Gonjasufi
| Gonjasufi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sumach Ecks |
| Also known as |
Gonjasufi Sumach Valentine Randy Johnson[1] |
| Origin | San Diego, California, United States |
| Genres | Experimental, lo-fi, alternative hip hop, psychedelic rock, trip hop, dub |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Labels | Warp |
| Associated acts |
Flying Lotus The Gaslamp Killer |
| Website | www.sufisays.com |
Gonjasufi (born Sumach Ecks in 1978)[2] is an American musician, disc jockey, actor and yoga teacher.[3]
Biography
Ecks was born in 1978 to a Mexican mother and an American-Ethiopian father.[2] He spent his formative years in Chula Vista, California.[3]
Ecks got involved early on in the arts, playing Helios the Sun God in the opera Persephone.[4]
In the early 1990s, he began releasing music within the San Diego hip hop scene; notably with the Masters of the Universe crew.[5][6] Touring under the stage names Sumach Valentine and Randy Johnson,[1] his first band was called Plant Lyphe.[4]
Ecks gained notice from Warp Records in 2008 after an appearance on Californian musician Flying Lotus' album Los Angeles, on which he sings on the track "Testament".[6] His Warp debut album, A Sufi and a Killer, was released on March 8, 2010.[7]
In 2013, Ecks was also featured on Jay-Z's album Magna Carta Holy Grail.
Ecks' voice has been described by Pitchfork Media as "a scraggly, scary, smoked-out croak that creeps like the spiritual offspring of George Clinton and Lead Belly."[6] He attributes his singing style to his day job teaching yoga, where he was forced to learn how to "project from [his] stomach more".[6]
Ecks currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.[5]
Discography
Albums
- A Sufi and a Killer (2010), Warp
- The Caliph's Tea Party (2010), Warp
- The Ninth Inning EP (2011), A.I.R.
- MU.ZZ.LE (2012), Warp
Singles
- "Holidays"/"Candylane" (2009)
- "Kowboyz&Indians"/"My Only Friend" (2010), Warp
- "Kobwebz"/"Speaketh" (2010)
- "Nickles and Dimes" (2010)
- "Ninth Inning" (2011)
- "The Blame" (2012)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Allmusic - Gonjasufi
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Meer, Malik (2010) "Gonjasufi – the electro Hendrix", The Guardian, 6 March 2010, retrieved 2010-07-04
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 SDR - Gonjasufi Extended Interview
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gimme5 Interview: Gonjasufi
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lymangrover, Jason. "Gonjasufi Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Dombal, Ryan. "Rising: Gonjasufi". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
- ↑ "A Sufi And A Killer". Warp Records. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
External links
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