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Valiant

MC Valiant aka VMC - Buffalo, NY
STYLE: As MC Valiant: Drum 'n Bass, As VMC: 2-Step/UKG
AFFILIATIONS: Return / Fused Artist Management
WWW: www.fusedmanagement.com

MC Valiant is one of the few mc's in the nation who, along with other mc's such as Mecha, Dub 2 and MC Duh, pushes the progressive sounds of drum-n-bass.  He first made his name as the mc for one of the nation's most talented atmospheric drum-n-bass dj/producers, Cable (gamma ray music, toronto/good looking records, uk-buffalo).  But Valiant focuses his vocal abilities on the whole spectrum of the genre, successfully vocalizing to music that ranges from lush atmospherics to relentless tech step.  In addition, he's worked for years at bringing the sounds of drum-n-bass to the people in a variety of ways.

Involved with electronic music since 1994, Valiant quickly made a personal connection to drum-n-bass's use of bass lines and breaks.  After a few years of closely following the genre, he formed The Voltron Force with his friend Jeff Morrison, with the sole purpose of throwing Buffalo's first all drum-n-bass party.  The party was a great success, and helped to carve out a niche locally for the music.  Around the same time, he met a group of guys who were doing a drum-n-bass radio called "The Buffalo Underground".  They were Cable, The Concept, Dan Ratel, and Stevie Washington.  The show was soon renamed "Underground FM".  When Valiant began to mc, his first stints on the mic were on "Underground FM", and he soon became the show's resident mc.

MC Valiant's interest in mc-ing continued to grow, and rather than emulate the brit/ragga styles of the top Toronto and UK mc's at the time, he listened to MC Conrad intently.  He loved how Conrad used a more hip-hop style flow and vocal effects, creating a sense of depth.  He sounded as if he was a part of the track itself.  Valiant saw the uniqueness of this approach, and started to explore it on his own, taking care to try to add his own twist to the mix.  As he got deeper into mc-ing, luminaries like Ryme Tyme, Dynamite, Mecha, DRS, and Dub 2 would also serve as models of inspiration, as they all showcased elements that he greatly admired.  Within a year, Valiant began performing on "Underground FM".

MC Valiant would perform alongside Cable, Stevie Washington, The Concept, and on-again, off-again Buffalo resident Chris J (svek records, sweden/good looking records, uk/gamma ray music, toronto/phuturistic bluez recordings, boston-la) at some of the biggest events in Upstate New York.  The guys soon carved out their own, distinctly futuristic sound in the Upstate scene, helped along by several opening slots on LTJ Bukem's Progressions Sessions tours, a spot at Buzz, the nation's biggest weekly event, and Cable's own Submerge parties and club events.  MC Valiant has personally mc'd for a wide array of drum-n-bass artists, from the progressive and atmospheric sounds of Seba, Rantoul, and Atlantiq, unpredictable, wide-ranging artists like Dara and Paradox, and the harder sounds of Total Science, Kenny Ken, DJ Rap and Dieselboy.  His style is still similar to those of MC's Conrad and DRS, using a more hip-hop style flow combined with vocal effects, to lay lyrics strategically over the beats, making him unique among the majority of mc's in the scene that have a more ragga/uk style.  MC Valiant has won over many people, with his deep, yet easy going method, which never overpowers the music.  In 2001, he was one of the first people tapped to be resident at "Return", which has since become Upstate New York's premier drum-n-bass night.  Here, in addition to guest dj's, Valiant's musical collaboration with his current partner dj's, Stevie Washington and Markloud, has served for some sublime drum-n-bass sets.

2002 saw a new development in MC Valiant's career, as he explores 2 Step, or UK Garage, under the alternate moniker, VMC.  He has recently formed a new artistic partnership with Annalyze (skye high-rochester), the undisputed premier 2 Step dj in Upstate New York.  The first time they performed together, the musical chemistry was just right.  In fact, Annalyze first thought that Valiant's vocals were a part of her first record, which she hadn't had the opportunity to listen to fully, as it was brand new.  When she realized it was him, she immediately grew excited about the prospect of working with him again, and the chance to showcase what a dj and mc can do together.

The future looks bright for MC Valiant, as he continues to strive to be the mc he can be.  He has recently taken to the studio as well, with drum-n-bass and 2 Step tunes to come later in the year.

Annalyze
Bebop
Beck
B-Lysh
Boywonder
Bullets
Cable
Chad Roy
Clotho
Depth
Dose The Alien
Dynz
Egzail
Elusive
Ewun
Finch
Finesse
Flex
Generate
H-Bomb
Ian Somniak
Jimmy Samsara
Meniscus
Mike Parker
mjDUKE
Plume
Scooby
Scottie B
SCSI
Sean Place
Sick Puppy
Steve-E
Super D
Valiant
Voins

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