Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Juice Free, one half of the long standing dj tandem Jynx and Juice has always been a dangerous emcee. Now there is audible evidence with the brand new joint featuring Imperial from the POINT BLANK crew. Juice free recently performed alongside NYC lyricists Murc and Verse at a downtown Toronto hotspot where dope lyrics were the order of the day. - Theo3
...My last question to Juice was “At the end of it all, what will you want your legacy to be”, and he answered simply, “I haven’t figured that out yet”. And that honest answer is what makes this brother different from everyone else. He has not figured everything out yet, he is constantly learning and evolving, hip-hop is still fresh to him and his music reflects that freshness that even Jay Z thinks is lacking in rap music today. So as one great retires, let’s rally around the kid Juice Free and show the people that the game may be stale now, but it’s about to rejuvenated with some new flavor. - Heidi Hyson
JF: "I been in this since I was 7; my step-pops was a DJ, my mama used to disco dance. I started deejaying at 9 years old. I loved it, still do. I'm known around my way for that mostly, rhyming is still kind of fresh to me."
You wouldn't know; Juice and his "fresh" rhyming career have already created more noise than plenty of his longer running competitors. There is no plan for an album on the way at this point ("I don't feel it's time") but Juice Free is instead concentrating his energies on making himself more well known and creating a buzz about him. As he's been dropping a bunch of singles for a moment, like "G.P.S.," "Gutterman," and "Come On Y'all," he does plan to drop a mix CD of some of his finished tracks and "a lot of originals in the mix, just to introduce myself to those who don't know me. Keep your ears to the street. Vinyl is in the works right now; we are just deciding which songs to put up."
Juice Free recently ripped it on the track "G.P.S. (Gun Point Stance)" with Imperial Thug from Point Blank and JF's boy Scoop Don; he's also just finished recording a currently unnamed track with May 1-9 from Brassmunk and a kid named Strikes from Free's area. Another project recently wrapped up is his collabo with Chrome from the Shockin' Vibes Crew. He has also guest spotted on tracks with artists like Melky Sedeck (Wyclef's sister), JB, Point Blank and DJ Rad (producer on 50's Get Rich or Die Trying.) Juice Free's collab with Hustlemann's Mayhem Morearty, "Smoke Wit Her," was also featured HHC's Canadian Choice cuts.
Currently on the air across North America (college and university stations only, for now) are "Come on Y'all" and his freestyle on the Young Bloods beat. He just passed off some newer songs like "Gutterman" and "GPS" to a few stations as well. Juice has recently made appearances on campus stations like U of T's Project Bounce, York U's 105.5, Kitchener's 88.3 Flavaz Radio Network, and 88.1 Droppin Dymez. He's currently got tunes on all these stations, and Windsor U's CJAM 91.5.
JF: "I love the way they're responding to my music. Mainstream will catch on soon."
Performance-wise, JF most recently graced the stage at Flow 93.5 and Adidas' 3Man Hoops Tournament on August 24, and took part in Toronto's Progressive Arts Schmooze Pt. 1 last month on November 5th, as well as Chase Johnson Entertainment's Unique Flavas Showcase just a little while ago on the 16th of November. Upcoming, he is scheduled for Caribbean Flavas on December 6 and is headlining and judging a showcase on December 12. He's also to be part of the Come Alive live band showcase, scheduled for February of 2004. Juice has worked diligently throughout his years in the game on the promotion and organization of many contests and events in conjunction with industry headliners like Mary J. Blige, Palm Pictures and R. Kelly.
JF: "I think it's important to be involved in my community because that's where I rest my head! If I don't know what's going on around me, then how can I speak about it? Or even do anything to change it? I love doing things for the kids more than I like doing things for the community! At least the kids try, the community just wants vote!"
JF: "You can find me in the east side of whatever city I'm in! I'm playing. I got a website that's doing real good for me right now. http://www.juicefree.net -- there's more to come though; I just wanted to put somethin' up so the world knew how to get at me."
"Shout out to everyone trying to be somebody! To God and my Mama, my sisters and my family first."
"Big up to everyone that stood by me and still stands for me!"
Check the man out at the BlackBerry Sound Crew showcase, an event coming up in Scarborough. (Check out http://www.blackberrysoundcrew.com for more details) And peep the exclusive he did for them up on http://www.juicefree.net!
- Jessica Linnay
Juice started out with Grand Jury Entertainment, with whom he is still affiliated at least on a personal level, as a DJ. It was while DJ’ing that Juice, by force, ended up spitting some of his first bars when he discovered how difficult it was to get people to make dubplates for his sound crew. In typical Juice fashion, he decided that if no one wanted to do it, he would do it himself. After recognizing he had a natural talent for rhyming he began dropping verses on mix tapes. Grand Jury went there separate ways, and Juice chose to pursue a career as a solo artist. This drive and courage is what Juice is all about. He does not know the meaning of the words “I can’t”, and he does not understand the concept of giving up. His life has not been easy like so many others out there in the grind trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents. Although, he was raised in a hostile environment where he had to do for self to survive and watch people he loves pass, he kept it moving. In the midst of all of life’s drama he is determined to make a way for himself and his family by doing it his idol Malcolm X’s way, “by any means necessary”. Juice’s life mirrors the life of so many regular people with everyday strife and ups and downs. His battle is personal but not unlike the conflicts of so many of today’s youth and his music conveys that struggle. In songs like “Dear God”, Juice gives his listeners a glimpse into his inner self in a way that is both raw and intimate, so personal in fact, he was reluctant to even record it for airplay, thankfully for us he was convinced otherwise. They are words that can be understood and felt by everyone no matter what their individual situation may be: “Dear God, I’m JuiceFree/ remember me I broke laws, I puffed tree’s/ I stole cars, I sold drugs, I tucked heat/ I stressed my mama out and I played on these ruff streets/ I got a questions to ask, you really love me? ‘Cause I don’t feel that way and God its kind of bugging me/ I feel the devil tugging me and tell me to ill/ when I was just 16 he had my man killed/ and when I turned 18 he made my mama ill/ by 21/ shot my brother with a gun/ thought this was your land, your earth and your sun/ so why’s it so hard so cold and no fun/ had no food, no clothes shoes and no funds/ still made it to this day, no kids and black lungs/ same fam/ different friends no girl/ I wanna son/ but dear God, I’m lost”. Although his experiences are unique to him, seeking answers from God for unanswerable questions is universal. Juice’s music is universal in its appeal. He is hip-hop’s “every man”. - Heidi Hyson
Discography
Singles: Side to Side | Watch Your Step | Soldier Stories
All tracks are currently on commercial (Flow 93.5 / Hot 107 Nebraska, Seatle, East Texas) and college radio, mixtapes and streaming sites across the nation, in the US, Italy, France, Singapore, Croatia and the UK
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Born Richard Davidson, Rich London became a natural leader, and a known member in his Hip Hop community. Hip Hop has always been a part of him, and coincidently has been what sets him apart from others. Since the third grade Rich London has engaged in schoolyard B-boy battles and in high school he turned his attention to two turntables and a mic. He was always involved. Being surrounded by the fast-growing urban culture has had much to do with his participation in music for over ten years. He has never turned down an opportunity to display his talent, and this paired with a determination to shine has allowed him to grace the stage at landmark venues in Toronto. Performing in places such as The Air Canada Centre, The Guvemment, and at other spots throughout New York, Miami and Cleveland; Rich London has had the opportunity to share his genuine skills with more people than he ever thought would listen. You see, as DJ Juice, Rich London excelled at motivating the crowd and his chemistry with them encouraged him to step out of the booth, and onto the stage, where he began to give the crowd a dose of reality they were never prepared for. This began the career of Rich London: the MC who spits effortless bars of nostalgic flows.
Spitting real thoughts, ideas and opinions comes easily for this born and raised
Torontonian. Rich London possesses a natural ability to clearly express his views about anything, through rhyme. With all the commercialized-for-capital style Hip Hop that hits these streets nowadays, Rich London's undiluted, unprocessed freestyles should be considered a breath of fresh air.
His charismatic personality and work ethic, coupled with his raw determination and persistence makes him a notable asset and contributor to the music industry. In the words of David “Click” Cox (A&R,Universal Music Canada) "Keep your eyes and ears open for Rich London! He's got distinctive style, voice, and charisma that comes through his music." Like unpolluted air Rich London is attempting to make other artists, listeners and the entire industry, breathe easy. He appeals to all audiences and moves the crowd, and even acappella he can make heads nod.
When asked what separates him from the rest, and what his style and message is, he states “My style is not practiced. I listen to everything…I have no boundaries in music. I listen to Sam Cook… I’ve lived in so many places and my style is a combination of all of those places. I want people to get into my song like a conversation, I am telling stories people can relate to. My message is stop pretending on something unless you want the people to know you’re pretending. I want them to know this kid is all around, I want people to argue about what my style is. People say that you can’t be this and you can’t be that, but my style can be anything I want it to be!” .
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