A.M.P. – What does it all mean?

The acronym “A.M.P.” could stand for: All My People, Acknowledge My Presence, Afflicted Music Productions, All Mighty Poets & Producers, All Must Pray or perhaps the most fitting to the three man ensemble, Anger Management Program. As a group, A.M.P. is a new face but these “up and comers” are actually refined veterans of hip hop.

Flipout is one of the most well known figures in the Vancouver hip hop community. As a DJ, he has worked extensively over the last 8 years, both in Vancouver’s top clubs and for several radio stations. He currently holds it down on The BEAT 94.5fm (Vancouver) as both an on air personality and mix show DJ. Flipout has shown intense dedication, skill and respect for the basic hip hop elements: He is the founder of the legendary Vancity b -boy squad, Contents Under Pressure; he is sought-after as a producer, having composed beats for such known recording artists as Sondoobie, Checkmate, the Rascalz and of course A.M.P. Flipout was crowned as the undisputed “freestyle” emcee champion of Vancouver and his mic control and vocal theatrics are showcased as a rapper for A.M.P.

Verbal Venom is the other key vocalist in the group. He is often used as Flipout's decoy and the two are commonly mistaken as brothers. However, these two sons of Portuguese immigrants are actually 1st cousins, and this connection of blood can be felt in their onstage chemistry. Venom has been writing and rapping for more than half his life and sometimes carries on his daily conversations speaking entirely in prose. He has an impressive vocal delivery, combining wit and cynicism in his rhymes.

Zak Santiago is the DJ of the group and has been a successful club and radio DJ in Canada and Europe throughout the last decade. A professional film and television actor, dancer and classically trained musician, Zak brings a complete and distinct energy as a performance artist. He and Flipout together form the wildly popular DJ duo “Los Hermanos Libres”. Zak is the host of MTV’s “Breakout”, a series that profiles newly signed artists; he is hoping to have A.M.P. appear on this show soon.

These three share an infinite common bond. The founding date of A.M.P. is October 23rd 1999. That was the night Flipout and Venom were involved in a head-on car collision in which their good friend and Flipout’s wifey of five years Maria, was killed instantly. In July of the previous year, Zak’s fiancee Tatiana, a friend to these men, was killed in a similar tragedy. These incredibly coincidental events inform A.M.P.’s voice to the very core. As true artists, A.M.P.’s, passion is their greatest attribute. Their live shows are powerful displays of raw emotion. A.M.P have managed to capture this emotion in the studio, press it onto wax and then relate it to their listeners, touching hearts, minds and souls with their music…

Zak Santiago | Verbal Venom | Flipout