ArtOfficial is literally one part hip-hop and one part jazz. The Miami six-man group was formed in the collapse of one jazz/soul group and one hip-hop group. Their unique blend of musical genres has landed them numerous accolades since their inception including a first-place finish in the 2009 Florida Grammy Showcase and second runner-up in the 2008 Lollapalooza’s “Last Band Standing” competition.
Their first release, Fist Fights and Foot Races, debuted in 2008 on a Japanese record label, peaking at number four on the Tower Records sales charts. Their live performance has been hailed as something of a must-see by fans and critics alike and has become a staple of their existence. This group seems to live and die by performing live jazz and hip-hop with intense energy and getting the crowd moving. As ArtOfficial gears up to drop their first internet release via illroots.com and kevinnottingham.com in conjunction with their first full-length US release we got a chance to work with our partners in hip-hop-homage The Find Magazine (Congratulations on their site launch: www.thefindmag.com) to bring you guys an interview with Logics, one of two MC’s from ArtOfficial. We got to talk with Logics about what it’s like to be such a genre-blending group, what to expect from their live show, and what they’ve got coming up next.
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The live-element is very important for your music. What do you think of this era where lots of hip-hop is made by computers, technology and electronic gear?
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I have no qualms about all the technology being used to make music. Hip-Hop was born because of this technology, because of turntables and samplers. I’m all for making music that is soulful, that has that human element to it. I do think some of the music being made today is soul-less and lacking emotion and depth.
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