Voice of the People

By ADRIAN RUHI
Avenue Contributing Writer

Touting a new band, new studio, new music and new tour dates, Voice of the People has a lot in store.

Emcees Marley "The Messenger" Montano and UF student Hector "Etch1ne" Galvez started making hip-hop music and doing shows around Gainesville in 2004 but recently expanded the group's roster seven months ago to become a full band.

The band includes Shen Hunt on guitar, Ricky Abella on bass, Kenny "DJ Kenfolk" Johnson on drums and trumpet, Nick "Snails" Gamez on percussion and Wester "Professor West" Joseph on keyboards and turntables.

"I had worked with each one of them individually beforehand, and now it all vibes together," Montano said.

According to Montano, Voice of the People recently signed with a local independent label. They have worked in their newly acquired studio on both new music and a reworked version of their 2005 debut album "What We're Feeling" that incorporates the band.

Voice of the People cites Bob Marley, Louis Armstrong, Common and trip-hop as musical influences. and describe their own music as chill, jazzy and soulful.

"In terms of lyrics, we were just trying to be honest, and people caught on," Galvez said. "People can relate to honest lyrics more than boastful rapping."

Voice of the People can be seen live Friday at The Side Bar. For information on the band, visit www.myspace.com/voiceofthepeople.

"Our live show is very energetic, very personal and very engaging," Montano said.



- The Alligator Newspaper

By DAVID LOW

It is nothing new: Public Enemy, N.W.A., KRS-One and, to some extent, even the Beastie Boys all have socially and politically charged material, describing or decrying the misdeeds or ignorance of the government with sharp beats and heated, conscious rhymes. What is new, however, is one of these kinds of groups emerging from the Gainesville area.

"We try to report on the things we see in front of us - the suffering of all people in hopes to raise awareness and inspire commonality in others who might be suffering the same," said Voice of the People's emcee Marley Montano, aka The Messenger.

Admittedly, Gainesville is not one of the most problem-plagued cities in America, nor does it have a cool abbreviation like the CPT of Compton, but that hasn't slowed down the conscious hip-hop group.

"You could certainly go about your business at a club or at a party as we perform in the background," said Montano. "But if you stop to listen for even a moment, you will be most definitely drawn in."

The group is mainly comprised of Montano and Hector Galvez (Etch One) with bringer of beats DJ Kenfolk, Kenny Johnson. The group initially came together when Montano linked up with Johnson via an online music forum. That connection sparked a partnership that attracted many other musicians who have worked with Voice of the People.

"When you have that many talented and most importantly, passionate, people onstage, you can't help but be touched and/or moved by what is being shared with you," Montano said.

Though not nearly as "gangsta" as similar groups of the genre, Voice of the People does not aim to be hardcore. With influences ranging from John Lennon to Common, Voice of the People still conveys powerfully the hardships of the every man, but with a more positive outlook and jazzy melodies.

Having just independently released its first group album, "What We're Feeling," the group looks forward to performing live and growing in every respect.

"Our live performance is very energetic, exciting and engaging," Montano said. "It's something you can watch from beginning to end and never get bored with."

Voice of the People will be performing Sept. 2 at Common Grounds. Until then check them out on the Internet at www.myspace.com/voiceofthepeople.
- The Alligator Newspaper

By KEELEY MCCARTY

Voice of the People sounds almost too good to be straight out of Gainesville. It’s feel-good hip-hop: not what you’d listen to on the way to the club but maybe at home drinking with friends on a Sunday night.

Messenger and Etch1ne spit the hip-hop verses, and Laurie Pierre and Lauren Shure provide jazzy vocals on several tracks, breaking the inevitable monotony of rap.

The Gainesville group formed around February 2004 and just finished its first album, “What We’re Feeling,” which is being independently released. Original member Pierre recently left the group due to creative differences, and Voice of the People gained a full band of two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer.

“I don’t want to just do hip-hop that you could listen to on the radio,” says Hector Galvez, alias Etch1ne.

Galvez says with the back-up instrumentals, he hopes the music will appeal to a wider audience.

Galvez is a third-year political science major, and his “partner in rhyme,” Marley Montano, aka The Messenger, works at Market Street Pub and produces music in his home studio.

Voice of the People’s music is fresh and uplifting. It steers away from the stereotypical rap subjects and focuses on emotions and issues that are important to the group. And good luck finding a word of profanity in the album – it’s clean.

“I basically catch a beat and try to write a poem that says how it makes me feel,” Galvez says.

Voice of the People will perform Saturday at The Side Bar as part of The House of Hip-Hop, sponsored by Myspace.com. The show starts at 10 p.m. and costs $7. “What We’re Feeling” will be available to purchase next week for $2.

Thursday, April 14, 2005

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- The Alligator Newspaper