Playing Chess with Wu-Tang Clan Founder GZA (aka The Genius) on New Episode of All Access

For more information contact:  Jason Damata 917-279-8706 jason(at)fabricmedia.net

Los Angeles - On this week’s episode of maniaTV’s hit music show, All Access, host Samantha Maloney visits with hip hop guru, GZA. The rap star, also known as “The Genius”, is best known as one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group, the Wu-Tang Clan. As a solo artist, he has released five studio albums and has appeared on a plethora of other Clan-mates' solo albums.

Samantha and GZA begin the day ‘rapping’ about his newest album “Pro Tools”, what it’s like being an integral piece of the Wu-Tang Clan, and what he expects for the future. Following their conversation, the duo climb their way to the top of the maniaTV studio, where GZA, a well-known chess enthusiast, gives Samantha a special lesson into the strategic art of the centuries old thinking game.

Sam then heads to DFest, a rock music festival in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to catch up with American indie rock band, The Apples in Stereo. The Apples in Stereo, who are associated with a collection of bands deemed the Elephant Six Collective, are best known for their bright, catchy lyrics and 60s pop/rock sound that often evokes comparisons to The Beatles, The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys.  The band has released six albums since forming in 1992. 

The new episode of All Access premieres this week on maniaTV.com. 

About GZA

GZA (pronounced jizza, aka The Genius, born Gary Grice August 22, 1966 in Staten Island, New York City) is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Known for his elaborate metaphors and cool, precise technique, GZA is one of the most critically acclaimed rappers in the Clan, both for his work with the group itself and for his solo albums.

About Dfest

Dfest is the Midwest's largest music festival and most comprehensive music conference in the Midwest. National acts The All-American Rejects, The Roots, The Disco Biscuits, Clutch, Paramore, Zappa Plays Zappa, Ghostland Observatory, moe., Helmet, Phantom Planet, Edison Glass, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, AM, Ty England, Ravi, The Apples In Stereo, Joshua James, and Cory Chisel play to large audiences in Tulsa's Blue Dome District. In addition to national acts, Dfest features 130 unsigned artists selected from applicants for these slots that exceeded 1,000 musical acts.

About Samantha

Samantha Maloney, most widely known as one of the sexiest drummers in Rock, is the host of maniaTV's flagship music show, All Access, a show which takes the viewer deep inside the world of major artists and showcases the best in new music. Samantha, a "Fame" high school alum, has traveled the world drumming for well-known bands such as Hole, Motley Crue, Eagles of Death Metal, and Peaches and has collaborated with artists such as Courtney Love, Pras, Lucy Walsh, Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan. In addition to composing and producing the original score for the award winning documentary Bounce: Behind The Velvet Rope, Samantha has also contributed her musical genius to well-known movie soundtracks, including Ridley Scott's Oscar winning film, Black Hawk Down, Prey For Rock and Roll, and the recently released, Never Back Down. Samantha has also graced the silver screen as an actor in Factory Girl and the 2008 Sundance favorite, Adventures of Power. Samantha resides in Los Angeles, California and is currently producing and songwriting for well known acts in the rock, pop and electronic genres and is in the midst of putting the final touches on her own flagship musical endeavor, The Ingenues.

About maniaTV
The maniaTV Network launched in 2004 as the world's first Internet TV network. The company produces, sells and distributes made for internet programming targeting the 18 to 34 year old audience while delivering innovative branded entertainment opportunities to leading brands and advertisers. With a state-of-the-art production studio in Hollywood, maniaTV produces groundbreaking, award-winning programming for 8+ million viewers each month. maniaTV's programming slate ranges from music and comedy, to drama, video gaming, and action sports. Leading shows include Dave Navarro's Spread TV, National Lampoon's Lemmings, Arcade, and All Access. maniaTV delivers unique brand experiences within each show and has served over 50 of Advertising Age's Top 100. Through its visionary market leadership and focus on premium content and distribution partnerships, maniaTV is redefining television for the 21st Century. We like to call it "Television 2.0".For the latest maniaTV news and updates, go to http://blog.maniatv.com/.

Contact: Jason Damata 917-279-8706 jason(at)fabricmedia.net