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A.D/D and R.E.M.G. present the
pairing of two of this millenniums most innovative artists, Dr. Octagon
and Spank Rock.
Kool Keith (aka Dr. Octagon), is best known for his work in the seminal,
old school NYC hip hop trio, Ultramagnetic MCs. Hailing straight out of
the the Bronx, Kool Keith has redefined conventional hip hop style and
introduced a warped, bizarre take on the genre. Always one to court
controversy, Kool Keith records under many guises, often confusing and
surprising his audience. Teaming up with Dan "the Automator" Nakamura
under the name Dr. Octagon, Keith again reinvented his image, recording
the self-titled album, Dr. Octagon (later reissued under the title Dr.
Octagonecologyst) that was released by Mo' Wax. Back again to shock and
thrill us, Dr. Octagon goes straight for the jugular with the release of
his highly anticipated new album, The Return of Dr. Octagon. Spliced and
diced together by Kool Keith himself and slickly produced by clued up
production trio, One Watt Sun, this looks set for some playlist
domination.
The musical style of One Watt Sun collective, as showcased via the new
Dr. Octagon record, is like a morphing, twisted, intelligent organism,
an animal yet to be named. They enlisted the additional talents of DJ
Dexter (ex-the Avalanches) for the Egyptian scratch flavour of Ants and
Princess Superstar who features on the song "Eat It".
Reflecting the party rap atmosphere of Baltimore's club scene, Spank
Rock arrived as one of the best things to happen to both underground
hip-hop and dirty rap - a pair of styles that rarely intermingle. The
group formed as a collaboration between Cool Disco MC Spank Rock and
producer XXXchange. Both grew up in Baltimore, but didn't meet until
both had been making music elsewhere for several years. Spank Rock was
rapping by his middle-school years, and a friendship with producer Shawn
J. Period (Mos Def, Talib Kweli) helped him decide on rap as a career
and Philadelphia as a starting point. XXXchange studied at Peabody
Conservatory in Baltimore, then briefly the New England Conservatory
before decamping for New York and a stint drumming with the indie
electronic group Zero Zero, whose 2001 album AM Gold was produced by the
highly sought-after DFA camp; he also earned a production apprenticeship
at DFA, assisting James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy.
Spank Rock signed to the seminal British label Big Dada. The duo turned
heads with early singles "Backyard Betty" and "Rick Rubin." Spank Rock's
debut album, YoYoYoYoYo, appeared in April 2006. XXXchange also recorded
a mix album, Voila, that married his bruising beats to a succession of
pop songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s.
DR. OCTAGON & SPANK ROCK
with special guest Devlin & Darko, Pase Rock & DJ Rory Them Finest
Friday October 6, 2006
@ The Opera House (735 Queen Street East)
Tickets are $20.00 (plus any additional fees) in advance and are
available at
Ticketmaster, Play de Record, Rotate This and Soundscapes.
19+ Event, Doors @ 10:00 p.m., Show @ 11:00 p.m.
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