Hailing from the cultural heart of the Bay Area, Spank Pops is a premiere emcee & songwriter whose deeply bred roots in the renowned Haight/Ashbury district of San Francisco blaze through in every musical work he puts forth. Best known for his reputable freestyles &
ingenious lyrical works set to stone in the studio, he stays true to his early stomping grounds in the Western Addition, upon which he was born and raised. Throughout his life Spank has been exposed to the prime of every musical genre - the best of the best. His ability to master the art of meshing his aptitude as a stockbroker at The Pacific Stock Exchange with his natural forte selling mixtapes and designer gear at the legendary TRUE Clothing San Francisco has placed & cemented him at the top of his hustle
Making music over the past decade has given Spanks the freedom and space to create without boundaries. He has brought to the board the West Coast flavored anthem "Populate" and the ensuant crowd shaker "Like Me Now", while also flexing his experimental antics on the off beat banger "Small World", which crumbled speakers through local airwaves and live shows in S.F. and the greater Bay Area.
With individuality that shines through on every joint he blesses, Spank carries a fluid energetic flow fused with the Cali slang originality
the West Coast is famous for. Constantly exposed to the innovative rap styles of fellow Bay artists and personal friends Andre Nickatina, Equipto and San Quinn - the latter with whom he recently threw down in the studio on the soon to debut single "Get Busy" - Spanks realized early on the significance of his approach to perseverance in the underground rap scene. Although Spanks definitively displays his skills in the vocal booth, he is unquestionably in his best element when he is on stage performing.
"I've always made it a point to stay knit with my stage presence above all else, because I enjoy the music most when it is you, the crowd, and the music. It is the music, the realest elementthe rawest formthere's no fronting, lip synching or faking shit."
Spanks considers himself blessed to have in years past opened for artists like Outkast, Wu Tang Clan, KRS One, Xzibit, Mac Dre (RIP), Goodie Mob and Raekwon. Mic murdering at shows, such as the one he rocked at The Fillmore w/Blackalicious or with The Clipse at one of the Bay's hottest live venues, The Mezzanine, his trademark laid back demeanor & cadence remains consistent, as does his ability to leave the crowd dripping with energy and hungry for more. He has also appeared on various tours with Living Legends, Aceyalone, Mikah 9 and Abstract Rude, and pro-skateboarding friends Pat Washington, Stevie Williams, and Marcus McBride. Spanks consistently delivers to his fans, rocking shows and dance floors on the regular, in true Spank Pops fashion.
What can those who anticipate more expect from Spank in 2008? Volume 3 of 'The Truth Mixtape' series has already hit the streets, filling eager palms & 'phones, and a full sophomore album from the man who lives & breathes The Yay Area is due out this year as well. The album is heavily laced with production from The Bay's own internationally acclaimed serial beatlacer Trackademicks.
For more still from the MC who AllHipHop.com declares has 'star personality' and "eclectic hooks and straight out the Yay energy" whose funk you can feel ".in the air, on your collar, and under your shoes", check for Spank and his prolific clique, The Honor Roll. The colorful crew is bringing heat and making much noise in the current year. With fellow crew members which include Trackademicks, Miss Josie Stingray (whose spine crackling vocals recently sprinkled the soundwaves of Gilles Peterson's Worldwide radio show), producer 1 O.A.K. (the brainchild behind Josie and j*davey's 'Doin My Thing'), The Honor Roll are effortlessly grabbing listeners' attention, spreading their unique & contagious twists to the West Coast's signature sound.
Accompanying the anticipated drop of his new album, Spanks traverses on with fresh freestyles and collaborations with esteemed DJs and labels to keep the movement in your ear. An artist who is vibrant evidence of why Bay Area musicians have always been known for their individuality and independent spirit, Spanks is surely a product of his environment. The love shows through in every movement and sound of his persona, and in his grin as he affirms, "It won't stop until I rearrange the way doubters everywhere look at Bay Area rappers, PERIOD".
