BDS

Signing with an independent label and artist management company is keeping Rob Williams, 25, off the streets. Music has been a love of his for years. All the friends he did music with are now locked up, he said.

Williams signed with independent label and artist management company Unlimited Production Music (UPM) and has performed at dozens of venues in Lake County, Chicago and Milwaukee areas, including Six Flags Great America.

Williams of Kenosha spends at least 16 to 17 hours per week working on music and choreography with UPM, he estimated.

“It’s making me a better man,” Williams said.

He does hip hop, R and B and a little rap. Like the other six artists signed with UPM, he writes his own music. He is also pursing a business management degree from the University of Phoenix.

“(UPM) brings talent to the Lake County-Chicago and surrounding areas. We explore opportunities for everybody to see how you can turn negative into a positive experience,” said UPM President Austin Smith.

Artists signed with UPM do hip hop, R and B, pop and the label is looking to expand into gospel, he said. All the artists are receiving an education.

“There’s a lot of young youth doing negative things in the streets. We give them the chance to explore their talents and keep them in school,” Smith said.

Kiarra Hodge, 20, of Lake Forest, was recently signed. She is still exploring exactly what kind of music she wants to create.

“I’m just really excited getting started (with UPM),” Hodge said.

She is studying communications and African-American studies at Lake Forest College. She said she started song writing at age 14 and also formed her own girl group, 4Eva Young.

School commitments forced the group to peter out before she graduated high school. She later met Greg McDowell, 19, at college, who is signed with UPM. He asked her to collaborate on a project and then the manager invited her to join UPM, she said.

“I thought it was the perfect time to sing again,” Hodge said.

Denzel Montgomery, 18, of Zion, signed with UPM when he was 14. He said signing with the label helped keep him motivated to do well in school.

His mother wouldn’t allow him to travel to do a show out of state unless his grades improved.

“(Signing with UPM) is good to keep people out of trouble,” Montgomery said. “I knew this was something I wanted to do. Working with everybody at UPM is a good experience. You never really problems and everyone gets along really well.”

Montgomery just enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago to study audio production, as did fellow UPM artist Eric Williams, 18, of Beach Park.

Eric has been with UPM since it started four years ago.

“I would say it has grown a lot. We do way bigger shows (now) and there are more opportunities,” Eric said. - Lake County News-Sun

Signing with an independent label and artist management company is keeping Rob Williams, 25, off the streets. Music has been a love of his for years. All the friends he did music with are now locked up, he said.

Williams signed with independent label and artist management company Unlimited Production Music (UPM) and has performed at dozens of venues in Lake County, Chicago and Milwaukee areas, including Six Flags Great America.

Williams of Kenosha spends at least 16 to 17 hours per week working on music and choreography with UPM, he estimated.

“It’s making me a better man,” Williams said.

He does hip hop, R and B and a little rap. Like the other six artists signed with UPM, he writes his own music. He is also pursing a business management degree from the University of Phoenix.

“(UPM) brings talent to the Lake County-Chicago and surrounding areas. We explore opportunities for everybody to see how you can turn negative into a positive experience,” said UPM President Austin Smith.

Artists signed with UPM do hip hop, R and B, pop and the label is looking to expand into gospel, he said. All the artists are receiving an education.

“There’s a lot of young youth doing negative things in the streets. We give them the chance to explore their talents and keep them in school,” Smith said.

Kiarra Hodge, 20, of Lake Forest, was recently signed. She is still exploring exactly what kind of music she wants to create.

“I’m just really excited getting started (with UPM),” Hodge said.

She is studying communications and African-American studies at Lake Forest College. She said she started song writing at age 14 and also formed her own girl group, 4Eva Young.

School commitments forced the group to peter out before she graduated high school. She later met Greg McDowell, 19, at college, who is signed with UPM. He asked her to collaborate on a project and then the manager invited her to join UPM, she said.

“I thought it was the perfect time to sing again,” Hodge said.

Denzel Montgomery, 18, of Zion, signed with UPM when he was 14. He said signing with the label helped keep him motivated to do well in school.

His mother wouldn’t allow him to travel to do a show out of state unless his grades improved.

“(Signing with UPM) is good to keep people out of trouble,” Montgomery said. “I knew this was something I wanted to do. Working with everybody at UPM is a good experience. You never really problems and everyone gets along really well.”

Montgomery just enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago to study audio production, as did fellow UPM artist Eric Williams, 18, of Beach Park.

Eric has been with UPM since it started four years ago.

“I would say it has grown a lot. We do way bigger shows (now) and there are more opportunities,” Eric said. - Lake County News-Sun

Numerous acts have made their Wisconsin debut here, including Dave Matthews Band, Nirvana, Les Claypool, Third Eye Blind, Smashmouth, Blink 182, Creed, Pearl Jam, Red Is The Sea, Unlimited Production Music (featuring: Ewill, Rob, Killah and Yung Prod). - wikipedia.org

Eric Williams (stage name E-Will) is turning heads in the music industry with his music. - Industry Meltdown Midwest Music Summit

Eric Williams (stage name E-Will) is turning heads in the music industry with his music. - Industry Meltdown Midwest Music Summit