LY T N E I T PA AITING W
RICCO BARRI N H IGH PO
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he nam e 23-year Barrino may rin Americ old Ricco Barr g a bell. That’ an ino sb R&B ar tist Fan Idol winner a is the brothe ecause nd Gram r of 200 tasia Ba Ray J tr 4 r ea rin m sia’s bro tment and wr o. But before y-nominated iting him ther, kn giving R motiva ow that icco the off as ju tin R went to g his America icco was inst st Fantar n u A anythin tlanta by my Idol sister to mental in sta se g gigging , not even Fan lf when no on rdom. “I ew ta ev what w ery week, an sia,” Ricco beg anted to do d from as goin ins. “I st th g scene [a a o a nd she] n. She started t my sister se rted e e Lewis. c And th nded up with oming down n at’ on Ji why do n’t you s when the qu mmy Jam and the est tr T took it serious, y American Id ion was aske erry d, but loo ol? No k wher o e it got ne really Fantasi us.” a’s to sing success allow ba ed of Kany ckground wh Ricco the op ile tour p e West ing wit ortunity and Ke vocal a h th ysh rr sister. N angements du ia Cole, and a e likes rin ss o is stepp w, with his co g recordings ist with for his ing out veted r e from be sume, R new sin hin ic g serenad le “Bumble Gu d the scenes. co e of boo m,” a sn H tyliciou by Gran ap-influ is s e d “Live In Hustle’s Keit cravings produ nced h MacM ced The Sk asters (T y”), has increasi R n .I boro, N g through radio icco’s buzz ste .’s a C to Ch sp icago, IL ins from G dily was fea ree tu . video w red in the “Yo In addition, R nsicco u Know ith Oth a which appeare z Records rap What It Is” per P-W d on BE Blast. T.com’s o BET On nda, Ricco m a snap m y have been in usi fl hip-hop c, and will le uenced by nd his v hooks, ocals fo but say will sep r sh a “You ca rate him from is versatility his cou n comp nterpar are me a slicke ts. to re ity,” Ric dge, with mo a T-Pain with re versa co expla tilstop the ins. “I c a m somebo usic and reall n definitely dy. I de y seren ade finitely is to ha v k do som e perfect pitch now what it e , greats d of the things and be able to tha o, like G erald L t you see the evert.” W st in A p of peop le don’t eople in othe nthony Ham dustry, R&B ruggled to ga hile rappers fr r areas ilton, a in si k o n n m n g o a e w ti th r s o d n e a large With “B percenta on’t see North d Fantasia hav like Ricco’s co nal recognitio Carolinas ha u ve n u e on his a bble Gum” m a ge of si ngers c nd South Car succeeded wh sins K-Ci and in the music oving u lbum R ome fro o Jo icco Bar p m North lina as major m ere rappers ha -Jo, Angie Sto rino a.k the charts as th ve ne “[I’ve b .a. Puer usi and Sou ee to Ricco e lead single fr th Caro c markets,” R failed. “A lot o , Jermain n with] Sean , o li ic m m n c a a o th .” jo sa e r labels Ga ys. “Bu f e Dupri. like Atl Othaz Record t a lot So I kn rrett, who wr a s n o o c ti o w te c m if I can a and J R Words: compete ll of Chris Bro ecords pilation 2.3, an Randy have st wn with th Roper arted k d Ricco hard e best o ’s stuff, wrote nockin at work f them g. and rem a lot of Usher ’s stuff,” ain hum R ble, I’ll be in th icco says. “[I’v e] is game for a m been with inute.”
“I KNOW IF I CAN COMPETE WITH THE BEST OF THEM AND REMAIN HUMBLE, I’LL BE IN THIS GAME FOR A MINUTE.”
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