Houston band goes from 'rapcore' backups of Bushwick Bill's Christian hip hop to a newfound Folk Family Revival

Courtesy photo - Justin Trapp

On Saturday night, Houston’s Folk Family Revival will be releasing their new album Unfolding. I recently caught up with FFR lead singer Mason Lankford via e-mail to discuss the band’s connection to Christian hip hop, how their sound has evolved, and why they weave Biblical themes into their lyrics.

Sketch: Where did the Folk Family Revival name come from?

Mason Lankford: When my brothers and I first started playing music together I was around 10 years old. And like most young musicians, we tried our hand in plenty of different styles.

When I turned 13 or 14, I started writing these kind of folky songs, and by the time I was 15 I started performing as a sort of side project.

When someone asked me what I was writing, I told them it was kind of a "folk family revival" sound or something like that. I didn't even think of using it for a band name until my brothers later decided to jump on the folk wagon. It fits very well even still.

Bushwick Bill with FFR drummer Lincoln Lankford at the 2008 All Eyes On Me Achievement Awards in Houston - Photo by Sketch the Journalist

Sketch: My first interaction with your band was seeing you support a few local Christian hip hop acts. However, your sound has changed since then.

So tell me, how do you go from recording screamo backgrounds on (former Geto Boy) Bushwick Bill’s gospel rap album to the Texas country / Americana vibe of Unfolding?

Mason Lankford: One of our former groups was a band that involved a lot of large amps and loud yelling. We were branded as a Christian heavy-rock band.

At the time, Bushwick Bill had just gone through a life-changing experience that resulted in his salvation, and he started writing Christian rap. He wanted to do a "rapcore" number, so he called me to do a screaming track. That was pretty cool. I wrote a rap too but they scratched it, which, in retrospect, was a good call.

So, on to how we switched. At this point, we had changed styles to southern rock and found Red Tree Recording Studio in Magnolia where we went in to record a single. I played some of my folk stuff for Jeffery Armstreet (our producer), and he had me come back up the next day and play him everything I had. He urged us to start playing that style. I was very happy I had someone saying that, and my brothers felt is was the better choice, so we did it… and the Folk Family was born.

Sketch: I know you’re a big fan of Bob Dylan – an enormously respected artist who had a well-publicized “Jesus Muzik” phase of his career. What about his poetry inspires or speaks to you?

Mason Lankford: That’s just it. He is a poet, and even as one of the world’s most well-rounded songwriters, he is still a poet. He is known as a poet. That’s not what I'm going for, but that’s one of the things I respect about him. His reputation is who he is, as well as how many different styles he covers. I believe "Subterranean Homesick Blues" was one of the first written rap songs.

Courtesy photo - Jonathan Barrick

Sketch: Although you’re not making music for the Christian market, your lyrics still often employ Biblical lyrics and imagery. Why have you decided to continue to weave those themes into your work?

Mason Lankford: I’m just not branded as a Christian. Mostly because I don't like the word itself. I like to sing what I believe.

Sketch: You guys are still building the “sweat equity” part of your career - hustling to get in front of as many different audiences as possible all while doing the grunt work of road travel and equipment setup and such. What’s the appeal of this as a full-time gig?

Mason Lankford: I’m sure at some point we will need some extra people to help with our stuff so we can make it to the next gig on time, but for now, it’s all good. We like to do the work, and I really have no intentions of having someone carry my stuff for me. Honestly, it was a hobby that turned into a career.

Folk Family Revival plays its CD release show this Saturday night, 7.9.11 at Dosey Doe Coffeeshop & Restaurant in The Woodlands. The band also performed Friday, 7.8.11 on FOX 26‘s morning program. The album will be available on 7.12.11.

Bushwick Bill's drop date set (new cover)

I caught this commercial on Von Won's Reel Talk TV show last night.

Looks like they have a drop date set and a new cover art. Thankfully it's better than this one.

Pre-order the jawn right chere.

Bushwick Bill vs. HimSELF

Photo by JT Patton

As many of you know, for the past year or so I have attempted to document Bushwick Bill’s attempt to enter the gospel rap market.

This is an intriguing story for both the mainstream and Christian masses. As a citizen of his hometown and someone who has worked closely with Tre9 (who has in turn worked closely with Bill on this shift change), I feel a certain level of obligation to cover as much of this story as possible.

I also want to be honest – both with the facts and feelings associated with this evolution.

So here’s one of the harder pieces I’ve had to write lately.

“Bushwick Bill vs. HimSELF” is an essay that chronicles the details of Bill’s July 4 reunion concert with the Geto Boys - his previous and legendary gangsta rap group.

Although Internet publishing would have enabled a hasty recap, I wanted to really spend some time prayerfully considering my words and seeking feedback from a respected circle of friends and editors.

Now it’s your turn. Take a peek and let me know your thoughts.

As an introductory reference, here are two videos from the performances I mention in the piece (and that are roughly two weeks apart.)


Bushwick Bill freestyling “Takin’ It Back” at the All Eyes On Me Awards After Party impromptu hallway open mic session


Bushwick Bill and the Geto Boys performing “My Mind’s Playin’ Tricks On Me” at the Warehouse Live show

Geto Boys

Vidz: Bushwick Bill's gospel raps

Several of Bushwick Bill's recent g-rap performances have hit the Interwebs. Here's a sampling.

This one is his performance of "No More Child's Play" from the All Eyes On Me Awards with the band Atonement. Be sure to stick it out to the end to hear him talk.



Not sure where this one took place (I just found it on YouTube) but it has Bushwick doing the "Takin' It Back" rap acapella with his clean verse from "Mind Playin' Tricks On Me."

Exclusive: Bushwick Bill "Testimony of Redemption" cover and possible tracklist

It's almost here: Bushwick Bill's first gospel rap album.

I got my hands on an advance promo copy (one single and six clips) and decided to share the cover.

Note that this ain't the final pic or tracklist. I also have a flyer that shows the cover with more detail in that the Ten Commandments are spelled out on the tablets to his sides.



Also, back in December when BB had his listening party, I got away with a possible track listing that I've been sitting on until just the right moment.

Here's what it looks like. Titles with a (*) beside it means it's on the promo disc I have in my possession. This is also probably not the final sequence.

1. Takin' It Back(*)
2. I Know What U Might Think (feat. Ras, Von Won, & Icece)
3. All the Pain
4. Testimony of Redemption(*)
5. Going to the River
6. Praise God for You(*)
7. God's Side is the Best Side
8. No More Child's Play
9. Spiritual Warfare(*)
10. Guardian Angel(*)
11. Sunshine
12. Thorn in my Side(*)
13. Calling Out to You
14. Life is a Beautiful Struggle
15. Praise of a Good Woman
16. Work It Out (feat. Gifted)
17. My Renewed Mind

If you want a sneak peek, run over to Bushwick's MySpace page and check out a few of the songs.

www.myspace.com/therealbushwickbill

Recap: Bushwick Bill / Icece Listening Party & B-day Bash (12/14/07)

All I can say is “What a night!” I haven’t been to a holy hiphop event this unique in a while.



More than just a concert, Friday’s jam at The Brighter Side Café/Club also included celebrations of several birthdays and the surprise announcement that Much Luvv Records was losing one of its team members.

Oh yeah, we also got sneak previews of tracks off of two upcoming albums from Icece and the legendary Bushwick Bill (of the Geto Boys).

Happy Birthday to…

• Bushwick Bill
• Icece
• Mrs. Tre9 (aka Maria)
• Mrs. Bless’T (aka Linda)
  

The small $8 cover charge went to support The Brighter Side and included a full fajita dinner (con aroz & frijoles) - plus we all got to grub on the cakes.


Tre9 and Maria show off the goodies



As the crowd filtered in, DJ Chill manned the music booth and got all the kids dancing to the some old school hip hop classics and the latest gospel rap heatas.




DJ Chill and Tre9 behind the scenes

Shortly after that, Tre9 took the Master of Ceremonies mic and explained that evaluation forms were being handed out to the audience to rate and rank tracks from Icece’s upcoming album. Each song got a minute and half of play time and then the crowd was asked to give each title an:

• Industry Rating (A-D): A. Radio Single / B. I’d Buy It / C. Might Buy It / D. Wouldn’t Buy It
• Personal Rating (1-5): 1-Trash It / 2-Needs Lots of Work / 3- Good / 4- Feelin It / 5-Bangin
• Dislikes (optional): Ex: Beat, lyrics, delivery, sound quality (mixing), feature artists, etc.
  

Such market research is a common practice in the mainstream music industry, but it’s a rare occurrence in the holy hip hop world. And it’s such a win-win for the audience (previews of new tracks) and the labels (advance feedback before making any final decisions) that I don’t know why more people don’t take advantage of it.


X-Thug (of The Brighter Side) and Stephen Oran (fka Stikk)


Testimony with producer Bruce Bang and his wheelchair athlete brother Kevin

Before and after Icece’s listening session, several acts took the stage for a quick set. Those that blazed the mic included: AFC, Gifted (Bound 4 Glory Records), Chosen, Bless’T, and 007 (formerly of the 5th Ward Boyz).


Gifted on the mic


007 comin' fierce

Next, we got to hear and evaluate songs from Bushwick Bill’s “Testimony of Redemption” album. Man was there some fire here!

Seventeen cuts in all, from the anti-Chucky, rock screamer “No More Child’s Play” to the remake of the classic “Mind Playin’ Tricks On Me” called “My Renewed Mind.”


Charles, Pastor T, and Joe from A.O.G. Clothing

The album has several guest features from local HHH cats like Gifted, Bless’T, and Lil Raskull who were in attendance that night and later took the stage with him.

I gotta tell ya that Bushwick is serious about his change. At a side table during the listening session he chopped it up with Lil Raskull and said he wasn’t satisfied with just doing this one album. He said God had laid it on his heart to do a triple album tentatively titled “The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”


Gifted, Ras, and Bushwick engage in some real talk.

He said he didn’t want people to see him like KRS-ONE who dropped “Spiritually Minded” and then went back to his typical material (and was thought to have only done a gospel album to pimp sales from the church crowd. )

Instead, Bill said he has done and said so much evil in his old lyrics and that he needed to set things right with his new content. He said he wants to touch everyone with his music and even include tracks done entirely in Spanish or Jamaican slang.

A drop date for “Testimony of Redemption” has not yet been set, but look for it in 2008 on the G-Spot Productions label.

After the BB listening session, Colcutz and Tre9 took the stage followed by Von Won, S.O.M. and Icece.


Tre9 and Colcutz (in the Lupe Fiasco-like hoodie) get the crowd moving without any Souljah Boys


S.O.M. - They some real "Fiyah Startas"


Icece is 6'3" flowin....

At the end of Icece’s set, Tre9 asked that everyone from his label join him up front for a major announcement. He reviewed the history of his Much Luvv Records label and how Icece was an old high school friend who reconnected with him over the past few years. Icece was intended to be Much Luvv’s first mainstream artist (still positive and clean, just not so Scripture heavy) but that a bigger opportunity had been presented to him that he had to take.

Never one to hold his artists back, Tre9 gave his blessings for Icece to sign with J7 Records out of Baton Rouge, LA. J7 has a relationship with Universal and can possibly put Icece in front of millions and millions of listeners.


The Icece presentation and prayer

Both sides embraced and prayed as T-Trax (J7’s main man) thanked Much Luvv for their above-the-board business ethics and for grooming Icece’s career up to this point. A cool feature of this move is that Tre9 will actually continue that relationship as a manager/advisor for his former artist.




Tre9, Icece, and T-Trax

Finally, the Little Big Man took the stage to perform some of his new material. He said he was nervous about the performance and still getting into "show mode" with some of his new lyrics. Nonetheless, he did it all with a smile and his trademark giggle and humor.


Bushwick blasts off


"What's up Party People?"

The “All Eyes On Me” TV show camera crew was in the crowd in addition to some guys filming for an upcoming documentary on Bill’s life.



Tre9 assisted on the hook for “Takin’ It Back” (Bushwick Bill / takin’ it back / to the days when people actually learned something from rap) and AFC and Gifted joined in to perform their parts on “Work It Out.”




Gifted, AFC, and Bushwick break it down

Bushwick closed out the night with a prayer for the families of Houston’s fallen recently deceased rappers (Fat Pat, Hawk, Big Mo, and Pimp C) and took the audience through a recitation of the Sinner’s Prayer confession of faith. He also asked people to lift him in prayer as he continues to try and follow and imitate Jesus the Christ in his daily life.


The always animated Boyce



As I said, it was quite a night. Look for more details on both Icece and Bushwick Bill’s albums in the near future and check out The Brighter Side on any upcoming weekend for a chill, Christian social environment.


Mr. Morris of The Brighter Side


Bushwick with his G-Spot Records partner


Hear Bushwick's new music at: http://www.myspace.com/therealbushwickbill
Hear Icece's tracks at: http://www.myspace.com/icece