WHO IS JOSH?
In the past five years Josh Martinez has managed to tour 200+ dates per year all over the world, start his own label, Camobear Records, ink deals with European labels Bella Union (UK) and V2 (Europe), license records to distributors in Japan, Europe and North America and headline festivals and showcases worldwide. And all of this, with absolutely no help from an established North American record label, manager, booking agent, publicist or industry support.
His recent naming to Urb Magazine’s Next 100 rising stars, profiles in Rockpile, Pitchfork, Magnet, Spin, CMJ magazine, and reviews from all over, signifies a larger media interest. Profiles in Europe have included excellent reviews in UK’s Jockey Slut, DJ Magazine, NME, Fader and HHC.
Josh has managed to find time amid all the deal cutting to develop not just his solo career, but that of two groups as well. Josh is a founding member of both The Chicharones and The Pissed Off Wild. The Chicharones is Josh’s underground pop project with rapper Sleep of Oldominion. Together they have released two full length albums since a chance meeting between the two at South By Southwest led to the formation of the group. The Pissed Off Wild, (or the P.O.W.), is a live rock band which Martinez fronts. Musically the band draws more from artists like the Black Keys and Beck, than the hip-hop sounds that Martinez would generally be known for.
2005 was a year of change for Martinez. He has recently enlisted the help of a management firm, agent and publicity company and he’s suddenly finding time to make music again. “I’m DIY guy, and since record labels weren’t knocking on my basement door, I figured why wait for them to find me?†says Josh. “I did everything myself til I came to the point where I hit a ceiling. I needed help to get over the industry hurdles and free up some time to make music. I’ve got a great team, who I’m putting to work with this next album of pure fire.â€
Josh spent most of 2006 hard at work in the studio. His most recent solo album, Midriff Music, won “Best Rap Recording†at the 2005 Western Canadian Music Awards. After the success of his solo and Chicharones material, Josh enlisted the help of some notable guests while working with some of his regular production partners -- the result of which is "Splitsville," released in May 2007.
"Splitsville" is an album of drunken love songs for broken hearts. Produced by DJ Moves and featuring Awol One, it consists of two separate EP's brought together to create the feel of two broken men, brought to their knees by the trials of love and life. Equal parts black humor, dreamy pop and gorgeous multi-layered hi-hats, this is an album for people who like things, but hate stuff.
Now, following the Josh has hit the road for a five-week US tour with AwolOne, Moves, Evil, Factor, MineUs and Hoppa. Stay tuned for more information, and look for Josh in your city this summer.
WHERE'S HE BEEN?
Josh has played every major and most minor North American markets, playing over 1200 shows in the last 5 years with special focus on college markets Headlined Southwest by Southwest (2001-2005), North by Northwest, Bumpershoot, CMJ, Nemo, Florida Music Week, Winter Music Conference Performed on the 2003 and 2005 edition of the Vans Warped Tour and the 2004 US DMC finals at Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles Canadian Showcases at Pop Montreal, Canadian Music Week, North by Northeast, Slam City Jam and New Music West and various festivals throughout the West Coast Three highly successful tours of Europe including shows in the UK, France, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands Overseas Showcases include Transmusicales (France), Triptych (Scotland), Printemps en Bourges (France), Innsbruck Fest (Austria)
WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SAYIN':
“Martinez litters his tracks with more melodies per square inch than any rapper on the planet. Once he gets his hooks in you, he’ll never let go.†- URB Magazine
“Magnetising audiences with his ridiculous stage presence and inimitable joie de vivre, Josh Martinez’s is a legitimate underground success.†– NOW Toronto
“His latest album, Midriff Music, is an opus of anthemic rap music, bullying topics all over the schoolyard, pushing the envelope of acceptable hiphop behavior and making one of the best rap albums at the same time.†– Ion Magazine
“Midriff Music is a must-have. Going from banger to anthem to summer jam and back again, this album showcases a colossal display of songwriting prowess, with Martinez guiding the feel and flow with effortless ease.†– DJ Magazine
“The best rhyme writer in the city, Buck Up Princess is Josh Martinez’s crowning achievement, a sprawling epic that finds him indulging in the many sides of his personality: the road weary battler, the tipsy raconteur, the passionate social critic and the lovelorn romantic.†– Georgia Straight
“Though comparisons can be made, both lyrically and conceptually, Martinez proves himself to one of hiphop’s best.†– Jockey Slut
“Youth may indeed be wasted on the young, but according to Josh Martinez, retirement is wasted on the elderly. The Halifax native is one of the best hip-hop artists in Canada, an articulate entertainer whose career has been driven by a single motivating theme: the unabashed pursuit of happiness.†– CBC Radio 3
“This is sureshot Summertime Rap for listeners looking to soften up the playlist for the BBQ or stoop even beyond the old-school classics - allhiphop.com
