FLAVOR FLAV TO WALK DOWN THE AISLE?
FIRST SOLO CD ITS ABOUT TIME
TO BE RELEASED IN LATE MAY ON OMEGA/MYSTIC MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT LABEL
Rapper Flavor Flav revealed during a recent radio appearance that his single days may be over. During a recent visit to the syndicated Doug Banks radio show to promote his first solo CD on the Omega/Mystic Music & Entertainment label Its About Time
(set for release in late May), Flav hinted that he is thinking about asking his long-time girlfriend Bev Johnson (who is the female voice on the CD) to get married.
When Banks pressed Flav for more details, all he would say is Its About Time
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FLAVOR FLAV TO RELEASE ITS ABOUT TIME
ON THE OMEGA/MYSTIC MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT LABEL
BESIDES ALLIANCE WITH CHICAGO, STRAIGHT-UP RAPPER WROTE THE SONGS AND PLAYS ALL INSTRUMENTS ON FIRST SOLO CD
Colorful Public Enemy member Flavor Flav is set to release his first and long-awaited solo CD, Its About Time
on the Omega/Mystic Music & Entertainment label. The release is being scheduled for mid March/early April.
Announces Greg Russell, president of Mystic Music & Entertainment, "Working with him [Flav] has been a great experience for the label. He is an innovator and a major force in the rap music world. The work he has done on Its About Time
will also present a new side of Flav to the music industry and the fans of Public Enemy as well."
A combination of his signature rapping, R&B, funk and ballads, Its About Time
clearly demonstrates Flavs prowess, not only as a rapper, but as a writer, musician, producer and singer. With the exception of Chicagos appropriate "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is," which he recorded with the legendary bands (and fellow labelmate) Robert Lamm, the album is all Flav. He wrote and played the instruments on the majority of the songs including drums, bass, congas, guitars, keyboards, and piano
and produced every track.
"Git on Down" and "The Hot 1" are the first two songs being released to radio.
"I think the song I did with Chicago is gonna be one of the biggest crossover records since Run DMC and Aerosmith," promises Flavor Flav. "Im gonna be blazin.
Flav adds about "Git on Down," "Its going to be a favorite jam that all radio stations can play." And regarding "The Hot 1," "Its a song people will play to test their [car stereo] systems with."
Video channels such as BET, MTV, and The Box will be seeing lots of Flav. He has recently performed cameos in music videos from Puff Daddy "PE 2000," Afrobs "123
From New York to Germany," and Will Smiths "So Fresh."
Look out! Its About Time
for Flavor Flav!
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FLAVOR FLAV TO RELEASE LONG-AWAITED SOLO DEBUT, ITS ABOUT TIME, Feb. 1***
Straight-up rapper/writer/musician/producer sets clock for fan unity
Colorful Public Enemy member Flavor Flav may not have waited a thousand years to make his first solo album, but its sure seemed like it. Besieged by complications beyond his control, Its About Time
has been eight years coming. Emerging victorious and much the wiser, its only fitting that the straight-up rappers Mystic Music & Entertainment debut will be among the first releases of the new millennium, hitting stores Feb. 1.
A combination of his signature rapping, R&B, funk and ballads, Its About Time
is a reference to Flavs reverent philosophy, and clearly demonstrates his prowess, not only as a rapper apart from his notoriety as a founding member of Public Enemy, but as a writer, musician, producer and singer. With the exception of Chicagos apropos "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is," which he recorded with the band, and "No Loot," written by a duo out of the Windy City, the album is all Flav. He wrote the balance of the songs, played all the instruments including drums, bass, congas, guitars, keyboards and piano, produced every track, and contributed all lead and backing vocals, save for a bonus beat club cut, "The Hot 1" featuring Bev.
"I think the song I did with Chicago is gonna be one of the biggest crossover records since Run DMC and Aerosmith," Flav promises. "Im gonna be blazin. "You think Latifahs hair was on fire? Oh my God," he laughs.
As for the first commercial single, "Git On Down," it has the all the elements of an instant and international classic -- the kind youd here on the streets of NYC or in a Paris taxi, not just in three months but in three years.
"Its going to be a favorite jam that all radio stations can play," Flav predicts.
Its About Time
also features "The Hot 1," a big beat track made for the streets. "Its a song people will play to test their [car stereo] systems with," he says.
In an effort to bring back the bonus beats, the "Git On Down" single includes "The Hot 1" and "The Hot 1" featuring Bev. "You get three songs for the price of one," Flav points out.
Keeping it clean while keeping it real, Flav has written a collection of songs that defy whats come to be raps stereotypical lyrics, stating, "Ive always tried to be a clean writer. This album is universal. Ive got songs on here for everybody, not just for one type of people. I playmore than 14 instruments and I sing, so what I had to do was prove myself. And thats what Ive done. This album is action-packed. Jam the hell outta it."
Still very much a part of innovators Public Enemy, who recently performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the one who always knows what time it is points out the distinct differences between his own project and those hes worked on with Chuck D and the rest of the group.
"When Ive recorded with Public Enemy, Bomb Squad did the tracks and I just put my lyrics on, and whatever Chuck wrote, he wrote parts for me. What makes Its About Time
so different is me doing all of this on my own. The music is a whole different flavor. Everybody wanted Flav. Now they got it." To quote one of the many songs he helped make famous, "Yeaaahhh Boy!"
In clarifying and working to put to rest the East Coast vs. West Coast rap issue, Flav says thoughtfully, "When youve got different ways of living and different styles of living, youre going to have different styles of rap. But still and all, its all the same because its all rap and its all putting out a message. And my message [on this album] is to build a wall of unity. Im trying to unite everybody. All of this separatism bullshit thats goin on, Im tryin to put a stop to it.
"All of this East Coast against West Coast stuff that used to go down -- Im glad it kinda died down -- but some people are still living it and they need to really get out of it. Theres room in this business for all of us; we all are connected," and continues emphatically, "No matter what color you are, no matter what race or creed you are, youre still a person.
"Instantly recognizable for the medallion timepiece he wears, Flav says, "Like American Express, I dont leave home without it. Six oclock means Im straight up and down. Operation No Joke is now in progress. And when its twelve oclock, Im straight up. Dont try to play me.
"Like the album says, "Its all about time," and so is Flav. "Time brought us in and time takes us out," he says of the great equalizer.
Among the first to unite rap with rock when Public Enemy mixed it up with Anthrax on "Bring The Noise," Flav counts the song, video and tour among his best projects, recalling, "It was mad excitement. It was a mind-blower."
Expect more of the same right now. Its About Time.