Boombox Saints Explained

Boombox Saints
Origin:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Genre:Hip hop, R&B
Years Active:2008–2014
Associated Acts:Emmalyn Estrada, Jenilee Reyes, Vanessa Villabroza, Chloe Morgan
Current Members:Freeky P (J.P. Pascual)
Adlib
Huggy Fresh† (Geoffrey Rarama)
DJ Relik

Boombox Saints was a hip hop and R&B group based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The band officially formed in 2008 taking their name from the 1990s film Boondock Saints. Within four years, Boombox Saints released two EPs, The Boombox EP and Bringin' the Boom Back: Based on a True Story as well as a full-length debut album titled For the Moment. They shared stages with successful and respected acts including J. Cole, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, Mos Def, Jay Electronica, Talib Kweli, Souls of Mischief, Far East Movement, Danny Fernandes and Sean Paul.[1]

Career

The Boombox EP (2008–2010)

Consisting of emcees Freeky P and Huggy Fresh, vocalist Adlib and DJ Relik, Boombox Saints released their debut EP The Boombox EP featuring the singles Flip It and She Got on November 9, 2010. After winning the Urban Music Association of Canada's Urban X-posure Triple Threat competition in 2009, the band received a singles digital deal with Nettwerk Music Group for She Got. Soon after, the music video for She Got received support from MuchVibe and Aux TV.[2]

Bringin' the Boom Back: Based on a True Story (2010–2012)

On March 8, 2011, the band self-released their follow up work Bringin' the Boom Back: Based on a True Story. Intended as a tribute to the era of '90s R&B and hip hop that had helped craft the band's sound, Bringin' the Boom Back: Based on a True Story featured four singles: "Bringin' the Boom Back", "Gotta Let You Know", "Late Night Creep" and "The Break Up Song". "Bringin' the Boom Back" was produced by fellow Vancouverite K-Rec who remixed "It's Tricky" by Run-D.M.C., which soon became the title track for the Electronic Arts video game SSX Tricky. The band uploaded the EP as a free download on their website and have also shared a complete collection of their work on DatPiff.[3]

The band spent much of 2011 and early 2012 playing select cities across Canada, showcasing at North by Northeast and Canadian Music Week while recording their debut full length.[4] [5] Preceding the release of their debut album, the band released two singles: the Michael Jordan inspired "Gametime" and "She Looks Like". Both tracks, like the band's previous works, were made available as free downloads via the band's website.[6]

For the Moment (2012)

The group released their debut album For the Moment on October 23, 2012.[7] Freeky P described the album as "a post-modern, modern epic love tale of our collective lives tracked by a new-stalgic soundscape, detailing the joys and falls of relationships in the never ending chase of happiness. In short, walk 14 songs of our lives and you'll forever be changed".[8] This explains the album cover, a pair of worn out Jordan Concord '11s originally belonging to Adlib. Further still, emcee Huggy Fresh has claimed that the album is "as outside the box as a fresh pair of J's". For the Moment features guest appearances from long time friends Emmalyn Estrada ("Blind", "Peekaboo Style") and Jenilee Reyes ("For You") as well as up and coming Vancouver singer/songwriter Vanessa Villabroza ("By My Side").[9]

Following its release, music critic Stuart Derdeyn of The Province touted the album as "one of the more solid hip-hop releases to ever come out of town (Vancouver)" and the Vancouver Sun′s Francois Marchand added that For the Moment "is a reminder of the kind of heartfelt soul that rap can really deliver."[10] [11] It was featured in Postmedia Network outlets across Canada and received support from Exclaim!, CBC Music, !Earshot Magazine,[12] Hip Hop Canada, The National Post, Canada.com, Dose.ca, BeatRoute Magazine, VancouverIsAwesome.com,[13] WinnieCooper.net and The Snipe News.[14]

On November 13, 2012, For the Moment debuted on the National Campus and Community Radio Association's Earshot Charts at #5 on the National Hip Hop Top 10. Two weeks later, the album became #1 on the National Hip Hop Top 10 as determined by airplay from campus and community radio stations across Canada. The band's debut remained #1 on the National Hip Hop Top 10 charts for three consecutive weeks from November 27 through December 11, 2012.[15]

In an interview with BeatRoute Magazine, the band said that they intended to shoot ten music videos for tracks from For the Moment and planned to tour extensively in 2013.[16] However, the band appears to have broken up by 2014.

According to his website, Freeky P (J.P. Pascual) is still performing, co-founded JYRATE, Vancouver's only strictly Afrobeat night, and has started a t-shirt design company. He does not mention Boombox Saints in his biography.As of Sept 2021, DJ Relik is still performing and has started a school for DJs in the Vancouver area; it does not mention Boombox Saints in its credentials.Huggy Fresh† (Geoffrey Rarama) passed away in April 2017, at age 36.[17] [18]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Critical reception

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Boombox Saints Biography. Boombox Saints & Classics Agency. December 23, 2012.
  2. Web site: New Video – Boombox Saints. Van Music. December 23, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044400/http://www.vanmusic.ca/news/video-release/new-video-boombox-saints-gotta-let-you-know. March 4, 2016. dead.
  3. Web site: Boombox Saints - DatPiff. DatPiff. December 23, 2012.
  4. Web site: BC Bands @ NXNE. https://archive.today/20130415105533/http://www.musicbc.org/2012/06/12/bc-bands-nxne/. dead. April 15, 2013. Music BC. December 23, 2012.
  5. Web site: Boombox Saints' March Madness: New EP, Music Video, Interview, Events. WhatTheHunt. December 23, 2012.
  6. Web site: Boombox Saints - Downloads. Boombox Saints & Classics Agency. December 23, 2012.
  7. Web site: Boobmox Saints Happy...Feb 2013 . reddeeradvocate.com . Red Deer Advocate . 2021-09-10.
  8. Web site: Hudson. Alex. Boombox Saints Release Debut Album 'For the Moment' as Free Download. Exclaim!. December 23, 2012.
  9. Web site: Marchand . Francois . Album review: Boombox Saints - For The Moment . vancouversun.com . Vancouver Sun . 2021-09-11.
  10. Web site: Derdeyn. Stuart. The Province reviews 'For The Moment'. The Province. December 23, 2012.
  11. Web site: Marchand . Francois . Album review: Boombox Saints - For The Moment . vancouversun.com . Vancouver Sun . 2021-09-11.
  12. Web site: Wood . Scott . Boombox Saints Blast the Internet . earshot-online.com . Earshot Magazine . 2021-09-10.
  13. Web site: Kondo . Boon . The Bassment, Volume Three: Boombox Saints . vancouverisawesome.com . Vancouver is Awesome . 2021-09-10.
  14. Web site: Duarte. Angie. Filipinos in Focus : Boombox Saints. Philippine Canadian Inquirer. December 23, 2012.
  15. Web site: !earshot - National Hip Hop Chart. Earshot Magazine. December 23, 2012.
  16. Web site: Goyman. Jamie. Boombox Saints - Fresher Than A Fresh Pair of J's. https://archive.today/20130115083452/http://beatroute.ca/2012/11/05/boombox-saints/. dead. January 15, 2013. BeatRoute Magazine. December 23, 2012.
  17. Web site: Obituary, Mr. Geoffrey Dave Rarama . dignitymemorial.com . Dignity Memorial . 2021-09-10.
  18. Web site: Alcantara . Michael . In loving memory of Huggy Fresh . youtube.com . YouTube . 2021-09-10.
  19. Web site: Top Hip Hop Artists You Should See At NXNE. MuchMusic. December 23, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110814080315/http://blog.muchmusic.com/top-hip-hop-artists-you-should-see-at-nxne/. August 14, 2011. dead.
  20. Web site: Judith. Amalia. J. Cole with Boombox Saints at the Vogue (Live) [Review]]. Hip Hop Canada. December 23, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130902170448/http://www.hiphopcanada.com/2011/08/j-cole-with-boombox-saints-at-the-vogue-live-review/. September 2, 2013. dead.
  21. Web site: Gummeson. Shelley. Reviews - Boombox Saints "For The Moment". Earshot Magazine. December 23, 2012.
  22. Web site: Goyman. Jamie. Boombox Saints - Fresher Than A Fresh Pair of J's. https://archive.today/20130115083452/http://beatroute.ca/2012/11/05/boombox-saints/. dead. January 15, 2013. BeatRoute Magazine. December 23, 2012.
  23. Web site: Derdeyn. Stuart. The Province reviews 'For The Moment'. The Province. December 23, 2012.
  24. Web site: Marchand. Francois. Album reviews: The Scenics, July Talk and Boombox Saints . Vancouver Sun. December 23, 2012.
  25. Web site: Ardanaz. Jordan. Under Review Jancember 2012. Discorder Magazine. December 23, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121215025320/http://www.discorder.ca/discorder-magazine/index.php/discorder-in-print/. December 15, 2012. dead.
  26. Web site: Fairweather. Brendan. Boombox Saints "For The Moment" - Album Review. The Snipe News. December 23, 2012.

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