Roll Out b/w Show Must Go On May 22, 2001

“Any time rhyme animal D-Stroy gets near a mic, chest-beating realness yields to pure nutcracking monkey-house lunacy. Wish the Crew’s cannons got loose like that more often.” — Boston Phoenix

D-Stroy may be the most outgoing figure in indie hip-hop, but beneath his blustery, outsized persona lies an artist whose passion for his craft is unassailable. With his gift for verbal acrobatics matched by an uncanny ability to twist rhyme and meter to his own devices, D-Stroy’s unique voice and lyrical flow set him apart.

Antonio Flagz (aka D-Stroy) was born and raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn, in 1975. The future singer showed early promise, and hip-hop captured his heart at an early age. In 7th grade, D-Stroy won a talent show by rhyming, winning a trip to the Poconos. In 9th grade, he met Tony Touch working at a record store. With D-Stroy rhyming and Tony on beats, they formed a group called Touch and D-Stroy. D-Stroy also recorded the title track for “Palante Siempre Palante,” a documentary based on the Young Lords, which Tito Puente called "very creative" in Vibe. Only 17 at the time, D-Stroy continued school while touring with the east coast and Puerto Rico, and hosting clubs where Tony was DJing. Soon he formed a group called the Arsonists, with friends Jise, Freestyle, Q-Unique and Swel.

The Arsonists landed a contract with Bobbito’s Fondle ’em Records, releasing two seminal underground classics, “The Session” in 1996, and “Blaze” in 1998. The group also became internationally renowned for their live show, with unison raps and choreography. In 1999 Matador released their debut full-length, As the World Burns, with D-Stroy turning in a genuine star turn that was not lost on the media or the public.

As D-Stroy’s reputation soared, he began contributing his vocal talents to the work of other artists - Massive Tone (East/West Records, Germany), Iam (Virgin Records, France), Curse (Jive Records, Germany) — and showed his desire to branch out musically by collaborating with Atari Teenage Riot and Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine (Elektra Records). D-Stroy soon parted ways with the Arsonists to focus even tighter on his career, including forays into hosting, performing alongside D’Angelo, Run-DMC and Beatnuts, and even modeling for G-shock, Triple 5 Soul and others, leading up to his debut solo release.

D-Stroy’s first single “Roll Out” b/w “Show Must Go On” is typical of his musical and lyrical style. The heavy bass, frantic delivery, explosive energy and humor melt through rap’s icy demeanor. Cartoon themes and sly humor are part of his arsenal, but then again, so are deeply-felt stances regarding artistry and skills. D-Stroy is hip-hop’s wild man, a class clown whose spare, fractured beats, standout vocal style, and loony, ribald wordplay is admired by rap cliques from hardcore gangsta to smooth crossover. D-Stroy proves there are still compelling hip-hop records to be made without dramatic narratives or weighty social politics. “I can’t hear about being gansta, its all hype. It’s time we all saw through it,” he says. “I don’t rap for my hood, I make songs for the universe.”

“Roll Out” drops May 22, with a second single in August. Both singles will be compiled on CD this fall, along with extra tracks and remixes.