Overnite Encore: Lyrics Born Live! [LIVE]

Lyrics Born

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 2006)
• Original Release Date: October 9, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Quannum Projects
• ASIN: B000JCET9C
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #195,688 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Born one Tom Shimura in Tokyo, Lyrics Born spent his childhood years in Berkeley, California. It was there that his love for hip-hop was born. As a freshman at the University of California in nearby Davis in 1990, Lyrics Born met five people with whom his life would be inexorably linked. Chief Xcel and the Gift of Gab had recently formed the group that would come to be Blackalicious, and a young Josh Davis was already making his own mixes under the moniker DJ Shadow. An aspiring MC named Lateef the Truth Speaker, also from the Bay Area, showed up shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, Davis was a vacuum for hip-hop. As a result the five were drawn to the college's radio station KDVS, where Jeff Chang (aka DJ Zen) held court on a weekly basis. Soon the six were inseparable and decided to strike out on their own.

Forming the now seminal label Solesides, their inaugural release was a double-A 12" with DJ Shadow's "Entropy" on one side and "Send Them" by Asia Born, as Lyrics Born was known then, on the other. Solesides' "do it yourself" attitude had by this point already trickled down to other California artists, and soon other labels like Hieroglyphics and Stones Throw were formed, marking the true beginning of the underground scene. After leaving Davis in '95, the sextuplet agreed to continue releasing their own records, with Lyrics Born and Lateef's LATYRX THE ALBUM at the forefront. This was an unprecedented hit, selling 30,000 copies, many of which were in California, but also with a strong following in Europe and the UK.

It was at this point that Solesides transmogrified into the label now known as Quannum Projects. DJ Zen left to pursue a career as a writer but the rest of the crew charged on. In 1999 Quannum released SPECTRUM, a label compilation that had been overseen by Lyrics Born, as he was now known. Featuring jaw-dropping tracks like "Storm Warning," the album would go on to sell nearly 100,000 copies worldwide. Much of the album's success was attributed to the track "I Changed My Mind," which featured Lyrics Born teaming up with the German collective known as the Poets of Rhythm. "I Changed My Mind" was a smash hit, blowing up charts around the world and selling tens of thousands of copies. The animated video (by the UK's Shynola) was even aired on MTV, a first for Quannum.

Lyrics Born's role as one of Quannum's top A&R men continued unabated, as he produced 2001's US debut by the Poets, DISCERN/DEFINE, and the impending full length by Quannum songstress and Lyrics Born paramour Joyo Velarde. A man of many hats, Lyrics Born still found time to record the forthcoming solo debut LATER THAT DAY to be released early in 2003. Look for Lyrics Born on tour with Joyo Velarde and DJ D-Sharp this spring.

Product Description

Lyrics Born's 'Overnite Encore' set was recorded live In Australia in 2005. It features an introduction from Australia's own Maya Jupiter as well as special intercut segments form both Sydney and Melbourne Shows. 'Overnite Encore' features guest artists Del The Funky Homosapien and Pigeon John. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How do I rate?, January 9, 2007

By	OUTHOUSE "JF4" (Texas) - See all my reviews

First off.. To compare anything Lyrics Born has done to any mainstream hip-hop today is unfair. Lyrics Born puts radio MC's to shame not only lyrically but more importantly musically.

One thing I really love about this album is the feeling of energy behind the album. Rather than just grabbing his balls and strutting around stage with a doo rag and 2 guys saying "yeah" in the background. Lyrics Born actually puts on a show. He feeds off the energy of the crowd and interacts with his band.

The free verses on this album are incredible but what I really love is the 70's funk feel to the whole album. I recommend it. To me its like a new album in a sense. The full band with every new song adds and entirely new dimension to the music. The verdict is still out on the new studio tracks, but the live stuff is excellent.

Long live Lyrics Born.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lyrics Born Breaks The Mold...Again!, November 19, 2006

By	Justin (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

Lyrics Born breaks the mold yet again by venturing where most rappers and hip-hop artists fear to tread; a live album!

Lyrics Born (aka Tom Shimura) does have one up on most hip-hop acts around today in the fact that he performs with a live band instead of a DJ and pre-recorded samples. What results is an album full of raw energy, emotion, funk and soul!

With Bay Area classics (he hails from Berkeley, CA) such as "Lady Don't Tek No", "Bad Dreams" and "Callin' Out" (a song featured not only on the Adrien Brody Diet Coke commercial, but also in the film 'Waiting') Lyrics Born gets the crowd singing along as if those songs came from Sydney, Australia instead of the Bay Area.

This crowd participation is heard throughout the album thanks to his dynamic stage presence and phenomenal showmanship which adds nicely to the vibe of this classic album!

Lyrics Born is indeed a master of his craft and it really shows in songs like "Do That There" and "Stop Complaining" with lyrical gymnastics that would leave even the best rapper's heads spinning.

If over an hour of live Lyrics Born wasn't enough, he tops off this amazing album with brand new studio tracks that give listeners a brief glimpse at what his next studio might just sound like. Featuring fellow Quannum label-mate, Pigeon John, Del The Funky Homosapien, Mistah FAB and others, Lyrics Born keeps your head bobbin' with new classics such as "Knock Knock" and "L I F E" and wraps it up with a remix to top all remixes!

If you like your music thick with the funk and chock full of energy and top notch performances then don't hesitate for one more minute and get this album right now! You won't be disappointed. The only thing left to discuss is what will Lyrics Born do next to top himself? Only time will tell!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Forget What you Thought You Knew About Hip Hop, January 5, 2007

By	Brook J. Taylor "Houston McDowell" (Sacramento) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's no surprise that the Bay Area creates great Hip Hop; the history compounds upon itself. This isn't Hyphy, this is Funky and Soulful and the CD is indiciative of the type of show Lyrics puts on. If you had the chance to catch him on New Years at the Independent you know that the music is eclectic bolstered by a full band behind him, powerful and catchy female vocals and Lyrics grizzly growl underscoring the grit and guts that is funky hip hop. This is one of the best artists touring today and this album is a good precursor to a show experience but not a substitute. I suggest buying the album and them finding the next show and expanding on the enjoyment. Solid melodic flow, great vocals, chest thumping bass with catchy hooks and as unique a sound you'll find to date. Enjoy.