Beginning (2006–2007)

BrokeNCYDE was the brainchild of vocalists Se7en (David) and Mikl (Mike). According to them, the etymology of the band name comes from the idea of their music being fundamentally broken or “broken inside” due to their relationship problems. From there, they began to write more lyrics and songs and promote themselves online. Later, the other two members, Phat J (Julian) and Antz (Anthony), joined the band.

Signing to Suburban Noize Records and BC13 EP (2008–2009)

In July, brokeNCYDE earned a spot on MTV’s Total Request Live where they performed FreaXXX on the segment “Under the Radar.” They signed to Suburban Noize Records soon after, and released the BC13 – EP early in 2009. Their two previous self-released albums (“The Broken!” and “BC13″), and one self-released EP (“BC13 Mix”), are no longer available for purchase or legal download.

On December 6, 2008 they appeared on Fearless Music TV performing their song “Sex Toyz”. They were brought back the next week on December 13 to perform “FreaXXX”.

BrokeNCYDE has toured with bands such as Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Breathe Carolina, Karate High School, and The Morning Of.

In the summer of 2008, they performed on the GET F$CKED UP US tour with Millionaires as the headliners and Hyper Crush as another supporting act. Special guests And Then There Were None and The Arrival each took half of the tour as well.

They performed on the I’m So Fierce tour with headliner, Jeffree Star, as well as other supporting acts Grab A Girl And Dance, Kill Paradise, Red Car Wire, and Teen Hearts in Fall 2008.

I’m Not a Fan…But the Kids Like It and touring (2009–present)

BrokeNCYDE played on The Original Gangstour tour with Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Eyes Set to Kill, and special guests And Then There Were None. They also played on the Saints and Sinners Tour 2009 with Senses Fail, Hollywood Undead, and Haste The Day.

BrokeNCYDE is scheduled to play the entire Warped Tour 2009.

The group’s debut full-length, I’m Not a Fan…But the Kids Like It, debuted at #86 on the Billboard 200.

Criticism

Metal Edge Magazine has called brokeNCYDE “fucking horrendous”. Thrash Magazine has called them “a mockery to the world of music”. Another metal magazine, Decibel, has repeatedly made fun of the band, mentioning them in a interview with the group Big Business, and once ironically referring to then as their “favorite screamo-crunk band”. British commentator Warren Ellis calls brokeNCYDE’s “Freaxxx” music video “a near-perfect snapshot of everything that’s shit about this point in the culture”. Says August Brown of the Los Angeles Times, “The ‘Albucrazy’-based band has done for MySpace emo what some think Soulja Boy did for hip-hop: turn their career into a kind of macro-performance art that exists so far beyond the tropes of irony and sincerity that to ask ‘are they kidding?’ is like trying to peel an onion to get to a perceived central core that, in the end, does not exist and renders all attempts to reassemble the pieces futile.”

Band members

Se7en – screamed vocals, rap vocals (2006–present)
Mikl – clean vocals, autotune vocals (2006–present)
Phat J – synths, guitars, beats, backup vocals, backup screams and growls (2006–present)
Antz – fog machine and lights (2006–present)

and you follow the moon.

“We can’t sit on the beach with an acoustic guitar forever!” proclaims Cisco Adler. “This is not a one-trick pony.”
His other half, Aaron Smith (a.k.a. Shwayze), closes his eyes and nods and offers, “We’ve already got that beach-time summer vibe, chilling during the day. Now we want some stuff for the clubs that bangs your ears out and you can dance to it. This is definitely an evolution from the first one.”
That first one, the self-titled Shwayze, ushered the unlikely duo to unlikely heights. A string of multiple hits (“Buzzin’,” “Corona and Lime”

) fueled by millions of Internet plays carried them to top ten album sales, landed them a coveted slot on the Vans Warped Tour, and turned them into reality television stars on MTV. In a wound-up world, Shwayze was a life-lesson in laid back lassitude, a coast-to-coast call to make every day a lazy day. And if success always breeds a bit of contempt, Let It Beat comes out swinging.

“It’s like, ‘All right, here it is!’” Shwayze says, laughing as he describes the challenge posed on the opening track, “Livin’ It Up.” “You guys said we couldn’t make another one. You thought we were gonna make the same thing. You didn’t think we were deep enough! Well here it is. And don’t be mad when your girl leaves with us.”
Featuring contributions from New Orleans hip-hop duo The Knux, Shwayze’s lifelong hero Snoop Dogg, Ric Ocasek from the Cars, and Darryl Jenifer, bassist for legendary D.C. punk band Bad Brains, Let It Beat is a fearless experiment held together by the controlled yet casual guidance of Adler’

s production.

“I made a conscious effort to beef the drums up and make it thump,” he says. “The last record had one pace, I wanted this one to have more dynamics and go up and down like a rollercoaster ride. It’s about letting your heart beat and letting the blood pump through your body. It’

s about not stopping the flow. Let it all flow and it will all turn out right.

The first single, “Get U Home,” is an unapologetic ode to lust satisfaction… before you leave the club: “Take me in the bathroom/Take my clothes off/Make love to me up against the dirty wall/’Cause I can’t wait to get you home.” Let It Beat is never shy, never afraid to extol its own brand of virtue, it never apologizes, and, of course, you’

re always welcome to join.

“I’m definitely endorsing that behavior!” announces Adler, referring to the whole “dirty wall” scenario in “Get U Home.” “None of it is fantasy. We just live it and tell the story.”
“Our music is our lifestyle,” Shwayze says. “We’re not faking it.”
Shwayze was a juggernaut, an unexpected triumph from two beachcombing purveyors of pleasure and sunlight. It tapped into the hidden hedonist in us all, freeing indulgence from guilt for at least the length of a record. Let It Beat extends that day into night. It’s nothing less than a celebration of life. For every sarcastic wink, there’s that genuine gleaming grin at the thought of the next thrill. Let It Beat is not a fantasy; it’

s an invitation to a better reality.

“I’ve been a musician before I was anything else,” Adler says. “I was screaming for people to just listen to the music. But then at some point, I had to look inside and tell myself to just keep doing it and it eventually it’s gonna show people itself. That’s when it started working, amazingly enough. When you just let everything flow, it’s gonna flow in the right direction. When you start trying to control the flow, that’s when you dam it up.”
“It’s all a dream come true,” adds Shwayze. “We just want to keep on living the dream and keep on living it up.”

and you follow the moon.

“We can’t sit on the beach with an acoustic guitar forever!” proclaims Cisco Adler. “This is not a one-trick pony.”
His other half, Aaron Smith (a.k.a. Shwayze), closes his eyes and nods and offers, “We’ve already got that beach-time summer vibe, chilling during the day. Now we want some stuff for the clubs that bangs your ears out and you can dance to it. This is definitely an evolution from the first one.”
That first one, the self-titled Shwayze, ushered the unlikely duo to unlikely heights. A string of multiple hits (“Buzzin’,” “Corona and Lime”

) fueled by millions of Internet plays carried them to top ten album sales, landed them a coveted slot on the Vans Warped Tour, and turned them into reality television stars on MTV. In a wound-up world, Shwayze was a life-lesson in laid back lassitude, a coast-to-coast call to make every day a lazy day. And if success always breeds a bit of contempt, Let It Beat comes out swinging.

“It’s like, ‘All right, here it is!’” Shwayze says, laughing as he describes the challenge posed on the opening track, “Livin’ It Up.” “You guys said we couldn’t make another one. You thought we were gonna make the same thing. You didn’t think we were deep enough! Well here it is. And don’t be mad when your girl leaves with us.”
Featuring contributions from New Orleans hip-hop duo The Knux, Shwayze’s lifelong hero Snoop Dogg, Ric Ocasek from the Cars, and Darryl Jenifer, bassist for legendary D.C. punk band Bad Brains, Let It Beat is a fearless experiment held together by the controlled yet casual guidance of Adler’

s production.

“I made a conscious effort to beef the drums up and make it thump,” he says. “The last record had one pace, I wanted this one to have more dynamics and go up and down like a rollercoaster ride. It’s about letting your heart beat and letting the blood pump through your body. It’

s about not stopping the flow. Let it all flow and it will all turn out right.

The first single, “Get U Home,” is an unapologetic ode to lust satisfaction… before you leave the club: “Take me in the bathroom/Take my clothes off/Make love to me up against the dirty wall/’Cause I can’t wait to get you home.” Let It Beat is never shy, never afraid to extol its own brand of virtue, it never apologizes, and, of course, you’

re always welcome to join.

“I’m definitely endorsing that behavior!” announces Adler, referring to the whole “dirty wall” scenario in “Get U Home.” “None of it is fantasy. We just live it and tell the story.”
“Our music is our lifestyle,” Shwayze says. “We’re not faking it.”
Shwayze was a juggernaut, an unexpected triumph from two beachcombing purveyors of pleasure and sunlight. It tapped into the hidden hedonist in us all, freeing indulgence from guilt for at least the length of a record. Let It Beat extends that day into night. It’s nothing less than a celebration of life. For every sarcastic wink, there’s that genuine gleaming grin at the thought of the next thrill. Let It Beat is not a fantasy; it’

s an invitation to a better reality.

“I’ve been a musician before I was anything else,” Adler says. “I was screaming for people to just listen to the music. But then at some point, I had to look inside and tell myself to just keep doing it and it eventually it’s gonna show people itself. That’s when it started working, amazingly enough. When you just let everything flow, it’s gonna flow in the right direction. When you start trying to control the flow, that’s when you dam it up.”
“It’s all a dream come true,” adds Shwayze. “We just want to keep on living the dream and keep on living it up.”

Producer and multi-instrumentalist Good Goose gets the bass thumping, while vocalists Coco Dame and Angie Ripe mix sweet melodies with energetic chanting choruses that could turn even the most uptight face into a smile.

Menya’s records (completely self recorded, written and produced) have gained them attention by The Guardian, New York Post, Rollingstone.com and tons more. After two EPs and a mixtape, Menya has begun to capture a worldwide audience. As they begin to tour the United States in the Spring of 2010, it’s only a matter of time before people in every city on Earth are ready to party with them.

History

MC Travis McCoy and drummer Matt McGinley became friends at their local high school’s gym class in Geneva, New York. They officially came together in 1997. The original GCH began playing birthday parties, clubs, and festivals which eventually led to larger venues throughout the northeast, including two years on Warped Tour (2003, 2004). During 2004, guitarist Milo Bonacci parted ways with the band and was replaced with current guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo. In mid 2005, bassist Ryan Geise left the band and was replaced by their friend, bassist Eric Roberts. Gym Class Heroes’ lead singer Travis McCoy won MTV’s Direct Effect MC Battle and as a prize, appeared in Styles P’s video “Daddy Get That Cash”. The group released three more CDs from 1999 to 2004, called “Hed Candy,” “Greasy Kids Stuff,” and “Papercut Chronicles EP”. Their video “Cupids Chokehold” features appearances by Katy Perry and Patrick Stump.

Current members

Travis McCoy – lead vocals (1997–present)
Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo – guitar, vocals (2004–present)
Eric Roberts – bass, vocals (2005–present)
Matt McGinley – drums, percussion (1997–present)

Former members

Milo Bonacci – guitar, vocals (1997–2004)
Ryan Geise – bass (1997–2005)

Beginning (2006–2007)

BrokeNCYDE was the brainchild of vocalists Se7en (David) and Mikl (Mike). According to them, the etymology of the band name comes from the idea of their music being fundamentally broken or “broken inside” due to their relationship problems. From there, they began to write more lyrics and songs and promote themselves online. Later, the other two members, Phat J (Julian) and Antz (Anthony), joined the band.

Signing to Suburban Noize Records and BC13 EP (2008–2009)

In July, brokeNCYDE earned a spot on MTV’s Total Request Live where they performed FreaXXX on the segment “Under the Radar.” They signed to Suburban Noize Records soon after, and released the BC13 – EP early in 2009. Their two previous self-released albums (“The Broken!” and “BC13″), and one self-released EP (“BC13 Mix”), are no longer available for purchase or legal download.

On December 6, 2008 they appeared on Fearless Music TV performing their song “Sex Toyz”. They were brought back the next week on December 13 to perform “FreaXXX”.

BrokeNCYDE has toured with bands such as Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Breathe Carolina, Karate High School, and The Morning Of.

In the summer of 2008, they performed on the GET F$CKED UP US tour with Millionaires as the headliners and Hyper Crush as another supporting act. Special guests And Then There Were None and The Arrival each took half of the tour as well.

They performed on the I’m So Fierce tour with headliner, Jeffree Star, as well as other supporting acts Grab A Girl And Dance, Kill Paradise, Red Car Wire, and Teen Hearts in Fall 2008.

I’m Not a Fan…But the Kids Like It and touring (2009–present)

BrokeNCYDE played on The Original Gangstour tour with Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Eyes Set to Kill, and special guests And Then There Were None. They also played on the Saints and Sinners Tour 2009 with Senses Fail, Hollywood Undead, and Haste The Day.

BrokeNCYDE is scheduled to play the entire Warped Tour 2009.

The group’s debut full-length, I’m Not a Fan…But the Kids Like It, debuted at #86 on the Billboard 200.

Criticism

Metal Edge Magazine has called brokeNCYDE “fucking horrendous”. Thrash Magazine has called them “a mockery to the world of music”. Another metal magazine, Decibel, has repeatedly made fun of the band, mentioning them in a interview with the group Big Business, and once ironically referring to then as their “favorite screamo-crunk band”. British commentator Warren Ellis calls brokeNCYDE’s “Freaxxx” music video “a near-perfect snapshot of everything that’s shit about this point in the culture”. Says August Brown of the Los Angeles Times, “The ‘Albucrazy’-based band has done for MySpace emo what some think Soulja Boy did for hip-hop: turn their career into a kind of macro-performance art that exists so far beyond the tropes of irony and sincerity that to ask ‘are they kidding?’ is like trying to peel an onion to get to a perceived central core that, in the end, does not exist and renders all attempts to reassemble the pieces futile.”

Band members

Se7en – screamed vocals, rap vocals (2006–present)
Mikl – clean vocals, autotune vocals (2006–present)
Phat J – synths, guitars, beats, backup vocals, backup screams and growls (2006–present)
Antz – fog machine and lights (2006–present)

After gaining some renown in local circles in Jacksonville and competing at Scribble Jam, Astronautalis self-released his debut album, You and Yer Good Ideas, in 2003. After signing with Fighting Records, it was re-released on July 12, 2005, followed by his second album, The Mighty Ocean and Nine Dark Theaters, in 2006. As of May 2008, a new album is in the works. New album released 9/23/2008, titled Pomegranate.

Astronautalis has toured across the country, and is known to party with fans. He has a brother living in China (his “China!” EP was released to raise money for a plane ticket to visit him).

He has been described as “if Beck were a decade or so younger and had grown up more heavily immersed in hip-hop,” with his rapping style noted for “blending styles of indie rock, electro, and talkin’ blues” with hip-hop, although his second album showed a turn towards a style close to shoegazer rock.

Albums

You and Yer Good Ideas (2003, self-released)
The Mighty Ocean & Nine Dark Theaters (2006, Fighting Records)
Pomegranate (2008, Eyeball Records)

EPs

China!, (2006)
Dang!, (2006)
Split EP with Babel Fishh, (2006)
The Very Unfortunate Affairs of Mary and Earl, (2006)
The Young Capitalist’s Starter Kit, (2008)

The innovative genre is called New Crack Swing, a lively twist on an era they were genuinely influenced by, and perhaps only Dua Boakye has the vocals and presence to pull it off. He has that raw Soul that goes back to Sly and the Family Stone, a rare and unstoppable talent; uncanny, as well, when matched with his ability to sing as hard as any rocker today.

The best representation of their sound can be heard on the track, “Stick Up Kids,” which exhibits the vocals reminiscent of the Bobby Brown “My Prerogative” movement, a synth that conjures Morris Day and the Time, and a distinctive hard edge that any fan of high-energy, in-your-face music can enjoy.

As hip hop icon, Slick Rick’s current backup band, the group has developed a taste for extensive touring, and because of their years together in The Eclectic Collective, it’s no surprise they already have a large fan base. Any loyal fan of either group followed Bad Rabbits and appreciated their growth, from their first promos to their unveiling at a Brooklyn venue, as demonstrated by the large crowd that already knew all the words from only Myspace and no official release.

Everlast

Erik Schrody (born August 18, 1969, in Valley Stream, New York), better known by his stage name Everlast, is an Irish-American rapper and singer-songwriter, best known for his hit “What It’s Like”, and for his unique genre-crossing mix of hip-hop and acoustic-based rock music.

He was the frontman for rap group House of Pain until 1996. In 2000, he won a Grammy for best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal with Latin Rock musician Carlos Santana for “Put Your Lights On.” (see 1999 in music).

Early days & House of Pain

Emerging as a member of the Rhyme Syndicate, Everlast’s first solo album Forever Everlasting (1990), largely made possible by MC Ice T, was a disappointment both critically and commercially. Following the album’s failure, Everlast teamed up with DJ Lethal and high school friend Danny Boy to form House of Pain. The group was signed to Tommy Boy Records, and their eponymous debut album (1992) went multi-platinum, spawning the successful DJ Muggs produced single “Jump Around”. This song was also remixed twice by Pete Rock, one version featuring a verse from him and one without. The album also featured Cypress Hill member, B-Real, on the song “Put Your Head Out”.

Fashioning themselves as rowdy Irish American hooligans (Lethal is actually of Latvian heritage), they toured with various rap and alternative-rock bands after their breakthrough. They participated together with Helmet, along with several other rap acts, on the influential 1993 rock-rap collaborative Judgment Night movie soundtrack. The group eventually disbanded in 1996, and Everlast once again pursued a solo career.

What It’s Like

Everlast’s second solo album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues (1998)– which was released a full eight years after his solo debut and after he had a major heart attack – was both a commercial and critical success (selling more than 3 million copies). Whitey Ford Sings the Blues was hailed for its blend of rap with acoustic and electric guitars, developed by Everlast together with producers Dante Ross and John Gamble (aka SD50). The album’s lead single “What It’s Like” proved to be his most popular and successful song, although the follow up single, “Ends”, also reached the rock top 10.

Everlast followed-up this success by collaborating with Santana on the track “Put Your Lights On” on Santana’s 1999 album Supernatural. It charted at #118 on the pop chart, but did considerably better with rock radio airplay, peaking at #8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. “Put Your Lights On” won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 2000 Grammy Awards. At the end of the song, Everlast can be heard singing the first part of the Shahadah “La ilaha illa Allah”, the Islamic profession of faith. Everlast is a devout Muslim.

Despite the success of Whitey Ford Sings the Blues and his success with Santana, Everlast’s follow-up album, Eat at Whitey’s (2000), stumbled commercially at first in the United States. However, it was eventually certified gold. The album was also embraced critically, especially by Rolling Stone Magazine which reviewed the album between “good” and “great” and focused on it as that month’s most important release.

Formed in a Hell’s Kitchen NYC recording studio in early 2008, Shinobi Ninja is the offspring of singers Dave Aaron and Baby Girl, guitarist Maniac Mike, bassist Jonny on the Rocks, drummer Terminator Dave, and DJ Axis. Combin-ing the forces of songwriters, producers, engineers, dancers, battle djs, music pros and a chef, the six members of Shinobi Ninja have assembled a “Voltron-esque” rock group. Bound by a raucous lifestyle and a love of music, the band creates an original sound backed by an explosive and entertaining live show.

Prior to forming Shinobi Ninja, all of its members had solo careers in the music industry. Dave Aaron and Jonny produced and engineered at Progressive Studios. Baby Girl was a celebrity dancer and singer for many major label artists. Maniac Mike and Terminator Dave (who are twin brothers) ran a recording studio, where they produced several indie NYC artists. DJ Axis has earned respect all over the East Coast in clubs and battles, including the Win-ter Music Conference Battle, Roc Raida’s Gong Battle, and the DMC.

Quickly buzzing in NYC for their mega high-energy live performances, Shinobi Ninja headbangs, stagedives, mosh-es, and jump kicks their way through every set and show. Since the release of their EP “Brooklyn to Babylon” in August of 2008, the band has packed venues in NYC, toured through the midwest and east coast, and shared the stage with bands like Tom Morello’s Street Sweeper Social Club, Schoolly D, and Trust Company. Since returning from their summer tour, Shinobi Ninja has been hard at work writing and recording their first full-length album and shooting a music video for their single “Brooklyn to Babylon”.

In addition to their stellar live show and party rocking tracks, the band is pushing the boundaries of the digital music experience. “Brooklyn to Babylon: Shinobi Ninja At-tacks!”, is an iPhone application that is equal parts oldschool Nintendo video game and interactive listening experience. Fans will be able to purchase this cutting edge product through the App Store as well as on ShinobiNinja.com. The game features the members of the band as playable char-acters fighting their way through enemies on the streets of Brooklyn, the L train, and at the mythical Club Babylon. Each level features the band’s music and provides the player a chance to unlock hidden assets like songs, music videos, free concert tickets and merchandise.

From here, Shinobi Ninja’s plan is to take over the world, one sweaty rock circus at a time!