Dynamite Jive

Review by Marsha White

Dynamite Jive is the dynamite duo made up of T. Marie and Tony J, hailing from Southern California. Following their debut release "Nice to meet you" in 2001, the duo has now released their new album 'Mutated'.
The album, Mutated, is a fresh gone kinda oldskool journey in Hip Hop, that includes some classic cuts and scratches, with Tony J and T. Marie flowing on simple but yet effective lyrics.

The album includes likeable skits throughout which is fun to hear, a common feature in music now. The production on the album should definitely be given praise for people fans of classic cuts and scratches this album would be for you. The track 'rise' is one of the best production wise it has a retro, mellow, funky R&B sound all meshed into one, which is a great sound to have, added with skilful lyrics. The track 'Speed' would be described as a touch of miami bass cross garage, fans of these genres would take particular interest.

'Settle down' is a reggae influenced track, which is a different turning for Dynamite Jive, it's a strange but very alluring track. 'Not the Pain' is a good spoken word track by T. Marie about an old acquaintance, I'm sure a lot of people will relate to this, it's great to have tracks that make you want to reminisce.

Dynamite Jive's 'Mutated' is undeniably mutated, including a variety of approaches and good lyrics. Dynamite Jive will have a sure following with 'Mutated'. - www.kwoshe.co.uk

Dynamite Jive is HOT. And I don’t just mean T.Marie. Mutated reps the live show of this wildly creative duo, Tony J. and T.Marie. Don’t get all West Coast, East Coast, Southern, or whatever, this is solid no matter where is comes from. The Dynamite scene is a land of brand new beats, an angel of an MC, a rugged mutant MC and an invisible heaven.

So gather round and get hip to the mutated sound. It’s “Unexpected”.

For Fans Of : Digable Planets, ATCQ, Outkast, Madlibs
High Points : “Rise”, “Smoove”, “Settle Down”
- Diggy

By Jessica Slosberg

California hip-hop duo Dynamite Jive has a new CD, Mutated, which may take a few listens to really appreciate.

The first time I listened to the CD all the way through it was interesting. It was obviously made by a talented duo committed to pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable. The second time I listened to it, I put it on while doing homework, and started to enjoy it.

The third time through I was sold. This young duo is going places, as there was never a time on this CD that I was bored or felt like I had heard this same song elsewhere the day before.

The album features the usual raping and singing that hip-hop is known for but there was also a spoken word track that was quite powerful.

Track nine, titled, "Not the Pain," is both melodic and musical. The only background music is the sounds of rain, thunder and a heartbeat.

The main sound on track three sounds like the noise of a broken speaker and is paired with a beat that sounds like someone breathing sharply.

Also, these two musicians have room to grow lyrically.

Their interesting and innovative music was sometimes hampered by the somewhat typical lyrics.

A highlight on the album is track 10, called "Settle Down." It is provocative in both lyrics and music.

The beats are solid and the melody is great.

Track two, "Patterneday," is more straight rap, but fun and light. Track six, "Rise," has one of the best melodies I have heard in awhile.

Dynamite Jive consists of "beautiful" T. Marie and "rugged" Tony J.

However, if you are ready for something new and different, buy this CD.
- The Clarion Online

THE VALLEY’S DYNAMIC DUO – When one talks about the West Coast Hip Hop scene certain locations immediately come to mind: L.A., Compton, Oakland, and Long Beach. Rarely does anyone think to check out what the San Fernando Valley has to offer the hip hop community. That’s why when something that’s on hit comes out of that particular area it catches most people by surprise, as if it was something totally unexpected. That suits Tony J. and T. Marie just fine; their group, Dynamite Jive, is actually billed as “The World’s Most Unexpected Hip Hop Duo.”
I caught up with Dynamite Jive at Sound Station, an underground record store located on the famed Laurel Cyn. Blvd. in the city of San Fernando, which is renown to valley residents as a hot spot for cruising on the weekends. Both Tony J. and T. Marie spoke proudly about the hard work they’ve put into the group and the many goals they accomplished in the past year. Yes, Dynamite Jive has only been around for a short period of time, but that doesn’t mean its members have not paid their dues. Tony J. has been deejaying and emceeing since the late ‘80s. In fact, he won the Cal State Northridge Emcee Contest on back-to-back occasions in ’92 and ’93. T. Marie has been down with hip hop since RUN DMC realized their famous collaboration with Aerosmith.
The duo recently released SMOOVE their follow up single to last year’s Introduction CD: Nice To Meet You. Smoove offers catchy party lyrics over an old school beat and infectious bass line. However, if you expect to hear the same formula of music throughout their forth-coming LP, Mutated, you’ll be in for a big shock. It is Dynamite Jive’s diversity in terms of their lyrical content and production that make them truly stand out. Citing Outkast as one of their major musical influences, the Mutated album promises to cover a wide range of musical styles. From R&B, to underground hip hop, to drum and bass. The album will have something for everyone.
The group’s main objective, however, is to bring back positive aspects to hip hop. Something that is imperative to the culture amid recent negative events such as the fighting that broke out at The Beat’s “Summer Jam.” As T. Marie puts it, “It’s really important for us to make music that you don’t have to turn off when your nephew, son, daughter or grandkid is with you. That’s huge for us, because hip hop is not at that point where we can all enjoy [the music together].”
For more information on Dynamite Jive log on to www.dynamitejive.com
- Juan Maldonado

DYNAMITE JIVE LIGHTS UP MCRED’S VAN NUYS – Welcome to Dynamite Jive! That essentially describes my experience at McRed’s “Dynamite Lounge” in Van Nuys on Sunday night. Initially unfamiliar with the male/female hip hop duo, I drove down to the venue having only browsed some promotional material and having only heard the group’s I-CD, an introductory 3-song album entitled “Nice to meet you”. “NTMY” was a fun, thoroughly positive collection of songs that called to mind “Old School” hip hop in its exuberance and clean banter as opposed to the drug/violence/sexually-oriented music that predominates today. I enjoyed the I-CD, but the best was yet to come.
McRed’s is a warm, friendly local venue/sport’s bar in Van Nuys that has long sponsored and showcased promising Valley groups. The bar’s owner, Mike Saliman, has also enhanced the experience and musical exposure by linking the performances to a live internet broadcast on the venue’s website, www.mcreds.com. For tonight’s event, Mike had also coordinated with Dynamite Jive to turn McRed’s into the “Dynamite Lounge” for the evening, a self-effacing show of support if I’ve ever seen one.
Opening for Dynamite Jive was another Valley hip hop group called Writer’s Block (composed of Zen, Dannu, and Key-Kool), a subdivision of the larger rap ensemble names Visionaries. From a conversation with Zen before their show and from the subsequently focused an nimble performance of Writer’s Block, it was clear that they and Dynamite Jive were equally minded in their aspiration to make quality, “Old School”-esque, lyrically intensive hip hop above all else. It was impressive to see the diverse crowd responding enthusiastically to a vibrant style of pure hip hop that has unfortunately been replaced by today’s macho posturing and more cynical brand of music.
Soon, however, it was time for the main act, Dynamite Jive. The lights dimmed, and Tony J. and T. Marie, Dynamite Jive’s members, were suddenly nowhere to be found. The crowd thronged the stage as anticipatory lights dashed and colored the room. Then DJ Richie Rich announced the pair and like cloaked boxers in all white outfits, Tony J. and T. Marie suddenly appeared from behind us and launched onto the stage. The crowd went wild. We weren’t just in for a performance: a well-planned spectacle was obviously in store for us too.
With energy and sheer stage presence, Dynamite Jive first moved the audience to their familiar releases from “NTMY”. I knew the songs, and was impressed at how well the two matched the refined studio sound with an equal, perhaps more vigorous live performance. Yet, I was also seeing what you can’t get on a CD: two infectious performers reveling in their craft and potent ability to bring the crowd into their enthusiasm. The two have different styles. Tony J. is, first and foremost, an MC, and his grasp of his delivery and performance is assured and masterful (he is the only rapper to have ever won the Cal State Northridge Hip Hop contest two years in a row). T. Marie, dancing beautifully and occasionally displaying another talent by singing, is more sensual, feminine, but equally effective in her rapping skills.
The two have clearly practiced intensively together judging from the various, errorless choreographed dances they did, and it was this obvious work ethic that was also evident as they later performed some songs from their new album, due out this spring, entitled “Mutated”. After a brief break, returning in completely different outfits, the two unveiled their latest, markedly transformed, “Mutated” style and flow. In something akin to a hip hop version of speed metal, the two rapped with breathtaking speed and agility, again, never missing a beat. The sound was different, in fact I can’t think of any immediate comparisons, and apart from being successful, it displayed creativity, and a musical restlessness and ambition that I found admirable.
I spoke with the two for a good hour after the show on a variety of topics. T. Marie is influenced by Queen Latifah, Outkast, among others; Tony J. particularly admires LL Cool J., A Tribe Called Quest, and Method Man. Both bemoan the violent, intellectually limited state of current hip hop and have consciously styled their music as a more positive alternative (they recently did a show at Andasol Elementary School in Northridge). As Tony J. puts it, “I want to make songs my mom can hear.” Dynamite Jive is also proud of the band’s unique make-up, the first Caucasian male/Hispanic female hip hop team, and they bill themselves as “The World’s Most Unexpected Hip Hop Duo”.
Another fascinating aspect of Dynamite Jive is the company that has introduced and promoted them, Traton Entertainment. Employing what might be a revolutionary replacement of the traditional “demo” tape, Traton provides its artists with an I-CD (Introduction CD), a professionally produced, legally protected, bar-coded, 3-song CD sampler that affords groups a drastically cheaper and more marketable alternative to the usual, often amateurishly made “demo”.
The future looks bright for Traton Entertainment and their star act, Dynamite Jive.
- Paul Seradarian