International Recording Artist DeLon is igniting a musical revolution through his Feel Good Music Movement which he calls, The Blueprint For A Revolution. With the power of his pen and the magic of the microphone, DeLon is on a mission to promote unity and common purpose through the Feel Good Music Movement which is based on a simple yet effective recipe of stitching together the common ground shared by people far too accustomed to building fences instead of bridges, both here and abroad. American born, Sri Lankan bred, DeLon’s music resonates on an international level, though his core is Hip Hop, he embraces the influences of R&B, Pop, Trance and House. His fluency in Spanish and exposure to Latin Culture balances his international sound, yet DeLon’s movement has proven to be much bigger than him.
DeLon’s first album, The Connection, was released in 2005. This freshman effort produced a hit single “Calor De La Salsa,” a fusion of Salsa and Hip Hop that landed DeLon at #22 on the Billboard charts (Top 50 Hip Hop/R&B Singles) making him the first Sri Lankan to ever be on the U.S. Billboard Charts! DeLon’s sophomore effort, 2007’s Unstoppable, charted with the single, “Nasty Girl” at #36 (Billboard’s Top 50 Hip Hop/R&B Singles) and he was awarded “Best Rap Performance” at the 2008 South Asian Derana Music Awards” (equivalent to MTV’s Video Music Awards). However, before either of his albums won accolades or were released, DeLon released a song called Jeevithe (means life in Sinhalese), which was an ode to his people, in a time when hope was needed after the Tsunami had just destroyed 50% of the countries seaside. Although DeLon spent most of his life in Los Angeles, his connection to Sri Lanka is deep and abiding. He returns to the island once or twice a year since childhood, speaks the language, and understands and identifies with the history both culturally and ethnically. He not only saw the devastation of the Tsunami but also was a survivor of it! “Walking along the coast and seeing all of my people dead for no reason! I had to respond”, quotes DeLon. In response to the tragedy DeLon used his non-profit organization, The Sri Lanka Foundation, to build over 80 homes for Tsunami devastated communities.
July 28,2008, DeLon, once again, spoke on behalf of the Sri Lankan people, when DeLon used his music to draw attention to the inhumane terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka and composed a video challenging Interscope artist, M.I.A’s, sympathetic views towards the terrorist group the LTTE, (Liberation Tigers Of Tamil Eelam) also known as the “Tamil Tigers”. DeLon posted a remixed version of M.I.A’s song “Paper Planes” on YouTube, exposing her views, and within 12 hours, the video drew over 100,000 user views & comments (2 million to date). The story then hit the online front pages of BBC Entertainment, Billboard, & E! Online. The next day, July 29, 2008 DeLon was the
most searched word on Google. Shortly following release Interscope/Universal Music Group, had the video removed from YouTube. After the controversy Sri Lankan’s dubbed DeLon as an “Artist With A Cause.” “Another True Srilankan Hero.......” quotes one of his fans.
Though, DeLon, grew up in Pasadena and was awarded an academic scholarship to USC, he honed his hip hop skills as an MC and producer in Oakland and around L.A., in Watts, Compton and South-Central, all the while paying his artistic dues freestyling in Leimert Park and immersing himself in urban Hip Hop culture. DeLon uses his music to show how bridges can and should be built between traditional enemies and other groups who view each other through the jaundiced eyes of suspicion and distrust. “If you change your mind, your actions will follow. I’m a dark skinned Sri Lankan Sinhalese, born and raised in America, where I am considered to be black … I wasn’t familiar with the “One Drop Rule” until I was 16 and I began to drive my father’s car. I would get pulled over repeatedly by the police, basically for “Driving While Black” (DWB),” DeLon recalls.
“In spite of the injustices inherent in contemporary American race relations, I didn’t get bitter, I got better. I experienced an awakening. I felt a strong need to do something pro-active. Color is the cause of so much grief and misery in the world and I realized as a young musician that music is the answer! Music is the universal language and there can be no effective communication in the absence of a language everyone can understand,” DeLon says. “That’s when my Feel Good Music Movement was born. I just make music that is all encompassing from swagger and bravado to substance and consequence flavored with reality and compassion.”
As an artist DeLon’s struggles have been great and the rewards have been gratifying, but there’s always more. The new album Blueprint For A Revolution will be DeLon’s debut commercial release under Ceylon Records distributed by Bungalo Records/UMGD and DeLon’s single, “Would You Be Mine”, is his first single pioneering The Feel Good Music Movement. “The Movement is about the people. Always remembering life’s harsh realities but never forgetting life’s precious gifts.” So we ask you to join us, power the movement and help DeLon lead a Musical Revolution!
talents
I produce music, play the piano.. I'm a studio rat and a gym junkie..
music
All sorts.. Would it be cocky to say MINE?? LOL
tv shows
Heroes, man..
Band Members
DeLon
Influences
Bob Marley,Mos Def, The Roots, Dead Prez, of course - Tupac and Biggie
Other Artists
Lupe Fiasco, Drake, Jay Z, Kid Cudi and K'Naan, and WALE as of late..
Website
www.youtube.com/delonmusic, www.myspace.com/delonrap
