Old School Vinyl Sampling and DIY Promotion
GENRE: Indie Hip-Hop
HOMETOWN: Ottawa, ON
ARTISTIC APPROACH: Clever wordplay, old school vinyl sampling and funky breakbeats.
WEBSITE: www.philly-moves.com
From first glance at Canadian hip-hop dynamic duo Philly Moves, it’s clear that there’s something different about these artists. MC/lyricist Tynan “Tragic” Phelan was born with writing in his blood, as his grandmother, a published poet, nurtured his writing from a young age. Hype man/producer Jonathan “Rockwell” Desilva fell in love with music riding in the back seat of his father’s car, as he blared The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac. Together, the two are like musical dynamite, and their passion for the craft emanates from every word. Their respect for each other is palpable. “I never really considered music as an option and to be honest, let my skills as a writer go to waste until Jonathan and I started collaborating,” says Tragic. “His soundscapes speak to me, and really bring out the best in my abilities.”
Producing a unique sound characterized by thoughtful wordplay, rhythmic breakbeats and a cunning use of samples, Philly Moves pays homage to the true spirit of hip-hop. “At our core we are soulful and old school, sampling directly off of vinyl with heavy drum beats and thoughtful, charismatic lyrics,” says Tragic. And the duo shows no signs of slowing down. In just two short years, Philly Moves has embarked on a self-booked tour across Canada, played Canadian Music Week and has been named Ottawa’s Favorite Band by Faces Magazine. Along the way, Tragic and Rockwell have rocked stages with Del the Funky Homosapien, Lupe Fiasco and a host of other talented acts.
Their second full-length album, How to Drink Yourself Famous, just dropped last month. Tragic says the duo wants nothing more than “to keep doing us. To be able to have done what we’ve done already, making tons of people happy, performing with legends in front of huge crowds; in my mind we have already become a success.”
photo by Matt Morrison