Too Short Forms Group Town Bizness With Noted R&B Artists

[bullet_wrongkind]

By Tai Saint Louis
Just weeks after being inducted as part of this year’s class of VH1 Hip-Hop Honorees, West Coast pioneer Too Short has revealed his latest project.

 

The veteran of nearly 30 years has assembled an eclectic team of musicians to form his new group Town Bizness.

 

Town Bizness consists of Short, fellow Oakland natives Silk E and Elijah Baker, and singer Martin Luther.

 

If the group’s first single “Red Bull & Vodka” is any indication, Town Bizness will be a total departure from what Too Short has delivered to fans over the course of his career.

 

The song, a Parliament Funkadelic inspired, rock-infused up-tempo number, is garnering an early buzz among critics and internet listeners.

 

“The group is a combination of artists, musicians, writers and producers united under the love of making good music,” explained Too Short, who plans on releasing the experimental project through his Up All Night Records imprint.

 

Each of the crew’s primary members brings along a varied musical background. Bassist and vocalist Elijah Baker is one of the founding members of popular 90s R&B group Tony! Toni! Tone!

 

In addition to his work with the group, Baker has enjoyed success as a studio musician and arranger, working with the likes of Alicia Keys, Tha Dogg Pound, The Coup, Stic.Man and even Club Nouveau.

 

He is said to be working on a solo project as well.

 

After garnering a critical accolades as part of the first wave of the Neo Soul movement in the late 90s, singer Martin Luther has collaborated extensively with The Roots and fellow genre-bending soul singer Cody ChesnuTT.

 

As an actor, using his full name Martin Luther McCoy, the young performer was one of six lead characters in the 2007 Golden Globe winning Beatles musical Across The Universe.

 

Luther also lent his talents as a singer and guitarist to the film’s soundtrack.

 

He is currently working on his third studio solo album, Serial Thriller, a follow up to his 2004 sophomore release Rebel Soul Music.

 

Rapper and singer Silk E has also toured and performed with The Coup.

 

Of course, Too Short brings the most experience to the group, with seventeen studio albums under his belt, fourteen of which were released since he joined the roster at Jive Records 20 years ago.

 

He has also collaborated with every one from Ant Banks to Bun B to the Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, E-40, Lil Jon, Foxy Brown and even D4L.

 

He was celebrated on October 2 alongside Slick Rick, De La Soul, Cypress Hill and Naughty by Nature during the fifth annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors.




source: http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2008/10/21/20606314.aspx

[Dogg Ly Dogg]

Interesting informations! I was checkin for the group last time and didnt find shit
Redbull & Vodka is a slapper tho

[Birdie]

Great news! I'm looking forward to it.

I hope they will keep the sound interesting & on a high level of course.

[akcranker - The Dangerous Crew Movement]

I'm not much of fan of Short doing anything new except getting back with the Dangerous Crew and creating the music he was good at.  But I'm curious to check this out.  Does anyone know where to get that Redbull & Vodka track?

[Al Bundy]

Interesting informations! I was checkin for the group last time and didnt find shit
Redbull & Vodka is a slapper tho

Hook it up 

[Ali Tha Great]

Interesting informations! I was checkin for the group last time and didnt find shit
Redbull & Vodka is a slapper tho

Hook it up 

[J$crILLa]

i want his next solo

[akcranker - The Dangerous Crew Movement]

i want his next solo

I do only if he goes back to the Bay Area and hooks up with the Dangerous Crew to make something funky.  Hell I'd be happy if he got with George Clinton and made some funky shit.  Screw all the southern sounding music he keeps trying to make.

[love33]

i want his next solo

I do only if he goes back to the Bay Area and hooks up with the Dangerous Crew to make something funky.  Hell I'd be happy if he got with George Clinton and made some funky shit.  Screw all the southern sounding music he keeps trying to make.

I like all the classic stuff like you're talking about like "Just Another Day," "Cocktales," "Gettin It," "Good Life," etc. Those are all great tracks and great music you can play over in any century.

However, the Dirty South music he's making is what keeps his name out there and keeps him in the clubs.  Ice Cube hasn't been in the club since "We Be Clubbin."  We haven't heard Kurupt in the club since "Tha Streetz Iz A Mutha" album and his collabs on "2001."  We haven't heard DJ Quik in the club since "Dollaz and Sense."

The difference is E-40 and Too Short evolved their music to the current hip hop trends and make classics in any era.  This is what puts them ahead of Ice Cube still making 1997 music and other rappers that can't seem to understand the evolution of Hip Hop.

Now Short brought Lil Jon into the rap game.  This guy knows music period.  He's a true musician.  This is the guy that recorded with Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.  This is one of the few rappers in the history of music to drop 6 platinums in a row.

You still hear Snoop in the club, Too Short in the club, and 40 in the club.  That's because these guys know how to adapt to modern times.  While it's nice to revisit those classics because I love all those songs too, these guys gotta make new music and keep their faces out there.  So while guys like Ice Cube are sitting at home, E-40's in the club 'wakin it up' tryin to get do dat pussy' and Short's got the girl's 'shakin that monkey,' 'blowin the whistle,' and telling the girls 'that baby don't look like me.'

Snoop and Short got two tracks in the clubs "Keep Bouncin" and "Life of The Party."  These guys are relevant because they can touch all levels of music and that's what puts them above artists that can only make one type of music.

[Booz]

Snoop and Short got two tracks in the clubs "Keep Bouncin" and "Life of The Party."  These guys are relevant because they can touch all levels of music and that's what puts them above artists that can only make one type of music.

I know! I'm such a big 50 Cent fanmyself! He can make club tracks, gangsta tracks and love songs, It's so special indeed!