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Hands down, Mr. Invisible has got to be the most talented hip-hop group in our area. With skills on their Mashines that landed them a deal with the company, they can make anyone appreciate the intricacies that go behind beat producing. As they ferociously pound on their pads, producing beats before everyone's eyes, the entire room gets into it, then they pick up their mics and slay it all like a knight encountering a dragon with vigilance and precision.
As has been the tradition lately when Aswell plays, the end of the night resulted in a full-on dance party of hits, old and new. Everyone in the place filed to the center of the room and danced it out, holding onto the amazing vibes felt and openly stating that this was the best metal/hip-hop show they'd ever been to.
- Creative Loafing
I became familiar with North Carolina’s Hip-Hop duo, Mr. Invisible, back in May of this year, when I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing them for The Nerdy South’s website and quite honestly became an instant fan of their Progressive Old School sound. They also have one of the dopest stage shows that I had seen in some time, where they make beats live on stage, while MCng and just basically rocking the *expletive* out. So when I ran into the groups’ management team, Scott & Erin Blackwood, the first night of A3C, and found out that one of the members, Justin Aswell, was in town to do a demonstration for Native Instruments (Mr. Invisible has a sponsorship deal with the company), it was a no-brainer that I’d want to chat with him for TLP. These guys are incredibly dope and I’d recommend anyone to check out their music. And for a more in depth interview with the group, check out my feature at www.thenerdysouth.com, titled Seeing is Believing.
Nakia: Ok sir; introduce yourself to the reader of The LaVilla Project.
Justin Aswell: What’s up y’all? It’s Justin Aswell from Mr. Invisible.
Nakia: And what do you do with Mr. Invisible, Justin?
Justin Aswell: Umm everything. I MC, I make beats; play them live and I also do a little DJ’ng.
Nakia: And tell me about what you’re doing here (at A3C) with Native Instruments?
Justin Aswell: Well I’m here to do a demo and performance. Kind of Q & A/Showcase kind of deal on the Maschine and that was yesterday. That was dope; I had a really good time doing that.
Nakia: Nice! What are you guys working on? Does Mr. Invisible have anything coming out?
Justin Aswell: Well, we just had something come out, umm, Blake had a baby…
Nakia: Oh! Congratulations, Blake!
Justin Aswell: Yeah, he just had a baby like a week ago, so right now I’m letting him do his thing for a minute. And then we’re working on a new record, also.
Nakia: Ok, I probably asked you this when we did The Nerdy South interview, but I will ask you again for The LaVilla Project. Do you have any advice for any artist that wants to make music as a career as a DJ, Producer or MC?
Justin Aswell: Wow. I think the biggest thing is, if you’re trying to be a triple threat kind of deal like MC/DJ and Producer, I would say, work on two things; your weakest and your strongest. Lead with your strongest and always be working on your weakest. And never let anyone know what you think your weakness is.
Nakia: And where can we find more information about you?
Justin Aswell: www.mrinvisible.net, that’s the website. You can follow us on Twitter, @mrinvisible; like us on Facebook, also Mr. Invisible and definitely check the YouTube channel out, search Mr. Invisible and our stuff will come up.
Nakia: Word up and how many hits have y’all had on YouTube again?
Justin Aswell: We’re over a million now. It may be 1.5 (million) now.
Nakia: Very impressive. - the LaVilla Project
If I were to have to single out any one performance of the weekend as the best I saw, it would have to be Mr. Invisible. Two emcees from Charlotte, N.C., Ill-use and Justin Aswell, set up matching laptops, grooveboxes and mics before launching into their set. The beats, mainly composed by Aswell, who is a classically trained musician with a degree in percussion performance from the University of North Carolina, start off somewhat slow and downbeat towards the beginning of the set and get faster and more energetic the longer the show goes on before culminating with a high-energy rush in their last song. Both Ill-use and Aswell are talented musicians and emcees, but each is clearly focused on a particular aspect of the performance. Ill-use’s flow is blisteringly fast and aggressive while Aswell makes incredibly intricate beats with his groovebox. Between their alien beats, percussive rhymes and harmonization, it’s impossible not to compare their sound to that of “Hello Nasty”-era Beastie Boys. I was told several times that, if I could only see one show at Secret Stages, I should see Mr. Invisible, and they more than lived up to the hype. - youhearthis.com
Discography
Sight Unseen - 2006 (EP)
Until then... - 2009
Wild Style vs. Kill the Messenger - 2011 (single)
It's On Us - 2012 (EP)
Photos
Bio
Mr. Invisible is a team of two MC/producers based in Charlotte, NC known for its energetic live shows infused with demonstrations of high technical proficiency.
The duo has been rocking crowds since 2005 with its brand of progressive hip-hop music, incorporating up-tempo beats, fast raps, and B-boy inspired breaks.
Mr. Invisible uses old school rap as a foundation, then stands on it blasting futuristic weapons in the form of live beat production and sample manipulation.
These components, combined with wide-ranged rhymes referencing quantum mechanics, underdog determination and a love for all the elements of hip-hop, create the music known as Mr. Invisible.
Group members, Justin Aswell and Ill-Use are responsible for both vocals and production. Together they demonstrate flow that’s simultaneously easy and relaxed, quick and nimble over intricate beats performed live. They are known to international audiences via the group's popular YouTube channel, which has over 2 million views.
Mr. Invisible is sponsored by Native Instruments, a Berlin-based maker of hardware and software for musicians. The group starred as a centerpiece of the 2010 marketing launch for Native Instruments’ MIDI production platform, Maschine.
Widely considered a pioneer in the emerging field of playing live drum machine, Justin Aswell recently starred in an educational series, teaching live drum machine techniques for Dubspot Electronic Music Production and DJ School in New York, NY. Aswell is a classically trained musician who holds a degree in percussion performance from the University of North Carolina.
Mr. Invisible has toured nationally with artists Doomtree, DJ Vadim and One Self. The group performed with Atmosphere, Astronautalis, Dead Prez, EPMD, J-Live and Little Brother, among many others, and rocked key electronic and hip-hop music events such as Low End Theory in Los Angeles and the A3C Hip-Hop Festival in Atlanta.
Creative Loafing said “Mr. Invisible never fails to grab everybody’s attention and get their bodies rocking. It would be impossible to describe how much talent projects from them. Slinging their bodies back and forth naturally to their beats, Ill-Use and Aswell spit rhymes with such precision; they could make the illest MCs look like amateurs…”
Mr. Invisible is currently performing nationally in support of its 2012 EP, “It’s On Us.”
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