| T J Chill | ||
T J Chill |
"THE STREETS ARE WATCHING!" CARLITO BRIGANTE TJ Chill is a veteran of London's Hip Hop community. His Hip Hop story goes back to 1980. But it was two years after that when he became more than just a tag along with the 'big boys' and became fully immersed into the Hip Hop culture. Still a 'shorty' amongst the young teens at the time, TJ took his 70 watt portable Crown 'Ghetto Blaster' and became beat provider for the infamous 'Touch Crew', which included the country's most notorious graffiti artist, 'Tilt'. He began to learn the lyrics from the tapes he and his older brother were getting from Stateside friends and relatives from artist like Afrika Bambaataa, The B-Boys, Funky Four + 1, Treacherous Three, Grandmixer DST, Busy Bee, Double Trouble and of course Grandmaster Flash amongst others. He started performing some of these lyrics over electro beats during breaking battles in local parks where large crowds of youth would gather to see their local crew take on a crew from another area. After a while performing other people's material turned into free styling his own lyrics. With the underground scene growing with MCs, B-Boys and Girls (break dancers), graffiti artists, and a style and language evolving from their activity, Hip Hop culture was born and was spreading rapidly through the international urban network. In 1985, for a school composition assignment in his music class, TJ took the then unconventional route of opting to form a rap group to complete the task. A motley group of four other classmates was assembled and the group was named KAOS Krew. After performing their school composition, an anti-drugs rap, the KAOS Krew were immediately offered a school tour and a promise of their first record. They did the tour with two members dropping out. The promised record was chased and chased but never happened. TJ says this was his first true introduction into the music industry. KAOS Krew fronted by TJ continued to tour schools, colleges and eventually clubs. The line up changed a few times with TJ remaining the constant member throughout. At the end of 1986, notorious London graffiti writer MC Sena changed his tag to Jonie D and left his rival crew to join the KAOS Krew. Between 1986 and 89 they appeared alongside the biggest names in the UK Hip Hop and club scene at the time, from Demon Boyz, Cookie Crew, Derek B, Soul II Soul, Bomb The Bass and Adamski to name but a few. Around that same time the KAOS Krew infamously turned down an advance by pop svengali Pete Waterman and decided it was time to take their music seriously. By now they were becoming accomplished performers and freestyle lyricist and landed a number of independent record projects, as well as starting to DJ in clubs and on pirate and local radio. The line up for the KAOS Krew changed yet again with two members being sacked for lack of commitment. TJ and Jonie took on Dagenham spin master DJ Throwdown and from 89 their recording activity became as extensive as their live activity. Jonie took to the transition of being a live artist to being a recording artist a lot easier than TJ. As a result a lot of the early KAOS Krew/TJ Chill records did not do them much justice, and in retrospect TJ claims he was glad they didn't go big then as they weren't ready. They started to work on solo projects as well as joint projects and formed the umbrella banner of KAOS Productions for them to group all their work under. In 1990, still a teenager, TJ, landed a development deal with EMI/Abbey Road Studios and became the first Hip Hop artist to record at the 'Home of The Beatles'. He was forced into becoming a producer as none of the other people involved in the project had any experience of making Hip Hop music. The group used the opportunity to start working on an album. They decided that they would keep the approach of trying to say something positive and constructive on record, and even though they had been doing this from the beginning the press would make comparisons of the KAOS Krew to Public Enemy! Throughout the recording the KAOS Krew did their share of TV and radio appearances and they toured extensively through the UK and Europe culminating with two legendary performances in 1995 headlining the Hothouse Festival at Brixton Academy. By this time DJ Throwdown had gone 'missing in action' and was replaced by long time friend Peek A Boo, which left the KAOS Krew line up as it remains today: TJ Chill (lead rapper), Jonie D (rapper), Peek A Boo (DJ). With recording at Abbey Road taking way too long (partly due to the likes of Paul McCartney hiring out the studio for long periods of time), the Krew returned to recording at Monroe Studios in Holloway, North London, who had by then amassed an impressive list of UK Hip Hop talent including Caveman, Mighty Ethnicz, London Posse, Scientists Of Sound, The Brotherhood, Nefeteri and others. Whilst at Monroe there was a new generation of UK Rap acts coming through and the KAOS Krew were doing sessions with the members who were soon to form Blak Twang. Blak Twang progressed in the studio very quickly and finished their debut album. TJ remembers them coming back to KAOS Krew sessions being very dejected about being messed about by major labels and thinking well that won't happen to us.....! In 1996, the KAOS Krew album Mind Revolution was recorded. Tracks were being played on radio and the labels were showing interest. But after six months of broken promises from major record labels TJ decided to stop chasing the promises, and so, like Blak Twangs first album, the KAOS Krew album remains unreleased. TJ called a time out and decided to reinvent the KAOS Krew sound. It was time for a change of approach! Over ten years in the group and they were still in the shadows of the UK Hip Hop scene despite some impressive achievements. 1997 saw the KAOS Krew link up with the Godfather of Hip Hop, Afrika Bambaataa, and they worked with him and UK Zulu King, Dapo to re-establishing his Universal Zulu Nation organisation in the UK. KAOS Krew released the radio single 'Next Version'. The track was hardcore Hip Hop at its best! TJ had changed his rapping style to incorporate a Sweetie Ire 'growl', and both MCs went toe to toe with each other displaying their lyrical dexterity. The KAOS Krew had found their hunger again and it showed all over the track. They received massive radio support from rap shows, BUT there was no follow up.... With life catching up on the Krew, TJ felt he was still hungry for it. He teamed up once again with then Blak Twang member, DJ Rumple and in 1999 they put out the TJ Chill solo radio single 'Spitting Blood' which even music industry 'bible' Billboard mentioned was 'receiving much love from Radio 1's Tim Westwood'. Recently TJ has been doing a lot of work in his Zulu Nation role including appearing on stage MCing with Afrika Bambaataa, Wyclef Jean and De La Soul for Tommy Boy Records 20th Birthday Celebrations. KAOS Krew are still an entity but now the emphasis is squarely on TJ Chill. The forthcoming solo album 'Cool Like Pacino' is expected to finally bring TJ out of the shadows. The recording is happening at MAP Music, Stanley House, Abbey Road, and Sony with some of the biggest names in the industry grouping behind the scenes in order for this album to be......"well, let's wait and see" says TJ TJ Chill is available for live performances, TV and interviews. <<<View TJ Chills Myspace profile>>> Watch an interview with TJ chill filmed in our cafe Lounge Watch TJ Chill talking about Hip Hop and Afrika Bambaataa For more information about TJ Chill please contact Chris or Tom at MAPMUSIC on 020 7916 0544 or email us . |
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