DA PAK

In this industry, there are artists, there are students of the game, and you have your raw talent.  Once in a while there is a unique mixture of all three of these things. On the streets of Detroit, in the year of 1982, three men where born with all three.  Anthony “A.B.” Byrd, Tarmale “K.B. (Koel Breeze)” Daniel, and Marcel “C.B.” (Cel-Bleaze) comprise the rap trio DA PAK.  The sound-STREET SYMPHONIC, a marriage of classical/traditional music with beats and lyrics that appeal to the core rap audience with unique commercial appeal.

It all began in the Fall of 2000, fresh out of high school Byrd needed an escape from the streets of Detroit, and his stressful family situation, he sought refuge at a small Black college in Nashville, TN.  His childhood best friend decided to go the opposite way. Detroit’s Focus Hope Machine Institute was his destination, Bleaze’s plans revolved around becoming apart of Detroit’s factory grind.  While there he discovered hip-hop as a release, as he began to write and recite more, he met Koel Breeze, an up and coming local solo artist.  Six hundred miles away, Byrd was experiencing the same type of transformation. Needing a release from being home sick and not around his people, Byrd starting battling in Nashville becoming solo a artist in the underground scene there.  After winning a battle at Tennessee State University sponsored by FuBu, he called home to tell his friend about his triumph. Before he could get it out of his mouth, Bleaze was telling Byrd about what was going on back in Detroit and about K.B., After spitting verses back and forth over the phone, the chemistry was incredible and DA PAK was born.

Discovered by Detroit’s “super” street promoter Mark “Doughboy” Hicks and his partner, Rico Shelton, in 2001 the group full of raw talent began to hone their skills by writing, recording, and performing together at local clubs, festivals, and wherever else they could get their hands on a mic.  By the Fall of 2002, the group had recorded over 100 tracks, been on numerous mixtapes.  Impressed by the presentation of the group, an official of Detroit’s 105.9 JAMZ (WDTJ) gave the group an opportunity to earn a slot performing the intro for their new weekend prime time radio show—and they delivered in grand fashion, dropping a creative joint that is still in rotation. Listeners still call in to request the shows intro!

The winter of 2002 would also be monumental to the group; this is when they made their first trip to New York City for Justo’s 2002 Mixtape Awards.  After an eleven-hour drive and hustling up credentials to the event, they met legends like Grandmaster Caz of the Cold Crush Brothers, Kurtis Blow, DJ Red Alert, Afrikka Bambaata, and had an hour-long talk with Kool DJ Herc himself!

The group spent 2003 doing more recording,  performing, and networking; expanding their list of accomplishments to R&B song writing as well as producing.  The summer of 2003 they would drop their first mixtape, The Marvelis Mixtape Vol.1, which was an underground success.  In an attempt to learn more about the people and business they plan to take by storm, the group threw their hat into the ring, getting into record promotions, Teaming up with Shady Records, they became an integral part of promoting Obie Trice’s debut album within the state of Michigan—the group drove Shady Record’s promotional van providing give aways and meeting the people who will one day purchase their album.

In years to come, the story of DA PAK will continue to be one of desire, creativity, determination and PROGRESS.  As a group they understand that along with talent the game is about positioning and a little bit of luck; which is when PREPARATION meets OPPORTUNITY. DA PAK is definitely PREPARED to take their careers to the next level, be a part of providing the OPPORTUNITY!