"This is the year when I transition from part-time teacher to full-time entertainer." - Keith "Fathom" Cross

Finally. A hip-hop artist who recognizes and accepts the responsibility of delivering great music without demeaning women, glamorizing sex, drugs and violence, or offering successive strings of obscenities to make a point. As a seasoned musician and artist, Keith "Fathom" Cross is no stranger to the music game. With...

"This is the year when I transition from part-time teacher to full-time entertainer." - Keith "Fathom" Cross

Finally. A hip-hop artist who recognizes and accepts the responsibility of delivering great music without demeaning women, glamorizing sex, drugs and violence, or offering successive strings of obscenities to make a point. As a seasoned musician and artist, Keith "Fathom" Cross is no stranger to the music game. With a diverse musical background (Brazilian jazz?), he is one of the few artists who succeeds at delivering fresh lyrics that inspire, encourage and, above all, entertain.

"Before I became a teacher, my rap songs were as raunchy as the worst of rap music. When I realized my students internalize more of hip-hop culture than any other 'curriculum,' I became a different person, and returned to hip-hop a far better rapper."

A Los Angeles native and a graduate of USC, Keith admits that the road thus far has had its fair share of detours. "After graduating from USC, I took what I thought would be a part time job as a substitute teacher to pay the bills while I pursued my music career. I ended up having a passion for it, working full-time for a few years, side-lining music, and almost becoming a permanent teacher. But it wasn't in the plans."

After just a few years on the job, Keith realized that, while he was more than a capable teacher, his calling was music. "When I stopped pursuing music, something in me started to die. True story: I started going bald." But then something seemingly divine happened. An old friend invited him to go on tour with her band in London. Six months later, Keith Cross emerged with a new album, a revitalized spirit, and a renewed commitment to his craft, and a full head of hair.

"I love music: the taste of it, the feel of it, the energy. A life without music just isn't much of a life."

Keith's sophomore project, "Look Both Ways", is a riveting collection of hip-hop, soul, funk and jazz. As a socially conscious rapper and soul vocalist, Keith's music is proof that true hip-hop isn't dead; it just needed the right artist to rediscover its essence. And rediscover it he has. "Look Both Ways" delivers an album that rivals the best of the best in both the hip-hop and neo-soul genres. From the bluesy ballad of "Charmaine" to the politically-tinged "Policeman's Soul" to the rhapsodic "Beautiful Thang", "Look Both Ways" highlights Keith's stunning skills as a writer, artist and performer.