By ANTHONY SHINGLER | Assistant Sports Editor

Some might know the senior forward Ernest Fields from the basketball court, but few know him as Stylistic, the hip-hop artist that is currently working on his first album, “So Fly.”

Fields has rapped and produced his own mix tapes, “Eat Da Mic,,” and “The Leak” the last two years, with good friend Brian Smith.

The Memphis native began writing music at the age of 12 about occurrences going in his life. His drive and talent for music has helped him mature into an artist that aspires to be great one day. But his music does come at a cost.

Fields, unlike most hip-hop artists, has other priorities besides his music, and that is being a college student and a key member of the Govs basketball team.

“I obviously am very busy person, but I am making it work,” said Fields.

“School and basketball comes first, but all of them are important to me.”

Fields has recently worked with producer Jerel Allen, formerly of So So Def Records, to help work on his first album “So Fly.”

While he’s trying to make a name for himself, he has had a chance to share the stage with some big name artists recently.

He performed with artist Lil Wil last spring, and with The G.S Boyz, famous for the hit “Stanky Leg.”

“It has helped me out tremendously because both Lil Wil and the G.S Boyz had the two hottest songs in the country at the time and I shared the stage with them both on the same day,” said Fields.

“Many people who attended the concert said that I looked comfortable and as if I belonged on stage with the best of them.”

With the popular Web site YouTube streaming on the Internet, Fields has his own station where he has songs he has recorded with Brian Smith, Sam Freeze and J. Sabin.

His channel “Stylistcent” currently has 77 videos of songs that he has produced.

“YouTube is now actually one of the main sources that I use to promote my music as well as MySpace and many other Web sites that I share my YouTube links on,” said Fields.

“I also e-mail them out to over 5,000 people every time I release a song to help support my YouTube plays.”

However, his album, “So Fly” which was planned on being released on iTunes in the spring, has been put on hold.

“I am holding off on releasing the official album to save it for whenever the right deal comes along,” said Fields.

With the brakes put on his album, his next mixtape “The Leak Vol. 2” will be released free of charge to everyone who is a member of his Facebook group “The Stylistic Facebook Team” on March 30.
Visit www.theallstate.org to hear Ernest “Stylistic” Fields singing accapella a verse from his song “Dear DJ.”

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