Press Releases
Press Release
HOPE and hip-hop synthesize Savannah funk in finals
ATLANTA – A Georgia Lottery-funded HOPE recipient has found a heap of harmony with four musicians in Savannah. Together the five-member group KidSyc@Brandywine, who formed last March, is on a momentous track to stardom. The group is competing as top 12 finalists in the Georgia Lottery’s All Access Music Search.
Lloyd Harold, aka KidSyc and the group’s lead rapper, teaches art at an elementary school in Savannah. He received the Georgia Lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship while attending Savannah College of Art and Design. The 25-year-old said the benefits as a recipient were wonderful.
“That’s what kept me motivated,” he said. “That and mom.”
Harold refers to his style of music as “living hip-hop” since each performance is different. He describes the music as organic and ever-changing.
The band plays live instruments, infusing it with Harold’s lyrics. Band members of KidSyc@Brandywine include Charles Hodge, Lane Gardner, Daniel Butler and Derrick Larry.
“So far we have used it to our advantage,” said Butler, 21.
KidSyc@Brandywine has won the Sweetwater 2010 GearFest competition. They toured the facility in Indiana and played 15 songs on the Sweetwater sound stage.
As finalists, KidSyc@Brandywine performed during the halftime of the Nov. 28 Atlanta Falcons game at the Georgia Dome.
Auditions were held in Atlanta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah with three finalists in the categories of country, rock, pop/R&B and hip-hop/rap.
Country finalists are: Julie Gribble (Atlanta); Hannah Thomas (Covington); and Jessi Scott (LaGrange). Rock finalists are: Rusted Soul (Atlanta); theKey (Macon); and Three Quarter Ale (Atlanta). Pop/R&B finalists are: Xavier Lewis (Loganville); PHILLIPPIA (Lawrenceville); and Amber Bri Oliver (Columbus). Hip-Hop/Rap finalists are: KidSyc@Brandywine (Savannah); Young R (Juliette); and MADE IN ATLANTA (Atlanta).
One winner in each genre, determined, in part, by an online public poll, will head to Hollywood to record a track at the legendary Capitol Records Tower. In addition, finalists will be featured in a television special.
The Georgia Lottery’s All Access Music Search is held in conjunction with the instant game All Access, a music-themed game loaded with cash prizes up to $25,000, over 21 million music download prizes, and a second chance to win concert or event tickets and a VIP Los Angeles music experience trip of a lifetime.
For additional details and to vote for KidSyc@Brandywine, please visit www.galottery.com/musicsearch.
Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corp. has returned more than $12.1 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs, including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. More than 1.25 million students have received HOPE, and more than 1 million 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.
For more information on the Georgia Lottery Corp., please visit:
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