CEO of Dunamus Soundz Records, founder of the Bahamas Hip Hop Fest and multi-award winning producer/artist Lavard ‘Manifest’ Parks (left) and Keith Rolle, COO of Anvan Entertainment celebrate the signing of digital distribution deal with the company. Manifest’s latest album Parables (foreground) has already been seeing an increase in sales in the United States and Caribbean as a result of him being the first Bahamas-based artist to sign with Anvan. (Photo by Torrell Glinton)

Nassau, The Bahamas… Not even 30 years-old, Lavard ‘Manifest’ Parks is considered one of the Caribbean’s pioneers of hip hop. The industry icon has been a fixture on the scene for over a decade now collaborating with some of the biggest names in the region and racking up multiple Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards including Song of the Year, Record of the Year and more. As one of the youngest producers balancing a family, successful label and nationally syndicated radio show in his native Bahamas, the founder of the Bahamas Hip Hop Fest has set the pace for the next generation of hip hoppers through the shining example he’s provided with the success of his label Dunamus Soundz Records.

Now Manifest continues his undisputed rise to greatness by becoming the first artist in the region to sign a digital distribution deal with Anvan Entertainment, a digital music distribution company focused on taking Caribbean Gospel Music to the world. The company has access to Integra Interactive’s myMEDIA ConneXion™ touch screen kiosks at well over 700 Christian retail stores throughout the United States, including 350 of these locations having the myMEDIA BurnBar™ media-on-demand kiosk. The kiosks will now carry all Manifest titles enabling shoppers to immediately burn to disc the songs.

Regional Representative and Chief Operations Officer for Anvan Entertainment, Keith Rolle expressed his optimism for working with a prolific talent like Manifest, someone who has already garnered a following in The Caribbean, North America and even as far away as the UK.

“Anyone who hears the music Manifest, & his Dunamus Soundz record label produces, can fully appreciate this diasporatic cycle of Hip Hop from The Caribbean to America and back to The Caribbean again,” said Rolle. “His work ethic & focus is incredible! I recall when Manifest removed the television from his home because it distracted him from reading his Bible and working on music. He's been faithful in the small things and I believe that's proven to be the secret of his success. As a result, every project Manifest works on surpasses its predecessor.”

According to Rolle, every time Manifest touches the mic he brings a new story, new revelation, and he takes risks. This was another reason Rolle was thrilled to work with him.

“Being the first record label to sign with Anvan Entertainment was just another progressive step that reveals the combination of faith, vision and business savvy that's embodied the journey of Manifest and Dunamus Soundz,” added Rolle. “He founded The Caribbean's first hip hop record label and Anvan Entertainment is The Caribbean's first digital music distribution company operatingat this level in U.S retail stores. That's a match only made in Heaven.”

Manifest noted that he and his team loves new adventures and they are thrilled to spread their message of hip hope through digital downloads.

“We are excited to be reaching such a vast audience,” he noted on behalf of himself, Dunamus Soundz power producer Corridon ‘Papa Don’ Hanna and the label’s executive board. “With myself and Papa Don each welcoming our first child this spring, Anvan gives us the opportunity to reach old and new fans without actually having to physically be there or on the road as often and that’s something our wives and babies can appreciate.

“Also, it gives fans the opportunity to come across our music by chance. The thing is, we’ve all had that experience of sampling new sounds on the digital machines in music stores and this gives people an opportunity to sample our sound and get hooked into why we’ve been consecutively racking up awards for our God-given gifts and talents. Bottom line – it’s all going down this summer. Stay close because this thing is about to blow!”

Manifest added that he’s looking forward to seeing his music in stores as he travels and to new opportunities as a result of it. Some of his hits due to be digitized include songs from Parables including the smash hiphopera duet with opera legend Joanne Callendar, I Shall Rise, plus soon to be released songs from the upcoming album His Life His Mic and more. The songs will be available for download by in summer 2009.