In many ways, Marvo aka Marvelous is the ideal hardcore Chicago rapper, loved by the streets as well as by critics. This 20-year-old rap phenomenon’s undeniable style, confident swagger and realism, epitomize the streets of Chicago. It is rare for a hardcore rapper to transcend the line between rap and hip-hop, winning praise from hustlers and backpackers alike. There is substance behind his style. His music is the manifestation of an obsession with the paradox of good and evil, being righteous and the temptation of sin. He can go from one extreme to the next and yet it is all part of the same complex character. Whether proclaiming himself “Marvo,” “Marvelous,” “Vo” or “M-Eleven” (for the way he spits rapid fire flow at a crowd!), his rhymes revel in the street life, hustling for cash, peddling drugs, violent encounters, mandatory boasting, struggling daily just to maintain, but still manages to convey his beliefs and values, providing an introspective approach to the often exploitative “gangsta” theme. He overcame considerable obstacles during his extremely dramatic life, before exploding on to the scene with masterful delivery, unmatched lyricism and street savvy! Born, Ralph Metcalf, son of a drug-dealing father and raised by his young single black mother, Marvo dropped out of school in the tenth grade to sell drugs. Unable to resist the lure of fast money, he followed in his father’s footsteps, trading classrooms for the rough streets of Harvey and the Wild 100’s area of Chicago. He spent most of his days soaking up the street ideology, stories and the life lessons of drug dealers, killers and the high-ranking members of organized crime characterized in his rhymes. One hot summer night in 2000, an event occurred that would change Marvo’s life forever. After just escaping a shoot out with a rival gang, their adrenaline still pumping. Marvo was accidentally shot by a member of his own crew. Marvo was discovered by a local independent record label when he was just 15. The label quickly recognized Marvo’s star potential and began to steer him away from the hood and into the studio. Marvo began to develop artistically, working with super-producer Kanye West, Boogz (Lil Kim, Method Man, Bump J, etc.), etc. He appeared on Malik Yusef’s “Get Ready (Remix)” featuring Twista and Carl Thomas and opened up for major acts like Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Lil Flip, Trina, Triple-6 Mafia, etc. After a four-year stint on the independent label without a release, Marvo was frustrated. In, 2003 he reunited with his father to learn that he had become a successful restaurateur, wholesaler of baked goods and a minister. Feeling inspired by his father’s success and spiritual guidance, Marvo took matters into his own hands, teaming up with manager Nyatu Marvel, terminating his relationship with his former label and collaborating with some of Chicago’s elite rappers and producers including Count (National Sony Music Recording Artist), hit producer Jamahl Rashid (Jay-Z, P.Diddy, Missy Elliott, Diplomats, Monica, Beanie Sigel, etc.), Pheave (National Blackground/Univeral Recording Artist), Hearon, Indiana Jones, Emmaculate, Absolute, Harvy AllBangers and Ken Dzl to record a synthesis of well-crafted rhetoric, street-glamorous imagery and harsh reality-based rhymes over aggressive production, a hardcore masterpiece. Although he experimented with street hustling and gang life, Marvo has earned his respect and street credibility by developing the gift of storytelling, crafting his own style, delivering hard-hitting urban commentary with street savvy beyond his years. His gritty narratives and cinematic rhymes about the violent life of organized crime communicate the dark side of Chicago made famous by Al Capone, Jeff Fort and Larry Hoover.