TIMZ: Open For Business

TIMZ

Open For Business

© 2006 V.I.G. Productions (634479284809)

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Shhhh. The Feds are watching.... TIMZ blends hip hop music with his Middle Eastern heritage and puts his life on display as an Iraqi-American born and raised in San Diego. Features on the album include the legendary Spice 1, TQ, E-Low, Sick Beav and more

notes

On his fiery debut CD, TIMZ—aka Tommy Hanna, an American born rapper of Chaldean and Iraqi descent--gets right up in our faces, mixing explosive, Middle Eastern tinged beats with incendiary rhymes in an effort to shatter those ugly stereotypes that have plagued people who look like him since 9/11 and the start of the Iraq war.

Make no mistake, the title of his powerful, outspoken and heavy grooving 14- track collection—a nominee for Best Hip-Hop Album at the 2006 San Diego Annual Music Awards—says it all: the San Diego born and bred artist is Open For Business. “The concept of the album is a day in the life,” TIMZ says. “That’s what I am, open for business all the time. I am at work and if I wasn’t at work I was at school and if I wasn’t at school I was in the studio rapping.

TIMZ is on an intense mission to help Americans understand that Chaldeans, who are Catholic by faith, date back to Iraq since the ancient times of Mesopotamia and the flourishing times of Babylon. “The only remnants from that Iraq and the Iraq that we see now are the rivers. “That’s it, everything else has changed,” he says.

“They lump us into one big group of Bin Ladens and Saddam Husseins walking around. But we’re hard working people who love this country.”

While TIMZ—a recent graduate of University San Diego-- has been the pride of his hometown’s 20,000 Chaldean community for years, the reaction to “Iraq” across the country is giving him some well deserved cred as a national artist.

Earlier in 2006, he and manager Alvin Shamoun, both principals in TIMZ’s independent label V.I.G. Productions, sent out CDs to 300 college stations across the country; within days, over 280 of those were putting the song into regular rotation. “Iraq” was #4 Most Added on the CMJ College Pop Radio Stations Chart, and hit #1 on 11 reporting stations everywhere from New York to California to Florida.

In 2007, TIMZ released the politically charged video for the critically acclaimed single “Iraq.” In no time, the controversial music video was garnering international media attention from the likes of MTV News, FOX News’ Hannity & Colmes, Mancow’s Morning Madness, Al Jazeera, Russian National TV and over 10,000 internet and blog sites.

reviews

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  • great
    author: sarah

    well i loved it .. its really cool and thanx for these words am iraqi girl from baghdad but out of iraq too... go on man wish u the best

  • Great Song!
    author: Dinkha

    TIMZ, I am an Assyrian man from Los Angeles. My parents are from Iraq. Thank you for telling America what no Arab has or will. Everybody is from Iraq. The world is from Iraq. This is a disgusting cycle that must end. Inshalah, the war will end.

  • Amazing
    author: Omani

    Dude, great work, keep it up, although i wish if u rapped in arabic as well, lets say a song with a combination of arabic n english n whatever other langs u know. but overall u did a great work. thumbs up from Oman

  • The Voice of the Iraqi People
    author: TIMTAMBCN

    I'm a christian Swedish-Iraqi and think what you are doing is admirable because you stand up for so many millions out there who have been pressured to feel ashame to admit they are iraqis, but what did we do wrong? we are not bin laden! Stand tall and keep up the good work!

  • sublime
    author: leo djajadi

    definitely a good compilation, all the songs are genuinely inspiring

  • incredible im inlove with ur passion for iraq and arabs and freedom
    author: Azza Alsharif

    IMPRESSIVE .. WITH UR STRONG AND PASSIONATE WORDS YOU SERIOUSLY PUT UR MESSAGE THROUGH TO GEORGE BUSH AND HIS SUPPORTERS ,IRAQ IS INDEED PLEADED BY MANY AND I AS A SAUDI ARABIAN LOVE IRAQ AND ITS PEOPLE AND I SHALL SUPPORT THEM AND PRAY FOR THEM FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE ... thanks from azza

  • author: Rizen

    Amazing CD Timz!!! Awesome lyrics

  • thank you
    author: iman

    oh ma god thank uuuuuuuuu tommy! u r awsome ana iraqia min basrah. and i lov how ur not afriad to show how u feel theres alot of iraqi people in michigan and we all proud of u

  • author: CHaldeAN PoWa

    AWESOME !! Chaldean PowER !

  • Great beat Great lyrics
    author: M. Zink

    The CD was greally good! My 14 year old twins heard it & even though they're not as political as I am they loved it! Wish there wasn't as much sexists views. As a Catholic myself I wish thier was more respect for the opposit sex. Other than it was awesome. Hope to hear more from this artist in the future.

  • chaldean power
    author: houmam

    hey man chaldean pride. good shit. you would be evan better if im feat

  • Excellent
    author: Jan Toma

    i think you are the best rapper out there. and not beacuse you are chaldean like me, its because ur music makes sense not like the others who try to rap but there beat saves their rap for little amount of time. I live Toronto, Canada and am chaldean not a quarter not a half but full. you might know there is a huge population over here about the double amount of sandiego. thanks alot.

  • this cd is fire
    author: remix5x

    Arabic beats with hiphop beats is supreme... this cd hold its head high

  • Welcome
    author: g. rosen

    Good sentiments well-expressed in English I can understand.

  • This Guy is good
    author: lil steve

    Timz is a good ass rapper. He represents for chaldeans as well as him self. He didnt forget where he is from. His lyrics is tight, and he is also a good live performer he knows how to get the audiance off there feet. Keep it up man

  • Assyrian
    author: Assyrian

    I Love Tha Hey (Remix) Man Itz Fuken Good man Good Work

  • WOW
    author: ..

    MI chaldean rappers have been rapping for a long time now, and your the first rapper out of san diego already blowing every chaldean rapper walking out of the water..im amazed on ur flow and everything u say makes sence..you rap about the truth homeboy be smooth

  • author: Miklo

    Haa Timz ur the man bro im Assyrian man from Iraq i got ur album man i love it bro keep it up cuz

  • good work
    author: sajad

    good work keep it up.. you are the sound of the iraqee people..:)

  • Wow. This is great man.
    author: master terrorist

    All I can say that it is fantastic. Keep up the good work. The people need to hear the true message. Yours, The master terrorist

  • author: Chaldean

    Bad ass cd cuz, your representing all us chaldeans in Iraq,MI,AZ,CA,keep this shit up bro. Yella

  • I love it...
    author: Lauren

    I love the lyrics you used for you songs its true. Keep on talking let your voice to be heard. More people out there need to know the "TRUTH". Keep up the hard work and good work...

  • Im diggin it.
    author: Mike

    Yo TIMZ, I just got your CD the other day and I probably have heard it like 20 times already. I am black and I never usually listen to other types of rappers but this guy that owns a liqour store in SD put me up on the TIMZ. I was skeptical at first but Im glad I opened up and I will support you in whatever you do. Even at your liqour store, if you got one. lol. This cd is definetely one of the best independent albums ever!!!!

  • Headed to the top
    author: Aziz

    TIMZ, Congratulations man! You are headed straight to the top with this one. Its only a matter of time until you go mainstream with your great music. Im not even Iraqi and I love your music.

  • amazing
    author: Tamarah

    Its amazing!! I love how we got Iraqis doin everything so big now... man I wanna read the rest of the SD Reader article... how can I get a hold of that??

  • Good Job
    author: IraqiBoy

    its bout time chaldo representin us!!! you are doin a great job bro..hope you the best of luck..keep up the great work

  • Timz reppin for us
    author: Steve

    Finally a chaldean artist that is not afraid to speak up. I am proud o you Timz and this cd Should be advertized every were. I agree with the people below me best CD of 06. Keep these sick beats and good lyrics comin. Dont let us down man

  • the best
    author: Eithar

    this cd is reaaly good i listen to it every day and i really think that everyone should give timz a chanse to prove himself the cd does not desriminate like many people have said it shows how we as chaldeans live and work every day and the cd shows many conserns about america

  • WOW
    author: Stephanie

    Every time I listen to this cd I get the chills. It’s such a freakin awesome cd I don’t think I will ever get sick of it. Seriously every song on here is excellent—Good job man

  • author: Ms. Anita

    One of the greatest albums of 2006! A must have, I purchased two, one for my car and one for my cd player at home. Trust me you wont be disappointed...Timzonline.com

  • 2 Thumbs Up
    author: Andrew

    I really liked this CD a lot. Different styles of rap, unique beats, and it features other top rappers. Can't wait to hear some new stuff.

  • Finally an Arab-American not afraid to say something
    author: Alice Anton

    I was very skeptical at first when somebody told me that there is an Iraqi rapper with a new album. I was actually upset that someone is claiming to be an Iraqi rapper, I thought it was just for publicity. I was wrong, "Open For Business" turned out to be one of the most powerful cd's I have ever heard. Not only was the music great, the lyrics delivered a powerful message about TIMZ and his everyday struggle as an Iraqi-American living in the US. The song that I am forcing everyone I know to hear is "There's a War Going On." This song just reminds people of how important Iraq is to the history of the world and that not everyone from the middle east is a terrorist. TIMZ, thank you for being my voice and the voice of my people. I hope the world is ready to hear your story."

  • Great Lyrics, Great Beats, Great Story, I love it!!!!!!!!!!!
    author: Steven Jarbo

    Open For Business has to be one of the best independent cd's in the marketplace right now. The first time listening to the album I was captivated by the story of TIMZ. The first Iraqi-American rapper is a lyrical genius. He raps about his life as someone who works hard everyday in a family owned liqour store, parties like a rockstar, and also about the whole Iraq war issue. In the track Public Enemy No. 1 feat. Spice 1, TIMZ lets the listener know that everywhere he goes people just assume he must be a terrorist or something like that. TIMZ creativly dispells those rumors that just because he is Arab, he must be an America hating, terrorist. Everyone watch out cause this whole "hip hop meets the middle east" thing is gonna BLOW. (no pun intended)

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