GZA & The Phunky Nomads (Live Band) with Schoolly D + Rebelmatic + Sadhugold at Underground Arts

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Doors: 7:30 PM | Show: 8:30 PM

21+

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About GZA

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GZA, aka the Genius, was the most cerebral MC in the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as perhaps the most acclaimed. His cool, precise flow and intricate, literate rhymes weren't as theatrical as Method Man or Ol' Dirty Bastard, the two biggest commercial stars to spring from the collective. But among hip-hop aficionados, GZA was revered for his flawless technique and lyrical dexterity, and was considered by many to be the best pure rapper in the entire Clan. GZA was born Gary Grice on August 22, 1966, on Staten Island, New York, and shuttled between several other New York boroughs with various relatives during his childhood. He started learning rhymes by the earliest hip-hop MCs while spending time in the Bronx, and returned to Staten Island to share them with his cousins, who later became known as Ol' Dirty Bastard and the RZA. In fact, the three of them first teamed up in the early '80s as part of an obscure group called All in Together Now.

Time passed, and GZA landed a recording contract with Cold Chillin', which, unfortunately, was nearing the end of its brilliant run. In 1991, he became the only future Wu-Tang member to release a solo album prior to the Clan's formation, with Words from the Genius. Produced mostly by Easy Mo Bee, the album flopped badly and, creatively, did little to hint at GZA's future standing. Conflicts with the label sent him packing, and he reteamed with a similarly disenchanted RZA (fresh off a failed stint with Tommy Boy) and Ol' Dirty Bastard to co-found the Wu-Tang Clan. Adding six other friends and associates, the group became an underground sensation and took the rap world by storm with its 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Their innovative contract allowed each member to sign a solo deal with whatever label they chose, and GZA wound up on Geffen. In 1994, his first post-Wu solo track, "I Gotcha Back," appeared on the soundtrack of the film Fresh. His second solo album, Liquid Swords, followed in 1995 and was hailed as a hip-hop classic thanks to its coolly understated menace. While it didn't make him a star on the level of Method Man, the album did sell well, reaching the Top Ten of the Billboard 200 and falling one spot short of the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. There were no big mainstream hits, but the title cut, "Cold World," and "Shadowboxin'" all did well on the rap chart.

Following the Clan's 1997 sophomore set, Wu-Tang Forever, GZA returned to the solo arena with 1999's Beneath the Surface. While critics didn't praise it quite as lavishly as Liquid Swords, it was another well-received effort (especially compared to some of the lackluster follow-ups elsewhere in the Wu-Tang camp), and it topped the Hip-Hop/R&B album chart. After reconvening with the Wu for 2000's The W and 2001's Iron Flag, GZA dropped his fourth solo effort, Legend of the Liquid Sword, in late 2002, consolidating his reputation as one of the most skillful rappers around. Grandmasters, a collaborative project between himself and Cypress Hill DJ Muggs, was released in 2005, followed the next year by an instrumental version and then a remix version in 2007. A year later GZA released the solo album Pro Tools on the indie label Babygrande. It featured guest shots from Wu affiliates RZA, Masta Killa, and producer Mathematics. GZA lectured at several universities, including Harvard and Oxford, and applied his academic connections and deep interest in science to develop a science-meets-hip-hop program dedicated to engaging New York City high school students. Additionally, he worked toward another solo album, Dark Matter, with electronic music pioneer Vangelis among his collaborators.

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About Schoolly D

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Credited by none other than original gangster Ice-T as "the forefather of gangsta rap," Schoolly D is a hip-hop pioneer also for having produced, released, and distributed his early recordings, such as "P.S.K. 'What Does It Mean?'" (1985). The West Philadelphia native's confrontational nature and willingness to shock -- using terms and themes that became common in hip-hop years after he made a name for himself -- might be most frequently associated with his mid-'80s breakthrough, but he has cultivated a formidable discography crossing four decades, far beyond foundational LPs such as Schoolly-D (1985), Saturday Night! The Album (1986), and Smoke Some Kill (1988). In addition to the enduring relevance of his early work through samples and lyrical references by younger generations of producers and MCs, Schoolly D is known for having performed the original theme for the animated television series Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

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About Rebelmatic

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Style Weekly recently asked the legendary HR of Bad Brains if there were any bands out today that reminded him of the Brains. "There's a group called Rebelmatic," was his response. 
 Certainly high praise for a band that recently came off tour with Fishbone's Angelo Moore. "Rebelmatic brings out the automatic rebel in you," Moore stated of his tour mates. 
 Rockers, Rebelmatic have been racking up a large number of legendary live performances, most recently packing out Webster Hall with indie darling Kool A.D. (Das Racist). When asked about the band, "Rebelmatic is the shit! Fuck with them," was Kool A.D.'s only reply. 
 With recent praise ranging from rock pioneers like HR to hipster icons, regional tours and gigs with legends (the crew have also played with Pure Hell, the all black punk band Malcolm McLaren managed), the band has played innumerable packed shows and festivals throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Virginia and Maryland. 
 Rebelmatic is set to release their new album “Ghost in The Shadows” on August 28th, 2020 via Red Right Recordings.

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About Sadhugold

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