Tha Boi 'Spit'

THA BOI "SPIT" (Formally known as "SPITPHIRE"), has been on a mission to show & prove that he definately has what it takes to be the next big superstar in the music industry. Born September 15, 1983 on the WestSide of Chicago IL., Spit (whose real name is "ANDREW BRAGGS"), didn't always see himself growing up to become a Rap/Hip-Hop Artist. In his early childhood years, Spit had dreams of being a professional basketball player for the NBA. "I looked at that as a way to stay out of trouble," he explains. "Growing up in Chicago wasn't easy. It was always so much shit going on in the streets. Whether it was the drug activities or on down to the gang violence, it was more than enough access for the youth to become involved in. I was surrounded by and exposed to some of everything".

Although Spit started off focusing on basketball, which led him to playing for his elementary school (Mason Elementary) in 7th and 8th grade, he still managed to have his ears towards music as well. With Master P and the entire No Limit Camp being one of Spit's many music influences at the time (along with his fellow hometown natives) such as Twista, R.Kelly, Da Brat, Do or Die, and Crucial Conflict, it wasn't until Snoop Dogg's "Gin & Juice" release that sparked Spit's intrest to start writing rhymes. "I thought i was Snoop foreal. You can ask my mom, she'll tell you. She remember me walking through the house with that cassette tape single and me calling myself Drew Dogg". After memorizing lyrics to almost every song he could get his hands on, Spit began to gain an intrest in the world of music. But by the time he graduated 8th grade, he would then find himself packing his things to make a move from living in the Chicago with his mother, to staying with his father out in California.

Now with him living on the West Coast where he began attending his first two years of High School at James Logan High located in Union City, Ca.

Spit still chased after his dreams of one day playing for the NBA. After making the Junior Varsity Team both his freshmen and sophomore year, he still found himself caught up in writing rhymes. Spit then began to get in hip-hop ciphors and rap battles around school. He also was a part of a rap click called "M.O.H"(Money Over Hoes) with some of his classmates, along with his cousin Louis (a.k.a. Darkchylde), who had later moved from Chicago out to California with Spit as well. After creating a huge buzz for himself with his ability to spit rapidly and still have sharp lyrics, soon his cousin Louis (Darkchylde) would give him the name "Spitphire", which then had spit starting to take his skills a bit more seriously. But i didn't stop there. With him and his cousin later moving to Pittsburg, Ca out in the Bay Area with Spit's Father, he then attended his Junior and Senior year of High School at Pittsburg Senior High. Although his intentions were to still give basketball a shot, after putting his new found talent to the test at a new school full of new faces, as he continued to showcase his rhyming skills with more ciphors and more battles, spit began to get the same buzz about him that he was getting when he was attending James Logan High. Now with Spit having enough confidence from countless compliments on his flow, he then chose to turn in his basketball for a microphone.

Spit would later go on to form another rap group with a few of his classmates, calling themselves "Da Un-Expected"(D.U.E) which also included one of his best friends name Bernard a.k.a "B-Eazy", and also his cousin "Darchylde" who was still backing him up. While going on to hopefully one day turn his skills on the mic into a career, Spit and "D.U.E" began video taping themselves at school doing their own version of "BET's Rap City: The Basement" calling it "The Attic". Now getting more deep into his music and more passionate about it, Spit then knew that he had a gift to rap. After graduating his Senior year, "D.U.E" then split up and went their seperate ways, while "Spit" & "B-Eazy" went on to form the rap duo group "Street Legends".

Still living in Pittsburg Ca, in 2002, the Street legends went on to hook up with a local independent record label called "Wes Music", where they then recorded their first mixtape titled "Jackin 4 Beats". Even with the success of spitting over some of the hottest beats from producers in the music industry, and having the streets respect and accept their skills, Spit still found himself later on no longer with Wes Music and still unsigned. By 2003, still on his mission to jumpstart his career, Spit took a trip to New York City where he auditioned for MTV's Freestyle Battle contest. Although he did rhyme his way to tha final stage without any hesitations, he was cut without a call back to appear on the actual show that would air on the network. But once again he didnt stop there.

In 2005, with the support from his family and friends, Spit took a trip back to the Midwest were he also auditioned for "It's Showtime at the Apollo:on Tour" held at the Harris Casino in East Chicago. Even after being chosen as one of the 25 performers that would have a spot in the show out of over 300 auditionors, Spit still wouldn't walk away as the winner of the contest.

Still determained and motivated to make it with his music at this point, By 2006, Spit decided to take on his rapping full time. Returning back to the Bay Area, where he then went on to release his first solo mixtape "The Wait is Over" under the independent label "Chi-City Ent." which was started by himself and buisiness partner Augustus Robinson Jr. With the mixtape gaining outstanding success in street sells and tons of exposer throughout the Bay including Sacremento, Ca, and Fresno, Ca, on down to Las Vegas and back up to Chicago, Spit then knew from that point on what he would be doing permenately for the rest of his life.

After later being forced to move on to run the label on his own, in 2007, he then decided to change the label's name to "MIDWESTCOAST MUZIK", which was creatively thought of to simply stay loyal to his roots of being brought up in two different places. "I wanted to name the label after the transition of my move from Chicago to the Bay Area. I figured since I was brought up by both, it was only right to combine them together to prevent one or the other from being singled out."

Along with the label's name change, shortly after, he also changed his artist name by simply dropping the "Phire" from the end, leaving him with just "Spit". "I dropped the "Phire" from my name and chose to run with "SPIT" in honor of my grandmother (Johnnie Mae Braggs). Before she passed away (R.I.P), in my childhood years I remember i use to spit alot around her literally and she use to always get on me about it. So I baisically look at it like grandma's baby boi is doing that for a living now!!" With his drive and dedication to stay on top of his game with his rap career, Spit made sure that he stayed focused and consistent with his music.

With the help from later on hooking up with another growing independent label out of the Bay Area called "Rightous Ones Records" (Producers "Louie Da Foolie", "Tone Capone" and Rap Artist "A-Knox"), Spit and his "MIDWESTCOAST MUZIK MOVEMENT" (along with "B-Eazy" of their duo group "Street Legends", childhood friend and now Artist "Nick Cass." and his cousin "Darkchylde" as a solo artist on the label as well), will definately be a movement that music lovers will closely pay attention to!!

For more information, contact:
Website: www.myspace.com/thaboispit

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