Thug Life Army

Best known for the grunge bands that put the Pacific Northwest on MTV in the early ''90s, the Emerald City is about to be receive another jolt of electricity - this time from a rap artist.

In the midst of a hip-hop era cluttered by Southern crunk hits and surrounded by the West Coast gangster rap sound, there has arisen something new,''Something Different''.

His name is Yuns, and his smoothly rhythmic delivery and articulate lyrics represent the new cutting edge in hip-hop. Refusing to follow any trends, Yuns slices his own path, telling personal stories and social observations in an honest yet positive manner.

Featuring real instrumentation and hook-laden songs with emotional depth, Storyteller is the debut album from a young man with a passion for rap and an even stronger love for life. The gloom and doom of the past has been ripped away; the curtains are torn open, letting the sunlit rays of optimism and good vibrations beam through. It's no surprise, then, that industry professionals have dubbed him "the Dave Matthews of hip-hop."

Yuns has just been signed to 33rd Street Records, the California-based label (home to superstars such as En Vogue, Outlaws and Peter Frampton) that will release Storyteller on August 23rd. It is the next logical step for Yuns, who has been receiving massive regional acclaim for his talents. In 2001, Yuns destroyed the competition at the Northwest Hip-Hop Talent Contest, wowing the crowd with his infectious energy; a year later, he topped the awards at the Urban Music Association's Northwest Music Conference. His songs have blasted through the airwaves of major commercial radio stations such as KUBE 93.3 in Seattle and 100.3 The Beat in Los Angeles, burning request lines with the intensity of a supernova. If that wasn''t enough, Yuns also signed a digital download agreement with http://www.ingrooves.com , perhaps best known for their clients hip-hop and raps Mos Def and Nappy Roots, becoming the first Northwest indie artist to have his own ring tone. Don''t miss Yuns'' video for "Hands Up" as well as his commercials on BET and MTV.

Storyteller releases on August 23^rd.

Visit Yuns web site at http://www.yunsmuzik.com