|
 |
| |
|
For the rap purists, we're going to force-feed them instruments, and for the jam fans, we're going to make them listen to an MC. I really feel like our music has something for everyone.
-Raashan |
|
|
| |
|
Photo of Raashan by Matt Reamer
"We decided to move from Boston to Oakland, and as if it wasn't enough of a process moving five people and all their shit across the country, my house in Boston burns down two days before we're supposed to leave," Raashan says with a wry smile. "I would have been left with nothing, but word got around about the fire, and at the band's going-away party that same night, all of my friends replaced everything I had lost. Turntables, clothes, records, it was amazing."
Crown City Rockers by J. Libby |
Kat jumps in, "Two days later we finally get everything together, and we hit the road late at night. All the adrenaline from finally getting on the road subsides after we've been driving for about an hour. We're in a Mazda MPV towing a U-Haul, and everything is jam-packed. All of a sudden BOOOOOM...CRASH...SMACK. It's the worst noise you've ever heard. I'm driving, and I look up and see taillights zoom past us then off in the distance getting smaller. An 18-wheeler hit the U-haul and kept going. Didn't even slow down. We pull over and get out, and everyone is OK, but our stuff, our instruments are all over the highway."
"Like road kill," says Raashan.
"My Hammond B-3, Max's drums, Ethan had this beautiful bass...
Crown City Rockers Diggin' for Records |
"All of the turntables and stuff that all of my friends had just replaced for me after the fire, all ruined, all over the freeway."
In this case, the police did indeed protect and serve and caught the truck driver who rammed their U-haul further up the road. The insurance money from that accident not only replaced their instruments but also financed their first EP. Sometimes, there is divine justice.
Crown City is often described as "organic" hip-hop. Kat and Raashan agree that is an apt description before they agree on the definition of the term.
"I think it's live instrumentation," Kat says.
"No, because Jurassic 5, Blackalicious, and De La Soul are organic hip-hop," Raashan shoots back.
Max & Ethan by Matt Reamer |
"Honestly, I really don't know what it is, but my best guess is non-commercial hip-hop. Non booty hip-hop," Kat says. "The whole label thing can be pretty stifling. We come from such varied musical backgrounds that we make something that is hard to define. We don't sound like most rap groups because we have live instruments, and we don't sound like most jambands because we have an MC."
"I grew up listening to traditional hip-hop, and I didn't really know anything else besides that," Raashan says. For a while, everything else just sounded weird because it wasn't what I was used to, kind of like walking with blinders on. We're trying to take those blinders off people. For the rap purists, we're going to force-feed them instruments, and for the jam fans, we're going to make them listen to an MC. I really feel like our music has something for everyone, no matter what musical background you come from. We're still searching for our audience, and I know that they're out there. They just haven't heard us yet. When those folks find us, then I think we've 'made it' as a band. I want to look out in the audience and see everyone – ravers, moms, hipsters, thugs, and hippies all partying together."
Though they are trying to cram new music down people's throats, they are not trying to force their views on anyone.
Crown City Rockers by Matt Reamer |
"I don't want to be a preachy rapper" relates Raashan. "The last thing I want to do is force my views on anyone and get all uptight about people 'getting the message.' People will get what they are open to, and folks are open when they are dancing and having fun. I want people to dance and party and catch a lyric and be like 'snap, did you hear what he said?' and then be inspired to spread the word of peace and love. There is some quote, something like 'If I can't dance, I don't want to be a part of your revolution.' Dance, man. Don't take yourself so seriously."
"Party and revolution," Kat quips.
I have a sudden compelling desire to have 'Party and Revolution' tattooed prominently on my person.
Crown City Rockers |
"It's not unheard of in music to be popular and ground-breaking. Popular music hasn't always been booty-hop," Raashan continues. Marvin Gaye was popular. In the early days of hip-hop, Rakim and KRS-One and Tribe Called Quest were popular. Growing up as a poor black youth in L.A. at the same time that hip-hop was advancing as a culture and hearing those guys saying revolutionary things about black people, it opened up my mind and made me stand a little bit taller. And that was on the radio. If we could do that... that would be it," he laughs.
The Crown City Rockers are on tour now, dissolving musical boundaries and preconceived notions as they tear the roof off. The Revolution may not be televised, but when it goes down, the Crown City Rockers are likely to be playing the soundtrack.
Rhyme writing pressure is on
I wanna move to the desert, play guitar songs
Move away from the big city crime and fear
'Cept I know the world needs me here, you too.
–Another Day
Will the Crown City Rockers be "the next phase of hip-hop?" We can only hope to be so lucky, and you owe it to yourself to see just how good the next phase can be.
JamBase | Worldwide
Go See Live Music!
|
