Lord T & Eloise

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Lord T & Eloise


Img_capt =
Img_size = 150
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Memphis, TN
Instrument =
Genre = Crunk
Occupation =
Years_active = 2006–Present
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL = http://www.lordtandeloise.com/
Current_members = Lord T, Eloise, MysterE
Past_members =

Lord T and Eloise are a crunk rap group from Memphis, Tennessee and are the first legitimate rap group to represent the perspective of the uber wealthy.

Very visual in nature, Lord T is dressed continuously as an 18th century aristocrat, while Eloise wears a tuxedo and sports 24-karat gold skin. [Citation
last = Goodman
first = William
author-link = http://www.spin.com/writers/william-goodman
title = Backstage at Bonnaroo: Lord T and Eloise
newspaper = Spin Magazine
year = 2008
date = 2008-06-20
url = http://www.spin.com/articles/backstage-bonnaroo-lord-t-and-eloise ] Alongside soul singer and producer, MysterE, this group of privileged gentlemen are on a self-proclaimed mission to save rap music.

Musical style

Lord Treadwell and Maurice Eloise XIII (aka Lord T and Eloise) have dubbed their rap style "aristocrunk". Though perceived by many as an oxymoron, the term is meant to describe a lifestyle as well as a musical genre. Many songs of their album "Aristocrunk" are accompanied by harpsichord and baroque style music, while others stay close to the traditional crunk Memphis sound. Their rhymes seem to inspired by "slow train" lyrical style, similar to the style of Snoop Dogg. Drawing from a diverse palette of influences, the group admits that the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Busta Rhymes, The ODB, 8Ball and MJG, Al Kapone have all been influences. While tracks like "Cashmere" and "Penthouse Suite" have a more refined, classical edge with the incorporation of strings and cello, other tracks like "Pillz" and "Make Dat Monet" have a more crunk, dirty south edge to them, featuring 808 drums and heavy bottom end.

Lyrical content

The lyrical content of this band has been highly lauded by critics, who cite the cleverness of the turns of phrase and the "catchiness" of the hooks. Unique in its disregard for traditional rap dialect, "aristocrunk" lyrics are nevertheless comprised of many rap mainstays, using themes common to regular rap, such as the supremacy of the artists in the areas of success, sexual prowess, and financial know-how (e.g. in the video for "Million Dollar Boots", MysterE is shown with the ticker for the NASDAQ stock exchange displayed across his teeth, in place of a "grill") [ [http://www.blender.com/LordTandEloiseMillionDollarBoots/video/892.aspx Million Dollar Boots video on Blender Magazine's website] ] . Often misunderstood as simply glorifying the usual tropes of contemporary rap music such as "bling bling," "money," and "bitches", Lord T and Eloise are actually rejecting many of the things they find common in the wealthy world with which they are so familiar. An interesting mixture of performance art, party rap, and social commentary, the group's lyrics cover a range of topics from plastic surgery to the stock market to prescription drug use and abuse. Where there are overtones of fun and frivolity, there are often undertones of admonitions and satire. Pensive and absurd at the same time, it is no wonder that the group has baffled and intrigued fans and foes alike with their stunning musical display.

Critical reception

Generally received as a quality rap group, especially for a group new to the rap scene, Lord T and Eloise have received good reviews from newspapers and music publications alike. Accolades have included an "A" from the "Memphis Flyer" [ [http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A19205 Memphis Flyer - Two Rap Detours] ] [ [http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A22122 Memphis Flyer - Aristo-Rappers: Take 2] ] , "Editor's Pick" from "Blender Magazine" [ [http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=2507 Editor’s Picks: March 2007 - Blender Magazine] ] and a review from VH1 that lauded them as "the world’s first purveyors of aristocrunk" [ [http://www.bestweekever.tv/2006/09/05/listen-up-aristocrunk/ VH1's Best Week Ever] ] . Now signed with REM and Widespread Panic's booking agency, Lord T & Eloise are continuously on tour (with DJ Witnesse) spreading their own brand of Memphis crunk across the Southeast and beyond. The unique musical experiment is breaking new ground, with the group bringing rap for the first time to many traditional Southern rock venues.

Discography

*2006: "Aristocrunk"
*2008: "Chairmen of the Bored" (currently only soft-released to Memphis and surrounding areas on June 28th) [cite web
title = Lord T & Eloise Set To Release Chairmen Of The Bored | Could It Be The “Licensed To Ill” Of Crunk?
publisher = Loudersoft
date = 2008-07-01
url = http://www.loudersoft.com/2008/07/01/lord-t-eloise-set-to-release-chairmen-of-the-bored-could-it-be-the-licensed-to-ill-of-crunk/
accessdate = 2008-08-07]

References

External links

* [http://www.lordtandeloise.com/ Lord T & Eloise Official Site]
* [http://flagpole.com/Music/ABCPick/LordTAndEloise/2007-09-26 Review by Flagpole Magazine]
* [http://www.thenaughtyamerican.com/2007/Entertainment/Music/09/14/Rappin-The-18th-Century-With-Aristocrunk-281.html Review by The Naughty American]
* [http://www.chattanoogapulse.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/11/08/4551465225ca8 Interview by the Chattanooga Pulse]
* [http://www.oldschoolpictures.net/aristolegacy.htm Aristocrunk Legacy]