SoliLLaquists of Sound Recent News

SOLILLAQUISTS OF SOUND Release "Death of the Muse"

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:09:00 -0700

Inspired by the LA Weekly's revelatory interview with Ms. Maureen Yancey a/k/a Ma Dukes, mother of deceased producer and hip hop luminary James Yancy a/k/a J Dilla, Anti-/Epitaph recording artists Solillaquists of Sound have decided to put the power of change into the hands of the people.

Solilla's "Death of the Muse," featuring J-Live, Chali 2na (formerly of Jurassic 5), and Ma Dukes herself, will be made available for digital purchase at http://www.insound.com/madukesdonation for a minimum donation of $2. In an effort to alleviate the grim financial situation that has been intensified by her declining health, one hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly to Ms. Yancey. In addition to losing her house and taking on an insurmountable number of hospital bills while looking after Dilla in his time of illness, Ms. Yancey was also left with a difficult and estranged relationship with the current executors of her son's estate in the wake of his passing.

"Our new album No More Heroes deals with the theme of heroism in a number of ways," says Solilla group member/producer DiViNCi. "As a musician, Dilla was my biggest hero, so when we started working on the album a year ago, we intended on dedicating select parts of it to him and donating some of the proceeds to his estate. But as news began to circulate, particularly through the LA Weekly's article, it really made it clear that a movement needed to be started to get all of the proceeds directly in the hands of Ms. Yancey, who in our eyes is a hero who is still with us."

"The song and album's message is also for people to step up and become their own heroes. The best way to pay tribute to someone is to honor your life by living it to the fullest, inspired by what they did while they were alive, rather than mourning their memory," DiViNCi continues. "At the same time, ‘Death of the Muse' is also a tribute to Dilla's legacy – a call to listeners to appreciate what you've got while it's there, because it can be fleeting. The dignity and perseverance that Ma Dukes has exuded during these difficult times is truly its own heroic feat, and it's only right to pay homage and lend a hand to her in her time of need."

J Dilla emerged out of Detroit's hip hop scene in the mid-90s as one third of the group Slum Village. A gifted producer, emcee, and multi-instrumentalist, he would go on to produce songs for artists such as Common, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Erykah Badu, and the Pharcyde. After a lengthy struggle with lupus that saw him in and out of the hospital for the last few years of his life, Yancey died from cardiac arrest on February 10, 2006, three days after his 32nd birthday.

Combining the fervent virtuosity of producer/MPCist DiViNCi, the rapid-fire delivery of emcee Swamburger, the soulful vocals of Alexandrah, and the spoken narrative of Tonya Combs, the Solillaquists of Sound have wowed audiences across the board as one of today's most passionate, innovative, and dynamic Hip Hop acts. Along with the forthcoming release of their second album on Anti-/Epitaph, No More Heroes, the group members also are in the process of launching their own non-profit organization, the Solilla Center 4 Creative Kids.

11/16 – Citybank Hall – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
11/19 – Carling Academy Liverpool – Liverpool, England
11/20 – University of East Anglia – Norwich, England
11/21 – Manchester Academy – Manchester, England
11/22 – Carling Academy – Birmingham, England
11/23 – Barrowlands – Glasgow, Scotland
11/25 – Carling Academy – Newcastle, England
11/26 – Guidhall – Southampton, England
11/27 – Carling Academy – Bristol, England
11/28 – Brixton Carling Academy – London, England
11/29 – Rock City – Nottingham, England

SOLILLAQUISTS OF SOUND'S SAMPLE WIZARD DiViNCi TO OPEN THE PRESTIGIOUS PLUG AWARDS ON THURSDAY

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:03:00 -0800

The 2008 Plug Awards promise to get off to an electrifying start on Thursday night, as Solillaquists of Sound's DiViNCi kicks off the festivities.

Each year, Plug, a loosely organized independent music community, comes together to decide the best independent music and media released that year. A list of finalists is posted online and the democratic process takes its course as thousands of music fans from around the world vote for their favorites. Previous Plug Award winners have included Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Sufjan Stevens and TV On The Radio.

2008's show promises to be the most exciting yet. With performances by the likes of Dizzee Rascal and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds among others, the electronics genius DiViNCi will be in good company. Best known as the man behind the midi, DiViNCi creates the beats that fuel the inspirational, original and thought-provoking tracks that have placed the Solillaquists of Sound at the top of the thinking man's hip hop list.

SoS have toured the world, both backing other MCs and on their own, playing with everyone from the Roots to EL-P. At each show, it is the dizzying skills of DiViNCi playing his MPC that thrills the crowd. Likened to the expressive and psychedelic sounds that Jimmy Hendrix coaxed from his guitar, DiViNCi's mobile midi production center is the heartbeat of SoS. See for yourself, as DiViNCi jams the National Anthem on two MPCs.

With a new Solillaquists of Sound record, entitled No More Heroes, in the works, more of DiViNCi's artistic and intelligent vision will come to light in late 2008. In the meantime, check out his skills this Thursday at the Plug Awards.

Sol.iLLaquists of Sound sign to Anti-/Epitaph!

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:06:00 -0700

Sol.iLLaquists of Sound to Drop Anti-/Epitaph debut LP
As If We Existed on September 26, 2006

Thought-provoking hip-hop prot�g�s of hardcore rapper Sage Francis emerge

Sol.iLLaquists of Sound � prot�g�s of acclaimed, politically-minded rapper Sage Francis � will release their debut album through Anti-/Epitaph Records on September 26, 2006. Titled As If We Existed, the first studio offering from the dynamic, Orlando-based hip-hop collective is the next link in the chain of cerebral hip-hop.

Discovered by outspoken rapper Sage Francis, the Sol.iLLaquists� combustible live presence prompted the renowned MC to not only take the troupe on tour as a support act, but incorporate them into his live set. Now, with As If We Existed, S.O.S. offers up a thinking person�s brand of the genre.

Not content to just jam together, but actually live communally in a cramped, slightly overgrown Florida lakehouse, Sol.iLLaquists of Sound are a collective in every sense of the word. And it�s that sense of family translates to the thought stirring, vibe-steady compositions found on As If We Existed.

As activists, healers and vegans, the Sol.iLLaquists fuse intellect, spirituality and action, taking aim at specific issues like cultural revolution (�Black Guy Peace�), ethnic alcoholism (�Property & Malt Liquor�) and personal wellness (�Our 2 Cents�). Serving as both a harsh mirror and a challenge to rise above, As If We Existed prospers in the presence of MC Swamburger�s flow, a tongue-twisting, machine-gunning cadence whose precision is surgical in both rhythm and message.

Coupled with the technical skills of DiViNCi on MPC (Midi Production Center), The Sol.illaquists� facile, athletic beats and �Burger�s tense lines find balance in the soulful vocals of Alexandrah and Tonya Combs. Fusing critical messages with a multi-dimensional sound, As If We Existed is a public service announcement with spit. One listen and you�ll be well-grooved, dually enlightened and quite possibly inspired.