Lil Wyte 'The One and Only' album

After delivering two successful independent albums with Three 6 Mafia's Hypnotize Minds imprint - Doubt Me Now in 2003 and Phinally Phamous in 2004 - Memphis native Lil' Wyte is bringing his club-friendly, heartfelt style to an even bigger audience. He spent the past three years touring, promoting and recording, and is ready to take his creative and business endeavors to new heights. The new album, The One and Only, will be released June 5 on Hypnotize Minds/Asylum.

Fully produced by Oscar-winning group Three 6 Mafia, The One and Only brings 19 full tracks of Lil' Wyte's signature intensity. Setting things off with the energetic first single "I Got Dat Candy", Wyte brings diversity to his lyrical styling throughout the album. Project Pat and Three 6 Mafia are the only features on the project, as it was important for the young MC to deliver his own sound and message. Wyte's personal favorite tracks on the album include “Talkin’ Ain’t Walkin’” – which was featured during his appearance on Three 6 Mafia's Adventures In Hollyhood show on MTV – and “Feelin’ Real Pimpish” featuring Project Pat.

With The One and Only, Lil’ Wyte hopes to prove that there is a lot more versatility coming from the South than people may recognize. “I’ve always felt like I was a pretty complex rapper to be from the South - I feel like I put a lot into my music," he says. "This album, I went for more simplicity, but I still gave it my all. There’s so much music on the radio that’s just not doing it for me, and I know a million people like me that it ain’t doing it for them either. When Three 6 Mafia brings out a new CD, the person that’s on them beats rapping has damn near the control to create whatever the hell they want to create."

Wyte is no stranger to promoting himself, having sold nearly 200,000 copies each of his first two albums without major label support. While he acknowledges the success that comes from his affiliations, he is most intent on building a strong musical foundation that will make history. "Without the music there’s no heads bobbing, no folks mobbing in the crowd, nobody getting into fights over a song called ‘Tear The Club Up’ - there’s nothing," he expresses. "To me, music is everything - it’s the harmony of the earth. Universe stands for one song - that says it’s harmony right there.”

biography
Over the years, the Memphis sound has gone from underground influence to a mainstream staple. Veterans like Three 6 Mafia and 8Ball & MJG laid the early groundwork for what would become Crunk, and taught the next generation that there was much more to the music than just making hot songs. Memphis native Lil’ Wyte knows better than most the importance of hard work and good business, and it was his staunch work ethic and determination that brought him into the fold of Three 6 Mafia’s Hypnotize Minds label. Now Lil’ Wyte is preparing the release of his new album, The One and Only, through Hypnotize Minds/Asylum Records on June 5.

Growing up in the Frayser area of Memphis, young Patrick Lanshaw was drawn to Hip Hop around age eight, and it was the Geto Boys “My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me” that sparked his love for gangsta rap. By age 12, he started listening to Three 6 Mafia, and was surprised to find out that the group lived only a few blocks away from him. He began freestyling at his school, teamed with a friend nicknamed Lil’ Black, who actually gave him the nickname Lil’ Wyte, and they became a lyrical tag team. While many parents may disapprove of their children picking up rap, Wyte’s father was supportive, giving the young emcee $1,500 to spend on his project. The first CD was pressed up for his group SFC (Shelby Forest Clique) and Lil’ Wyte was on his way to stardom.

That first tape ended up in the hands of Juicy J and DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia, sparking an immediate call to set up a meeting. Unfortunately the group signing didn’t work out, and Three 6 found a solo artist in Lil’ Wyte. He worked with them on various tracks for a couple of years, and released his debut album Doubt Me Now in 2003. He sold 6,500 copies the first week with no promotion, setting the pace for his next moves. Wyte’s own second album, Phinally Phamous, was released in 2004, but with much broader distribution through Asylum/Warner Bros. To date, the album has moved nearly 200,000 copies, and is still selling consistently. Lil’ Wyte went on promotional runs for the album, taking breaks only to record his third project.

In Spring 2007, Three 6 Mafia debuted their new MTV show Adventures In Hollyhood to eager fans. A modern day Beverly Hillbillies, the show follows the group in their quest for the “in” after winning the “Best Original Song” Oscar Award in 2006. Lil’ Wyte appeared on the show during his recording process, and is now realizing the impact since the episode aired. “Me and my girl were at Outback Steakhouse and these two 50-year-old white women came up to my table, sat down with me and asked me if I was Lil’ Wyte. They said they had seen the show, and the first thing they said was “What you staring at? I’m not a mirror” - that crazy ass song that they were singing on the show. That let me know that this is really hitting hard. The TV show was needed, because it’s a funny show and it’s something from the South.”

Now on the verge of releasing his new album, The One and Only, Lil’ Wyte is confident that his fan base will continue to grow. Three 6 Mafia produced all tracks on the project, and Wyte cannot say enough about the impact the group has made on him and on music as a whole. “To me Three 6 has been an underrated group since the beginning of time,” he says. “I always said they were gonna do big things. I was one of their biggest fans growing up, so to be part of it period is a blessing. To be part of everything they got going on now is even crazier, because this is what I feel they deserve. I feel like I benefit off it, because I’m in it for the long haul. This is where I want to be - I kind of molded myself to be here.”

Wyte adds that he has always been aware of his skin color being a factor of his career. “Eight years ago I said, ‘Man, Three 6 Mafia needs a hard ass white boy.’ It wasn’t a racial comment or nothing to talk sh*t about, it was how I felt. When I woke up one morning and realized I was that white boy, it all made sense - I became that guy, I get it now. Everybody’s got a purpose on Earth, and I think mine was to be with Three 6 Mafia rapping my lil’ white ass off. I asked Paul, ‘When y’all were looking for me, were you looking for a rapper period, or a white rapper?’ He looked at me real serious, and gave me a smile and said, ‘I was looking for a white rapper.’ Paul and Juicy are some of the most honest people in the world. It’s so much deeper than just being a white rapper, it breaks racial boundaries in certain areas.”

“I don’t think I’ve been to one city, since I’ve been rapping with Paul and Juicy, and really got hated on,” he continues. “Once that first CD came out, I got a lot of hood credibility ‘cause I’m from the hood. I’m from the real hood. It’s not a joke, gimmick or fraud and I’m still a white boy with it. I still ride 4-wheelers and sh*t, I don’t give a f*ck. I still have songs for my redneck buddies up in the country, I do my drinking songs and ‘just the good ol’ boys.’ I try to touch everybody’s side. I wrote songs for people I know, and I guess when the United States heard it they were satisfied with it. I haven’t had to deal with much doubt since I’ve been doing it, everywhere I go I get the props. In the hardest hoods I’m talking about getting props from straight gangstas. That’s all I was trying to do.”

The One and Only has just two featured appearances from Project Pat and Three 6 Mafia. Wyte's favorite tracks on the album include “Talkin’ Ain’t Walkin’” – which was featured on the Adventures In Hollyhood TV show – and “Feelin’ Real Pimpish” featuring Project Pat. “Half of the ‘Haters’ song was written right there in front of the cameras,” he explains, “but the other half of that song I wrote to no beat at home six months before. One of the verses is one of my favorite verses, because it explains a lot of what I’ve been doing the past two years. ‘Feelin’ Real Pimpish’ is a real laid back, pimpish song. It’s not like a pimping song - it’s a pimpish song. It’s a real cool laid back riding song, you could pop it in the CD player and turn it up as loud as it goes and ride the block.

With his new music, Lil’ Wyte hopes to prove that there is a lot more versatility coming from the South than people may recognize. “Music is getting too easy,” he says succinctly. “I’ve always felt like I was a pretty complex rapper to be from the South - I feel like I put a lot into my music. This album, I went for more simplicity but I still gave it my all. There’s so much music on the radio that’s just not doing it for me, and I know a million people like me that it ain’t doing it for them either. When Three 6 Mafia brings out a new CD, the person that’s on them beats rapping has damn near the control to create whatever the hell they want to create.

“To me, a good producer brings out the best in any artist, you could do a song with Lil’ Chris from down the street that makes beats and it’s gonna sound alright. But if you get in the studio with Paul, Juicy, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, it’s gonna sound like magic. I feel like when I walk in the studio with Paul and Juicy I’m ready to make some magic. A lot of studios just making money and that’s it. I ain’t got no problem with the money, I love the money, but the music is very important, because without the music there is no money. Without the music there’s no heads bobbing, no folks mobbing in the crowd, nobody getting into fights over a song called ‘Tear The Club Up,’ there’s nothing. To me, music is everything - it’s the harmony of the earth. Universe stands for one song - that says it’s harmony right there.”

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Lil Wyte - The One and Only