GreenHitz.com Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 “Diamonds in my ear/Prada’s on my zipper/Gucci be the slipper/Damn, I’m feeling Gipper” That is the infectious hook to the buzz-worthy single, titled “I’m Gipper,” as performed by rapper, lyrical-stylist and now viral video personality, Optimo 55 South (or Optimo for short). Gipper? It’s an adjective Optimo coined to describe a state of mind that’s happy, carefree, even chipper Ever since childhood, Optimo’s goal was to be a successful recording artist and hopefully a household name. But the path to his long-desired fame came through happenstance after escaping a near-brush with death. Born Kendrick Tyreese Green, Optimo hails from Aurora, IL, a suburb of Chicago, and currently resides in Dallas. He lived in Memphis and Mississippi for a short period of time, where he was exposed to a more southern style of rap. While in high school, he was a member of a group called 55 South and performed during various high school talent competitions. As a tribute to the group that gave him his start, Optimo decided to add the 55 South tag to complete his official moniker. It was on August 25, 2009, though, after doing some landscaping at a house in Aurora, that Optimo wanted to showcase an impromptu version of the song and dance to “I’m Gipper” for his fellow workers. All along a friend was filming while Optimo wandered into on-coming traffic, and unexpectedly hit head-on by a speeding ice cream truck. “I did it in the street because it made it funny and exciting,” says Optimo. “I never decided to get hit by an ice cream truck.” He suffered injuries to his lung and wrist to the tune of about $26,000 in hospital bills. Optimo was able to laugh about the incident enough to post the video on YouTube, where the original video and versions of it have gone viral with over 6 million views. Even national outlets provided coverage of the incident, such as ABC News, Jimmy Kimmel, and MSNBC’s “Caught On Camera,” which aired a serious segment on people who have cheated death. Comedy Central comedian Daniel Tosh got wind of the video and asked Optimo to appear on his program for an interview. The chemistry between Tosh and Optimo was so comfortable, that the pair created a hilarious video parody of the accident utilizing the single, “I’m Gipper.” Optimo’s appearance on the Tosh.0 show remains one of the series’ highest rated episodes—literally igniting a frenzy of new fans and greater exposure. The single, “I’m Gipper” hit No. 15 on the iTunes sales chart during the month of February 2011. Produced by Johnny Juliano and with an alternate version produced by P.D. Productions, to date single sales continue to grow, and with little to no radio airplay. “This has been the perfect boost getting into the music industry,” said Optimo. “I think the end result is going to be getting me a nice recording deal. I didn’t plan for any of this to happen this way; but I gotta run with it. I suffered some serious injuries from my accident, and I’m okay. Right now, it’s all about the music, though…Getting my record out to the masses and making lots more music…I cheated death, man, I’m blessed!” “Maybe the world will go Gipper!” Optimo Official Website Follow @OptimoMr55Souf on twitter! 55 Souf - I Gipper (Clean)-GreenHitz.com.mp3 - 7.8 Mb 55 Souf - I Gipper (Dirty)-GreenHitz.com.mp3 - 7.8 Mb Contact: KenGreen55@Gmail.com / ReeceGemini@Gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Turntable Genius Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 Club Banga On Da Rise Fa-sho! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
662Chillin Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 (edited) He can thank Tosh.0 for breathing life into this song... EDIT: The links dont work Edited April 9, 2011 by 662Chillin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpartytyme Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 banga fa sho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj12play2004 Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 Banger!!! Need new link!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeceJones Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 ANYONE who wants these tracks can e-mail me => ReeceGemini@Gmail.com and I'll forward them to you personally. Appreciate the support, Reece Jones (Foreign Affairs Promotional Group) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smash One Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Hit me up with this. mydjsmash@gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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