Funkghost
| Funkghost | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alvin Augustus Harris |
| Origin | Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | hip hop, rap, R&B, Soul, funk, Electropop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, producer |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | Grand Extravagant Entertainment |
| Website | The World According to Funkghost |
Funkghost (born Alvin Augustus Harris on June 26, 1972) is an American hip-hop artist/producer from Tampa, Florida.
Biography
Funkghost was born in Newport News, Virginia on June 26, 1972. In 1986, his family relocated to Tampa Florida. After graduation from Bloomingdale High School in 1990, he began performing in and around Tampa's Ybor City commercial district with various bands/DJ's helping form the new and bourgeoning hip hop scene in the Tampa Bay Area.
Career
Funkghost began his career in the early 1990s as a studio apprentice under the tutelage of keyboard/organ player Edwin Birdsong, who had worked extensively in the 1970s and early 1980s with Jazz Musician Roy Ayers.
In the summer of 1999, Funkghost traveled to New York City and collaborated with Tampa Native Celph Titled who at the time was working as an in-house producer and A&R for the now-defunct BUDS International and Bronx Science Records. They would go on to release Funkghost's 1st 12' single "Instructions" b/w "Tampa International".
In 2000 Funkghost released his debut LP "Ultra boogie highlife".[1] The LP was well received by critics but failed commercially. Only 20,000 copies were circulated. Ultra-Boogie Highlife is now considered a hard to find Cult Classic.[2][3] The album cover for Ultra-Boogie Highlife features a young and (at the time unknown) Real World alumna Melissa Howard. In early 2009 he formed his own independent imprint "Grand Extravagant Entertainment" and released the single and video "The Way I Rock My Clothes" in February 2009. The song was produced by Symbolyc One "S1" [4] who a year later would go on to co-produce Kanye West's 2010 single "Power". "The Way I Rock My Clothes" was well received by critics[5][6] and has since garnered mixshow airplay on FM stations across the United States.[7] On July 1, 2009, Funkghost released the single and video for "Vintage Futuristic". The song was produced by Australian hip hop producer M-Phazes.[8] "Vintage Futuristic" spawned several remixes[9] and again, was well received by critics.[10] On April 19, 2010, Funkghost released the single and music video for "I'm Your DJ". The song was produced, written, arranged and performed by Funkghost. Although a critical success,[11][12][13] "I'm Your DJ" was not a commercial breakthrough. On Sept. 5, 2010, Funkghost teamed up with music video director Jason Colvin (who directed his "I'm Your DJ" Music Video) and released a short film to his song "As Long As You Rock". The song "As Long As You Rock" again was produced, written, arranged and performed by Funkghost. On October 31, 2014 Funkghost released his second full- length studio album entitled Caviar Taste.
Personal life
Funkghost has a daughter, Lilani Zen Mendoza-Harris born on October 30th 2013.
Discography
2000 Ultra boogie highlife LP
2014 Caviar Taste LP
References
- ↑ "Alive: In our own back yard". Sptimes.com. March 31, 2000. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ↑ "Fluid Friday". HiphoPolitico. April 24, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ↑ Brought to you by Delasoulos (April 26, 2009). "Funkghost: The Grand Extravagant Update". HiphoPolitico. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ↑ http://www.istandardproducers.com/comment.php?mode=view_comments&band_id=1029&message_id=134&type=message&template=script_comment.tpl
- ↑ Archived April 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "beatdynasty.com". beatdynasty.com.
- ↑ Archived May 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑
- ↑ "Laws – Vintage Futuristic 2 (feat. Funkghost) | on the vista". Onthevista.wordpress.com. February 17, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ↑ "New Funkghost video: 'Vintage Futuristic' | Tampa bands, Tampa concerts, Tampa Bay music scene: Soundcheck | tampabay.com & St. Petersburg Times". Tampabay.com. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ↑ "Funkghost – I'm Your DJ (Official Music Video)". Slicksno.com. April 9, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ↑ O'Shea, Rani (November 4, 2010). "a girl and her Hip Hop: Music Video: Funkghost "I'm Your DJ"". Ellaemmapea.blogspot.com. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- ↑ Random J (April 18, 2010). "Random J Pop | Where east meets west: Music video: Funkghost – I'm your DJ". Randomjpop.blogspot.com. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
- In our own back yard By GINA VIVINETTO and SAMANTHA SPINRAD, Times Staff Writers
St. Petersburg Times, published March 31, 2000
- Hivestock returns for another spin St. Petersburg Times
Author: MICHAEL PATRICK WELCH Published Date: Dec 22, 1999
- Funkghost: Confidence Man By Colin Kincaid REAX Magazine volume 03 issue 11 // Published April 1, 2009
- The Grand Extravagant Update By Delasoulous Published 4-26-2009 http://www.hiphopolitico.com
- Funkghost: Tampa's Independent Sun!! Interview on www.beatdynasty.com By Jay Williams
- Artist of the day: Funkghost By Jay Cridlin Staff writer Tampa Bay Times March 24, 2009
- 95.7 The Beat FM DJ Sandman 95.7 FM Playlist Sat 03-28-09
- iStandard alumni Funkghost & S1 team up for new project By Don. Posted March 31, 2009
- Urbansmarts.com Review of Ultra-Boogie Highlife Posted By Tadah the byk
- Fluid Friday Posted by Delasoulous 4-24-09 hiphopolitico
- Bridging The Gap Funkghost Interview on Jibba Jabba w/Jill
- Mikey McFly "Vintage Futuristic" Review
- Tampa Bay's 10 Most Stylish By Nicole Hutcheson Tampa Bay Times Staff Writer
- By Jason Steele, Robert Benfer, and Chris Alex