Speech (rapper)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the American rapper. For the British rapper and Mercury Prize winner, see Speech Debelle.

Speech
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, musician, singer
Years active1984–present
LabelsChrysalis/EMI
Websitewww.speechmusic.com

Todd Thomas (born October 25, 1968), better known by the stage name Speech, is an American rapper and musician. He is a member of the progressive hip hop group Arrested Development and has released a number of solo albums.

Background

He was born in

Rufus King High School
and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His first rap group, Attack, was active from 1984 until 1986. He also DJ'd at a popular teen club called the Fox Trap along with other guest DJs.

Music career

Arrested Development

In 1987, Speech joined with fellow DJ

3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of....[1] Speech performed lead vocals, and produced the group's tracks. The group's follow-up album, Zingalamaduni,[1] fared poorly by comparison, but was critically acclaimed. In a four star review, Rolling Stone wrote that "Speech still has a gift for the swinging rhythms and decent expressions that get past the differences that divide the pop audience."[2] Speech went on to pursue his solo career, also starting Vagabond Productions as a vehicle for Arrested Development and their business dealings, and became a promoter of neo soul, hip-hop, and rock concerts in Atlanta
. The company then switched to representing artists in U.S. and Japan. Since then, Vagabond has become an all around production house that presents music to various labels and digital outlets across the world.

In 2000, Speech also reunited with Arrested Development (without the participation of DJ Headliner or Aerle Taree).

Solo

His debut solo album,

ArtistDirect. Speech then licensed to Toshiba EMI, Down South Produckshuns which spawned another top 10 hit entitled "Braided Hair." Vagabond Productions later released a Speech solo compilation of Down South Produckshun songs, Spiritual People songs (U.S. version) and songs from Arrested Development's Among the Trees album, entitled The Vagabond in 2006. That album was released on Bluhammock records and won in The 6th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album.[4]

Speech toured with US Vice President

Hootie and the Blowfish
.

In addition to touring and releasing his own albums, Speech has performed on several other projects including 1 Giant Leap and collaborating with Zap Mama on "Each Step Moves Us On".

Publications

  • What Is Success?. Vagabond Records and Tapes, 2009.

Discography

Solo albums

  • Speech (1996), Chrysalis
  • Hoopla (1998), TVT
  • Spiritual People (2000),
    Toshiba EMI
  • Down South Produckshuns (2002), Toshiba EMI
  • Peechy (2003), Toshiba EMI
  • The Vagabond (2005), Bluhammock
  • The Grown Folks Table (2009), Vagabond Records and Tapes
  • Expansion (2020), Vagabond Record and Tapes

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-7535-0252-6
    .
  2. ^ White, Armond (June 30, 1994). "Zingalamaduni". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  3. ^ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年11月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. November 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). 494. Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan: 9. January 10, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  4. ^ Independent Music Awards – 6th Annual Winners Archived May 1, 2009, at the Wayback Machine

External links

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