Arsonists (rap group)
Encyclopedia
The Arsonists are an underground hip hop
group. Their album, As the World Burns (1999), reached #78 on Billboard's
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
, and yielded the single "Pyromaniax", which went to #43 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart.
, New York
with the name Bushwick Bomb Squad. The main members were Q-Unique
, D-Stroy
, Freestyle, Swel Boogie and Jise One, although the number of members eventually grew to eight. Q-Unique was a member of New York City's well-known breakdancing crew, the Rock Steady Crew
. The group released the single, "The Session", in 1996, which found airplay on New York radio stations and brought offers from record labels. They signed with the independent label Fondle 'Em Records
and changed their name to the Arsonists. They released their debut album, As the World Burns, in 1999 on Matador Records
, an indie rock
label that ventured into hip hop music for the release. The album received critical acclaim, but didn't achieve mainstream commercial success; it reached #78 on Billboard's
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. They appeared on the digital hardcore band Atari Teenage Riot
's final album 60 Second Wipeout
(1999) that year. The group went from five members, down to three: Q-Unique, Jise One and Swel Boogie, for their follow-up album, Date of Birth (2001). With their live performances, the group is known to be very varied in their rap style, drawing on many old school hip hop
and east coast hip hop
influences. Kansas City's alternative weekly newspaper, The Pitch, described them as "one of the best live bands in hip-hop" in 2001. On 18th August 2011, Arsonists played the first show in 11 years that had all four members on stage at Hip Hop Kemp, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group. Their album, As the World Burns (1999), reached #78 on Billboard's
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
, and yielded the single "Pyromaniax", which went to #43 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart.
History
The group formed with five members in 1993 in Bushwick, BrooklynBushwick, Brooklyn
Bushwick is a neighborhood in the northern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood, formerly Brooklyn's 18th Ward, is now part of Brooklyn Community Board 4...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
with the name Bushwick Bomb Squad. The main members were Q-Unique
Q-Unique
Anthony Quiles, better known by his stage name Q-Unique is an Puerto rican-American rapper, record producer and a member of rap group Arsonists and the hard rock band StillWell...
, D-Stroy
D-Stroy
D-Stroy is an American hip hop Host, rapper, DJ, producer and actor of Puerto Rican descent. He is a founding member of and current CEO of Play Big Inc. and a former artist of Matador Records,...
, Freestyle, Swel Boogie and Jise One, although the number of members eventually grew to eight. Q-Unique was a member of New York City's well-known breakdancing crew, the Rock Steady Crew
Rock Steady Crew
Rock Steady Crew is a b-boying crew and hip hop group that was established in the Bronx, New York City in 1977. The group was initially formed by b-boys named Jimmy D and Jojo. In subsequent years, Rock Steady Crew became a franchise name for groups in other locations. The Manhattan branch was...
. The group released the single, "The Session", in 1996, which found airplay on New York radio stations and brought offers from record labels. They signed with the independent label Fondle 'Em Records
Fondle 'Em Records
Fondle ‘Em Records was a record label based in New York City, New York. It was founded and owned by Robert “Bobbito” Garcia from 1995 to 2001. Bobbito formed the label after realizing that the many unsigned rappers making guest appearances on “The Stretch Armstrong/Bobbito Show,” a program Bobbito...
and changed their name to the Arsonists. They released their debut album, As the World Burns, in 1999 on Matador Records
Matador Records
Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
, an indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
label that ventured into hip hop music for the release. The album received critical acclaim, but didn't achieve mainstream commercial success; it reached #78 on Billboard's
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart. They appeared on the digital hardcore band Atari Teenage Riot
Atari Teenage Riot
'Atari Teenage Riot' is a German digital hardcore group formed in Berlin in 1992. The name was taken from a Portuguese Joe song 'Teenage Riot' from the 'Teen-age Riot' album, with the word 'Atari' added as an Atari ST computer was used to create compositions...
's final album 60 Second Wipeout
60 Second Wipeout
-CD2 – Live In Philadelphia, December 1997:-External links:* at MySpace*...
(1999) that year. The group went from five members, down to three: Q-Unique, Jise One and Swel Boogie, for their follow-up album, Date of Birth (2001). With their live performances, the group is known to be very varied in their rap style, drawing on many old school hip hop
Old school hip hop
Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...
and east coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City, USA during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the East Coast...
influences. Kansas City's alternative weekly newspaper, The Pitch, described them as "one of the best live bands in hip-hop" in 2001. On 18th August 2011, Arsonists played the first show in 11 years that had all four members on stage at Hip Hop Kemp, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
Albums
- As the World Burns (1999), MatadorMatador RecordsMatador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...
- Date of Birth (2001), Matador
Singles
- "The Session" (1996)
- "Blaze/Geembo's Theme/Flashback" (1998), Fondle 'EmFondle 'Em RecordsFondle ‘Em Records was a record label based in New York City, New York. It was founded and owned by Robert “Bobbito” Garcia from 1995 to 2001. Bobbito formed the label after realizing that the many unsigned rappers making guest appearances on “The Stretch Armstrong/Bobbito Show,” a program Bobbito...
- "Backdraft" (1999), Matador
- "Pyromaniax" (1999), Matador
- "Backdraft/Halloween II" (1999), Matador
- "As the World Burns" (1999), Matador- instrumental limited edition
External links
- Arsonists at Matador RecordsMatador RecordsMatador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...