Yo Majesty Explained
Yo! Majesty is an American hip hop group consisting of singer and rappers Shunda K and Shon B, produced by UK-based electro group HardfeelingsUK.[1]
Yo! Majesty was mentioned as one of the 'Top 11 new bands of 2008' by NME magazine[2] as well as one of the '25 Most Exciting Bands in America'.[3]
Biography
Yo! Majesty's current members are W,[4] Shon Burt, stage name Shon B, and LaShunda Flowers, known as Shunda K. The group members are openly lesbian[5] and self-identify as Christian.[6] Their sound is a hybrid of crunk, Baltimore club music,[7] [8] and electro,[9] and they have garnered comparisons to punk for their defiance of labels and creation of new sounds.[10]
Rappers Shunda K and Shon B started out as a duo named Yeah Majesty before they were rounded out circa 2001 by gospel-raised vocalist Jwl B. They started collaborating with London-based electronica duo HardfeelingsUK (David Alexander and Richard Winstanley), who supplied Yo! Majesty with their electro-rap club beats, in 2002.[11] After a hiatus during Shunda K's marriage, Yo! Majesty regrouped. Once they established a name for themselves on the underground club circuit, both in the US and the UK, Yo! Majesty self-released their first official release, the Yo EP, in 2006.[12]
They "made a splash" at SXSW in 2007[13] and that year toured alongside CSS and Gossip. Yo! Majesty has also toured with Peaches and was featured in her parody video of the Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps" called "My Dumps".[14] The group signed with Domino Records in 2007,[15] and the label released an EP and full-length record by the band in 2008, which included a track produced by Basement Jaxx.[16]
A documentary based on the band, Das Wassup, directed by Johannes Schaff, was released in 2017.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Record label |
|---|
| 2006 | Yo EP | Out There |
| 2008 | Kryptonite Pussy EP | Domino |
| 2008 | Futuristically Speaking... Never Be Afraid |
| 2020 | Bumpin' Too Hard f/ Basement Jaxx Single | GMEQCA/Matriarch Records |
| 2021 | FLEX Maxi Single |
| 2021 | Make Em' Regret EP' |
| 2021 | Return of The Matriarch Album |
| 2022 | The Belgian Stallion FLEX Remix | |
Appears on
| Year | Song | Album | Record label |
|---|
| 2008 | "Pony Girl" | Dub Gabriel – Anarchy & Alchemy | Destroy All Concepts |
| 2008 | "Sweat Shop | | Lex |
| 2011 | "Flavor" featuring Yo Majesty | Carbon Copy by ★STAR GUiTAR | | |
Singles
- 2009: "Don't Let Go"
- 2021: "FLEX Maxi Single"
- 2022: "FLEX - The Belgian Stallion Remix"
External links
- (https://yomajesty.bandcamp.com/)
Notes and References
- Web site: Yo Majesty . November 8, 2008 . Robson, Eddie . New-noise.net . https://web.archive.org/web/20081121202046/http://www.new-noise.net/new-bands/yo-majesty/yo-majesty_5038.html . November 21, 2008 . dead .
- News: Sam. Richards. New Noise 2008. NME. January 12, 2008.
- News: Priya. Elan. Reborn Indie USA. NME. August 2, 2008.
- Web site: Jwl B Discography at Discogs. . June 14, 2009.
- Web site: Jail, money, music and ex-bandmates: Yo! Majesty's Jwl B talks to Lesbilicious . March 30, 2008 . Andrews, Gem . March 30, 2009 . Lesbilicious.
- Web site: Spreading the word: Yo! Majesty . Gay News Network . December 30, 2011 . February 4, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140221141753/http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/feature/spreading-the-word-yo-majesty-3857.html . February 21, 2014 . dead .
- Mackay . Emily . NME Reviews: Yo! Majesty: Futuristically Speaking...Never Be Afraid . NME . 2008 .
- Web site: Yahoo! Music Album Review:Yo Majesty - Futuristically_Speaking_Never_Be_Afraid . Kharas, Kev. November 8, 2008 . Yahoo Music . September 29, 2008 .
- News: O'Dair . Marcus . Ones to Watch: Yo Majesty . . September 5, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090119084529/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/music-magazine/music-magazine-features/ones-to-watch-yo-majesty-920059.html . dead . January 19, 2009 .
- News: Castillo . Arielle . Yo! Majesty: "Kyptonite Pussy" and God . Miami New Times . May 21, 2008 .
- News: Luger . Kara . Yo! Majesty hype (and are hyped about) their upcoming album. . Rocky Mountain Chronicle . May 1, 2008 .
- Web site: Band to watch: Yo Majesty . November 8, 2008 . December 13, 2006 . Stereogum.
- Web site: Music: Yo Majesty: Futuristically Speaking… Never Be Afraid. November 8, 2008 . Hawthorne, Mark . October 14, 2008 . The A.V. Club.
- Elan, Priya (April 14, 2009). "Peaches: sex and the seminal woman". The Sunday Times. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- Web site: Yo Majesty Sign to Domino Records, Tour . November 8, 2008 . Thompson, Paul . September 21, 2007 . Pitchfork . https://web.archive.org/web/20080725142246/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/45551-yo-majesty-sign-to-domino-records-tour . July 25, 2008 . dead .
- Web site: Yo Majesty Enlist Basement Jaxx for Domino Debut . November 8, 2008 . Maher, Dave . June 18, 2008 . Pitchfork . https://web.archive.org/web/20081029045742/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/51362-yo-majesty-enlist-basement-jaxx-for-domino-debut . October 29, 2008 . dead .
