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Founder
Posted in: Meet Hypeman Rick Productions / Not Just Country Staff

Ricky Toran is a Nashville native. Graduate of East Nashville High, where there he marched in the band and sang in the Madrigals and ITT Technical Institute graduate with an Associates Degree in Electronic Engineering. Hypeman Rick Productions is a Minority-owned business that formed on April 22, 2005 in Nashville, TN by Ricky Toran a Minority Business Enterprise and Nashville Chamber of Commerce member. Ricky began playing percussions in 1998 and put his skills to work at Galilee Missionary Baptists Church. Not too long after that he was asked to perform with the VC Strut Band. As time went by his motivation was to get to higher heights with the band. He began as the band manager, doing this he began opening doors and getting the band gigs out of town and opening for KC & The Sunshine Band, and performing at the Nashville Predators home games. It wasn't enough exposure for VCSB, so he decided to start a television show called "Not Just Country" to help the indie artists in Nashville.

Hypeman Rick Productions/Not Just Country continues to help artists be seen and heard. December 2005 sitting in on an interview with Kyhil at NashvilleRadio.biz they befriended a couple programmers Daniel & Daina that night. The interview went well after which Daina asked them both to come back every week to her show. Daina asked if they would like one of her 4 shows and on Thursday night from 8-10pm on May 18, 2006 the “Not Just Country Show on NashvilleRadio.biz” began. Reaching an average audience of 85,000 listeners worldwide from Africa, Canada, Europe and the US just to name a few, the NJC Show continues to have the HIGHEST rated show with NashvilleRadio.biz. Ricky led the charge for the station being nominated one of the top 5 internet radio stations by the Southern Entertainment Awards 2007. Now the NJC Radio Show will be re-launching soon under a new internet radio station.

Always helping building platforms for artists to voice their opinions Rick joined forces with CC of Entropy64 for yet another platform to be seen or heard called “FirePit Friday the Podcast”. Ricky was ask by CC to help host with her and he stated “Let’s not just talk about it, let’s just do it” and on June 23, 2006 FirePit Friday began. It has been on the raise every since interviewing local artists like Spout, fOMER, Tim Dillinger, Darnell Levine, Descendant of Reality, Tory Sparks, to Grammy Award winners The Clark Sisters, Michael W. Smith, Hawk Nelson, Rich Adler, Wayne Jackson, to visual artists Peter Max. Rick has been on the Red Carpet at the 2007 CMT Awards and has attended great charitable events hosted by Kevin Carter (Former Tennessee Titan) and Shellie Warren (All The Rage) on behalf of FirePit Friday.

 

Since the start of Hypeman Rick Productions, Ricky has been asks to judge music events such as:

  • Belmont University's - Best Of The Best Competition (Urban) 2006 & 2007
  • 102.9 The Local Buzz - The Next Great Nashville Band
  • Want 2 B Discovered - Want2BDiscovered.com, LLC

An industry voter & presenter for:

  • 102.9 The Local Buzz Awards

Music reviews music for:

  • NashvilleRadio.biz
  • BReleased Radio.com
 

Ricky continues to move forward with his dreams by acting, film writing, and directing indie film.

Host/Co-Host (Radio Show)
Posted in: Meet Hypeman Rick Productions / Not Just Country Staff

Kyhil was born Thomas Smith, on May 24, 1974 and was raised in Nashville TN and four years in St. Louis MO. After returning to Nashville during his high school days, he re-established his friendship with James Springer, who helped promote Kyhil in talent shows around Nashville. Once out of high school, Kyhil along with his cousin and friend began a rap group called Modern Day Playas in 1992 and recorded a five song EP in which included the song “Yall Boys Think Ya Ballin” which got local radio play from 92Q and also landed (MDP) a writing job with Bushwick Bill of the Ghetto Boys. In 1994, Kyhil did ghostwriting on Bushwick’s “No Retreat No Surrender” album and along with Bushwick was the opening act for the Smoking Grooves Tour in which included a then very young Mya, Wyclef Jean, Public Enemy, and the Black Eye Peas. When the deal fell through he returned to Nashville not discouraged but determined!!!

Like Jay –Z playing the sample track in the studio in a trance, he can invent an entire rhyme in his head and commit it to memory without ever writing it down. After scoring some underground success from winning freestyle battles and performing with his 8piece funk band (VCSB) in and around town, Kyhil learned from other rappers who got raw deals from the music business and started his own label named after his first daughter Klassik, (Klassik Cinema Entertainment) with friends Cory and Kyria Duncan. Once his first album “Rap Rhythm and Blues” was finished in 2003, it sold 3000 during that summer and featured the song “Everything I Do” which was number 1 or 2 on the top 8 on 106.7 that whole summer. The anticipated sequel “Life” was released in 2005 and sold 8000 copies. To this date Kyhil continues to form new connections like NashvilleRadio.biz in which he co-host with his partner Hypeman Rick and together have started a television show Kyhil is the host called “Not Just Country” (www.NJCTV.com) which aired on UPN March 2006. The platform is for bands and artists in & around Nashville to not just be heard, but seen as well. With this and two independent films under his belt he doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon.

Russell Simmons told Kyhil; “Make the streets in his city call him and he would come find him”. That is exactly what he is doing and if Russell doesn’t find him someone else will!!

Co-Host (Radio Show)
Posted in: Meet Hypeman Rick Productions / Not Just Country Staff

As the class idiot of The Not Just Country show, I felt it nessasary to give all the Deciples of Chop a bit of background. I was born and raised in Culleoka, Tennessee on April 16th, 1975. The same day as the national release of Jaws, that's got to mean something! Jack Childress (Chop Shop) attended Culleoka High until 1993, upon receiving my pardon I moved to Nashville. Unsure of what I wanted to do Jack cruised from job to job, looking for "ME". Never finding his innerself, Jack by chance met Kyhil on one of his many stops. Kyhil saw the comedic insanity that was on Jack's mind and invited Jack to help set up for the TV tapings. This ploy by Kyhil allowed Jack to get close and to know Hypeman Rick. Hypeman respected Jack's stick to itness and didn't throw Jack out. Jack's behind the scenes help with getting things set up, helping the artists with staging equipment, making sure lights and cameras are in place all before the taping is PRICELESS for NJC taping to run smooth. Jack has written a few skits for NJCTV and working on more for the future. Hypeman seeing that Jack was VERY funny and knew that he wanted to be a comedian gave Jack his chance on May 18th, 2006. The transformation of Jack to "Chop Shop" began on the NJC Radio Show. Chop Shops character says what he thinks no matter what! With the views of 3 different people, from 3 different backgrounds, we found what we were looking for. Now the rest is history. Countless fans tune in on Thursday nights from 8-10pm to listen and to ask ChopShop questions from week to week about anything. At times Chop Shop comes up with questions that often stump the guest. Chop has his own segemnt during the show called "Chop around town" where he tells the fans what is going on around town and "Ask Chop Shop" where fans write in to asks the hosts and guest different questions. Jack's labor is a testament that hard work for what you love to do, does pay off..