To say things are looking bright for Christon "Christylez" Bacon is a major understatement. Last year, he was the first hip-hop artist to be named an Artist-in-Residence at the Music Center at Strathmore. Just in the past month, he performed to a packed house on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, delivered an impressive performance at this year's Wammies, and picked up two awards, Rapper of the Year and Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year for his debut studio release, Advanced Artistry.
The 23-year old Christylez began his musical journey in the Southeast neighborhood of Condon Terrace, where he began beatboxing and playing buckets. His mother, a DJ, introduced him to a wide variety of music, ranging from classic hip-hop, funk, and early 80s New Wave. After playing in his middle school drumline, his interest in music led to the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where he received formal training and began playing djembe, guitar and ukulele.
The album is an example of the socially conscious and progressive hip-hop present in the underground scenes of many cities, but to which the mainstream is inexplicably resistant. Highlights include "Welfare Check," a biographical look at Christylez' upbringing in Section 8 housing, and "Tyranny" gives us some insight into his political outlook. Refreshingly, the album is filled with nods and winks to those of us who live in, and love, the District. "Metroneusense" describes the vagaries of our public transportation system, while "Mambo Sauce" is an ode to that culinary delight that is as D.C. as a half-smoke from Ben's.
While the album is a great start, Christylez is truly in his element on stage. Collaborating with beatboxer Slyce-D, a jazz horn section and a classical string section, he brings an eclecticism that is all too rare in today's hip-hop. We e-mailed Christylez some questions to get his thoughts on his music and to get some insight into one of D.C.'s most promising young artists.
Visit Christylez online: www.christylez.com
See Christylez live: His band, Triflava, plays at the Mocha Hut on U Street the second Saturday of each month.
Questions for Christylez:
What was your original concept for Advanced Artistry?
I called the album Advanced Artistry because it takes on traditional hip-hop elements and expands everything about it, with the use of piano solos in between the chorus & verses, heavy extended chord progressions, altered song structuring, and all original composition without sampling records. Being a student at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, I was exposed to everything from jazz to classical. I always saw these connections between sonata-allegro form and hip-hop song structure, scat & rapping. But hip-hop artists weren't doing that. That takes a true ear, music theory, and natural flava (spelled exactly like that). I created this album out of a dream and a longing to hear the combination of cultures, genres, and social classes. I call it progressive hip-hop. It takes traditional hip-hop elements and fuses live instrumentation and genres from around the world.
How did you go about assembling material for your album?
I came to this project with all of my built-up thoughts & views and put them on the table, like painting. From there, my executive producer/friend/mentor, Bomani Armah, helped me sort through the collection, discarding the fluff. I worked exclusively with pianist, Mychael "Myke P" Pollard, in flushing out some of the arrangements. Also, this is my first album, so it's a musical journal of a kid in high school transitioning towards a short-term of college and a space in the "real world."
What was the inspiration behind incorporating jazz and classical elements into your music?
The inspiration came from knowing our simple connection in music. Every culture or group of people on this planet has music and the arts. I have always believed that ignorance causes hate, disrespect, and lack of communication among us all. The idea of the "remix" in hip-hop music made it evident that we can put any style into the mix, thus uniting lovers of hip-hop, salsa, classical, jazz, and bhangra in one space. The music is the lure and the lyric is the education that will destroy the many barriers that prevent us from recognizing our connections with each other.
You also collaborate with a wide variety of artists. What are some of the projects you are most excited about?
I am really excited about all of these projects! I have been composing/collaboration with a string quartet in merging classical elements for the live-performance medium. I have been working with Celtic harpist, Lily Neill. I'm producing a hip-hop/go-go project with Tyrone Alvin, a local emcee and go-go connoisseur. I am having a lot of fun working as Triflava, a three-man band project featuring Slyce-D & Myke P. I have been with John "JP" Pollard III, with his amazing tuba playing, to redefine the role of the Tuba in modern band arrangements.
Most recently, I have been collaborating with two-time Grammy winning bluegrass & children's music duo Cathy & Marcy. We are pulling together the folk & hip-hop world with a collaboration the we call Banjo to Beatbox, Folk to Funk, premiering a variety of concerts at Wolf Trap in July, and the Philadelphia International Children's Festival in April.
You publicize yourself more effectively than most local artists. Do you have any tips for your colleagues about spreading the word?
* Use all of the resources around you like Facebook, DCist, Blogs, Libraries, Print Media, etc.
* Be a nice guy or lady. People say that the music industry is full of snakes, but it really does not have to be that way and you can make that difference!
* Recognize that great advice is great advice no matter who it's coming from!
* Be creative and challenge the norm of promotion.
* Put yourself in the position of the person that you are marketing towards!
What are your thoughts on the local music scene?
I feel like it I haven't seen it all, and I'm still in the process of discovery.
Who are some artists you admire that might be flying under the radar?
Axiom from Baltimore, MD! They mix spoken word poetry, hip-hop & R&B with great writing ability all around. I usually collaborate with artists that I admire, so you will see them when you see me!
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