Platinum is a chemical element with symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, gray-white transition metal. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina, which is literally translated into "little silver".
Platinum is a member of the platinum group of elements and group 10 of the periodic table of elements. It has six naturally occurring isotopes. It is one of the rarer elements in Earth's crust with an average abundance of approximately 5 μg/kg. It occurs in some nickel and copper ores along with some native deposits, mostly in South Africa, which accounts for 80% of the world production. Because of its scarcity in Earth's crust, only a few hundred tonnes are produced annually, and given its important uses, it is highly valuable and is a major precious metal commodity.
Platinum is the least reactive metal. It has remarkable resistance to corrosion, even at high temperatures, and is therefore considered a noble metal. Consequently, platinum is often found chemically uncombined as native platinum. Because it occurs naturally in the alluvial sands of various rivers, it was first used by pre-Columbian South American natives to produce artifacts. It was referenced in European writings as early as 16th century, but it was not until Antonio de Ulloa published a report on a new metal of Colombian origin in 1748 that it became investigated by scientists.
Platinum is a barbershop quartet, created in 1998 and the 2000 SPEBSQSA international quartet champions. They are famous for their long posts (held notes at the end of songs), particularly in their adaptation of the song Be Our Guest and in Clay Hine's arrangement of Auld Lang Syne, which is on Platinum's CD of the same name.
Connelly and DeRosa were also members of the 1992 international champion quartet Keepsake. Connelly won gold in 1987 with the quartet Interstate Rivals and again in 2011 with the quartet Old School. DeRosa and Lewis are the lead and baritone of the 2007 Champions, MaxQ. Kevin Miles has been a member of The Dapper Dans of Harmony and has served as the Voice of Epcot Center, both at Walt Disney World.
Platinum was notable for scoring the most points for a single song in the history of the contest with their rendition of Cuddle Up A Little Closer, Lovey Mine, in which they scored 1438 points out of a possible 1500.
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see List of music recording certifications).
Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after precious materials.
The number of sales or shipments required for these awards depends upon the population of the territory in which the recording is released. Typically, they are awarded only to international releases and are awarded individually for each country in which the album is sold. Different sales levels, some perhaps 10 times lower than others, may exist for different music media (for example: videos versus albums, singles, or downloads).
The original gold record awards were presented to artists by their own record companies to publicize their sales achievements. The first of these was awarded by RCA Victor to Glenn Miller in February 1942, celebrating the sale of 1.2 million copies of "Chattanooga Choo Choo". Another example of a company award is the gold record awarded to Elvis Presley in 1956 for one million units sold of his single "Don't Be Cruel". The first gold record for an LP was awarded by RCA Victor to Harry Belafonte in 1957 for the album Calypso (1956), the first album to sell over 1,000,000 copies in RCA's reckoning.
Bout time, they opened up the do' for Z-Ro
Cause I've been dropping hits, since ten years ago
Trying to do it legal, and not slang yayo
If I can't get it legal, to the corner I go
I never took pride, in slanging cocaine
Never could get a job, but needed some mo' change
C.d.'s wasn't selling, because I had no name
Nothing but a t-shirt, no piece no chain
Too many times, I was ready to give up
Run up in a bank, and say this is a stick-up
Put my pain on records, and record sales picked up
The tears I done shed, led me to the big bucks
2000 and 4, I ain't broke no mo'
Cause God is my life jacket, when I sink solo
I went to a hundred thousand, from a whole fo'
So all you haters hate me, as I make a little mo'
[Hook]
I'm going platinum this time, (this time-this time)
I think you fellas, better respect my mind (mind-mind)
I'm here to collect my pennies, my nickels and my dimes (my dimes-my dimes)
And ain't nobody gonna block out my shine (shine-shine)
[Z-Ro]
They got me living in a '56, Mass L
My locker full of commsary, and my fan mail
My city saying Z-Ro, what you gon do when you get out of jail
I can't do no mo' pyrexes, no mo' scales
Trying to make a million dollas, off my melody
Couldn't see it coming, so I caught a state-jail felony
F-1 bunk twelve, there resides the stars
Special thanks to love, cause "I Hate U Bitch" climbed me to the top of the charts
Being free, is like being on lock
Niggaz still kick it with ya, but try to get some of what ya got
I ain't never seen, so many feminine men
Swear to God they holding in the world, but ain't nobody seeing dividends
That ain't the life of me, I had to get it
Might not be rich in the present, but I'ma be rich in a minute
Cause I got three Cuzos sitting up high, rolling 24's
Screaming A.B.N. get in the do', waiting for Ro
[Hook]
[Z-Ro]
Jealousy and envy, play a major role
Everytime a playa, try to get his pockets swoll
Somebody said I did this, and said I did that
Even told homicide, I pushed the homie's wig back
They don't wanna see, a nigga make it out of poverty
When will they realize, God is running with me ain't no stopping me
Probably never will, so keep on trying
You can clip my wings, but I see happiness in the sky so I'ma keep on flying
Until I find, a rested place
So many battle scars, blood on my chest and face
Whether I'm working or rapping 24/7, me and Satan be scrapping
He want my soul, but I ain't gon let it happen
Even if I lose my life, trying to chase my dream
Whoever do me, gon have hell when they face my team
I got them same three Cuzos holding me down, if I ain't coming back