Gangstagrass
New York City, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Cheers to Justified for tracking down the perfect theme song. FX's modern-day shoot-'em-up opens with the country-rap hybrid "Long Hard Times to Come," by the aptly named Gangstagrass. That's Brooklyn mashup artist Rench along with hip-hopper T.O.N.E.-z and a high-caliber bluegrass band. (Fun fact: The show's instrumental score is composed by Steve Porcaro of the '80s pop-rock band Toto.) The title song's blend of twang and grit neatly fits the story of itchy-trigger-fingered U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) dealing with his lowlife homeboys in Kentucky. To put it in terms Raylan would surely appreciate, it hits the bull's-eye.
Are you blown away by Gangstagrass? - TVGuide.com
Cheers to Justified for tracking down the perfect theme song. FX's modern-day shoot-'em-up opens with the country-rap hybrid "Long Hard Times to Come," by the aptly named Gangstagrass. That's Brooklyn mashup artist Rench along with hip-hopper T.O.N.E.-z and a high-caliber bluegrass band. (Fun fact: The show's instrumental score is composed by Steve Porcaro of the '80s pop-rock band Toto.) The title song's blend of twang and grit neatly fits the story of itchy-trigger-fingered U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) dealing with his lowlife homeboys in Kentucky. To put it in terms Raylan would surely appreciate, it hits the bull's-eye.
Are you blown away by Gangstagrass? - TVGuide.com
For all that is familiar here, just as much feels new. For starters, there's the theme song, "Long Hard Times to Come" by the band "Ganstagrass." It's a mixture of bluegrass and hip-hop that might repel some purists on either side of the country-and-rap divide, but will knock the socks off just about everybody else. - Wall Street Journal
For all that is familiar here, just as much feels new. For starters, there's the theme song, "Long Hard Times to Come" by the band "Ganstagrass." It's a mixture of bluegrass and hip-hop that might repel some purists on either side of the country-and-rap divide, but will knock the socks off just about everybody else. - Wall Street Journal
Mashup artist Rench has released a free album of "gangstagrass" music -- hiphop mashed with bluegrass. The mixes are really good, in that, "Hey, who knew those two really different flavors worked so well together?" way that makes mashups so much fun to listen to. - BoingBoing.net
NY based band Gangstagrass has been nominated for an Emmy for the theme song of the FX hit series “Justified,” starring award winning actor Timothy Olyphant.
The song was written for the show Justified in January by Rench (Oscar Owens) and T.O.N.E-z (Jason Keaton). Title “Long Hard Times to Come”.
It features T.O.N.E-z rapping and Rench singing, as well as banjo, dobro, and fiddle, similar to the tracks on the Gangstagrass album Lightning On The Strings, Thunder On The Mic.
Justified premiered in on FX in March, and has now been picked up for a second season.
The song was recorded and produced at Rench’s studio Rench Audio in Brooklyn NY.
Elmore Leonard, author of the books that Justified is based on, became a Gangstagrass fan after hearing the theme song. “Rench and his friends have done nothing short of creating a new form of music. Gangstagrass takes two types of music that are opposites and mixes them together brilliantly in a way that is natural and enjoyable.” – Elmore Leonard - Skope Magazine
Congratulations to Rench and Tone-Z of Gangstagrass for the Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for their track “Long Hard Times To Come”.
In receiving the nomination, Rench said:
“I am excited that Justified is getting recognized with an Emmy nomination for having a great theme song. The show took a leap and used Gangstagrass, and it is great to see them rewarded for taking a chance on something creative and unusual. T.O.N.E-z and I are still in shock that we are Emmy nominated.”
- Oscar “Rench” Owens
“I was happy to hear that the Main Title music from Justified was nominated,” said Elmore. The music of Gangstagrass really captures the mood of the show. Congratulations to Rench and T.O.N.E.-z. I will be rooting for them.” - Elmore Leonard Blog
Nope, I didn't mess up on those genres up there. Rench is a Brooklyn-based producer who mixes old bluegrass and country samples with a standup band that includes slide guitar and fiddle, and he pulls it all together with hip hop beats and splits vocals between country guys and gals and underground emcees from around the way. If your head's about to explode, join the club. The mere thought of it in abstract made me think of those fun but mostly throwaway "crossovers" like Hayseed Dixie and The Gourds' "Gin & Juice." But hey, if Snoop Dogg's gonna show up at the CMT Awards and Clinton and Obama are gonna keep fighting over who really has his or her finger on the pulse of America, we may as well get down to mashups of extreme urban and rural. And you will get down. It doesn't all work, but when Rench hits it, which is done particularly deftly on "Street Soldier" and "Oh Sleeper," you can truly imagine Gangstagrass blasting from Escalades on Flatbush and F-150's in the Appalachians. As for "Come Back to Brooklyn," it won me over by capturing the spirit of my former borough and the downhome hospitality of my new southern environs. It's a toe-tapper and a window-rattler. - 3Hive
One of the most identifiable features of Justified (other than Timothy Olyphant, of course) is the twangy rap-influenced theme song. A recent TV Guide article says, “[t]he title song's blend of twang and grit neatly fits the story of itchy-trigger-fingered U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) dealing with his lowlife homeboys in Kentucky.”
The song, “Long Hard Times to Come,” is by Brooklyn-based Gangstagrass and is now available for purchase at iTunes.com. With 11 songs available on iTunes, the Justified theme song is their most popular download. The Bluegrass Blog has an interview with the creator/producer behind Gangstagrass, Rench. The singer/songwriter talks about learning about bluegrass music from his Oklahoma-born dad, and how he feels his music is received in both the bluegrass and hip-hop communities. - Examiner
One of the most identifiable features of Justified (other than Timothy Olyphant, of course) is the twangy rap-influenced theme song. A recent TV Guide article says, “[t]he title song's blend of twang and grit neatly fits the story of itchy-trigger-fingered U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) dealing with his lowlife homeboys in Kentucky.”
The song, “Long Hard Times to Come,” is by Brooklyn-based Gangstagrass and is now available for purchase at iTunes.com. With 11 songs available on iTunes, the Justified theme song is their most popular download. The Bluegrass Blog has an interview with the creator/producer behind Gangstagrass, Rench. The singer/songwriter talks about learning about bluegrass music from his Oklahoma-born dad, and how he feels his music is received in both the bluegrass and hip-hop communities. - Examiner
Discography
2007: Gangstagrass volume 1
2010: Long Hard Times To Come (single) - theme song for FX Networks series "Justified"
2010: Lightning On The Strings, Thunder On The Mic
Photos
Bio
It’s a hard thing when you contemplate digging your own grave and jumping in. But Rench figured it may be easier than what was in store. After all, most people run away when they see Bigfoot. They don’t challenge him to an arm wrestling match. And they certainly don’t win. That is to say they don’t cheat, because nobody beats Bigfoot at arm wrestling fair and square. Fate had other things in store for Rench, and before he could look for a shovel, he felt the lick of the flames from the raging forest fire advancing. “This isn’t over!” yelled Bigfoot as they ran from the fire, but Rench could not hear Bigfoot’s last words over the beating of the wings of mighty eagles, talons clutching at his Panhandle Slim original western wear shirt as they lifted him to safety. And so it was that Rench dedicated himself to make music awesometacular enough to pay adequate tribute to the majestic creature that had once threatened him so, and who so little deserved to die a fiery death. He succeeded with the help of his friends, and together as Gangstagrass, they blow minds from coast to coast. But as each amazing performance draws to an end, Rench takes a quick look at the exits, knowing that Bigfoot’s remains were never found, and preparing for the night he sees the bouncer out cold at the enormous hairy feet of an angry sasquatch.
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