Revision 404843353 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_singer
|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>{{cite web|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>{{cite web|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''', {{citation needed|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), 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. {{citation needed|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. {{citation needed|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"/> 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>{{cite web|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"/> released November 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. {{citation needed|date=December 2009}}

==Discography==
* "Varibles02" (1999) (Single "Tru Playa 4 Life") under the name Bishop<ref name="louipimps.com"/>
* "Chronicles of A Woman" (2007) (Album Production)<ref name=cdbaby.com>{{cite web|url=http://google.com/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>{{cite web|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}}

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME              =Dragonetti, Damien
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH     =October 30, 1971
| PLACE OF BIRTH    =
| DATE OF DEATH     =
| PLACE OF DEATH    =
}}
{{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]]