Bio
So, I grew up in the grimy version of New York City that seems like a distant memory. I lived in a publicly subsided low-income artist residence in the Far West Village section of Manhattan where my mother blasted classical music 24/7, and occasionally The Beatles. I was pushed to play violin for over a decade, and then sang professionally in a choir as well as a boys soprano in the Metropolitan Opera while straddling schoolwork (not the easiest feat, but back then I didn't exactly miss being out of school..."I'm sorry...what?").
My first love was hip-hop, which was very much introduced to me on a grander level by my cousin, Jake the Rapper who hooked me up with dubs of Ice Cube, Eric B & Rakim and The Prodigy. When I attended university I started a radio program, 'The Presidential Address,' and dove into DJing & vinyl, which I wanted to do since "DJing" dances when i went to summer camp. I was into electronic dance music, and anything with a good beat, but I ended up focusing on turntablism, hip-hop, and lo-fi/downtempo; learning some from classmate, DJ Cip-One , who later went onto work with the artists like Cannibal Ox, Karniege, and DJ Mighty Mi of The High & Mighty.
Later, I worked with my strongest influence Public Enemy , on a project , which eventually became a group itself, called The Impossebulls . Our philosophy was very unique at the time. We embodied Chuck D 's push for artists, especially independent and those not signed to major labels, to use mp3 technology against the major labels. While some artists who didn't have the foresight to see how it was about democratizing the industry railed against this, now that idea seems common sensical.We were a "virtual" group in that we all lived in different parts of the country and world, but were able to use the Internet as a means of collaboration. On Chuck D's label Slam Jamz , we produced several mp3 releases and two full albums on CD/DVD. As a result I've also recorded scratches for other PE related projects, touring with The 'Bulls, and collaborated with other artists from around the world using the power of the Internet.
Of course, my being raised in an American (Protestant) work-ethic culture, and an expensive city like New York led me to pursue all of this while becoming a NYC Teaching Fellow where I taught Social Studies (History/Economics/Civics/Geography) to 5th and 7th graders, getting Masters of Arts in Secondary Education (High School) in Social Studies. After that, apparently I couldn't get enough education, so I completed a Masters of Science in Social Work. However, while I love music, both degrees actually relate to my musical and professional interests of helping facilitate/develop programs/policies for people to harness their creative talents and apply it in their work life.
My thing is, it's obvious that more cities in the U.S. need to focus on facilitating, harnessing and sustaining underground music and art communities. People who do not necessarily wish to create the most pop music/art should, and can be given opportunities to create something they can make some kind of living off of. I'm pretty much down with anyone who's cool with that, open minded, lacking pretension, and looking for collaboration rather than competition.
Peace!
- Ike
Ize Bernard @ Bar25 (Berlin)
RECENT MIXES:
(ib)BuGGin' Volume 005 (January 30, 2009)
http://www.izebernard.com/Podcasts/Ize_Bernard_-_ib_BuGGin_V olume_005.mp3
Canary Fontaine - 'Arizona Creeping' [Mean]
John Roberts - 'Hesitate' [Dial]
Andrea Paganin - 'One More Kiss' [Circle Music]
Mark Farina - 'Fusbol' [OM]
Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts - 'Le Tigre' [Oslo]
Lowtec - 'Untitled A1' [Workshop]
Audiofly X - '1999' [8Bit]
Robert Dietz - 'Klondike' [Deep Vibes]
Dark Daze - 'Lottie's Vogue' [Fuju]
Theo Parrish - 'Dusty Cabinets' [Sound Signature]
Jesse Rose Alongside Henrik Schwarz - 'Stop Look And Listen (Henrik's Version)' [Front Room]
Daniel Bell aka DBX - 'The Wild Life' [Logistic Recordings]
Reboot - 'Three Rows' [Raum…Muzik]
Damian Schwartz - 'Plastico' [Oslo]
Lee Curtiss - 'Sexy Dancer' [Wolf + Lamb]
Ada & Dee Pulse - 'Himmelunaed' [Areal]
Jeff Mills - 'The Bells' [Purpose Maker]
Kaufmann & Ferdinand feat Evensloped - 'Maden Magda (Alex Kork Remix)' [Kaufe]
Daniel Ceballos - 'Deep X' [3rd Wave]
(ib)BuGGin Volume 004 (December 19, 2008)
http://www.prezike.com/Podcasts/Ize_Bernard_-_ib_BuGGin_Vol_ 004_2008_12_15.mp3
Claro Intelecto - 'Gone to the Dogs' [Modern Love]
Matthias Meyer & Patlac - 'Skipper' [Liebe Detail]
Anton Pieete - 'Last Night' [Intacto]
SIS - 'Nesrib' [Cécille]
Andre Crom & Luca Doobie - 'Orange Drive' [Heimatmelodie]
Luciano & Mirko Loco - 'Mousa Big Band' [Desolat]
Big Bully & Rufas - 'Nightflight' [Tic Tac Toe]
Boza - 'My Big Thing (Mastiksoul Remix)' [Rawthentic]
Matt Star - 'Kuhle Fliege (Jonas Kopp Androgeno Remix)' [International Freakshow]
Loco Dice - 'Phat Dope Shit (Saeed's Shit Bass Mix)' [Four:Twenty]
Dapayk Solo - 'Devil's House' [Mo's Ferry]
Motor City Drum Ensemble - 'Raw Cuts 3' [Faces]
Ilario Alicante - 'Living Near Africa' [Cécille]
Klovn - 'I Want You (District One Remix)' [Great Stuff]
Pablo Rez - 'Origami' [Frankie]
D'Julz - 'Fleurette (Tobias Remix)' [Circus Company]
Efdemin - 'The Pulse' [Curle]
Butane - 'Collapse' [alphahouse]
PREZ IKE WEBSITES:
Ize Bernard aka Prez Ike websiteHome to my podcast mixes, including (ib)BuGGin & Indelible Beats
Archive of previous mixes and unreleased tracksMy hip-hop group, The Impossebulls
The Impossebulls label, Slam Jamz
Ize Bernard aka Prez Ike Discogs Release Listing
PREVIOUS BOOKINGS:
Bar25 (Berlin)Myth (Amman)
Coco66 (Brooklyn) Boogaloo (Brooklyn)
Kion (New York City)
Jour et Nuit (New York City)
Cafe De Ville (New York City)
SIP (New York City)
Supper Club (New York City)
1492 (New York City)
The Parlour (New York City)
Salon Daome (Montreal)
Barraca (Montreal)
Pixel (Ithaca, NY)
Olivia (Ithaca, NY)
Common Ground (Ithaca, NY)
Castaways (Ithaca, NY)
H-Kan (Pittsburgh)
Rams Head Live (Baltimore)
Madison Theater (Cincinnati/Kentucky)
House of Blues (Chicago)
RELEASES:
PARTY FLIERS: