NOE (rapper)
Encyclopedia
Duane Bridgeford better known by his stage name
NOE is an American
hip hop
recording artist. He is best known for his affiliation with Jim Jones
and his involvement in the group ByrdGang. He was featured on most of the songs for M.O.B.: The Album
(2008) and was a prominent writer and featured artist
on Jim Jones' Pray IV Reign
(2009).
, Maryland
. NOE's early adult years were engulfed in the violence and dilapidated neighborhoods that continue to blanket Baltimore City. During a phone interview while at a New York recording studio, Bridgeford wasn't very candid about growing up in East Baltimore. He opts not to mention the name of his high school, and sums up his criminal history as "two arrests, one was for drugs, one was for a gun violation, all in all I did about three years." He does mention that he regrets not being closer to his family, and looks at that rift as the reason he decided to express himself through poetry. In 2002 Bridgeford relocated from Baltimore to New York
in search of a record deal
.
After being rejected by A&R
men throughout the business for sounding like Jay-Z
, Bridgeford's business partner Nicole "Nicety" Chaplin, who worked with Dipset President Jim Jones
while he was still signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella label, introduced the two. Chaplin also introduced Bridgeford to Conrad Dimanche, senior vice president at Bad Boy Records
, who was impressed with his work but not interested in signing a new act: "[Dimanche] just told me to start writing, and it just so happened that Diddy
was working on the Danity Kane project," Bridgeford says. "Writing is where the money is at. There's less scrutiny. I don't have to worry about sounding like anybody or whatever." He went on to write
Diddy's lyrics for Danity Kane
's debut single "Show Stopper
". Working with Diddy has also given him a chance to work side by side with Jay-Z. "It was a real professional situation," Bridgeford says. "He was doing the hook on a song that ended up not being on the Danity Kane album, and I had to come through to write the lyrics."
launched ByrdGang Records
and formed hip hop collective ByrdGang along with Mel Matrix, NOE, Freekey Zeekey and Chink Santana
. Jones' first featured Bridgeford on his 2008 mixtape
Harlem's American Gangster
. Asylum Records
began distributing ByrdGang Records in 2008 where the label released their first album under Asylum & ByrdGang titled M.O.B.: The Album
. NOE is featured on 13 tracks of the 18 tracks.
NOE's lyrics and song writing abilities are also displayed on over 90 percent of the Byrdgang Album. The album debuts at # 5 on the Billboard Rap Charts. M.O.B.: The Album
earns a rating of XL (equivalent to 4 out of 5 stars) based on the XXL Magazine rating system.
Pray_IV_Reign by Jim Jones', also features NOE. It was released March 24, 2009. The album peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200
chart. On July 8, Jones released a promotional single entitled "The Good Stuff
" featuring NOE.
2008 featured Bridgeford perform a freestyle on BET's Rap City "Da Basement". VIBE Magazine highlights the song by NOE called "Headlights". NOE is featured in the 11th Anniversary XXL Magazine Issue representing Baltimore, MD in the Show & Prove section. The FADER Magazine
music review featured the single "Headlights". NOE is featured in the 11th Anniversary XXL Magazine Issue representing Baltimore, MD in the Show & Prove section.
2008 The Byrdgang/ShadyVille DJ's "NOE MORE ?'S" Mixtape, a full length mixtape featuring NOE, is released. It reportedly rakes in a whopping 40,000 listens in one day according to DatPiff.com within hours of its release. "NOE MORE ?'s" features songs such as "Every Night" produced by Afro Keys, "Lime Light" produced by Uncle Ruck and "Headlights" produced by Jay Funk.
In 2009 Bridgeford was ultimately a writer and featured guest on Jim Jones
' Pray IV Reign
. He was also featured on the critically acclaimed Dame Dash and the Black Keys
compilation album Blakroc. His composition "Done Did It" featuring Nicole Wray
is licensed to number one TV shows such as CSI
, and Ellen
.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
NOE is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
recording artist. He is best known for his affiliation with Jim Jones
Jim Jones (rapper)
Joseph Guillermo Jones II , better known by his stage name Jim Jones, is an American rapper and original member of The Diplomats, also known as Dipset. He is Co-CEO of Diplomat Records...
and his involvement in the group ByrdGang. He was featured on most of the songs for M.O.B.: The Album
M.O.B.: The Album
M.O.B.: The Album is the debut album by hip hop group ByrdGang. The album was released digitally on June 17, 2008, and the physical copy was in stores July 1, 2008....
(2008) and was a prominent writer and featured artist
Guest appearance
In show business , a guest appearance is a participation of an outsider performer , usually called guest artist , in an event , i.e., the participation of a performer which does not belong to the regular crew In performance...
on Jim Jones' Pray IV Reign
Pray IV Reign
Pray IV Reign is the fourth studio album by rapper Jim Jones released on March 24th, 2009, under Columbia Records. It's his first album on a major record label.-Background:...
(2009).
Early life and career beginnings
Bridgeford was born and raised in the inner city of BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. NOE's early adult years were engulfed in the violence and dilapidated neighborhoods that continue to blanket Baltimore City. During a phone interview while at a New York recording studio, Bridgeford wasn't very candid about growing up in East Baltimore. He opts not to mention the name of his high school, and sums up his criminal history as "two arrests, one was for drugs, one was for a gun violation, all in all I did about three years." He does mention that he regrets not being closer to his family, and looks at that rift as the reason he decided to express himself through poetry. In 2002 Bridgeford relocated from Baltimore to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in search of a record deal
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
.
After being rejected by A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
men throughout the business for sounding like Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, Bridgeford's business partner Nicole "Nicety" Chaplin, who worked with Dipset President Jim Jones
Jim Jones (rapper)
Joseph Guillermo Jones II , better known by his stage name Jim Jones, is an American rapper and original member of The Diplomats, also known as Dipset. He is Co-CEO of Diplomat Records...
while he was still signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella label, introduced the two. Chaplin also introduced Bridgeford to Conrad Dimanche, senior vice president at Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records is a record label founded in 1993 by producer/rapper/entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records.-Beginnings:...
, who was impressed with his work but not interested in signing a new act: "[Dimanche] just told me to start writing, and it just so happened that Diddy
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
was working on the Danity Kane project," Bridgeford says. "Writing is where the money is at. There's less scrutiny. I don't have to worry about sounding like anybody or whatever." He went on to write
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
Diddy's lyrics for Danity Kane
Danity Kane
Danity Kane was an American female music group signed to Bad Boy Records, first established in 2005. Formed on the third installment of MTV's Making the Band reality television series, the quintet comprised members Aubrey O'Day, Wanita "D. Woods" Woodgett, Shannon Bex, Dawn Richard, and Aundrea...
's debut single "Show Stopper
Show Stopper
"Show Stopper" is a R&B-dance-pop-snap song written by Angela Hunte, Krystal Oliver, Calvin Puckett, Frank Romano, and James Scheffer for Danity Kane's debut album Danity Kane . It features guest vocals by rapper Yung Joc and was produced by Jim Jonsin...
". Working with Diddy has also given him a chance to work side by side with Jay-Z. "It was a real professional situation," Bridgeford says. "He was doing the hook on a song that ended up not being on the Danity Kane album, and I had to come through to write the lyrics."
2006-2009: ByrdGang
In 2006 JonesJim Jones (rapper)
Joseph Guillermo Jones II , better known by his stage name Jim Jones, is an American rapper and original member of The Diplomats, also known as Dipset. He is Co-CEO of Diplomat Records...
launched ByrdGang Records
ByrdGang Records
ByrdGang Records is an American record label founded by Harlem rapper Jim Jones.-Beginnings:ByrdGang Records was created in 2006 after the release of Jim Jones's Hustler's P.O.M.E...
and formed hip hop collective ByrdGang along with Mel Matrix, NOE, Freekey Zeekey and Chink Santana
Chink Santana
Chink Santana is an American R&B musician and producer. His achievements include co-producing Ashanti, the award-winning debut album from the singer of the same name. He also worked on her follow-up, Chapter II, and has recently co-written and produced tracks on Judgement Days, the second album...
. Jones' first featured Bridgeford on his 2008 mixtape
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
Harlem's American Gangster
Harlem's American Gangster
"Love Me No More" is the lead single from Jim Jones' mixtape/album, Harlem's American Gangster. It features R&B singer Kobe on the hook and was produced by DJ Khalil. There is a remix which features rapper The Game....
. Asylum Records
Asylum Records
Asylum Records is an American record label founded in 1971 by David Geffen, and partner Elliot Roberts, who had previously worked as agents at the William Morris Agency. Founded specifically to provide a record contract for Jackson Browne, the label signed Tom Waits, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell...
began distributing ByrdGang Records in 2008 where the label released their first album under Asylum & ByrdGang titled M.O.B.: The Album
M.O.B.: The Album
M.O.B.: The Album is the debut album by hip hop group ByrdGang. The album was released digitally on June 17, 2008, and the physical copy was in stores July 1, 2008....
. NOE is featured on 13 tracks of the 18 tracks.
NOE's lyrics and song writing abilities are also displayed on over 90 percent of the Byrdgang Album. The album debuts at # 5 on the Billboard Rap Charts. M.O.B.: The Album
M.O.B.: The Album
M.O.B.: The Album is the debut album by hip hop group ByrdGang. The album was released digitally on June 17, 2008, and the physical copy was in stores July 1, 2008....
earns a rating of XL (equivalent to 4 out of 5 stars) based on the XXL Magazine rating system.
Pray_IV_Reign by Jim Jones', also features NOE. It was released March 24, 2009. The album peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart. On July 8, Jones released a promotional single entitled "The Good Stuff
The Good Stuff
"The Good Stuff" is a single, released in May 2002, by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was the second single from his 2002 album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems....
" featuring NOE.
2008 featured Bridgeford perform a freestyle on BET's Rap City "Da Basement". VIBE Magazine highlights the song by NOE called "Headlights". NOE is featured in the 11th Anniversary XXL Magazine Issue representing Baltimore, MD in the Show & Prove section. The FADER Magazine
The Fader
The FADER, or FADER, is an United States-based music/culture/fashion magazine that covers hip-hop, reggae, independent rock, pop and dance music from around the world.-Overview:...
music review featured the single "Headlights". NOE is featured in the 11th Anniversary XXL Magazine Issue representing Baltimore, MD in the Show & Prove section.
2008 The Byrdgang/ShadyVille DJ's "NOE MORE ?'S" Mixtape, a full length mixtape featuring NOE, is released. It reportedly rakes in a whopping 40,000 listens in one day according to DatPiff.com within hours of its release. "NOE MORE ?'s" features songs such as "Every Night" produced by Afro Keys, "Lime Light" produced by Uncle Ruck and "Headlights" produced by Jay Funk.
In 2009 Bridgeford was ultimately a writer and featured guest on Jim Jones
Jim Jones (rapper)
Joseph Guillermo Jones II , better known by his stage name Jim Jones, is an American rapper and original member of The Diplomats, also known as Dipset. He is Co-CEO of Diplomat Records...
' Pray IV Reign
Pray IV Reign
Pray IV Reign is the fourth studio album by rapper Jim Jones released on March 24th, 2009, under Columbia Records. It's his first album on a major record label.-Background:...
. He was also featured on the critically acclaimed Dame Dash and the Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
compilation album Blakroc. His composition "Done Did It" featuring Nicole Wray
Nicole Wray
Nicole Monique Wray, also known as simply Nicole, is an American R&B and hip hop singer. Her 1998 debut single, "Make It Hot"—written and produced by Timbaland and co-written by and featuring Missy Elliott—was certified gold.-Musical career:...
is licensed to number one TV shows such as CSI
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, and Ellen
Ellen
Ellen may refer to:* Ellen , a female given name* Television programs with Ellen DeGeneres:** Ellen , a sitcom about a bookstore owner...
.
2010-present: NOE Remorse
"Done Did It" is licensed to ABC's number one crime drama "Detroit 187" for the first episode. The first episode was seen in over 13 million homes.Switzerland recording artist Sempe, featured NOE in the song and video for his track entitled, “Angels” with Paula Bright on the chorus. NOE releases his first single called "We City Boyz" from the upcoming summer album release entitled NOE Remorse with his marketing campaign called NOE the Brand via digital release.Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Red Apples Falling | himself | Feature Film Feature film In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie... |