Bio

C.E.O./Artist Yung Kutta (born Rashad Merridith) picked up on the rapping game at the tender age of 9 years old. Being from a small town like Natchez, MS, their wasn't much of a music scene to grasp onto or become influenced by, although everyone in his community was into hip hop music, their wasn't many local artist being showcased at the time, nor were there any concerts performed in the small town due to racial tension and the way rap music was viewed by a predominately white society. All of that would start to change for Yung kutta in the summer of 92' when a family member from Oakland,California who would visit in the summer had started rapping, and due to there close relationship it would quickly become an intrest of yung kutta. Soon the relative began to teach kut how to freestyle, write raps, and deliver the rap. He picked up on rapping so fast, it was as if he was a natrual for this. Fast forward a couple of years to 1995 where the music scene had begun to grow and flourish, Yung Kut had started making local tapes on a karoke set for the kids in school and the guys in his neighborhood charging 3.00 a tape for a 15 song album thus begining his introduction into the entrepeneurship of the music business. Kutta then known as just Rashad went onto make about 300.00 within 2 weeks of selling the tapes, this was great success for someone who was 11 years old and had never performed live other than an outside freestyle cipher. Kut remembers his mother repeatedly questioning him about where he got the money from, for fear he was selling drugs or gambling, which she had reason to be concerned, because kut had been caught shooting dice numerous times by other parents in the neighborhood, but her fears soon turned too joy when his story of how he got the money was confirmed by an older brother. Now knowing he could make money off his rapping, Kut aligned his self with a neighborhood friend who had a special intrest in the music industry also. This meeting of the two would become instrumental in Kut performing in his first show, which just happened to be the largest event of the year "Springfest" at Alcorn State University. Kut and rap partner Choppa Chief both which had no performing expierience were thrown right into the lions den opening the show for then new acts,Goodie Mob, the Hot Boys of Cash Money Records, and RnB crooner Rome. With at least 5,000 people in the crowd bright lights shining almost blinding them, the boys hit the stage and gave the greatest performance of the night and this was quoted by C.E.O. of Cash Money Records Ronald"slim"Williams, who was intrested in the duo, but due to lack of representation this oppurtunity could not be pursued. But the boys then return home empty handed, they wasn't paid for the performance but they got something as a rapper that was even more valuable, they got major exposure. 70% of the people attending the concert was from Natchez, so upon returning they were immediately thrusted in the local spot light, Kut even more so with the majority of the people feeling his verse and stage present was more electric and commanding than his counterpart. With a growing fan base in the small town came jealousy and envy from other local rappers who would always issue challenges to battle Kut in a freestyle cipher, and everytime Kut would answer the bell. One after another Kut would defeat his opponents, so bad that a neighborhood local coined him the name "Kuthoat" for his abillity to leave opposing rappers speachless after he spit his flow which was agressive and so well put together people thought his flows were written, but this was all freestyle, off the top, and upon learning this people began regarding Kut as the best rapper in Natchez, although he diidnt feel that way some did. Kut knew of another local rapper far across town by the name of JT who he felt was better than him and at the time he was the best where he was from. With the streets talking and debating about who had the best flow in Natchez, a formal challenge was finally issued, JT wanted to battle Kut. This was to take place at the school they both attended. JT being the upperclassmen seemed to have the advantage seeing that he had been killin the rappers at the school KUTS first year at the school made him the under dog, nonthing new to kut he had been here before. The battle took place at lunch time 250 to 300 kids sorounded the too. As the story goes JT would rap 1st, and he killed it as usual, the crowd seemed too think their was no way Kut could behind that flow, but he knew he could and he did. After his freestyle the crowd is going crazy, they never heard anyone compete with JT, since both rapper went so hard nobody could say who was better, this was the best thing that couldve happened because it began a mutual respect and a strong friendship of the two that would lead to a power house rap group known as I.C.H.O.K.E. which means I Can Hold Onto Knowledge Eternally. The Group consisted of rapper/in house producer Killa Cole, the brother of JT "Maintain" close friend of JT "P-Hype", female emcee "Feline" and last but not least Yung Kut I.C.H.O.K.E. would go onto be one of the most successful groups ever assembled in the town, setting the bar for rap groups to come, they would be one of the first to record in a major studio, the first to have in house production, and one of the first too release an album on CD, being that tapes were still widely used at this time this was a big accomplishment for any group or Artist. Their first release titled "Ohh No They Don't a War" would go onto sell at fast as they could press them up, moving over 500 copies at 10.00 a copy within a two month period. This was huge seeing how they moved these units hand to hand with no outside help only the boyz in the group. The financial success of the album was short lived due to squabble over money by the then producer of the album who shall remain nameless, but it wasn't the usual producer Killa cole, he was in Atlanta at the time pursuing his solo career. The producer had access to the newly invented CD burner that was being used for pressing up the album, but by this time I.C.H.O.K.E. had made good money that they didn't even think they was capable of as small town rappers, and even more important the streets had dubbed the album a classic and still to this day its a favorite in Natchez. After a year of performing in local talent shows and performing at parties an oppurtunity would present itself in the form of their old producer Killa Cole, who had returned from Atlanta with news that he had signed a record deal with a Houston,TX independent rap label BlackBoy Records. The boys new this meant they would get the chance they've always wanted, to be heard outside of Natchez, and thats exactly what they got. I.c.h.o.k.e. was set to be featured on 2 songs of the 16 track album titled "HILLBILLY FONK". After discussing it with family members and getting the support of their parents the boys were on their way. Upon arriving to the 7 bedroom mansion on the northside of Houston owned by attourney/C.E.O. Rod Murray, the group felt like they had really made it. Small town kids in the big city it was a dream come true but the excitement of being there soon died down and it was time too work. The C.E.O.'s of the label had never heard the group rap before, all they had was a vote of confidence from killa cole who made it clear the boys were more than worth it, so hours after arriving they were giving a semi-audition in the garage at Rod's House, and nobody waisted time spittin their flow. By the time the last member had rapped, it was a done deal they was offered an exclusive contract to be on the label just that fast. It seemed as if everything they prayed for was coming true, being so excited at the time, they all verbally committed to the contract in conversation, but the actual contract had to be signed for it too be official. After the initial excitement had died down the boys realized what a huge step this was, they started to discuss the fact that neither of them really knew the record business like that to be signing a contract, I mean they knew more than the average rappers, but they had yet to be schooled on publishing, nor the music industry lingo that was front to back in the 25 page contract. Remembering what happen with NWA and other groups after that quickly shot into the head of the boys, remembering how Ice Cube had always said read it before you sign it, and thats what they did. They read it and took much as they could understand and decided the contract was legit, but it didn't favor them financially as a 6 man group. Although they had expierienced some of the best hospitality ever, this was business nonthing personal so the boys declined on the offer to sign the contract. It was a dissapointment for the label and the group, who really wanted to be down with BlackBoy Records, but they realized their were too many people in the group for them to eat they way they felt they should, so after laying down the two tracks on Cole's album it was back to Natchez which after living the high life for a second seemed drabb. I mean they love Natchez, but they knew in order to put it on the map they had to get away cause wasn't nobody trying to hear them from this small town accept the people that lived there. Seven months later and another member added by the name of Mic Money, I.C.H.O.K.E. had began working on their second LP titled "Live From The Trace" this time almost entirely produced by Killa Cole. The group felt like this was their best work to date and the streets would soon feel the same, but Yung Kutta would not be around to enjoy the success of the album, after being bit by the big city bug, Kut decided to move to Atlanta, GA with his brother to try to elevate his rap career, and what a good move this was. Kut hit the ground runnin within 1 month in being Atlanta he had already caught the eye of industry elite 8 ball of 8 ball and MJG while freestyling against 4 guys in the buckhead area. Kut smashed the competition as he always did when 8 ball personally wrote his contact number down, telling Kut to disregard the number on the card and call him on his cell, this was huge for the small town rapper who moved to Atl for this very reason, it seemed as if it was all about to take off, but real life issues like having a job to keep a roof over his head prevented him for pursuing the oppurtunity as agressively as he wanted combined with the fact that at the time 8ball and mjg was pursuing the deal at BadBoy records so conversation between the two were limited. Kut didn't let this stop him from continuing his grind, after getting himself financially stable he was back on the rap circuit again. Through his job he befriended a fellow co-worker that turned out to be the studio engineer for Usher,Jeezy,and other industry elites. He was so amazed by Kut's talent, that he offered to record him in Nuzak studios for free, but keep in mind the going rate at this studio was 300 to 400.00 an hour to record, it seemed his talent once again paid his way. Arriving at the studio with then I.C.H.O.K.E. group member Maintain who had by then arrived to join Kut in pursuing this music thing. For them it was a dream come true for Kut and Maintain as he tells me about wall to wall platinum plaques for the albums of Whitney Houston, TLC, Babyface and more,about producers that was their like Po-Low da Don. It wasn't a starstruck thing but more of a confimation that he was in the right place, that all his hard work was on the way to paying off. But once again things took a negative turn for Yung Kut and Maintain, the car broke down, blew the engine, this made it hard for them to reach the studio consistently due to the time that Kut got off work and the distance from the area they lived in to the studio. A few times Kut brother would take him, a few times his homegirl would take them, but none of them could afford to be leaving the studio at 6:00 am every morning, so once again his oppurtunity would be put on the back burner. Kut then learned if he was going to do this rap thing, he had to take full control of his career an be his on boss. He would go onto research the business side of the industry, learning that he needed publishing, he quickly attained it, trademark for his name he got it, business liscene, whatever he needed he got it along wit his then business partner Carlos "C-Loc" Campbell and Maintain. They came together to form the independent label "LaydBack Inc." In September of 2007 Laydback released the album "Yung Kut and Maintain presents Dat Product" on the internet at www.cdbaby.com/yungkutmaintain to overwhelming response from a fanbase that had spread all over the U.S. and across seas, due to Myspace and I.C.H.O.K.E. fans from Natchez that helped moved the music throughout colleges and even in millitary. I.C.H.O.K.E. Founder JT was stationed in Iraq and thru his talent and abillity to bring people together developed somewhat of a cult following for the I.C.H.O.K.E./Yung Kut and Maintain music, and those people were shipped to diffrent bases around the world because that what good music does it spreads it grows, it becomes a way of life, and thats what I.C.H.O.K.E. is "A way of life". This is in no way the complete life story of Rashad "Yung Kut" Merridith, not even the dude is still here 24 years old and going strong is ever, sitting on pro tool 7.0 in house studio Power Knowledge of the Game, a good team around him, and THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, GOD, CAUSE HE'LL TELL YOU "WITHOUT GOD NONTHING IS POSSIBLE". THIS IS THE BIO OF MY JOURNEY SO FAR IN THE RAP GAME AND THATS IT NONTHING MORE NONTHING LESS. "DONT GET A CONFUSE IT AINT ALL ABOUT THIS RAP BOY"[color="darkblue"][/color]