Out Of The Shadows

Collection Contents

#		Title	Length
1		Are You Up For It?	3:19	Play
2		Elevator	4:30	Play
3		Happy	3:28	Play
4		I Can Do It	4:21	Play
5		God I'm Trying	5:16	Play
6		Rapper's Plea	3:15	Play
7		What's This World Come To	4:36	Play
8		Shadow's Betrayal	3:37	Play
9		Speechless	3:47	Play
10		Apology	5:42	Play
11		Mistake	4:47	Play
12		Acceptance	5:02	Play
13		Who Am I	5:52	Play
14		Sick Of It	3:20	Play
15		Break The Mold	3:41	Play
16		Won't Go Down	4:30	Play
17		Sad Return	3:47	Play

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Description	Amount
Bitmunk Marketplace Service	USD $0.98
CD Baby Artist Royalty	USD $5.97
CD Baby 9% Digital Distribution Cost	USD $0.54
Bitmunk Download Service	USD $0.73
Bitmunk MicroPayment Service	USD $0.01
Total	USD $8.21

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Description

Mission Man started as a rapper in the fall of 1992, when his friend, B.J. (who was a rapper), told him to kick a rap. Reluctant, Mission Man began "Turn on the stereo, kick up the bass, as I dunk in your face..." and "Inventor" was written entirely freestyle on the spot. Not exactly poetic, but not bad for a 13 year old kid who didn't think he could rap. He was solely a rapper through 1996. He found beats on the synthesizer that his dad had given him, and rapped to it. In 1996, he recorded an album this way called "Intro To My Mind." It took him just three and a half weeks to write and three and a half hours to record.
After self-releasing "Intro To My Mind" in January of 1997, Mission Man experimented with a lot of synthesized beats and rap lyrics to learn how to produce. This wielded a result of "Delve Deeper" and "Transitions," which became project albums, never to be commercially released. They were Mission Manufactured in short runs of 23 and 25 respectively. "Transitions" was the beginning of what Mission Man is now. With encouragement from a friend, and amazing guitarist, he began playing real instruments, starting with utilizing sound effects that the keyboard had, and going on to play the bass, the guitar, the piano, and the drums. Mission Man also self-produces his music, and every song he has ever recorded (a total of 80 as of February 14, 2001) has been an original.
Mission Man is a big believer in originality. Music is about self-expression to him, and if you aren't being original, then you are merely expressing someone else's ideas. This is true both musically and lyrically. The beauty that can be made with music is only beautiful because it's a statement of the human heart, whether the heart is angry, happy, energetic, confused, or anything else. If a musician is using someone else's music and putting his or her own lyrics on top, then they are only halfway expressing themselves. They are expressing what's on their minds, but not in their hearts, even if the mind is trying to convey what the heart is feeling.
Mission Man is also a big believer in freedom of expression, and therefore is very set on being successful on his own. If a record company offered him a contract, he'd say no. He has gone so far with trying to run his own record company that he started UMMusic.com (Underground Music Monthly) to help other independent musicians do the same thing. He wants the best music to be heard, not the best marketed music. This idea has a big influence on his music, and keeps him driven everyday to make the best music he can, and to constantly learn from his own music, as well as others. Those others (his influences) include The Beastie Boys, U2, Depeche Mode, NIN, Moby, Tool, Cutting Crew (specifically "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight"), Billy Joel, Tupac, Richard Marx, The Roots, and more.
Finally, Mission Man, being a true musician, believes more in reaching people than he does making money. If he changes one person's life, and makes no money, he's happier than if he sells thousands of albums, but makes no difference in anyone's life. Therefore, Mission Man truly speaks from his heart when he makes his music. If he doesn't believe in a song he's making, he'll stop making it and throw it out. Also, because he is more interested in people hearing what he has to say than in profits, feel free to put mp3s of his songs on Napster, as long as it is still in service.