Johnny Clutch

Artist Information

Biography

“Houston has become quite the hotbed of rap music in recent years. Luminaries like Paul Wall and Mike Jones are bringing Houston in the same breath as Compton, Chicago, Philly, and New York. Johnny Clutch is a different breed, only matched by the incomparable Kanye West.” “Johnny’s raps are more like storytelling or extolling a virtue, much like his Chicago counterpart. It’s his style that will bring rap to the glory days of The Fugees, Run-DMC, and Grandmaster Flash.”

Alan Ho, Editor, Musiqtone
http://www.musiqtone.com/yellowbrick/artists.php

A native Houstonian, John Denson a.k.a. Johnny Clutch, is an everyday guy doing phenomenal things. Discovered by producer and long time friend Warehouse, Clutch is sending a clear message that DA South can “spit”. His alluring voice brings you in to listen to tales of his actual life that play to music like a film score.

In the past year he has played along side such industry juggernauts as Pastor Troy and Lil Flip (BET Soundstage, Myrtle Beach). He has also received props from the original King of Southern Hip Hop, Scarface, and is at the top of the list of being the next big thing to blow in H-Town otherwise know as, “Clutch City”. In addition, he’s a featured up n’ comer on the DVD Live and Direct
(http://www.theshowshow.com/trailers/live_and_direct_trailer.asx), and in the near future will be seen on such DVD titles as Xtra Clips and Smack. Big things are happening for this young man but the story behind him exposes the drive that made him.

Through the pain of the death of his father and the loss of his scholarship, all within an 18-month time period, Clutch found light at the end of the tunnel through the birth of his daughter. He has seen the effects of the other avenue of life while coming up in some of the roughest areas in Houston. He also has witnessed an all too often end result of that lifestyle with his older brother currently serving time.

With that in mind, he made his hustle 100hr work weeks. His grind is just trying to survive. These experiences give Clutch the perfect mouthpiece to add a new flavor to the ever-growing popularity of southern hip-hop and give his music a passion and lyricism that in the end will have him mentioned in the same breath as Gheto Boys and UGK.

Instrumentation

Johnny Clutch - Rapper
Mayhem215 - Rapper
Vid - Rapper
DJ XCEL- DJ
Wharehouse- Producer

Discography

Singles(posted on Soundclick.com)
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/houston_music.htm

Down Home - July 2005- Highest charts position: # 1 ( 562,334 songs currently listed in HipHop)

Tic Tac Toe(Rap Game) - Aug 2005 - Highest charts position in subgenre: # 1 ( 35,281 songs currently listed in HipHop > Alternative Hip Hop)

Don't Look Know - Oct 2005 - Highest charts position in subgenre: # 1 ( 71,589 songs currently listed in HipHop > Hardcore Rap)

Watup Kinfolk - Nov 2005 - Highest charts position: # 19 ( 562,334 songs currently listed in HipHop)

Cd Releases

HomeGrown Da Mixtape- Dec 2005- 3000 copies sold - Highest charts position: # 5 ( 562,334 songs currently listed in HipHop)
Highest charts position in subgenre: # 1 ( 34,525 songs currently listed in HipHop > New School)

Everything IS Bigger - Jan 2007- 7000 copies sold

Official Website

http://www.dynastyseries.com

Links

• MySpace
• Dynasty Series

Audio

• Look Where I Been
  Listen   Download
• Lime Light ft Notorious BIG
  Listen   Download
• Come Round Here
  Listen   Download
• Say it Ain't So (Clean)
  Listen   Download
• Down Home
  Listen   Download
• My Life
  Listen   Download
• Snake Charmer
  Listen   Download
• Get Money ft. Frank Buddas & Streetz
  Listen   Download
• Watup Kinfolk
  Listen   Download
• Fix Ya Face
  Listen   Download

Video

Live in the flesh

Photo Gallery

Press

• Kanye West. Common. Lyfe Jennings. Johnny Clutch. [+ Show ]
  

  Kanye West. Common. Lyfe Jennings. Johnny Clutch. What do all four men have in common? They ar...Kanye West. Common. Lyfe Jennings. Johnny Clutch.
  What do all four men have in common? They are all
  bringing hip-hop back to its roots, eschewing talking
  about ideals that would get any of us in prison for
  storytelling, social ideals, and relevancy.
  
  Johnny hails from Houston, TX, the home to Mike Jones
  and if Johnny plays it right, he could probably
  overtake Jones as Houston's finest rapper. He is also
  our first college student (Drexel U., computer
  engineering) to grace You Gotta Know since Purdue
  University's Amanda Shelly back in May.
  
  He also shares a trait with Kanye West, the drive to
  succeed, blaze trails, and working hard as Johnny is
  no stranger to the 100-hr week, juggling music,
  family, and school all together. He might just be
  underground hip-hop's best secret and most ordinary
  man. He also has rhymed with some hip-hop's rising
  stars like Lil' Flip and Jim Jones.
  
  It's his drive and his blazing trails that puts him as
  a You Gotta Know for December and to close out the
  2005 music year.
  

• Another thing that separates Johnny from many artists is, the man can rhyme..... [+ Show ]
  

  His rhymes are tight and clever. What’s more, he can rhyme for what seems like forever. All four of... His rhymes are tight and clever. What’s more, he can rhyme for what seems like forever. All four of the songs I received were over 4 minutes long, and in some cases over 5 and closer to 6. Spittin’ out lyrics like that takes dedication, and you can tell that this guy loves what he does.
  
  Johnny Clutch is Houston all the way. His music ranges from the melodious “Look Where I Been”, where Johnny shares his life with his listeners, to the harder and grittier “Snake Charmer” and “Say It Ain’t So”, to “Fix Ya Face”, a combination of grit and melody that makes you want to grab your girl and grind on the dance floor. His beats and his basses are perfect to set that Deep South, too-cool-for-words mood. Johnny’s low, rich voice is impossible to ignore and his energy is undeniable and contagious.

• This Kid is Nice........ [+ Show ]
  

  Hailing from Houston, Texas, the hometown of superstar Beyonce’, comes one of the most talented unde...Hailing from Houston, Texas, the hometown of superstar Beyonce’, comes one of the most talented underground rap artists today, Johnny Clutch. His charismatic style of rap has been compared to that of Kanye West. Johnny delivers captivating stories on top of bangin’ beats – a perfect combination.
  
  Our favorites, “Snake Charmer” and “Gonna Come Round Here”, are two of the hottest tracks we’ve heard out of the South in quite some time. Johnny is slowly but surely making his mark in the industry. In the past year he has performed alongside Pastor Troy and Lil Flip at BET Soundstage in Myrtle Beach.
  
  You can find out more about Johnny Clutch on MySpace at www.myspace.com/jclutchmusic.

• Real Life Real Rap... What a concept!!! [+ Show ]
  

  Meet Johnny Clutch, a rapper born and raised in Houston and temporarily transplanted to Philly while...Meet Johnny Clutch, a rapper born and raised in Houston and temporarily transplanted to Philly while he studies Computer Engineering at Drexel U. When the stereotypical rapper is regularly shoved down the throat of the masses by the labels and stations, especially in areas like Philly, it's nice to listen to an artist that breaks the mold.
  
  
  
  Johnny Clutch brings a realism to his music where others live in a hyper-dramatized state. He knows what it's like to work hard, play hard, and pay his dues, and he focuses his creative efforts on bringing that realism to his fans. He's just one of them, and he doesn't pretend to be anything he's not. While studying hard, raising his daughter and working his ass off, he serves as a reminder of what's important and as a role model for those who want to follow his path. He proves that resilience and determination can get anyone through the highs and lows of life, and that no matter who you are or what's going on in your life, you can find a way to pursue your passion.
  

• Talent Level 9 out of 10 [+ Show ]
  

  Name: Johnny Clutch Genre: Hip Hop Sounds like: ? Scores (1 – 10 ascending) Technical Grade: 10...Name: Johnny Clutch
  Genre: Hip Hop
  Sounds like: ?
  Scores (1 – 10 ascending)
  Technical Grade: 10+
  Commercial Value 10+
  Overall Talent Level 9+
  Songwriting Skills 10+
  Performance Skills: ?+
  Best Songs: “Look Where I’ve been Man”
  Weakness: Songs begin to sound the same after the 4th track.
  
  Other Comments: “Limelight Ft Notorious Big” – you have good
  flow especially with the sampling.
  “Look Where I’ve Been Man” – Song sounds marketable. Very
  listenable tune. Has all the hypes and whistles. Time is right and has a
  straight flow with good energy. Sophisticated rymes. The song is
  deep. It makes you want to listen and hear what is to be said next.
  
  “Come Round Here” is very versatile.
  
  “Say It Ain’t So” -- Can’t understand what you are saying. It
  seems that the levels are turned down.
  
  “Down Home” – This is where the music begins to sound the same
  for me.
  
  “My Life” - The Levels pick back up in this song. The beats are
  really nice but still doesn’t show the diversity as I listen on.
  
  Snake Charmer – The levels go down again but it’s a fun beat.
  
  Overall you have strong skills just the production needs a little
  tweeking.

• 97.9FM the BOX (Houston, TX) [+ Show ]
  

  Hey this is Madd Hatta from 97.9 The Box. You got some hot stuff, keep doing what you're doing. ...Hey this is Madd Hatta from 97.9 The Box. You got some hot stuff,
  keep doing what you're doing.
  

• Seriously, why are you not on the radio? [+ Show ]
  

  This is one of the best hip hop songs I have ever heard-I can't listen to a lot of the crap on the r...This is one of the best hip hop songs I have ever heard-I can't listen to a lot of the crap on the radio right now, but this tune(Down Home) is awesome! I love the piano, the lyrics, and the overlapping of all of the different musical sounds! There's nothing about this song I don't like-great job, and the very best of luck to you!!!!! Always, Tiffany Rae. www.tiffanyrae.com
  

• Looking at [+ Show ]
  

  "I like this song a lot, but I'm not sure you really understand rap music. I listened to the whole s..."I like this song a lot, but I'm not sure you really understand rap music. I listened to the whole song and I don't know what kind of watch you own, how many ho's are on your tip, or how many diamond rings you wear. You did mention your car (which, inexplicably, is not a Benzo) but you didn't tell me the brand or diameter of your rims. It's different, but oddly refreshing. 4/5"
  
  Annonomous Listener, 5/16/06
  
  Nice Voice- I don't usually comment on Hip Hop or Rap Because it is not my style - I am a country music kind of guy, but you got me (except for the profanity - I guess this style of music requires that - there in lies the reason I don't care much to listen, But I did like most of this song. Good Luck to you Mr. Johnny Clutch. I found this very entertaining. I will offer 4 Flames - I deducted 1 flame for profanity - but I understand - you gotta do what you gotta do. Any way - Thank you for helping me like a style of music that I have been uninspired by - until you - Jeffrey Elliot Miller
  
  I rarely listen to hip-hop but I think this song is really together! and the rhyming is great-- very good groove-- wouldn't be surpised to hear this on the radio someday! Cool guitar riff in the middle- great songwriting!

• Fiya Crew says.... [+ Show ]
  

  freestyle part two, (i don't dance i boogie) dancing that I LIKE DAT cat, but yo fam I was feeling ... freestyle part two, (i don't dance i boogie) dancing that I LIKE DAT cat, but yo fam I was feeling ya free on that first beat fam, now when you said lean back you changed ya voice to somethign crazy wit that NIGGGGGGGGAAAA yo taht was type weird fam, but ya lyrics was on that too, now I like ya flow better on this third beat you start going fast well kinda fast, (the new slavery population control) pretty deep fam liked this one better ya actually tried to free about something alil diff then you always repping ya city which you said in the first 3. say ya production was type good need to do some work, ya mixdown was good considering you did 4 diff beats so thatw as pretty good on ya mixdown fam, ya frees is hot fam, you lyrical and got good vocab hard to think you from h-town but sh*** keep it up and ya may be true about what ya said on the 2nd beat you being th best in ya set (i haven't really heard good freestlyers from there) so you may be right.

Setlist

Typical Set length - 20 min

Covers(At request)- Top 40 instrumentals

Original Material

Down Home - 3:25 min
Watup Kinfolk- 4:01 min
Don't Look Now - 4:23 min
Look Where I Been - 5:03min
Hands Up - 4:06 min
I'ma Supastar- 4:10 min
U and Me - 3:43 min
NFWY - 3:23 min
Fix Ya face - 4:00 min
How You Gonna - 4:20 min
Krunktonite - 3:30 min
Bad Influence - 3:40 min
What You Rolling - 4:07 min

Basic Requirements

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