TWIZTID & BLAZE YA DEAD HOMIE

TWIZTID

THEATRICAL, OUTRAGEOUS, AND WILDLY INVENTIVE, TWIZTID’S INFECTIOUS BLEND OF HIP-HOP HAS BEEN STALKING THE HIP-HOP SCENE FOR YEARS. NOW AFTER LURKING IN THE SHADOWS,TWIZTID ARE READY TO STRIKE AGAIN WITH THE RELEASE OF THEIR NEW RECORD, “A NEW NIGHTMARE.” UNAPOLOGETIC, AND LYRICALLY FEROCIOUS, TWIZTID ARE OUT TO PROVE TO HIP-HOP FANS EVERYWHERE THAT THEIR TERRIFYING BRAND OF DARK, SINISTER HIP-HOP IS SHARPER THAN A RAZOR BLADE.

TWIZTID IS THE MANIACAL DUO OF JAMIE MADROX AND MONOXIDE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN CARVING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE UNDERGROUND WITH LETHAL FORCE SINCE THE RELEASE OF THEIR NOW CLASSIC DEBUT ALBUM, “MOSTASTELESS”. THROUGHOUT THIER CAREER TWIZTID HAVE BEEN CONQUERING AND PILLAGING THE SCENE WITH EACH AND EVERY RELEASE. THEY’VE GRACE THE COVER OF ALTERNATIVE PRESS MAGAZINE, WERE AWARDED “ALBUM COVER OF THE WEEK” BY VH1.COM, BEEN INVITED TO PERFORM ON  G4 TV’S “FREESTYLE 101″, COLLABORATED WITH HIP-HOP LEGENDS THREE 6 MAFIA ON THEIR MULTI PLATINUM ALBUM “WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS”, AND APPEARED ON THE SOUNDTRACK OF, THE “BACKYARD WRESTLING” PLAYSTATION GAME. THE DUO’S HUSTLE CANNOT BE CONTAINED TO SIMPLY MUSIC, AS THEY ADDED ACTING TO THEIR RESUME WHEN THEY STARRED IN THE PLATINUM SELLING DVD COMEDY MOVIE “BIG MONEY HUSTLAS” AND THE 2012 SEQUEL “BIG MONEY RUSTLAS”, WHICH WAS PLAYED EXTENSIVELY ON SHOWTIME. IN JANUARY 2013,TWIZTID LANDED A ROLE IN THE USA NETWORK PILOT FOR THE TV SHOW “OVER/UNDER”.

MOST RECENTLY, TWIZTID HIT THE BILLBOARD TOP 200 AT #18 WITH THEIR LATEST STUDIO EFFORT “ABOMINATIONZ”. THE ALBUM UNLEASHED A BEASTLY DISPLAY OF LYRICAL PROWESS AS THEY CREATED THE SOUNDTRACK TO LISTENERS MOST INTENSE NIGHTMARES. THE DEMENTED DUO WERE REWARDED WHEN THE ALBUM PEAKED AS THE #4 INDEPENDENT ALBUM IN THE COUNTRY AND THE SECOND HIGHEST SELLING HIP-HOP RELEASE ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS. THE ALBUM PROVED THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY’VE BEEN IN THE GAME FOR OVER A DECADE, TWIZTID ARE STILL ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL FORCES IN THE UNDERGROUND HIP-HOP SCENE TODAY.

WITH “ABOMINATIONZ” TAKING TWIZTID TO NEW HEIGHTS, THE GROUP SIMPLY REFUSE TO REST IN THEIR QUEST FOR GLOBAL DOMINATION. THEY IMMEDIATELY TOOK THEIR THEATRICAL FREAK SHOW OUT ONTO THE ROAD FOR A SOLD OUT TOUR, PERFORMING FOR THEIR RABID FANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE “ABOMINATIONZ” TOUR IGNITED A CREATIVE FIRE IN THE GROUP, AS THEY HEADED BACK INTO THE STUDIO TO RECORD THEIR VERY FIRST INDEPENDANT RELEASE AS A THANK YOU TO THEIR DEDICATED FANBASE FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

NOW INVIGORATED WITH A NEW FOUND SENSE OF CREATIVE FREEDOM, TWIZTID COMPLETED THEIR VERY FIRST CANADIAN HEADLINING TOUR, AS WELL AS THE THIRD LEG OF THEIR “ABOMINATIONZ” TOUR ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, COMPLETE WITH A PERFORMANCE AT ROB ZOMBIE’S GREAT AMERICAN NIGHTMARE FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER. THE DEMENTED DUO ARE CONSTANTLY ON THE GRIND WORKING ON NEW MUSIC, A PODCAST, IN THE DEVELOPMENT TO STAR IN THEIR OWN MOVIE. IN 2013 AND BEYOND, TWIZTID ARE READY TIE YOU UP, TOSS YOU INTO THE TRUNK AND TAKE SOMEWHERE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE. THE SCARIEST PART IS WHEN YOU DON’T WANT TO COME BACK…

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BLAZE YA DEAD HOMIE

Intro to Blaze: 

The streets ain’t easy. Fear can crawl in no matter what your skin color or your zip code is. The sound of gunshots outside your home will get you, change you, compel you. It makes you want to scream, it helps you find a voice. It’s the kind of life you must embrace or forsake. This is where Blaze comes in.

There are many chapters to his career, and all you have to do is choose one to find out what makes him the only Blaze who matters!

 

Meet Blaze:

Hip-hop is the voice of a unique people, and Blaze is distinct within hip-hop. He’s got the skills and the sound to rep with the best, and an individual voice to match his image. Here’s a guy who watches horror flicks, and finds himself rooting for the lunatics. As a kid reading comics, he wanted the villains to win. It’s the frustrated character of the streets, given form in the character of Blaze. But he’s never one-dimensional, it’s his very ruthlessness that keeps him from holding back.

He’s not just a gangster, he’s not just a persona, he’s a real guy who’s been driven to these things, a perceptive, sensitive individual who chooses to wear facepaint and rap the Wicked Shit. He’s not afraid to tell you why he does it, and how he got there. The best way to discover Blaze is through his music, but here’s the story as we know it:

 

In The Beginning:

Blaze started rapping when he was just 17. He was still in high school, and still a young punk known as Chris Rouleau, when he started spittin’ rhymes for his friends. Before long he was jumpin’ in and puttin’ it down at local shows in the streets of “Clemtown” on Detroit’s East Side, where his skills and style earned him a reputation.

Chris grew up on the typical Detroit Rock City bands: KISS, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, even Journey and J. Geils, but he was also drawn to the rap acts he would come to emulate: Slick Rick, LL Cool J, Run DMC, and particularly the thug styling of NWA and Ice-T. He was driven to be involved with the music he loved, and started rapping locally as “Sandman.”

His first big show was at the Ritz in Roseville, where he opened for the House of Krazees, alongside his friend Jaime Lowery. Ironically, House of Krazees would go on to become his future label-mates Twiztid, and Jaime would become ABK, Blaze’s future partner in Drive-By. He struck up a friendship with those guys, which he maintains to this day.

During this time he tried many partnerships and joined several groups, including one known as Sleepwalkers. The Sleepwalkers album was produced by The R.O.C.(of House of Krazees), and was one of many that never came out or never made it (though Chris remembers a kid named Eminem hanging around the studio, learning a thing or two). Chris was ready to give up rapping, when his old friends told him they were joining a label called Psychopathic Records, and encouraged him to come along…

 

Thug Back From The Dead:

Chris started off at Psychopathic as a road dog. He clocked in just like every other employee, and helped out around the office and on the road. He headed street teams while promoting the Insane Clown Posse album “The Amazing Jeckel Brothers.” He was alongside ICP with the road crew for their devastating performance at Woodstock ’99. The next year he helped his old House of Krazees homies, now known as Twiztid, push their “Freek Show” album. Twiztid had him guest star on their “Mostasteless” album, and he would occasionally jump in as a hype man and help out on stage. The word began to spread around Psychopathic that the guy could rap.

Violent J of ICP took notice, and soon Chris was asked to join the Psychopathic Rydas supergroup as “Cell Block.” The Rydas were a hit among fans of Psychopathic Records, or “Juggalos,” and soon Chris was offered a chance to record his own album. Together with Violent J, Chris came up with the name “Blaze Ya Dead Homie,” and recorded a self-titled solo EP. After his previous bad luck recording albums, Chris put all he could into this first release with Psychopathic Records. He drew on all his experiences to that point and focused them into the Blaze persona: a gang-banger killed in a drive-by shooting and mysteriously resurrected from the dead.

As Blaze Ya Dead Homie he could express a love of the supernatural, alongside his history with the ‘hood and affinity for gangster rap. It also echoed his “return from the dead” after giving up rapping and working on the road. The resulting blend of theatrics and gritty realism was what Blaze considers his most “real” album. Blaze was born, and he fit in tight with the roster at Psychopathic Records.

 

Getting In and Fitting In:

In 2000, ICP created a giant music-festival-extravaganza called the Gathering of the Juggalos, and a main attraction at the first annual Gathering was the debut of Blaze as the newest Psychopathic artist. He quickly won over the crowd of 5,000, and was the talk of the 3-day event.

His EP eventually sold out of its limited run, and he was asked to join the next Psychopathic supergroup, Dark Lotus. Their album, “Tales From the Lotus Pod” was released exclusively underground, and was a huge success among Juggalos. Blaze was established as an artist, and was developing his own loyal fan base and reputation as a rapper.

 

One Less G:

After recording the Blaze Ya Dead Homie EP with Twiztid and their main producer, Fritz the Cat, and heading out on an electrifying tour that hit major cities across the country, Blaze was back again in the studio, changing up his sound a bit for the breakthrough full-length: “One Less G In The Hood.” He worked with Mike P, Producer of ICP’s The Wraith: Shangri-La to create a rock-infused gangster album, which further defined the Blaze ya Dead Homie persona as a unique entity in the rap world. The “1 Less G N Da Hood” album produced many classic Juggalo anthems, and earned Blaze new respect as an artist in the underground rap game.

With this new release, Blaze was yet again out on the road, bringing his new sound to packed clubs and venues all across the nation. This furthered his favor with Juggalos, taking Blaze to the next level as a Psychopathic Records artist.

Blaze continued to work alongside his label mates throughout this period, appearing on nearly every major release from ICP, including their almighty Sixth Joker’s Card, and each of Twiztid’s major releases. He also continued to work with the Psychopathic supergroups, Rydas and Dark Lotus, ABK (who eventually debuted on Psychopathic), as well as making a series of other contributions to the underground rap scene.

 

Did I Stutter?:

All of the hard work in the rap game can wear on even the strongest individual. There was something missing that Blaze could not place – a certain element that had retreated from his tenative grasp. At the Gathering of the Juggalos 2003 festival, Blaze relunctantly declared that he would be stepping down from the stage and out of the spotlight, much to the concern and dismay of his many fans. He went back to the start of it all at Psychopathic Records: assisting the label as he did back in the day with their fervent list of tours and events.

As he plied himself with the daily business of the label, Blaze spent his time reflecting on the history of his persona, how it affected him and how his music reached out to his loyal listeners. As the year rolled by, Blaze went over every detail of his rap career and put it all in perspective: it was time to reinvent his persona, bringing a new light onto his image yet staying true to his roots. It was time for change.

 

Back Again – Colton Grundy:

After a short, strange period of contemplation, Blaze found what he was searching for, what he was missing in his career, and came back strong and hard with a new album and a brand new point-of-view. In 2004 he debuted “Colton Grundy”, revealing to the world a side of Blaze never before seen. Colton Grundy shook off the shackles of his past sound, allowing him the opportunity to be less gangster, more hip-hop, and all enigmatic. Where “Ya Dead Homie” was hardcore underground ruthlessness, “Grundy” was rap from another plane of existance, a hip-hop leap into the fundamentals of dreaded mystery. The Juggalos embraced this new feel with open arms; this fresh angle brought that old Blaze sound into a whole new realm of music, and Colton Grundy went on to be one of his biggest successes to date.

During 2005, Blaze reunited with his old partner ABK, and released the bass-heavy street release, Pony Down (Prelude). Under the name Drive-By, Blaze and ABK collaborated on an album that throws back to classic bass tracks, from a time when trunks thumped and big bass bumped; an album that is straight rap patterns, with tight rhythm and loud sound.

Blaze was also contacted by Eidos Interactive, makers of such video game hits as Tomb Raider, Hitman, and Legacy of Kain. They asked for music to put in their upcoming urban action game 25 to Life. Blaze contributed two songs, including one just for the game, to its impressive soundtrack featuring Tupac, Public Enemy, DMX, The Geto Boys, and Tech N9ne. His ruthless attitude and hardcore hooks were a perfect fit for this painfully realistic cops & gangbangers game, and Blaze was honored to be featured alongside some of the rap legends that influenced him while comin’ up.

When Blaze decided to come back to the stage, he came back as a force to be reckoned with. Besides the successful Grundy release, the Drive-By side project, and his work with Eidos, Blaze hit the touring circuit with a vengance. On the very successful Psychopathic All-Stars Tour, he teamed up with ABK, Esham, and Jumpsteady, displaying his lyrical prowess with both old and new sounds, with a passion reminiscent of his early days on the label. Blaze was back in the game, and there was no restraining him.

 

Rolling On:

2006 was a big year for Blaze; his new-found energy was more than a match for the challenges ahead of him. It was all about the payback: giving back to all of his fans that had shown him so much love over all the years. On the Fxck the Fxck Off Tour, Blaze hit the road along with the Subnoize Souljaz and recent label mates, AMB, helping Shaggy 2 Dope of ICP support his first full solo album. Then it was back to basics: Twiztid and Blaze on the Guillotine Tour, bringing the fans that kinetic flow of Psychopathic wickedness.

Prior to his Gathering of the Juggalos 2006 appearance, Blaze went through the archives of his earlier works. The result of this was the special release entitled “1 Less G in the Hood – Deluxe G Edition”. This album was a culmination of tracks from the hard-to-find Ya Dead Homie EP and original 1 Less G album, all re-released and remastered. The Deluxe G Edition was an eye-opener to the new fans who hadn’t heard his original songs, and a thank you to the Juggalos of old who have grown with Blaze through his music.

Shortly after the summer festival, Blaze began his first headlining tour ever, the Tombstone Terror Tour. Once again on the road with AMB and Boondox, the newest solo act on Psychopathic, he went across the nation, filling shows to capacity. When it comes to bringing his skills to his loyal listeners, Blaze is an unstoppable force.

 

The Clockwork Turns:

In 2007 Blaze’s clock began to tick…

Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…
It’s the sound of a heart that stopped. A series of shots. He tried to Feel the Sunshine, but all his days turned out gray. Gray as the ground, gray like dead flesh, and gray like the steel of a hot barrel. The streets couldn’t stop him, and the ground couldn’t keep him. So he came back, with a heart full of horror and a mouth full of murder. He came back and he kept on comin’…

Clockwork Gray is the pulse, a beat bumpin from beneath, comin up through the ground and filling the street. It’s the inevitable pulse of time, flowing from his soul. The beat is felt in every step of his story. The pop of a gun. The drop of a casket. Then the explosion of rebirth, and the invasion in your speakers as his beat comes for you. The Undying defeated death, and he bumps on to his next hit, looking fo a pulse to fill his empty veins. The pulse of time…

Clockwork Gray continues the tale of vengeance and indulgence of this man from beyond. And that’s where he continues to go. Beyond death, beyond revenge, beyond hip-hop, beyond sexy, and beyond scary. He even went on his second solo tour, moving equally in space as in time. Clockwork Gray is a street story of getting what’s his, but knowing there’s always more to get. It goes back in time to the darkness where it started, with heavy hip-hop beats and the realest ruthless rhymes. Blaze took one hell of a trip with this album, and some still wonder if all of him came back, or if he left a piece of himself inside all the fans this album touched…

 

On Through Time:

Soon after the Clockwork took him on a solo journey through time and space, Blaze hooked up with his homies from Dark Lotus to travel through some serious darkness. The Opaque Brotherhood was on the march, with a new album and a national tour. The group was down to its five founding members, and Blaze was proud to take his place as one of the underground’s wickedest figures.Blaze and Dark Lotus also tore up the Hatchet Attacks show in Denver Colorado, and then the 9th annual Gathering of the Juggalos. Blaze just couldn’t stop, so he quickly jumped into a co-headlining slot on the Shock Therapy Tour with ABK, AMB, and Boondox.

 

The Rise of Gang Rags:

2010 brought another huge year for Blaze with the release of his fourth solo album, Gang Rag. For this album Blaze pushed himself to painful measures to give the masses one of the most brutal and innovative rap albums of our time. Blaze raised the bar for himself. His dedicated followers, along with the general public, were thrilled with the results. With a unique blend of music, produced by Mike E. Clark and Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse, and a brand new style that still stays planted in his Detroit roots, the dead man created an album that contains straight fire.

 

The Future of a Dead Man:

2010 was a remarkable year for Blaze with the release of his latest album and relentless tour schedule, but there is still so much to come from him. When someone get banished to the beyond and says “Fuck that, I ain’t done!” only to return… you know you can expect big things!

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