About Me
TARA DE LONGwritten by Chloe Dzubilo..The multi-faceted songwriter/producer/rapper/performer/leader has forged an international reputation among the inner circles of various cultural centers and European venues.
Tara De Long aka TJ Free was born and raised ultra-aware in rural Illinois during the heyday of hip hop. Like many teenagers De Long came to New York City with only a suitcase. She briefly attended the Academy of Dramatic Arts. She soon found her way into the mid 90's downtown manhattan's art/music/performance scene that became her creative home. It was there she met DJ Snax and the created New York City's original experimental lo-fi hip hop group Bedroom Productions.Know for there infectious live sets and producing outlaw parties they drew the attention of Temple Records/El Turco Loco founder Can Oral aka Khan who released the duo's two LP's Bedroom Productions and Fast Cars- Fast Women ( international albeit underground) which featured classics like "Socialism New York City."Money Star Hustle, "Mariposita", and "No Es Este Tipo De Fiesta." making appearances on such compilations on Harvest EMI , Matador Records and Electroclash. Tara/TJ Free has curated music and Performance Art for "Ps1 Contemporary Art Museum and was founding member of the summer Warm-up Series .
RollingStone Magazine listed De Long upon the "Top Moments of Censorship" in the 90's. The New York Times reported that the NYPD forced De Long to cancel the performance entitled "Fuck the Police.
In 2000 she moved to Mexico City connecting with Daniela Rossell on the highly controversial photo series "Ricas y Famosas. It was in Mexico City she first released the latin radio single "Soy Machina" on Epic Records.
She then released her angry ,industrial, booty shaking musical Manifesto -You Do the Math on Atari Teenage Riot's Hanin Elias's Fatal Recordings. De Long's critical reputation brought her to Berlin to work on recordings with beat boxer Mark Boombastik, producer Patric Catani and Snax, among others.De Long has a knack for bonding witty, vitriolic freestyles, melodies, phophetic lyrics while expressing the diversity of mass consumption and it's many faces. Twisting with provocative new faster beats, crafting inimitable soundscapes whose impact have the capacity too range from fragile- pop- pleasure. And Sheer Sonic Assault striking lyrics like an arrow right on political target. Sometimes brutally honest, without denials of societal systems, Delongs messages can be heartwarming if one is seeking, or in need of such multiple indentities.With the heart of pure hope and into what can seem like darkness and despair of todays systems failing. Often quite in the way leaders inspire emotional reactions/responses thru passionate lingo. Delongs savy wordology, and talent for rapping purely philosophically, leaves not only the potent taste for deeper honesty, and a longing for a youth generation to move. De Long holds her own youth beautifully accompanied with the wisdom of an elder. Short version: People listen thru the global vibrations while dancing their raging asses off . Her new collaborative kick ass rant " No Glove/No Love, reaches out and across the multi-cultural danceprance floor in a festive, firey pot of HIV fierceness, lustful and pop-amped down! A true untold statement of testo-fueled-estrogen glamangels of the night. It will surely be the show stopper of the decade taking heed head first!This year marks a new beginning for TJFree. S/he's on the mark timing wise.Her lyrics inspire a nations brain to think proceeded by, Shut up and Dance. Develop/Deconstruct. Overcome/Accept. Her abundant lyrical lushness evokes complex bridges to cross through momentarily. Even the shortest ADHD of audiences. Pop Pop. Click .. Off. Instantainia Realness. No matter how one percieves this gender non- conforming ( as academics like to put it ) instinct races raw with the thrilling, and spine surging backbone that is Delong. With a quick dose of perfomance change of heart we are lulled too the deep vulnerability of a child mad from the Midwest. One where she truly identified, and integrated Rural Americana, with real genuine roots in the fire that was her stompin' grounds in the ghetto. Her sophistication has the ability to speak too the most private Connosieur of Truth. Adaptable, fluid, raging, for all ages, De Long is one of the new keepers of the flame. Watch the speeds fast as a Vocal Indie Racer, while burning thru global territory. Always in a way that people tend to want to follow. Feel the humanity flesh thru you. She is a true on the front lines racer. listener. Observer . Activist!!!
Pop musician, audio provocateur, sought-after producer: regardless of the title, Tara De Long is an artist..
