Portland State Magazine Winter 2010

Fanfare The music of Issa Diop '08 is influenced by hip hop, R&B, pop, and the music of his original home in East Africa. Art and business WHILE GROWING UP in Senegal, says Issa Diop '08, his parents wanted him to be an engi neer like his brothers. Diop had ocher plans. "In Senegal," he says, "music is huge." He started writing songs, and eventually won a green card lottery chat allowed him to come to the United States in 2003 and study marketing at PSU. "That was a turning point in my life," says Diop, who prefers to go by Issa (pronounced E-suh). Now he's making it as a singer and a partner in his own label, Just 4 the Records. "It opened the door for musical emancipation and discovering the talents chat I have." "I value education a lot," he says, "because then you know how to manage your career. I like to find the balance between arc and business." Issa, whose music draws from R&B, pop, and African influences, points to hip-hop moguls like P. Diddy, Jay-Z, and Akon (a Senegalese-American) as models. He started 6 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE WINTER 2010 his own label, he says, because, "I didn't wane to wait for a big label to approve me. I don't have to wait." He's right. His song "Warm Me Up" was featured in the Internee series Who... and in July 2009 he opened for Billboard chart-copping artist Jay Sean. Issa's songs are available on iTunes, and his new album, Rules ofAttraction, is due out in mid-2010. "It's a mix of pop, R&B, and dance," he says. "Very upbeat. lc's gonna be really fun." ABOUT FANFARE We want to hear about your books and recordings and your future exhibits, performances, and direct– ing ventures. Contact the magazine by e-mailing psumag@pdx.edu, sending a fax to 503-725-4465, or mailing Portland State Magazine, Office of University Communications, PO Box 751, Portland OR 97207-0751.