Gipp & Ali Team Up to Release Collaboration Album 'Kinfolk'

Gipp & Ali Team Up to Release Collaboration Album 'Kinfolk'

Derrty Ent. Hits the Road for College Tour

Duo Is Set to Release Album This Year

NEW YORK, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- "Dirty South" impresario and Goodie Mob star Gipp, and Ali of the platinum selling group, St. Lunatics, are set to unleash a collaborative album titled, Kinfolk. The collaboration CD will be released later this year on Nelly's record label, Derrty Ent., a venture with Universal Records. "I have been a fan of his since he and the Goodie Mob helped put Atlanta on the map," says Nelly, CEO of Derrty Ent.

"Gipp is an artist that myself and the St. Lunatics, have respected for years and I am happy to collaborate with him," adds Ali, President of Derrty Ent. The label has had previous success with its three releases; Murphy Lee's gold-certified album, Murphy's Law (2003) and Nelly's recent platinum-certified, Sweat and 3X platinum, Suit albums. "This album is going to be a mix of the Mid-West and South," says Big Gipp.

Fans will get to hear a sneak peak from Gipp & Ali in March while they are on the DERRTY Ent. College Tour. The tour will feature DERRTY Ent. artists including Gipp & Ali, Murphy Lee, the St. Lunatics, Nelly and more.

Ali made his debut on Nelly's 9X platinum groundbreaking debut, Country Grammar (2000). The St. Lunatics member was also featured on the groups' platinum certified album, Free City (2001). In 2002, he released his own noted solo album, Heavy Starch. Ali continues to guest on various albums including the upcoming, Longest Yard soundtrack and most recently, the Coach Carter Soundtrack.

Gipp has been one of the main cogs in the "Dirty South" movement since the mid-'90's as a member of the groundbreaking, platinum-plus group Goodie Mob. The thought-provoking, Atlanta based foursome broke down the wall of East Coast/West Coast dominance in 1995 with their debut album Soul Food. The pioneering group's subsequent albums, including 1998's Still Standing, and their steadfast alliance with fellow "Dirty South" phenoms Outkast, forever cemented their reputation has one of hip hop's most innovative groups. The original members began embarking on their own journeys in 2002, with Gipp releasing his first solo album, Mutant Mindframe, in 2003.

Ali & Gipp are currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on Kinfolk and are gearing up to promote it on DERRTY Ent.'s College Tour which is scheduled to hit the following colleges:

March 7 Southern Illinois University

March 8 University of Illinois

March 9 Northern Illinois University

March 10 SW Missouri State

March 12 Arkansas State University

March 14 Ohio State University

March 15 Penn State University

March 18 Old Dominion University

Source: Universal/Motown Records

CONTACT: Sindy Gilbert, +1-323-467-7274, or Sindy.Gilbert@sbcglobal.net; or Wendy Washington, +1-212-373-0702, or Wendy.Washington@umusic.com, for Universal/Motown Records

Web site: http://www.universalrecords.com/

------- Profile: Ent