BrassMunk

BrassMunk
Brassmunk at Polar Jam, Waterloo, Ontario Jan, 2007
Brassmunk at Polar Jam, Waterloo, Ontario Jan, 2007
Background information
OriginScarborough, Ontario, Canada
GenresCanadian hip hop
Years active1997-2008
Labels54th/Virgin Music Canada, Battle Axe Records, Fifty Fourth Music, EMI Music, Audio Research Records, Heavy Headz Entertainment
MembersS-Roc
Clip
Agile
May One 9
King Reign†
WebsiteOfficial Website

BrassMunk was a Canadian hip hop group from Scarborough, Ontario.[1] It was formed in 1997 by emcees S-Roc (Dwayne King), Clip (Jason Balde),[2] May One 9 (Randy Brookes) and DJ/producer Agile (Ajene Griffith). May 19 was replaced by King Reign (Kai Thomas) in 2006.[1]

Brassmunk independently released their first EP (variations on the singles "One, 2" and "Stop, Look, Listen") in 1999.[3] Their title track from their second EP, Live Ordeal!,[4][5] received a Juno nomination for Rap Recording of the Year. The track "El Dorado', from their 2002 EP, also received a Juno nomination for Rap Recording of the Year.

Also in 2002, they released the EP Dark Sunrise.[6][7][1] The following year, Dark Sunrise was re-released worldwide on Battleaxe Records as an LP, and included their previous independent releases.[8] Dark Sunrise was nominated for Rap Recording of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2004. Their follow-up album, FEWturistic,[9] was released on March 20, 2007, and featured several additional artists including Kardinal Offishall and Moka Only.[10] In 2008, the album earned them another Juno nomination.[1]

The band's best known singles are "Big", produced by Mr. Attic of Da Grassroots and "Oh Supaman", produced by Agile and based in part on samples from Laurie Anderson's 1981 single "O Superman (For Massenet)".

BrassMunk has been inactive since 2008. Reign died of a heart attack in 2016, at age 40.[11][12]

  1. ^ a b c d Brassmunk > Overview Allmusic. Accessed on July 23, 2010.
  2. ^ "Brassmunk comes up from underground, Sept 2003". brockpress.com. The Brock Press. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Brassmunk – One, 2 / Stop, Look, Listen". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  4. ^ "BrassMunk – Live Ordeal!". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  5. ^ Cowie, Del F. "Brassmunk Live Ordeal! Review, Feb 2001". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Brassmunk – Dark Sunrise". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  7. ^ Cowie, Del F. "BrassMunk Dark Sunrise EP Review, Jan 2006". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Brassmunk – Dark Sunrise". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  9. ^ Cowie, Del F. "Brassmunk Fewturistic Review, Mar 2007". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Brassmunk – Fewturistic". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  11. ^ Ritchie, Kevin. "Toronto rapper King Reign dead at 40, July 2016". nowtoronto.com. NOW Toronto. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  12. ^ "BrassMunk's King Reign Has Passed Away". Noisey, June 29, 2016.