Before C.E.O. 2008
Determination, drive, immeasurable talent and an unsurpassed dedication to becoming a superstar performer and songwriter are the characteristics possessed by Mr. Wood$. It's the combination of these characteristics that have the Far Rockaway/Queens, New York native now residing in Charlotte, North Carolina on the brink of stardom with his first single Sex Me from his forthcoming debut album Conquer Every Obstacle.
Diallo "Mr. Wood$" Edmond started out dancing and rapping at an early age, "I had raps to Fisher Price music, I always knew I would be an entertainer" he often jokes. As a teenager he was a member in a local rap group named Filthy Rich which put out a series of mix tapes. Diallo was the standout, known for overdoing it lyrically and providing his listeners with outlandish visuals he chose the name Woods also an acronym for 'world of over doing shh'. As his popularity grew locally, he began to compose solo songs that were so well received he embarked on a solo career.
In 1999 one of Mr.Wood$' songs "No Vultures" a rebuttal rap to TLC's smash hit 'No Scrubs' was discovered by DJ Funkmaster Flex and he was enlisted to pen a 'less harsh' song with rap group Sporty Thieves. The hit song "No Pigeons" was the outcome, the single shot up the charts and landed at number one on the billboard charts where it rested for six consecutive weeks and was certified gold. Although mainstream media sang the praises of the group signed to Columbia the streets were buzzing for the mystery guest who rhymed on the street edit in a raspy voice.A few months later music mogul and Southern hip hop pioneer Master P was featured in a television commercial for soft drink giant Pepsi Cola. While Master P was the face of the commercial, it was Mr. Wood$' voice and lyrics that captured the attention of the audience. When McDonalds introduced their now famed Dollar Menu it was the voice of Mr. Wood$ that rhymed the menu in its commercials. He then worked with AV8 Records for a white label remix of "You Know What's Up" by Donnell Jones which had some regional success. Wood$ determined to do it on his own went to the lab, moved his whole family to Charlotte and decided to start his own company so he could create the universal sound that he intended to deliver all along.
Over the last few years he continued to be a student of hip hop and the music business all while continuing to do commercials for local and regional businesses. In 2005 his collaboration with Olivia then of G-Unit Records was leaked locally and he opened for everybody from Young Jeezy to Rick Ross to Fantasia. But it was his performance with Keyshia Coles that landed him on the Touch the Sky world tour as Keyshia's hype man/personal assistant/stageshow producer and opener. He has the uncanny ability to captivate any crowd, any size, anywhere and has been dubbed "the Voice" for his command of the audience.
Mr. Wood$, has a uniqueness that commands the ear of his listeners. But it's not just his lyrics, songwriting, his penchant for penning hot hook lines, his incredible voice, flow, or delivery that will fill the void for music lovers that thirst for true hip-hop, but it's his honesty and love for the art form in its entirety that the people will recognize as real. "It's my time now but instead of talking murder this and murder that for street credibility I'll focus on phenomenal songs, creating sonically good music… I'll mix it up with party, concept songs, I'll share tragedies, positive content and still give it that mass appeal. And the album will still have continuity from intro to outro both conceptually and sonically because that's the culture, that's real life. Real life is Outlandish!"