Y.B.B.I. (Ya Brotha Black Ice) (fka: Ya Boy Black Ice)
Richmond, California, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
Motor Mouths
Posted Wednesday 10/01/2008 12:00 AM in Lists by Chris Norris
Filed Under: Cars, Rap, Rapper, Beastie boys, Vanilla ice, Dr. Dre, 2pac, Ice cube, Missy elliot, 50 cent, Lil wayne, Snoop Dog
1990–1998: MUSTANG 5.0 L
It was Ford’s leading sports-class automobile since its 1964 introduction at the New York World’s Fair. The pioneering pony car received a third-generation redesign that gave it a roomier backseat and a more aerodynamic body, and the 5.0 (actually a 4.9 liter/302 cid) came to inspire one of the largest aftermarket industries in the United States. Already a boxier car than the sleek 390 cid fastback that costarred with Steve McQueen in 1968’s Bullitt, it underwent one of the most dramatic coolness downgrades in automotive history, in ’90, thanks to Rob Van Winkle, a Caucasian rapper who claimed he could “flow like a harpoon.”
“Rollin’ in my 5.0 / With my ragtop down so my hair can blow.” Vanilla Ice, “Ice Ice Baby,” 1990
“2 a.m. on Sawgrass Express / I put the motherfuckin’ 5.0 to the test.” Power Supply, “My 5.0,” 1994
“Ain’t Rollin’ in no Lex Lou / Ain’t Rollin’ in no Benz Coupe / Ain’t Got no BMW / But I got 50 reasons why.” Ya Boy Black Ice, “5.0 Reasons Why,” 1998
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http://www.blender.com/lists/61420/motormouths.html?p=5 - BLENDER MAGAZINE & Blender.com
Ya Boy Black Ice - 5.0 Reasons
Chronique :
Ya Boy Black Ice remet le couvert en 1998, huit longes années après une première sortie en tape avec Poetry pour le chapitre "Suicide" de Po Black Citizen. L'un produisait quand l'autre narrait une vie écrouée par une jeunesse avide, gourmande et insatisfaite. En provenance de Richmond, Travis Keeton de son vrai nom, nous arrive sur son premier album. YBBI est un artiste accompli. Possédant son propre label, on pourrait davantage parler de société. En effet, musique mais également esthétique, la jaquette est réalisée par Travis lui-même. Notre ambitieux compère annonce même sa propre ligne vestimentaire "41510 Apparel". On peut donc parler d'autoproduction à part entière. C'est donc appuyé de Corry Fuller, que Travis nous administre un album d'ores et déjà classique. La production est intégralement signée R. Parker pour Ashy Knuckles Productions et A. Rivers (a.k.a. Poorman Dre) pour Poorman Dre Productions. Le tout étant mixé aux Poorman Studios de Richmond. Malgré le fait que cette sortie soit cantonnée aux environs pour des prétentions seulement locales, il faut admettre que le travail ici proposé est de grande facture. Sur une dizaine de morceaux, la musicalité ressentie est très prononcée. Beaucoup d'instruments sont à recenser. C'est ainsi que la basse se superpose aux riffs rythmés d'une guitare jouée avec adresse. Très acoustique, les mélodies séduisent rapidement, avec beaucoup de facilité. Les nappes aux claviers, tranquilles et harmonieuses accompagnent un jeu de sirènes effilées. Plusieurs atmosphères se diluent au cours des pistes qui s'écoulent. "Step Away" par exemple est une plage très représentative des sonorités que l'on peut observer sur la Bay. Le moog gras et explosif appuie la cadence soutenue par les rimes tranchantes de YBBI. En réalité, la plupart des titres pourraient être qualifiés comme G-funk. Bien sûr, la sonorité diffère des coteaux ensoleillés de Long Beach, mais la volonté reste similaire. "Parkin' Lot Pimpin", "5.0 Reasons", ou "Still Slippin" (Mais encore bien d'autres tels que "Living in The Town") percutent presque immédiatement. Les gammes légères à l'orgue et au piano, suivent le tracé diffus des sifflets fredonnant. Quelques soupçons de saxophone résonnent, puis la basse émerge doucement. Au final, la production, délicate, est surprenante, très instrumentale et souvent originale. Brother Dre au mixage parvient à filtrer chaque couche pour les associer dans une concorde parfaite et cristalline. Ya Boy nous propose un flow impeccable, classique en parfaite adéquation aux compositions. Les nombreuses phases, se succèdent avec entrain, articulés avec succès pour un résultat détonnant. Quelques refrains confirment également nos positives impressions. Laini & A.Rivers se relaient avec grâce. Les grains suaves de leurs voix s'accouplent, puis se détachent pour des chants délicieux, fragiles et soyeux. Quelques apparitions à saluer également, notamment celle de Big Mone qui nous administre une performance très motivée. Ya Boy Black Ice nous offre un album presque parfait. Quoiqu'un peu court et vite consommé, peu de choses sont à redire. Les productions, efficaces, sont acoustiques, musicales et instrumentales à souhait. La rime n'est pas en reste non plus, et Travis appose un flow étudié et aux phases sérieuses. G-Funk dans un sens, plus Mobb dans un autre, c'est un classique qu'il nous est conté aujourd'hui. Absolument indispensable pour tous, un opus à se procurer de toute urgence.
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http://sharingan-masta.blogspot.com/2007/06/ya-boy-black-ice-50-reasons.html - sharingan-masta.blogspot.com
Fans of old school Bay Area rap (from the nineties) should check out the weekly one-hour online radio show from Paris, France by way of Richmond, CA with host Ya Boy Black Ice (YBBI), an old school Bay rapper, who goes digitally "from Richmond California to Paris France and back in one hour" with a serving of Bay Area golden era (mid 90's) classics and more that he produces in California for the European outlet.
The Bay Area host/producer, who has a genuine passion for older Bay Area rap, hooked up with the French radio folks over a year ago and has found the response to Bay rap from France and other parts of Europe to be pretty impressive. The weekly show, which sometimes focuses on the sound of certain producers such as EA Ski & CMT, airs at 9pm local time on Wednesdays on 187radio.com, with a direct link to stream here. For podcasts of past shows go here and select "Podcasts." There are also back-up streams of a few shows at TheYBBIShow.podomatic.com and additionally on www.BayArea.it -- a site run by Italian fans of Bay Area rap.
Posted by Billyjam on May 15, 2009 at 09:14am
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http://www.amoeba.com/blog/2009/05/jamoeblog/amoeba-music-hip-hop-weekly-round-up-05-15-09.html - www.amoeba.com
It is almost two years ago to the day that I conducted one of my favorite interviews, with one of my favorite producers (and I mean that in the truest musical sense) ever, Khayree. For a bunch of different reasons the piece has never been published, but I still haven’t given up hope. Over the years I’ve stayed in touch with Khayree though, and yesterday he hit me up letting me know about a series of podcast tributes to himself, Sam Bostic, Mike Mosley, and E-A-Ski & CMT. The show is hosted by Ya Boy Black Ice who is from Richmond and either lives or broadcasts out of a station, 187 Radio, in Paris, France. Each show runs about an hour, and chronologically plays through select joints from each respective artists discographies.
Start with Khayree, and then peep the rundown of the other shows here.
Khayree and The Lover Twins
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http://whatupthough.wordpress.com/2008/11/18/187-radio-tribute-to-khayree-sam-bostic-mike-mosley-and-ea-ski-cmt/ - whatupthough.wordpress.com
Discography
2009 - The Clean Collection (Clean Spits, Edits + 4 unrealeased tracks from 1999)
2008 - 5.0 REASONS 10th Anniversary Album (OG + 4 unreleased songs from Bay Area G-Funk Era)
1998 - 5.0 REASONS Album CD (OG Ultra Rare - OOP)
1998 - 5.0 REASONS Album Cassette (OG Ultra Rare - OOP)
1998 - 5.0 REASONS Vinyl (OG Ultra Rare - OOP)
1996 - 5.0 REASONS Snippet Cassette (OG Ultra Rare - OOP)
1992 - Po Black Citizen Tape (If you have this, You are a God)
Photos
Bio
1990:
• Ya Boy Black Ice: Po Black Citizen
My first official group was Po Black Citizen. Ya Boy B.I. was the rapper. Poetry was the Producer. I was 19 and ready to take over the world. We did a lot of songs. Several tracks are featured above in the "1990 Melody" available for download. We mass produced one project, a Cassette Single ( CDs didn't exist):
Po Black Citizen:
Side A: SUICIDE.
Side B: DIP TO THE BEAT.
At the time, It was the best thing since sliced bread. Po Black Citizen is one of the 1st rap groups in Richmond CA to have an actual retail ready project.
We were going to perform at 1991 KMEL Summer Jam...SIKE!
Our shit was hot though.
1995:
• Ya Boy Black Ice: 5.0 REASONS &
• Travlyrics Custom Graphic Design
By 1995 I had found my flow. Being from Richmond, CA, the rhymes are a matter of fact and confident with aggressive delivery .
Ya Boy black Ice says, "I am a storyteller. My lyrics have two levels. Level one is for folks who check for the track and flow. Level two is for those who actually dissect the rhymes. You always get a beginning, middle and end. I intentionally leave things out, so your imagination takes over. Chains of events may vary based on one's personal experience. I always wrote songs that I understand, because the songs are based on my everyday experiences."
But just like the 1990 single, everybody didn't understand what I was go through. What I needed was a per song system where I could write whatever I wanted and distribute it. Then MP3.com was created. I've been in love with the internet since 1995.
"The 1st project 5.0 REASONS was my polished introduction: 'Hi, I'm Ya Boy Black Ice. I drive a Fifty (Ford Mustang 5.0), I have a few personal problems, my uncles are crack heads, and here's what happened last night.' That was me in 1991-95. The lyrics are so relevant today. Unfortunately this rap shit was looking kind of fruitless, so I went into other elements of Hip-Hop: 95' Travlyrics Graphic Design (graffiti) and 98' The 41510 Apparel (gear).
1998:
• 41510 Apparel
The 41510 Brand Apparel was created for on reason. As a Rapper/Graphic Designer, I wanted to create a quality-first, Easy to understand, “For Us By Us”, Bay Area Hip-Hop Based Clothing Brand allowing local artists (like myself) to Identify Home as we traveled worldwide.
That was it. Yes 41510 Apparel was originally created for Rappers to BUY! Rappers were the target market. It was supposed to be our Phat Farm, Fubu, Rocawear, Karl Kani, Mark Echo.
Slam Dunk! No Brainer. Right? Wrong. It made so much sense that it was too complicated for artist to understand. So we took it to the masses, but the masses are like sheep. They do what is popular. Popularity is difficult to gain in the Bay Area rap scene.
After many hurdles, we have proven, accomplished and transcended our original goal. We now identify all facets of the Bay Area lifestyle, including
all music to diversity to weather to politics to The sideshow to The Castro.
2001:
• Travlyrics.com
• My Last Rhyme Will Be My Last Breath
Exit: Ya Boy Black Ice. Enter: Travlyrics.com
The name change was a needed upgrade. My new introduction had to concisely express that I was doing much more than rapping. It was a silent command: "Go to my web site". Most people called me Travlyrics anyway. By 2001, I was a 10x better rapper; still concentrating on flow and rhyme patterns; refusing to rhyme 'Hood' with 'All good'. Ideas were still drawn from everyday conversations. For example: 1) You can't stop listening to rap. 2) My mama is from the same streets as me. 3) My lyrics are equal to or better than a lot of rappers, so don't tell me its all about tight lyrics. 4) This paying dues shit is blatant theft.
This would have been my third release, had I continued to chase the dream. With four songs done, it became clear, I was too busy with Travlyrics Graphics and The 41510 Brand Apparel was on a roll. Then dotcom bubble burst and expendable money began to dry up. Then 911 hit and the economy completely shut down on independent clothing designers and there was no real time or money to complete the "Last Rhyme" project. Also it was crystal clear (to me) that there was a new breed of rapper coming up in the Bay Area, so I chose to lay back and ride it out.
My mentality at this point was "These are timeless records with fresh lyrics and a competitive image. Eventually I'll be able to play by my own rules".
2003-07: Self Exile
Basically in the late 90s, my timing was off.
By 2000, I was in my late twenties with a lot of lumps from experience.
By 2001, my vision on life was becoming clear. I understood why certain things happen and I wanted to discuss it. Simultaneously, Bay Area Hip-Hop began to demand less, marking the pre-stages of going Dumb. Eventually Bay Area Hip-Hop made a conscious decision to ride the yellow bus. (Download "13 O'clock" Prophets of Rage f
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