Is this rapper really a former Marine?

[thedrifter]

Is this rapper really a former Marine?
By Kimberly Johnson - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Apr 20, 2007 5:37:50 EDT



Ymc Records
Dallas-based hip-hop artist and Billboard Music chart topper Steve Austin, known as Bioniq MC, says a lot of things in his past have shaped his 'banging beats,' most notably his time in the Marine Corps. But the Corps says it never heard of him.

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

[jryanjack]

Poser - Made SSgt in 4 years - not possible given minimum time in service and time in grade requirments, unless all meritorious/combat promotions; however, wouldn't we then know about this guy? Discharged in 2000 after serving "4 and 4" but fought in the 1st Gulf War?

[bootlace15]

I wonder if the IRS knows him?

bootlace15 out

[bigdog43701]

ruttt-rowwww george...do we have a possible wanna be?

[outlaw3179]

Turd

[davblay]

Another JOHN WAYNE, RAMBO, and GI JOE wannabe all wrapped up in one! I guess if you are going to spin a tale of Military, the Marines is the best one to choose!!!! Piece of crap!

[jetdawgg]

Send that @sshole to PISC for a week

[killerinstinct]

wierd thing is all records are now maintained at HQMC no longer in st louis.

But yea i have never known a grunt of all people to advance to SSGT in one term except as said earlier combat promotions..

oh well maybe he was one of the few that went adn were dcischarge for popping on the **** test in bootcamp and made up this story...

it's sad to see so many punks out there....

the other day i saw someone who was claiming he was in the marine corps with his dress blue pics online and he was a pfc with an nco buckle and blood stripe... HAHAHA he might have been just a rock and dicked up his uniform but posers arent a fun thing to deal with but i get a kick as it's easy to fool people but dont try and fool a real Marine

[YLDNDN6]

I am currently doing a little research into how to contact his agent, promoter, record company, etc...to see how they would react to a group of real Marines calling this poser out and possibly hitting their bottom line...I'll keep you guys informed as progress is made...

[semperfi170]

It never ceases to amaze me that all these wannabes pick our Corps. I guess
if you going to claim something, you might as well claim being part of the best with best looking uniforms. In the past when we had to fly in uniform to get reduced fares, I did catch a PFC with messed up blues. He was wearing a SNCO waistplate, had the trousers w/bloodstripes, and PFC chevrons on the blouse with a GCM & NDM. I got on the flight after him, so didn't see him till we got off. I was flying in my greens. Asked him for ID and orders and his old man tried to interfere. Dumba** was on leave from Lejeune! I told his father to politely but out. Wish we had cell phones w/cameras back then, I would have taken a picture and sent it to his unit. Long story short, got his info, told him I better not catch him dressed like that again around the area. Did call his 1st Sgt and forwarded a write-up as requested. The
1st Sgt said he would take care of him after leave. From the follow-up from the 1st Sgt to me the young lad caught hell for 2 months. The young lad was a supply type. BTW, the lad's old man was a long haired hippie.

[jetdawgg]

I am currently doing a little research into how to contact his agent, promoter, record company, etc...to see how they would react to a group of real Marines calling this poser out and possibly hitting their bottom line...I'll keep you guys informed as progress is made...

Great job Marine. Sniff that chump out. If you get any flack, ping me

I get tired of these idiots trying to "Pimp" the Marine Corps. This is no f@cking joke.

[YLDNDN6]

I sent this letter to the Dallas Observer just now, hopint that maybe they will try to sink their teeth into it as a possible story...it's a start....


To whom it may concern,
I am writing to you today in order to request your assistance in uncovering information regarding the military service of an individual who has been featured in your publication. It has come to the attention of literally thousands of United States Marines that a man by the name of Stephen Hall, also known as Steve Austin, also known as Bionic MC, has publicly claimed to have served in the United States Marine Corps within the ranks of the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion. To date, inquiries with the appropriate military records centers have produced only negative results, and the individuals conducting these searches have yet to discover ANY evidence which would support Mr. Hall's claims of having been in the Marine Corps. Marines who actually served in 4th Recon Bn during the timeframe Mr. Hall claims to have served have been questioned about these claims, and none of them have any memory of him, nor are there any records of his having been with the unit at any time in the history of the United States Marine Corps. Further, Mr. Hall claims to have been a Staff Sergeant at the time of his discharge from the Marines. The rank of Staff Sergeant CANNOT be obtained in such a short amount of time, which would have been four years of active duty. Marines take claims such as these extremely seriously, and these claims have recently become illegal with the passing of the Stolen Valor Act. There are men and women of every branch of the military overseas at this very moment, performing heroic deeds and laying their lives on the line for our country. It is appalling that someone who does not rate the title of Marine would make such claims publicly, whatever the reason may be. If your publication has any former Marines on staff, they will tell you the same thing. Any assistance that your publication can provide in this matter will be greatly appreciated. If nothing else, there may be one heck of a story here for one of your investigative reporters.
Respectfully submitted,

Merle R. Stone
United States Marine

[OLE SARG]

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

SEMPER FI,

[YLDNDN6]

I figured that with Bioniq MC being a local act, maybe they would be able to get at him more readily...I wonder what the major news agencies would do with this story...the way they are bringing the roaches out of the woodwork, maybe they would run with it...I'll find out...hee hee!

[OLE SARG]

There are a lot of roaches in the media woodwork, so be careful!!!!!

SEMPER FI,