Lyrics Born

Infobox musical artist
Name = Lyrics Born


Img_capt = Lyrics Born.
Img_size = 150 px
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Tom Shimura
Alias = Asia Born
Born = 1972 in Tokyo, Japan
Died =
Origin = El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California, United States
Instrument = Vocals
Voice_type =
Genre = Hip hop
Pop
Rock
Funk
Occupation = Radio DJ, MC, Producer, Recording Artist
Years_active = 1992 – present
Label = Quannum Projects, Epitaph Records
Associated_acts = Quannum Projects
Latyrx
URL = http://www.lyricsborn.com
Notable_instruments =

Lyrics Born (formerly known as Asia Born, born Tom Shimura in 1972), is a half-Japanese American, half-Italian American rapper. He is one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.cite web|last=DaRonco|first=Mike|title=Lyrics Born - Biography|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jjfpxqqhld0e~T1|work=All Music Guide|date=2008|accessdate=2008-05-09]

History

Through his childhood, he lived in Tokyo, Japan, Salt Lake City, Utahcite news|title=New Music: Lyrics Born, Billy Bragg and More |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89830815|publisher=National Public Radio|date=2008-04-22|accessdate=2008-05-09] , and Berkeley, Californiacite web|last=Patel|first=Joseph|title=Lyrics Born|work=You Hear It First|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/yhif/lyrics_born/|publisher=MTV News|date=2003-11-18|accessdate=2005-02-05] , although he moved to Tampa, Florida for four years to attend Henry B. Plant High School. [cite web|last=|first=|title=New CD releases from Robyn, Mostly Bears and Lyrics Born|url=http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/new_cd_releases_from_robyn_mostly_bears_and_lyrics_born/Content?oid=442483|work=Creative Loafing Tampa|date=2008-05-07|accessdate=2008-05-09] He began his hip hop career while at college at University of California, Davis, where he was a DJ at the college station KDVS. He is a founding member of the seminal independent record label Quannum Projects. Born came up with fellow Bay Area and UC Davis companions Lateef, Gift of Gab, and Chief Xcel of Blackalicious, DJ Shadow, and Jeff Chang (formerly known as DJ Zen).

In 1993, Lyrics Born released his first single "Send Them", under the moniker "Asia Born", on the independent record label Solesides, which he co-founded.

Tom Shimura changed his stage name from Asia Born to Lyrics Born in 1995 citing the desire to have his career based on his merits as opposed to his race. [cite web|last=|first=|title=NPR interview with Lyrics Born|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91884418|date=2008-25-06|accessdate=2008-07-07]

Lyrics Born released his first solo LP, "Later That Day", in October 2003, which spawned the hit single, "Callin' Out." The album featured guests such as DJ Shadow, Gift of Gab, and his wife Joyo Velarde. In April 2005, he released his second album, "Same !@#$ Different Day" which was released on his own Quannum Projects label. The album features remixes of five songs from "Later That Day" along with a number of new tracks which feature guests such as Bay Area legend E-40, KRS-One, Stereo MCs, Casual of Hieroglyphics, Evidence of Dilated Peoples, and Joyo Velarde. Also in 2005, Born released "The Lyrics Born Variety Show: Season One" CD, which was essentially an old-school mix tape with remixes and blends of his studio albums and appearances on other songs in addition to new songs.

In 2006 he released "The Lyrics Born Variety Show: Season Two" CD mixed by DJ Enki.

He has toured relentlessly for years in North America, South America, Australia, Europe and Japan and averages 150 shows per year.

Early in 2005, Lyrics Born replaced his usual DJ, D-Sharp with a live band. The original band consisted of versed Bay Area musicians Kevin Choice (keys, vox), B'nai Rebelfront (guitar, vox), Darius Minaee (drums) and Uriah Duffy (bass, vox).

The live album "Overnite Encore: Lyrics Born LIVE" was released on October 31, 2006. It was recorded in Australia and features half of the album from Sydney and the other half from Melbourne. The album is a live set featuring his backing band, as well as three new studio tracks including the hit song "Knock Knock". The album received a 3.5 out of 5 star review in "Rolling Stone" magazine and featured artists such as Mistah F.A.B., Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Pigeon John and Tim "Herb" Alexander of Primus.

LB recently released his third mixtape, "The Lyrics Born Variety Show Season Three", which features many notable hip-hop icons such as Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, The Gift of Gab, Lateef The Truthspeaker, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Pigeon John. The album was released as a limited edition download available only on his website for only $1.99. This mixtape also features exclusive tracks from his then upcoming new album, "Everywhere At Once", as well as previously unreleased studio tracks.

Lyrics Born released his 3rd studio album, "Everywhere at Once" on April 22nd, 2008 on Epitaph/Anti- Records. The album is the first studio release to feature members of his live band and also features Chali 2na, Joyo Velarde and hip-hop producers Jake One and Trackademicks.The album has spawned a new video for the hit single, "I Like It, I Love It" which features the MC in various character costumes including Merlin the Wizard, Army Soldiers, Mr. T and more. The video was directed by Neon.

Media (Film, TV, Video Games)

His song "Callin' Out" was featured in a 2004 Diet Coke television advertisement in the United States featuring actor Adrien Brody, a Motorola commercial, in the video game "MLB 2006", and in the movie "Waiting...". The song was also #1 on San Francisco's LIVE105 local radio station for 5 weeks. It is the first ever rap song to stay at the #1 spot on that station. This was also the first #1 single for his label, Quannum Projects.

Born appeared in the Justin Lin film, "Finishing The Game", playing the owner of a Chinese restaurant, JM. In the final edit the scene was cut.

He was scheduled to appear in the new Fast and The Furious 4 movie but had to back out due to scheduling conflicts.

Born has been featured on MTV, E!, MySpace, and appeared on Australia's TRL on MTV, G4's "Attack of the Show", DangerousTV, and FearlessmusicTV. He also performed at Lollapalooza, Good Vibes, Bonnaroo Music Festival, Langerado, and Coachella, and has done shows for Puma, adidas, Diesel, Evisu, and EA Games.

His music has also appeared in the films "Collateral" and "" as well as the television shows, "Entourage", "Gilmore Girls", "Six Feet Under", "Gossip Girl" and "Life with Brian", along with the video games "NBA2K6" and "Tony Hawk's Proving Ground".

Lyrics Born's first National American Television appearance was on September 6th, 2007 when he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE with the New Orleans funk, jam band, Galactic and singer Joyo Velarde.

Lyrics Born and wife Joyo Velarde returned to the Jimmy Kimmel LIVE show with his full band on April 18th in promotion of his new solo record and performed 3 songs, 2 of which made it to air; "I Like It, I Love It" and "I Changed My Mind".

His song "Pack Up (Remix) Ft. KRS-One & Evidence" is featured in Tony Hawk's Proving Ground.

Lyrics Born's hit single "I Like It, I Love It" will be featured on Playstation's upcoming game, NBA2K8.

tyle

Lyrics Born's rhymes showcase a large vocabulary, deployed via regular use of complex rhyming technique, such as phonemes and internal rhyme. His style, which is influenced by groups like Sugar Hill Gang and [http://www.metrowize.com/articles/lyrics-born-interview Ice Cube] is often conversational and observant. Songs such as "Before and After" explore the subtleties of day-to-day human relations while "The Last Trumpet" (with Lateef) features a very politically charged and globally conscious mindset.

Lyrics Born has collaborated with many artists including DJ Shadow, Blackalicious, Jurassic 5, DJ Z-Trip (on the 2005 song "The Get Down"), Diverse (on the song "Explosive"), Tommy Guerrero, R. L. Burnside (on the song "Someday Baby"), Morcheeba, Zion I, Mistah F.A.B., The Altered Egos, and Pigeon John. He was instrumental in the signing of Pigeon John to Quannum in 2005 and executive produced and A&R'd the first album from Pigeon John on Quannum Projects, "Pigeon John and the Summertime Pool Party", which was released in 2006. He is also producing the debut album from Joyo Velarde and released his fourth album on Epitaph Records in conjunction with his own Quannum Projects.

Discography

LPs

*"Later That Day" (2003, Quannum Projects)
*"Lyrics Born Variety Show Season One" (2005, Mobile Home Recordings)
*"Same !@#$ Different Day" (2005, Quannum Projects)
*"Lyrics Born Variety Show Season Two" (2006, Mobile Home Recordings)
*"" (2006, Quannum Projects)
*"Lyrics Born Variety Show Season Three" (2008, Mobile Home Recordings)
*"Everywhere at Once" (2008, Epitaph Records)

ingles

*"Burnt Pride", Solesides
*"Balcony Beach", Solesides
*"Hello" b/w "One Session", Quannum Projects
*"Callin' Out", Quannum Projects
*"Callin' Out Remix" b/w "Do That There Remix", Quannum Projects
*"I'm Just Raw" b/w "Pack Up Remix", Quannum Projects
*"I Like It, I Love It", 2008, Anti- Records

Production credits

*"Latyrx: The Album", Quannum Projects
*"Quannum Spectrum", Quannum Projects
*"Poets of Rhythm 'Discern/Define'", Quannum Projects
*"Later That Day", Quannum Projects
*"Same !@#$ Different Day", Quannum Projects
*"R.L. Burnside 'A Bothered Mind'", Fat Possum
*"Overnite Encore: Lyrics Born LIVE!", Quannum Projects
*"Pigeon John 'and the Summertime Pool Party'", Quannum Projects
*"Everywhere At Once", Anti- Records
*"Joyo Velarde 'Love and Understanding'", Quannum Projects

References

External links

* [http://www.solesides.com SoleSides website]
* [http://www.lyricsborn.com Official website]
*MySpace|lyricsborn
*imdb name|id=2490193|name=Lyrics Born
* [http://www.quannum.com Quannum Projects]
*MySpace|lbeezies|Lyrics Born Official Street Team
* [http://www.mtv.com/news/yhif/lyrics_born/ Interview with Lyrics Born at MTV.com]
* [http://www.nichibeitimes.com/articles/artsent.php?subaction=showfull&id=1156453440&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3& Nichi Bei Times Interview]