Phillip Martin III facts for kids
Phillip Martin III was born on January 10, 1968, in San Antonio, Texas. He is also known by his stage name Nino. Phillip Martin III is a talented American rapper, music producer, director, and screenwriter. He also works as a film editor, a business owner (entrepreneur), and a music distributor.
Martin has also written two books and directed two movies. Before he was known as Nino, he used the stage names Pony J and Jake. He started using the name Nino when he was part of the Texas rap group PKO.
Martin helps distribute music through his companies, Big Ballin Records and Youngsta Records. He has also worked with other companies to release many music albums.
Contents
PKO: A Texas Rap Group
As a teenager, Phillip Martin III grew up in San Antonio. In the mid-1980s, he became friends with Mark "Magic" Outing. Together, with Robert "AK" Hill and childhood friend Ted "K-Sam" Meadows, they formed the rap group PKO. The letters PKO stood for Pounds, Keys, and Ounces. These terms referred to weights used when buying and selling certain items.
PKO performed at local nightclubs and parties. They quickly gained a strong fan base. The group began to release their own songs through their independent label, Youngsta Records.
PKO's Rise to Fame
In 1992, PKO became well-known when CNN interviewed them. This interview was about a song they released called Shoot the Police. After this song, PKO recorded their first longer album, ... with Texas. In 1994, they released The Good, the Bad, the Mafia. This album has sold 300,000 copies and reached No. 64 on Billboard's album charts.
After their CNN appearance, PKO performed with famous groups like N.W.A, the Geto Boys, and Too Short. ..... PKO's song, Got It Sowed Up, was track number 9 on the album. This album reached No. 139 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 13 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop charts.
Responding to Other Artists
Martin and "Magic" Mark, another PKO member, recorded a song that responded to DJ Quik. DJ Quik had a song called Jus Lyke Compton, where he compared San Antonio to Compton. PKO's song, which appeared on their 1994 album Tha Good, Tha Bad, Tha Mafia, was their way of saying that San Antonio was different.
PKO chose not to sign recording deals with big record labels. They wanted to stay an independent label. Throughout the 1990s, PKO released their own albums. They also released music from other artists on their Youngsta Records label. Later, Phillip Martin III started a solo career. His first solo album, Nino, sold over 100,000 copies and reached No. 84 on the Billboard Rap Charts.
PKO is often remembered as the Southern/Texas version of the group NWA.
Big Ballin' Records and Other Ventures
In 2008, Phillip Martin III worked with real estate agent Mechelle Bower to write two books. These books were called Faith and Finance and 10 Easy Steps in Creating Success and Wealth as a Real Estate Agent.
Martin and Bower also worked together to create "Born2flyy Ent." This company is based in Atlanta, Georgia. Born2flyy Ent focuses on pop and rhythm and blues artists. One of their past clients was Mika Means, who was signed to the Universal Motown record label.
Albums with PKO
- (1989) ... with Texas
- (1990) Armed and Dangerous
- (1992) They Scared of a ...
- (1994) Old School
- (1994) Tha Good, Tha Bad, Tha Mafia
- (1996) No Pain No Gain
- (2000) From Dirty to Clean
- (2001) Ain't Went No Where
- (2006) Greatest Hits: Still Big Ballin'
- (2006) Still Big Ballin': Screwed
- (2006) Live in Japan
See also
- History of African Americans in San Antonio
- Southern Hip Hop
