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Torch (rapper)
Encyclopedia
Frederik Hahn better known by his stage name Torch, is a German rapper
with Haiti
an roots. He was among the first German rappers
who began rapping in German
in the mid-1980s
in Heidelberg, laying the foundation for the success of German hip hop music
. In 1985, Afrika Bambaataa
named him king of the first German chapter of the Zulu Nation
and also gave him the title: Overlord of Sound & Culture.
with Toni L
, Linguist, Gee-One and DJ Mike MD. In 1992, the song Fremd im eigenen Land ("Stranger in one's own country") became the group's first hit. Primarily due to exposure on the cable television network MTV
, the song garnered attention outside of Germany's hip hop scene, which was still quite small at the time.
Torch's first (and so far only) solo-album was Blauer Samt
("Blue Velvet"), released in 2000 and is one of the most respected hip hop artist in Europe.
He worked with international artists like Afrika Bambaataa
, Freestyle (Ex-Arsonists), Grandmaster Caz (Cold Crush Bros), Jurassic 5
, KRS1 (BDP), Melle Mel
, Missing Linx (Al Tariq-Ex Beatnuts), Whipper Whip & Virtuoso
(Boston). After his introduction to Bambaataa, Torch was given the task of heading up the very first German chapter of the Zulu nation as well as collaborating for the socially conscious German hip-hop concert, 'Rap against the Right'. Torch was chosen for these tasks because of his social consciousness as pervayed through his music and lyrics.
Advanced Chemistry
(and specifically Torch) have expressed the desire to remain largely underground
while other German hip hop groups have sought stardom, but a common view shared by these other groups and Torch is their view on "Americanness." Author Timothy Brown cites Torch as stating, "What the American do is exotic for us because we don't live like they do. What they do seems to be more interesting and newer. But not for me. For me it's more exciting to experience my fellow Germans in new contexts... For me it's interesting to see what the kids try to do that's different from what I know."
He is also travelling the World as DJ Haitian Star where he has performed at the Battle of the Year (Germany
), Jazz Festival Montreux (Switzerland
), Hip Hop Kemp (Czech Republik), Zulu Anniversary (NY/USA),... He shared the decks with DJs like: Z-Trip (US), David Rodigan (UK), Grandmaster Flash (US), Kool Herc (US), Tee (Japan
), Supreme/Hijack (UK), Defcut (CH), Stylewarz (D), Marc Hype (D),...
He currently lives in Zürich
and Berlin
.
Torch speaks 5 Languages incl. German
, Swiss German
, English
, French
and Haitian creole. Also going by the alias DJ Haitian Star, he has gained considerable underground popularity. His sound as a DJ covers a wide range of hip hop, sampling older, classic hip hop songs as well as creating new, funk-based sounds. He's cited as referring to himself as not only a rapper, but also a "Poet, Painter, DJ, Producer, [and] Player."
His uncle is the notable Haitian poet Georges Castera. He is also a distant relative of British author Nick Stone
.
German hip hop
German Hip Hop refers to hip hop music produced in Germany. Elements of American hip hop culture, such as graffiti art and breakdancing, diffused into Western Europe in the early 1980s.-1980–1990:...
with Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an roots. He was among the first German rappers
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
who began rapping in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in the mid-1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
in Heidelberg, laying the foundation for the success of German hip hop music
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...
. In 1985, Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
named him king of the first German chapter of the Zulu Nation
Universal Zulu Nation
|rightThe Universal Zulu Nation is an international hip hop awareness group formed and headed by hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa. Originally known simply as the Organization, it arose in the 1970s as reformed New York City gang members began to organize cultural events for youths, combining local...
and also gave him the title: Overlord of Sound & Culture.
Career
In 1987, Torch founded the group Advanced ChemistryAdvanced Chemistry
Advanced Chemistry is a German hip hop group from Heidelberg, a scenic city in Baden-Württemberg, South Germany. Advanced Chemistry was founded in 1987 by Toni L, Linguist, Gee-One, DJ Mike MD and MC Torch...
with Toni L
Toni L
Toni L is one of the three artists comprising the famous German rap group Advanced Chemistry formed in 1987. Born as Toni Landomini, yet often referred to as “der pate” or “the Godfather,” Toni holds German citizenship but has an Italian background...
, Linguist, Gee-One and DJ Mike MD. In 1992, the song Fremd im eigenen Land ("Stranger in one's own country") became the group's first hit. Primarily due to exposure on the cable television network 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....
, the song garnered attention outside of Germany's hip hop scene, which was still quite small at the time.
Torch's first (and so far only) solo-album was Blauer Samt
Blauer Samt
Blauer Samt is the first solo album by the German hip hop artist Torch.- Track listing :# "Kapitel 29" -2:54# "Die Welt brennt" -4:08# "Interlude 1" -0:24# "Gewalt oder Sex" -3:29# "Wir waren mal Stars"-3:03...
("Blue Velvet"), released in 2000 and is one of the most respected hip hop artist in Europe.
He worked with international artists like Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
, Freestyle (Ex-Arsonists), Grandmaster Caz (Cold Crush Bros), Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5 was an American alternative hip hop group formed in 1993 from members of two previous groups, Rebels of Rhythm and Unity Committee by rappers Charles Stewart , Dante Givens , Courtenay Henderson , Marc Stuart , and disc jockeys Mark Potsic and Lucas Macfadden...
, KRS1 (BDP), Melle Mel
Melle Mel
Grandmaster Mele Mel , also known as Melle Mel , is an American hip-hop musician — one of the pioneers of old school hip hop as lead rapper and main songwriter for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.- Biography :...
, Missing Linx (Al Tariq-Ex Beatnuts), Whipper Whip & Virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
(Boston). After his introduction to Bambaataa, Torch was given the task of heading up the very first German chapter of the Zulu nation as well as collaborating for the socially conscious German hip-hop concert, 'Rap against the Right'. Torch was chosen for these tasks because of his social consciousness as pervayed through his music and lyrics.
Advanced Chemistry
Advanced Chemistry
Advanced Chemistry is a German hip hop group from Heidelberg, a scenic city in Baden-Württemberg, South Germany. Advanced Chemistry was founded in 1987 by Toni L, Linguist, Gee-One, DJ Mike MD and MC Torch...
(and specifically Torch) have expressed the desire to remain largely underground
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....
while other German hip hop groups have sought stardom, but a common view shared by these other groups and Torch is their view on "Americanness." Author Timothy Brown cites Torch as stating, "What the American do is exotic for us because we don't live like they do. What they do seems to be more interesting and newer. But not for me. For me it's more exciting to experience my fellow Germans in new contexts... For me it's interesting to see what the kids try to do that's different from what I know."
He is also travelling the World as DJ Haitian Star where he has performed at the Battle of the Year (Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
), Jazz Festival Montreux (Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
), Hip Hop Kemp (Czech Republik), Zulu Anniversary (NY/USA),... He shared the decks with DJs like: Z-Trip (US), David Rodigan (UK), Grandmaster Flash (US), Kool Herc (US), Tee (Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
), Supreme/Hijack (UK), Defcut (CH), Stylewarz (D), Marc Hype (D),...
He currently lives in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Torch speaks 5 Languages incl. German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Swiss German
Swiss German
Swiss German is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in Switzerland and in some Alpine communities in Northern Italy. Occasionally, the Alemannic dialects spoken in other countries are grouped together with Swiss German as well, especially the dialects of Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Haitian creole. Also going by the alias DJ Haitian Star, he has gained considerable underground popularity. His sound as a DJ covers a wide range of hip hop, sampling older, classic hip hop songs as well as creating new, funk-based sounds. He's cited as referring to himself as not only a rapper, but also a "Poet, Painter, DJ, Producer, [and] Player."
His uncle is the notable Haitian poet Georges Castera. He is also a distant relative of British author Nick Stone
Nick Stone (author)
Nick Stone , is a British thriller writer.-Background:Born in Cambridge to historian Norman Stone and his Haitian wife,...
.
Discography
- 2000: Gewalt oder Sex
- 2000: Blauer SamtBlauer SamtBlauer Samt is the first solo album by the German hip hop artist Torch.- Track listing :# "Kapitel 29" -2:54# "Die Welt brennt" -4:08# "Interlude 1" -0:24# "Gewalt oder Sex" -3:29# "Wir waren mal Stars"-3:03...
- 2000: Die Welt brennt/Wir waren mal Stars
- 2001: Die Welt brennt/Wir waren mal Stars (Remixe)
- 2001: In deinen Armen
- 2001: Blauer Samt (Instrumentals)
- 2005: Move the Crowd
- 2008 : Heidelberg (Mixtape)