NoClue
{{short description|American rapper (born 1985)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = NoClue
|image = RickyBrown2.jpg
|caption = NoClue in Los Angeles, California
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1985|01|28}}
|birth_place =Seattle, Washington, U.S.
|background = solo_singer
|birth_name = Ricky Raphel Brown
|alias = NoClue
|origin = Central District, Seattle, Washington
|occupation = Rapper, video producer, songwriter
|genre = Hip Hop, West Coast Hip Hop, Hip Hop Music in the Pacific Northwest
|years_active = 2004–Present
|label = Long Live LLC
|associated_acts =T-Pain, Adele, Sean Carson, Young Rebel
|website = https://web.archive.org/web/20100826132359/http://www.noclueofficial.com/
}}
Ricky Raphel Brown (born January 28, 1985), known professionally as NoClue, is an American rapper from Seattle.{{cite web |url=http://www.vrseattle.com/pages/browse.php?cat_id=719 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060508232230/http://www.vrseattle.com/pages/browse.php?cat_id=719 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 8, 2006 |title=Profile of Rapper, NoClue |publisher=VR Seattle |access-date=2010-04-13}} He is best known for obtaining the title of the world's official “Fastest Rap MC” by Guinness World Records, for rapping 723 syllables in 51.27 seconds (14.1 syllables per second) in January 2005.
Early life
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=September 2024}}
NoClue grew up in the city of Seattle, Washington. He was reciting raps by the age of four and began writing his own lyrics at age 9. Brown grew up around the music business, as his grandfather was a member of the gospel band, The Singing Galatians, and earned studio experience while attending his grandfather's every-other-Sunday recording sessions with that band. Brown's first recordings were overdubs of popular rap beats, made with his cousins while Brown was still in junior high.
Musical style and influences
NoClue is a hip hop artist influenced by West Coast Hip Hop. He has established himself as a multi-dimensional lyricist with sharp, upbeat energy expressed in each of his songs. Brown counts rapper Tupac Shakur as an early musical influence. He explains that his stage name NoClue is derived from “the fact that the world had no clue what kind of impact he was about to bring”.{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002562275_rapper15.html?syndication=rss |title=Fastest Rapper on the Planet |publisher=The Seattle Times |accessdate=2010-04-14 | date=2005-10-18}}
Sponsorships and endorsements
=Wix Music and YouTube Space NYC=
To celebrate the launch of Wix.com Music in November 2015, NoClue was selected by the #OpeningAct campaign for a special 6K 360 virtual reality production at the YouTube Space New York, featuring his single, 'Voices'.{{cite web |url=https://www.suite.social/videos/video.php?code=f-F5TLoReEU|title=Wix Music Presents Voices by NoClue |publisher=Suite Social |accessdate=2016-07-28}}
=Mercedes-AMG=
NoClue's song, 'Movement', was featured in a nationwide commercial in Germany for the Mercedes-AMG luxury vehicle line (2014 models) throughout the year 2014.
=Microsoft Windows Azure=
NoClue was chosen as the face of Microsoft Windows Azure in October 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.meetwindowsazure.com/fast|title=Windows Azure Fast|publisher=Microsoft Windows Azure|accessdate=2012-10-13|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012005158/http://www.meetwindowsazure.com/fast|archivedate=2012-10-12}}{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/news/a429995/microsoft-signs-worlds-fastest-rapper-for-windows-azure-video.html|title=Microsoft signs 'world's fastest rapper' for Windows Azure video |date=11 October 2012 |publisher=Digital Spy |accessdate=2012-10-13}}{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/11/microsoft-releases-rap-video_n_1957141.html|title=Microsoft Releases Rap Video To Celebrate Cloud Computing |date=11 October 2012 |publisher=Huffington Post |accessdate=2012-10-13}} The relaunching commercial has gone viral and proved to be controversial, being criticized for Brown's lightning-fast, difficult delivery yet praised for his articulate lyrics.{{cite web |url=http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/81593|title=I'm down with Microsoft's unintelligible cloud rapper |date=12 October 2012 |publisher=Network World |accessdate=2012-10-13}} An online contest is currently being held on behalf of Microsoft to compete with Brown's rap.{{cite web|url=http://www.meetwindowsazure.com/fast|title=Windows Azure Fast|publisher=Microsoft Windows Azure|accessdate=2012-10-13|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012005158/http://www.meetwindowsazure.com/fast|archivedate=2012-10-12}}
=Samsung's Galaxy S III with Optus 4G=
NoClue teamed up with the world's fastest speaker (Sean Shannon), fastest reader (Howard Berg), and fastest texter (Melissa Thompson), to launch Optus' debut of consumer 4G networks along with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S III in September 2012 in Sydney and Perth, Australia.{{cite web |url=http://www.crn.com.au/News/314238,samsung-brings-4g-galaxy-s-iii-to-oz.aspx|title=Samsung brings 4G Galaxy S III to Oz |publisher=CRN |accessdate=2012-10-13}}{{cite web |url=http://www.optus.com.au/aboutoptus/About+Optus/Media+Centre/Media+Releases/2012/Optus+flies+in+world’s+fastest+for+4G+Network+lift+off|title=Optus flies in world's fastest for 4G Network lift off |publisher=Optus |accessdate=2012-10-13}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Gallery/314297,in-pictures-optus-launches-4g-network-samsung-galaxy-s-iii-4g.aspx/4|title=In Pictures: Optus launches 4G network, Samsung Galaxy S III 4G |publisher=PC Authority |accessdate=2012-10-13}}{{cite web |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-news/fast-people-the-need-for-speed-is-their-creed/story-e6freuzi-1226464241991|title=Fast People - The Need for Speed is Their Creed |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=2012-10-13}}{{cite web |url=http://www.itnews.com.au/Gallery/314293,photos-optus-launches-consumer-4g-network.aspx/4|title=Optus Launches Consumer 4G Network |publisher=IT News |accessdate=2012-10-13}}
Long Live LLC and Cinema 28
NoClue is the CEO and founder of Long Live LLC. A video production subsidiary launched during the fall of 2012, aptly named Cinema 28.{{cite web |url=http://longlivellc.com |title=Long Live LLC |publisher=NoClue |accessdate=2011-10-13}} The company is specializing in professional model portfolios, music videos, and wedding cinematography, with the inclusion of drone cameras and 4K equipment. Long Live LLC's debut video short was premiered on World Star Hip Hop on January 21, 2014, amassing a total of more than 950,000 views, featuring Jenn of Bad Girls Club, Season 10 and NoClue's music single, 'Clapp'.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhl3Bhwb3H598HIwyk |title=Video: Exclusive: Jenn of Bad Girls Club Season 10 |publisher=WSHH |accessdate=2014-02-16}}
Music Centro
NoClue has been named Co-Chief Executive Officer of MusicCentro.com, a global music marketing and distribution hub geared toward independent artists as of February 2014, alongside Liam Toller, of ThisIzHot.com.
Media appearances
=iTunes=
NoClue's album, NoClue, debuted on the front page of iTunes Top 50 Chart in October 2014.
=Discovery Channel=
NoClue was featured on the Discovery Channel's television program, Daily Planet, on their Top Ten Fastest Things on the Planet compilation countdown on April 23, 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.discovery.ca/dp/videos/|title=Daily Planet Full Episodes|publisher=Discovery Channel's Daily Planet |accessdate=2014-05-27}}
Music releases
=Discography=
=Music videos=
- 12th Man - Seattle Seahawks Anthem: Featured on KUBE 93.3. 600,000+ YouTube views.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH-BP4K8NAs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/zH-BP4K8NAs |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=NoClue - 12th Man (Seattle Seahawks Anthem)|publisher=YouTube |accessdate=2014-02-16}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |url=http://www.kube93.com/onair/eric-powers-dirty-harry-14894/noclue12th-man-seattle-seahawks-anthem-11995466/ |title=NoClue - 12th Man (Seattle Seahawks Anthem)|publisher=KUBE 93.3 |accessdate=2014-02-16}}
- Limelight feat. Sean Carson: Featured on MTV's website.{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/videos/noclue/914390/limelight-ft-sean-carson.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619012502/http://www.mtv.com/videos/noclue/914390/limelight-ft-sean-carson.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 19, 2013 |title=Limelight ft. Sean Carson - NoClue - Music Video - MTV|publisher=MTV |accessdate=2014-02-14}}
- Movin Slow: Featured on World Star Hip Hop (WSHH) with over 4.3 million views{{cite web |url=http://worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhso7WUxRL53p58ImR |title=Movin Slow World Premiere|publisher=World Star Hip Hop |accessdate=2010-04-13}}
Guinness World Record
As a 20-year-old, Brown broke the Guinness World Record in 2005 to become the fastest rapper in the world. The attempt was recorded at Seattle's B&G Studios on January 15, 2005, in front of a licensed speech therapist. Brown rapped at a clip of 14.1 syllables per second, beating the previous 12.5 syllable-a-second record set in 1998 by Chicago rapper Rebel XD. NoClue's since beaten record is recorded in Guinness World Records 2006, released in August 2005.{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002562275_rapper15.html?syndication=rss |title=Fastest Rapper on the Planet |publisher=The Seattle Times |accessdate=2010-04-14 | date=2005-10-18}}{{cite web |url=http://www.vrmag.org/issue24/GUINNESS_WORLD_S_FASTEST_RAPPER.html |title=Guinness World's Fastest Rapper |publisher=VR Magazine |accessdate=2010-04-14}}{{cite web |url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/101-facts-you-never-knew-about-music-part-1-189650/2 |title=101 Facts You Never Knew About Music |publisher=Music Radar |accessdate=2010-04-13}}{{cite web |url=http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen5/f49-rapper.html |title=Hip-Hop - Ricky Brown "No Clue" Fastest Rapper in the World |publisher=Panoramas |accessdate=2010-04-13 |archive-date=2010-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326062848/http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen5/f49-rapper.html |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20100826132359/http://www.noclueofficial.com/}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20141223103205/http://www.mtv.com/artists/noclue/ MTV Artist Profile: NoClue]
- [http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/noclue NoClue's Music on Rhapsody]
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Category:African-American rappers
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century American rappers