From blessings to beats: The rise of the Bronx’ Amadeus
Eyana Walker - Achievement First Charter
School Alumna and Teacher
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M 22 ARCH 15-21, 2019 BTR
SOUTH BRONX PROJECT
SEEKING SEALED BIDS
A nonprofit organization in the South Bronx is seeking
sealed bids for sales and installation of security
related enhancements. The project includes: outdoor
cameras, outdoor lighting and computer monitors.
Selection criteria will be based on knowledge of surveillance
and security, adherence to work schedule,
prior experience, references and cost. Specifications
and bid requirements can be obtained by contacting
us at: dbrumale@voa-gny.org
All interested firms will be required to sign for the
proposal documents and provide primary contact,
telephone, fax, and email address.
Bids will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on April 5, 2019
and work is to commence by July 1, 2019 and be
completed by August 31, 2019.
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charterNYC.org
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Of course, one of music’s
most talented and prominent
producers is a Bronx guy.
His name is Antwan J.
Thompson, but you may know
him better as Amadeus.
He’s spent the past 18
years producing tracks for
quite the plethora of superstars
like Justin Bieber, 50
Cent, LL CoolJ, Missy Elliott
and of course the borough’s
own Jennifer Lopez.
When you can drum as
well as you can crank out
beats, it’s no wonder why
Chris Brown would keep you
on his speed dial.
That drumming is where
it all began years ago for
Amadeus at his home on
169th Street and Washington
Avenue.
“My mom would make me
go to church every Sunday
growing up whether I wanted
to or not,” he said. Little did
an adolescent Antwan know
that his weekly treks to the
Church of the Living God
at 4414 White Plains Road
would give him his fi rst opportunity
to produce beats
on an MPC2000XL and even
get more exposure on the
drums.
“From there I got closer
with God and I got closer
with music,” the 38-year-old
recounted about his childhood.
While practicing the
drums and his faith at Cardinal
Hayes High School, Amadeus
was noticed by a fellow
Bronxite, hip-hop mogul
Buckwild.
“He took me into the studio.
He began introducing me
to everyone in the industry
at that time and from there
I took it upon myself to just
network and network and
network,” Amadeus said.
It was around that time he
coined his producer name of
Amadeus as well.
“I wanted to be the new
Amadeus Motzart of hip
hop,” he said.
That networking led to famous
NYC rappers like Lil’
Mo, Jim Jones, Remy Ma, and
Busta Rhymes giving Amadeus
his fi rst professional
production opportunities.
“They gave me a shot,”
Amadeus said.
Things only went up for
the faithful producer in the
following years. Amadeus
then linked up with Chris
Brown, most notably producing
nine tracks on his ‘Heartbreak
On A Full Moon’ album
along with many, many
others.
Any sports fan will also
recognize Amadeus’ work on
the First Take theme song for
ESPN from 2014 on as well.
“I love that people hear it
everyday,” he said in excitement.
With all of that stated,
Amadeus still doesn’t believe
he’s fully made it yet. “I
am blessed to come as far as
I have. Don’t get me wrong,
but there’s much more I want
to be doing, especially for the
Bronx,” he said upon return
from his weekly Las Vegas
residency at Drai’s nightclub.
In the past he’s hosted
events for his home block and
neighborhood called Amadeus
Comes Home, in which
he brought other producers
and artists like Tony Sunshine
to the Bronx, showing
kids how to produce and explain
what it takes to make it
in music.
“It was a bunch of people
hanging out on the corner
of the block doing the right
thing,” he said.
Amadeus also still attends
the church that literally
showed him the light for
production as well.
It’s pretty fi tting that
Amadeus’ mission is to “be
a light for the Bronx,” in his
own words.
To learn more about Amadeus’
music and future plans
for Bronx philanthropy, follow
his Instagram at amadeusbpm.
Antwan J. Thompson. Photo courtesy of Amadeus
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