Ben Butter in 9-piece acid jazz band Vertikal, performing "Your Soulful Smile":
::Ben Butter, as the experimental one-man band Hashbrown, performing an original song "Calendar" for the first time ever::
::A Ben Butter/Hashbrown one-man band collaboration (all of the music was created live on the spot) - "Electric Relaxation...Revisited"::
::Playing bass on song "Moving On" in 4-piece, indie rock band The Elements of Style::
..
::Ben Butter in 10-piece band Vertikal slowing it down with "Let It Go" at The Note::
::A clip of Hashbrown (the non-rapping, one-man-band side project of Butter, who doesn't take himself seriously) performing a cover of "Again" by Faith Evans/Mellowdrone::
影響
Jesus. The Bible. family. best friends. life experiences. learning. reading. growing up on the southside of Chicago. poverty. injustice. Black people. superheroes. good vegan food. The Cosby Show.
foreign languages. The Simpsons. JPUSA. 1984. Gattaca. They Live. Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Coming To America. House Party. Argentinian comic artist Quino. art, especially graffiti art, worldwide. Dr. Seuss. Greg Allen & The Neo-Futurists. everything.
As far as MUSIC goes, all music he's ever experienced, but most noteworthy:
Gospel. Hip-hop. House. Disco. Jazz. Soul. Praise/Worship. Classic rock. '90s rock. Indie rock/ punk/ pop/ post-punk. Folk. Bossa Nova. Doo-wop. Salsa. '60s ska. Dub. Turntablism. Blues. Indigenous music from around the world. Jungle. IDM. Electronically-programmed beats. Classical.
Bobby McFerrin
McFerrin - "Blackbird" (The Beatles)
McFerrin - "Drive"
Stevie Wonder ,
The Winans, The Clark Sisters, Take 6, Prince, Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, Anita Baker, Sade, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, The Meters, H. Hancock, Y. Lateef, Roy Ayers, F. Beverly & Maze, Soul-Junk, Danielson, Radiohead, The Cure, Sufjan Stevens, Pedro The Lion, BRAID, Mineral, rainer|maria, DJ Shadow, Kid Koala, Rakim, Digable Planets, KRS-One, Pharcyde, Dead Prez, André3000 of OutKast, Eminem, The Coup, Hieroglyphics, early Gangstarr, Fishbone, Marley, Lee "Scratch" Perry, X-ecutioners, Q-Bert, Z-Trip, Kid Capri, Omar, Bilal, Imogen Heap, Rage Against The Machine, Smashing Pumpkins, Sunny Day Real Estate, Run DMC, De La Soul, Prince Paul, Main Source, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie (his contributions to hip-hop are extremely underrated), Jane's Addiction and Nirvana a long time ago, Ani DiFranco, Grits, Mars ILL, Freestyle Fellowship, Thaione, Chips Pentium, Pugslee Atomz, Kao Razen, Drunken Monkeee, Blackstar, The Roots, Bryonn Bain, Quincy Lenear, Tina Howell, Mario, Avery R. Young, et cetera.
Ben Butter has quite a few live appearances--both solo and in acid jazz band Vertikal--this fall. Come out!
Wednesday, December 17th Ben Butter will be performing at Darkroom accompanied by live house band Kenny Keys's The Smoking Section!
And, to close out the year, COME OUT TO FUNKY BUDDHA LOUNGE ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 FOR A FULL-LENGTH, SOLO SET FROM BEN BUTTER! Free before 10 pm (and $5 after) if you mention "Butter" at the door! Mark your calendar!
Also--on Saturday, January 3--come out to catch Ben Butter performing vocals in 8-piece, acid jazz band, Vertikal at Subterranean...
Ben Butter is a hip-hop lyricist/emcee and poet who has improvised live with Donald Byrd, opened for Nikki Giovanni, facilitated community murals, recorded with Galapagos4, competed in National Poetry Slams, won rap battles, been solicited to freestyle on stage and radio, blah blah blah. "I love God...I love people...I love art...I love life. Using this energy to celebrate, to educate. We need to have fun. At the same time, we need to grow, be responsible, and build, not destroy. That's where my music comes from."
Ben Butter is also a vocalist in Vertikal, a 9-piece band which delivers a powerhouse blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and funk. Vertikal has played venues all across Chicago and--after being together less than a year--won 2nd place in the U.S. Finals of the 2007 Emergenza International Music Festival. Butter plays bass guitar in 4-piece, indie rock band from Chicago, The Elements of Style. (Also visit The Elements of Style's MySpace page.) Occasionally Butter can be found performing with a loop pedal and a bass guitar, keyboard, tambourine, other percussion, and anything that makes noise as a one-man band called Hashbrown. (Videos on the left.) After years of appearing on countless other underground hip-hop releases, Butter is currently writing songs for his first, full-length, solo, hip-hop release...as well as recording with the 9-piece, hip-hop/acid jazz band, Vertikal, and collaborating with several hip-hop acts. He is also a retired DJ (who, from 1992-2007, spun extra-funky House, jazz, rare groove, downtempo...a "kitchen sink" blend of hip-hop, '60s and '70s r&b/funk, gospel, disco, rock, '80s, modern soul, ska, jazz, salsa, bossa nova, breakbeat, trip-hop, broken beat, even jungle, in the same set...and scratching/turntablism) and a graphic artist/graffiti artist/muralist. In the late '90s Ben Butter picked up a hobby of audiotaping live concerts he attends and can still be found audio- and video-recording events around Chicago frequently.
While Ben Butter finishes studio recordings for his upcoming album, we hope you enjoy the studio practice and live footage above.
Note: "Easy" was recorded at a house party in fall 2001. This assembly of musicians had never played together. Both the musicians and folks in audience think it flowed surprisingly well. Features Butter on bass/groove with Tyler Beach (lead guitar), Peter Fugiel (rhythm guitar), and Mason (drums).
Support Ben Butter--because he is a high school teacher. And he has influence over the minds of the future doctors and plumbers and garbagemen and firemen and lawyers and policemen, etc. And you want them on your side, right? <;}
We need your Help! YOU GET A POSTER OF YOUR CHOICE!
THE STORY: Cicero police arrested individuals who whould have not been taken in, a lot of grimeyness on their account (coin flip to decide to arrest or not)
our crew member Sergio's car was impounded as well, for those of you know Beast Boy, he's an amazing B-Boy and on the road to suceess in his Boxing career
something like this can't stop this guy, so we're trying to get his precious out asap!
WHAT YOU GET FOR HELPING US:
anyone who is generous enough to make a $30 or more donation will receive
1) One 17"x11" High Quality Poster Print of your choice from the above (The Cypher or 90's Rap Dedication)
2) A copy of the Cypher DVD
3) 4 Other DVD's of their choice (Movies, Hip-Hop films/battles/etc)
we are able to handle Paypal, Credit Card, Cash, etc etc if you're interested in helping us out, we need this asap! please message or email JAM ONE directly at TNACREW at GMAIL dot COM
Wassup Ben Butter (a.k.a. Uncle Butta)? From the fellas who bring you Mixtape Mondays.. Put ya 'C's' in the air for a Brand New Twist on Hip Hop Soul Open Mics.. Introducing: The Jam Session Hip Hop, RnB Open Mic with a LIVE Band Fiesta Cantina 3407 N Clark St. Wednesday Nov 18, 2009 9 pm - 2 am $10 all night 21 plus
Can't forget Chicago's Longest Running PAID Open Mic..
Mixtape Mondays Hip Hop, Soul Open Mic Event EVERY Monday at Exodus II 3477 N Clark St. Chicago We pay artists to perform - Over $1000 given away every month - The crowd decides so bring your people Also bring your original music on CD 9 pm sign up - List closes quick 21 plus $5 to perform or watch all night/ $10 to perform for the cash (your best full length song)
Network with A&Rs, Record Execs, Singers, Producers and Managers every Monday!
Thank you Chicago, MTM Management Grp. Promotions, Events & Tours that Produce More Than Money
Wassup Ben Butter (a.k.a. Uncle Butta)? Mixtape Mondays is celebrating a birthday! We're officialy turning 1 this Monday! So on Monday Oct. 19th the first 25 performers ar in FREE! Darkroom CD's and Oregano Studio Time Giveaways Exodus II 3477 N Clark St. Chicago Chicago's Paid Open Mic. Over $1000 given away every month - The crowd decides who get the doe, so bring your people. Also bring your original music on CD 9 pm sign up - List closes quick 21 plus
A look back to when it all started on 47th St...
*Silent Auditions all month long for October's Mixtape E-event at The Darkroom and the MtM Midwest's 'In and Out' Tour this Fall
Hottest Song Tournament follows the Birthday Bash on Oct. 26th
Wassup Ben Butter (a.k.a. Uncle Butta)? This Monday Sept 28.. Mixtape Monday's Signature Hottest Song Contest Bracket Style Competition - The More Rounds You Win, The More You Perform! $350, tour slots, beats, studio time all up for grabs! Exodus II, 3477 N Clark St. (2 blocks S. of Wrigley Field) Sign up: 9 pm sharp - Bring your original music on CD $15 to compete/ $5 to watch 21 plus Powered by: MtM Grp, oreganostudio.com, L'Evated Marketing, illiesoulife.com and SP1 Further questions email mixtapemondayz@gmail.com
Thank you Chicago! They said it couldn't be done this long..
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