Artist description MC. Artist. Producer. Engineer. Pianist. Guitarist. Genius. Prodigy. Vietnamese. Alabaman. Hip-Hop. Soon-to-be-Legend. A few choice words to describe Bao Pham (pronounced Bau Faam), A southern hip-hop phenomenon taking the music industry by storm both lyrically and musically. Born July 15, 1982 to Vietnamese parents seeking refuge in America after the Vietnam War, Bao Pham has been and always will be an outcast to society. At the early age of four, Bao began taking classical piano lessons and started learning classical guitar three years later (hence the name Classic). Years and years of hard work and practice led him to winning numerous competitions in piano and guitar, such as 2nd Place (1998) and 1st Place (1999) in the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra Competition, 2nd Place and 4th Place (one of only eight finalists to succeed out of 60-80 participants in 10 states) in the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, and still holding records of guitar excellence at Baldwin Jr. High School. Recognized for his excellence in piano, Bao was accepted into the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, one of the world’s most prestigious music camps for the summer. Along with his accomplishments in piano, Bao also was a keyboardist, guitarist, and bassist in his father’s band, the QB Band, at the start of age 7 until age 16. During these years balancing piano, guitar, the band, and enrolling in an academic school was a struggle, along with the harsh reality of being Asian living in Montgomery, AL where racial tensions were and still continue to anguish blacks and whites. He was an outcast to society and even to his own family; different from everyone else by being influenced by black culture and at the same time Vietnamese culture put a strain on the young Asian to find an identity in the world. That is, until Hip-Hop came into his life. Finally, Bao felt comfortable in a position of being different from everyone else; having an Afrocentric mentality mixed with Vietnamese tradition propells him to be one of the strongest lyricists and producers no one has, have, or will witness not just in Hip-Hop, but in music period. Armed with an abrasive, but smooth voice, having something to say, and hard-hitting, but soulful instrumentals may propel him to be one of the best, if not the best, in Hip-Hop history. Stay tuned.

Music Style Hip-Hop

Musical Influences Outkast, Nas, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, 2Pac, UGK, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Scarface

Artist History MUSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: University of Alabama at Birmingham Talent Search-3rd Place, 2003 University of Alabama at Birmingham Talent Search-2nd Place, 2002 Music Teachers National Association-Yamaha High School Winner, 1999 Montgomery Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition-4th Place ($500, one of only eight finalists to succeed out of 60-80 participants in 10 states), 1999 Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra Competition-1st Place ($600, performed with TSO twice), 1999 Alabama Music Teachers Association-District & State Solo Auditions Winner, 1999 Alabama Music Teachers Association-State Concerto Auditions Winner, 1999 Ida Truss Scholarship-$200 for outstanding Junior at State Auditions, 1999 Hellen Boykin Festival Honors Student, 1999 Guild Auditions-Superior Plus (97-99%) Rating, 1999 Alabama Federation of Music Clubs-Superior Rating in Piano Concerto, 1999 Alabama Federation of Music Clubs-Shachtsiek Cup (Best Superior Rating in Piano Senior Concerto in State), 1999 Boston University Tanglewood Institute (July 5-24, 1999)-$500 Scholarship from BUTI for three-week session, 1999 Boston University Tanglewood Institute (July 5-24, 1999)-$1000 Scholarship from Friends of BUTI, 1999 Guild Auditions-Superior Plus (97-99%) Rating, 1998 Montgomery Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition-2nd Place ($1500, one of only eight finalists to succeed out of 60-80 participants in 5 states), 1998 Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra Competition-2nd Place ($250), 1998 Alabama Music Teachers Association-District & State Solo Auditions Winner, 1998 Alabama Music Teachers Association-State Concerto Auditions Honorable Mention, 1998 Hellen Boykin Festival Honorable Mention, 1998 Alabama Federation of Music Clubs-Superior Rating in Piano Concerto, 1998 Montgomery Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition-Finalist (one of only eight finalists to succeed out of 60-80 participants in 5 states), 1997 Guild Auditions-Superior Plus (97-99%) Rating, 1997 Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra Competition-Participant, 1997 Hellen Boykin Festival Honors Student, 1997 Music Teachers National Association-Yamaha High School Alternate, 1997 Alabama Music Teachers Association-State Concerto Auditions Winner, 1997 Alabama Music Teachers Association-State Solo Auditions Honorable Mention, 1997 Alabama Federation of Music Clubs-Superior Rating in Piano Concerto, 1997 Lake Guntersville Guitar Competition-2nd Place in 9th-10th Grade Level, 1997 Baldwin Arts & Academics School-Most Outstanding Piano Student, 1997 Music Teachers National Association-Baldwin Junior High Honorable Mention, 1996 Alabama Music Teachers Association-District & State Solo Auditions Winner, 1996 ACES Awards Scholarship-Piano ($200), 1996 Crimson Summer Music Camp (University of Alabama) Participant, 1996 Crimson Summer Music Camp (University of Alabama) $100 Scholarship, 1996

Instruments Live Drums, Bass, and Guitars; Keyboards

Albums ONSUMOTHASHEEAT

Additional Info Putting out ONSUMOTHASHEEAT bootleg, 11 tracks, $5; currently finishing official album, Vietnamese Vendetta

Location Birmingham, Alabama - USA

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