Plastic Little (band)
Encyclopedia
Plastic Little is an American
rap group consisting of Jayson Musson
(PackofRats), Kurt Hunte (No Body's Child), Jon Folmar (Jon Thousand), Si Young Lee (DJ Si Young) and Michael Stern (SQUID). The name "Plastic Little" comes from the Manga
and OVA, Plastic Little
simply as, according to Musson, "The way the 2 words go together, I like it".
Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
; they've worked with other notable artists from the area, including Amanda Blank
and Spank Rock
.
Subsequent to its release the first 6 tracks were released by A-Ron the Don's fledgling record label 'aNYthing Records', for which it received wide critical acclaim from a variety of sources such as Pitchfork Media
and Vice Magazine.
Following up on this success, Plastic Little released their first studio album
, She's Mature
, in 2006 to mixed reviews.
Subsequent to the release of this album the band spent much of the next following years touring both the United States
and the UK, both playing shows of their own and also in a supporting role
for various artists. The group has shared the stage with M.I.A.
, Diplo, Blockhead
, Mark Ronson
, Jay-Z
, Bonde Do Role
, Roots Manuva
, Z-Trip, Belleruche
, Dizzie Rascal, Santogold and Chromeo
as well as Philadelphia's own Need New Body
and Man Man
.
Plastic Little released their second album Welcome to the Jang House
in 2008 to the UK audience only. The album compiles tracks from their self-released album, Thug Paradise, as well as their debut album, She's Mature; adding a couple of new tracks also. The album received mainly positive reviews, with critics praising Little's ability to blend many genres together into one album while still sounding "fresh and bold"; their "tongue-in-cheek brilliance"; and their "biting critique of society at large" and "acerbic wit and intelligence".
2008 also saw them touring the UK in support of their album and featuring in a number of festivals; including Glastonbury
(for Mark Ronson
), Creamfields
, Get Loaded in The Park
(for Ronson), Lollapalooza
and the O2 Wireless festival
(again for Ronson).
Plastic Little are known for their often tongue-in-cheek, comedic lyrical style while still being "simultaneously too full of themselves and astoundingly self-aware".
, Yellowman
, Three 6 Mafia
, Bonnie Raitt
, Dwight Yoakam
, Sade
, R. Kelly
and even Disney.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rap group consisting of Jayson Musson
Jayson Musson
Jayson Musson is an artist, currently based in Philadelphia, PA. He was born in Bronx, NY.- Education :Musson earned a BFA in Photography from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
(PackofRats), Kurt Hunte (No Body's Child), Jon Folmar (Jon Thousand), Si Young Lee (DJ Si Young) and Michael Stern (SQUID). The name "Plastic Little" comes from the Manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and OVA, Plastic Little
Plastic Little
is an anime created by Satoshi Urushihara. It was published in Japan as a one-shot OVA. The anime motion picture was first released in North America on VHS by ADV Films, in 2001 ADV announced that the anime would be released on to DVD on February 5, 2002...
simply as, according to Musson, "The way the 2 words go together, I like it".
Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
; they've worked with other notable artists from the area, including Amanda Blank
Amanda Blank
Amanda Blank is an American singer and member of the performance art band Sweatheart based in Philadelphia.-Early life:Amanda Blank was born in Germantown, a neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
and Spank Rock
Spank Rock
Spank Rock is an American hip-hop group consisting of rapper Naeem Juwan and producer Alex Epton . Their style is generally described as a mix of underground alternative rap and electro and rock.- Biography :...
.
Background
Originally consisting of only Musson and Hunte, Plastic Little formed during the summer of 2001. After little success the pair started looking for "some proper white folks" to appeal to a wider audience. In late 2002, MC Si Young and producer Michael Stern joined the group and together they completed their self-released album Thug Paradise 2.1, released in 2003.Subsequent to its release the first 6 tracks were released by A-Ron the Don's fledgling record label 'aNYthing Records', for which it received wide critical acclaim from a variety of sources such as Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
and Vice Magazine.
Following up on this success, Plastic Little released their first studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, She's Mature
She's Mature
She's Mature is the debut studio album by the Philadelphian rap group, Plastic Little. The album was released on September 19, 2006 through Traffic Entertainment Group....
, in 2006 to mixed reviews.
Subsequent to the release of this album the band spent much of the next following years touring both the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the UK, both playing shows of their own and also in a supporting role
Opening act
An opening act or warm-up act is an entertainer or entertainment act that performs at a concert before the featured entertainer...
for various artists. The group has shared the stage with M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
, Diplo, Blockhead
Blockhead (music)
Blockhead is an American Hip hop producer based in Manhattan, New York. Aside from his solo efforts released on the Ninja Tune label, he is most associated with producing for Aesop Rock, a rapper for the Definitive Jux independent hip hop label. He has also previously worked with rappers C-Rayz...
, Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson
Mark Daniel Ronson is an English DJ, guitarist, music producer, artist and co-founder of Allido Records. He currently works with his band under the music alias of Mark Ronson & The Business Intl....
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, Bonde Do Role
Bonde do Rolê
Bonde do Rolê is a Funk Carioca-influenced electropop group from Curitiba, Brazil, consisting of MCs Pedro D'Eyrot, Laura Taylor, Ana Bernardino, and DJ/MC Rodrigo Gorky...
, Roots Manuva
Roots Manuva
Rodney Hylton Smith , better known by his stage name Roots Manuva, is a British rapper from Stockwell, South London. He is currently signed to Big Dada.-Biography:...
, Z-Trip, Belleruche
Belleruche
Belleruche is a three-piece electronic/soul band from the United Kingdom. They are currently signed on the Brighton based Tru Thoughts label.The band was formed in North London in 2005....
, Dizzie Rascal, Santogold and Chromeo
Chromeo
Chromeo is an electrofunk duo formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2004.-History:Chromeo is composed of P-Thugg on keyboards, synthesizers, and talk box, and Dave 1 on guitar and lead vocals...
as well as Philadelphia's own Need New Body
Need New Body
Need New Body is an avant garde music collective band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and beyond, numerous members of which have gone on to become members of the band Man Man.-Members:*Christopher Powell / Pow Pow – Drums*Tookie Sherman – Keyboard...
and Man Man
Man Man
Man Man is an experimental band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Man Man is known for their exuberant live performances. When performing, the members of the band sometimes coordinate their outfits, often seen in white outfits and, more commonly, war paint....
.
Plastic Little released their second album Welcome to the Jang House
Welcome to the Jang House
Welcome to the Jang House is the second studio album by the Philadelphian rap group, Plastic Little. The album was released on the 28th of September, 2008, through Half Time Records...
in 2008 to the UK audience only. The album compiles tracks from their self-released album, Thug Paradise, as well as their debut album, She's Mature; adding a couple of new tracks also. The album received mainly positive reviews, with critics praising Little's ability to blend many genres together into one album while still sounding "fresh and bold"; their "tongue-in-cheek brilliance"; and their "biting critique of society at large" and "acerbic wit and intelligence".
2008 also saw them touring the UK in support of their album and featuring in a number of festivals; including Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival 2008
The 2008 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was held from 25 to 29 June 2008.-New features:* The John Peel stage doubled in size and had a screen outside it to watch bands.* There was a new 'Shangri-La' area that replaced Lost Vagueness...
(for Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson
Mark Daniel Ronson is an English DJ, guitarist, music producer, artist and co-founder of Allido Records. He currently works with his band under the music alias of Mark Ronson & The Business Intl....
), Creamfields
Creamfields
Creamfelds is a large dance music festival featuring DJs and live acts. It is held annually on the August Bank Holiday weekend in Daresbury, Cheshire, England, just outside of Liverpool where it had previously been held for a number of years. It is renowned for being headlined every year by the...
, Get Loaded in The Park
Get Loaded In The Park
Get Loaded in the Park is an inner-city music festival held on Clapham Common in London annually since 2004. It was held on the August Bank Holiday Sunday until 2010 when the festival took a years sabbatical, before returning in 2011 with a new date of Sunday 12th June.In its original format it was...
(for Ronson), Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
and the O2 Wireless festival
Wireless Festival
The Wireless Festival is a music festival in England that takes place every year in Hyde Park, London, and took place at Harewood House, Leeds in 2006 and 2007. It is owned and managed by Live Nation....
(again for Ronson).
Musical style
Their music has been variously described as rap, hip-hop, 2-step, Gallery Rap and, in their own words, Broke Pop. and Party RapPlastic Little are known for their often tongue-in-cheek, comedic lyrical style while still being "simultaneously too full of themselves and astoundingly self-aware".
Influences
Plastic Little list a wide range of artists as their influences, including The RootsThe Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, Yellowman
Yellowman
Yellowman is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, widely known as King Yellowman...
, Three 6 Mafia
Three 6 Mafia
Three 6 Mafia are an Academy Award-winning, American rap group originating from Memphis, Tennessee. Formed in 1991 as Triple 6 Mafia, by DJ Paul, Juicy J, & Lord Infamous, the group at its most featured six members including; Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca...
, Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
, Dwight Yoakam
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music...
, Sade
Sade (band)
Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....
, R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
and even Disney.
Albums
- 2003 Thug Paradise 2.1 Self-released
- 2006 She's MatureShe's MatureShe's Mature is the debut studio album by the Philadelphian rap group, Plastic Little. The album was released on September 19, 2006 through Traffic Entertainment Group....
- 2008 Welcome to the Jang HouseWelcome to the Jang HouseWelcome to the Jang House is the second studio album by the Philadelphian rap group, Plastic Little. The album was released on the 28th of September, 2008, through Half Time Records...
Singles
- 2004 "F.O.I.L. (I Rock)"
- 2006 "Crambodia"
- 2006 "The Jump Off"
- 2007 "I'm Not a Thug"
- 2008 "Get Close" with sample from The CureThe CureThe Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
's song Close to me - 2009 "La La Land"
Appearances and Remixes
- 2007 Dub PistolsDub PistolsDub Pistols are a London based dub music and big beat band, founded by ex-club promoter, Barry Ashworth, in 1996. The other members of the band were record producer and bassist Jason O'Bryan, Brooklyn producer and lyricist, T. K. Lawrence on vocals, Jap Slut guitarist John King, and turntablist DJ...
- "Open" (Plastic Little Remix) - 2007 Just JackJust JackJack Christopher Allsopp , known by the stage name Just Jack, is an English musician from Camden Town, London. He first came to prominence with the release of his 2007 single "Starz in Their Eyes", which reached number two on the UK Singles Chart...
- "Writer's BlockWriter's Block (Just Jack song)"Writer's Block" is a single by UK artist Just Jack which was recorded in 2006. It reached 74 in the UK Singles Chart in June 2007.The spoken word sample at the beginning of the track is taken from an interview given by Mary Rand to the BBC at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo....
" (Plastic Little Remix) - 2007 Leon Jean Marie - "Bed of Nails" (Plastic Little Remix)
- 2008 Ministry of SoundMinistry of SoundMinistry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
- The Annual 2009The Annual 2009The Annual 2009 is the thirteenth album in The Annual series released by Ministry of Sound on October 27, 2008. Note that this article refers to the UK version of the album specifically.-Disc One:-Disc Two:-DVD:...
- HervéHervé (DJ)Joshua Harvey, otherwise known as Hervé, is a DJ/producer from the UK. Hervé is known for rave-orientated productions and DJ sets.Along with Sinden and Kid Sister, his track "Beeper" reached number 1 on the dance chart in April 2008....
- "Cheap Thrills" (Vocal Club Mix)
- Hervé
- 2008 Daniel MerriweatherDaniel MerriweatherDaniel Paul Merriweather is an Australian R&B singer-songwriter who has worked as a featured vocalist for other artists and has a solo career. His guest vocals are included on album tracks by Disco Montego, Mark Ronson and Phrase...
- "Chainsaw" (Plastic Little Remix) - 2008 Filthy DukesFilthy DukesFilthy Dukes are a synthpop band from London, England. The band is composed of Olly Dixon , Tim Lawton and Mark Ralph . Having been active since 2005, the band released their debut single "Tupac Robot Club Rock" on Fiction Records...
- Nonsense in the DarkNonsense in the DarkNonsense in the Dark is the debut studio album by English band Filthy Dukes. The album was released on March 24, 2009 through Polydor / Fiction Records.-Track listing:...
- Filthy Dukes - "Tupac Robot Club Rock" (Feat. Plastic Little)
- 2008 The Clik Clik - "Did You Wrong" (Plastic Little Remix)
- 2009 Eliza DoolittleEliza DoolittleEliza Sophie Caird , better known by her stage name Eliza Doolittle, is an English singer–songwriter from London, who signed to the Parlophone record label in October 2008. Her debut self-titled album, Eliza Doolittle was released on 12 July 2010, where it debuted at number 3 in the UK...
- "RollerbladesRollerblades (song)"Rollerblades" is the third single from British singer–songwriter Eliza Doolittle, taken from her debut album Eliza Doolittle. It was released on 17 October 2010 and peaked at 58...
" (Plastic Little Remix Vocal) - 2009 Eliza Doolittle - "Rollerblades" (Plastic Little Remix Dub)
- 2009 JahcooziJahcooziJahcoozi is a bass-heavy electronica trio is a creative alliance made up of London-born, Sri Lankan songwriter and front woman Sasha Perera and two beat-freak producers/multi-instrumentalists—Teuton Robot Koch and Tel-Aviv born Oren Gerlitz....
- "Watching You" (Plastic Little Remix) - 2011 Missill - Kawaii
- Missill - "Raw Dog" (Feat. Plastic Little)
- Missil - "Bemore" (Feat. Deeon, Plastic Little)