IRV DA PHENOM - Artist Profile

Real name: Mitchell Irving
AKAs: Nowdaze
City: Kansas City, KS
Labels: Def Metal Gospel
Influences and favorite artists: Bilal, Scarface, Raphael Saadiq, Tank, Goodie Mob, Big L

Image source: Mixtape Monkey

Mitchell Irving got his real start as an artist by, ironically, being rejected by the reality TV singing competition American Idol. He incorporated this inauspicious beginning into his breakthrough mixtape, titled American Idol Reject!, and began to grow an audience. He soon got notice from Kansas City heavyweight Tech N9ne, who brought Irving, as Irv da Phenom, under his wing, collaborating with him and bringing him on tours. Irv built a sizable following in the Kansas City area this way, standing out as both a talented MC and vocalist amongst a wave of millennial MCs from the Kansas City area. Irv released a series of well-received mixtapes and scored a viral hit with his ode to KC "Red and Yellow," a remix of Wiz Khalifa's smash hit "Black and Yellow." Tech N9ne spoke publicly about his desire to sign Irv to Strange Music, but Irv wanted to continue as an independent artist with his own label, Def Metal Gospel, so named because of the diverse influences in Irv's music, including soul, hip hop, gospel, and rock and roll, a hybrid he refers to simply as "music for humans."

Sometime around 2013, Irv had a falling out with Strange Music over allegedly unpaid royalties and wages for touring. Irv hired KC radio personality Brooklyn Martino from Hot 103 Jamz as his manager and moved to California, working closely with Hopsin's Funk Volume label until its dissolution. In 2017 he changed his name to Nowdaze for a fresh start, and made another viral hit with his cover of Audioslave's "Like a Stone," paying tribute to Chris Cornell after his death. He eventually returned to Kansas City and reverted back to the Irv da Phenom moniker after a few years away from recording albums, returning in late 2020 with Super Bold Player. Around this time, he also revealed that rapper Big Scoob served as a mediator in resolving his issues with Tech N9ne.

Irv also manages his family's tire shop, Irving's Tire, in Kansas City.

Solo Discography

Tire Shops and Night Clubs, 2008
American Idol Reject! (mixtape), 2009

Free, 2010

Dream Big Hustle Hard (#DBHH) Vol. 1 (mixtape), 2011

Allnighter (mixtape), 2011
12 Days of Freestyles (mixtape), 2011

Who the F#@k Is Irv da Phenom? (mixtape), 2012

Los Kangeles, 2013

Power Level (mixtape), 2013

Dream Big Hustle Hard Vol. 2 (mixtape), 2016

Super Bold Player, 2020

SINGLES (NOT AVAILABLE ON ALBUMS)

• Kansas City Do It Big! (2013)
• I'm Royal (2014)
• U R (2015)
• Buen Chico (2016)
• Faded (2017)
• Not a Sound (feat. King Chris, 2017)
• Wyco Flow (2017)
• Ziploc (2017)
• Like a Stone (2018)

GUEST APPEARANCES

• 
  2009
• "Breathe Again," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze (Monsterifik)
• "Back In Time," C-Mob feat. Nowdaze (Hard Times & Hard Liquor)
• "A Day In the Park," Dutch Newman & Greg Enemy feat. Nowdaze (Made an E.P., Wanna Hear It?)
• "Hunterish," Tech N9ne feat. Krizz Kaliko and Nowdaze (K.O.D.)
  2010
• "Gucci By Gucci," Craig Smith feat. Nowdaze and Stik Figa (Angels and Demons)
• "Alone," DJ Shad feat. Nowdaze (Da Under Ground Volume 1)
• "Get It Girl," Krizz Kaliko feat. Kortney Leveringston and Nowdaze (Shock Treatment)
• "Get Active," Krizz Kaliko feat. Nowdaze (Shock Treatment)
• "She Wants Me," Kutt Calhoun feat. Nowdaze and Too Short (Raw and Un-Kutt)
• "So Hard," Nesto the Owner feat. Nowdaze (Career Killer)
• "Keep It One Hunit," Tech N9ne feat. Big Scoob, Glasses Malone, and Nowdaze (Collabos: The Gates Mixed Plate)
• "Oh You Didn't Know," Tech N9ne feat. Nowdaze and Popper (Collabos: The Gates Mixed Plate)
• "Loud," Tech N9ne feat. Alan Wayne, Bizzy, and Nowdaze (Collabos: The Gates Mixed Plate)
• "Need More Angels," Tech N9ne feat. Nowdaze (Collabos: The Gates Mixed Plate)
• "Somethin' To See," Tech N9ne feat. Krizz Kaliko and Nowdaze (Bad Season)
• "Lick Your Teeth," Tech N9ne feat. Krizz Kaliko and Nowdaze (Bad Season)
  2011
• "Mr. PCS," Big Ben & Popper feat. Nowdaze (Pump Central Station)
• "White Bitch," Big Scoob feat. Krizz Kaliko and Nowdaze (Damn Fool)
• "If U Kall," Big Scoob feat. Big Rich, Krizz Kaliko, and Nowdaze (Damn Fool)
• "Take Me Away," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze (Damn Fool)
• "Amazing," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze (Damn Fool)
• "Doin' My Thang," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze and Txx Will (Damn Fool)
• "If You Only Knew," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze (No Filter)
• "Look At Me Now," JL feat. Nowdaze and Zoo (Just Landed)
• "Everyday," Messy Marv and Young Doe feat. Nowdaze and Rydah J. Klyde (Am To the Pm)
• "Part Time Lover," Nesto the Owner feat. Nowdaze (Manimal)
• "All I Need," Pittsburgh Philthy feat. Nowdaze (Pittbull Vicious)
• "EMJ," Tech N9ne feat. Jay Rock, King Harris, Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Mayday, Nowdaze, and Stevie Stone (Collabos: Welcome To Strangeland)
• "Road Rage," Tech N9ne feat. Nowdaze (Collabos: Welcome To Strangeland)
• "Curious (What Up Wit Ya Girl)," Tech N9ne feat. Nowdaze and Royce 5'9" (Bad Season retail mixtape)
  2012
• "Know What I Do," AY-Musik feat. AJ Young, Chief Wakil, ESQ, and Nowdaze (Above and Beyond)
• "Need a $," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze (Dope Talk Volume 1: The Mixed Joint)
• "Alright," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze and Ron Ron (Dope Talk Volume 1: The Mixed Joint)
• "I Feel It," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze (Dope Talk Volume 1: The Mixed Joint)
• "Survival of the Fittest," Bukshot feat. I4NI and Nowdaze (Helter Skelter)
• "Shotgun Kisses," Dizzy Wright feat. Jarren Benton and Nowdaze (The First Agreement)
• "Hustle and Flow," JL feat. Nowdaze (Brain Scatter)
• "One Step At a Time," John Keenan feat. Mark Keenan and Nowdaze (Where I Went Wrong)
• "Where I Wanna Be," John Keenan feat. Mark Keenan and Nowdaze (Where I Went Wrong)
• "One Step At a Time (Remix)," John Keenan feat. Mark Keenan and Nowdaze (Where I Went Wrong)
• "City Cryin', Pt. II," Rondoe & Cash Image feat. Bishop YoungDon and Nowdaze (Money Motivated)
• "All City (East West Mix)," UBI feat. Mac Lethal, Nesto the Owner, Nowdaze, and Panic (Matter Don't Money)
• "Zombieland Rule 32," XV feat. Nowdaze (Popular Culture)
  2013
• "Baby Girl a Ridah," Above the Clouds feat. Nowdaze (Elevate: Ground Level)
• "Phenom!," Brian B Shynin feat. Nowdaze (Underground Heat: Street Radio)
• "Something About Susan," Brotha Lynch Hung feat. C.O.S. and Nowdaze (Mannibalector)
• "Bender (Kansas City All-Star Remix)," C.O.A. feat. Dutch Newman, Godemis, JL, Joey Cool, Mac Lethal, Nowdaze, Tech N9ne, Yung Prez, and Yung Stylez (single)
• "Love & War," Davie Darko feat. Nowdaze (Heart of Fire)
• "2 Wings and a Crown," Dizzy Wright feat. Nowdaze (The Golden Age)
• "Let Me In the Game (Remix)," Exakt feat. Futuristic, Jarren Benton, Nowdaze, and Shizzy VI (single)
  "Let Me In the Game," Futuristic feat. Jarren Benton, Nowdaze, and Shizzy VI (single)
• "Horror Movie," K. Kerr feat. Jarren Benton and Nowdaze (The Komodo Dragon of Rap)
• "My Life," Mayday feat. Nowdaze (Believers)
• "The Jungle," Nesto the Owner feat. JL and Nowdaze (No Remorse)
• "Screaming Out," Twiztid feat. Dominic and Nowdaze ("A New Nightmare")
  2014
• "Madman," Black Oxygen feat. Nowdaze (single)
• "Hard Liquor," Blydell feat. Nowdaze (Till I'm Sore)
• "Man In the Mirror," Cryptic Wisdom feat. Nowdaze (X's & O'z)
• "What Ya Know," Dr. Carter feat. Johnny Be, Nowdaze, and Sloan Bone (single)
• "What You Said To Me," Juda feat. Nowdaze (Finding My Way)
• "Day 1 Homies," Kato feat. Chris Webby, Futuristic, and Nowdaze (Kato's Revenge)
• "I'm Done," Skattabrain feat. 8o8 and Nowdaze (single)
• "Moonlight Grind," Tr3-C feat. Nowdaze (W.A.R.: Whats Actualy Real)
• "I Know," VG feat. Nowdaze (Mi Nina Traviesa)
  2015
• "You Can Bet On Me," AK feat. Nowdaze (Enough Said)
• "Just Trying 2 Live My Life," AK feat. Nowdaze (Enough Said)
• "No Time Is Better," Dizzy Wright feat. Nowdaze (The Growing Process: #TheSecondAgreement)
• "Shine the Light," DJ Hoppa feat. Dessy Hinds and Nowdaze (Hoppa and Friends)
• "On Top of the World," D-Locc da Chop feat. J. Stalin, Kush Lamma, and Nowdaze (Bipolar)
• "Without You," K Lab feat. Nowdaze (The K Files)
• "Smokin' Good," Potluck feat. Nowdaze (#StonerProblems)
• "Everyday Hustle," Slo Pain feat. Nowdaze (Ride Colorado)
  2016
• "MTIB," Koahrilla feat. Nowdaze (Make the Instrumentals Bleed)
• "Running," Swizzz feat. Nowdaze (single)
• "Take Me Away," Swizzz feat. Nowdaze (single)
  2017
• "Loophole," Dizzy Wright feat. Nowdaze (The Golden Age 2)
  2018
• "Still Here," Big Scoob feat. Nowdaze (Duality)
  2019
• "Melinated Kings," Dizzy Wright feat. Nowdaze (Nobody Cares, Work Harder)

COMPILATION APPEARANCES

• "We Do It Right," Nowdaze, Prep School, and Tech N9ne (Tech N9ne Strange Days Tour: A Decade of Excellence)
• "1zie," Nowdaze and Tech N9ne (Tech N9ne Strange Days Tour: A Decade of Excellence)

TIRE SHOPS AND NIGHT CLUBS

Released: December 31, 2008

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST
1. Just a Man

2. Damn Fool

3. Hey Ernest!

4. Tried College (feat. Craig Smith)

5. Dosage

6. Wish I Didn't Love You

7. Stop Listenin' 2 Ya Homegirls (feat. Nesto the Owner)

8. How I Feel (feat. Big Scoob)

9. The Haze (feat. D.Linquent)

10. Real Men Don't Cry

11. Hey Love (feat. Homework Jones)

12. Shameless Plug

13. Love Me No More (feat. Kutt Calhoun)

14. Son Don't Be a Playa

15. How I'm Gon' B

16. Handcuffs

17. Dreamin'

18. Yo DJ

19. Alone

AMERICAN IDOL REJECT!

Released: 2009

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST

1. Intro

2. Phenom!

3. Stay Fly (feat. Nesto the Owner)

4. A Milli

5. The Otha Side

6. Flashing Lights (feat. Craig Smith and Greg Enemy)

7. Sounds Real Good

8. That's 2 Bad

9. Tech Drop

10. E.B.K.Y.

11. Sike!

12. Heartless

13. Let's Dip (feat. Alan Wayne)

14. Crazy Girl (feat. Louie 5)

15. AI In KC

16. Grind 4 You

17. 4 am Freestyle

18. Swagga Like Us (feat. Ring)

19. Get Ya Hustle Up (feat. J Gotti)

20. Pop Champagne (feat. Homework Jones and Kutt Calhoun)

21. Writer's Block

22. So Cold (feat. January Blaq)

23. Just Like You

24. Chopped and Skrewed (feat. Krizz Kaliko)

25. Melt Down

FREE

Released: 2010

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST

1. Make It Look Dope

2. What I Do It Fo (feat. B Double E and Nesto the Owner)

3. Gettin' That

4. Ice Man

5. Leave a Message (Skit)

6. Hit Me Up

7. A Poem (Skit)
8. Bottom B

9. Moon

10. Behind My Smile

11. Sick of You

12. Work To Do

13. Gucci By Gucci (feat. Craig Smith and Stik Figa)

14. Smoke Sumn

15. Lessons In Fly

DREAM BIG HUSTLE HARD (#DBHH) VOL. 1

Released: April 26, 2011

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST
1. Last Hope (feat. Bre the 1st Lady)

2. We Don't Try (feat. Chillest Illest)

3. Red & Yellow (feat. B Double E and Cash Image)

4. Where I'm From (feat. Saigon)

5. Toyota Mode

6. Bottom B

7. Copilot

8. The Irv Show (feat. Homework Jones)

9. Goin' In For the Kill

10. MMM

11. Vices

12. Ice Man

13. Phenom Pt. 2

14. Bless My (feat. Big Scoob)

15. ..... (feat. Mac Lethal)

16. Changin' (feat. January Blaq)

17. Nightmare (feat. Brotha Lynch Hung and Krizz Kaliko)

18. Don't Know How To Lose

19. You Can't Tell Me

ALLNIGHTER
Released: October 4, 2011
Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST
1. 3:41 am (Intro)

2. Dope Freestyle

3. Speeding Ticket

4. The Usher Song

5. Home Girl

6. Ballers

7. Disguise

8. 5:36 am (Interlude)

9. Too High To Care

10. 1000

11. The Proof

12. Ain't Hannlin'

13. Hour Hand (feat. Gee Watts)

14. Day 1

15. Home! (Outro)

12 DAYS OF FREESTYLES

Released: December 27, 2011

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST

1. #1

2. #2

3. #3

4. #4

5. #5

6. #6

7. #7

8. #8 (Steve Jobs) (feat. B Double E)

9. #9

10. #10

11. #11 (The Room)

12. #12 (All I Want)

WHO THE F#@K IS IRV DA PHENOM?
Released: May 6, 2012

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST

1. Phenom! Pt. 3

2. 2 Thumbs Up (feat. Louie 5)
3. Sex Appealin'

4. What I Like

5. Hop In (feat. GLC)

6. To the Flo

7. Hate Your Family

8. Happily Ever After

9. Marijuana (feat. Potluck)

10. The Truth

11. M.M.M. Voicemail

12. Errbody

13. End Times

14. Head In the Clouds (feat. XV)

15. DMG

LOS KANGELES

Released: May 20, 2013

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST

1. Love You, Bye.

2. Diamond Stuffed Pillow

3. The Possession

4. Young, Black and Winning

5. Burn It Down

6. Rhymebook Therapy

7. Well Wishes (Skit)

8. Shine

9. Big Chico (Skit)

10. Under My Seat (feat. Yo Brotha)

11. Here I Am

12. Claim It (feat. Ivy)

13. Y.B.W. (Remix) (feat. Dizzy Wright and Jarren Benton)

14. Brain On Drugs

15. Weed Date

16. What's Hood (feat. Tay)

POWER LEVEL

Released: September 21, 2013

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST

1. S.A.S.H.A. Intro

2. Attention Debo Hydro Disco

3. U.O.E.N.O. (But You Should)

4. Drinkin' Again

5. Gates Sauce On the Beach

6. Power Booth (Skit)

7. Gin & Juice 2014

8. Metal Showers

9. Hardbody Clinton (feat. Marcus Yates)

10. No Damn Good

11. Dat Dope

12. Deja Vu

13. HHDX TBP Cypher (feat. Aqualeo)

14. May 21st Freestyle

15. They Know (feat. Homework Jones and Louie 5)

16. Hudson Mohawk

17. I'm Ready (Skit)

18. Back To Life

DREAM BIG HUSTLE HARD VOL. 2
Released: September 6, 2016

Label: Def Metal Gospel

TRACK LIST

1. Still

2. The Come Up

3. Million

4. Town Town

5. 88 Great (feat. Obvi)

6. Look Mama We Made It (feat. Gee Watts)

7. Love Yourself (Interlude)

8. Palo Santo (feat. Auni Saxton)

9. Inspired By You

10. Buzzin'

11. Face de Blunt

12. Detonate

13. Killa City State of Mind

SUPER BOLD PLAYER

Released: November 6, 2020

TRACK LIST

1. Lipstick On My Dior

2. Amazed

3. Roll the Dice

4. A Lot Done Changed

5. Everybody Can't Go

6. Blowin' Vapors

7. Made For It

8. Uncle Ben

9. Vibrant