Bio
On August 19, 1995, Amaar caught a bullet to his head in an effort to protect his brother, Siege. Hours later, doctors successfully removed the bullet lodged above his temple. What followed was a long road to recovery that required relearning how to walk and talk, and regaining his physique. “He looked like Frankenstein,” Siege remembers, “But he came back stronger than before.”
That’s a serious understatement. Amaar and Siege – the Hip-Hop duo known as AMAN – are putting the final touches on their second release due out 2009 - a double-album entitled 8.19 (named for that fateful night). They’ve already reached heights they never envisioned, and they continue building on their success.
Born in Pullman, Washington and raised in California, Amaar and his brother Siege grew up in a turbulent environment. Both parents were working-class folks who put in extensive hours in order to provide the best for their boys, but the long hours meant that they were seldom home. Their absence left their sons’ minds open to influence from the streets, and the constant moving between Oakland, San Jose, Richmond, Modesto, and Los Angeles led Amaar and Siege to succumb to the pressures of street life in order to survive.
Hip Hop brought a welcome change to their chaotic lives, as both Amaar and Siege began to discover their individual gifts for creating music. Amaar was drawn to the mic, Siege jumped on the keys, and AMAN was born. The music of 2pac, Scarface, and Nas became the soundtrack of their lives. “I felt like Hip-Hop was in your face.” recalls Siege. “The fights, dope dealers, everything was happening around us,” adds Amaar. “Hip-Hop was the only music that reflected our life”
Siege gets his inspiration for beats from all genres of music. “We don’t try to fit in,” he says. “We’re always trying to do something different. A lot of beats are loop-based. Our stuff, you’ll hear the music build, you’ll hear the melody. Some people who love us don’t even listen to Hip-Hop. That’s ’cause of the way we structure our joints.”
The brothers are not just artists, they’re fans of Hip-Hop dedicated to perfecting their craft. “Music runs in our family, it’s in our blood. If we’re not in the studio making real life stuff, I don’t feel right,” says Siege, “If there was no industry, we’d still do this.”
The duo performed shows wherever they could find them - from recreation centers and clubs to high schools and colleges. The buzz of their talents soon had them on the road, across the country, and performing in most major cities. Eventually AMAN’s high demand resulted in sold-out performances across venues in Europe. As the momentum grew, many within the industry began to take note. AMAN was soon getting picked up for placement in many of America’s top television shows including The Shield, Scrubs, Third Watch, ER, Bernie Mac, CSI Miami and the feature film Scary Movie 3.
AMAN has sold more than 40,000 units underground, while maintaining a massive following online – in the US and around the world. In 2001, AMAN held the #1 spot for their single “All Around The World” on BBC Radio in the UK.
By 2002, they caught the ear of Napoleon Outlaw from 2Pac’s Outlaws. They joined forces to drop the “United Slaves Mixtape” produced by Siege. They also recorded a United Slaves double album and were featured on Napoleon’s Have Mercy, both projects produced in entirety by deceased multi-platinum producer Johnny J.
The West Coast’s best kept secret has spent recent months recording with Freeway and collaborating with DJ Nu Jerzey Devil on their mixtape series This Is Aman. They’ve also been featured on mixtape compilations alongside established rappers like 50 Cent, Lil’ Wayne and Busta Rhymes.
“Everything’s lined up,” says Amaar, “The music is there, the movement is strong, and we’re ready to take what’s ours”.
