AZARAEL

Azarael, a hip-hop artist turned mogul, began writing poetry at 13 in 1989. Raised in a Christian home with no access to secular music, his early influences stemmed from Classical composers like Bach and Gospel legends like André Crouch. After high school, he dove into hip-hop, beat-making, recording, mixing, and mastering.

In 2018, he founded Salvation Wreckordz, Tha Epicenter Studioz, and the production team Da Knock Trollz. By 2020, armed with four music degrees, he expanded his vision and launched Da MuvMint—a movement using music to combat unrighteousness. With over 500 songs in his catalog, Azarael shifted focus to leading the label.

His final album as an artist, Fade to Black / Facing Life, dropped on February 27, 2023, available only on the label’s website, YouTube Channels (@muvminttv , @TideBreak_SoundWorkz) and Bandcamp. Now, he's expanding his creative reach with new ventures:

The strategy guide "On Your Own Terms: The SalvWreck Blueprint" (Currently On Hold)
Writing the epic fantasy "Dreamland: The Castaway Emergence"
Working on remixing and remastering his catalog
Building traction for TideBreak SoundWorkz

In 2024 while at Berklee, Azarael was the executive producer for the Charles Stewart album "Fall In Love Again". On the album he produced 6 of the 9 tracks, mixed, mastered, created the marketing strategy and oversaw distribution. It was also during this year that he began the creation of the Castaway brand.

In 2025, after seeing the label wasn't functioning effectively, he dismissed the entire staff and artist and began running the label by himself since April of 2025. Embracing the Castaway brand fully, he left behind the name Da Knock Trollz, Epicenter Studioz and Resurrected Productions to begin TideBreak SoundWorkz and the TideBreak MuvMintz Sound Studio. This year would also mark his effort to expand the reach of the label with The Castaway MuvMinterz Studio Tour 2025 to record the label's 8th Christmas album.

As of 2026, he continues to run the label alone while creating SalvWreck Pictures and beginning the soundscape and voiceover for the animation for the Dreamland prologue. Azarael is also in the process of putting together another Studio Tour for the 9th Christmas album with hopes of recording it abroad in 2027.