In the beginning, it was written...
We are all born with innate gifts, our duty is to embrace those gifts and share them with the world. For Brooklyn born lyricist Sherod "Sha Stimuli" Khaalis, this means provoking an emotional response through his music. Growing up, Stimuli's inquisitive mind could not be held by your typical childhood frivolity. He preferred to follow behind his older brother Lord Digga, one of hip hop's most notable producers. Hanging with Digga, Sha found New York hip hop. He ran the streets from the basketball court to the studio alongside such legends as Master Ace and Big Daddy Kane. Eager to become a student of the game, he digested everything in his surroundings from beats and lyrics, to talks about the business behind the music and at age 11, Stimuli picked up a pen, and brought his first rhyme to life.
Stimuli officially stepped on the hip hop scene at 14, appearing on Master Ace's Slaughter House LP. Although he spent the next few years fine tuning his writing skills as a hobby (not really envisioning becoming an emcee) Sha always remained a loyal hip hop student. When Digga began producing tracks for the Notorious BIG, Stimuli had the unique privilege to be present in the studio for the recording of Ready to Die. During these sessions, Stimuli gained the utmost respect for the rap icon and his signature flow. When the hip hop world was rocked by the tragic and untimely death of the King of New York, Stimuli knew it was time to step up, grab the torch, and go full throttle with his gift of lyricism.
Sha's early hip hop education served him well. He emerged onto the mix tape circuit blazing a trail on some of the hottest tapes in street rotation. In 2003, Stimuli hit the streets with his first full-length mix-tape, "Let Me Show You the Way", unleashing his smooth, conversation-like flow. His lyrics, which gave a real life depiction of urban life, were laced with both sarcasm and metaphorical genius and earned him the title "voice of the people". In October, only a few months after the tape..s debut, Stimuli was recognized in The Source Magazine's "Unsigned Hype" column.
In 2004, critics proclaimed Stimuli to be the "next best thing to come out of Brooklyn since Biggie and Jay-Z.. after he released his second mix-tape, "Follow My Lead". His witty, complex verses made listeners quickly press rewind. In 2005, staying loyal to his fans Stimuli dropped "Switch Sides", a CD/DVD combination where he masters the art of storytelling. With his street credibility and industry recognition growing, Stimuli caught the eye of Lenny S, then A & R of Virgin Records. Under the direction and support of his former management team CUT Entertainment, and in conjunction with his production company Underworld Music, Stimuli soon negotiated a deal with the major record label.
In 2005, Stimuli displayed his musical talent on a worldwide scale, performing in the first "I Love Hip Hop Tour" in Morocco. After being featured in several publications, performing at various venues, and making radio station appearances in 2006, Stimuli released "New York State Of Mine ". This mix tape is an official throwback, echoing the classic sounds of New York hip hop that Sha grew up around. With features from Joel Ortiz, Memphis Bleek, Peedi Peedi, and Maino, New York State of Mine has kept the streets talking. He also released a video for "Brooklyn Stand Up", a track off of the mix tape that quickly became the new BK anthem. To date, Stimuli can be found working on his debut album, "Thee Emotion Picture" which features production from hip hop producers such as Just Blaze, Midi Mafia, EZ LP, and Chad West. With the album being scheduled to be released the third quarter 2007, Stimuli is destined to be a critically acclaimed artist, and a force to be reckoned with!!!!!
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