| Danny Diablo | |
| Birth Name: | Dan Singer |
| Birth Date: | 20 December 1971 |
| Birth Place: | Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Vocalist |
| Years Active: | 1994–present |
| Associated Acts: | Mars |
Dan Singer (born December 20, 1971), known professionally as Danny Diablo and Lord Ezec, is an American hardcore punk and hip hop vocalist. He is a current member of underground hip hop acts The ShotBlockers, KAOS 13 and FTW, and a founding member of hardcore bands Crown of Thornz, Skarhead, and Icepick, which gained him success on the New York hardcore scene.[1] [2]
Born in Harlem, New York, Dan Singer is the son of a Brooklyn-born Polish-Jewish police sergeant father and a Puerto Rican homemaker mother from the East River Houses of Spanish Harlem.[3]
Singer formed New York hardcore band Crown of Thornz in 1994 with former Breakdown guitarist Mike Dijan, drummer Dimi, and bassists Steve O'Brien and Franklin Rhi. In 1995, the band released their debut EP Train Yard Blues on Equal Vision Records, dedicating it to Singer's younger brother David, who had committed suicide the previous year. The following year the group released Mentally Vexed. In 1998, the band began a hiatus. In 2013, Crown of Thornz reunited for Ieperfest in Belgium, This Is Hardcore in Philadelphia, and a North American tour with Rancid and The Transplants.
While Crown of Thornz was on hiatus, Singer decided to set a new trend with his street blend of hardcore, metal, hip hop and punk, founding a new music genre he calls thugcore, with the band Skarhead. The band consisted of Madball's guitarist and bassist Brian "Mitts" Daniels and Hoya Roc, former White Trash bassist Aaron "White Owl" Collins, Murphy's Law's and Misfits' drummer Eric "Goat" Arce, and Puerto Rican Mike from District 9. Skarhead's debut Drugs, Money & Sex EP was released in 1997. The band soon signed to Victory Records for the release of the New York hardcore record Kings at Crime, which hit stores in 1999. The band also had success with their sophomore LP Drugs, Music & Sex, released in 2009. In 2011, European label I Scream Records released the album Dreams Don't Die, Skarhead's tribute to some of Singer's favorite bands from the era between 1986 and 1989.
In 1996, Singer collaborated with Jamey Jasta to form the metalcore band Icepick, which served as a side project of Hatebreed, along with their bandmates Derek Kerswill, Wayne Lozinak and Frank Novinec. The group remained virtually stagnant until the song "Born to Crush You" appeared on UFC: Ultimate Beat Downs, Vol. 1 in August 2004. Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski frequently used their song "Onward to Victory" as his entrance music for fights. Icepick's debut album, Violent Epiphany, was released on April 18, 2006 under Jasta's record label Stillborn Records.[4]
Singer's current band is The Wilding Incident, which also features Jimmy Williams of Nausea and Maximum Penalty.[5]
Singer's first solo recording began with "D.R.E.A.M." by The Transplants, which led him to sign with Travis Barker of Blink-182's LaSalle Records for the 2005 release of his Hardcore 4 Life EP.[6] Diablo included some of its tracks on Thugcore 4 Life[7] record released in 2007, featuring the Tim Armstrong-produced track "Living By The Gun". His friendship with Armstrong continued, and he moved to Epitaph Records and signed with Tim's Hellcat Records[8] to release his sophomore solo album International Hardcore Superstar in 2009, with guest appearances by La Coka Nostra members, Vinnie Paz, Sick Jacken and Tim himself.
In early 2012, Singer founded his own independent record label, ILL-ROC Records[9] and released his third solo album, The Blood Of Eden, which featured Madchild, Bizarre, Adil Omar, and the ILL-ROC roster. He went to Paris and released his fourth solo album, Dollerz Make Sense, in 2016 with label Knives Out Records.[10]
Singer has made vocal appearances on releases by Ceekay Jones, Jay R, Grizz, and Prince Metropolitan.[11]
| Year | Song | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Unified" | Biohazard, Roger Miret, Puerto Rican Mike | Uncivilization |
| 2002 | "D.R.E.A.M." | Transplants | Transplants |
| 2004 | "Spit My Rage" | Terror, Jamie Jasta | One with the Underdogs |
| "Watch Your Back" | Necro | The Pre-Fix for Death | |
| 2005 | "Unstoppable" | Subzero | The Suffering of Man |
| 2007 | "Put 'Em Up" | Big B | More to Hate |
| 2008 | "Nothing To Prove" | H2O | Nothing to Prove |
| "Desperados" | Riviera Regime, Necro | Real Soldierz Ride | |
| 2013 | "Go Fuck Yourself" | Deez Nutz | Bout It! |
| 2015 | "Danny Diablo vs Cirex" | Cirex | Single[13] |
| 2020 | "Danny Diablo vs Chris Brown" | TRAPT |