Rio
Rio, who was born Mario Holten in Oakland, California, is a hip hop artist who often writes lyrics based on the various experiences that have encapsulated his life, in conjunction with the astute observations that he has made while growing up i the bay area. Watching his parents’ marriage dissolve due to his father’s constant drug use, coupled with having two of his cousins shot in merciless acts of violence, are experiences that have given Rio a perspective on life that many other artists do not have. Not only have these experiences made him value his life even more, but they have also taught him that within the inner city streets, justice does not often prevail. While Rio does have songs which detail the inner trappings of urban America, he does not let those experiences make his music one dimensional.
Rio has distanced himself from most other “west coast” hip hop artists, by breaking the mold of what most people tend to consider a west coast artists should sound like. He has successfully ghost written R&B songs for several artists, as well as penning lyrics for some of the west coasts most prolific up and coming talent. His somewhat arrogant, yet witty lyrical style gives him the ability to differentiate himself from many of the other artists that are existent in this genre of music today. His smooth delivery, and lyrical content has landed him shows at the Kodak Theatre, House of Blues, and The San Diego Sports Arena, as well as many other domestic and international venues. While many people dream of rocking arenas, and shows in other countries, Rio has performed with Flo-Rida, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Young Jeezy, Keyshia Cole, E-40 and countless others. At the height of the Myspace craze, Rio was even Ranked as the 3rd hottest independent artist in the nation.
Rio’s work ethic, and “nose” for music have helped him to create a buzz in the music industry among many of todays hottest A&R’s and other artists, and have even lead to his eventual signing with Universal/Bungalo/Dolphins of Hollywood Records. He currently has released his single “So Fresh,” which features recording artist E -40, which will no doubt take America by storm.