SUPER PRODUCERS PLAY*N*SKILLZ INK RECORD LABEL DEAL WITH SRC/UNIVERSAL RECORDS FOR G4 MUZIK.

SUPER PRODUCERS PLAY*N*SKILLZ INK RECORD LABEL DEAL WITH SRC/UNIVERSAL RECORDS FOR G4 MUZIK.

The new deal will allow Play*N*Skillz to sign and develop new talent starting with G4 Muzik’s new artist Inertia. Two-time GRAMMY award winning producers and recording artists, Play*N*Skillz have announced that they have signed a record label deal with SRC/Universal Records for their own label imprint, G4 Muzik. The deal will allow the dynamic duo the opportunity to sign, develop and market artists with distribution through SRC/Universal Records.

“Play*N*Skillz have been trend setters for a long time, said Steve Rifkind, Founder and Chairman, SRC. “The music that they make is incredible and they’re innate knack for finding great talent is very impressive.”

“We are extremely excited to be a part of the SRC/Universal Records family, said Play from Play*N*Skillz. “This is an amazing opportunity for us to work with Steve Rifkind, one of the most influential record executives in the last 25 years, the same man who discovered the Wu-Tang Clan, Akon, Big Pun and Brand Nubian. For Steve, along with SRC President Gaby Acevedo to help seal the deal, on G4 Muzik is very monumental for us and verifies’s that we are on the right track.”

“This label deal will allow us to showcase our executives side as well as our creative and artistic sides, Said Skillz from Play*N*Skillz. “All of our hard work is paying off and I am excited for the future of G4 Muzik.”

Two-time Grammy Award winning producers and rap duo Play-N-Skillz consist of brothers, Juan “Play” and Oscar “Skillz” Salinas who hail from Dallas, Texas. These super producers have been working with some of the top names in the industry including Lil’ Wayne, Nelly, Pitbull, Bun B, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Hurricane Chris, Yung Joc, Hilary Duff, Slim Thug, Nina Sky and Lil’ Flip to name a few.

Exclusive Interview:
Hip Hop Enquirer’s own Dennis Byron caught up with Play to get his take on the signing of Play N Skillz label deal:

HHE:
What does it mean for Play N Skillz to sign this deal”

Play:
I think its growth and maturity to be able to sign and develop acts and kind of play the executive role. We have producing so many records and what people don’t know our success went all the way back when we produced Lil Flip’s album. We help A & R and scoped the whole song and it wasn’t ever a case where we were just given people beats. We would come with the whole vision on the song for the artist. With this situation now I have an opportunity to actually distribute and put records out like that but songs that I may find or songs I may produce whether it be locally, regionally or something I developed. It’s really just a great opportunity to be in business with a guy like Steve Rifken who is one of the most successful hip hop or musical executives as a whole to give me an opportunity like that and that’s a statement in itself because I don’t recall him doing anything like this in a long time.

HHE:
I know you have an artist you are pushing right now, please tell me about Inertia?

Play:
He is actually one guy and he is a special case because his flow is like a rapid Twista, Flo-rida and melodic tongue twister type of flow. He is originally based in Houston but moved to Dallas and what really caught my ear about him was that he was willing to be out the box on the music and in his recordings. He wasn’t stuck in just making street anthems or corner type of records and for me that is something I look for in an artist because you know the state of hip hop as a whole is in a different place right now and the artist has to be worldwide and I believe Inertia will be a worldwide artist. He has only been signed to us for a month and we have already recorded 13-14 songs and right now we have 3 singles ready to rock and roll.

HHE:
I had known of your production skills for a minute now but I didn’t know that you guys were recording artists as well until I saw you and Skillz perform on stage at last year’s Takeover 3 concert (shouts out to Julio G & Damian) in New Mexico. Are you guys planning on putting out your own music as recording artists as well now that you have a label imprint?

Play:
Absolutely and it’s funny you should ask me that because now I have an opportunity speak on it, we have actually had a lot of success with us being regional artists. Especially in the Latino community and you know on the rhythmic and pop side. We have had actually some really successful records charted and one in particular was back in 2003 where it landed #20 on the charts for us as artists. We have done the artist thing for a minute with our own little cult following. With our situation with Steve Rifken we are just expanding our brand and want the world to know that we are not just producers and songwriters but artist as well. We are looking to put our project out next year during the second or third quarter which will be entitled “Out the Box” and that’s exactly what the music is about where you will hear a mesh of hip hop, r &B, reggae, house music and the whole nine all on one record.

HHE:
You have one two Grammys in your career, tell our readers about those successes?
Well our first one was “Riding Dirty” with Chamillionaire which was huge for us and of course our recent Grammy was on the Carter 3 album with Lil Wayne’s “Got Money” hit. Those wins have put us in a different space as far as for producers and artists.

HHE:
As a Latino artist and producer and I preface that by saying I don’t like to put anyone in a box but have you felt that because of your heritage that has held you back by some in the hip hop community?

Play:
Yeah I do think that has held us back and its funny you should say that because I just left this meeting with a partner of mine that I do business with and we were discussing about us being artists and trying to find the ultimate mold or ultimate lane for us being artists because us being Latino is a bit harder for us to becoming the ultimate hip hop artist because there really hasn’t been too many successful Latin hip hop artists. Big Pun was one of the guys who kinda put Latin hip hop artists on the map but he wasn’t around long enough to really get his shine on. Fat Joe has had his success but on a larger scale people don’t really know he is Latin most think he’s black.

HHE:
Well that is odd because I am from the Bronx and I didn’t hear that anyone thought he was anything but Latino and he is the first to represent his Boricua heritage.

Play:
Yeah, Joe is proud of who he is and he represents the Latin culture but truth is not everybody puts him as a Latin artist they just see him as a hip hop artist. I say that to say it is difficult, it is a bit hard for us to be Latin and to break through as a hip hop artist but at the same time in 2009 the race barrier is kind of gone because hip hop is fusing with all kinds of music and people are like forgetting about the race card and I think it’s just a good time for us and hopefully everybody will just give us a shot and forget about race and just look for what it is and that’s the music.

 HHE:

Any final words for the hip hop community?

Play:
Yes, I want to think everyone for supporting me and my brother Skillz and embracing us for the 5-6 years that we had our success because it aint easy out there and without the people there’s definitely no Play N Skillz. I want to thank you for taking the time out and interviewing us and giving us an opportunity to speak on our new deal because a breakthrough is in for us being Latino young executives and producers in hip hop and this definitely gives us an opportunity to continue to put out great music.
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If you’re an artist and ooking have Play N Skillz check out your music, hit them up at [email protected] as they are currently looking for good acts to sign and remember to tell them you saw the information here.