Biography

Name: Y.B.B.I. (Ya Brotha Black Ice, Ya Boy Black Ice, Trav Lyrics)

Title: Rapper and International iRadio Personality

HomeTown: Richmond, CA. (S. F. Bay area, The 41510)

Genre: Life Reality for the over the 30

1990:

• Ya Boy Black Ice: Po Black Citizen

My first official group was Po Black Citizen. Ya Boy B.I. was the rapper. Poetry was the Producer. I was 19 and ready to take over the world. We did a lot of songs. Several tracks are featured above in the "1990 Melody" available for download. We mass produced one project, a Cassette Single ( CDs didn't exist):

Po Black Citizen:
Side A: SUICIDE.
Side B: DIP TO THE BEAT.

At the time, It was the best thing since sliced bread. Po Black Citizen is one of the 1st rap groups in Richmond CA to have an actual retail ready project.

We were going to perform at 1991 KMEL Summer Jam...SIKE!
Our music was hot though.

1995:

• Ya Boy Black Ice: 5.0 REASONS &
• Travlyrics Custom Graphic Design

By 1995 I had found my flow. Being from Richmond, CA, the rhymes are a matter of fact and confident with aggressive delivery .

Ya Boy black Ice says, "I am a storyteller. My lyrics have two levels. Level one is for folks who check for the track and flow. Level two is for those who actually dissect the rhymes. You always get a beginning, middle and end. I intentionally leave things out, so your imagination takes over. Chains of events may vary based on one's personal experience. I always wrote songs that I understand, because the songs are based on my everyday experiences."

But just like the 1990 single, everybody didn't understand what I was go through. What I needed was a per song system where I could write whatever I wanted and distribute it. Then MP3.com was created. I've been in love with the internet since 1995.

"The 1st project 5.0 REASONS was my polished introduction: 'Hi, I'm Ya Boy Black Ice. I drive a Fifty (Ford Mustang 5.0), I have a few personal problems, my uncles are crack heads, and here's what happened last night.' That was me in 1991-95. The lyrics are so relevant today. Unfortunately this rap shit was looking kind of fruitless, so I went into other elements of Hip-Hop: 95' Travlyrics Graphic Design (graffiti) and 98' The 41510 Apparel (gear).

1998:

• 41510 Apparel

The 41510 Brand Apparel was created for on reason. As a Rapper/Graphic Designer, I wanted to create a quality-first, Easy to understand, “For Us By Us”, Bay Area Hip-Hop Based Clothing Brand allowing local artists (like myself) to Identify Home as we traveled worldwide.

That was it. Yes 41510 Apparel was originally created for Rappers to BUY! Rappers were the target market. It was supposed to be our Phat Farm, Fubu, Rocawear, Karl Kani, Mark Echo.

Slam Dunk! No Brainer. Right? Wrong. It made so much sense that it was too complicated for artist to understand. So we took it to the masses, but the masses are like sheep. They do what is popular. Popularity is difficult to gain in the Bay Area rap scene.

After many hurdles, we have proven, accomplished and transcended our original goal. We now identify all facets of the Bay Area lifestyle, including
all music to diversity to weather to politics to The sideshow to The Castro.

2001:

• Travlyrics.com
• My Last Rhyme Will Be My Last Breath

Exit: Ya Boy Black Ice. Enter: Travlyrics.com
The name change was a needed upgrade. My new introduction had to concisely express that I was doing much more than rapping. It was a silent command: "Go to my web site". Most people called me Travlyrics anyway. By 2001, I was a 10x better rapper; still concentrating on flow and rhyme patterns; refusing to rhyme 'Hood' with 'All good'. Ideas were still drawn from everyday conversations. For example: 1) You can't stop listening to rap. 2) My mama is from the same streets as me. 3) My lyrics are equal to or better than a lot of rappers, so don't tell me its all about tight lyrics. 4) This paying dues shit is blatant theft.

This would have been my third release, had I continued to chase the dream. With four songs done, it became clear, I was too busy with Travlyrics Graphics and The 41510 Brand Apparel was on a roll. Then dotcom bubble burst and expendable money began to dry up. Then 911 hit and the economy completely shut down on independent clothing designers and there was no real time or money to complete the "Last Rhyme" project. Also it was crystal clear (to me) that there was a new breed of rapper coming up in the Bay Area, so I chose to lay back and ride it out.

My mentality at this point was "These are timeless records with fresh lyrics and a competitive image. Eventually I'll be able to play by my own rules".

2003-07: Self Exile

Basically in the late 90s, my timing was off.

By 2000, I was in my late twenties with a lot of lumps from experience.

By 2001, my vision on life was becoming clear. I understood why certain things happen and I wanted to discuss it. Simultaneously, Bay Area Hip-Hop began to demand less, marking the pre-stages of going Dumb. Eventually Bay Area Hip-Hop made a conscious decision to ride the yellow bus. (Download "13 O'clock" Prophets of Rage featuring Ya Boy Black Ice.)

By 2003, I needed a break. I needed to catch my breath and live outside of Urban Paradox of clothing, music, meeting in night clubs, fashion shows, tables, booths and contests.
Everything was shutdown. I traveled a bit as shown at www.Youtube.com/41510Brand. I became a Husband, Father, and a Home Owner.

2007:

• The Travlyrics Company LLC
• 5.0 REASONS 10th Anniversary CD
• 41510 Brand Products available on demand

Recently, several things have occurred to re-spark my faith.

1. At 36, my business now has structure and I know my position.

2. I've grown wiser and more articulate (fewer curse words).

2. I became a Husband and a Father.

3. The 5.0 REASONS Album has become a Underground Rap Classic in The UK, France, and Japan.

4. Web 2.0: Google, PayPal, Itunes, Myspace, YouTube and Snocap have leveled the
playing field for the independent and less popular artist.

5. I've decided to be a part of the solution by example.

The dream has been realized. For years I've admired Prince and Chuck D for their internet presence. Since 1996, I've operated www.travlyrics.com, with hopes to make both my entire music catalog and private design catalog available for download. No inventory. No red tape. No Drama. Just an instant fair trade with no robbery, between you, me, your ipod, and your closet.

The Travlyrics Company partnered with CDbaby.com and Cafepress.com essentially giving our music and other brands that simple international Sells and Distribution deal we had been dreaming of since 1995.

The new structure of The Travlyrics Company allows Trav Lyrics to focus on Brand Management and Custom Graphic Design; YBBI to concentrate on music and personal appearances; while our strategic partners handle delivering the product to you. It is a beautiful thing.

2008:

• 5.0 REASONS 10th Anniversary 1998-2008
• The YBBI Show on 187 Radio
• G-Funk Cafe inside Travlyrics-On-Demand

The French Critic, Sharagin-Masta wrote about the Original 5.0 REASONS album in a 2006 critique: "Ya Boy Black Ice offers us an album almost perfect. Although a little short and quickly consumed, few things are objectionable...G-Funk in a sense, more Mobb in another, is a classic... Absolutely essential for all, an opus to obtain any emergency."
-- sharingan-masta.blogspot.com/2007/06/ya-boy-black-ice-50-reasons.html)

We spoke with many rap music collectors who agreed with Sharingan-Masta; so, we added 4 unreleased YBBI songs from the Golden Era and re-issued the 5.0 Reason CD for the international market via CD Baby.com, iTunes, Rhapsody.com, and Napster.

In March 2008, thanks to our new international connections at 187 RADIO in Paris, Ya Boy Black Ice accepted an offer to host an internet radio show. The platform allowed me to finally spread my wings on my own terms.

     "Introducing the YBBI SHOW on 187 Radio. The only place you will go from Richmond, Cali to Paris, France and Back in one hour. Get that Golden Era Bay Area rap that we all love but never hear. Get discussions the folks who created the sound. And listen to YBBI chop about what ever. Its cussin radio for adults. Parental Advisory Advised."

The 'G-Funk Cafe' (inside Travlyrics-On-Demand) was created to deliver on-demand consumer products that compliment the now classic albums affiliated with The Travlyrics Company and YBBI. It is interesting that every rap album cover designed by Travlyrics Graphics is considered Classic Bay Area G-funk, G-Rap, or Mobb Music. as well as the few albums where YBBI made guest appearances.

The 'G-Funk Cafe' offers T-shirts, posters and other products. visit Travlyrics.com to browse the The 'G-Funk Cafe' (inside Travlyrics-On-Demand).

2009:

• The Clean Collection Album is released
  

2010:

• TCC EP is released
• Several Collabs with J'LTisme classic MC of Franch G-Funk
• H1N1 (Digital Single) is released
:::: Collaboration Production by Dirty Game of Yokohama Japan.

• 5.0 Reasons 12" Vinyl Two Pack (Japan Exclusive)
:::: #1 Repress of 1998 vynil
:::: #2 Features Bonus Tracks added to 10th Anniverssary CD.
           Includes: H1N1 Produced by Dirty Game of Yokohama Japan.