Dephonic

"Dephonic, a Philadelphia-based rap band, was on next, blending funk and hip-hop in a way that I hadn’t heard since 311. The band’s front man connected with the crowd immediately tossing his Pittsburgh Penguins baseball cap into the crowd after the first song. Tons of energy was put into the performance especially during their last tune, which involved a duel between a guest fiddler and the turntables man scratching away at their respective instruments. They took out all the stops." - Gettysburg Forum

"At 9:30 p.m., opening act Dephonic took the stage with the greeting, "What up Maine?" The Philadelphia-based band fused rap and guitar-heavy indie rock. The crowd danced in place, lifting their hands in the air with the beat." - sunjournal.com

Dephonic played a sold out show with Chiddy Bang - phrequency.com

M & S Events Group will host the Last Ever Donovan McNabb White Party in Philadelphia

This has been an annual event in Philadelphia for the last 7 years. This is not a “promoter” party it is actually Donovan’s Event that M & S Produces every year to help raise money for Donovan’s Foundation DM5. The primary focus of DM5 is awareness and prevention of diabetes, a disease that has touched McNabb's life personally through his father, Samuel McNabb. Every year we have been able to raise great money to help support the efforts of the DM5 Foundation. We hope that this year is no different. The event is usually small and intimate but this year Donovan wanted to make it available for a larger group and party for the last time with the city he has and always will have love for.

So Donovan has handpicked none other than Octo.

Date: Saturday June 12th

Times: 9-2am

Tickets: $50 in advance $? At the door

Bottle Service packages available

(bottle service is the only way to get into VIP)

Dephonic
recently played on bills with

Snoop Dogg, State Radio, Asher Roth, WALE, The Plain White T's

Special guest DJ

The Legendary Biz Markie


- eventbrite

Philly, come out for Re:Dephonition this Saturday, December 5th at The Fresh Melt Water Shop, to see Mr. Lif along with Dephonic (who will debut their new album, Dephonition), and Writtenhouse. We haven't seen Lif on the stage for a minute so we're definitely looking forward to this one. Full flyer after the jump. - Okayplayer

"As Philly’s favorite upcoming act, Dephonic has a cool & smooth style that takes the bounce of hip hop and merges it with memorable indie music & melodies. Dephonic performed a sold out show at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia with State Radio in January 2010. This was followed by two sold out dates with Snoop Dogg at Bates College in Lewiston, ME and the TLA in Philadelphia. Dephonic has also recently performed with WALE, Plain White T’s, Asher Roth, Colin Munroe, the Young Gunz, Sugar Hill Gang, and Mr. Lif." - uristocrat.com

"It was pretty obvious that most of the crowd came to see Philly-based band, Dephonic. Throughout many of the early sets, fans shouted the group's name whenever it was quiet enough, and cheered each time DJ Law-One hit the stage." - phrequency.com

It was pretty obvious that most of the crowd came to see Philly-based band, Dephonic. Throughout many of the early sets, fans shouted the group's name whenever it was quiet enough, and cheered each time DJ Law-One hit the stage. - Phrequency.com

Review from Shinbone Magazine
Rating: 4.50 (From 1 to 5)
As I was listening to Dephonic’s music, all I could think was “Why aren’t these guys on the radio instead of all the no-talent media hounds like Nelly and Ludacris?” If hip-hop would encourage music like this, it would rise from being the joke genre of the century to an actual respectable place in music history.

Dephonic takes the best of hip-hop, rap and reggae, tosses in some rock and jazz guitar, adds a good dose of soul and comes out with a unique, yet familiar sound. The guys can actually rap AND sing AND play guitar, with a strong jazz-style bass line, driving rhythms with unique percussion sounds and a combined sound that is incredibly funky. I would love to hear these guys live; I’m positive they put on a heck of a show.

The lyrics are what you would expect — violence, drugs, the rough inner city life, sex, crooked cops, crime, his mother and poverty, all with appropriate religious undertones. Still, they are as well-written and eloquent as most rappers and delivered far better than the majority on the radio. Basically, the message is the same (except involving a Philadelphia zip code instead of an L.A. or New York City one) but the packaging is so much cooler that I wanted to listen to it again.

Ultimately, these guys have the total package and more talent in their little fingers than the entire hip-hop industry seems to have as a whole. I hope Dephonic gets what they deserve as far as recognition and radio play — I’d love to see them hold the hip-hop scene up to a higher standard as far as musicianship.

As for hip-hop and rap fans, I guarantee that you will love these guys. No matter what your preferred style or favorite artists, there is no doubt in my mind that these guys could best at least nine out of 10 national artists. I’m begging you, support these guys and others like them, for the good of the entire genre.
- Sarah Griffiths of Shinbone Magazine (www.shinbone.net)
- Shinbone Magazine

This band may be rising fast, but they’re so down-to-earth and genuinely nice that we couldn’t resist taking some time to chat with them. You can read for yourself why they’re so awesome — and then make sure you stop by their MySpace or check out one of their upcoming shows, so you get a taste of the full Dephonic experience. - Play Philly Magazine - Rachel Perry

This will be epic. Mr. Lif, Dephonic and Writtenhouse will take the stage at Johnny Brenda’s on Saturday December 5th, 2009 for RE:DEPHONITION to perform an electrifying night of Indie-hip-hop, rock, soul and electronic influenced music. RE:DEPHONITION will commence as a celebration of Philadelphia’s music scene, the release of Dephonic’s highly anticipated album ‘Dephonition’ and the release of Dephonic’s clothing collaboration with renowned Philadelphia-based clothing company Fresh Melt Water.

Mr. Lif just returned from tour with Chali2NA of Jurassic 5 and Gift of Gab of Blackalicious.

Dephonic has recently billed with Asher Roth, Wale, Plain White T’s and Young Chris while also receiving the “Special Weapon Award” for their performance for the U.S. Army in the summer of ’09.

Writtenhouse has recently billed with The Roots, Methodman, and Redman.

Doors are at 8PM and live performances go from 10PM-2PM. Tickets for the event are $12 and may be purchased in advance online here.

The concert is sponsored by: Fresh Melt Water Clothing (Freshmeltwater.com, @freshmeltwater), Stoudts Brewing Company (Stoudtsbeer.com, @stoudtsbrewery), Made To Order Soul Food Boutique (MadeToOrderPhilly.com, @madetoorder), Uristocrat (Uristocrat.com, @Uristocrat) and Dephonic Sounds Entertainment (Dephonic.com, @Dephonic) - Uristocrat

Asher Roth and Dephonic performed before a full crowd in the HUB Ohio Room Thursday evening.

The Philadelphia-based groove group Dephonic, comprised of seven members, kicked off the night by blending an eclectic mix of instruments and genres into their own unique sound. Dephonic emcee June Hott, a Philadelphia native, prompted chants of “215” during “City to City” and invigorated the audience during the high-energy set. The group took little time between songs, but did so to reflect on their goal as musicians – to move the body and mind.

The sold-out crowd was expectedly younger. Scattered throughout, interestingly enough, was an entirely different generation of middle-schoolers.

Regardless, just before 9 p.m. Dephonic turned the stage over to Asher and onstage hype-man Brain Bangley.

Roth leisurly strolled from end to end making small talk while Bangley tossed water bottles and ultimately his shirt into the crowd.

During a phone interview Thursday as he headed to IUP, Roth spoke about his career and the
upcoming Ohio Room performance.

“It’s going to be good to just be back home,” he said. “It will be nice to just wind down some.”

Roth, however, showed no signs of winding down Thursday – perhaps the audience had something to do with it.

“The college kids get rowdy,” Roth said, “but it’s good for the music and it generates discussion.”

The time Roth spent nonchalantly interacting with the audience between songs let us know just how fast his fame has arrived and how little it has affected him. Roth comes off as a laid-back guy who just wants to live in the moment and be true to himself.

In fact, he hasn’t yet had his “I made it” moment.

He has heard his hit anthem “I Love College” only a few times on the radio, but the first time was special.

“It was over a clock radio and I was at my boy’s place,” Roth said. “It was all blurry, so I put my hand on it for reception and just held it there and let it play.”

The reception in the HUB Ohio Room couldn’t have been any clearer. They were there to hear Roth,
including Matt Frampton (sophomore, physical education/health) who had been listening to Roth since the release of The Greenhouse Effect mix tape.

Roth spoke of lesser-known acts such as Pac Div and B.O.B., and during “She Don’t Want A Man” he invited a few in the audience to join him on stage.

Furthermore, Roth has expressed how the hip-hop industry has presented him with a vehicle to start worthwhile
discussion – perhaps another reason he covets performing on college campuses. “Whether it’s race,
parenting, education or running water in Africa – you can stir the pot through hip-hop,” Roth said. “Radio and I don’t get along; my message comes through live shows and interviews.”

Roth delivered in both instances and never seemed to be at a loss for words - except during introspection. When asked to best define himself in three words - first as a rapper then as a person – he balked before offering, “Light hearted … Pretty understanding and for the most part open minded. As a rapper: “Witty … Man, that’s tough describing myself. Fun … and I hope lyrical.”

When prompted about his potential staying power and whether his act was more than novelty, Roth was quick to respond.“I’ll be around for a while, for better or worse, wait and see. Love me or leave me alone.”

- The Penn

"This Indie-Hip-Hop collective was formed in late 2005 with the intention of making music for people who “like everything.” It’s probably taboo from a music business standpoint to form a band without a specific genre in mind. However, we really just wanted to make music that reflected our different inspiration points. Each member has a certain attachment to a different style but we’ve managed to bond them together to make our own sound. You can easily find soul, rock, hip-hop, reggae, R&B, jazz, swing, rap and other elements fused into every song....." - http://web.illish.us

Dephonic, a funky pop-rock band from Philadelphia, has decided to play one of its first gigs of 2009 in Boston on Saturday night. The act, which is led by a guy who calls himself Drew-ish, features soulful vocals, trumpet toots, and danceable percussion. The band is not only inspired by the Roots, it has also participated in The Roots' Philly jam sessions. Also on tonight's bill... - The Boston Globe 1/1/09

Spring fashions and music will collide as Penn State student models "Rip the Runway" Friday.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. have collaborated to plan the first "Rip the Runway," scheduled for 9 p.m. Friday in HUB Alumni Hall.

Kappa Alpha Psi member Austin Miller said the two fraternities hope to bring a new kind of entertainment to Penn State.

"We want a Los Angeles, NYC-type of vibe, for youth like us to enjoy themselves," Miller (junior-journalism) said.

The event will feature Interscope Records rap artists Wale and Young Chris, Universal/Motown rock artist Colin Monroe and independent artist Dephonic, Miller said.

Born Olubowale Akintimehin, rap artist Wale has signed on to "Rip the Runway" as a stop on his tour that is promoting his debut album, Attention Deficit, scheduled for release on June 30.

The young up-and-coming rapper is working to make the move from local favorite to national act.

Wale said all of the hard work that he has put into his musical career makes the business of creating his music "more like a job" to him now.

Critics have commented on Wale's move to the mainstream, but he said simply, "you have to graduate sometime."

"If you listen to my music, it is still the same content," he said. "I still feel like I'm an underground dude but with a bigger fan base."

Dephonic is not signed to Interscope or Universal, but the band takes pride in being an independent band without a record deal. Marion Wilson, who goes by June Hott and is the band's emcee, said being the only independent band scheduled for Friday's performance is a demonstration of the hard work the band has done.

"It's a great accomplishment for our music and what it's all about," June Hott said.

Dephonic's dynamic can be compared to Voltron, June Hott said, because the band manages to bring elements of rap, indie, dance and reggae and fuse them all into one signature sound.

Drew Kramer, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the band, said many people who hear Dephonic for the first time say they have never heard music like it before.

"If this was a highway, we'd be paving it," Kramer, also known as Drew-ish, said.

June Hott said the band's wide range of influences gives Dephonic the ability to play anywhere.

"We've played in front of Hells Angels bikers and in hip-hop and jazz clubs," he said. "I feel comfortable enough that we could play in [a] country setting if need be."

Wale has been working toward reaching a "wide audience" by making a series of mixtapes, the most recent of which, titled Back to the Future, drops April 29. The tapes have been "building a brand" for Wale's music.

"You can't sell someone a pair of shoes unless they know how they feel," Wale said.

Wale said Attention Deficit is an attempt to show people there are "other things out there" than what is heard in the mainstream, and he hopes it may erase some bad connotations associated with young people today.

"The album is a wake-up for the culture," he said. "There are younger people with a message."

Wale has done a few collaborations with other up-and-coming artists in the past, including one with Lady Gaga in his first single off the new album, titled "Chillin."

Wale said with an old or new artist, he will feed off of the energy.

"I like to collaborate with people I enjoy listening to and see what can come out of it," he said.

He has already worked with Young Chris, who is also scheduled to perform Friday. Wale said the two are good friends, and he never has a problem performing or making songs with Young Chris.

Although Wale's talent has garnered acclaim from such rap veterans as Jay-Z and Kanye West, he said that to him, it's not a big deal.

"I really don't think about who's saying this, who's saying that," he said. "I just try to block it all out and have tunnel vision and keep making music."

He added the main objective for his music is continuing "the spread of hip-hop," and the label of up-and-coming star does not change the fact that he is just like everybody else.

"I'm not trying to change the world with one song," he said. "I'm just one person."

Drew-ish said the members of Dephonic's main objective is to make good music and remain true to who the are, not to do what will land them a record deal.

He added the music industry is just "one big machine," and that the band may one day consider entering to build a bigger fan base.

June Hott said the band "will not go hungry" if it never signs on to a label, adding it's not about the money, but the message of the music.

"If somebody having the worst day of their life can turn on the radio and say 'This music changed me,' that's what it's about," he said.

An Omega Psi Phi member from Temple University, DJ Omega assisted the fraternities in enlisting artists for "Rip the Runway," said Corey Grant (senior-information sciences and technology), who is a member of Penn State's Omega Phi Psi. Grant said he feels DJ Omega is the No. 1 DJ in Philadelphia right now.

"It's a pretty individual fashion show-concert. I know in springtime, a lot of fashion shows are going on, but ours stands out because we have live performances during our show," Grant said.

Gathering inspiration for the show's name and concept from BET's own Rip the Runway show, the two fraternities aim to make the event big.

"We collaborated with PSMA [Penn State Marketing Association] and UPAC [University Park Allocation Committee] this year," Miller said. "UPAC helped us with the funding and contacting of artists and PSMA is helping with marketing and promotion and setting up the show, lights, creativity."

The event will feature 25 Penn State student models, selected from an open modeling call, Miller said.

Ty Nelson (sophomore-musical theatre), a model for the show, said tryouts took place about a month ago, and the potential models showed their walk and poses.

"It was really exciting and fun," she said. "Some girls got really competitive."

There are 12 men and 13 women models, Nelson said.

"The guys add a really nice dynamic," she said.

The runway show will have both urban and casual themes, Miller said. The models will be wearing their own clothing along with items from Macy's, 5Twenty7 and designer Kissed by Rain, he added.

Grant added the themes of the show include club, punk rock, school and swimsuit show. He said the two fraternities have been planning "Rip the Runway" since the beginning of fall 2008.

"We've actually planned this event since last fall. We've been having three-hour practices twice a week," Grant said.

Grant said he hopes the event will take off so they can do it again.

"There's a lot of hype for the show. A lot of people are talking about it. I'm really excited for it. We were looking for something innovative, and hopefully in 2010 we can have it again," he said.

Nelson said she was very excited and not nervous to participate in the show.

"As long as I have good rubbers on my shoes, I'm excited," she said. "For the models, as long as you go with the flow and know what you're doing, you'll be fine."

Although the event is free, Miller said Kappa Alpha Psi will collect proceeds for St. Jude Children's Hospital and Omega Psi Phi will be collecting donations for the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.
- PSU - The Daily Collegian