Making it big ... Pryslezz

By John Benson

There’s a seriousness captured in the picture of Youngstown native Anthony “Pryslezz” (pronounced priceless) Echols on the CD cover of his recently released album “Death of a Man, Rebirth of a King.”

A little more than five years removed from a gun charge that could have not only derailed his hip-hop career but landed him in jail, the 2001 Ursuline High School graduate understands the gravity and achievement associated with his new King Ape/Lightyear/EMI release, which hit the stores last week and is already starting to get some national attention.

“Oh, it’s amazing and pretty wonderful,” said Echols, 25. “We were actually featured on MySpace Music, which was a nice thing. We were featured on BET.com, and I believe the video was just accepted by MTV. So there’s a lot of different things going on, a lot of new developments, and it seems like it’s going pretty well.”

Even though Echols released a previous album (2003 debut effort “A Search 4 Peace – A Testimony”) and opened for the likes of Wu Tang Clan, Common, Slum Village, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Nas, the nationally distributed “Death of a Man, Rebirth of a King” is a different ball game.

“It really is a dream come true to be able to go into Best Buy and seeing Pryslezz just came out as a new release,” Echols said. “It was amazing. So just to pick it up and see the Best Buy sticker on it, it was something you always dreamed about. You always dreamed of doing your music and it being put out professional in a store — that you don’t have to do consignment things, and it’s not mom-and-pop shops.

“It’s really big stores, and it feels really good. It’s a feeling of accomplishment. And it’s also a feeling of have to buckle down and keep it moving because I have a lot further to go.”

Regarding his hip-hop talents, Echols has come a long way from the cocky teenager capable of turning clever wordplay into an endless chain of syllables. Specifically, “Death of a Man, Rebirth of a King,” which features appearances by Grammy Award-nominated R&B vocalists Dwele, Raheem Devaughn, Slum Village, Jason Derulo and Youngstown’s N.O.X., acts as a showcase of modern sounds and styles.

Though the album’s debut single, “More Than a Love Song,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hip Hop/ R&B Single Sales charts for 12 consecutive weeks and received airplay on radio stations across the country, was a laid-back affair, his new single, “Sideways,” is more of a club tune. The track recently entered the Billboard Top 100 Charts at No. 67 and debuted at No. 95 on iTunes.

“The album is, wow man, everything I wanted it to be,” Echols said. “It’s very different from anything you hear out right now out. It actually has a whole lot of different flavors. I like to call it a smorgasbord or a fruit salad or a melting pot, anything that is a whole bunch of different vibes and different feelings put together to form one unit. The idea was just to show my ability to switch and transform.”

Despite all the shine coming Echols’ way, he said he remains committed to his Northeast Ohio roots. Still, won’t the gravitational pull of Beyonc and Jay-Z, Kanye or will.i.am eventually pull him to a coast?

“Definitely not,” Echols said. “I always make sure I come home. You can never forget where you came from, and Youngstown keeps me humble, and that’s what you need for longevity so you don’t get beside yourself as an artist. I’m actually home for a while. I’m soaking in home life, seeing my friends and family and that’s where I’ll be. That’s where I’ll always be. That’s where I’m from.”

Grounded by his loyalty to home and family, Echols did admit he’s hoping to spend plenty of time away in 2009 supporting “Death of a Man, Rebirth of a King.” There’s currently talk of hitting the road with Slum Village, as well as a solo outing with some of the artists found on the album. Whatever happens, Echols knows he needs to keep moving for his success and the town he loves.

“You have to keep getting bigger, better and stronger,” Echols said. “It’s important to keep it moving and be an example. The world knows where Youngtown is. It’s heard of Youngtown, it’s seen it, and now we have to shine some more positive light on it.”