From the deep to the soul reality of a generation spawned by the era of the original b-boy comes Crown A Thornz; thought purveyors who create a brand of fly, grown-up hip-hop. They are tempered by roots & culture, forged by inner city life, and shaped by soul, injecting reality on all lyrical levels.
Crown A' Thornz is a creative collective featuring members, J Wyze, Eklipz, & Kolor Brown. Together they create music that inspires reflection and conversation while making heads nod. Their sound is unique to the experience of 'the first of the last generation'. The first generation of Caribbean parents who found their way to North America with dreams of a better life, and the last generation of the foundation Hip hop era.
Crown A' Thornz is consciousness music that addresses grown up issues about life, love, and trying to do better. It's hustle music that speaks to the difficulties of the urban black male. It's soul music to a generation that struggles for a better future. It's hip hop music that is needed as an alternative to the material driven, commercial mainstream.
The union of these storytellers is a result of lifelong relationships with music and the foresight of a man who recognized an untapped potential in three, talented, individual artists. DTS, the backbone of the longest running hip hop show in Canada, CIUT's 'The Master Plan' (89.5 fm), and co-founder of 2004 Justos Mix Tape Award winner, the Soul Controllers sound crew, was the connecting point for Kolor Brown, Eklipz and J Wyze. The union of these artists, and DTS' vision of a trio of emcees and musicians with the ability to blaze both live shows and the recording booth evolved into Crown A Thornz.
2006 saw the spring and summer releases of the well-received mixed CD series, Iron Lion vol. 1 and 2, featuring the singles 'Natty Ride Out' and 'Think It Over' (both of which garnered commercial and college radio spins across Ontario). 'Natty Ride Out' would also go on to be featured in 'Unspoken Promise', a short film by Lumanity Productions Inc. and Sad But True Productions. 2007 has been just as productive with the recent release of 'Hell In A Hand Basket' (featured in Flow 93.5 fm's popular 'Northern Touch' segment) and the addition of 'Not Just Another' to Everybody Dance Now: Songs From Hamilton Vol. 1. In the meantime, Crown A Thornz has opened lived for EPMD, KRS-One, Jeru the Damaja, Supernatural and Akrobatik. They are currently in the studio working on their debut independent album featuring productions by Kolor Brown and Spott Music Producers Tra Boogie & Stevie Talent.
J-WYZE
The dynamic force behind The Trauma Unit (FLOW 93.5FM), J Wyze is the quintessential hype man & MC. A key member of the Soul Controllers, he has a radio background that also includes stints in community & internet radio. J Wyze also has an unrelenting dedication to the community, which has earned him numerous awards such as the "Arts Starts Upcoming Community Artist Award", "Factor Demo Grant", and "Toronto Arts Council Writers Grant".
Born to a jazz musician father who has toured North America, and Europe with greats like Toots and the Maytals, and a mother who still sings in an inspirational gospel choir, J-Wyze wanted to be an entertainer for as long as he could remember. After immigrating to Canada from Antigua via Bermuda in 1989 at the age of 12, J Wyze began performing at spoken word events in the mid 90s. He was winner of a Sears Drama Festival acting awards/scholarship, SLAM Poetry competition and is a published poet & writer.
EKLIPZ
It was the late 80's when Grand Master Flashes The Message first hooked Eklipz to the emerging hip hop culture. He began as a B-Boy Breakin for various crews and battling around his hometown of Hamilton. Eklipz then gravitated towards the Mic and developed his skill as an emcee. After spending hundreds of hours refining his skills in ciphers and winning battles, Eklipz opened for groups like Black Sheep, Naughty by Nature, Public Enemy, Xzibit, The Alkoholiks, Saukrates, K-os, Spragga Benz, Total, and others.
In addition to owning & operating the Boom Spot, one of Hamiltons first hip hop clothing & lifestyle stores, Eklipz is the founder of Concrete canvas graffiti showcase and has also been hosting a radio show at McMaster University C.F.M.U 93.3 for 11 years. He has been featured on numerous releases including the Trupaz 'Island Girl', which had a video in rotation on Much Music, and on Queen Cee's 'Rest Your Mind' which was on the Honey Drop's compilation put out on Universal records.
As an MC, visual artist, radio DJ, and former b-boy, Eklipz prides himself on being the embodiment of the four elements of hip hop.
KOLOR BROWN
Kolor Brown is the definitive contemporary soul artist whose music has evolved through struggle, experience and experimentation. His distinct voice takes you to times & places in memory and his stories are spacewalks through love, pain, angst, & triumph. Trained in visual & performance arts, Kolor Brown has been living music since he was able to harmonize his first note in the church choir. He has worked with some of this generations most talented musicians over the years allowing him to develop his talent as a singer, song writer, composer & producer.
For Kolor Brown, Art is about the essence of a time, more than the artists themselves. There is the Soul movement of the 60s & 70s journeyed by greats like Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Al Green, that represented a time of the Black struggle in America. The Reggae movement that brought forth the Jamaican essence with artists like, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Dennis Brown. Then there is the swagger of the Hip Hop movement; the cry and expression of the inner city youth who created their own way and forced the system to feel their struggle. All these experiences have laid the backdrop to his sound & music.
In 2005 Kolor Brown was featured on Rochester aka Juices A New Day that garnered heavy national rotation on radio & video, including a nomination for Best Rap video at the 2005 MMVAs. That summer also saw the successful release of his first EP titled The Kolor Brown Project and a sold out show at Revival featuring an 8 piece band. Kolor Brown has performed in venues all over Toronto including the historic Opera House, the original Bamboo, & the ACC.
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