From Outkast, T.I. and Jeezy to Ne-Yo, Usher and Ciara, it’s no secret that Atlanta’s burgeoning music scene has spawned some of the world’s most beloved artists. Although many genres of music in the Southeast shine through, the common thread is that these chart-toppers are changing the face of popular music for today and the future.

 

As a direct influence of trailblazers before him, trend-setting Atlanta native Myko (pronounced Mee-ko) is on his way to becoming a unique new Urban Pop star. The young singer/songwriter has always aspired to bring his electric soulfulness to the world, and found ways to partner with key promoters in Atlanta to build his buzz.

 

In 2007, the hard work paid off when Thomas Jones of the New York Jets enlisted Myko as the flagship artist on his budding Outta Pocket Entertainment. Myko’s new single “Late Nite Creep” produced by Static Major is steadily growing at radio as the Outta Pocket team prepares to release Myko’s debut album, Options.

 

In his hometown of Atlanta, Myko has been received well by industry and fans alike. Performing in the midst of Hip Hop artists, Myko often surprises people with his ability to serve R&B with a swagger equal to any rapper on stage. “Most of the showcases in Atlanta are pretty much rap-based,” explains Myko, “so when I come in and start singing, it’s like a shock. People are just sitting there looking at me quietly until the show is over, and later they’re like, ‘Man, I enjoyed that. You’re hot.’ It just works for me.”

 

Myko’s movement stems from a passion for true soul and R&B, with legends like Al Green, The Chi-Lites, The Stylistics and The DelfonicsOutta Pocket offering him the deepest influences for his early work. Myko began his initial direction with a pure R&B sound, and later, as he was exposed to various forms of music, opened up to create his own brand of Urban Pop fusion. When he partnered with the team, they saw Myko’s potential to be a fan favorite. 

 

“I feel like going with Outta Pocket was a great move,” says Myko. “With my work ethic, we’re gonna achieve a lot of great things. There are a lot of things in the works in the future. Right now I’m honing my craft as a singer. I’m interested in the acting part of it, doing commercials and all of the stuff that comes with it. There are people I know that have talent that I’d be interested in bringing into the music game, but ‘everything in due time’ is the way I see it. As long as my situation works out, then we can open up doors for somebody else. In the future I see Outta Pocket being a brand, not just in the music game but in film too. The sky’s the limit.”

 

As things pick up on the business end for Myko, with “Late Nite Creep” garnering heavier spins at radio, the video debut, promo tours and more, he realizes that there has to be a balance for his art. His album is coming together with the combined talents of several people, including the amazing production on “Late Nite Creep” from Static Major, who sadly passed away in February 2008.

 

“I look at it as an honor to have Static’s work on my album,” expresses Myko. “I was a big fan of Static coming from when he had ‘Cheers 2 U’ with Playa. I got a chance to meet his family and speak to people whose lives he affected. I try to pay homage to the song and situation every time I get a chance to perform it. I understand his work ethic, and I feel my work ethic is pretty similar to his, so when I’m on stage I try to make sure I’m giving it my all, because somebody put a lot into this record. As soon as we called to take the beat, we were in Kentucky within a week recording, and we already knew it would be the single before it was even finished – that’s how much faith we had in this record.”

 

The rest of Myko’s debut album, Options, is rounding out production with the likes of Atlanta’s B-Rock on the track “Spend This Bread” featuring Rick Ross; Virginia producer Bink (known for his work with Jay-Z, Freeway, Amerie and most recently Rick Ross “Shinin” from the Trilla LP) on several songs including “Heaven” and “My Baby’s Got It;” Grammy Award winner Khao (T.I. “Why You Wanna”) and Toxic. Songwriter Jason Desrouleaux, who worked recently with Bad Boy artist Donnie Klang, Lil Wayne and Bettie Wright, has been working alongside Myko to optimize the essence of his vibe.

 

“With this album, I want people to know that a lot of hard work has been put in to get here, and I believe they’ll feel it through the passion in the sound," explains Myko. "My whole goal is for everyone to understand that we are trying to bring good music with a futuristic feel. I listen to a lot of different kinds of music. I want to bring love for the old style that I grew up on, and the new feel that I’m so into now. Right now I’m excited about the album, and anxious to see what people think about it.”