Mickey Avalon

Mickey Avalon

Avalon in San Diego, California
Background information
Birth name Yeshe Perl
Also known as Mickey Avalon
Born December 3, 1975
Origin Hollywood, California, U.S.
Genres Hip hop
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2004–present
Labels Shoot To Kill, Myspace, Interscope Records, Suburban Noize Records
Associated acts Dyslexic Speedreaders, Dirt Nasty, Cisco Adler, Unwritten Law, Twiztid
Website http://www.mickeyavalon.com/

Mickey Avalon (born Yeshe Perl;[1] December 3, 1975) is an American rapper from Hollywood, California. His debut self-titled solo album was released Nov. 7, 2006 on Interscope/Shoot to Kill Records in association with MySpace Records. Frequent topics of Avalon's songs are his experiences with substance abuse and prostitution.

Early life and struggles

Avalon was raised in a non-practicing Jewish family and had a turbulent childhood. His mother worked as a marijuana dealer, an occupation which Avalon adopted under his mother's supervision, and his father was a heroin addict.[2] Though his father cleaned up his act and began attending Alcoholics Anonymous, he was struck and severely injured by a drunk driver leaving a meeting.[3] At age 19, Avalon made the decision to take his father off life support, ending his life.[3] During his late teens, Avalon briefly adhered to Orthodox Judaism in an effort to stay off the streets.[3] By the time he was out of his teenage years, he had sold sex in order to finance his heroin addiction.[4] Avalon would continue as a prostitute and drug dealer until finding success in the music industry.[5] By his early 20s, Avalon married, had a daughter, and moved to Portland, Oregon.[6] While battling drug addiction, Avalon moved in with his sister (also a drug addict) with the hope that they could aid each other in recovery. During this time, his sister relapsed and died from a heroin overdose.[7] Deciding that he wanted more out of life, Avalon decided to move back to Los Angeles and make a final attempt to clean up his act. It was shortly after this return to Southern California that Avalon met Simon Rex and began to gain recognition for his music.[7]

Street art

Avalon is a member of the Los Angeles-based graffiti crew CBS (Can't Be Stopped / City Bomb Squad).

Personal life

Avalon has two younger half brothers (who are identical twins). He has helped his half brothers relocate to the Los Angeles area and enter the music industry.

Style

Across the majority of Avalon's work, recurring themes of hard drug use are seen, particularly in reference to his consumption of heroin and crack cocaine,[3] an unusual style in hip hop, where the artist more commonly refers to the sale of such substances. Another popular theme in Avalon's music is his seduction, and sexual encounters with women. This is coupled with his overly-sexualized image, often performing with heavy eye makeup and no shirt.[8] Once again, this very sexual, almost androgynous image is unusual in rap music.

Career

Upon moving to Los Angeles, he was befriended by ex-MTV VJ Simon Rex who encouraged Avalon to rap and collaborated with him. The two began passing out demos to Hollywood clubs and soon developed a following among fans of the Santa Cruz nightclub scene.

Upon entering the rap scene in 2000, Avalon first adopted the stage name, "The Relevant" and made his first appearance on Met Fly (who would later be known as Andre Legacy)'s album entitled "Wiggin' Out". In 2004, Avalon first collaborated with Existereo of the Shape Shifters's on the song "No Class." He later collaborated with Existereo again on: "Couple o'Shitbags & The Fly's That Go With 'em" (2005), "Wrong Side" (2006), "I Love Who" (2007).

In November 2006, Mickey Avalon released his self-titled debut solo album. Released through Interscope/Shoot to Kill Records in association with MySpace Records, the album spawned the singles "Jane Fonda" and "Mr. Right". In January 2007, Avalon contributed lyrics and vocals on Unwritten Law's "Shoulda Known Better." That same year, he was featured in a Boost Mobile rap commercial with fellow rappers Jermaine Dupri and Young Jeezy.

In 2011, after years of back and forth wrangling with Interscope, Mickey was released from his recording contract. He is currently signed to Suburban Noize Records. On March 12, 2012 he digitally released a 4-track EP entitled On the Ave. His second solo album, Loaded was released on April 24, 2012.

Dyslexic Speedreaders

After Mickey became close friends with Simon Rex, they formed a rap group called the Dyslexic Speedreaders. The group included: Mickey Avalon, Simon "Dirt Nasty" Rex, Andre Legacy, and Beardo as the four members. Andre Legacy was Avalon's friend since elementary school and Beardo was Avalon’s friend from their work together in the modeling industry. In 2004, the Dyslexic Speedreaders released their first album which was entitled Catching Up To Wilt. In 2007, the Dyslexic Speedreaders collaborated with the Living Legends and Luckiam on the song, "Nevermind." In 2008, the Dyslexic Speedreaders released the Shoot To Kill Mixtape. In 2009, Mickey Avalon released "What Do You Say" which was also part of The Hangover soundtrack and featured Dirt Nasty and Andre Legacy. However, Avalon announced through his Myspace webpage that this would be the last song that the Dyslexic Speedreaders would release.

After years of friendship and musical collaborations, the group disbanded after Mickey had a dispute with the other members over unpaid loans. On November 7, 2010, Avalon announced on theFIVE10 Radio that he was leaving his label and that his relationship with Dirt Nasty and Andre Legacy had been strained due to money issues.[9] He told JC of theFIVE10 Radio that Dirt Nasty and Andre Legacy never paid him back for all the money he had put into developing them and that was the reason they were not talking. He stated that there was still room for reconciliation by saying, "No one slept with anyone's chick."

During his July 31, 2011 interview on Stefanie's Rock Show, Avalon stated that he briefly reunited with the Dyslexic Speedreaders for an unplanned one time performance. He attended the Roxy with his daughter while Dirt Nasty and Andre Legacy were scheduled to perform that night. During the course of the show, Avalon accepted an invitation to perform on stage with his former bandmates. He said he is open to the possibility of future reunions.

Controversy

In March 2007, Avalon was booed off the stage while opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, in Oklahoma City. During his set, Avalon threw his microphone at the audience in frustration, and walked off stage angrily. The next day, Red Hot Chili Peppers lead guitarist John Frusciante wrote a letter to the band's fans in Oklahoma City, accusing them of booing Avalon for personal issues, and having a lack of "regard for humanity."[10] A similar event happened when Avalon opened for the band at a show in the Netherlands where he left the stage after 25 minutes, after engaging in a food fight with the audience.

Tours

Discography

Year Album Record label
2006 Mickey Avalon Myspace Records
2012 Loaded Suburban Noize Records
2013 I Get Even EP Ragtop Records

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "Bonus Entertainment presents Mickey Avalon with special guests KIKI, HUNNY BEATS and MXMSTR KRSHN2N", 7 August 2011, Arcata Theatre
  2. ↑ Albert, John. "Mickey Avalon’s True Hollywood Stories", LA Weekly. Published April 26, 2006.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2011-09-22/music/mickey-avalon-on-death-sex-and-addiction/full/
  4. ↑ Brown, Marisa : "Mickey Avalon Biography", allmusic
  5. ↑ "Mickey Avalon Sexes Up Showbox at the Market With His Sleazy, Easy-Flowing Party Rap", 27 June 2011, Seattle Weekly
  6. ↑ Almost Famous: Mickey Avalon, Blender. Published January 2007.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://www.mickeyavalon.com/biography/
  8. ↑ http://photobucket.com/images/mickey%20avalon?page=1
  9. ↑ http://thefive10.squarespace.com/show-archive/2010/11/8/mickey-avalon-drops-a-bombshell-on-thefive10-radio.html
  10. ↑ Letter from John Frusciante to RHCP's Oklahoma City fans regarding Mickey Avalon. Published 3/25/2007.
  11. ↑ "Jagermeister Presents Mickey Avalon". PR Newswire. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "I Like It Raw - Single on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 4 March 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mickey Avalon.