New Artist of the Day: Lizzo

Bold, brash and brilliant Hip-Hop from the fast rising Lizzo!

SUBBA-CULTCHA.COM SAYS: "What a tune, sorry that should be what a T-U-N-E!!! A bouncy, lip-smacking slice of Hip-Hop. Lizzo's flow harks back to the old school styles of Salt 'n Pepa and Missy Elliot, whilst Sophia Eris delivers a stunning flow to proceedings with the speed and dexterity of Twista in his prime. Sure, it's not reinventing the wheel, but framed within the songs samples it sounds fresh and relevant. The production is simple but expressive; like Timbaland in his prime, keeping the beat phat but simple throughout with a minimalistic bass pattern over the top. The whistle-sounding sample that forms part of the rapper's flow gives it an intriguing twist, bringing to mind the myriad of songs used during that "harlem shuffle" phase. I also love the melody underneath the melee; after each section it becomes more prominent in the mix with each of the singers adding to the dynamics - a great track from someone we hope to be hearing a lot more from soon! Sample the video yourself at the bottom of this article and keep your eyes peeled for an interview with Lizzo!"
Born in Detroit in the late 80’s, Lizzo was raised on the gospel sounds of The Winans, The Clark Sisters, and Fred Hammond, along with mainstay secular artists such as Stevie Wonder and Elton John, before later taking influence from the trademark chopped and screwed rap tracks of the Houston underground, to the progressive and polished R&B sounds of groups like Destiny’s Child. Over the next decade she featured in R&B girl groups (I.N.I.T.I.A.L.S., Cornrow Clique), progressive rock bands (Elypseas), solo rap ventures, and electro-pop duos (Lizzo & The Larva Ink). In Minneapolis after forming and then dissolving three-piece all-female rap/R&B group The Chalice, she recorded LIZZOBANGERS with help from Doomtree producer and Minneapolis music vet LAZERBEAK and mutual friend and musical collaborator RYAN OLSON (Totally Gross National Product founder, Gayngs / Marijuana Deathsquads mastermind). Laid back hype-man Cliff Rhymes was recruited along the way to add even more layers to Lizzo’s dynamic vocals. LIZZOBANGERS is an album that manages to capture all of the varied musical influences of Lizzo’s upbringing and combine them with the forward-thinking experimental production style of Beak and Olson. The end result is a brave new project that encapsulates the best parts of both the familiar and the future. LIZZO LIVE 2014 22 Feb - Brighton, Bermuda Triangle 24 Feb - London, Birthdays http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=nQaRQe86suA

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