iSquare

The Pentagon / Bad Boy / Interscope About i SQUARE i SQUARE is a new dimension for music. Hip hop, pop, R&B and electronica converge within the Los Angeles quartet’s sonic framework. i SQUARE -Mike J, Destiny, Briddy and 10Beats-strike a delicate balance between the otherworldly and the infectious. Their debut single, “Hey Sexy Lady,” shows the shape of pop to come. Available now on iTunes and all online retailers via Pentagon/Bad Boy/Interscope, “Hey Sexy Lady” sleekly shimmies with style and substance. Mike J croons out an undeniable melody as Briddy and 10Beats volley rapid rhymes back and forth. Destiny hypnotizes like a techno temptress, beckoning everyone to the dance floor. With production from Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk and Steve Angello, “Hey Sexy Lady” announces the arrival of i SQUARE. Executive produced by hip hop icon Sean “Diddy” Combs and music production collective The Pentagon, i SQUARE ’s forthcoming full-length will prove it’s hip to be square. About the group’s musical mission, Mike J puts it best. “This is a whole new genre. There’s rap, there’s R&B and then there’s iSquare.” i SQUARE officially formed in 2009 under one roof. That roof happened to be Babyface’s Brandon Way studios in Los Angeles. Mike J was working as a writer and producer at the studio, while Briddy was interning. The two decided to collaborate one day at the suggestion of The Pentagon’s Damon Thomas. It was instantly magic. Deciding to expand their creative palette, Briddy brought in 10Beats, and the trio began writing fervently. They wanted a female voice to add another layer to the experience. Destiny happened to take a meeting at Brandon Way one afternoon, and she caught their collective eye. With her inimitable style and rock star swagger, she was the perfect fit. Conjuring explosive sonic chemistry, the group cut “Party Life.” Thomas heard it, and he called Interscope. The label became I SQUARE ’s home almost immediately after their first performance. The i SQUARE philosophy starts with a distinct sound, and that sound can incorporate anything. Destiny explains, “I call our music ‘Gumbo’ because the songs have a little bit of everything. It’s ear candy.” “Hey Sexy Lady” is especially tasty. Bouncing with an eclectic electro beat and hip hop flare, the single is the perfect party track. “This is our pyro record,” declares Briddy. “We always wanted to explode into the game. We didn’t want to come in gradually because our personalities aren’t very gradual. We’re in your face. We can take over any party with that song. ‘Hey Sexy Lady’ lets everybody know we’re here to have fun.” The good times begin with “Hey Sexy Lady,” and listeners get to meet the four distinct personalities building i SQUARE. Destiny goes on, “‘Hey Sexy Lady’ introduces the world to each of us. Mike J’s a balladeer. 10Beats gets people hyped with super sexy rhymes. Briddy’s amped all the time, and his energy is contagious. I do the ethereal singing. It’s our duty not to half-step. We’re about to smash the stage.” iSquare has found quite the combination of mentors in executive producers Diddy and Pentagon. The group charmed Diddy from their first performance, and he’s been on board with iSquare ever since. About working with the legend, Mike J says, “Diddy is seriously like our big brother. We can call on him for anything, and we always go to him for advice. He gives us a perspective that’s invaluable.” With tightly choreographed dance moves, vibrant visuals and uncontainable energy, the iSquare live show is an experience. Destiny is a space-age femme fatale with a larger-than-life style. Mike J has got an R&B soul that injects heart into the music. 10Beats turns everything upside down, rapping while playing piano, while Briddy is a triple threat as an MC, producer and dancer. 10Beats explains, “Our presentation is always pretty big. We’ve even got our own dance, ‘The Square Dance.’” For i SQUARE, boundaries don’t exist. On “Show Must Go On,” the group creates an uplifting and anthemic pop tune that’s danceable and thought-provoking. There’s a spacey theatricality to the song that elevates i SQUARE. “When it comes to music, you have to dare to be different,” says Mike J, “you can’t be scared to try new things. We’re trying to make our own path. Briddy would throw a giraffe sound in there and chop and screw it if he could. Anything goes for us.” That “anything goes” mentality permeates everything that i SQUARE does. Beyond the music, i SQUARE is a lifestyle. It’s about being yourself-whether you’re at school, at work or at the club. It’s about recognizing your own potential. It’s about having a good time. It’s about loving every minute of your life. It’s about letting the world see who you are. 10Beats elaborates, “We want to promote that it’s cool to be yourself. It’s cool to be that kid in school who everybody doesn’t love. When you get older, everybody’s going to look up to you.” In a day and age where artists don’t take risks, i SQUARE thrive on bending boundaries and busting open pre-conceived notions. They have no fear of letting their individuality shine through. Briddy concludes, “When I was growing up, I liked to play with action figures and draw anime characters. People just thought I was weird because I was a goofy kid. As I grew up, I became more comfortable with being myself and I began to believe in myself. If you believe in yourself, people are going to believe in you. That’s the i SQUARE philosophy. We give people something to believe in. You can’t box us in. We are the box. We’re going to bring people together again and make the world have a party.” Get ready because i SQUARE are about to spark a party for the ages.