With over a decade in the making, Magnum K.I. is set to release their first full-length self-titled album. Consisting of Michael Arnone (aka DJ Kutdown), Rob Crooks and Ismaila Alfa, this trio feels as though they have reached a new stage in their musical development. Ismaila, the lead vocalist for Magnum K.I., first gained notoriety in the mid- to late-nineties, as a member of the pioneering hip-hop group, Frek Sho. In 1996, Frek Sho released the first music video by any Manitoban hip-hop artists to be in regular rotation on Much Music. In 1999, Arnone was recruited to join the seminal hip-hop act, as their main audio engineer, producer and DJ. Since then, Ismaila and Arnone have released over 10 CD’s and two vinyl EPs, and have won praise internationally as both a duo and as solo-performers. In 2005, Magnum K.I. was given a great opportunity when they were invited to join Van’s Warped Tour. As performers on the Code of the Cuts stage, the duo played 9 U.S. cities along side acts from both Definitive Jux and Rhymesayers. Now, with over one hundred shows as Magnum K.I. under their belt, they have shared stages with Ill Bill, the Alkaholiks, DJ A-Trak, and Black Moon, just to name a few. In 2009, Magnum K.I. became even more dynamic when they made song-writer/producer Rob Crooks an official member of the group. With Crooks’ added presence on stage, backing up Ismaila’s vocals, and his precocious song-writing ability, the duo-turned-trio are stronger than they’ve ever been. With feel good songs such as the nostalgic Ol’Skool, socially charged songs like Phoenix, and hip-hop pop songs like the infectious Dreaming, Magnum K.I.’s self-titled debut is sure to be noticed by industry insiders and music fans alike.