A grueling 9 to 5 at ‘the Restaurant’ would never cut it; neither would a life of crime or being a fulltime student at Cuyahoga Community College, downtown Cleveland. Therefore in 2006 at the age of 19, young Darren Anthony made a decision that would change his life forever: take his final school loan check and put it back into what matters most – the music. 3 years later, with a strong buzz now picking up in several major markets simultaneously, all loans have been paid and all bases are loaded. Darren Anthony (commonly known as ‘DA’) is the hottest new artist at the forefront of Cleveland’s newly revamped rap scene. He just recently inked a deal with Midwest indie label, Mathaus Entertainment (home to Midwest up & comers such as Tugun Cannon and Nikki Nikita). This rapper/ singer/ songwriter is currently making a name as the ‘go to guy’ for potential hits, also being an accomplished producer, able to play the guitar, saxophone and piano. His production company ‘Pro & Brave’, also consisting of his partner Mark, contributed to about half of the production on his new mixtape, the Restaurant. An early copy of the Restaurant found its way to Cleveland DJ powerhouse Mick Boogie, who is now the mixtape’s host, which many respectfully compare to Jay Z’s ‘the Blueprint’ and Kanye’s ‘Graduation.’ “It’s a mixtape with a storyline within” says Darren. “You can listen and feel like you’re watching a movie.” As for Darren’s story, one may call it the typical ‘bohemian backpackers’ come up - freestyling at every house party, crashing local studio sessions, whatever it took. The key however, was the consistent innovation in his music making, which not only has launched Darren’s electric career, but has also played a role in the new sound of his hometown scene. Growing up in Cleveland, his early origins lie in the church choir, to which he attributes the soulful aspect of his style. Always an astute creative writer, Darren eventually began penning lyrics of his own and composing original music. Within a few years, Darren Anthony has definitely applied the ‘Mr. West’ strategy, catapulting from a sought after producer to being a signed rap artist. With influences like Pharrell and Black Eye Peas that have shown him that music can still be used for positive change through unique and dynamic self expression, Darren’s goal is set to a new standard for creativity, consciousness, and consistency in the music and entertainment worlds. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.