Saturday, April 26, 2008 Dice, K9 soon to invade US By Jill Rusell Delmar Beltran
"FROM the streets to the stadium."
This is how the hip-hop trio Dice and K9 also known as Mobbstarr define their struggle when they decided to break into the Manila music scene after throbbing with their techno-pop music at the busiest streets and bars in Cebu.
After being warmly accepted in their hometown, the group composed of Dice, Hi-C and Klumcee (new member) was able to win the hearts of people in Manila and other provinces in Luzon.
Dice hoped that having their music as their "bread and butter," they have become more professional and treasure their work dearly. The bubbly and dynamic guy added that what they used to treat as past time and hobby has now become their immediate source of income.
Far different from the typical oversized shirts and baggy ultra low jeans that hip-hop people are associated with, the trio prefer clothes that perfectly suit their body -- not too small not too saggy. With this, the three became famous not for the signature hip-hop wardrobe but for their hip-hop music, which blended with pop and techno.
"Eargasmic," the title of their newest single is set to flourish in the local club scene. It is included in their latest and fourth studio album dubbed "Time Space Rhythm Starrs" which is a collection of songs from the spontaneous and out-of-the-box beats and music of the group.
"Our newest album is different primarily because of Klumcee's input and creativity. Every album is a concept album. It is never similar with the previous album. This album sounds a lot more technical and futuristic this time," Dice said.
The group started with Dice and K9 as the original members. Then, Hi-C and Trapp were featured in the hit song "Itsumo" that went on to become popular not only in the Visayas and Mindanao but also in Luzon. It was also considered as the big-break for the group as their single made it into the hit charts nationwide.
However, after releasing their second album "Mobbstarr", which was also the chosen name for the group when Hi-C and Trapp joined their two friends, K9 decided not to do the third album, "Dice and K9 Mobbstarr: Tha Journey," anymore and instead chose to be with his family in Cebu and do something else for himself.
Trapp, meanwhile, after several years with the group eventually left for the US. Klumcee, who is not new and strange to Dice and Hi-C, jumped in and in fact has been jamming with the group in their tours and shows in the past.
Klumcee, belonging to a family of band vocalists and surrounded by friends who were also musicians, still had a hard time coping with the hip-hop music discipline.
"My family and friends influenced me to perform in a band. My parents and my siblings used to be members of bands," Klumcee said.
The group's lovely vocalists Hi-C meantime described their new co-member "as talented as K9 and as cool as Trapp". Dice added that Klumcee is like a "fusion of K9 and Trapp."
In 2006, the trio had a two-week tour in Japan as they performed in Yokohama, Yokosuka, Atsugi and Tokyo.
The group did not stop experimenting and composing songs that spontaneously come out from their free and artistic minds. Dice said in the creation of their new album, it is an advantage that the three of them have one vision and taste for the genre of their music, as they courageously produce a new sound not limiting their music to one particular beat.
All of the songs in their newest album were made by the three of them, at their very own professional home studio. Their album was produced by Dice's label 6000 GOONZ and released under a new maverick label, Upperhand Entertainment.
As to the acceptance of hip-hop music in the country, the group commented that there are many fresh and talented hip-hop artists in the country that need support and exposure. "The only thing they had to work on is a song that everybody will accept and enjoy," the group said.
Dice and K9 Mobbstarr will soon launch a nationwide album, bar and campus tour. Likewise, the music of the trio is expected to hit the US scene as they plan to have a concert tour around 10 states by September or early next year. Trapp might perform in some of these shows.
Moreover, Dice said the group is also preparing to launch a clothing line called 6G Swagger. He enthusiastically added that he and Klumcee are now working with their album entitled "Monks Not Dead". While Hi-C at the same time, also disclosed that she will have a solo album, which tentatively dubbed "Fountain of Youth."
