Gripplyaz
Atlanta, Georgia, United States | SELF
Music
Press
The homie Dan just shot through this new cut with Grip Plyaz, and I definitely can dig it, and not just for the message. Off Purp, Wind & Fire.
http://2dopeboyz.okayplayer.com/2009/02/27/grip-plyaz-fck-dat-hipster-shit-no-shots/
- 2dopeboyz.com
The towering talent known as Grip Plyaz (yes, grip pliers) is easily the most significant anomaly within Atlanta’s rap scene. He prides himself on being “more ’hood than hipster,” but the tag barely hints at the Old Fourth Ward-bred MC’s duality. Reared on 808 bass and skateboards, Grip evades easy categorization. Since his days as one half of the late-’90s duo the Nobodies, he’s laid his swaggering baritone down over everything from synthed-out, ghetto-tech beats produced by Rob Wonder to trunk-rattling street anthems more suitable for BET’s “106 & Park.” Somewhere in between, he’s creating a niche that could refashion the Southern hip-hop archetype for the better.
— Rodney Carmichael
Basically, I grew up right there on the corner of Parkway and Ponce de Leon in the apartments that sit right across the street from the Taco Bell. So I grew up around the whole dope game. And I pretty much learned from my brother’s lessons to stay away from that — from the trials and tribulations he went through getting caught up in the dope game, doing time and stuff like that. I learned that wasn’t the way to go growing up. I had to come up with a better plan.
What turned me toward music was one of the members of this rap group called Y’all So Stupid. He stayed upstairs above me and he kinda enlightened me on some shit ’cause he was skateboarding. He was doing all that shit Pharrell was doing back in the day. Another member from that rap group was H2O, so they kinda opened my eyes up to a whole different level of the game than just gutter, D-boy stuff. I appreciated it, just being different. Just cause you’re in the ’hood doesn’t mean you got to keep it ’hood. It’s more stuff in the ’hood than you think.
People try to categorize us and put us in a box sometimes because we’re different and above the norm. We don’t do crunk music, our jeans are slim, but just because we skateboard that don’t mean I’m a fucking hipster. How the fuck you gonna call me a hipster? Just because you can’t define what we got going on? Just because we look hip, we hipsters? I just got tired of being categorized with that shit, so I just came up with the song “Fuck Dat Hipster Shit.”
Pretty much, I was sitting around at the crib getting blowed one day and my manager just gave me a CD with a bunch of instrumentals on it. I listened to it and it just started talking to me. I came up with the hook for it, and I just ran with it from there.
By me being a born and bred ATLien, I’m trying to broaden the world’s vision and let them know it’s more than what you think down South — more than the shit you hear on the radio or the shit you see on the videos. I’m trying to get to the level where I don’t have to go back to making pizzas no more. But that also keeps me humble and let’s me know you still gotta do what you gotta do in the meantime. I gotta provide for my son some kind of way, and until I get that deal, you’ll see me walking right down the street from the MARTA train station, going to Edgewood Pizza.
http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/grip_plyaz_fuck_dat_hipster_shit_/Content?oid=798267 - Creative Loafing
Discography
"CumGitSlum" - noncommercial release, 2005
"Grip Hop" - noncommercial release, 2008. Set to re-release May 2010 on digital retailers.
Photos
Bio
"More hood than Hipster..." ~Rodney Carmichael
Theres one thing to know before attempting to understand Grip Plyaz and his music: YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND GRIP!
Just like with most artists, everything Grip does he believes to be perfectionand it is. Grip as an artist takes being yourself to a whole new level. When in the studio, not only is it just Grip himself, but he doesnt give a f*ck about anyone or anything else. Hes a purely untainted artist, one who doesnt care whats popular or the norm. When making new music, its him + the beat + the hook and then the lyrics are born.
Grip Plyaz was born and raised in 4th Ward Atlanta, which is home to a few other big names in the industry (Young Jeezy, Slick Pulla, etc), but Grip is definitely a rarity out the hood. Being born and raised in the souths melting pot, Grip appreciates music from everywhere; snap music, Miami bass, 808, 90s rap, Too Live Crew, Outkast, Anita Baker, Al Green, Akinele, Too Short, 8Ball & MJG, Goodie Mob, Gucci Mane, Pastor Troy, DSGB and many more.
So its only natural that when people hear Grips music they hear a little of everything, but really nothing theyve heard before. With production influenced by everything from techno to old skool hip-hop, listening to Grips music is like playing the original Nintendo with your little sister who insists on moving around and jumping when Mario does.
Grip began his journey through the music scene in Atlanta in the late 90s with his friend Zoo and other half of the rapping duo, The Noboies. The Nobodies. Show after show, the duo quickly caught the attention of artist manager, Coach K (former Young Jeezy manager, and current manager of Hollyweerd, Rob Wonder and Muffy). As time progressed, the two along with the help of Coach K were talking label deals. Unfortunately, the other half of The Nobodies wasnt ready to pursue music full time and the group separated. That didnt stop Grip. He began making solo songs and performing with such acts as Collective Efforts, Rising Sons and Proton all over Atlanta. Grip would often stand out due to his creative and unheard of sound.
In 2005 Grip Plyaz released his first solo effort, CUMGITSLUM, and by that time had established a steady fan base of those who enjoyed Grips raw, refreshing voice over bass-heavy and eclectic beats.
In 2007 while doing the regular clubbing at The Royal, Grip Plyaz met the members of Lavish Life Social Club. Several months later, toward the end of 2007, Kei approached Grip with an offer to manage his music career. Thus comes Grip Plyazs second solo release, Grip-Hop.
Grip-Hop is exactly what it says, Grips interpretation of Hip-Hop. Always being the underdog has slowly, but surely garnered much deserved respect in the Atlanta music scene and forced the less open- minded to open their ears and accept the creation of a new genre of music. Grip-Hop will go down in history as an album from an Atlanta native that fuses so many musical genres onto one CD.
For Show History:
http://governedbyloyalty.com/gripplyaz
Links
