Ricky J

One of North America’s biggest stars at the beginning of the decade, Ricky J built his reputation in the clubs of Montreal, Quebec, Canada as a teen, and after six long years, found himself at 3 on the Canadian Billboard charts with his playful, cheeky smash hit “No Means No.” The rapper/singer earned a deal with Warner Bros. Records and released his debut album, “Lose Control,” to rave reviews. He chose to leave Warner Bros. the following year and signed with the independent Evolution Records where he could exercise more creative freedom. His second album had two singles – “Hold On” and “Gotta Man” – that saw some solid radio and video spins, but he was unable to crack the U.S. market (a notoriously difficult challenge for being so geographically close). By the time 2004 rolled around, Ricky J found himself in the middle of a sweeping career change that would test his perseverance. In his mind, however, “it opened up new doors and allowed me to find my true path, both musically and personally.” (read more HERE)