Music
Press
By: Charley Lee
"Most music sucks, but so does most of life. The key is in recognizing and appreciating the good that does exist in both." With that being said, Tampa Bay hip-hop artist Emcee Anime must have one hell of an ear for recognizing the good.
Originally from Massachusetts, Kevin Goncalo (AKA Emcee Anime) relocated to sunny Tampa Bay in order to perfect his unique brand of hyper-stylized hip-hop. Over the years, Anime has shared the stage with underground artists like Zion I, One Be Lo, Akrobatik, Mr Len (formerly of Company Flow), Tonedeff and PackFM. A listen to Anime’s recent work reveals a love of old school hip-hop combined with a sharp lyrical style and a preference for slick hi-fi production, the combination of which has produced a seriously gratifying listening experience. Anime recently released a 12-inch, Tell Myself I’m Happy, a flavorful mix of Camp Lo-esque beats, and a flow that’s like a fusion of Eminem and The L.O.X.
Utilizing lessons from his own life experiences, Anime delicately walks the tightrope between music that’s socially conscious and self-conscious.
"I just pay attention to my surroundings and take what I feel are the most important parts," says Anime. "Sometimes it’s positive and sometimes it can be negative, but either way the listener will take something away from it."
The subject matter covers everything from political anti-Bush tirades to pointers on how to get with girls. However, this masterful combination of musical styles and verbal flows that appears on the release didn’t happen overnight. Anime enlisted the help of his longtime musical crew, The Junkbots, who provide vocals and helped with production, and began the long process of creating a first single.
"Honestly, the longest part of the process was spent listening to beats. I have an extremely picky ear for beats. I must have listened to over a thousand beats from a bunch of different producers," Anime says. "The ’Tell Myself I’m Happy’ beat from [producer] Shuko jumped out at me, though. I knew as soon as I listened to it exactly what I had to do with it. I wanted a male rock-ish vocal on the chorus, so I hit up my dude Mike Maven about lacing the hook and he did exactly what I had pictured.
"As far as ’The Day After,’" he continues, "that track caught me by surprise. My boy A.D. [of The Junkbots] had given me the beat. Animal Cracka [also of The Junkbots] and I were in the lab and he came up with the concept."
Anime likes to write lyrics by taking a backseat and lets the music decide what needs to be said.
"It’s kind of like sex to me," he explains. "I may have what I want to do in my head before I start; but if I want it to be any good I’ve got to listen to what the beat is saying and adjust the game plan to its needs. Sometimes that requires compromise, or sometimes I just need to find a beat that better fits where I want to go. Hopefully at the end of the session I’m satisfied and disease free."
The future looks bright for Emcee Anime as he begins work on a debut album for 2008. In addition to the album, Anime plans on touring and continuing a current side project with The Junkbots.
"I hope to spend the rest of the year traveling, performing, and meeting fans. I would say the earliest possible time people could expect to see an album would be late 2008. I promise it will be worth the wait though, and of course I’ll be giving fans mixtapes and singles to hold them over." - S.E. Performer Magazine
#100 - Anime "Tell Myself I'm Happy"
Every now and then you'll come across a song that everyone can identify with, irrespective of status or background. Anime's "Tell Myself I'm Happy" is one of those songs. - By Henry Adaso, About.com
For a guy spitting righteous vitriol at The Man, Anime sure has a fun time with it. Boppy, jazz-inflected beatscapes set up flows that are darkly resigned without ever being bitter. That's an essential balance for this (and any) conscious rhymer: getting serious without losing a sense of humor. - download.com
Discography
"Can't Ignore It" b/w "Struggler's Hustle" - Digital Single (2006)
"Tell Myself I'm Happy" b/w "The Day After" - 12" Vinyl Single (2007)
"Boxcutter Ballet" b/w "Guerrilla Music" - Digital Single (2008)
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Bio
In an age of orange alerts, crumbling economic systems, and marshal law under the guise of homeland security the people are spoon fed entertainment deemed "safe" by major corporations and the government. Citizens are bombarded with biased media coverage of an unpopular war by big business news stations posing as fair and balanced, as well as mindless "reality" television which is far more scripted than the prime-time dramas they have replaced. Indeed, we the people have become conditioned to accept what is given to us. Everyone seems to be aware of this, except the public.
Nowhere has this policy of "eat it until you like it" become more evident than in todays music. What was once the lone voice of the people has become nothing more than hollow images of commercialism and violence. It is now designed to take the peoples minds off of what is really going on, and desensitize them to the real life violence taking place all over the world everyday. What was once our parents spirit of revolution has become a symbol of exactly how corrupted and apathetic our generation has become.
All is not lost however, since the late 1990's a movement has been brewing. In basements and on street corners the essence of freedom remains strong, ready to bubble to the surface and give the people their voice back. Among this guerrilla movement stands Anime. An emcee as unpredictable and gritty as the animated films that he draws his name from. Inspired by the pioneers of the hiphop culture as well as revolutionary artists from all genres. He has spent over 10 years in the underground perfecting his craft. This time spent paying dues allowed Anime to develop a well balanced style that is as full of classic hiphop braggadocio as it is full of story telling and social commentary.
Possessing the swagger of an east coast b-boy; combined with an aggressive delivery, and superior wordplay - Anime stands out from the pack. Always pushing the limits of what he is capable of as an emcee, and what hiphop music is capable of being; Anime is set to strike the industry with a laser guided dose of reality. All in an effort to give a voice back to the people.
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