Onechot fires his 1st Shot A Surefire Hit 1st Shot is the first solo album of musician, singer and songwriter Onechot, the founder and brains behind popular groups Negus Nagast and Papashanty Saund System. On his new record, Onechot grabs you and storms off with you on a turbulent journey through reggae, hip-hop and dancehall, aided by some great international talent. It’s original, it bursts with rhythm and it irradiates contagious energy from all its 21 tracks. 1st Shot was produced in Caracas, mixed in Jamaica and mastered in New York. More at www.onechot.com ONECHOT Starting as a key member of Negus Nagast and Papashanty Saund System, two of the most successful independent groups of recent times, musician, singer and songwriter Onechot has now launched a solo career with first record 1st Shot. The painstaking production is the work of Iván Higa, with help from Fidel Goa and the participation of many outstanding international guest artists like Michael Rose (Black Uhuru), Sly Dumbar (Black Uhuru, Taxi Gang Connection), Fidel Nadal (Todos Tus Muertos, Lumumba) and Rekesón (Guerrilla Seca). Poet Alfredo Chacón also took part, his voice filtering through the flow of music to talk about the city: “Close to you as it is to me, yeah, but my town glows different. Explosion time for life, yeah, but I’ll make it - like flames, I’ll take it”. Onechot has this to say about his latest recordings: “1st Shot has nothing to do directly with my other work - of course, the influence is there. The songs are soaked in this kind of rhythm that really defines what I’m trying to say right now. Other tracks just suddenly appeared while I was hanging out with my panas; and the rest of the songs, quite a few of them, came along in 2007 as a result - I suppose - of the life we get thrown at us here in the city. I used some of the greatest new technology to create the music. But there’s lots more to it than that.... Another great thing is the concept of the CD’s cover+poster, which came about thanks to some brilliant ideas from the Keloide-Todmann partnership. The design and the printing is so incredible. 1st Shot has a lot to do with Onechot’s personal and musical destiny, a sort of rhythmic collage, straight from the quirks of his own life: successes, denunciations, emotions, dreams realized and others failed, memories. There’s a message of hope through new directions, but he warns of the dangers man is bringing down on his own head. When you’ve heard Onechot’s songs once, you can’t help humming them again and again, almost like you’re hypnotized. Most of the lyrics were created in the studio as he recorded his songs, and subsequently “worked on” at the sound studio of the Higa-Onechot duo. The result is a collection of 21 tracks heavy with an intense range of rhythms that go from Reggae Roots to cutting-edge Dancehall; effervescent and multiligual lyrics that talk with an intimate knowledge and acerbic humor of urban life, spirituality, politics and the environment. Take Living Insane for instance, very psychedelic hip-hop that reflects the current state of our country from the perspective of a maniac, a strange story of split personalities. International Killer is knife-edge electro-rap that pinpoints the mishaps of the US-Iraq war. Bomblast, in duo with two-time Grammy winner Mikal Rose is a very contagious song that reveals troubles in Apocalyptic times, and Safari, the first promo track, tailor-made for those in love with the good life and low designs. PRODUCTION 1st Shot was made between Caracas, Kingston and New York. As the authors themselves tell us, the material was digitally recorded in Jamaica and then mastered at Sterling Sound in New York, a studio frequented by some of the most influential artists in the world. The technical and artistic quality of the end product is on a par with any international production on the market. Iván Higa comments: “We had no intention of producing a record with out-of-date technology, but on mixing the analog technology with highly sophisticated equipment and some ultra-new sound effects, we arrived at a better-balanced and deeper sound, something that has a lot to do with the veteran hip-hop of Wu Tang Klan or Busta Rhymes. It’s an attractive mix we think is sure to be very well received by the followers of the musical genres that inspire us. This sound aspect is aimed at opening new frontiers: it’s from Venezuela, Latin America and the Caribbean, and from the other continents too, its spirit is global.” The production of 1st Shot, sponsored by the label Venezilla Krü (VK) and by companies Oscar Todtmann Editores, Editorial Arte and Impresos Minipres, is high on the country’s radio charts. At La Mega Estación, one of the most important stations broadcasting throughout Venezuela, Safari, the song that sprang from the explosive duo of Onechot and Jamaican artist Fire Tea, was at 6th place on the Top Ten of La Mega Estación for six straight weeks. Living Insane was included in the mix tape One World, Many Mics, compiled by New York association Emcees For P.E.A.C.E. The Living Insane video, directed by Santiago García, is being played on TV channel MTV Europa, and the video of Safari, directed by Luis Ruibal (“Loumi”) will be out shortly. The first of these videos was filmed in Choroní, Isla Larga and Mochima, and the second at a Caracas studio. Meanwhile, the musical project extends to a DVD that includes the launching concert of 1st Shot in the Concha Acústica; the debut of The Badman Orchestra, the best backing band on the local scene nowadays; and the videoclips of Living Insane, Safari and Canción de la montaña. Onechot has enjoyed a lot of success on the sites dedicated to promoting artists from all over the world, like www.Indie–Music.com which describes him as: “Great! Very creative, fun, groovy, transcendent!” Much-visited site www.Taxi.com self-described as “The world’s leading independent A & R Company,” makes the following comment about Bomblast: “An infectious rhythm; just enough traditional sensibility with contemporary flavor. A memorable hook supported by a catchy melody and fluid singing. The verses are spirited also. Nice Balance. Should be able to reach a wider audience and have crossover appeal. An energetic, unifying message. Great delivery by Onechot. The singing from Mikal Rose complements.”