LIL TOPE SIGNS WITH A&R SELECT HOLLYWOOD, CA – A&R Select, Hollywood's leading indie A&R firm, has announced that hip-hop maestro Lil Tope has joined its roster of artists. “Lil Tope is an artist devoted to his craft,” according to a spokesman for A&R Select. “His music reveals him to be a musician of incredible originality whose passion for music is undying.” “My music is my life,” says Lil Tope. “I love everything about it. When I make a song it comes from the heart – not just words that rhyme with each other.” Lil Tope has received acclaim from listeners captivated by his catchy but original and meaningful lyricism and irresistible grooves. Like many hip-hop artists, Lil Tope tackles many crime-based ideas in his music. Unlike many hip-hop artists, however, his ultimate goal is elimination of crime – not glorification. “I really would like to lower the crime rate,” he says. “All the rappers nowadays talk about is, 'Kill this, shoot that.' I just want to bring a new style to hip-hop.” Lil Tope is a focused performer with a vision – one he won't stop pursuing until it's realized. “I want to live a dream and I will not take no for an answer,” according to Lil Tope. “My influences are seeing people performing and seeing everyone cheering them on. I also want to be a good influence to young kids.” He's hard at work honing his craft and has plans to begin work on an album later in the year. Writing is going strong for Lil Tope as he draws inspiration from his life to share in song with others, offering inspiration in an urban musical context. When writing, “I just relate to my life experiences and what is going on with this world today. I write my music so that people can relate to it and actually understand where I'm coming from. I am dedicated to rapping; it is my life. I rap about the truth.” More information is available by visiting www.arselect.com and www.myspace.com/liltope.