Swollen Members Gear Up For Canadian & US Tour

[Damien J.]

The Canadian based rap group Swollen Members are poised to release their brand new album Black Magic on September 12th, on Battle Axe Records through their new marketing partnership TVT records. Group members Rob the Viking, Prevail, and Madchild seek to embark on the same success that they have experienced in their native land in the states as well. The lead singles off the album are the instant bangers “Put Me On” featuring Everlast and “Too Hot” featuring DJ Babu. “We met Everlast from our friend, Evidence (Dilated Peoples). We met in LA, the song came about by rolling through his crib and he was playing licks on his guitar, couple days later Evidence came in with the piano looped the beat” Madchild explains. Swollen Members just recently shot a video in LA, to accompany the track.

“Too Hot” is a funk soul sample which showcases the beat making skills of the groups producer, Rob the Viking who dug deep in the crates for the funk laced sample borrowed from the Dap Kings. While most of Swollen Members sound can be attributed to sampling, the group also uses live instruments on Black Magic to balance things out. “Sometimes we will go in the studio with live instrumentation. Which we have done from a number of songs on Black Magic, but a lot of the time, Rob relies on samples,” says Prevail.

Also making an appearance on the album is Ghostface who lends his lyrical fury on the track “Weight” (which also features The Alchemist). Swollen Members also had a chance to perform with Ghostface by touring with the “Wally Champ” on his most recent tour. “It was amazing already having the song already recorded and ready to go on the album then getting the call jump on the tour with him,” Prevail exclaims. “He was very supportive rocking Swollen Members shirts, giving us shout outs on stage. 100 percent supportive of what we were doing.”

No strangers to being embraced by some of hip-hops elites, Swollen Members have been official members of the Legendary Rock Steady Crew. Becoming one of only three hip-hop groups to be affiliated with the dynamic b-boy faction. “Linked up with Rock steady back at the B-Boy summit in San Diego. We were traveling a lot on the west coast back then. I was staying in San Diego, Prev was staying in San Francisco. I became friends with Legs and Ez rock, who is the west coast chapter leader at the time, he decided to put me down,” said Madchild.

To further promote the album Black Magic, Swollen members are gearing up for an extensive tour in the U.S, as well as some dates in Canada. “We have a 4 month tour kicking off in Canada September 8th with Black Eyed Peas and then taking our own tour for an extreme ski & snowboarding movie out in America for two and a half months.” Swollen Members look forward for the opportunity to perform for the masses. “We just started touring in America last year after our success in Canada, and the reception has been phenomenal.” explains Prevail. “It feels really exciting because a lot of people in the US are just finding out about us right now. It feels just like when we were just starting things in Canada a couple years back.”

Tour Dates:

Sun - Sep 17 - OFF / Jackson
Mon - Sep 18 - travel toronto
Tues - Sep 19 - Promo in Toronto
Wed - Sep 20 - Toronto - MTV performance
Thr - Sep 21 - London, ON - Call The Office
Fri - Sep 22 - Barrie, ON - The Foundation
Sat - Sep 23 - St. Catharines - L3
Sun - Sep 24 - OFF
Mon - Sep 25 - Sudbury - TBC
Tues - Sep 26 - Sault St Marie - TBC
Wed - Sep 27 - Thunder Bay- TBC
Thr - Sep 28 - Duluth, MN - TBC

Swollen Members, Black Eyed Peas, Rhianna:

Fri - Sep 29 - Grand Forks, ND - Alerus Centre w/ Black Eyed Peas
Sat - Sep 30 - Winnipeg MTS Centre
Sun - Oct 01 - TBC
Mon - Oct 02 - Regina Brandt Centre
Tue - Oct 03 - Calgary Saddledome
Wed - Oct 04 - Edmonton Rexall Place

Showgirls After Party:

Thr - Oct 05 - TBC
Fri - Oct 06 - Vancouver PNE
Sat - Oct 07 - Victoria Memorial Centre

Swollen Members Black Magic Tour:

Wed - Oct 11 - Salt Lake City - In The Venue All ages
Thu - Oct-12 - Ft. Collins - Aggie Theatre
Fri - Oct-13 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
Sat - Oct-14 Boulder, Co - Boulder Theatre
Sun - Oct-15 OFF
Mon - Oct-16 Alb / Santa Fe
Tue - Oct-17 OFF / AZ w/ Beatnuts ** TBC
Wed - Oct-18 AZ w/ The Beatnuts **TBC
Thu - Oct-19 San Diego - 4th & B
Fri - Oct-20 LA - El Rey
Sat - Oct-21 Santa Barbbera
Sun - Oct-22 San Luis Obispo - SLO Brewing
Mon - Oct-23 San Francisco - Slims
Tue - Oct-24 OFF
Wed - Oct-25 Sparks, NV - New Oasis
Thu - Oct-26 OFF
Fri - Oct-27 Bend, OR - Domino Room
Sat - Oct-28 Portland - Berbatti's
Sun - Oct-29 Seattle - Neumos
Mon - Oct-30 Spokane TBC
Tue - Oct-31 Missoula