Member Since: 10/05/2006
Band Website: http://Keithrodgers.8k.com
Influences:
Sounds Like: Keith Rodgers veteran of the music Business started making music professionally as a Rapper / DJ at the age of 15. Born in Brooklyn New York his father Stanley Rodgers was discovered by Frankie Lyman singing with Doo Wop groups like the Revlons, The Townsmen and eventually Don & Juan.Keith was transferred to a school for musically gifted children at the age of 7. Discovered by movie producers while performing as Bon Rock at the Hip Hop club “The Roxy†he was asked to play a small part in the movie Krush Groove but didn’t make it past editing. His influences would come from time spent in “Harlem World“, Bentley’sâ€, â€The Fever“ and the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem hence the name Bon Rock his alter ego.Break Machine was the name of a 1980s rap act fronted by Keith Rodgers and produced by Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo, the team behind the Village People. Rodgers was a musician and presenter of a rap radio show called “Bon Rock Live†on the New York station WHBI 105.9.With the likes of Mr. Magic, Marly Marl, The Supreme Team and The Roots Man Earl Chin.In 1981, he recorded a single, "Searching Rap" produced by Ed Pavia under the name Bon Rock. This brought him to the attention of Morali and Belolo, the French producers who had been successful in the late 70s with the Village People, and who were looking for new styles after the decline of disco. In 1983, together with the musician Fred Zarr, they released the single Street Dance, which was an international hit and one of the earliest mainstream breakthroughs for hip hop. Although its style is considered more of a pop interpretation of that genre rather than an accurate reflection of the underground music of the time.Street Dance peaked at 3 on the UK singles charts in March 1984 and was the 42nd best-selling single of that year. It hit 1 in Sweden and Norway. In Germany, it was the 78th best-selling single of 1984. Street Dance's strongest chart performance was in France, where it was 1 for two weeks, selling over a million copies and becoming the 86th best-selling single of all time according to a list released in 2004 by the Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique. Street Dance has been featured in over 35 compilations and numerous Movies & Documentaries chronicling the early years of Hip Hop. It is also credited with starting the Smurf movement which was Europe’s equivalent of Hip Hop.During that time Keith was asked to be a part of a new act that would include Jalil of the Rap Group Whodini. He was also asked to join Smack Music Productions the legendary house producers who went on to produce Ten City and Adeva; He and then producer Dr. Ken Alper eventually landed on Easy Street Records.In 2008 Keith's first album Bon Rock the B Boy was digitaly remastered and rereleased in Europe on Boogie Times Records. He has also completed scoring the music for the independent film called "Drama" While completing his fourth album "Mista Rodgers". to be released in 2008 with production by Paul Von Thadden who has worked with Deborah Cox, Ashford & Simpson, M'lisa Morgan, Miki Howard and Allison Williams. Junior Wilson who was behind the remixes for John legend, Tyrese, and Tony Braxton produced three tracks on the album. With vocal arrangements by Mr. Morpheus of the Force Mds.
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Record Label: Ghetto Trax/Bad One Inc.
Type of Label: Indie