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2010 will mark a new direction in the career of the singer, dancer, songwriter, record executive and filmmaker known as Omarion. The Los Angeles-bred Omari Grandberry has witnessed the entertainment business firsthand, as he saw hordes of talent come and go in a city whose avenues are paved with the debris of broken dreams. But after starting his career under the tutelage of Chris Stokes in the R&B group B2K, and having deals fall through with mega-producer Timbaland and the world-renowned hip-hop star Lil’ Wayne, the 25-year-old maestro is looking to benefit creatively and financially with the January 2010 release of his third solo album, “Ollusion.”

For his new album, Omarion penned all of the material, and even directed the video for his first single, “I Get It In,” which features Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane. Call it a coincidence, but just as the young mogul decides to personally explore the trials and tribulations of the music business on this album, it will be the first release under his StarWorld Entertainment imprint with EMI. This perfect mixture of circumstances should make for an exciting and emotional project, but it won’t stray far away from Omarion’s core– and that’s entertainment.

With the passing of Michael Jackson this summer, Omarion was one of the artists that I thought would be greatly affected by the legend’s death. He even confessed that if there was a bloodline of performers, he would definitely come from Jackson’s. But his artistic DNA would also incorporate the genetics of Sammy Davis Jr., Fred Astaire, James Brown and The Nicholas Brothers, entertainers whose music and fluid movement created a unique harmony of innovation.

As the bright beginnings of the New Year dawns upon us, and his album release date swiftly approaches, Omarion now sees the love of music continuing to trickle down his family tree. During his down time, he occasionally observes his one-year-old niece move to the beat of music whenever it’s in her earshot–bringing back the memories of when he first fell in love with entertainment. As her star power continues to grow in its infancy, Omarion’s should shine brighter with each definitive leap he takes from this album forward.