Riley "Special" Wallace
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Special
| image = RileySpecialWallace.jpg
| image_size =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Riley Wallace
| birth_place =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|01|20}}
| instrument =
| genre = Hip hop
| occupation = Rapper,
| years_active = 2007-present
| label = Jersey Sound Lab, Universal/EMI, Above Average Hip Hop
| associated_acts = El Da Sensei, Sadat X, Craig G, Internal Quest
| website = {{URL|toronto.hiphop}} {{URL|twitter.com/special}}
}}
Riley Wallace, known by the stage name Special, is a Canadian music artist from Toronto, Ontario. He reached 2 million views on YouTube for his Jersey Shore-influenced song "T-Shirt Time". He has released commercial projects in the US, Germany and Italy. His diverse body of music includes works with hip-hop artists Craig G (Juice Crew), El Da Sensei (The Artifacts) and Sadat X (Brand Nubian) and others.
CWA
In 2009, Special wrote the song "Get Ready To Strike"{{Cite web |title=Get Ready to Strike |work=Labor Notes |date=July 15, 2009 |url=http://www.labornotes.org/node/2337 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213165540/http://www.labornotes.org/node/2337 |archivedate=February 13, 2010 }} which was originally intended to inspire the Communications Workers (CWA) Union members during a Local 6222 rally, but word of it spread to other chapters, who shared it on the internet.{{Cite web |title=CWA "Ready to Strike" ringtone ready for action |first=Doug |last=Mohny |work=Fierce Telecom |date=April 10, 2009 |url=http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/cwa-ready-strike-ringtone-ready/2009-04-10}} The song garnered thousands of views and downloads and was featured in the Wall Street Journal.{{Cite web |title=AT&T Workers Create "Ready to Strike" Ringtone |first=Andrew |last=LaVallee |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=April 10, 2009 |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/04/10/att-workers-create-ringtone/}}
Group/solo career
As a music artist, Special released two official music videos as part of the E-Team. One, "The Bar Ain't Far Away", was in rotation on Much Music.{{Cite web |work=Much Music |title=Bar Ain't Far Away Video |url=http://watch.muchmusic.com/video-playlists/video-playlistsmuchvibe/clip226582#clip226582}} The other, "A Rapper's Motivation", was praised by industry insiders and urban bloggers.{{Cite web |work=Peace Magazine |title=Special - A Rapper's Motivation |url=http://www.blog.peacemagazine.com/tag/special/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715061348/http://www.blog.peacemagazine.com/tag/special/ |archivedate=2011-07-15 }}
Special, along with his crew, the E-Team, released two mixtapes (BAFA: The Art of The Remix and Art is Life: The Mixtape) and an album (Art is Life: The Album), before they signed a major label deal with Universal/EMI Canada. They released the song "T-Shirt Time" in 2011, which has over two million plays. Their subsequent release, Get Right, featuring Tasha The Amazon, was released later that same year.
As a solo artist, Special has numerous projects and has worked with artists including: Sadat X, Craig G, Money B (Digital Underground), El Da Sensei and more. He is also closely affiliated with Jersey Sound Lab and has released a collaborative project with Internal Quest. He currently works with a live band called The Boom Bap Trio, and an LP is due out late 2015.
Discography
=Official Singles =
T-Shirt Time (2011)
Get Right featuring Tasha The Amazon] (2012)
Never Know Me feat. Lilly Mason (2014)
= Collaborative Projects =
Special and Internal Quest — Engineered To Win (2012)
Special and Tony Blount — Special & Tony Blount EP (2014)
= EP's =
Mind's Eye (2013)
Oakland Masters (2014)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/04/10/att-workers-create-ringtone/ Wall Street Journal Story]
- [http://www.lowproentertainment.com/press.htm Collection of Press Clipping about the song "Get Ready To Strike"]
- [http://voices.allthingsd.com/20090410/att-workers-create-%E2%80%9Cready-to-strike%E2%80%9D-ringtone/ Story about 'Get Ready To Strike' ringtone (All things Digital)]
- [http://networktrendsnow.com/about-us/news/1-latest/36-preparing-for-possible-strike?reset-settings Article mentioning the "Get Ready to Strike' ringtone (Network Trends Now)]
- [http://www.betanews.com/article/ATTs-unionized-workers-poised-to-strike-with-a-ringtone-to-remind-them/1239038230 Article "Get Ready to Strike' ringtone (Beta News)]
- [http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-125000-Union-Workers-Still-At-Odds-101873 "Get Ready to Strike' ringtone (DSL Reports)]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallace, Riley Special}}
Category:Musicians from Toronto