Ponzo Houdini Releases New Single & Announces New Project

Raised in the Jefferson Projects in Downtown Buffalo, NY, Ponzo Houdini launched his career with his first single, "You A Lame," which got him nominated as best new Hip-Hop artist by the Buffalo Hip-Hop Awards. Over the last few years, Ponzo has toured and worked with notable contemporaries such as Future, Benny The Butcher, Griselda, Zaytoven and OJ Da Juiceman among others.

The product of a drug-riddled home (his Mother struggled to overcome addiction) and the trauma that comes with it, Ponzo nevertheless overcame those obstacles and managed to excel scholastically and was an honor-roll student through his middle school years. Yet, by the time he was ready to enter high-school, in an effort to make ends meet, Ponzo became a corner boy and migrated from selling weed to selling cocaine; the same very drug he watched his Mother struggle with.

Recent success aside, music wasn't always a linear path for Ponzo. The passion for his craft, the talent he displayed, and the success he tasted as he rose the ranks were oft-times interrupted by jail stints; as two drug possession charges resulted in him becoming a two-time felon and spending three years total in prison. Ponzo served out his terms and came home focused and ready to turn his life around and resume his musical career. However, the many parole restrictions placed upon him severely restricted and complicated that pursuit.

In 2013 Ponzo started his own label, Cake Boss Life Entertainment, and shortly thereafter he cut off his GPS monitoring device and went on the run to achieve his dreams. The first project he released while evading custody was Wanted, which enabled him to save up enough money to turn himself in and finish out the rest of his sentence. Since his release in 2015, Ponzo has released a handful of projects toured the world, developed his own exclusive Hustlers Dream clothing brand, turned down two major record deals and passed on a starring role in a hit cable TV series.

"I've been through way too much to take the easy way out or play the short game. I know my worth and what is a fit for me. It's why I turned down two major record deals and passed on the opportunity to play the role of Lil Murda in P-Valley (Starz breakout new series) Ponzo stressed. "They just weren't the right fits for me long term. I've gotten to this point with my own relentless grind, hustle, and sacrifice. My own blood, sweat, and life experiences. No help or investors. I'm going to do it my way-you know the vibes!"

After his latest tour which was headlined by Benny The Butcher (Plugs I Met Tour) and recently appearing in Griselda's street-classic movie Conflicted, Ponzo is back with a new project, You Know The Vibes II, and with it, the projects first single "Another Day in The Life." With "Another Day In The Life" Ponzo delivers a cinematic origin-story that thrusts you into his world and his journey.

"You Know The Vibes II is going put everyone on notice that I am a force to be reckoned with" he asserts. "I've got features from URL's Top Battle Rapper and rising star Tsu Surf and Adiyon Dashalon; who also starred in Griselda's Conflicted."

Ponzo Houdini's You Know The Vibes II will be released on 2-16-21 on Cake Boss Life Entertainment.