Music
Press
Want to hear fresh lyrics on wax, where every beat bangs? Well, that’s exactly what Demo hailing from Boston, MA and Inf. [Pyinfamous of the Threat] from Mississippi, making up the hip-hop duo E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. want you to hear.
“Hip-Hop music isn’t the same. But that’s what evolution is. It’s trial and error,” according to E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. who believe that hip-hop isn’t dead to them, it just seems different.
“And individuality is missing in today’s hip-hop. Depriving the younger generation of self-expression which is what hip-hop was about. Now everyone has a bargain in the industry and it seems cool to sound like 50[cent].”
They’re on a mission to bring hip-hop back to a euphoric state. “The Exception” LP [full-length album], released in ‘07 brings good music to the streets.
One of the biggest singles that E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. released, “Good Times,” a leaked single released in ‘06 has a party vibe to it but yet this track is still pushing the idea of having a fun time even if you are broke.
Listeners can notice a difference in their music when getting down to the old school beats in the background and notice their lyrical flow. Original.
“Breathe Life” is a laid back track, telling us to live life. “We breathe life on the record, live for 1st and 15th, and pray we don’t die on the 2nd.”
“I want people to know us and our thought processes for each song. I want people to feel compelled to study our music. I want people to see the future,” they say.
Here is a duo that is worth your $10 dollars. For more information about E.B.B. & F.L.O.W., visit their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/demoandinf. You can learn about how to book a show in your city or purchase an album. - UBO Magazine On-line (Ashley F.)
How did you get started with your music?
Inf: I started out like a lot of emcees, just freestyling with friends at school, on the bus, on the corner, wherever. It was just a fun thing to do. I made the conscious decision to make a career out of music as a senior in high school and have been working toward that goal ever since. I guess it can even be taken back farther than grade school since my father was a DJ, so I was always surrounded by good music like Marvin Gaye, Isaac Hayes, and other greats of the time. That probably also explains why I like soul samples so much.
DEMO: Mine didn't start off so simple. Music wasn't my first love. It was actually football. I dreamed of being in the NFL when I was a kid, until I got sick. And I mean real sick. I couldn't play sports ever again. So I had to turn to my second love, music. My mother used to play LP's and 45's every Sunday all day, before and after church. Ever since I got sick I worked at being an artist. I used to rhyme on the block with my boys, used to write raps in my social studies books. But I didn't like being "known" so I worked on being in the background. I started making beats and learned how to use various pieces of studio equipment. I didn't really get into sampling until way later in my production years... it had to have been 2 - 3 years ago.
What are you currently working on?
Inf: Right now DeMo and I are working on The Exception, which is the first project that we will release under the group name E.B.B. & F.L.O.W., which by the way stands for Every Beat Bangs and Fresh Lyrics on Wax. Whatever tracks don't make the album for whatever reason will be put on the mixtape that we will be using to promote the album and build a buzz throughout the country. The mixtape should be out around the end of the first quarter '07 or early second quarter and will be available on CD and on DJ Esquire's (Brooklyn, NY) iPod Candy series.
Demo: The exception project is more than just "our" music. It’s also "our" lives and the people who relate to it. Our whole mission statement is to bring hip hop back to its early essence. We're not too much concerned with the state of hip hop or the other artist who people label as underground or commercial. What we're concerned with is the validity of hip hop as a true art form. Hip hop is a voice for the voiceless a conduit for people who other wise have no outlet to express themselves; from the high school drop outs to the Howard U alums. The exception is a project and a way of life dedicated to individuals who correctly use hip-hop, and its various sub-genres, to honestly express themselves and promote change.
What kind of music do you listen to and how does it influence your music?
Inf: I listen to everything alternative, R&B, reggae, jazz, and even a little country. I think it's important to not only understand hip-hop but to understand music in general. Listening to all kinds of music provides inspiration for tracks, sample ideas, keeps what I write different from what every other emcee may be writing about.
DeMo: I listen to everything and I mean EVERYTHING. In my iPod I go from old soul to jay-z to throat monk choirs to samba to Kompa, the list goes on. As Inf said, it’s important to listen to everything keeps everything fresh. It adds a different element to music. Hip hop, like R&B and Rock music, is a hybrid genre. You can use any kind of musical scale, any instrument, any language and it can still be called hip-hop.
What's your opinion on mainstream hip hop today? What do you like or not like?
Inf: I don't want to sound like everybody else and say hip-hop is dead because it's not. Hip-hop is a culture and a way of life so it can't die just because most of the music isn't up to par. Since I am from Mississippi, I have to say I am proud of what the South has been able to accomplish over the past few years. However I'm not so thrilled about how we have had to do it. I like a lot of the cats who are getting some burn Strange Fruit Project, Little Brother, and Saigon. I'm also glad to see some of the legends are back doing their thing Eightball & MJG and UGK to name a few. I'm not a big fan of one type of hip-hop being made over and over again, and that has been a problem for the past six or seven years. That's what we hope to help change though.
DeMo: Contrary to popular belief Hip - Hop is not in a state of emergency nor is it dead. I just think there are just a few people who are mad they aren't being respected like they think they should. It’s the south's time to shine, let them shine. It’s good for hip hop to have so many sub genres and avenues for listeners. It helps validate our music. Right now I think people want badly for hip-hop to be what it was in the early 90's, that’s not going to happen.
Who do you admire?
Inf: Musically I admire Nas, Jay-Z, Big, Mos Def, Common, Talib Kweli, Rakim, Pac, Lupe Fiasco, KRS-One, and Outkast for w - WWS Magazine
Discography
Good Times (Leaked Single) 2006 - Radio/Mixtapes
Spread the Word EP
The Exception Mixtape (Mixtape) 2007
The Exception LP (Full Length Album) 2007
Photos
Bio
The hip-hop duo E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. characterizes the revitalization of early hip-hop elements during a time when many have said hip-hop is dying. As artists E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. have been able to remain commercially relevant while being musically innovative, a fact that sets them apart from any other group in the industry today.
E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. started from humble beginnings in a small production studio in Boston, MA where a burgeoning producers and a hungry emcee came together to essentially create one record. After the record (Good Times) was complete, the streets responded with a cry for more, and it quickly became evident that there was something special in the making. From that point, E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. had one goal in mind - to make Every Beat Bang and finish each song with the Fresh(est) Lyrics On Wax using the examples set by hip-hop superstars like Reflection Eternal (Hi-Tek and Talib Kweli), DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, and The Kidz Down the Hall. The name E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. was chosen not only for the powerful acronym it represents but also to characterize their work ethic and drive. Hip hop in its essence is full or hard kicks drums, snapping snares, educated lyrics, political topics, witty musings, and mesmerizing melodies, and E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. music captures all of these things, as they smoothly and steadily move fans back into the golden era of hip-hop music.
E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. is comprised of producer DeMo (Jin, Special Teamz, M. Diesel, and Wordsmith), a Boston, MA native whose production style is refreshingly authentic, innovative, and versatile. DeMo will stand on the frontline of the music revolution for years to come.
To the right of DeMo, stands the prolific emcee Inf. (PyInfamous of The Threat). Born and raised in the state of Mississippi, Inf combines Southern soul with unparalleled lyricism that gives the listener a memorable ride every time an E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. track is played. Inf was the official MC for the truth campaign (www.thetruth.com) on the 2006 And1 Mix Tape Tour where he wowed crowds of spectators across the country with his freestyles and his ability to command the masses with a microphone. You can hear Inf’s trademark voice and sophisticated flow on numerous mix tapes across the nation.
All signs are pointed in a positive direction for this young duo. The group has garnered substantial attention ranging from invitations to the 2006 CMJ Music Marathon and How Can I Be Down Conference to rocking smaller stages in Mississippi and Boston, MA. With more shows being booked each day and with air play over many college and pirate radio stations around the world, E.B.B. & F.L.O.W. are definitely on their way to a spot in hip-hop few artists have experienced.
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