demosthene recorded vocals for his debut album, "Avant-Coureurs" in Virginia, USA, and in January 2007, he launched Demosthene.biz, his official website which already boasts thousands of hits. With more and more club shows being announced every day, it won't be long before Demosthene is performing in your city. The debut album, "Avant-Coureurs" was produced by himself (Gilles D. Ngainsi Defo), and, at this time, is available as streaming-MP3s on www.demosthene.biz, and also available directly from DEMOSTHENE at his contact information below
No stranger to how the industry works, Demosthene is excited about potential doors into film, TV or advertising that his music might open, but this is not the motivation for doing what he does. "My music is the best means to communicate my thoughts with the world. My belief is that music awakes the consciousness, and its message can fight poverty around the world. That's why I feel this need to argue - not just for one, not just for ten - but for the whole world." Demosthene is no stranger to personal hardship and struggle, but has taken an arguably high road in dealing with it. "With my music I'm able to bear my pain without complaining. The failing should never be reason to resign to quit - but instead an opportunity to learn and try again."
With this mindset, Demosthene has a strong sense of his mission as an artist: "My target is youth around the world so they can change things with their enthusiasm and energy." However, he also sings for those in power in the world today, so that they can be made sensitive to social justice, and have respect for mankind and his environment. Always writing, and always with something to say, Demosthene is the new authority in hip hop on the global stage.
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Bester IAS Fachvortrag 09.2004: http://www.ias.uni-stuttgart.de/forschung/pub/Entwicklerforum2005_v
www.demosthene.biz
www.myspace.com/demostheneonspace
www.youtube.com/demosth3ne
www.xing.com
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