Is this rapper really a former Marine?

[YLDNDN6]

I just sent this letter to the investigative reporters at KDFW, the Fox affilliate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area


To whom it may concern,
I am writing today to call to your attention a possible investigative story about a Dallas area rapper, Stephen Hall, AKA Bioniq MC, who has publicly claimed to have served in the United States Marine Corps, though there is no record of his service at any of the military records centers. The recent rash of stories about this very matter is calling attention to the fact that people are making claims that cannot be substantiated, and by doing so, are taking attention away from our real heroes, who are laying their lives on the line every day overseas. Mr. Hall claims to have served in the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion of the Marine Corps, and extensive records searches and interviews with members of that elite unit have failed to validate any of Mr. Hall's claims. This matter is not only of great concern to U.S. Marines, both past and present, but may actually be considered illegal, with the recent passing of the Stolen Valor Act. I feel that this situation provides your staff with the opportunity to expose this person to the light of truth, and to allow the active members and veterans of our nation's military to score another one for the good guys. Any assistance that you can provide in this matter will be greatly appreciated.
Respectfully submitted,
Merle R. Stone
United States Marine

[jetdawgg]

YLDNDN6, I cut and pasted your message in an email to:

www.wdmg.com

katsulos@jetstreampr.com

bizdev@wdmg.com

artists@wdmg.com

[YLDNDN6]

Awesome! I am still working on getting contact info for the other entities that I mentioned...off to a good start anyway...

[YLDNDN6]

This one just went to YMC records in Dallas...I wonder which one of these is going to get me gunned down in my driveway??? I'd better put out a rap album so the sales can go way up after they get me...lol


To whom it may concern,
The purpose of this letter is to inform you of a potential scandal involving one of your signed artists. It has recently come to the attention of numerous United States Marine Corps organizations that rapper Stephen Hall, AKA Steve Austin, AKA Bioniq MC has made public claims of having served in the Marine Corps' 4th Reconnaissance Battalion. Recent investigations into that claim have turned up absolutely no evidence to substantiate his claims. This matter is not only viewed as gravely serious by present and past members of the Marine Corps, but may also be viewed as a criminal act, as defined by the recently passed Stolen Valor Act. While no action on your part is required at this point, it may be advisable to prepare for any fallout which may result from this suspected deception
Respectfully submitted,
Merle Stone
United States Marine

[jetdawgg]

This one just went to YMC records in Dallas...I wonder which one of these is going to get me gunned down in my driveway??? I'd better put out a rap album so the sales can go way up after they get me...lol


To whom it may concern,
The purpose of this letter is to inform you of a potential scandal involving one of your signed artists. It has recently come to the attention of numerous United States Marine Corps organizations that rapper Stephen Hall, AKA Steve Austin, AKA Bioniq MC has made public claims of having served in the Marine Corps' 4th Reconnaissance Battalion. Recent investigations into that claim have turned up absolutely no evidence to substantiate his claims. This matter is not only viewed as gravely serious by present and past members of the Marine Corps, but may also be viewed as a criminal act, as defined by the recently passed Stolen Valor Act. While no action on your part is required at this point, it may be advisable to prepare for any fallout which may result from this suspected deception
Respectfully submitted,
Merle Stone
United States Marine

What's your address now?

[thedrifter]

A bum rap
Have you heard of him? The Corps hasn’t.



Corps questions rapper’s alleged Marine past
By Kimberly Johnson - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Apr 20, 2007 14:15:19 EDT

Budding Dallas-based hip-hop artist and Billboard Music chart topper Steve Austin says a lot of things in his past have shaped his “banging beats,” most notably his time in the Marine Corps.

With the April 24 release of his new album, “800 LB Gorilla,” it’s a subject the former staff sergeant, who now is known as the Bioniq MC, was only too happy to talk about with Marine Corps Times. “My music is a mirror image of my soul and the life experiences I have gone through,” he said in a press release sent to this newspaper, offering to speak “about how being in the Marines influenced” his music.

He said he was inspired to join the Corps by two uncles who were leathernecks — one killed in action, the other wounded — and a need for some grounding in his young adult life, the self-proclaimed high school valedictorian said in a recent telephone interview.

“I had a lot of abilities and succeeded at a lot of things, but when adversity would come, I would often take the easy road out,” said Austin, whose real name is Stephen Hall, according to the New York-based American Society of Composers, Artists and Publishers.

The only problem is, the Marine Corps has never heard of him.

A search of Corps personnel records based on his real name, given service dates and ethnicity, turned up dry, according to one Marine official. “No one matches the Stephen Hall with whom you’ve spoken,” he said. A representative of the National Personnel Center in St. Louis — the clearinghouse of service records for all services — also found no record of the singer’s time in the Corps, or in any other service.

After the initial phone interview, Marine Corps Times made numerous attempts to contact the performer through his publicist for clarification about his claimed prior service — all of which went unanswered. Austin refused to provide any information that would substantiate his claim or assist in a military record search, such as his date of birth, the date he entered service, where he went to boot camp or the last four digits of his Social Security number.

In addition to that, Austin’s story could not be substantiated with the unit he claimed to serve with, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion. First Sgt. Carlos Sepeda, who has been with the unit for more than a decade, could find no record of Austin.

Sepeda added that Austin’s claimed rank would have been difficult to achieve after four years in the active duty, which is what Austin claimed. “It would be hard; I’ve never seen it,” he said. “Most staff sergeants have eight or more years before they’re in the zone.”

During the phone interview, Austin said his tenure as a Marine was “four and four,” referring to four years’ active duty, followed by four years in the Individual Ready Reserve. He said got out of the Corps in 2000 as an “E-6.”

When asked about his prior Corps service, Austin quickly parroted the recon mantra: “swift, silent and deadly.” While he was shy about giving much detail about his duties there, he did say he was a war veteran and served with his unit in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

He said he decided to go recon because of the challenge, he said. “I’m going to go where they need the highest scores, the most fitness. I’ve always been driven to do the best. It gave me fortitude. I knew when I went in and got out that I could do anything.”

In the meantime, his career has been on the rise. His new single, “Bussa Move,” is listed as No. 8 on Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Single Sales. The Dallas Observer has dubbed him the city’s Rapper of the Year.

Sepeda, the first sergeant, said he was concerned at the idea of someone masquerading as a former recon Marine.

“We take the Marine Corps very seriously, especially the recon family,” he said. “For someone to say they were there” — and not be — “it’s very disturbing.”

Ellie

[jetdawgg]

Can we make this a sticky?



We want to know the truth about him. TIA

[Osotogary]

Bullsh*t is always believed by those who want to believe it or by those who know nothing of the subject matter.
Send him to PIMCRD or Iraq with just his skivvies.

[capmarine]

this guy is real close to being charged under the STOLEN VALOR ACT.if he starts making claims of having earned that ribbon or wears(doesnt have to wear the ribbon mind you)he could be in deep doo-doo.when a person makes claims of military service and adds those little ittt-bitty ribbons we all need to complain.

[RLeon]

Sounds like another Frank Dux.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I think he should be charged with impersonating a human being.

Scumbag.

[Devildogg4ever]

Typical "rapper" = FULL OF ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEMPER FI,

yes sir, about the only thing they have alot of!!!!

[YLDNDN6]

After having settled down a bit since yesterday, I have come to realize (through a bit of help from several sources) that it is possible to obtain the rank of E-6 within four years, but come on...that's the exception to the rule. If I spoke out of turn, I will be more than happy to retract my statement. Bottom line here...drag this wannabe out and expose him for the loser that he really is...Semper Fi, Brothers!

[OLE SARG]

This ****head IS HARDLY THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE. This ******* looks like one of those wanna be tough guys who couldn't lick his own ass!!!!!!!!!!! Tattoos do not a man make!!!!!!!!!!

SEMPER FI,

[YLDNDN6]

OLE SARGE...I couldn't agree more with your statement...I just wanted to own up to the fact that I made a statement that can be proven false, and wanted to stop the deluge before it began. My daddy raised me with the idea that if you screw the pooch, you gotta raise the pups, so I tend to own up to my mistakes before the pups arrive...saves a lot of grief sometimes...