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Bear Who? has personified all of the key components through his journey where in one moment he spins parties and performs in different cities across the world. Next, he is doing a photo shoot or movie portraying a different character role. And let's not forget creating artistic and production masterpieces or lacing the hottest remixes to some of today's biggest recording artists.
So ... what next? And Who is Bear Who? Edwin Rios hails from Chicago's... Read more
Bear Who? has personified all of the key components through his journey where in one moment he spins parties and performs in different cities across the world. Next, he is doing a photo shoot or movie portraying a different character role. And let's not forget creating artistic and production masterpieces or lacing the hottest remixes to some of today's biggest recording artists.
So ... what next? And Who is Bear Who? Edwin Rios hails from Chicago's Logan Square and Humboldt Park neighborhood one of the most diverse areas in the city where one persona Bear Who? moniker was developed. As a teenager hanging out on Logan Boulevard, Bear Who? and his friends collectively formed "House On The Blvd." This subsidiary of Bear Who?'s own entertainment and promotion company came from the early days with his crew.
"Bear was a nickname that I got when I joined HOTB (House On The Boulevard)... I added who? because when I first starting traveling and DJ'ing with the big boys, people often asked Bear, who?...so i kept it, Bear Who? remembers.
He values his relationships with his close-knit family and brotherhood with friends who have shaped him to be a force reckoned with and known to the industry as Bear Who? amongst other aliases that capture the artist, DJ, entrepreneur, remixer, actor and brand.
The quest and the first alias besides his government name addresses his loyal and deep roots and his creative side was starting to bloom. At the tender age of 10 years old, he witnessed his first DJ spinning. At the time, the house craze was explosive in Chicago and starting to catch ablaze in clubs from New York to London. WBMX 102.7 (Chicago) was the most dominant radio outlet for his new phenomenon to receive exposure. The pulsating beats, soulful sounds and healthy competition among the DJ community was rampant on the scene.
Going further down the musical road, Bear Who? became a fixture on the house sets and at 17, he was infiltrating some Chicago's finest clubs including the historic Warehouse where the best DJ's in the world spun their hits. Chicago House icon Julian Jumpin' Perez (Hot Mix 5) introduced Bear to the game and was a mentor in his path of learning the music industry.
DJ Sneak who belonged to the popular crew "The Mongoloids" which is like Wu-Tang of House", took Bear Who? under his wing and brought him into the international house scene. Bear went on to work with dj / producers, Todd Terry, Roger Sanchez, Jr Sanchez, Armand Van Helden, Erick Morillo and Harry Choo Choo Romero, to name a few.
During this DJ boot camp process, Bear Who?crossed paths with many house heavyweights and ironically many of these luminaries he worked with as an associate at Gramaphone Records. This Chicago retail institution (University of House Music) for decades has seen luminaries Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, DJ Heather and Ralphi Rosario launch their careers absorbing the sounds and feeding information to true ‘house heads'. At this busy time, Bear Who? still pursued higher education by obtaining a degree in Marketing from North Park University in Chicago.
Acceleration continued with new challenges as Bear Who? embraced his business entrepreneurial spirit. His various positions as a A&R and Promotions Director at UC Music, SHR, AfterHours, Pitch, Universal Funk, Ghetto Music and Contact record labels was honing craft.
"At one time working with the labels, I managed 7 and more labels simultaneously," he says.
Bear Who? also had a 3-year stint at urban/rhythmic powerhouse B96 WBBM-FM in Chicago where he served as an on-air personality and was instrumental in promoting artists from a street marketing level, coordinating and securing interviews and full operational duties during his shift.
Edwin Rios transformation to Bear Who? also took on another alter ego in his journey up the ranks of the music industry. Thus he created two more fascinating recording monikers "Fuzzy Cufflinxxx" and "Mr. Riddlz".
This self-proclaimed Electronic B-boy describes his alter egos as the one man- band. "Edwin is like Clark Kent who is reserved. Fuzzy Cufflinxxx is the player persona and Mr. Riddlz has the gangsta swagger while Bear Who? is the Superman, that entity brand which is larger than life," Bear Who? describes.
With Bear Who?, you receive the full package in a multi-dimensional artist. In Bear Who?'s live performance, his multiple alter-egos emerge. In addition, during this dynamic stage show both elements of the DJ show and live vocals show why he is truly ‘the real one man band'.
Bear Who? maximizes the essence of an artist with a vision to break barriers integrating the swagger, innovation and identity to all of his projects. Bear wrote, performed and co-produced "Fix My Sink" (music video filmed in Toronto 2001) and The Beatbox (music video filmed in Chicago in 2006) international singles that are available on youtube.com
With various releases on import labels, Cross Section UK (Tim Deluxe), Camouflage / 83 West Canada, Credence UK (Dirty Vegas) his style of house is diverse, very Latin-flavored integrating hip hop and Chicago's signature house edge that is powerful and rhythmic. His experimental style saw him playing the late ingenue Aaliyah's vocals over a Daft Punk track.
Suddenly, the test for all artists/DJ's presented itself to Bear Who? and he passed it with flying colors by creating the remixes for Grammy-award winning artists Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child (Stole) and neo-soul superstar Jill Scott (Hate On Me) which has propelled Bear to the ultimate remixer status.
Bear Who? attributes his skills to all of personal and shared experiences to his peers, mentors and colleagues. He also has credits working with 2 Grammy-award winning producers Basement Jaxx and Maurice Joshua. His influences ranges in the producer and artist realm which includes: The Jungle Brothers, Pharell & Neptunes, Cajmere, The Time, Prince, Outhere Brothers, 2 In A Room, Jr. Sanchez, Louie Vega, Julian Perez, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Missy, Daft Punk, James Brown, Basement Jaxx, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, DJ Sneak, Fania All Stars and Masters at Work.
The blueprint for his projects was from all of his influences. The debut album The Beatbox is a tribute to the many different genres of House, Hip-Hop, Techno and Latin Swing. The new album will has guest appearances from Chicago Hip House MC's Pamp and Lu Roc. Plus, remixes by some of today's biggest dance/electronic producers.
Currently, Bear Who? reunited with Mark Bell (Shaboom Records) the lead producer on "Fix My Sink" - (EMI/Credence) and is currently in the studio with dance powerhouses Laidback Luke (Swedish House Mafiia), , Swirl People (Aroma), Hood Fellaz (Smoke City), and Iz & Diz (Om).
Adding to his credit, Bear Who? attacked the silver screen in the Chicago-shot movie Nothing Like The Holidays (Overture Films) starring: Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Louis Guzman, Alfredo Molina, Elizabeth Pena and Jay Hernandez. The film was shot entirely in Bear's old neighborhood of Humboldt Park where he had a cameo feature as a gangbanger. The storyline was synomous to his own life growing up in a Puerto-Rican family who had strong family values.
Bear Who? encompasses the true brand that will offer the industry of his multiple personas, extensive experience within the industry and a confidence that totally speaks for itself. The entrepreneur plans to launch a full clothing line campaign called H.O.T.B. (House On The Boulevard) named after his humble beginnings on Logan Boulevard and his booking engagements spinning his special magic throughout the world.
The sky is the limit as Bear Who?'s vision is ready for the next wave of success with major goals to be accomplished.
"I am currently on a worldwide tour promoting my latest project The Beatbox invading Europe, Russia, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Asia and South America" Bear says.
Bear Who? is a brand that utilizes House music as weapon always remembering he is a DJ first. This progressive plan will expose the world to an incredible sound and style making people dance and be entertained. And that is just the beginning! Hold on to your seatbelts because it's going to be musical joy ride.
All you have to do is ask some of his hometown of Chicago's hottest and most elite clubs past and present - Shelter, Crobar, Funky Buddha Lounge, Medusa's, China Club, RednoFive just to name a few. Party goers have had the Bear Who? experience as a resident DJ in Puerto Rico, Miami and LA as well.
Recently, Bear Who? rocked the crowd at the Winter Music Conference 2009 in Miami and he plans to unleash the same at the Amsterdam Dance Event this October 2009 in the Netherlands.
Bear Who? is a recognized DJ, actor, artist, remixer and entrepreneur. People identify the name along with the biggest DJ's on the planet.
"I want to be known for being one of the best in the game. People ask themselves where has this guy been, the one man band! " Show less
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