Del tha Funkee Homosapien

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Del tha Funkee Homosapien
Del performing in Red Deer, AB in 2006
Del performing in Red Deer, AB in 2006
Background information
Birth name Teren Delvon Jones
Also known as Del The Funky Homosapien
Del
Deltron Zero
Deltron Z
Dr. Bombay
Del Diablo Diabolique
Sir Diesel
Sir DZL
Born August 12, 1972 (1972-08-12) (age 35)
Origin Oakland, California, U.S.
Genre(s) Hip hop
Occupation(s) MC, producer
Instrument(s) Vocals
Years active 1990–present
Label(s) Asylum (1993–1997)
Elektra (1993–1997)
Hiero Imperium (1997–)
Definitive Jux (2007–)
Associated acts Hieroglyphics
Deltron 3030
Gorillaz
Handsome Boy Modeling School
Ice Cube

Del tha Funkee Homosapien is an alternative hip hop artist. Del was born Teren Delvon Jones on August 12, 1972 in Oakland, California [1]. He currently lives in Richmond, California.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Cousin of renowned rapper Ice Cube, Del began his career writing lyrics for Cube's backing band, Da Lench Mob.[2] In 1991, with the help of Ice Cube, Del released his first solo album, I Wish My Brother George Was Here,[2] at the age of 19. The album was a commercial success, largely due to the popularity of the hit single, "Mistadobalina". Ultimately Del, who was not pleased with the limited musical range of the album, took matters into his own hands, and severed his production-artist relationship with Ice Cube for his next album, No Need for Alarm.

No Need for Alarm also saw the introduction of the famous Oakland clique Hieroglyphics,[2] whose original members included the widely acclaimed Souls of Mischief, Domino, Casual, Snupe, and Pep Love. No Need for Alarm was a bold move on Del's part as it allowed him to develop, display, and solidify his unique style as an MC, and also helped to expose both the regional Oakland sound of hip hop, as well as the freestyle based, "golden era-97" style of hip hop being expanded at the time. Rather than the use of multiple funk samples, including those of Pfunk, No Need for Alarm features a bold, classic hip hop sound, often referred to as an updated Oakland version of Boom Bap, which is a certain archetypal hip hop sound, and because Del and his crew represents Oakland. The sound of this album was largely due to the production work of Domino, a producer for the Hieroglyphics crew. The album No Need for Alarm is still considered one of the greatest albums ever to come out of Del, Hieroglyphics, or Oakland, and is highly regarded as one of the all time classic albums of hip hop.[citation needed] The instrumental pressings of this record is considered the "holy grail" of hiphop instrumental albums, due to the quality of production on the album and also due to its extremely limited pressing.[citation needed]

Due to touring, mundane activities, and frequent psychedelic drug use, it would be another five years before the release of his third album. About a month before the release of his third album Future Development Del received an auspicious letter from his label, Elektra, stating that his contract had been terminated.[2]

Del's third solo album Future Development became available in 1998. The album was only available on the Hieroglyphics website for download, and in tape form in Japan. Future Development was re-released in 2002 under the Hieroglyphics Imperium label. Del also released another collaborative work with the Hieroglyphics crew in 1998, 3rd Eye Vision, it was the Hieroglyphics crew's first album. Two years later, Del released his fourth solo album, Both Sides of the Brain, as well as Deltron 3030 which was a collaborative work with artists Dan “the Automator” Nakamura and Kid Koala. Exposure from the 3030 project helped to expand Del's fan base—the 3030 project worked well as a marketing move because the CD capitalized on the growing interest of computer technology, incorporating motifs of science fiction, telling stories about life and hip hop based in the year 3030, and infusing much of the popular internet terminology and culture in circulation at the time.

Del collaborated with pop-group Gorillaz for two songs on their debut album, both of which became singles: "Clint Eastwood" and "Rock the House". In their cartoon-based videos he is portrayed as a ghost. Del later commented in an interview on the success of "Clint Eastwood" by saying to the interviewer that he actually wrote the song with the book "How to Write a Hit Song," a book that he bought with a coupon his mother gave him. After the song went platinum he gave the plaque to his mother[1]. As part of Russel Hobbs' backstory, the character of Del was one of Russel's friends that was gunned down in a drive-by shooting, whose ghost possessed Russel. When Del was not invited to work on the Demon Days album, a story was written that Del and the other spirits that possessed Russel were exorcised in 2003.

2003 also saw the release of Full Circle, the second full-length album from the Hieroglyphics crew.

In 2004 Elektra released The Best of Del The Funky Homosapien: The Elektra Years without the approval of Del. The CD only includes songs from his first two albums, along with a handful of b-sides from that era. Del was not pleased and advised people to not buy the CD, saying it was just Elektra trying to make money off of him due to his newfound fame.

Together with his crew, Del has established his own independent record label, Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings, which primarily consists of an expanded Hieroglyphics roster and a few other artists with whom the group collaborates regularly.

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Del’s lyrics often reflect his interests, offering humor and themes that differ from most mainstream hip hop, but still reverently adheres to the classic traditions in which hip hop was built from. In 2000, the song "Jaw Gymnastics", featuring Casual, was featured in the game Knockout Kings. In 2000, the song "Positive Contact" from Deltron 3030 was featured in the game Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX. In 2001, the song "If You Must" was featured in the game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. In 2003, the song "Positive Contact" from Deltron 3030 was featured in the game Tony Hawk's Underground. In 2005, the song "At the Helm" featuring Hieroglyphics was featured in the game Tony Hawk’s Project 8. In 2006, the song "Catch A Bad One" was used in the game Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. Also in 2006 his song "Dr. Bombay" was used in the movie Beerfest and more recently a Hieroglyphics song "At the Helm" was featured in commercials for and is used in Tony Hawk's Project 8. A Hieroglyphics song "Don't Hate the Player" was also featured in NBA 2K7. Also, his song "Burnt" was featured in Tony Hawk's American Wasteland.

Del has also had many songs featured in snowboarding movies. "Press Rewind" was the song for Eero Ettala's part in the film White Balance and "If You Must" was featured in DC Mountain Lab.

Currently there is a DVD available called 11th Hour, which DVD contains some live footage, footage of him in the studio and around the house, as well as footage of him recording 11th Hour. It was his first solo album in more than seven years.

In 2008, 11th Hour was released first, with the new Deltron album, Deltron Event II to be released afterwards.

"11th Hour" was released by Definitive Jux instead of the usual Hiero Imperium. CEO and MC El-P all but confirmed Del's signing recently in a cryptic myspace blog post. Del is also currently on tour with Embedded/Def Jux artists Iller than Theirs and Junk Science. On November 6, 2007 there was a post on the Definitive Jux website that stated Del had signed with Definitive Jux.

Del's impact on the music world did not end with his solo work of even the albums his label released. At the beginning of the new millennium Del branched out and through his work with Dan the Automator on the Deltron 3030 record and later with the Gorillaz multi platinum first album (and on which he voiced the hit single, "Clint Eastwood"), Del continued to push the boundaries of the art of MCing and proving that talent and versatility could make rap relevant outside the traditional boundaries of genre.

When asked about working with Def Jux, Del commented: "I look at this as an opportunity to spread the gospel a little thicker. El-P and I have known each other for a long time and I respect what he does. I see Def Jux out there doing their thing, I think we can help each other build new audiences. I'm looking forward to working with El-P and Def Jux on future projects as well."

El-P added, "Del is and always has been one of my favorite artists and people. It's amazing to get a chance to release Del's vision on Jux. The 11th Hour 100% Del. Conceived and produced completely by the man himself. My hope is just to get the record out to as many people as possible and to support the legacy Del and the whole Heiro Emporium have created. He's one of hip hop's true originals and a legitimate leader of the new and true school that we all love."

Del is currently touring the U.S. on the 11th Hour Tour. His first video, Workin it is released and is one of the front page videos on You Tube.

Del was recently seen on an episode of the MTV show MADE in Canada, where he encouraged the youth to drop-in on a mini ramp and later performing and dedicating "If You Must" to the main character. He also provided songs for the soundtrack.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Solo

[edit] Hieroglyphics

[edit] Gorillaz

[edit] Deltron 3030

[edit] Appearances

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Greg Prato. allmusic ((( Del tha Funkee Homosapien > Biography ))). All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
  2. ^ a b c d Hieroglyphics. Del tha Amazing Homosapien. Hieroglyphics. Retrieved on 2007-09-05.
  3. ^ UKMIX - Forums - View topic - SoundScan Era - USA's Best Selling Artists and Albums

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Hieroglyphics
Casual | Del tha Funkee Homosapien | Domino | Pep Love | Souls of Mischief (A-Plus, Opio, Phesto, Tajai)
Albums
3rd Eye Vision (1998) | Full Circle (2003)
Compilation Albums
Hieroglyphics B-Sides (1997) | Hieroglyphics Oldies, Vol. I (1997) | Hieroglyphics Oldies, Vol. II (1998) | The Corner (2005) | Over Time (2007)
Hiero related artists
A Band Called Pain | Beeda Weeda | Encore | Goapele | Handsome Boy Modeling School | Knobody | Musab | O.C. | Prince Ali | SupremeEx | Z-Man