Irv Da Phenom

Phenomemon derives from the Greek term phainomenon, meaning "to appear." Irv Da Phenom, a singer from Kansas City, hopes that people will start to notice his musical output. Born Mitchell Irving Jr., the Wyandotte County native still has plenty of time to establish himself. He began his performing career while roaming the halls of Wyandotte High School with a musical group, Triple Threat Society. Now, at 20, Irv still isn't old enough to drink legally, but age hasn't deterred his grind. Still performing with the members of Triple Threat, Irv now has his own label, Def Metal Gospel. His solo debut on that label, American Idol Reject, is scheduled for February release. The small sample offered on his MySpace page finds Irv embracing multiple musical personalities. On a remix of Kanye West's "Flashing Lights," Irv both raps and sings, and he morphs into Nate Dogg with soaring backup vocals on the chronically West Coast track, "In the Mood." It's a wide-ranging, generic mix — from hip-hop to R&B to soul — that Irv simply describes as "human." He'll look for a few more of those when he takes the stage with rappers Louis V and Homework Jones at the Mission Theatre.