Stereo Boyz

Legendary Dj Mad of Absolute Beginner invited us to be guests in his radio show “Sound Files” on one of Germanys biggest radio stations NJOY. - NJOY

On their stop in Berlin, Germany during their Europe Tour, the Stereo Boyz were interviewed by Europe’s number One Hip Hop Magazine JUICE. A full page article about the Boyz, their music and future appeared in this months issue in the category “Hip Hope”. - JUICE

With the aid of Sacramento Knoxx’s Madlibesque, crate-digging beats and a whole host of movie samples-- both obscure and infamous-- Mic Audio re-invigorates the nerd-rap genre on his debut Mi Vida Es Como Una Pelicula. Whether rapping over glistening jazz tracks or vistas of grimy urban squalor, Mic raps with the kind of energy that requires attention. Look out for this guy in the future. - Prefix Magazine

In New York the Stereo Boyz met up with legendary Billy Jam who interviewed them right before their performance at the Bowery Poetry Club. - Wfmu.org

Detroit underground hip-hop crew the Stereo Boyz just dropped a new single/video (above) titled "RayBanz" with a vocal feature from Shoua Kue and production by Nick Speed (G-Unit) with scratches and cuts by DJ Los. "RayBanz" is the lead single off the upcoming album Carz, Clubz & Theaterz (the follow up to last year's Live from the Ghettoblaster EP) from the Michigan duo that features the two MCs Mixo (aka Applauze Beetz) and Mic Audio (aka Perfect Hell) who for close to a decade pre-Stereo Boyz were part of another Detroit group called Rhyme Asylum. Wholeheartedly embracing the DIY hip-hop ethos the Stereo Boyz have traveled round the US and also over to Europe to do a series of underground shows - all the while slowly building their rep and fan-base. I met up with the pair a few months ago when they traveled by car from Detroit to New York City to do a series of shows including one at the Bowery Poetry Club and another in the park. That (informal) park set was one of their infamous Monkey Barz cipher sessions - a true traditional hip-hop event that they hold on a weekly basis back in their hometown. See the video below of their first 2012 Monkey Barz session. For the one-off NYC Monkey Barz session the visiting Stereo Boyz headed to Union Square on a balmy Saturday afternoon with their big white boombox in tow to provide beats, and there attracted a huge crowd - many of them also emcees who joined in the freestyle session.

Between verses I talked with the two members Mixo and Mic Audio about their crew and their city. "There's a lot of misconceptions about it. Detroit is pretty beautiful actually. You can find the same violence and drama anywhere," said Detroit born and raised Mixo who has been rapping since he was 12. His partner in rhyme Mic Audio, who was born in Chicago but moved to Detroit as a teen in 1999, noted how "You can live in an abandoned building and still get your hip-hop on" in reference to the large number of vacated houses in Detroit that people squat in, in a city town known for having endless vacancies and very affordable homes (a silver lining to the depressed housing market). Like most hip-hop heads in Detroit the Stereo Boyz have boundless love and respect for the late J-Dilla. "We threw one [Dilla Day celebration] ourselves this year before the actual big one and there was some good performances," said Mic Audio with Mixo adding, "Yeah we threw an event for Ma Dukes [Dilla's mom] a week before and then we attended Dilla Day as well. Dilla for life!" On the topic of making and releasing music in this age when things are so readily available (and often for free) online Mixo said, "You got to love the Digital Era. It has its negatives just like anything else but it allows us to be able to get good music to a lot of people when it was extremely hard to do that before." Added Mic Audio of the group's business strategy in the Digital Age, "We just put out a lot of quality music for free so that everybody gets adjusted to good music for free until they have to pay for it." For more on the group visit the Stereo Boyz website - Amoe Blog

“It helps that the band has heaps of great tunes to pull out, and the set really picks up when they invite rappers the Stereo Boys up on stage. Those guys are sharp and the live abnd backing gives it a ‘the Roots’ vibe.” - Detroit Metro Times

Digitized Hip-Hop: Hi Stereo boyz it is a pleasure in doing this interview with you. Can you please tell the DH readers about yourselves?
Stereo Boyz: We are Mixo (Producer/ MC), Mic Audio (MC), & Kid Boombox (MC) of the Stereo Boyz. Mixo & Kid Boombox (Brothers) from Detroit, MI & Mic Audio from Chicago, IL. We are based in Detroit, MI & Heidelberg,Germany but we go to where ever the fans want us. We have been recording since 1999, used to be in a group called the “Rhyme Asylum” and formed the “Stereo Boyz” in 2010. We are one of a kind, you won’t find another group like us anywhere. We bridge the mainstream and underground sound, we offer something for every rap fan out there!
DH: It has become rare to see Hip-Hop groups. Why do you decide to form Stereo Boyz?
SB: In our last group “Rhyme Asylum”, we had a clash of the many different personalities in the crew combined with a few tragic events. So we decided to get away from that for our creativity to flow - DigitizedHipHop.com

the Stereo Boyz were guest on the Chuck and PJ Keepin it Real show last night.. here’s the audio of their interview: http://hulkshare.com/qtyjc3gdsr8d - Chuck and PJ Keepin' it Real Show

The Stereo Boyz are the featured musical guest on the Bobby D show this week! Check out the full podcast including the interesting conversation Mixo and Mic Audio held with Seattles own Bobby D. Listen to it here: http://thebobbydshow.com/podcasts/podcast-6-the-stereo-boyz/ - The Bobby D Show

1- For those who don’t know you, who you are? Where you from? Where you at?
1. Mixo (Producer/ MC), Mic Audio (MC), & Kid Boombox (MC) of the Stereo Boyz.
Mixo & Kid Boombox (Brothers) from Detroit, MI & Mic Audio from Chicago, IL. We are based in Detroit, MI & Heidelberg,Germany but we go to where ever the fans want us.
2- What’s next for you? Do you have any new projects you are working on?
2. Worldwide Touring, Lots & Lots of New Music, the Introduciton of The Stereo Boyz Crew.
We are in the studio putting the finishing touches on our LP “Radio Headz” and Kid Boombox & Brand New of the Stereo Boyz crew are getting ready to release their mixtape called “SOB presents: B-Boyz”. We are also working on a Stereo Boyz crew mixtape “Crewz gone wild”, a Stereo Boyz Valentines Day Release “Songs for Stereo Girl Pt 1?, as well as Mixo ,Perfect Hell and Perfect Eclipse’s “The Other Guyz” mixtape. Also look out for Canibus’ “Spitboss” tape, which we appear on.
3- Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
- Viewed as the best at what we do, and have made the achievements that got people to view us as such. Living exactly how we dreamt of living, doing what we love to do, and that’s hip hop. Touring all over the world, growing our fanbase and accomplishing all our goals.
4- What makes Detroit / your area rap different from everybody else?
- We view it as midwest music, so we count our midwest neighbors in as well. Because there’s the sound of the south, west and east, so to us this is not Detroit music, it’s what we call a midwest sound. And in the midwest scene, unlike other areas where there might not be such a great diversity, you have a better chance at finding more different styles of music, because we are not afraid of making unique music here, we don’t care what everybody else thinks. - UCAMM

Voici donc un chapiteau où les clowns sont rois, où la verbe des troubadours deviennent des lancers de couteau où la musique est une acrobatie en soi et où le spectacle est loin de divertir la populace… Peu habituel pour un cirque mais l’est-il réellement ? Rap AS vous présente un nouveau phénomène hip-hop qui fait fureur aux États-Unis : STEREO BOYZ, un groupe que vous avez sûrement dû connaître grâce à leur vidéo sur You tube « CIRCUS ACT », extrait de leur dernier EP intitulé « Live From GhettoBlaster ».

Mixo ( Apllauze Beetz), Mic Audio ( hell ), et Kid Boombax forment le trio des clowns dans le groupe STEREO BOYZ. Lorsque leurs visages disparaissent sous le maquillage, une vraie mise en scène s’installe : par un coup de magie, ils deviennent la réplique de l’étrange personnalité du Docteur Jekill et Mr hyde. Bienvenue dans le monde de STEREO BOYZ où l’univers ressemble étrangement à celui de la CIRCA (Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army).

Au programme ? Une réelle parodie controversée de ce que représente le rap d’aujourd’hui c’est à dire « un cirque de bouffon » interprété par trois clowns artistes (Mixo, Mic Audio et Kid) aux allures de trois rappeurs loufoques, colorés. Pour épater la galerie, ils seront accompagnés d’un équilibriste que j’ai nommé « Ironie ».

Leur rôle ? Au vu des apparences, le trio souhaite rappeler aux gens que le monde du hip-hop est truffé de faux-semblant et de masques de clowns maléfiques qui prennent vite des allures de jokers aux sourires forcés.

Aussi terrifiant que cela puisse être, Rap-as a porté une grande attention à la vidéo « Circus Act », une vidéo qui vous plonge dans l’univers obscure de Détroit où les clowns sont devenus cinglants, rieurs voire même enragés.

D’où viennent ces artistes qui sont à l’affiche de ce clip ?

En 1999, Mixo ( Apllauze Beetz), Mic Audio ( hell ) et Kid Boombax débutent en réalisant leur premier album « Rhyme Asylum ». Leur rap est une parfaite combinaison du Midwest (Mico et Kid sont originaires de Détroit et Mic Audio de Chicago).

Leur première mixtape Sound Check “Vol 1” a remporté un franc succès et l’album solo de Mic Audio « Biblical fearical » est également très apprécié.
Leur EP « Live from Ghettoblaster » est en ligne depuis le 22 janvier 2011 et leur dernier album « Radio Heads » se prépare à sortir dans le courant de cet été.

En attendant, le groupe continue de se produire et travaille sans relâche en studio pour nous conduire dans leur monde où seule la dérision est maîtresse du domaine. Ce concept caustique débouche sur beaucoup de projets notamment la réalisation de mixtapes qui verront sans doute le jour les mois à venir. PATIENCE !

Nous sommes très fier de vous présenter ce groupe qui marque la fusion des temps passé, présent et futur du hip-hop et qui réunit toute la force de frappe de l’univers underground musical de Détroit.

Retenez bien leur nom : « STEREO BOYZ ! », trois redoutables emcees qui se produisent un peu partout et qui sont devenus incontournables dans les shows, battles et compétitions en tout genre. - RapAs-The Blog