Hungry
Mob CD Release
1201 Cafe & Lounge, 1201 SW 12th Ave., 225-1201
10 pm Saturday, June 26
$5
David Parks is one of the illest brothers walking the streets
of Portland.
Rising above the negative stereotypes of young black males
seen too often in publications and on TV, he teaches African
culture, by way of the drum, to youth all over the metropolitan
area, working hard to ensure that opportunities that didn't
knock on his door in the past are accessible for his family
today. This is an undercurrent in almost every conversation
with David--you usually walk away wishing the profound discussion
had been taped for review at a later date.
His observations of the world we live in--and especially
of American society--don't always pass from his mouth to
your ears; sometimes they can be felt when Dave rocks your
body with the hard boom-bap. The kick, snare and hi-hat
of David Parks form the backbone of Hungry Mob, the dopest
hip-hop band in Portland.
Despite the success of the Roots and Organized Noize, there
remains a reluctance in the hip-hop community to embrace
a group that uses live instrumentation. David is determined
to turn heads from their narrow viewpoint and open them
up to an enlightening musical experience.
"Getting brothers under 25 to go out and see live music
is non-existent in this whole town as far as any music goes,"
David says. "A live band gets categorized in another column.
But I think that this EP and the CD itself are going to
change that."
Torrey Greenwood, a.k.a. Sir Coal, has been through the
struggle. His mother raised Torrey on her own. His father
and uncle were murderers sentenced to long bids in the penitentiary.
The tall, slender young man gives praise to his mother for
keeping him on the right path and instilling in him an against-all-odds
drive.
At a recent band rehearsal, there was a sly twinkle in
his eye as he recounted the time he came in dead last in
a freestyle battle. Torrey returned to the lab, honed his
lyrical skills and secured a vocalist spot with Hungry Mob.
"It was hard work," Torrey recalls with confidence. "This
shit wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for niggas like
me, though. For real."
Mondell Wells' calm manner of speaking throws you off after
you've listened to the roaring rumble of his fretless bass.
His basslines attack the ears, forcing domepieces to nod
ferociously and infecting listeners with the urge to bob
like a buoy in a tugboat's wake. Wells' travels to the Midwest
and the South have infused him with desire for Hungry Mob
to blow up--not only in Portland, but around the world.
When asked if the group has outgrown Portland, he responds
without hesitation: "Yeah, yeah. I think as a band we have
in a lot of ways. I think right now we're all kind of restless.
Our next goal is to go on tour."
Michael Crenshaw has been Hungry Mob's mic controller since
the group's inception in '94. He is known for chopping cats
in freestyle sessions, dropping lines that leave MCs' heads
hanging in shame. The beauty of Crenshaw's skills is his
emphatic, profanity-free rap. His young daughter keeps him
on point and conscious of how his words might affect listeners,
but he has an incredibly strong desire to flip out and "do
sick shit on the mic," as he puts it.
"I'm definitely needing to make my money off of the hip-hop
just like everybody else," he says, anticipating the effect
the forthcoming CD and EP could have on the group's future.
Watching Chris Allen do his thing on stage, you get the
impression that the brother rarely speaks because he is
completely focused on milking all of the sound out of his
keyboard. Sit him down for an interview, though, and his
gift for gab leaps out.
Chris is Hungry Mob's executive producer, tracking everything
from money to new equipment purchases to artists the group
should work with. A classically trained pianist, Chris is
responsible for the group's intricate orchestration; he
continues to study music theory to better Hungry Mob's sound.
He exudes a strong faith in himself that affects his bandmates,
encouraging everybody to remain intent on being the best.
"I know that we've got it to the point where we can take
Hungry Mob's shit international," he announces unabashedly.
Ah, Ms. Toni Hill. Toni's exuberant energy is contagious,
and her laugh comes quick and often, making it easy to talk
with her. A multi-talented performer (singer, actress, dancer
and writer), she is the icing on the cake, providing a woman's
touch to a male-dominated group.
Hill writes all of her lyrics, whether it be hooks or whole
songs. On stage, her never-ending movements attract your
eyes, her voice wraps your heart in sexy comfort and her
smile knocks you off your feet. No doubt Toni keeps it real,
pouring everything into her art.
"I just be in a zone when I'm on stage," she says, laughing
at herself. "I just be on a whole other level, with no drugs."
Who is Hungry Mob? Simple--a six-person squad making crazy
moves. I strongly suggest you check out this release party.
There may not be many more of these $5 shows left for you
to see.
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Willamette Week | originally
published June 23, 1999
|
