La Familia

::"For the WWE stable see La Familia (professional wrestling)"Infobox musical artist
Name = La Familia


Img_capt = From left to right,
Puya, DJ Wicked, Sisu
Landscape = yes
Background = group_or_band
Alias = Sisu & Puya
Origin = Balta Albă, Bucharest, Romania
Genre = Gangsta rap
West Coast hip hop
Old school hip hop
Years_active = 1996 - Present
Label = Scandalos Music
Associated_acts = C.I.A.,Verbal,6ase6ase,Bug Mafia,Cheloo,Codu Penal,Honey,Mark,Chucho,etc

La Familia is a Romanian rap group formed in January 1996, three years after Paraziţii, and two years after B.U.G. Mafia, but still early by Romanian hip hop standards. They established a national reputation with a style of gangsta rap similar to B.U.G. Mafia and distinct from R.A.C.L.A. and Paraziţii's acts.

Overview

The group was founded by Tudor Sişu and Dragoş Gardescu (a.k.a. Puya). Like many hip hop artists, they fought a hard battle for visibility and success. Sişu was raised by his mother and Puya was the youngest of four brothers, both from a periphery neighborhood of Bucharest.

By 1997 they had held concerts throughout the country. In 1998, their album "Nicăieri nu-i ca acasă" ("No Place Like Home") was one of the best selling albums in Romania, and with their video "Tupeu de Borfaş" ("Hustler Nerve") in heavy rotation in Romania for several months, they became well-known all over the country.

In 2003, Tudor Sişu was sentenced to 3 years in prison for drug possession and trafficking.

The same year they had a feud with the well known rap-group B.U.G. Mafia in which they lost the rights to use "La Familia" as their official name after B.U.G. Mafia's producer, Tataee, had registered the name with OSIM (the Romanian Office for Inventions and Trademarks) and asked for €15,000 to give it back. The single "Foame de bani" was released as a diss-track for B.U.G. Mafia (who never officially answered it).

In 2005 Sişu and Puya founded their own music label called "Scandalos Music" and Dj Wicked become part of the band. Puya said he was interested in signing not only rap artists, but any other talented musician who wants to collaborate with them. In 2006 they signed C.I.A., a rap group from Craiova, and featured them on the "Mai vrei?" (You Want More?) track off the "O mare familie" (One Big Family) album.

In October 2005, Tudor Sişu was released on parole after serving 2 years, but he was arrested again in June 2006 by the police on grounds of drug trafficking. He stays in custody from June 2006 until October 2007 when was release from police custody. As of the and of 2007 he is still awaiting trial to finish.

In 2007 they settled their feud with B.U.G. Mafia in court, being reinstated by the court with their rights to use the "La Familia" name, the official reason being that Tataee registered the name with harmful intentions to the group's image and brand.

2008 Puya releases his first solo album "Muizca de tolaneala si desprevare" featuring 14 Tracks, most of them producedby multiplatinum German producer DoubleL and upcoming producers Froze and 76- Beats. The first single "Viata Noua" features Keo & Laura. The album includes other guest appearances by Alex, Bibanu, Cabron, Cedry2k.

Band Members

* Tudor Sişu - Sişu
* Dragoş Gardescu - Puya
* Nicula Adrian Daniel - Dj Wicked

Discography

* 1997 - "Băieţi de cartier" (Homeboys)
* 1998 - "Nicăieri nu-i ca acasă" (No Place Like Home)
* 1999 - "Dumnezeu e băiat de cartier (oare?)" (God is a Homeboy (is He?))
* 1999 - "Bine ai venit în paradis" (Welcome to Paradise)
* 2000 - "Ca la noi" (As We Do It)
* 2000 - "Strada mea" (My Street) - Sisu's Solo Album
* 2001 - "Familiarizează-te" (Familiarize Yourself)
* 2002 - "Punct si de la capat " (Stop and Start from the Beginning) - Puya's Solo Album Unreleased
* 2003 - "Zi de zi" (Day by Day)
* 2003 - "Punct şi de la capăt" (Stop and Start from the Beginning)
* 2003 - "Viaţă bună" (Good Life)
* 2004 - "Foame de bani" (Money Hunger)
* 2006 - "Pune-i la pământ (Single)" (Knock'em to the Ground)
* 2006 - "O mare familie" (One Big Family)
* 2007 - "De 10 ani tot în familie" (For 10 Years Still in the Family)
* 2008 - "Muzica de tolaneala si depravare" (Puya's solo album)

External links

* [http://www.la-familia.ro Official site]
* [http://www.la-familia.ro/familia/media.php Some of the band's videos] [http://www.myspace.com/stormtrooperprod Froze Myspace]