"Orioles Major League Baseball
Slugger (Ryan Freel) Chooses Gospel Rapper's (Easop) Song titled: "Out Tha
Box", as At-Bat Theme Song for 2009 Season"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INN. Atlanta/Los Angeles.
February 2, 2009. With Spring Training just around the corner,
Major League Slugger and Baltimore Orioles Player Ryan Freel
announced today that he will be using Los Angeles-based Gospel Rapper's
(Easop) song titled: "Out Tha Box",
as his personal theme music for at-bats during the 2009 baseball season.
Commenting Freel, "Honestly, I had never heard of
Christians rapping before. But, when I checked out the website 24Gospel
over the Christmas Holidays
and stumbled upon the video from Easop for his song "Out Tha Box" and
began listening closely to what this guy was saying in his raps, I was
floored that a guy in the video who did not even look like someone you
would ever expect to see in a Church was actually Preaching with his
raps and is actually a Pastor in Los Angeles. That was 3 weeks ago
and now, the only music that me, my wife and 2 daughters have listened
to in my car is Holy Hip Hop and we absolutely love it. So, I
began to think of how I could give back to this guy and it hit me that
if a guy could come to plate with Ludacris, then why can't a guy to come
to the plate with Easop which resulted in me doing what my heart told me
to do and that is to bring Easop to the plate with me (as my personal
at-bat theme song) for all fans to experience in ballparks nationwide
where I am fortunate to be able to play in 2009 and beyond.
What Easop and others like him are doing is making
life-impacting, cool music and the quality is as good or better than
what is on the radio today and it would be interesting to see what would
happen if more Professional Baseball, Basketball and Football players
embraced this music in locker rooms and stadiums nationwide. But
most importantly, it is safe for my daughters, especially in the times
the world is in today. I am coming back from an injury suffered
during the 2008 baseball season (and feeling good and strong now), and
if there are any Holy Hip Hop Headz out
there, who hear about this news and who want to drop me a line, send a
prayer or a shout out, feel free to reach me online at:
RyanFreelBaseball@yahoo.com."
Watch Easop: Out Tha Box Video on:24Gospel, Click here:
Easop: Out Tha Box(Note: There is a slight delay before
video plays, as this Video is formatted for TV Broadcast, so please
be patient to view (click on link above or on play button below if
visible); or go to: www.24Gospel.com
(and search "Easop").
About Ryan Freel:
Formerly of the
Cincinnati Reds (see photos below), Ryan Freel is now a Major League
Baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles. In 1994 graduated from
Englewood High School in Jacksonville, FL...also attended Sandlewood
High School in Jacksonville and Tallahassee Community College...on
9/28/07 was inducted into the Tallahassee Community College Eagle
Athletics Hall of Fame. Freel is known for versatility in the
field, playing all three outfield positions, second base, and third
base; Freel is also known for making many acrobatic plays (giving him the nickname a/k/a "The Flying
Squirrel"). He is a threat on the basepaths, totaling 110 stolen bases
in the past three years (37 in 2004, 36 in 2005, and 37 in 2006). He
does not hit for power (hitting only 22 home runs in his career) but
does get on base, with a career .358 on-base percentage, and has scored
278 runs in 505 career games. Drop Ryan a line, send a prayer or a
shout out, feel free to reach him online at:
RyanFreelBaseball@yahoo.com.
<!--
-->
<!-- career stats -->
Ryan Freel Stats:
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
TB
BB
SO
SB
CS
OBP
SLG
AVG
2008
48
131
17
39
8
0
0
10
47
8
18
6
4
.340
.359
.298
Career
553
1895
295
515
98
17
22
117
713
211
327
142
48
.357
.376
.272
About Easop:
Since his birth in 1975, Easop
Winston has created a place in the world for himself, his family and
community. He has become not only a pillar in the African-American
community, but an innovator in the world of gospel music. For Easop
has taken a vision embedded in him since his youth and turned it
into something the world can be a part of. Described as a
cross between DMX and Tupac, one of the differences between Easop
and rappers of this caliber is his lyrical intent. His ability to
dedicate his words and thoughts to God is what keeps his raps simple
yet truthful, hardcore yet touching. Equipped with a captivating
voice and an anointed delivery raw enough to reckon with the ways of
drugs and street mentalities, Easop has taken the message of God’s
love, light and salvation from the insides of the church and placed
in the middle of this intensely violent world. Not only is Easop a
true artist, he is also a true businessman. With the start of his
company Life or Death Records, Easop has taken a vision and single
handedly turned it into an establishment that embodies his hopes for
his community. Through the label, he has completed his debut album
entitled, "The Time Has Come."
Since 1994 Easop has built a strong following of fans and friends.
His appearances throughout the Bay Area combined with his rawness in
his rhymes have opened many doors for Easop’s career and label both
nationally and internationally. Some of his accomplishments included
making hardcore gospel rap history by being the first gospel rapper
to have his music played on San Francisco’s hottest station KMEL.
His title cut The Time Has Come ranked #3 on a popular Christian
radio play list in Atlanta. He also appeared on the release from L.G.
Wise, Ghetto Fables : Da 1/2 Ain't Told, on Grapetree Records in
2000. The crew of three MCs "The End" and Easop formed the LOD Boys.
Easop has also shared the bill with gospel legends such as Angelo &
Veronica, Andrae Crouch, Fred Hammond and Gary Oliver. The MC
released his debut album "The time Has Come" on his label Life or
Death Records in 1999. His sophomore record is entitled "Live
Now Die Later", but never got released. Easop Winston was
still active as a MC in 2003, but is now a pastor of Realm of
Blessings Church in the Bay Area, California.
Easop's
inspiration for Gospel rap never subdued. In fact...quite the
contrary... It has and continues to be a passion of his to spread
the Gospel of Jesus Christ through unrefined truth in expression via
(Holy) Hip Hop/Gospel Rap. God just took him a different direction
in traditional ministry as a pastor. He still feels there's an
element he and the Life or Death label can bring to the still
growing and underground genre of (Holy) Hip Hop/Gospel Rap. Although
the presence of Easop was obscure in the larger scope of the Hip-Hop
Gospel circuit, he remains true to appearing and performing at
various (local) Christian events and venues as he feels led. Also,
as a business man, Easop wanted a certain level of financial backing
to be in place to do things at a level second to none as a
representative of God's kingdom. All of these things are now falling
into place. (September 2008). In 2008 the artist is working on
a new album called "Back For The 1st Time" to be released in 2009.
For More Information on Easop, please go to (or click): http://www.myspace.com/easop7
Formerly of the
Cincinnati Reds (see photos below), Ryan Freel is now a Major League
Baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles. In 1994 graduated from
Englewood High School in Jacksonville, FL...also attended Sandlewood
High School in Jacksonville and Tallahassee Community College...on
9/28/07 was inducted into the Tallahassee Community College Eagle
Athletics Hall of Fame. Freel is known for versatility in the
field, playing all three outfield positions, second base, and third
base; Freel is also known for making many acrobatic plays (giving him the nickname a/k/a "The Flying
Squirrel"). He is a threat on the basepaths, totaling 110 stolen bases
in the past three years (37 in 2004, 36 in 2005, and 37 in 2006). He
does not hit for power (hitting only 22 home runs in his career) but
does get on base, with a career .358 on-base percentage, and has scored
278 runs in 505 career games. Drop Ryan a line, send a prayer or a
shout out, feel free to reach him online at:
Easop's
inspiration for Gospel rap never subdued. In fact...quite the
contrary... It has and continues to be a passion of his to spread
the Gospel of Jesus Christ through unrefined truth in expression via
(Holy) Hip Hop/Gospel Rap. God just took him a different direction
in traditional ministry as a pastor. He still feels there's an
element he and the Life or Death label can bring to the still
growing and underground genre of (Holy) Hip Hop/Gospel Rap. Although
the presence of Easop was obscure in the larger scope of the Hip-Hop
Gospel circuit, he remains true to appearing and performing at
various (local) Christian events and venues as he feels led. Also,
as a business man, Easop wanted a certain level of financial backing
to be in place to do things at a level second to none as a
representative of God's kingdom. All of these things are now falling
into place. (September 2008). In 2008 the artist is working on
a new album called "Back For The 1st Time" to be released in 2009.
For More Information on Easop, please go to (or click):
