What Chantz Erolin lacks in age, he more than makes up for in experience. At just 18 years old, he’s been a part of the Twin Cities hip hop scene for a very long time, performing at Yo! The Movement events, winning battles, rocking the stage at Soundset 2009 with new label-mate Guante and playing alongside artists like MC Lyte, Naughty by Nature, I Self Devine, Brother Ali and many more. Over the past few years, you may have seen him sneaking into a 21+ Big Quarters show, ciphering outside South High or winning a youth poetry slam.
Wherever you saw him, though, the odds are good that he won you over. As an emcee, Chantz sticks out from the crowd with a biting, intelligent sense of humor, nuanced political savvy and songwriting skills that put most other punchline-oriented rappers to shame. Describing one of his performances, City Pages said: “[Chantz] gave off an infectious energy and suggested his age with goofy asides while belying it with noticeable displays of versatility.”
And nowhere is that energy, versatility and… goofiness more evident than on his debut EP, “Good Company.” Featuring production by one of the best young beat-makers in the country (Cory Grindberg of Audio Perm), the EP is a brief collection of guitar-driven hip hop tracks “about friends, fashion’s guts, hunger, home, race and family,” as Chantz says. Featuring laugh-out-loud punchlines, touching meditations on identity and relationships, and lots of poetic details, “Good Company” is the perfect introduction to one of the Twin Cities freshest voices. Rising indie label Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records recognized this, and is re-releasing the EP in preparation for a future full-length.
Though he was born in Los Angeles, Chantz is very much a product of the Twin Cities hip hop scene. At times, you can hear flashes of other artists in his flow: Big Zach’s drawl, Slug’s confidence, Big Quarters’ down-home realness. But Chantz also manages to transcend his peers and influences by focusing on his own story and offering something new. If “Good Company” is any indication, TC rap is in very good hands.
'The Good Company E.P.' is released by indie label, Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records. See
www.truruts.com for more information. To request interviews or additional images, please contact
info@truruts.com or 612-288-9491.
from
The Good Company E.P.,
released November 10, 2009
1. Good Company/Intro
written and performed by Chantz Erolin
beat produced by Cory Grindberg
(C. Erolin, C. Grindberg)
Executive Produced by e.g. bailey + Sha Cage. Mastered by HipGnosis. Art Direction: Chantz Erolin + Ellis. Design: Ellis.
Brought to you by Tru Ruts Endeavors: Harvesting the Tree of Life. All Songs Copyright © 2009 Tru Ruts Endeavors, Inc. All songs published by Verbal Reparations Music (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. International Copyright Secured. Tru Ruts | Speakeasy Records, 1224 Quincy Street NE, Suite 140, Minneapolis, MN 55413. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. Booking:
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