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Gangstagrass - Melodie Yvonne

Gangstagrass

Best known as the Emmy-nominated makers of “Long Hard Times to Come,” the theme song to the hit FX drama, Justified, and America’s Got Talent Quarter Finals.

“Suppose, just suppose, you could take a little of everything that’s great about this country and distill it. The creativity, the ingenuity, the strength of the struggles of so many of its people — indigenous, enslaved or otherwise. And then take that distilled energy and creativity and transform it to musical form. What would you say if I told you that it’s being done?”
– R-SON the Voice of Reason

Putting down roots and branching out across never-before-bridged genres, Gangstagrass has delighted crowds and has blown minds across the world, garnering a reputation among fans for dynamism and spontaneity. From SXSW to Grey Fox SXSW to Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival to The Long Road, Colours of Ostrava, Smukfest, Cambridge Folk Festival and Shambala Festival. These live performances explode the boundaries between genres generally thought to be incompatible. Howie Mandel described Gangstagrass as “the recipe that America has been looking for until now” and “what America needs right now!”… and not just America, the world!

Taking full advantage of the improvisational aspects and virtues of both hip-hop and bluegrass, including frequent three-part harmonies, MCs Dolio the Sleuth and R-SON the Voice of Reason trade verses and freestyle alongside the unparalleled skills of fellow vocalists Dan Whitener on banjo, B.E. Farrow on fiddle, and Rench on guitar and beats.

Their 2020 offering, No Time for Enemies reached #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart for its original Emmy-nominated blend of bluegrass/hip-hop and frequent three-part and four-part harmonies, alongside performed real hip-hop MCs and real bluegrass instrumentalists. The album features “Nickel and Dime Blues,” the inspirational “Freedom,” the jump-starting “Aint No Crime,” and the hugely popular “Ride With You” – has more than a million streams/views so far. No Time for Enemies takes you for a ride through the hoods and hollers while having a sweat of a good time.


“Gangstagrass fuses string instruments with hip-hop artists, resulting in arguably the best argument yet for a rap and country music marriage.” – – Rolling Stone Magazine

“A mixture of bluegrass and hip-hop that might repel some purists on either side of the country-and- rap divide, but will knock the socks off just about everybody else.” – Wall Street Journal

“Gangstagrass adeptly layers rap lyrics over strong emotional accents from the instruments, something most DJs can’t take advantage of when sampling electronica music. You can hear it in “Nobody Gonna Miss Me;” the skillful slide on the guitar and winsome lines from the fiddle fill in the background of the rap with a bluesy, remorseful tone.” – Mother Jones Magazine

“Gangstagrass’ eclectic mix of low-down to down-low beats destroys other genres in their path.” – Magnet Magazine

“A daring blend of innovative modern swagger and classic Americana cool which dares listeners not to come along for the ride.” – Hear Hear Music

When music is THIS good, it smashes every borderline, every genre, every pre-conceived idea of what a bluegrass hip-hop fusion might sound like…it blows live audiences away wherever they play!” – Essential Pop

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