"The Grown Folks Table" Coming Soon!

A fresh voice in Hip-Hop! Take a good listen to this fresh voice in Hip Hop and soul. He goes by the name of SPEECH. After traveling to Jerusalem, the turbulent Middle East, down-under Australia, Northern Africa and Europe, Speech embarked on his most incredible musical journey to date. The Grown Folks Table. A record of world-wide influence and collaborations. Special Guest include: John Butler (of the John Butler Trio), Chali 2na (of Jurassic 5), Marie Daulne (of Zap Mama), Steph Pockets, Marvin Priest, Jahi, Braille, Theory Hazit, Jahah, 1 Love, Tasha Larae, Za’ and JJ Boogie (of Arrested Development). Beat Producers include: S-1 (Strange Fruit Project), Speech, Sebmaestria (France), Lounge Lizards (Denmark), Theory Hazit, and BeatKamp (New Zealand). Speech has always had a fresh take on hip hop since his debut in 1992 with the revolutionary group Arrested Development, of which he lead and founded. Yet Speech has grown from a sometimes naïve, hippie rapper to a songwriter and passionate philosopher/activist. And this album shows his best hip-hop lyrical skills to date. At first listen you notice the obvious hard-hitting drums, a new addition to his usual melody driven tunes. You will also notice Speech’s unapologetic return to Hip hop. With all of his musical detours, it’s easy to forget that the world first heard of Speech in a hip-hop group. Speech says: "Grown Folks Table is my coming of age record, everybody grows up, this album deals with those transitions. I’m speaking to a new generation where immaturity is glorified, & no one is expected to mature. Too many rappers who in reality are hittin’ on 40years & have kids, complex lives and wives, yet rarely talk about them in their songs. Instead they portray themselves with dancing women at the beach, shopping at the malls, going to strip clubs, and playing video games."
Speech the writer of 1991’s hit, “Fishing For Religion” it’s obvious with this “Spiritual” laced release, Speech has found religious faith. Each song is sprinkled with these convictions and yet with honesty he wrestles with what religion commands and how he sometimes falls short of it. This album is filled with the thrills of human drama. It surpasses the cliché’ revolutionary banter of some and embraces a commonality that the whole world will relate to.
From revolutionary, to father, from husband to minister, The Grown Folks Table speaks to the thickness of life, like not many other records dare to in these days.
"The Grown Folks Table" is pure hotness, full of hard hittin beats & uplifting content. Available late - 2008 on CD, Vinyl and specialty cassettes - from Vagabond Records & Tapes Keep in tune with the blog as Speech will Debut some of this great material in the coming months!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am tired of sitting at the kids table! Can I join you at the Grown Folks table?

jj

Anonymous said...

:-)

You have already joined me my brother! :-)

Thanks again for your talent and love!

SPEECH

Anonymous said...

Hello yawl,

I am very happy to announce that "The Grown Folks Table" is done! :-) YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

2 years, 1 month and 19 songs later, I have completed the album of my dreams! I am so proud of the work, music, and content of this record, and I know GOD has amazing plans for it! There is an exhaustive thanks in the credits but I wanted to personally thank:

All of the Producers: BeatKamp (New Zealand), Theory Hazit (U.S.A), Lounge Lizards (Denmark), Sebmaestria (France)

Engineers: Tall boy (ATL), Tim Latham (NYC), Hosoi (Tokyo Japan), Glenn and lastly, Jamil for translating my english to Japanese!

Art designers & photographers: Sean Herman, Kevin Garrett, and Max Stamper

All of my guests: John Butler, Marie Daulne, Chali2na, Jahi, Tasha Larae, 1 Love, Chimere, Braille, Theory Hazit, Mike Mullis, Jahah, Steph Pockets, JJ Boogie, Za', Omar Phillips, TallBoy, Rasa Don, Eric Dozier, Marvin Priest...

for being GREAT FRIENDS and wonderful contributors! I owe you all infinitely, there is no money amount for a dream realized!

Thanks as well to all of those who contributed on songs that I will use later, I love you for your willingness to make music with me!

The album will come out in January (Japan first) We are presently looking for a label here and else where. (Any suggestions is welcomed), but I KNOW GOD will provide!

During the making of this album, a wonderful friend of mine Rock Dee killed himself. I dedicated the song, "Milwaukee Love" to him and his family. That would be the second close friend that would die from a gun. I hope the last!

This album is a journey of my adult life, the good & bad, pretty and ugly. It's vulnerable, some what political, but mostly documenting a spiritual journey of an artist trying to find himself again, as he hits new stages in life.

I'll hit you all with a link so you can hear the album in it's entirety asap.

Again, I'm glad you all took the journey with me. And I love you for it!


Peace & Strength,
SPEECH

Anonymous said...

WONDERFUL ONE!

I know it will be powerful because you have taken a journey that many refuse to take.
We each are so vulnerable....so insecure, so needy and so powerless when life brings us LIFE!. The test of maturity is acknowledging it and pushing up and ahead....through prayer. For in the long long, it is only the Master who sustains us and equips us and prepares us to continue on this journey. These are the experiences of Mom, now in her sixth decade and quickly approaching the promised seven decades.
God is love! And, love is God for those who are in God and believe His love!
And, I thank Him for you, your dreams and your desire to remain thirsty for His love and direction. Mom

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to pick up this album. It's so refreshing to see someone--a real ARTIST--taking more than 3 months to complete an album like all these pop stars do. It shows you value quality over the quantity of dollars, fame and fans you can garner by pumping out one emotionless album after another.

Never stop making music!

Love.

Anonymous said...

it was a real pleasure having you at the Valley!!!! your energy is awesome!! keep up the great music and positive influence, hope to have ya back. ONE LOVE!!!
chadd

Anonymous said...

Hey Speech, your music is heart & soul! I dig it.
I'm from a small city called Adelaide, South Australia... your tunes made it down to me.
Are you makin any trips down under? Australia.
anyway, keep spreading the good news!
peace.

Anonymous said...

aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

i can't wait!!!
i'm like a kid a few days before christmas!!
thanks for your talent and thanks to let me be a lil part of this album!!

Peace!

DavidA said...

Oh man, Speech. Oh man, this CD is pure awesomeness. It is beautiful from top to bottom.

I gotta say that "Relieve Me" is so good I can hardly use words to describe how much it reaches in and takes hold of my soul.

Be proud of this one, my friend. Give God the glory, and keep pushing.