Meet the Band:
Grizzle, the Bully, and Blaise
Rappers’ Delight: The three rappers grew up together, bonding over their love of the Beastie Boys, OutKast, and the Roots, and their ability to freestyle. As they got older, they went their own ways until recently reuniting to record some demos. “Different songs touch different emotions,” says Grizzle. “We want to have endless range with no ceilings.”
Hip-Hop Hooray: The three MCs rhyme over a live band, making their shows more than just the usual two-turntables-and-a-microphone thing typically found at hip-hop concerts.
Put the Needle on the Record: TriPodCity are putting the finishing touches on their debut album, The Movement, which they hope to release in the fall. They’re currently scouting for a record company. A few songs are available on their website now.
Surfin’ Ohio: One of the group’s most memorable concert moments involves Grizzle, his skin-tight yellow pants, a guitar, and some crowd surfing in Kent.
Two Things You Might Not Know About TriPodCity: 1) Their name was originally a “well-crafted dick joke,” says the Bully. 2) They’ve recorded more than 17,000 minutes of freestyles on an iPhone.
Why They Say They Matter: “We’re just three white boys that grew up loving hip-hop and flowing,” says Blaise. “We’re spokesmen for a generation of kids who have a hard time identifying with anything that’s out there.”
Why We Say They Matter: As much as they talk about freestyling, the trio brings refreshingly old-school songwriting skills to their music.
Where You Can Hear Them:
Where You Can See Them: At the Cleveland Hip-Hop Music Festival at the Agora on Saturday, May 28.
— Jara Anton
This article appears in May 25-31, 2011.
less auto tune
@ ccfuser–these guys are all real! no autotune dude!
i love watchin your shows! cant wait for the next one!
@ccfuser–these dudes are all real as fuck!
i love going to the shows! cant wait for the next one!!!
really? their freestyle demo album was complete garbage. i literally threw it out the car window when it was over.