Rap Cannibals Hungry for Success

Three guys who began rapping together in high school hallways are set to take center stage in Dumfries.

Ken “Kenny Custom” Halsey, Cameron “Cam” Allen and Demarcus “D” Murray will play Padrinos II Bar and Grill on Friday March 25.

Those who come should expect a strong dose do rap and hip hop, infused with a live DJ and some original beats. The artists say it will be one of the few such shows of its kind in the area.

More to the Story: Cannibal Street Show 9 p.m. March 25 at Padrinos II, 18035 Dumfries Shopping Plaza in Dumfries. No cover charge.
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They met at C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge, rapping together near a soda machine.

So into making music, a school administrator would usually be forced to usher them to class.

Eight years later, they’re still at it and have traced back their musical roots.

“I remember I was nine and I was walking out of the kitchen and I started rapping out loud, and when I was done I didn’t even remember what I said but I knew that it stuck,” said Murray. “From that point on I got it in my head and said ‘I can do that.’”

Halsey began playing drums but later found himself more comfortable with a microphone in hand.

“I did a song where I had to get on and rap and I got and rapped and that was more well received than the drums, and at that point I knew this was something that I should pursue,” he said.

The first word in the title of that song by NWA began with “F” and it ended with “the police.”

After they began recording their, love of music turned into a business as last year Halsey released “Self Portrait”– twelve original songs that delve into the pain of dealing with his father’s sudden death, overcoming adversity, as well as a few jabs at America’s political elite.

Murray recently compiled “Flowers for the Dead,” a album of mainstream pop songs that he’s transformed into raps without hooks or choruses – something artists only add to fill space, he said.

Equally as gifted is Allen, who along with Murray appeared on “Self Portrait” under the name Cannibal Street – an independent record label that began when Allen’s father saw promise in him and converted a portion of their garage into a recording studio.

“Cannibal Street means we are hungry enough [for success] to eat a person, that’s how bad we want it.

It’s no longer we’re doing tracks and trying to push CDs, now we’re making albums and getting those albums copyrighted,” said Allen.

The next logical step in their careers, Allen says, is to head west to Los Angeles where they’ll be able to mingle with music producers, escaping a region not known for its rap music scene.

Halsey to says after writing, recording, designing the artwork, producing and now promoting the album, he has what it takes to make it big.

“I have more confidence in my product than most salesmen have in their product. I look at my product and can say ‘this is really, really good, I guarantee it,’ and some guy selling windshield wipers is not going to say the same thing about his product,” said Halsey.