Thurzday
Encyclopedia
Yannick “Thurz” Koffi is a member of U-N-I
a hip hop
duo from Inglewood
, Los Angeles
. He is a descendent of both the Ivory Coast and Belize, taking his moniker from his last name "Koffi" which translates in Ghana’s native language of Akan to "boy born on Friday."
put out three street albums and one mixtape Fried Chicken & Watermelon (2007), Before There Was Love (2009), A Love Supreme (2009) and A Love Supreme 2.0 (2010) becoming known throughout the urban and alternative blogosphere during a time of “hipster” movement momentum. The duo were credited with reviving the "true essence" of hip-hop, rejecting the Gangsta rap
style that had become common. As a duo they won the 2008 MTV Video Music Award for “Best Breakout LA Artist”
On April 2 he performed as a solo artist for the first time at The 2011 Paid Dues Festival in San Bernadino along with Black Star
, Immortal Technique
, Asher Roth
, Dead Prez
, E-40
, Murs
, Blu & Fashawn
.
Paying tribute to the 20th Anniversary of the Rodney King beating (March 3, 1991) he released to Youtube a politically inspired re-enactment of the assault. The video clip transformed him into the image of the motorist (via makeup and computer effects). In conjunction he debuted the first song “Rodney King” which was a stark contrast to the music that U-N-I
were known for which predominately centered on themes of video games, sneakers and women. “Rodney King” discusses every detail from the night of the beating including the statistics of the basketball game King was watching, the alcohol consumption, the marijuana, the make and model of car he was driving; the chase through highways and residential areas through Lake View Terrace interspersed with King's parole worries; the brutality captured on video by a plumber named George Holliday. He raps: "Beware: This stormy black Monday will morph its way into a black plague of agony: broken glass, burning buildings coughing up black smoke. My pain will be a molotov cocktail of hope for all those who sit silent, listening, contemplating violence, awaiting their turn to play their part in the uprising we call Rodney King Riots."
He released the second single “Los Angeles” on April 29 to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots that took place during the course of six days (April 29-May 4, 1992) in Los Angeles’ South Central community. He has said that these socio-economic and political uprisings as well as the recent North Africa protests serve as the backdrop behind this concept album. Throughout the music and multimedia campaign a central question he asks fans is "What do you Riot for?" Even releasing an official "Riot Manifesto" which included statements like “I Riot, because BET has failed every generation after 1999” and “I Riot, because I haven't felt the same love and attachment for an album since Redman's Muddy Waters.”
On June 21 he released the third single "Prayer" which officially confirmed the break-up of U-N-I after a groundswell of speculation from fans.
The album features production from longtime collaborator RO Blvd (U-N-I), DJ Khalil (Eminem, Jay-Z, 50 Cent), Aaron Harris (Dr. Dre, Dead Prez), THX (Murs, The Clipse, Mobb Deep) and Terrace Martin (Snoop Dogg, Lalah Hathaway). Tracks include "Niggas" which discusses the divisive n-word, race, self-hate and self-love. "Two Clips" produced by Grammy Award winning producer DJ Khalil features street-based singer-songwriter Kobe and deals with patterns of recurring gang violence. Other guest artists include Black Thought of The Roots
and BJ The Chicago Kid.
He has collaborated with his longtime visual director Tomas Whitmore for what will soon be a video documentary surrounding all aspects of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, set for release in Spring 2012 on the 20-year anniversary. They will interview various members of the South Central community who were present around Florence and Normandie during the beating and riots.
He currently serves as General Manager at Holy Grail, a consignment sneaker store located in Downtown Los Angeles.
U-n-i
U-N-I are a hip hop duo from Inglewood, Los Angeles, consisting of Y-O and Thurzday .-History:Y-O and Thurzday met in 1999 at St. Bernard High School in Westchester, California...
a hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
duo from Inglewood
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He is a descendent of both the Ivory Coast and Belize, taking his moniker from his last name "Koffi" which translates in Ghana’s native language of Akan to "boy born on Friday."
History
As a rap duo U-N-IU-n-i
U-N-I are a hip hop duo from Inglewood, Los Angeles, consisting of Y-O and Thurzday .-History:Y-O and Thurzday met in 1999 at St. Bernard High School in Westchester, California...
put out three street albums and one mixtape Fried Chicken & Watermelon (2007), Before There Was Love (2009), A Love Supreme (2009) and A Love Supreme 2.0 (2010) becoming known throughout the urban and alternative blogosphere during a time of “hipster” movement momentum. The duo were credited with reviving the "true essence" of hip-hop, rejecting the Gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
style that had become common. As a duo they won the 2008 MTV Video Music Award for “Best Breakout LA Artist”
On April 2 he performed as a solo artist for the first time at The 2011 Paid Dues Festival in San Bernadino along with Black Star
Black Star
-In astronomy:*Dark star , a theoretical star that has a surface escape velocity that equals or exceeds the speed of light*Dark star , a theoretical star heated by dark matter annihilation in the early universe...
, Immortal Technique
Immortal Technique
Felipe Andres Coronel , better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics...
, Asher Roth
Asher Roth
Asher Paul Roth is an American rapper.-Early life:Asher Roth was born and raised in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a small town about 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia. His mother, Elizabeth , is a yoga instructor, and his father, David Roth, is the executive director of a design firm...
, Dead Prez
Dead Prez
Dead Prez stylized as dead prez is a hip hop duo from the United States, composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with socialist lyrics focused on both militant social justice and Pan-Africanism...
, E-40
E-40
Earl Stevens , better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Vallejo, California. He is also part of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. His solo debut album, Federal, was released in November 1992, after The Click's debut...
, Murs
Murs
Murs may refer to:*Murs , American rapper*Multi-Use Radio ServiceFrench communes*Murs, Indre*Murs, Vaucluse*Murs-et-Gélignieux, Ain département*Mûrs-Erigné, Maine-et-Loire département...
, Blu & Fashawn
Fashawn
Santiago Leyva , better known as Fashawn or Fash is an American Rapper from Fresno, California. He is best known for his debut album, Boy Meets World, which was produced entirely by one half of Emanon, Exile...
.
L.A. Riot
In February 2011 he announced he would be putting out a solo album entitled L.A. Riot.Paying tribute to the 20th Anniversary of the Rodney King beating (March 3, 1991) he released to Youtube a politically inspired re-enactment of the assault. The video clip transformed him into the image of the motorist (via makeup and computer effects). In conjunction he debuted the first song “Rodney King” which was a stark contrast to the music that U-N-I
U-n-i
U-N-I are a hip hop duo from Inglewood, Los Angeles, consisting of Y-O and Thurzday .-History:Y-O and Thurzday met in 1999 at St. Bernard High School in Westchester, California...
were known for which predominately centered on themes of video games, sneakers and women. “Rodney King” discusses every detail from the night of the beating including the statistics of the basketball game King was watching, the alcohol consumption, the marijuana, the make and model of car he was driving; the chase through highways and residential areas through Lake View Terrace interspersed with King's parole worries; the brutality captured on video by a plumber named George Holliday. He raps: "Beware: This stormy black Monday will morph its way into a black plague of agony: broken glass, burning buildings coughing up black smoke. My pain will be a molotov cocktail of hope for all those who sit silent, listening, contemplating violence, awaiting their turn to play their part in the uprising we call Rodney King Riots."
He released the second single “Los Angeles” on April 29 to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots that took place during the course of six days (April 29-May 4, 1992) in Los Angeles’ South Central community. He has said that these socio-economic and political uprisings as well as the recent North Africa protests serve as the backdrop behind this concept album. Throughout the music and multimedia campaign a central question he asks fans is "What do you Riot for?" Even releasing an official "Riot Manifesto" which included statements like “I Riot, because BET has failed every generation after 1999” and “I Riot, because I haven't felt the same love and attachment for an album since Redman's Muddy Waters.”
On June 21 he released the third single "Prayer" which officially confirmed the break-up of U-N-I after a groundswell of speculation from fans.
The album features production from longtime collaborator RO Blvd (U-N-I), DJ Khalil (Eminem, Jay-Z, 50 Cent), Aaron Harris (Dr. Dre, Dead Prez), THX (Murs, The Clipse, Mobb Deep) and Terrace Martin (Snoop Dogg, Lalah Hathaway). Tracks include "Niggas" which discusses the divisive n-word, race, self-hate and self-love. "Two Clips" produced by Grammy Award winning producer DJ Khalil features street-based singer-songwriter Kobe and deals with patterns of recurring gang violence. Other guest artists include Black Thought of The Roots
The 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...
and BJ The Chicago Kid.
He has collaborated with his longtime visual director Tomas Whitmore for what will soon be a video documentary surrounding all aspects of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, set for release in Spring 2012 on the 20-year anniversary. They will interview various members of the South Central community who were present around Florence and Normandie during the beating and riots.
He currently serves as General Manager at Holy Grail, a consignment sneaker store located in Downtown Los Angeles.
Singles
- "Los Angeles" (2011)
- "Rodney King" (2011)
- "Prayer" (2011)
- "RIOT" f/ Black Thought of The Roots (2011)