- Turntable Timmy
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Turntable Timmy is a book authored by Michael Perry and illustrated by Doug Cunningham, and is a soon[when?] to be an animated cartoon. The book is published by Last Gasp, and the cartoon series is animated by Rebel Static.
Contents
The Book
The book is written by award-winning children’s book author Michael L. Perry and artist Doug Cunningham. It is the first book to incorporate the four pillars of hip-hop culture.
Turntable Timmy answers the call for people for books written in a hip-hop format. In 2002 urban youth, regardless of race, have no frame of reference for Spot, Jane and Dick, says author Michael Perry. Instead, Turntable Timmy speaks to children in a language and visual medium they understand and embrace as their own. Turntable Timmy will appeal to all DJs who have kids, because it’s the only children’s book about becoming a turntable champion, said author Michael Perry.
Turntable Timmy is the story of a boy determined to hip-hop his way into becoming the world's youngest turntable DJ champion. He realizes, in order to achieve his dream he must first: Put in work, day and night, practice makes perfect, gotta get it right. Hard work and dedication—perfection takes practice, now he's quick like a fox, sharp as a cactus.
The book also comes with a rap-along CD featuring scratching by turntablist, DJ Qbert. The CD features 3 tracks.
The animated cartoon
The creators have teamed with startup animation house, Rebel Static, for the hip hop cartoon based on the book.
The online micro-series will revolve around Turntable Timmy and his crew, The Arrowtown Rockers, as they battle a corporate crook named Chip Staka, and his conniving cronies, in an attempt to save Hip-Hop from the clutches of "wackness."
By using the power of the elements of Hip-Hop and staying true to themselves, Timmy and his crew are able to combat the evil forces in the music industry.
The series was created out of the necessity to educate the youth and bring forth awareness regarding the foundation of Hip-Hop culture, said Michael Perry. Through modern technology, we have the ability to produce and distribute, to a worldwide audience, our visions and interpretations regarding the current state of the culture, said Michael Perry.
Turntablist Mike Relm will serve as the music director for the series, which features 90-second full motion animated films.
His turntable skills are a valued asset to the Rebel Static team, said executive producer Otto Grajeda. When the question was asked, 'what producer do we get to perform the task of sound engineer for the series?' only one name came to mind, Mike Relm. He's an amazingly innovative producer, as well as a dope DJ. I'm sure he will bring a lot to the series in terms of audio quality and style, said Otto Grajeda.
The plot
Turntable Timmy, a young, gifted DJ from the Arrowtown Orphanage, leads his crew of fellow orphans – Young Wisdom, Avid1, and Helmet Head, into an ongoing battle to protect the minds of the youth, and the integrity of Hip-Hop from the evil tycoon, Chip Staka and his conniving Bling-Villains, Blaze & Daze.
The orphanage is located in an urban setting on the Southside of Arrowtown, named for its arrow-shaped landmass, which was believed to have the ability to point the children in the right direction. However, all it points to now is a lavish, mega-rich high rise building with the words, BLINGSVILLE INC. plastered across the front.
Fashion and media mogul, Chip Staka owns Blingsville Inc., a company that produces, and markets to the youth such products as, Rough Bleeps CDs, Thug Threads, and his line of Frostbite Jewelry. Chip Staka, and his recluse investor, Mr. Pilfer, realize that the youth are a vital component to the longevity of Blingsville Inc., and will stop at nothing to gain total control of the collective mindset of their target demographic. But, just when they thought that their fiendish plan is near complete, the Arrowtown Rockers burst onto the scene with the power of the Hip Hop Elements to expose Chip Staka as a corporate hog and save the kid’s from the clutches of "wackness". They do this by communicating in a musical language that all Arrowtonians understand... "pure, untainted, glorified HIP-HOP!"
GrandMaster Monk-ski teaches the kids that the elements of Hip-Hop is what gives a Hiphopper his or her power. It is a united kinetic force that allows us to harmoniously reverberate in tune with the universe, thus manifesting oneness through various artistic media.
The Characters
- Timmy: Newborn Timmy was found on the doorstep of the Arrowtown Orphanage, placed eloquently in a tattered turntable box, with nothing more than packing material to keep him warm. Affixed was the upper half of a torn shipping label that read: Timmy’s Turntables, supplyin’ your DJ Equipment & Lighting needs! So, the Monks of the Obstinate Light named him Turntable Timmy, and declared his means of arrival an omen. Every day he would sit silently and watch as Monk-ski, worked-out on the "Decks of Fury". One morning while Monk-ski was dusting his prized record collection, little two-year-old Timmy got up from the ground, and made his way over to the 1’s and 2’s in nothing more than a diaper and his cherished yellow cap. Before the Monks of the Obstinate Light, with the power of the 1st Element, Timmy climbed the step stool which would ultimately lead him to his destiny, One-one for the treble — towee-two for the bass... and he rocked the place. The Monks kneeled in unison, Let the battle for Hip-Hop begin! said Monk-ski with a bow; proclaiming Timmy as "The Chosen One", that will rise up from the first Element to restore balance and bring harmony back to the culture.
- Avid1: Her mother Eriko, hastily signed a shady record deal with Blingsville Inc. in hopes of providing a better life for her young daughter.
The overlooked, fine print portion of the contract stated that Eriko had to be an in-house artist until her services were no longer rendered, which meant that Eriko had to live and work at Blingsville Inc. under the watchful eye of her ruthless new boss, Chip Staka. She knew that the agreement was legally binding, but she realized that Chip would probably never allow her to raise her little girl while employed at BVI.
But Eriko fearing for Cindia's safety, dropped her off the Arrowhead Orphanage with the promise that she would one day return. Before handing her baby to Lady MC Monk-ness, Eriko sang Cindia a sweet lullaby, then kissed her forehead and said, Be strong my little Diva. That was the last time they saw each other. After that day Monk-ness began calling her Avid, which was of course, diva spelled backwards).
- Young Wisdom
- Helmet Head
- GrandMaster Mon-ski
- Chip Staka
- Blaze & Daze
- Officer Goldie
- Mr. Pilfer
See also
External links
Categories:- Last Gasp titles
- Children's picture books
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