Antique Naked Soul
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Antique Naked Soul

Oakland, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | SELF

Oakland, California, United States | SELF
Established on Jan, 2012
Band Hip Hop A Capella

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Oakulture 2013 Year in Review"

Probably the most innovative local album we heard all year, however, was the R&B/beatbox project issued by Antique Naked Soul, whose lead singer Antique has enough raw power to cover James Brown classics and not skip a funk beat. Furthermore, ANS originals like “Lay Low” were better than most anything currently in rotation on KMEL. - Oakland Local


"Antique Naked Soul ensemble creates manifesto music with the human voice"

Today Antique is wearing a black skirt over green tights, a boldly-striped tank top over a black long-sleeve shirt, bright earrings that look like ice cream cones you might find in a Dr. Seuss story, an orange and black bandanna in her hair, and black 1950s-style cat’s eye glasses with sparkles in the corners. “I dress in different eras every day,” she says.
The music she creates, however, is naked.
As the lead vocalist of the ensemble Antique Naked Soul, Antique, along with vocal percussionist Tommy Shepherd, also known as Soulati, and vocalists Jayme Brown and N’gala McCoy, composes songs that consist solely of the human voice. The challenge, she and Shepherd say, is managing to create full-bodied “manifestos” within the limitation of such spare instrumentation.
The ensemble could just as easily be described as musical historians or preservationists. Over the course of their self-titled debut album, released last month, their overt political messages are propelled forward by the repurposed sounds of their heroes and ancestors alike. “It’s always been a fascination of mine…the music of the past,” Antique says. “It’s just really important to me that we call our ancestors into the space.”
On the album’s opening track “Intro: Wade in the Water,” Antique pulls a melody from influential 1990s hip-hop trio the Fugees before shifting into a rendition of the spiritual “Wade in the Water,” which she notes was once used to “signal to other Africans that were enslaved that they needed to lay low in the water when they were running away.”
Later in the album, the spiritual makes another appearance in the cautionary “Lay Low,” which Antique says she wrote as a modern translation of “Wade in the Water” and which she describes as a “new Negro spiritual.“
The song starts with what sounds like the hum of a fluorescent light, or a microwave, before Shepherd adds a march-like beat. “Don’t roll through the hood with your guard down cause these streets don’t care about you…lay low,” Antique warns, her voice accentuated by harmonies provided by Brown and McCoy.
Not all of the ensemble’s influences come from the past, however. Many of the beats that Shepherd uses were originally created by Oakland producer the Nothing, who, Shepherd says, loves how they have been recreated with the human voice.
Other influences come, in a sense, from the future, and it what it holds for young people: Antique used to teach at ARISE High School in East Oakland and Shepherd has been teaching drama and hip-hop theater in different incarnations since 1998. Antique says that songs like “Lay Low,” and “Good Enough,” the latter of which addresses questions of “identity as a woman of color,” were directly inspired by conversations with her students. “When you open up a magazine and you don’t see yourself anywhere, how does that feel?” she had asked them.
Even though much of the music is full of an almost-palpable frustration, very few songs include profane lyrics.
“Some of the music…I want my kid to hear it, too,” Shepherd says.
Antique performs a solo set this evening at the Uptown for the Color Me Black album release show. - Oakland North/San Francisco Gate


"Antique Naked Soul"

リードヴォーカリスト/ソングライターAntiqueとビートボクサーTommie Shepherd Jr.ことMC Soulati。そしてJayme BrownとN’gala McCoyの2ヴォーカリストから成るベイエリアを中心に活動をしているヴォーカル・ビートボクシング・バンドAntique Naked Soulがおくるセルフタイトル・アルバム 【Antique Naked Soul】

このアルバムの全トラックにおいて楽器と電子的なビートを使用せず、アコースティックなフィーリングやオーガニックな質感をパッケージしたヒップホップ・ソウルを披露。Fugeesのあの代表曲を下地にした#1-“Intro: Wade in the Water”や 上質なサンプリングソースとしても数多のアーティストに愛されてきたJames Brownの“The Payback”のAntique Naked Soul流(#6)といった馴染み深いトラックも収録されているのでアカペラものに馴染みが薄くても入りやすい。なお本プレーヤーを再生するとこの曲から 再生される#5-“Money”ではラップを挿入しており、よりヒップホップにアプローチした1曲を展開。

昨今のシーンやリリース状況におけるこの反骨精神むき出しの己が道を邁進する姿が一種の清涼剤のように感じるなぁ。

English Translation:

"Antique Naked Soul are a human beat boxing band from the Bay Area comprised of lead vocal / songwriter Antique, beat boxer Tommie Shepherd Jr. aka MC Soulati, and vocalists Jayme Brown and N'gala McCoy. In this self-titled album, they bring both an acoustic feeling and organic texture into their hip-hop soul sound by excluding instrumental or electronic beats. With songs sampling a Fugees classic (#1-"Intro: Wade in the Water") or the ever-loved "The Playback" by James Brown (#6) but with a unique perspective, this album would be a joyful listen even to those uninitiated to the a capella genre. At the same time, the track embedded in this page (#5-"Money"), which includes a rap section, showcases their versatility in a more hip-hop heavy approach. Compared to how stagnant the hip-hop soul scene has been recently, their rebellious and distinct style is certainly a breath of fresh air."" - Kurofune Crew (Japan)


"Oakulture: Antique Naked Soul Bears it All"

A couple of weeks back, Oakulture wrote about the high talent level of Oakland’s female vocalists. In the comments section, educator and cultural mover and shaker Hodari Davis suggested we add Candice Antique Wicks to our list. The omission wasn’t intended; we simply hadn’t had a chance to hear Wicks perform, or listen to any of her material.
After Saturday night’s show at the Legionnaire, not only can we add her to that list, but it can be safely said she’s in a league of her own. Wicks, who prefers to be called Antique, has a new project with Tommy “Soulati” Shepherd called Antique Naked Soul. The group has just released an eponymous experimental soul album which eschews traditional instrumentation: all the sounds on the 10-track CD are supplied via voice, whether Antique’s leads and layered harmonies, Jayme Brown and N’Gala McCoy’s backing vox, or Soulati’s beatboxed basslines, snares and kick drums, trumpets, turntable scratches, and occasional raps. The album treads upon some classic terrain – including the gospel standard “Wade in the Water” and the James Brown funk throwdown “The Payback” – as well as original tunes like “Fools Gold,” “Moment of Honesty,” “Kongress” and “Warrior.” Oakulture doesn’t say this lightly, but Antique Naked Soul is as creatively exhilarating an album as anything that’s come out of Oakland in a long time.
As good as the album (handed out free to invitees Saturday and available here) is, the band Antique Naked Soul sounded even better live. The show commenced with Antique on stage with a couple of microphones and a couple of samplers. She proceeded to lay down a cappella vocals in layers, building up tracks out of sample loops, then singing over the top of those tracks. Her set was super dope – that tactic for live performance allows for zero distraction from the vocalist’s technique and approach. It’s a minimalist way of looking at live music, but one which allows for intimate glimpses into the artistic process. The only other artist we’ve seen who’s done something similar is Zap Mama, circa early 2000s, at Bimbo’s.
Antique finessed her way through a slightly-altered version of “Summertime,” changing the lyrics to reflect an urban reality that wasn’t quite as blithely positive as Gershwin’s version; “The bills are mounting/ and the gas is high” were substituted for the more familiar words, “fish are jumping/and the cotton is high.” Another song paid tribute to Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Prize-winning environmentalist who passed earlier this year.

During a set break, Davis addressed the crowd. Talented local artists, he said, need to be heard and seen in other markets. “Our goal is to get local artists as much exposure as possible,” he told folks.

For the second set, Antique (who changed her outfit) and Soulati were joined by Brown and McCoy. The a cappella band ran through many of the album tracks, and every song sounded like a highlight. The low-end supplied by Soulati on “Lay Low” slapped as hard as any trap rap beat in recent memory, while the background harmonies recalled the glory days of En Vogue. Antique’s leads soared majestically over that melodic, rhythmic foundation, with lyrics which addressed life in today’s urban cities: “don’t roll through the hood with your guard down cause these streets don’t care about you/ we fed up with the struggle, done turned to the hustle, living in war zone.” Another song, “Money,” presented a scenario many can relate to: a friend who dodges phone calls after being lent $100. What a nice, honest change the songs made from the celebration of material excess that saturate mainstream music nowadays. Naked Antique Soul also pulled off spectacular renditions of “The Payback” and “Wade in the Water,” along with Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” and Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” while Soulati showcased his ability to morph into seemingly any instrument during a solo set.
All in all, it was a remarkable performance, especially in the intimate confines of the Legionnaire’s upper room. Oakulture now has a new favorite band. Being hipped to talented artists that had previously flown under our radar is one of the best things about Oakland’s local music scene.
*** - Oakland Local


"Antique Naked Soul Album Release"

If you don’t know the Oakland based group, Antique Naked Soul, this is your chance to get in on the ground floor before those ground floor tickets make a size-able dent in your pocket book. These cats are on their way to the big time and handing out blessings every step of the way, so you best not miss out. Set to release their debut self titled album on 10.26.13 this is an all vocal ensemble featuring world renowned beat boxer Tommy Shepherd that will incite a double take when you realize they are making all of their own beats on the spot before your very eyes. Embodying the city they currently call home, Antique Naked Soul offers up lyricism with depth about socially relevant issues, while also able to take a comedic & lighthearted stance at times. Now do yourself a favor, while also supporting your local striving musicians, and check out their music below, and by keeping a tab on them as they make their rounds at festivals and events around the bay. Antique Naked Soul isn’t just a passing phase, but rather transcend time as we know it… - Oaktown Indie Mayhem


"Cubicle Concerts: Antique Naked Soul"

Candice "Antique" Wicks is a bona fide super star. Follow her on Facebook and you will be treated with opportunities to engage with one of Oakland’s most powerful vocalists as well as some real talk on the government, global issues and race politics.
When you see her live, you get the sense that she is running the show. She is always impeccably dressed and mixes bold colors and accessories with a power that makes you think of Ella, Etta, Billie, and Nina combined. And that voice. Man, that voice!
Candice blessed the JCCSF on September 16, 2013 with her crew Antique Naked Soul featuring Tommy ‘Soulati’ Shepherd, Jayme Brown and N'gala McCoy. Their set was completely a capella (look Ma, no pre-recorded beats) and built live right in front of our very eyes. Check out their self-titled debut album Antique Naked Soul out now at Bandcamp!
Act now before you miss the opportunity to bask in one of the Bay Area’s finest.
To book Antique Naked Soul: thaantiqueshow@gmail.com
Debut album available at antique.bandcamp.com - 3200 Stories


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Bio

They rep the Town otherwise known as Oakland, California, a place known for crime and danger, but filled with incredible art, music and a beacon of social justice and activism. That's where Antique Naked Soul was born in the Spring of 2012. Two-time Oakland Indie Award and Oaktown Music Festival Nominee, Antique Naked Soul (ANS) is a beatbox-sing soul band. They build and loop beats live on stage using only their voices but they create as much sound as a full band of instruments. There are four beautiful souls in this band: international recording artist and lead singer Candice "Antique" Davis, renown beatboxer and member of hip hop theatre group Felonious, Tommy "Soulati" Shepherd, Jayme Brown and N'gala McCoy. They got together by accident or happy coincidence. They came together to play one show. Lead singer Antique recalls, “We had no name, no identity really. After the show, we got such a great response that we looked at each other and said, ‘We gotta keep doing this!’. So we started taking songs that I had recorded, but not released, and translating them into beatbox and later, my husband was just casually saying, ‘y’all do naked soul’ and that is how we got the name.” It was important to them to have a message and to be hip-hop preservationists. Soulati states, “We knew that we wanted to preserve a classic hip-hop flair through beatboxing and stay really soulful with our vocals, but we also felt a deep calling to stay true to Oakland’s political roots. We wanted to be the soundtrack of the struggle, the beautiful struggle for freedom and equality.” Antique Naked Soul released their debut album October of 2013 and received a great response:

 “If you don’t know the Oakland based group, Antique Naked Soul, this is your chance to get in on the ground floor before those ground floor tickets make a size-able dent in your pocket book. These cats are on their way to the big time and handing out blessings every step of the way, so you best not miss out.” ~Oaktown Indie Mayhem

 "Probably the most innovative local album we heard all year, however, was the R&B/beatbox project issued by Antique Naked Soul, whose lead singer Antique has enough raw power to cover James Brown classics and not skip a funk beat. Furthermore, ANS originals like “Lay Low” were better than most anything currently in rotation on KMEL. ~Eric Arnold, Oakland Local

 "Antique Naked Soul's self-titled debut album, released last month. draws its influence from the past while telling stories of what's happening in Oakland now." ~Oakland North

 “Compared to how stagnant the hip-hop soul scene has been recently, their rebellious and distinct style is certainly a breath of fresh air." ~Kurofune Crew, Japan

 Antique Naked Soul has performed with several incredible artists including, Talib Kweli, Les Nubians, Yasiin Bey aka. Mos Def, ?uestlove, Blackalicious and have performed at renown venues like Yoshi’s Oakland, the Regency Ballroom, The New Parish, Spelman College in Atlanta, 1078 Gallery in Chico, Herbst Theatre and DNA Lounge to name a few. They are currently working on their second album "Get Naked" set to be released Summer of 2015. They are excited to share their music and art with the world. “We believe in the power of music to transform people and culture. We want to be world changers.” 

Band Members