Media Kit Index

Press Release 3

About Billy 4—5

One Sheet 6

Interview Questions 7

Promotional Pictures, Snippit Links, and Contact Information 8

Billy Dorsey Media Kit page 2 Press Release

Houston’s Own Billy Dorsey Receives Dove Award Nomination

Local songwriter/producer Billy Dorsey was nominated for a GMA Dove Award for his work on Lecrae’s Rehab: The Overdose

HOUSTON, Texas, April 17, 2012—On February 22, The Gospel Music Association announced the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Award nominees. Billy Dorsey has credit a songwriter/vocal arranger/engineer on Lecrae’s best-selling album Rehab: The Overdose, which was nominated for Best Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year. Dorsey worked on the album with JayTel (additional vocals), John "CheeseBeats" Williams (writer/producer), and Lecrae (writer).

“I immediately began praising God and shedding tears...look, I know that it's not a WIN (yet, prayerfully), but to be nominated for the biggest Christian award IS a win in my book,” Dorsey wrote about receiving the nomination on his personal blog, Impeccable Grind, Unstoppable Dreams. “And after all the events of the past few years, and the decade of grinding that JayTel and I went thru to get to the success...I guess it was all just bottled up waiting to come out. The Stellar Award win last month brought elation; this nomination brought true joy to my heart. I have devoted much of my childhood and pretty much all of my adult life to music, because music was my first love, and my gift. For God to bless JayTel and I to have achieved what we've achieved is the icing on the cake.”

Atlanta will host the Dove Awards for a second time at the Fox Theatre on April 19, 2012, following a sold-out show in 2011 hosted by Sherri Shepherd which aired on the Gospel Music Channel and garnered 1.5 million viewers.

About Billy Dorsey Stellar Award winning, Dove Award nominated songwriter and producer Billy Dorsey has already achieved more in his young life than most musicians dream possible. He has worked with notable recording artists such as Lecrae, Maino, Pretty Ricky, 2 Chainz, and Day 26. With a production focus on hard, edgy drums and rhythms and a lyrical focus on creative, witty, and introspective hooks and concepts, Billy will continue to break new ground as he continues to write and produce new music; Music that is timely, unique, and impeccable.

For more information, contact Makasha Dorsey at (334) 220.1170 or email [email protected].

Billy Dorsey Media Kit page 3 About Billy

Stellar Award winning, Dove Award nominated songwriter and producer Billy Dorsey has already achieved more in his young life than most musicians dream possible. As a songwriter/vocal arranger/engineer for the Christian Hip Hop artist Lecrae (2012 Dove Award Nominee for Artist of the Year), Billy began his chart run of major success with his work on the international (#1 UK, #1 AUS, #1 JAP iTunes, #1 US overall and #1 HipHop iTunes Album Chart, US, #1 Billboard Gospel Chart, #1 Billboard Christian Chart, #5 Billboard Hip Hop Chart, #15 Billboard 200 Albums Chart) best-selling album Rehab: The Overdose, which went on to win the 2012 Stellar Award for Best Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year, and has now garnered the Dove Award nomination for the same category. With his work on albums dropping in 2012 by Maino (Atlantic Records, wrote the song “Unstoppable” from Maino’s sophomore album The Day After Tomorrow dropping Feb 28, 2012), Day26 (Atlantic Records, wrote “Window Shopper”, “Killin’ Me”, and “Need To Know” from the group’s third album A New Day”), 2 Chainz (Def Jam) and others, his chart success doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon.

Born Billy Lee Dorsey, Jr, in Blythesville, Arkansa on February 28, 1978, Billy D began his musical journey using the world’s oldest instrument, his voice. He grew up in a variety of churches singing for the Lord, from Maranatha Faith Center in Columbus, MS to his father’s church, Bridge of Hope Ministries in Bossier City, LA, always striving to be the best singer he could be, in the vein of his musical heroes Fred Hammond & Marvin Sapp (formerly of Commissioned), K-Ci Hailey (from Jodeci), and John P. Kee. Before long, Billy earned a full musical scholarship to Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA to pursue his dream of becoming a professional vocalist. But God had other plans…

During Billy’s third year in college, the Mississippi Mass Choir came to perform at LA Tech, and Billy’s gospel group, Serenity, was called upon to be the opening act for the concert. By the end of the performance, the group was approached with the opportunity to sign a professional recording contract and move to Houston to begin work in earnest on their debut album. But, as often happens in the music industry, the deal took a turn, which led to the contract being locked out and Billy being unable to sing on recordings for 7 years. During this time, he began using songwriting and music production as a creative outlet. “Switching my focus from singing to writing and producing was the best decision I ever made,” said Billy.

Billy Dorsey Media Kit page 4 About Billy, continued

After years of producing local talent in Houston such as Killa Kyleon (from Slim Thug’s Boss Hogg Outlaws), Lil KeKe, Hawk, and a host of other prominent Houston artists, Billy and his production team LifeLine were discovered by Nick Velo, an A&R for Jonathan “J.R.” Rotem’s boutique label Beluga Heights, home to multi-platinum artists such as Sean Kingston (“Fire On The Dancefloor”), Iyaz (“Replay”), and Jason DeRulo (“Whatcha Say”, “Riding Solo”). Within the first month of their first visit to Beverly Hills to work with J.R., Billy was doing songs for major artists such as T.I. and B.o.B. (“Not Lost”) and Plies (“Runway”), and began networking with many other top tier producers and writers around the globe. “Working with J.R. gave me the resume I needed to be able to work with anyone else in the industry. It was the “keys to the kingdom”, so to speak,” he said.

One such producer, John “CheeseBeats” Williams, was already a multiplatinum producer who’d done work with artists such as Cherish (“Do It To It”), Yung Joc (“Coffee Shop”), and Jagged Edge (“Good Luck Charm”), but who was then working with a burgeoning label, Reach Records, and an artist who was then on the verge or breakout success, Lecrae, who had seen his previous album, Rehab, hit #1 on the Billboard Gospel and Christian charts and been nominated for a Dove Award. “Cheese” reached out to Billy to invite him to contribute to a song called “Strung Out” on Lecrae’s follow up album, Rehab: The Overdose. That contribution and the album from which it spawned went on to make Billboard history, as Lecrae became the first Christian Hip Hop artist in history to simultaneously hold the #1 and #2 spots on any Billboard chart when Overdose hit #1 and the original Rehab album re-ascended to #2 on the Billboard Gospel Chart the week of Jan 28, 2011. The Rehab: The Overdose album then went on to win the 2012 Stellar Award for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year, and to be nominated for the 2012 Dove Award for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year as well.

With this success, Billy has been on the move constantly, working now on records with Cheese for the follow up to Rehab: The Overdose, and other artists under the Reach Records banner, as well as writing and producing pop records for multi-platinum Russian pop star Sasha Gradiva, Ken Christopher, and working on Pretty Ricky, 2 Chainz, and Roscoe Dash’s new albums as well. With a production focus on hard, edgy drums and rhythms and a lyrical focus on creative, witty, and introspective hooks and concepts, Billy will continue to break new ground as he continues to write and produce new music; music that is timely, unique, and impeccable.

Billy Dorsey Media Kit page 5 One Sheet

"Strung Out" on "Rehab: The Overdose" album for LeCrae, #1 on iTunes HipHop Album Chart, #1 on the Billboard Gospel Chart, #1 on Billboard Christian Chart, #15 Billboard 200 Chart (The “Rehab” album was Grammy Nominated in 2011)

"Pandemonium" first single for Russian pop star Sasha, debuted live on MTV New Year's Bash, along with 5 additional records on her upcoming US debut album.

Secured digital distribution deal for imprint Impeccable Music Group to provide digital music releases thru iTunes, Amazon, and all major wireless phone carriers.

"Unstoppable" single for Atlantic artist Maino's upcoming album, "Unstoppable".

Co-wrote “Girl Girl” for latin rapper Royalty, in rotation cross country and (video) played in Macy’s retail stores across the country

"Window Shopper" for the "A New Day" album by Day26 on Atlantic

"Killin' Me" single for Brian Angel of Day26 upcoming solo album on Atlantic

Second single "Take It Out On Me" for London, new artist on Universal/Motown

Produced records for Lil KeKe, H.A.W.K., The Commission, Killa Kyleon (Slim Thug’s Boss Hogg Outlaws), Kiotti (now an on-air personality at 97.9 The Box), South Park Mexican, Lil’ Nox, Bumbino (all Houston artists)

Working with multiplatinum producer Happy Perez (Kanye West, Miguel, Baby Bash, Frankie J) on records for Jessie J, OneRepublic, Baby Bash, Frankie J

Working with multiplatinum producer Dave Siegel (co-produced "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" for Soulja Boy and "Whatever U Like" for TI) on records for Justin Bieber and Estelle

Working with CP Hollywood (Trina f/Diddy and Keri Hilson “Million Dollar Girl”) on records for Trina, G-Unit, Trey Songz, Mario, Flo Rida, B.o.B., Get Fresh, and Young Money

Working with multiplatinum producer T-Minus (Ludacris “How Low”) on records for Bobby Valentino, Young Jeezy, Fantasia, Britney Spears, and Trey Songz

Working with platinum producers Oren Yoel (Asher Roth), Greg Ogan from The Writing Camp (Beyonce, Rihanna, etc), Mack McKinney (Danity Kane’s “Damaged”), Klaus D (Josh Groban, Carlos Santana) on records for Asher Roth, Kelly Clarkson,

Written with with Big Fruit (producer of Bobby Valentino’s “Beep”) on Young Jeezy’s “Thug Motivation 103”, T.I.’s “King Uncaged”

Working with YoungStar (Konvict/BuVision/DefJam A&R) on records for Plies, Jeezy, Lil' Niqo, and Def Jam new R&B artist Miranda.

Billy Dorsey Media Kit page 6 Interview Questions

Why did you pursue a career in the music industry?

Music was always my everything; it was my diary, my therapy, my way to express all the things I couldn't say. I could not have imagined my life doing anything other than exactly what I'm doing.

Who is your greatest influence?

As a songwriter and producer, Prince is my greatest influence because he was unafraid to say whatever he wanted in his songs and his musicianship was on a whole other level.

Where do you get your creative inspiration?

My creative inspiration comes from everyday life, the drama we all go through. I listen to what people say and what they don't say. The space between the two is often where the best songs lie.

What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?

The biggest obstacle for me was location, as the Houston music scene does not offer the same opportunities as some of the more established music cities. I overcame this by sacrificing to go spend time in all the other cities networking and working with the best in the game until the right opportunities presented themselves.

What advice do you have for up and coming songwriters and producers?

I would admonish any up and coming producers to put the time in to develop their craft, invest in themselves, travel and network as well as to take advantage of social media to heighten their profiles. Never let up. Do all they can and then trust God to do what they can't.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

There is no such thing as an overnight success. Many of those who seemed to pop up on the scene labored for years in obscurity prior to achieving major success. Be humble, learn as much as you can, and when opportunity knocks, grab it and never, ever let it go.

Billy Dorsey Media Kit page 7 Promotional Pictures

Links to Samples/Online Music

Track: Strung Out Artist: Lecrae Album: Rehab: The Overdose Track: Unstoppable Artist: Maino Album: Day After Tomorrow Track: Pandemonium Artist: Sasha Gradiva Album: Most Wanted Track: Not Lost Artist: B.o.B. featuring T.I. Album: We Run This, Volume 5 Contact Billy

Contact Billy’s Media Relations Team Makasha Dorsey e-mail: [email protected] phone: 334.220.1170

Billy Dorsey Media Kit page 8