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Hip-Hop Hype: New Boyz

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at JMU chapter.

 

It’s that time of year again where finals week has crept up on JMU students, and we’re all searching for some sort of relief! With papers due every other day, both Carrier and ECL packed wall to wall, and huge exams to prepare for, it’s time for a study break. Thankfully, this week’s Campus Celebrities are headed towards our campus to help you out with that. And guess what? They’re actually famous!

Imagine being only 18 years old with a song on the Billboard Hot 100, a music video that has gone viral, and a new record deal. Well that’s how hip-hop duo known as New Boyz felt when they blasted onto the scene in 2009 with their hit single, “You’re a Jerk.” The song was the first to expose “jerkin’”, a new dance craze, to a national forefront. When Earl “Ben J” Benjamin and Dominic “Legacy” Thomas signed their first recording contract with Asylum Records, they could only dream of the success they would encounter.  From self-promoting themselves online, to a #1 hit, they were on their way to hip-hop fame.  After “You’re a Jerk” hit the radio stations, it played nonstop. The fans loved it, and for those who believed these two would be one-hit wonders, were proven so wrong.

After their first smash hit, the boys continued to release popular songs such as “Tie Me Down” featuring Ray J, “Backseat,” and “Better with the Lights Off” with Chris Brown.  The boys now have two studio albums, which both made the top 10 of US R&B and Rap Charts. Ben J and Legacy’s fan base continues to grow because of their fresh sound, energy, and ability to hype up an audience.

Thanks to UPB, you can see New Boyz perform LIVE on Thursday, December 6th! Doors open at 7PM and the show will begin at 8PM. You can still buy your tickets for $17 with your JAC at the University Business Office, located in Warren Hall. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to dance off all your stress. Plus, there’s a rap battle between students before the show, and New Boyz will be the judge.

RSVP to the Facebook event now, and invite all your friends. See you there! http://www.facebook.com/events…

Chantal Johnson is a senior at James Madison University, studying Media Arts and Design with a concentration in Digital Video and Cinema. Aside from Her Campus JMU, she is involved with University Program Board. Chantal loves hanging out with her friends, listening to her "feel good" playlist on her iPod, or just curling up with a really good book in her spare time. Chantal loves her hometown, Roanoke,Virginia, but can't wait to graduate and explore her opportunities around the world! Within the next 10 years, Chantal's dream job would be becoming "the next Shonda Rhimes"!