"Within hits consists ill bass riffs, guitars, drum kicks / to assists with neck twist, / rhythmically pumping clinched fist. / I'm sorta like a pied piper rather micro-hypnotist. / I combine facts with tracks to convert an atheist / to a God fearer. Nearer to a revolutionist, / paganist minds blown to bits like grits from Genesis"
This is just a taste of the lyrics of wordsmith Genesis Jah-I-Witness Osagboro, emcee / vocalist of Virginia's premier live-hip-hop act True Sound. However, to refer to True Sound as just a hip-hop act is a huge understatement. True Sound is a seven-member live-instrumental unit whose unique sound blends everything from funk, reggae, jungle and jazz, to blues, go-go, and rock-n-roll. The combination of the super-solid rhythm section (Dave Arditi, Karanja Burke , Cameron McLaughlin , and Keith Thomas ), sweet and soulful vocals (K.C. "Kill Caesar" Moyer, Wayne "Range da Messenga" Hancock , Genesis "Jah-I-Witness" Osagboro ), high-powered super-emceeing (Genesis "Jah-I-Witness" Osagboro), and a captivating stage show has rapidly gained popularity within the Virginia live-music scene. With the raw energy of a rock-n-roll concert, the attitude of a hip-hop show, and the conscious and positive vibes of a reggae show, a True Sound stage show can be described as nothing less than The True Sound Experience.
Birthed in the summer of 2001, True Sound started gigging around the time of the tragic events of September 11th. During this time of fear and confusion, True Sound's socio-political grooves and theme-based performances became the main draw at the legendary Blacksburg, Virginia music venue Baylee's (formerly known as South Main Café). Crowds enjoyed the spontaneity and fresh sound True Sound provided, and shows were highly anticipated. While performing countless shows at Baylees, True Sound perfected their unique sound and amassed quite a large local following. All sorts of bar records were being broken - no small feat, taking into account that national acts such as The Wailers, Burning Spear, Dave Matthews Band, Carbon Leaf, and Ice Cube graced the same stage.
Since taking those first baby-steps in 2001, True Sound has had the opportunity to share the stage with national acts such as Fishbone, Culture, John Brown's Body, and Speech (of Arrested Development). They've rocked venues such as The State Theatre (Falls Church, VA), Fat Tuesdays (Fairfax, VA), Bucknell University (Lewisburg, PA), and the famed Marrz Theatre (Wilmington, NC).
In the spring of 2003 True Sound released their first CD entitled Live Livity 2K3, a collection of nine songs recorded live at Baylees. Live Livity was the perfect title for this release, in that it captures the essence of what True Sound is - live music, with livity (a purpose). It is a roller coaster of sound and emotion, which touches on spiritual, political, party, and lyrical levels.
By the summer of 2003, The Live Livity release had sold well over 300 copies at local shows. Riding the momentum of their local success, True Sound got their first bit of festival experience performing at the Floyd World Music Festival to a crowd of 1000 plus. Since officially becoming road warriors, True Sound has performed at Floyd Fest twice, Radford Earthday, and Blacksburg Steppin' Out as headliners.
Slowly but surely True Sound is spiraling out from their VA locale to various other points along the mid-Atlantic uniting hip-hoppers, hard-rockers, and funkateers along the way. As more listeners get a sample of this unique collective of musicians and flavors, the hunger for the True Sound Experience grows. Guaranteed to suit any musical taste, True Sounds music will always provide the listener with food for thought, and satisfy ones appetite for fun.I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4
