If you like your music country-fried, southern-grown and Grammy-nominated, then make the new sounds of Nappy Roots your next order.
“Those who really appreciate hip-hop can appreciate new Nappy,” said Skinny DeVille, one of five members of Nappy Roots.
The Kentucky born group is currently on the “The Pursuit of Nappiness Tour” with their next tour stop in Urbana. The show, sponsored by Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity to fundraise for the Emily Dorfman Foundation for Children, is Friday, May 1 at the Canopy Club and starts at 10 p.m.
“We’re coming with a lot of energy,” said DeVille. “We’re gonna pack an hour and a half of new and classic Nappy in the show and just ride out and party with fans.”
Nappy Roots came together in 1995 and made two albums with Atlantic Records, Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz and Wooden Leather, before forming their own record label, Nappy Roots Entertainment Group (N.R.E.G.). The five members have since put out the Internet release, Innerstate Music and a mainstream album, The Humdinger.
“We always take the same approach to making music, but this time, the subject matter is more mature, and it is more right now,” DeVille said of their latest album, The Humdinger, “... but you’re still gonna get the same stuff as always, dope lyrics and crazy beats.”
Nappy Roots fuses elements of soul, rap, hip-hop and reggae into a single, powerful package. According to DeVille, Nappy is the type of music which can be played while cruising in a car, sitting around with friends, or bumping in a club.
“My favorite place to listen to Nappy is chillin on the front porch though,” DeVille said. “I just cut the music real loud and crack all the windows.”
Their first Atlantic Records release, Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz was the number one selling hip-hop album of 2002 and led to a Grammy nomination in 2003. Kentucky Governor Paul Patton even declared September 16 the Official Nappy Roots Day in their home state.
“Nappy Roots Day is kind of like 4/20 mixed with Christmas,” said Deville, laughing. “But really, it’s about educating yourself and using the resources you can while still having fun.”
But it’s not all about their old accomplishments it’s about what is next for Nappy Roots. Currently, DeVille and fellow member Fish Scales are working on the hip-hop album 40 Akerz, while Nappy Roots gears up for the release of their next album in the end of 2009. Until then, fans can check them out on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and “The Pursuit of Nappiness Tour.”
“It’s all about a feeling you get, a natural high,” DeVille said about the tour. “When everybody’s rocking out and the sound system is banging, it just flows effortlessly.”
