NEWS: KEVIN GATES EARNS PRECIOUS METAL WITH “ISLAH”
Bread Winners’ Association recording artist Kevin Gates is proving one of the year’s biggest stars, evinced by a series of just-announced RIAA gold and platinum certifications. Gates’ acclaimed debut album, “ISLAH,” was certified gold for sales equivalents in excess of 500,000, with its top 20 smash single, “2 Phones,” earning platinum for sales equivalents exceeding 1 million. What’s more, the album’s “Really Really” and 2014’s anthemic hit, “I Don’t Get Tired (#IDGT) (Feat. August Alsina),” have both received gold certification singles awards.
According to Nielsen Soundscan, Kevin Gates’ “ISLAH” is the second highest selling rap album of 2016; only artist ahead of him is Drake whose album debuted last week.
Boasting 15 incredible tracks with no featured artists, “ISLAH” made an incredible chart debut upon its January 2016 arrival, entering Billboard’s “Top Rap Albums” chart at #1 while also coming in at #2 on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 with sales in excess of 110,000 – the LA-based rapper’s biggest sales week to date. “ISLAH” is available now at all DSPs while also streaming all leading streaming services. Download: smarturl.it/KGIslah Stream: smarturl.it/StreamKGIslah
Gates is currently celebrating the astonishing success of “ISLAH” with a wide-ranging series of live dates, including TV appearances, headline shows, international festival appearances, and a leading role on the highly anticipated “High Road Tour,” alongside Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg. Additionally, Gates made his late night TV debut on TBS’ Conan earlier this week with performances of both “2 Phones” and “Really Really,” (watch here: http://teamcoco.com/video/kevin-gates-05-09-2016). For complete details regarding upcoming live appearances, please visit www.kvngates.com/tour.
“ISLAH” has received critical acclaim befitting its place as one of the year’s milestone hip hop releases. “‘ISLAH’ is a sustained and triumphant outpouring,” declared Pitchfork in a “Best New Music” 8.5-out-of-10 rave review, “and Gates gives every good, bad, and ugly thing he has. It’s by far the best single release of his career: It’s more melodic and more focused; fiercer and more playful; funnier and sadder. It’s also probably the best pure rap release of the first quarter, and the best-case scenario for how a locally famous rapper can make a great album for a wider audience without getting lost in a corporate ledger.”
“One of the most virtuosic displays of pure rapping you’re likely to hear this year,” said SPIN of the album-opening “Not The Only One,” further applauding “street anthems that could pass for love songs and love songs that could pass for street anthems: this is what Gates does best.” “(Gates) is not afraid to be as flashy, daring and intense as he was on the five acclaimed mixtapes he’s released since 2013,” raved Rolling Stone. “He’s a rapper’s rapper, a lyrical Evel Knievel without any desire for a cloying pop crossover; it should be mentioned that he works with no guest appearance safety nets, save one track on the deluxe edition – ultimately resulting in a cohesive, satisfying, fat-free full-length.”
“ISLAH” has born a string of phenomenal hit singles, with “Really Really” drawing more than 50 million views thus far at Gates’ official YouTube channel, KevinGatesTV. “2 Phones” continues to be the most popular of the singles released thus far, recently ascending to #4 on both the Mediabase Urban Chart & BDS Urban Hip-Hop Chart, and heading towards Top 5 on the Mediabase Rhythm Chart and climbing. The massively successful single also peaked at #17 on Billboard’s overall “Hot 100” – Gates’ highest charting mainstream single to date. Furthermore, the track’s companion video has seen more than 77 million individual YouTube views and counting.
For more, please see:
www.youtube.com/user/kevingatesTV
KEVIN GATES ON TOUR 2016
7/20 - 9/2: Merry Jane Presents Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa: The High Road Tour
MAY:
13 Dallas, TX JMBLYA
14 Austin, TX JMBLYA
15 Hattiesburg, MS Hub City Racetrack
20 Fayetteville, NC Crown Complex
21 Little Rock, AR Metroplex Live
28 Honolulu, HI Hawaii Event Center
JUNE:
3 Lafayette, LA The District
4 New Orleans, LA Orpheum
11 Columbia, SC Township Auditorium
12 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
16 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
JULY:
6-8 Frauenfeld, SWI Openair Frauenfeld 2016
12 Amsterdam, NL Bitterzoet
20 West Palm Beach, FL Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre
21 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
22 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre
23 Birmingham, AL Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
24 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
26 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
27 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
29 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
30 Hartford, CT Xfinity Theatre
31 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
AUGUST:
2 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
5 Camden, NJ BB&T Pavilion
6 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
7 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
9 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
10 Burgettstown, PA First Niagara Pavilion
11 Noblesville, IN Klipsch Music Center
12 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
13 Syracuse, NY Lakeview Amphitheatre
14 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
16 Tinley Park, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
17 Maryland Hts., MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
18 Bonner Springs, KS Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre
19 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Center
20 Spring, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
21 Austin, TX Austin360 Amphitheatre
23 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheatre
24 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion
25 Irvine, CA Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre
26 Irvine, CA Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre
27 Chula Vista, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
28 Concord, CA Concord Pavilion
30 Concord, CA Concord Pavilion
SEPTEMBER:
1 Ridgefield, WA Sunlight Supply Amphitheater
2 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre
