Five Fingers of Funk explained

Five Fingers of Funk
Origin:Portland, Oregon, United States
Genre:Rap
Years Active:1994-1999, 2020 - present
Label:Ho-Made Media, E Platinum Entertainment
Current Members:Talbott Guthrie
Pete Miser
Steven Mitchell
DJ Chill Blend (DJ Chillest Illest)
Allan Redd
Ted Hille
Curt Bieker
Josh Prewitt
Tim Cook
Todd Smith
Mac Brown
Past Members:Brian "Zaidi" Twitty
Mark "Sparky" Hardy
Mark Ricker

Five Fingers of Funk, also stylized as 5 Fingers of Funk, is an American hip hop group that formed in 1992 and is currently based in Portland, Oregon. Pete Miser met drummer Talbot Guthrie and together they formed what originally was a nine-piece group.[1] They grew to be a ten-piece group that performed at venues such as La Luna, Satyricon, Roseland Theater, X-Ray Cafe, and Berbati's Pan.[2] The group is an example of hip hop from Portland, where it's generally considered lacking. Pete Miser, the lead vocalist described the Portland hip hop culture as "dope, but it has such a marginalized status".[3] The members take influence from old-school rap and Bootsy Collins funk and differ from their peers by generating sounds from instruments instead of electronic sampling.[4] The group has also been described as combining the sounds of James Brown, Sly Stone, and Funkadelic with 90s hip hop.[5] Sounds are created with instruments such as keyboards, drums, bass, horn section, and turntables.[6]

The group toured for several years on the west coast from California to British Columbia and played with acts like Fishbone and Maceo Parker.[1] Eventually, Miser left the group in 1999 and moved to Brooklyn, New York to become a solo artist.[3] The group reunited in 2020 for the single, "Who's Gonna Take the Weight" to inspire voters in the American elections of 2020. It was the first time the band recorded together since 1998.[2]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pete Miser wrote a series of songs about his hometown, Portland, Oregon.[7] Working with the original band members and other Portland hip hop artists they remotely recorded and produced Kill Sound, releasing it in May of 2023 on Kill Rock Stars.[8]

The band reunited for a show and played sections from Kill Sound At Portlands Music Millenium on May 13, 2023.[9]

Discography

Studio albums

Notes and References

  1. Book: Key, Rachel. Hip Hop America: A Regional Guide. From the SEA to the PDX: Northwest Hip Hop in the I-5 Corridor. ABC Clio. 292. 2010.
  2. Web site: Fiver Fingers of Funk Reunite for New Single . WebWire . 2020-10-19 . 2021-03-28 .
  3. Book: Christopher, Roy. St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture. 349. Gale Company.
  4. Web site: Ehrbar . Joe . For a High-Fever Stage Show,Try the Five Fingers of Funk . . 1995-10-13 . 2021-03-28 .
  5. News: For What It's Worth. . 10 . 2 . 6.
  6. Web site: Roskelley . Chad . Five Fingers of Funk . In Music We Trust . 1998-07-01 . 2021-03-28 .
  7. Web site: 2023-04-06 . Five Fingers Of Funk release new single & video “Kill Sound” featuring Jumbo from the Lifesavas & Cool Nutz . 2023-09-15 . Drop The Spotlight . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2023-05-05 . Five Fingers Of Funk - Portland Say It Again - Album Out . 2023-09-15 . Kill Rock Stars . en.
  9. Web site: 2023-05-09 . Five Fingers Of Funk Get The Original Lineup Together Again For ‘Portland Say It Again’ . 2023-09-15 . Wildfire Music + News . en-US.