Two things happened when I first saw this name roaming the internet for music four years ago; (1) Think that a new brand of skin cream was being marketed (2) draw a blank with a stare that would make an infant say "awwwwww" when I found out that it wasn't. If you have experienced at least one of these two things upon seeing Aloe Blacc's name, it's okay, he's not the most renowned artist but he's definitely someone you want to familiarize your self with.
Blacc is certainly one talented guy. I was first exposed to the bi-lingual singer/songwriter/MC through Shine Through, a soul effort that blends elements of jazz and hip-hop with the artist's panamanian heritage and culture. Then, I thought that Blacc was primarily a soul singer that Stones Throw was adding to their roster, but his talents as an MC actually date further back than his projects as a singer. In fact he began his career in 1995 as a member of Emanon, the underground hip-hop combination with producer Exile. Later he became a special guest, touring with Madlib and the rest of the Lootpack while in Europe.
Here is just a small sample of Blacc's talent as a MC. Check it out and look out for more projects from Emanon coming soon.
Download: Aloe Blacc – What Was Your Name
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha1s9m7PjdQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]Emanon – Death is Fair
Keep Listening.
