BIOGRAPHY (HIStory) Cisum, a name pronounced as it's spelled is simply the word music backwards. The complexity and meaning behind the name represents a retrospective of rock history, the golden age of rock n' roll. Inspired by artists like stevie wonder, led zeppelin, prince, hendrix, michael jackson, the beatles and countless others, Cisum didn't grow up listening to the radio, he grew up listening to his fathers collection of vinyl records, each one planting a seed of musical knowlege and ecclectic taste. Born of a multi-racial heritage in the small town of Ashtabula, Ohio and relocating to tampa, florida when he was 5, his parents struggled to provide a better life for his future. Every christmas and birthday a different musical instrument was given, challenging the young one to figure out how to create music without instruction and purely from the soul. Cisum developed an incredible ear by the time he was 10, playing along with any song he heard. Piano, guitar, bass, sax, drums, clarinet, and latin percussion, whatever he could get his hands on was another puzzle to piece together, another musical riddle to solve. Singing was his built in instrument that he played as much as the others, however he never knew it would be his future. Constantly Singing lionel richie's "truly" for quarters at family gatherings to belting van halen tunes, he was bitten by the bug to perform and captivate an audience. Singer/songwriter Lionel Richie, a close friend of the family, took note of his talent, and always motivated him and became an inspiration to achieve his similar success. Cisum wasn't a word smith out of the womb, he didn't start writing songs till he was 11 or 12, with lionel's guidence in the correct way to piece a song together, his skills as a lyricist grew. Realizing that music was his destiny, by 14 he began playing keys and saxaphone in church, switching back and forth from praise and worship of the congregational service to playing guitar for childrens church, executing every song completely by ear, with pure fluidity. At the age of 15 cisum was accepted into Blake High School of Performing Arts in downtown tampa, where he specialized in voice and piano. The educational experience there opened his mind to jazz, classical and music theory, not only learning the rudiments of music but how to compose as well. During that time, he began to write and produce demos in the studio for other students. By the time 10th grade rolled around lionel was playing a bigger part in his development, he understood the natural talent and believed in his ability to go against the professionals. Lionel contacted attorney Joel Katz of greenburg and traurig in atlanta, and scheduled for joel, his associates and cisum to meet to propel his career to the next level. Demos were sent out to different executives at labels and no one was biting at the time, however, other producers noticed his knack for song writing and production and began to use him on other artist's projects. Cisum was 16 when an owner of a local studio introduced him to nick carter of the backsteet boys, who immediately fell in love with cisum's musical perspective and artistry, playing his songs over and over repeativly. The two struck up a friendship with a common sum of music. While still in highschool Cisum was writing, producing and arranging vocals on new songs with the backstreet boys for both the millenium and the black and blue albums. Constantly networking with super producers, writers and artists of that "pop age", his work earned him placement on a single for lava/atlantic recording artist, Willa Ford. The song "Did Ya Understand That" was written by ford, gioria, and sheppard with the track by darkchild. Willa, a close friend of his, comminshined his expertise in creating a unique rock remix for the music video. Watching his work premiere on TRL, cisum was hooked on getting more placements as a writer/ and producer. He went on to do songs with artists from Electra, Atlantic, Jive, Epic as well as independent labels. At just 18 cisum was hired by publicly traded company, Timebeat Enterprises, the company made the youngster Sr. Vice Presdent of their new venture 2Live Entertainment, an independent record label/production company in N.Y.C. Cisum brought in Nick Carter and Lance Bass, to head the label, and act as figure heads. During that time cisum was active in the Recording Artist Coalition, advocating fair contracts for artists as well as combating internet piracy. In 2002 while Producing songs for Nick Carter's "Now or Never" solo debut at Big 3 studios in st. Petersburg, florida, He met up with the group Prymary Colorz. Cisum recognized them from their darkchild produced billboard number 1 hit "if you only knew". The group was familiar with his work around the pop scene in florida and at a later date that chance meeting lead to an audition for the group when the lead singer dropped out. Cisum left 2live Entertainment and went on to join the group as a vocalist back in florida, writing, producing and singing the new album. Managed by Jim Mcmahan, Prymary Colorz terminated their contract with Big 3 records and began persuing a deal with a major label for the new material. The age of the boy band had come and gone. When the group finally disbanded, Cisum, with guidence of jim mcmahan was ready to turn a new leaf as a unique soloist no longer confined to the constrainsts of an over saturated R&B market but expanding into a genre all his own, by mixing every style of popular music that had influenced him as a young boy into one big ecclectic pot. Soulful vocals with a rock edge, "Soul Rock" as Cisum describes it. In the twilight of a musical landscape, a star is born, an artist with a unique perspective on Life conjuring music that reflects each emotion of every song. An untouchable god given talent, a pop savior and a musical prodigy as described in the press. Cisum balances his work as a solo artist with his skills as a writer producer, Recently working with Kanye West on Nick Cannon's last single "Can I live" and stacking gold and platinum plaques for his production on various disney records with B5. Cisum is the future as much as his name reflects the past.
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Re-Post this, because it's like kicking a train full of knives. Which is awesome. So awesome that you'll feel like inventing a sport. Involving potatoes and a hippo. So add Mark Castle
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Hey there!! Just stopping by to wish you a fabulous week ahead! If you can get the chance, please check out my new songs and let me know what you think!! Thanks so much!
