Strange Fruit Project
Encyclopedia
Strange Fruit Project is an underground hip hop
group from Waco, Texas
, which consists of producer
and emcee Symbolyc One (also known as S1, born Larry D. Griffin Jr.), his cousin emcee Myth (short for Mythological, born Kevin Gaither) and emcee Myone (pronouned "My Own", born Anthony Ligawa, originally from Indiana
). The trio officially debuted in 2004, with a pair of underground releases, 'Soul Travelin' and 'From Divine'. Their biggest exposure came with the release of their acclaimed 2006 album The Healing
. The group's name is derived from the Billie Holiday
civil rights song "Strange Fruit
".
, keyboards
, and the drum
s, at a young age. His musical inspirations included legendary producers like Quincy Jones
, Dr. Dre
, Pete Rock
and J Dilla
. He and his cousin Myth began writing rhymes after hearing Run-D.M.C.
's classic 1986 album Raising Hell. In 1996, the cousins formed a duo named Symbolyc Elementz, and in May of that year, the duo was featured in The Source
s "Unsigned Hype" column. S1 met Myone, at the time still a High School student, while working on a day job in 1998. Between 1999 and 2000, the three began recording together, and decided to officially form a group, under the name Strange Fruit Project. SFP released their first group single, "All the Way" b/w "Soul Travelin", in 2003.
. The album received little attention, but "All the Way" received airplay on college radio stations, and was nominated for 2004 Song of the Year by BBC Radio
. The group followed shortly with their second album, Soul Travelin, released in September 2004 on Split Milk Records. Like their debut, the album received little sales and attention, but garnered the group more attention within the hip hop community. Jeff Wade of the Dallas Observer
described the album as "a soulful mixture of personal, from-the-heart lyrics, sweet harmonies and thumpin' drums". In 2005, the group collaborated with Wu-Tang Clan
member Ghostface Killah
and Trife da God on the single "Milk Em'
", produced by S1. The track made the CMJ college radio charts in July and August 2005. The group had a second CMJ chart topper in 2005 with "The Broke Song". Later that year, S1 and Illmind released a collaboration producer-album titled The Art of One Mind. The band also provided the soundtrack to a Winterfresh
gum commercial.
. Their first single on the label, "Soul Clap" b/w "Special", was released in May 2006. The group gained considerable underground hype for their 2006 album The Healing
, released in July 2006. The album featured production from S1, as well as Illmind, Jake One and 9th Wonder
, and featured guest appearances from Erykah Badu
, Little Brother, Darien Brockington and Yahzarah. The Healing was generally well-received, and earned the group "Now Hear This" status on Okayplayer.com
. Marisa Brown of Allmusic gave the album a 3.5/5 rating, calling it "an album of solidly good hip-hop". Justin Cober-Lake of PopMatters
gave the album 7/10, commenting on its "hopeful, spiritual approach". S1 has continued his production career, signing licensing deals for MTV
shows such as Run's House
, Trippin'
and Yo Momma.
Underground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
group from Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, which consists of producer
Hip hop production
Hip hop production is the creation of hip hop music. Though the term encompasses all aspects of hip hop music, it's most commonly used to refer to the instrumental, non-lyrical aspects of hip hop. This means that hip hop producers are the instrumentalists involved in a work...
and emcee Symbolyc One (also known as S1, born Larry D. Griffin Jr.), his cousin emcee Myth (short for Mythological, born Kevin Gaither) and emcee Myone (pronouned "My Own", born Anthony Ligawa, originally from Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
). The trio officially debuted in 2004, with a pair of underground releases, 'Soul Travelin' and 'From Divine'. Their biggest exposure came with the release of their acclaimed 2006 album The Healing
The Healing
The Healing is the third album by underground hip hop group Strange Fruit Project, released July 25, 2006 on Om Records. The album was generally well-received, and drew the group comparisons to underground peers like Little Brother...
. The group's name is derived from the Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
civil rights song "Strange Fruit
Strange Fruit
"Strange Fruit" is a song performed most famously by Billie Holiday, who released her first recording of it in 1939, the year she first sang it. Written by the teacher Abel Meeropol as a poem, it exposed American racism, particularly the lynching of African Americans. Such lynchings had occurred...
".
Early years
The group's musical director S1 began playing musical instruments, including the pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, and the drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, at a young age. His musical inspirations included legendary producers like Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
, Pete Rock
Pete Rock
Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
and J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
. He and his cousin Myth began writing rhymes after hearing Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
's classic 1986 album Raising Hell. In 1996, the cousins formed a duo named Symbolyc Elementz, and in May of that year, the duo was featured in The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
s "Unsigned Hype" column. S1 met Myone, at the time still a High School student, while working on a day job in 1998. Between 1999 and 2000, the three began recording together, and decided to officially form a group, under the name Strange Fruit Project. SFP released their first group single, "All the Way" b/w "Soul Travelin", in 2003.
2004 to 2005
The track "All the Way" was included on the group's debut album, Soul Travelin, released in early 2004 on Spilt Milk Records. The album was produced entirely by S1, except for the single "Eternally Yours", which was produced by up-and-coming beatmaker IllmindIllmind
Illmind is a Filipino American hip hop producer from Bloomfield, New Jersey. He participated in Beat Society, competing against well-known acts like Kanye West and Just Blaze. Illmind has created music for underground artists such as Little Brother, Boot Camp Clik, Akrobatik, Supastition, and El...
. The album received little attention, but "All the Way" received airplay on college radio stations, and was nominated for 2004 Song of the Year by BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
. The group followed shortly with their second album, Soul Travelin, released in September 2004 on Split Milk Records. Like their debut, the album received little sales and attention, but garnered the group more attention within the hip hop community. Jeff Wade of the Dallas Observer
Dallas Observer
The Dallas Observer is a free alternative weekly newspaper distributed around the Dallas, Texas . At its inception, it was conceived as a weekly local arts and cinema review publication, with the credo "Advocate for Excellence in the Arts" on the cover. For a time during the early years, the paper...
described the album as "a soulful mixture of personal, from-the-heart lyrics, sweet harmonies and thumpin' drums". In 2005, the group collaborated with Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
member Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
and Trife da God on the single "Milk Em'
Milk Em'
"Milk Em" is the only single by Ghostface Killah and his protégé Trife da God off the collaborative album Put It on the Line.-Song:Milk Em was released as a single on independent record label Sound in Color...
", produced by S1. The track made the CMJ college radio charts in July and August 2005. The group had a second CMJ chart topper in 2005 with "The Broke Song". Later that year, S1 and Illmind released a collaboration producer-album titled The Art of One Mind. The band also provided the soundtrack to a Winterfresh
Winterfresh
Winterfresh is a wintergreen-flavored variety of chewing gum made by the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. Introduced in the United States in 1994 as an alternative to their Big Red brand , it has had two packaging designs ....
gum commercial.
2006 to present
Following the acclaim of their first two albums, and the success of the single "Milk 'Em", SFP were listed in URB magazine's "Next 100", and signed a record deal with Om RecordsOm Records
Om Records is a US-based record label, established in 1995, which releases electronic music, dance music, and hip hop. The label was founded in San Francisco in 1995 by Chris Smith. Om Records releases both artist albums and various compilations. Some of the most notable compilations include Om...
. Their first single on the label, "Soul Clap" b/w "Special", was released in May 2006. The group gained considerable underground hype for their 2006 album The Healing
The Healing
The Healing is the third album by underground hip hop group Strange Fruit Project, released July 25, 2006 on Om Records. The album was generally well-received, and drew the group comparisons to underground peers like Little Brother...
, released in July 2006. The album featured production from S1, as well as Illmind, Jake One and 9th Wonder
9th Wonder
Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
, and featured guest appearances from Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
, Little Brother, Darien Brockington and Yahzarah. The Healing was generally well-received, and earned the group "Now Hear This" status on Okayplayer.com
Okayplayer
Okayplayer.com is an online hip-hop and alternative music website and community, described by Rolling Stone as a "tastemaker" and "an antidote to dull promotional Web sites used by most artists". The group was co-founded by The Roots' drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson as a loose musical...
. Marisa Brown of Allmusic gave the album a 3.5/5 rating, calling it "an album of solidly good hip-hop". Justin Cober-Lake of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
gave the album 7/10, commenting on its "hopeful, spiritual approach". S1 has continued his production career, signing licensing deals for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
shows such as Run's House
Run's House
Run's House was an MTV reality series. It showed the family life of rapper and hip-hop music pioneer Joseph Simmons, also known as Rev Run....
, Trippin'
Trippin'
Trippin is a 2005 MTV environmental documentary television series hosted by Cameron Diaz. It also features many other celebrities, including Drew Barrymore, Redman, Jessica Alba, Eva Mendes, Mark Hoppus and Justin Timberlake...
and Yo Momma.
Discography
| Album information |
|---|
From Divine
|
| Soul Travelin'
|
| The Healing The Healing The Healing is the third album by underground hip hop group Strange Fruit Project, released July 25, 2006 on Om Records. The album was generally well-received, and drew the group comparisons to underground peers like Little Brother... |
| M.A.S.K. (Making Art Sound Kool) EP
|
| A Dreamer's Journey
|