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DeStorm Power

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DeStorm Power
destorm
DeStorm Power in 2012
Born (1982-01-30) January 30, 1982 (age 42)
Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Occupations
  • Internet personality
  • rapper
Websitewww.thezeusnetwork.com

DeStorm Power (/ˈdeɪstɔːrm/ DAY-storm; born January 30, 1982) is an American Internet personality, actor and rapper who began his career on YouTube.

Life and career

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The fourth of eight siblings, Power was born in Arlington County, Virginia and raised in Baltimore, Maryland by his mother, who left his father early in his life.[1][2] Frequently moving schools, he dropped out of school in the ninth grade, and was regularly sent to juvenile detention for various petty crimes before he began dancing and rapping. Motivated by the birth of his son Tayvion, as well as the local success of his song "We", which featured one of his brothers, Power moved from Baltimore to New York to California to pursue a career in music in 2001, where he spent time homeless before being handed a business card by a talent scout. After interning and ghostwriting at Atlantic Records, Universal and various other record labels,[3] Power set out to establish himself as a performer, using YouTube as a platform to share his singing, songwriting and production skills with the online community.[4] Power's videos are typically comedic, and also often incorporate rapping and beatboxing.[5] He was an accomplished triple jumper and Master personal trainer, and was notably invited to the Olympic Trials.[3] Power appeared as Mr. T in the first season of Epic Rap Battles of History[6] from which he achieved a gold record. In 2008 he lost his mother Mashala to stomach cancer. He moved to Los Angeles, California in 2011, where he joined his manager Sara Pena and started Big Frame, a Multi Channel Network and founded Forefront.TV, which focuses on urban lifestyle and music.[7][8] Power moved on to Paradigm Talent Agency for his acting career, and then William Morris Endeavor, before deciding to go independent. In August 2015, Power hosted the reboot of MTV's Punk'd with co-host King Bach, which aired on BET.[9] He is a founder and president of The Zeus Network which launched July 13, 2018 [10] He is a 2011 American Music Awards honoree and was nominated for five Streamy Awards, winning three. He was Emmy Nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series in 2018 for his original creation Caught The Series.[11]

YouTube career

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Power has portrayed and rapped as American actor Mr. T (left), American rapper Kanye West (center) and Zulu monarch Shaka (right) for Epic Rap Battles of History.

DeStorm Power

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Power's YouTube channel, registered under the username DeStorm in 2006, has more than 3.06 million subscribers as of November 2022, and it is used primarily for his musical endeavors. The videos on the channel have been viewed over 568 million times. "Wuz Up World? (What's up World?)"—DeStorm's catch phrase—can be heard at the start or end of every video. DeStorm often composes and performs covers or Beatbox covers of well known songs or creates content for major brands such as Pepsi, GE, Yahoo and Nintendo. DeStorm also creates original content based upon subscribers' challenges and suggestions such as rapping in alphabetical order[12] or name dropping various movie titles in a rap.[13] Power occasionally collaborates with other popular YouTube personalities and recording artists such as Mystery Guitar Man, Freddie Wong, Ray William Johnson,[14] Nice Peter and Kina Grannis. One of Power's most popular series on the channel is Rap Up, which Power began in 2009.[15] Power also competed in a commercial contest hosted by Heinz Ketchup and was a finalist.[5] Despite the success of his YouTube channel, Power announced in 2013 that his next major song release will be televised on MTV.[16] In April 2013, Power authored an op-ed on New Media Rockstars, detailing his concerns with the broken view counter on his DeStorm channel. He also won two comedy awards. Power was also featured as a headliner on the Digitour in the summer of 2010, in which he and other YouTubers traveled around the country performing their songs from YouTube.[17] In 2014, Power was listed on New Media Rockstars Top 100 Channels, ranked at #85.[18]

Caught Series

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On 9 April 2017, Power started a minute long series on Instagram called Caught. The series later would be aired on YouTube and Facebook. This involves DeStorm facing problems with his girlfriend, his side-chick, his friends, enemies and others. Every Sunday, this series ends with a cliffhanger. Caught the Series was nominated for an Emmy Award and four Streamy Awards, winning two. Season 2 launched on July 13, 2018, on The Zeus Network, an SVOD streaming platform founded by DeStorm Power, King Bach, Amanda Cerny and Lemuel Plummer. The series includes celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, King Bach, Lamorne Morris, Alphonso McAuley, Lele Pons, Reedo Brown, Bradley Martin, Leli Hernandez, Janina, Taylor Stevens, Klarity, LianeV and many more.

Notable videos and collaborations

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Title Artist Upload Date (YouTube)
"Refresh the World"DeStorm PowerAugust 10, 2010 (2010-08-10)
A video song created for the Pepsi Refresh the World Project, currently[when?] being aired on MTV, BET, and VHI. The instrumentation was made using solely the sounds created by Pepsi cans, boxes, etc.
"AMA's SONG"DeStorm PowerOctober 3, 2010 (2010-10-03)
A video song commissioned specially for the 2010 American Music Awards. In this video, Power raps about the year's nominees.
"Get Crackin' with Wonderful Pistachios Commercial"DeStorm PowerOctober 14, 2009 (2009-10-14)
Power's winning submission to the Wonderful Pistachios Get Crackin' contest
"Tag Your Green!"DeStorm PowerOctober 4, 2010 (2010-10-04)
A video song for the General Electric Tag Your Green project promoting environmental responsibility.
"Airplanes – BoB & Hayley Williams of Paramore (Boyce Avenue & DeStorm cover)"DeStorm Power, Boyce AvenueJanuary 14, 2011 (2011-01-14)
An acoustic cover of the song "Airplanes" by B.o.B with Boyce Avenue.
"Power Hour – Kanye West Parody"DeStorm Power, Freddie WongAugust 18, 2010 (2010-08-18)
A song and video parody of the song "Power" by Kanye West with Freddie Wong.
"Making BLING Sexy!"DeStorm Power, VassyAugust 23, 2010 (2010-08-23)
A song and video collaboration with the Australian R&B singer Vassy.
"Household Jam Session (MysteryGuitarMan and DeStorm)"DeStorm Power, Joe PennaNovember 24, 2009 (2009-11-24)
A song and video collaboration with Joe Penna, also known as Mystery Guitar Man, using random household objects.
"Finally Free ft. Talib Kweli"DeStorm Power, Talib KweliNovember 28, 2011 (2011-11-28)
A rap song with a smooth hook featuring Talib Kweli. This song depicts hardships we come across during our lives and DeStorm making it so far and being finally free.
"Mr. T vs. Mr. Rogers"DeStorm Power, Nice PeterSeptember 14, 2011 (2011-09-14)
In the 13th episode of Youtube series Epic Rap Battles of History, Mr. T and Mr. Rogers face each other in a rap battle. DeStorm played Mr. T and series creator Nice Peter played Mr. Rogers.
"Larry King Challenges DeStorm[19]"DeStorm PowerAugust 2, 2012 (2012-08-02)
Larry King appeared in a 2012 video where he rapped with DeStorm as a promotion for his new show Larry King Now.
"Pocket Like It's Hot – Snoop, DeStorm & Andy Milonakis"Snoop LionOctober 10, 2012 (2012-10-10)
A promotion for Hot Pockets featuring Snoop Lion satirizing his classic "Drop It Like It's Hot" with DeStorm Power and Andy Milonakis.
"Shaka Zulu vs. Julius Caesar"DeStorm Power, Nice PeterJuly 20, 2015 (2015-07-20)
In the 56th episode of Youtube series Epic Rap Battles of History, Shaka Zulu and Julius Caesar face each other in a rap battle. DeStorm played Shaka Zulu and series creator Nice Peter played Julius Caesar.

Be Careful

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A mixtape by DeStorm, Be Careful, was released May 1, 2012.[20] Blais, Lone Monk, Christopher Charles, Alex J and Owen Hill Jr. were among the album's producers.[21]

Be Careful
Mixtape by
DeStorm
ReleasedMay 1, 2012 (2012-05-01)
GenreHip Hop
Length48:28
LabelBig Frame
Singles from Be Careful
  1. "Finally Free"
    Released: November 28, 2011
  2. "Love Signs"
    Released: February 15, 2012
No.TitleLength
1."Champion"3:35
2."My Grind"3:48
3."3-Minute Workout!"3:09
4."Instagram"3:12
5."Anything You Want (feat. Christian Caldeira)"3:39
6."Baddest Mutha"3:37
7."Selfish"2:50
8."Love Signs"3:29
9."See Me Standing (feat. Alexandra Govere)"4:04
10."The Background"3:27
11."Hold That Pose"3:17
12."Finally Free (feat. Talib Kweli)"3:46
13."Protest"3:26
14."Watch Me 2012 (feat. Razi)"3:46
15."Love All The Way"2:36

Initially, the album was released in digital and physical CD form; additionally, limited-edition USB keys with the album preloaded onto them were sold soon after release, which were previously only available at a private launch party for the album.

King Kong

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A mixtape by DeStorm, King Kong, was released February 3, 2013.

King Kong
Mixtape by
DeStorm
ReleasedFebruary 3, 2013 (2013-02-03)
GenreHip Hop
Length48:20
LabelBig Frame
Singles from King Kong
  1. "King Kong"
    Released: November 26, 2012
No.TitleLength
1."King Kong"3:38
2."Let Em Talk"3:31
3."All Right"3:02
4."Invincible (ft. Ray William Johnson & Chester See)"3:26
5."Dream Bigger"3:11
6."Money In My Pocket"4:00
7."Scattin' On Me (ft. Kreesha Turner)"3:01
8."Pole Position"3:38
9."Fuckin' Wit Me (ft. Koowplayy & Kreesha Turner)"4:00
10."Cameras (ft. Streetlight, Page Kennedy & Chester See)"4:18
11."Cheques"2:56
12."Smoking on a J"3:15
13."Magic"3:46
14."You are a Star (ft. The Arnats)"3:18

Caught Series

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An album by DeStorm, Caught Series, was released August 17, 2017. It is the soundtrack album for his web series, Caught.

Caught Series
Soundtrack album by
DeStorm Power
ReleasedAugust 17, 2017 (2017-08-17)
GenreSoundtrack
Length21:13
LabelWuz Up World Inc.
ProducerOwen Hill Jr.
No.TitleLength
1."Caught Series, Pt. 1"0:57
2."Caught Series, Pt. 2"0:58
3."Caught Series, Pt. 3"0:57
4."Caught Series, Pt. 4"0:56
5."Caught Series, Pt. 5"1:00
6."Caught Series, Pt. 6"0:58
7."Caught Series, Pt. 7"0:58
8."Caught Series, Pt. 8"0:58
9."Caught Series, Pt. 9"0:58
10."Caught Series, Pt. 10"0:59
11."Caught Series, Pt. 11"1:02
12."Caught Series, Pt. 12"1:10
13."Caught Series, Pt. 13"1:00
14."Caught Series, Pt. 14"1:01
15."Caught Series, Pt. 15"1:10
16."Caught Series, Pt. 16"1:10
17."Caught Series, Pt. 17"0:58
18."Caught Series, Pt. 18"1:10
19."Caught Series, Pt. 19"1:13
20."Caught Series, Pt. 20"1:40

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Outcome Ref
2011 American Music Awards New Media Honoree (Male) Himself Won [22]
2013 Streamy Awards Best Web Musician DeStorm Power on YouTube Channel Nominated [23]
YouTube Music Awards Innovation of the Year "See Me Standing" Won [24]
2014 Streamy Awards Vine Comedian "Himself" Won [25]
2017 Streamy Awards Acting in a Drama Caught the Series Won [26]
Ensemble Cast Caught the Series Nominated [26]
Drama Series Caught the Series Nominated [26]
Writing Caught the Series Won [27]
2018 Creative Arts Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Actor In A Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Caught the Series Nominated [28]
Streamy Awards Writing Caught the Series Won [29]
Ensemble Cast Caught the Series Nominated [29]
Drama Series Caught the Series Nominated [29]
Acting in a Drama Caught the Series Nominated [29]
2021 Streamy Awards Indie Series "The Blues" (by DeStorm Power) Nominated
Scripted Series "The Confession Game" (by DeStorm Power) Nominated

References

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  1. ^ ohanian, alexis. "From Homeless to Hip Hop Social Media Star". RedditUp. reddit. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  2. ^ Draw My Life | DeStorm Power, 12 April 2013, retrieved 2022-12-13
  3. ^ a b Richardson, Clem (February 12, 2010). "From YouTube to Vancouver: New media sultan, girlfriend to cover Winter Olympics – thanks to contest". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  4. ^ Sinderman, Zachary (November 9, 2010). "HOW TO: Become a YouTube Sensation". Mashable. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Lazarowitz, Elizabeth (August 11, 2009). "He's jingling all the way: Brooklyn rapper DeStorm Power rhymes for Heinz 5G prize". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  6. ^ Holderness, Cates (September 15, 2011). "Epic Rap Battle: Mr. T Vs Mr. Rogers". BuzzFeed. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  7. ^ Klima, Jeff (April 10, 2013). "Forefront.TV hosts first ever live stream forefront comedy night". New Media Rockstars. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  8. ^ Wallenstein, Andrew (December 12, 2012). "Big Frame brands top channels together as forefront". Variety. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  9. ^ "News".
  10. ^ "Zeus Unveils Launch Series, Including Original Shows from Social Media Phenom Lil Tay and 'America's Top Model' Alum Don Benjamin". 2018-06-28.
  11. ^ "DeStorm Power".
  12. ^ Power, DeStorm (May 30, 2011). "How To Rap In Alphabetical Order!". DeStorm. YouTube. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  13. ^ "DESTORM RAPPING MOVIE TITLES". The Flint Skinny. Blogspot. September 10, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  14. ^ Power, DeStorm (April 19, 2013). "DESTORM POWER: CAN I COUNT ON YOUTUBE? [OP-ED]". New Media Rockstars. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  15. ^ Gutelle, Sam (January 3, 2014). "Destorm's Latest 'Rap Up' Might Be His Biggest One Yet". Tubefilter. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  16. ^ "YOUTUBE STAR DeSTORM FREESTYLE RAP … At the Gas Station". TMZ. February 22, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  17. ^ "DeStorm Power: Can I Count on YouTube? [OP-ED] | New Media Rockstars".
  18. ^ "The NMR Top 100 YouTube Channels: 100-76!". New Media Rockstars. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  19. ^ Power, DeStorm (August 2, 2012). "Larry King Challenges DeStorm". DeStorm. YouTube. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  20. ^ Power, DeStorm (March 13, 2012). "Be Careful Mixtape". Spinshop.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  21. ^ "Be Careful - Destorm Power | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  22. ^ Cohen, Joshua (November 14, 2011). "Exclusive: DeStorm, Christina Grimmie, Karmin Receive Honors from American Music Awards". Tubefilter. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  23. ^ "3rd Annual Nominees & Winners". Streamys. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  24. ^ Gutelle, Sam (November 3, 2013). "Eminem, Lindsey Stirling, Destorm Among YouTube Music Award Winners". Tubefilter. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  25. ^ "Winners announced for 4th Annual Streamys Awards | The Music Universe". themusicuniverse.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-14.
  26. ^ a b c "Winners Announced for the 7th Annual Streamy Awards | The Streamy Awards". www.streamys.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-01.
  27. ^ "'Sugar Pine 7,' Dolan Twins Top 2017 Streamy Awards – Complete Winners List". 27 September 2017.
  28. ^ "DeStorm Power".
  29. ^ a b c d Schaffstall, Katherine (22 October 2018). "Streamy Awards 2018: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter.
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