PROPAIN

"ProPain" Mars ILL's third album releases May 2nd across the nation.

Tomorrow, the long awaited and highly anticipated, sometimes unlikely but finally come true release of his baby, PROPAIN. What can i say about this two and a half year journey? The beats were being created when Luxie was just 6 months old. The first release date was set for October 2004. Then just two weeks before all systems were a go, we got the call. Gotee had asked if we had any recognizable samples and based on our obscurity and the relativity of who would ever hear the album, the guys agreed that there wasnt anything major to report. Past albums had sold 15,000 copies, and based on the numbers it seemed logical. Then EMI heard the album and from what we understand, they thought it might be big. Big enough that they started wanting to license the album for different useages (commercials, television music, etc) and began researching certain songs. By some strange fluke the chorus of "Wicked Ways" came up on a google search when the lawyer for licensing happened to recognize it. Nate had chosen the chorus from an old album from the 60's but it just so happened that that one song had been on a "Greatest Hits of the 60's" album that came out in early 2000. So rather than be an obscure little sample, it was considered very recognizable.

With that the album was pulled immediately from the shelves (or was supposed to have been. Many fans have found it for sale in certain stores that disregarded the notice.) We were emotionally punched in the gut. So much hope for a larger audience, for the fulfillment of a highly anticipated project, for God's truth to reach the airwaves once again. And we were stunned. We didnt know if we would be dropped from the label, if we would be forced to pay back all the $ that was put into this, if we would ever see ProPain again. But Gotee stood behind us, they went forward and we were told that once the lawyers worked out a deal with the "The Vibrations" (the group with the Wicked Ways chorus) to use the sample, things would move forward. So a new release date was tenatively place--Feb 2005. It came and went with no news of a release. Then a third date was set, July 19th.

As new publicity brewed on the long awaited album, and as we prepared for the July release date, we got another punch in the gut. Lawyers for EMI could not reach a comfortable agreement on whether or not the album should be released. And as the date grew closer they still could not finalize the details amongst themselves and that was how it was left. We continued to hear from Gotee that the album was still going to come out, that things were moving forward, and we had reached the point of finally releasing it from our grasp and trusting that God's will would be done. It's funny, when we first heard the news, we immediately had to force ourselves to trust God. But until we truly did let go and began to move away from concern over it's release, that God completed the plan.

May 2nd was finally chosen, basically because of the label's yearly schedule. With other albums coming out last fall and early this year, it was the first good spot available. And here we are, with the cd's in hand, shipping them out to fans who have waited as long as we have to get a copy, watching this dream become a reality. It is bittersweet, I should say, because so much has happened in the past two years. So much I wish I could write about but cant, for now. But I am so glad to know that the work was not in vain, that God is faithful to see his plans thru regardless of man's involvement, and that the world will hear what Mars ILL has to say.