Lateef
Encyclopedia
Lateef the Truthspeaker (born Lateef K. Daumont, September 28, 1974 in Oakland, California
) also known as The Truthspeaker or simply Lateef, is an American hip-hop
artist who is part of the groups Latyrx
(with Lyrics Born
) and The Maroons AKA Lateef and the Chief
(with Blackalicious
' Chief Xcel). He was one of the founding members of the Solesides
collective, which became Quannum Projects
.
He was raised in East Oakland
, where his father was security detail for the Black Panthers. His mother, a Panther medic, was a roommate and political associate of Angela Davis
.
Fatboy Slim's
hit singles "That Old Pair of Jeans
" and "Wonderful Night
" feature vocals by Daumont.
In 2002, Lateef contributed to Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD released by the Red Hot Organization
in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti
, that raised money for various charities devoted to raising AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. He collaborated with hip-hop artist Gift of Gab
to remake the famous song by Fela Kuti, "Kalakuta Show."
He is also featured on the single "Enuff" from DJ Shadow's
album "The Outsider." Other collaborations include the French outfit The General Elektriks, with whom he worked on two tracks from their release "Cliquety Kliqk" (credited on one track as Lateef, and the other as Feetal) and two tracks from Fatboy Slim
's album Palookaville. He was also featured in the song "No Way" on Galactic
's 2007 release "From the Corner to the Block".
Lateef is currently working on his solo album "Crowd Rockers". He also recently worked with Quannum Projects labelmate, Gift of Gab
, and Headnodic from the Crown City Rockers, on the album "Dropping Science Fiction," a debut project from The Mighty Underdogs
.
In 2007, Lateef released a mixtape entitled Ahead of the Curve with DJ Z-Trip
, in which he cited people such as Linkin Park
, Chuck D., DJ Babu
and DJ Shadow
as influences.
He featured on the track "This Language" by Stateless
on their 2007 released debut album Stateless
.
Lateef dropped his latest album titled Truth Is Love in 2009. It is a mixtape, mixed by DJ D-Sharp.
Lateef is currently working with General Elektriks on "A Pocketful of MCs" and is featured in two songs so far.
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
) also known as The Truthspeaker or simply Lateef, is an American hip-hop
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...
artist who is part of the groups Latyrx
Latyrx
Latyrx is a hip hop music group consisting of Lateef the Truth Speaker and Lyrics Born. The roots of their partnership lay in the formation of the Solesides collective at the University of California, Davis.-History:...
(with Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born , is a Japanese American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and voice over announcer. He is also one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.-History:...
) and The Maroons AKA Lateef and the Chief
Lateef and the Chief
Lateef and the Chief are a side project of Quannum Projects crew members Lateef and Chief Xcel. Originally promoted as The Maroons, the duo formally switched their name to Lateef and the Chief sometime prior to the release of their debut album Maroons: Ambush.-See also:*Blackalicious*Quannum...
(with Blackalicious
Blackalicious
Blackalicious is an American hip hop duo from Sacramento, California made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel . They are noted for Gift of Gab's often "tongue-twisting", multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's "classic" beats...
' Chief Xcel). He was one of the founding members of the Solesides
Solesides
Solesides was an underground hip hop label based in Northern California, founded in 1991. It comprised various DJs and MCs, the most notable being DJ Shadow, MC–producer Lyrics Born, and the duo, Blackalicious. The members of Solesides all met via the radio station, KDVS, the 5000-watt community...
collective, which became Quannum Projects
Quannum Projects
Quannum Projects is a hip hop collective based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has been active since 1992, when it was formed at UC Davis under the moniker Solesides Records. It is also the name of the independent record label that releases their records, as well as those of a number of other...
.
He was raised in East Oakland
East Oakland, Oakland, California
East Oakland is the southeastern portion of Oakland, California, and takes up the largest portion of the city's land area. It stretches between Lake Merritt in the northwest and San Leandro in the southeast...
, where his father was security detail for the Black Panthers. His mother, a Panther medic, was a roommate and political associate of Angela Davis
Angela Davis
Angela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. Davis was most politically active during the late 1960s through the 1970s and was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party...
.
Fatboy Slim's
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
hit singles "That Old Pair of Jeans
That Old Pair of Jeans
"That Old Pair of Jeans" is a song by English big beat musician Fatboy Slim, from his compilation album The Greatest Hits – Why Try Harder...
" and "Wonderful Night
Wonderful Night
"Wonderful Night" is a song by English big beat musician Fatboy Slim, released as a single from his album Palookaville. It features Lateef the Truth Speaker on the vocal track. The song is often played at Staples Center immediately after Los Angeles Clippers home wins and at Madison Square Garden...
" feature vocals by Daumont.
In 2002, Lateef contributed to Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD released by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
Fela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...
, that raised money for various charities devoted to raising AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. He collaborated with hip-hop artist Gift of Gab
Gift of Gab
Gift of gab is an idiomatic phrase which means the "ability to talk readily, glibly, and convincingly". Gift of Gab may also refer to:*Irish legend of the Blarney Stone*Gift of Gab , a black-and-white film released in 1934 by Universal Pictures...
to remake the famous song by Fela Kuti, "Kalakuta Show."
He is also featured on the single "Enuff" from DJ Shadow's
DJ Shadow
Joshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
album "The Outsider." Other collaborations include the French outfit The General Elektriks, with whom he worked on two tracks from their release "Cliquety Kliqk" (credited on one track as Lateef, and the other as Feetal) and two tracks from Fatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
's album Palookaville. He was also featured in the song "No Way" on Galactic
Galactic
Galactic is a funk and jazz jam band from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.-Origins and background:Originally formed in 1994 as an octet and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to a sextet of: guitarist Jeff Raines, bassist Robert Mercurio,...
's 2007 release "From the Corner to the Block".
Lateef is currently working on his solo album "Crowd Rockers". He also recently worked with Quannum Projects labelmate, Gift of Gab
Gift of Gab
Gift of gab is an idiomatic phrase which means the "ability to talk readily, glibly, and convincingly". Gift of Gab may also refer to:*Irish legend of the Blarney Stone*Gift of Gab , a black-and-white film released in 1934 by Universal Pictures...
, and Headnodic from the Crown City Rockers, on the album "Dropping Science Fiction," a debut project from The Mighty Underdogs
The Mighty Underdogs
__notoc__#"U.F.C. "#*Cuts by DJ Shadow#"Gunfight"#*Featuring MF DOOM#"Love-Life Soundtrack"#*Featuring LadyBug Mecca#"Status Symbol"#"Out of My Life"#"Bring Me Back"#*Featuring Raashan Ahmad...
.
In 2007, Lateef released a mixtape entitled Ahead of the Curve with DJ Z-Trip
DJ Z-Trip
Zach Sciacca, better known as Z-Trip, is an American DJ and producer. He is best known as a pioneer of the mashup movement.A Phoenix, Arizona native, who now resides in Los Angeles, California, he was known early in his career for performing with the Bombshelter DJs . He became widely known when...
, in which he cited people such as Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
, Chuck D., DJ Babu
DJ Babu
DJ Babu is a Filipino-American DJ. One-third of the hip hop group Dilated Peoples , Babu is also a member of the Beat Junkies DJ crew, and together with rapper Defari forms the duo the Likwit Junkies. DJ Babu, Evidence and Pharoahe Monch also feature in the song H! Vltg3 on Linkin Park's...
and DJ Shadow
DJ Shadow
Joshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
as influences.
He featured on the track "This Language" by Stateless
Stateless (band)
Stateless are an English electronic alternative rock band, founded in 2002 and based in Leeds. The group comprises Chris James , kidkanevil , Justin Percival and David Levin .Stateless earned a recording contract with Sony Music and released their first single "Down Here" in 2004...
on their 2007 released debut album Stateless
Stateless (Stateless album)
- Release history :...
.
Lateef dropped his latest album titled Truth Is Love in 2009. It is a mixtape, mixed by DJ D-Sharp.
Lateef is currently working with General Elektriks on "A Pocketful of MCs" and is featured in two songs so far.