Punk and hip hop collide at Henotic  today with  The Art of Fresh playing on the main floor and Ottawa based experimental punk band the Kettle Black playing upstairs in the GCBC lounge.

 

 

Art of Fresh is a Toronto based, Sarnia born  hip hop duo including Guiness World Record Setting rapper D.O and Juno Award winning producer Slakah  aka The Beatchild. They both provide their vocal talents while the Beatchild focuses on  providing the beats and production elements. They hav eopened for Sweatshop Union upon releasing their 2008 debut CD  “Back to the Earth”

New Album "Back to the Earth" in Stores NOW! Includes hits such as: Get Free, Out This World & Lemonade Stand!!!! 

“Fresh” – a Hip-Hop term used in the late 80’s indicating something new and unique. Growing up in Hip-Hop’s Golden Era, Duane Gibson aka D.O. became of a fan HipHop music in the 80’s always looking for the newest, “freshest” HipHop music. When he became an MC in his twenties, he began working with Byram Joseph aka Slakah the Beatchild. A child of the nineties, Joseph grew up in a different era of HipHop. In their early recording sessions, Gibson played classic Hiphop for his music partner to introduce him to some vintage HipHop. It was then that the duo decided to work together as a group to make music reminiscent of the Golden Era of HipHop. 

An accomplished M.C. – XXL Magazine has declared D.O. the “True Freestyle King” after setting the Guinness Freestyle Record rapping over 8 hours and 45 minutes. Gibson has released two solo EP’s as well as recent mix CD featuring original songs and freestyles over popular beats. 

Slakah the Beatchild also shares the mic with D.O. , both singing and rapping – however, his primary contribution to the group is as a producer. Slakah composes the beats for the group. His beat making skills have been in demand in the Canadian Urban scene. In 2004, he made hits for Arabesque (“Mama Dig Me”) and Faith Walker feat Choclair (Steppin’ Out remix). 

 

Kettle Black writes:

 Ever since I was a young child, I`ve dreamed of being a T-shirt salesman. But how to make my dream a reality ? I thought, the best way to do this would be to start a band. We called ourselves "Jack Feels Fine" we practiced; we played; we toured; we made a record; we toured some more; then we broke up. I built a recording studio and recorded other bands for awhile. I recorded "Bystander" a studio project and started "Capital Punishment" an internet record company. "The Askmasters" were looking for a bass player and asked me to join. Once again, we practiced; we played; we recorded an album; then we broke up. In the summer of 2002 "Bystander" went to play the NXNE  music festival in Toronto, but by the summer of 2003 "Bystander" had broken up (and I was the only member) 

  Now I am called "The Kettle Black" and I own the dot com to prove it. I finished my first recording 2004 and I`m playing shows again. I play acoustic and electric guitars, bass and synth/piano, I use samples, a couple of loop stations and a drum machine. Someone said it sounded like Mr.Wrong and Neil Young jamming with Roland (formerly of Big Black) in Roger Waters living room. I don`t know but it sure is nice to be back on the road selling my T-shirts again.  

 

 They are playing with the Void and the Taberfucks.