Nowadays, anyone who keeps up with reality tv shows, sports, and music knows that everyone loves an underdog. Think about it, this is the generation that goes against the grain and defies the ordinary just to stand out from others. People will root for the little guy just so they can add significance to the phrase "I told you so". For II Tre, the term "underdog" is an understatement being that he is a self taught, college dropout from the unknown city of Fort Smith, Arkansas. And thus far, no rapper from his region has had major success in the music business. But surprisingly, he actually likes the odds and is ambitiously looking forward to being a pioneer in the hip hop scene of what he calls the "Dusty Souf" region. "I feel like the younger guys need someone to look up to," he says. "I know plenty of rappers with hit records. But they look at the area and think they can't make it. That's who I do this for. It is imperative that I become successful so that I can show others how to do it," he adds. At the age of 15, II Tre discovered that he had the natural ability to rap. And due to the fact that it was not many producers located in his city, a couple of years later, he also learned how to make beats and record himself using a computer, a mic, and various software programs. Thoughout his high school career, he also began doing live performances with other local rappers as well. And after seeing the great responses from the crowds, he finally began to consider music as a career instead of just a hobby. After a year of college, at the age of 19, II Tre became a part of the hip hop group called Souf Land. Almost immediately after they became a group, they were signed to Wise Up Records, an independent label based in Cincinnati. They then recorded their first album called Arkansas. The project was released nationally and they began touring from coast to coast in major arenas with crowds of up to 12,000 people. The album featured the smash hit song Arkansas which II Tre produced. The song quickly became a crowd favorite because of its high energy and its choreography. Fort Smith natives and people from the surrounding cities bumrushed the local stations to request it while the Arkansas Razorbacks football team began playing it while they warmed up before their home games. "I showed up to one of the games and I was going crazy when I heard our song playing. I could hear it over the band and the announcer and I was in the nosebleed section," he remembers. Even though Souf Land experienced some success, II Tre still wanted to do solo projects and introduce himself to the world. So at 21, he decided to use the experience and exposure that he and his group accumulated by creating his own label. As a result, A-State Entertainment was established and he immediately began working on his first solo project titled Off Da Chain. He plans on making the album a breakthrough project that gains the attention of fans, labels, and djs. "I'm always finding ways to promote my music online and in the streets. I realize that nobody wants to sign someone who is a liability. That's why I do so much. They want someone who can make them money, not take it." The majority of songs from the new album Off Da Chain features solid production by II Tre, which would explain why most of the project sounds upbeat and energetic. "I'm not going to lie," II Tre explains, "I wasn't brought up in the streets. That's why I don't make dark, hardcore gangsta music. I make feel good music. When they bang my joints, I want people to feel like a million bucks, ya dig." On top of his fresh sounding beats, II Tre also shows off his lyrical ability with wordplay, witty punchlines, metaphors, and similies. Anyone who listens to Off Da Chain will know that he has a chip on his shoulder and refuses to let location put restraints on him. Now at 22, II Tre's focus is stronger than ever and soon the world will realize that this underdog is unleashed and literally Off Da Chain. __ www.iitre.com