Revision 373531030 of "Damien Dragonetti" on enwiki

{{Infobox musical artist
|Name            = Damien Dragonetti
|Img             =
|Img_capt        = Dragonetti at TiTe Mic HQ 2007 [[TiTe Mic]]
|Img_size        = 
|Background      = Solo Southern Killa Beez
|Birth_name      = Garrick L. Finklea
|Alias           = Spade, Dame, Bishop
|Born            = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1971|10|30}}<br />[[Pascagoula, Mississippi]], U.S.
|Origin          = [[Moss Point, Mississippi]], U.S.
|Genre           = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]], [[rock music|rock]], [[Techno Music|Techno]]<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Infobox_musical_artist#Genre -->
|Occupation      = Producer<br />[[Rapper|Emcee]]<br />[[Graphic Artist]]<br />Songwriter
|Years_active    = 1984 - present
|Label           = [http://repertoire.bmi.com/publisher.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=934644&keyname=TITE%20MIC%20MUSIC%20GROUP&querytype=PubID TiTe Mic Music Group (BMI)]<br />DarkChilde
|Associated_acts = Southern Killa Beez (SKBz)<br />[http://www.madawm.com Madawm]<br />[[Toni Seawright]]
|URL             = [http://www.TiTeMic.com TiTe Mic]}}

'''Damien Dragonetti''' (b. October 30, 1971), is an American rapper/producer. He is best known for his feature on “Variable02”(1999)<ref name=louipimps.com>{{citeweb|url=http://louipimps.com/index.php/catalog-mainmenu-108|title=Variables02|publisher=louipimps.com}}</ref> creating '''TiTe Mic Corporation''', and producing the album, "Chronicles Of A Woman",<ref name=ascap>{{citeweb|url=http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=333110075&search_in=i&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=20&start=1|title=Chronicles Of A Woman|publisher=ascap.com}}</ref> a 2007 album by female rapper [http://www.madawm.com Madawm], which features superstars [[Eminem]] and [[Xzibit]].

==Early years== 
Born as '''Garrick Finklea''', {{fact|date=December 2009}} Damien Dragonetti grew up in [[Moss Point, Mississippi]], near his birthplace of [[Pascagoula]].  

==Career==
===Music career===
In 1985 Damien co-Romeo Rock and his DJ Trench, and form the group TMC Rock. The group patterned themselves after [[Boogie Down Productions]](BDP). Their first major show was to open for legendary rapper/actor [[Kool Moe Dee]]. 

In 1992 in [[Pensacola, Florida]], Damien (then known as ''G. Money'', performed for the manager and co-owner of Total Sound Management, Inc. (TSM Records),<ref name=corporationwiki.com>{{citeweb|url=http://www.corporationwiki.com/Florida/Pensacola/total-sound-management-inc-3646513.aspx|title=Total Sound Management TSM Records|publisher=corporationwiki.com}}</ref> Willie Easley. Easley signed Damien to his first deal.
Damien and his label mates appeared regularly on TSM's TV show "Saturday night Live at the Apollo" (''a spin-off of “[[Showtime at the Apollo]]” in New York''), aired Saturday nights on [http://www.blabtv.com Blab TV]. Just 4 months after signing with the label, Dragonetti became an Office manager and head hip hop producer for the label. {{fact|date=December 2009}}

In 1995 he returned to [[Mississippi]], and with Joe Jones (aka Juke Jonz), created '''Soul Street Productions'''. The new production company would open for [[New Orleans]] bounce music artist [http://www.djjubilee.net/ Dj Jubilee] of Take Fo Records. Shortly thereafter Dragonetti and Jonz were offered a  deal with Blunt Recording/[[TVT Records]], which would have made Soul Street Production the second rap group in Mississippi's history to sign a major deal, but the group declined down the offer. {{fact|date=December 2009}}

In 1996 Damien met with producer/songwriter Bobby Reese, also from Pascagoula who is credited with writing the song ''"Everlasting Love"'' for R&B act [[Tony Terry]] along with Terry Antonio Meguel.
Reese taught Damien the importance of the music business and how to use a production system with the aid of computers. Dame used the new technology to produce "Tru Playa 4 Life",<ref name=louipimps.com>{{citeweb|url=http://louipimps.com/index.php/catalog-mainmenu-108|title=Variables02|publisher=louipimps.com}}</ref>featuring Tenishia Toussaint, with backups by Reese.

In 1997 Damien created and launch [http://www.titemic.com TiTe Mic Records], later known as TiTeMic.com,<ref name=titemic.com>{{citeweb|url=http://www.titemic.com|title=TiTe Mic Corp|publisher=TiTeMic.com}}</ref>In 1999 ''Tru Playa 4 Life'' would be featured on Variables02<ref name=louipimps.com>{{citeweb|url=http://louipimps.com/index.php/catalog-mainmenu-108|title=Variables02|publisher=louipimps.com}}</ref>released November of 1999 by Loupimps Records (LPS), distributed by [http://www.cityhallrecords.com City Hall Records].

In 2001 Dame wrote and produced the song “Art Of War" about 9/11 Featuring Rock guitarist Dean Weaver,
Published by [http://repertoire.bmi.com/publisher.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=934644&keyname=TITE%20MIC%20MUSIC%20GROUP&querytype=PubID TiTe Mic Music Group]([[Broadcast Music Incorporated|BMI]]) the record was given away on [http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=225670 Soundclick.com]

===Community Service===
In the aftermath of [[Hurricane Katrina]], Dragonetti worked with Restoration Church (overseen by Pastor Elder James Moffett) and First Baptist Church of Moss Point passing out food and supplies
to people in need. {{fact|date=December 2009}}

==Discography==
* "Varibles02" (1999) (Single "Tru Playa 4 Life") under the name Bishop<ref name=louipimps.com>{{citeweb|url=http://louipimps.com/index.php/catalog-mainmenu-108|title=Variables02|publisher=louipimps.com}}</ref>
* "Chronicles of A Woman" (2007) (Album Production)<ref name=cdbaby.com>{{citeweb|url=http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:r6grSUUmDLQJ:www.cdbaby.com/cd/madawm+madawm+chronicle+of+a+woman&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca|title=Chronicles Of A Woman|publisher=cdbaby.com}}
</ref>
* "Stand Alone Complex" (2009)<ref name=tunecore.com>{{citeweb|url=http://www.tunecore.com/music/damiendragonetti|title=Stand Alone Complex|publisher=tunecore.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.titemic/ Official website]
* {{MySpace|damiendragonetti}}
* {{Twitter|damedragonetti}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragonetti, Damien}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from Mississippi]]
[[Category:People from Pascagoula, Mississippi]]
[[Category:American hip hop record producers]]

[[Category:African American rappers]]
[[Category:African American record producers]]
[[Category:African American singers]]
[[Category:American male singers]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues singers]]
[[Category:Hip hop singers]]