Soulfège’s latest release “Take Back the Mic” is currently in heavy circulation as the band tours the U.S. and the people of New York were blessed to see them live at Joe’s Pub on Saturday, Nov. 6.
The band performed to a sold-out house last Saturday, performing many hits including “Beans n Rice,” “Do Right,” and “Funkadocious.”
This hip hop-reggae fusion band is the true representation of unorthodox mixes and new music has never been so saccharine.
The album, “Take Back the Mic,” was recorded in the U.S., Jamaica and Ghana, West Africa and features collaborations with Grammy-winning Dancehall Bounty Killer (“Sweet Mother”) and West African Hip-Life legend Reggie Rockstone (“Beans N Rice”).
This band of Harvardites has proven that the Ivy League has produced more than just lawyers, doctors and great politicians.
Never has the world been introduced to a more eclectic and highly educated Afropolitan fusion band.
Band members, Derrick Ashong, Jonathan Gramling and Keely Nicole Johnson have been hailed as the modern day Fugees.
With Ashong’s, West African heritage, the leader of this unique band and his bandmates have come up with the ideal formula for merging Reggae, Hip Hop, Funk and West African music to create a sound that’s powerful and refreshing.
The current wave of “street swagger” that drives today’s artistes is certainly not considered by this band and their style brings superiority and seriousness to their music.
Each member has strong vocals, passionate drive for positive music and a dedication to ensuring the new generation can be seen as something more than what is currently being depicted on BET and MTV today.
Their music has been recognized by media outlets including as VanityFair.com, MTV Africa, NPR and BBC Worldservice.
They have been nominated for the Independent Music Awards and Boston Urban Music Awards and won Billboard Songwriting Contest Award for Best Hip-Hop song of 2007.
Ashong and Gramling are the creators of the “Take Back The Mic” movement where new music and youth empowerment has been put forward to today’s generation.
A headstrong political activist Ashong, also host a political show, “The Derrick Ashong Experience”, on Oprah Radio and have been receiving highly acclaimed reviews including from the New York Times.
A band that has soul, drive, depth, education for strong lyrical content and most of all talent is extremely hard to find in today’s auto tune world. Soulfège is truly global.
More info on this band and their latest album “Take Back the Mic” can be found on www.soulfege.com.
