Fort Knox Five
Encyclopedia
Fort Knox Five is a Washington, D.C.
-based recording artist consisting of Steve Raskin, Jon Horvath, Rob Myers, and Sid Barcelona. They have released their music on their own independent label Fort Knox Recordings. Their music style mixes elements of Funk
, Reggae
, Hiphop
and Electronica
.
and Raskal as well as ESL Music Recording Artists Thunderball and Liftoff
, Rob Myers plays sitar and guitar with Thievery Corporation
and International Velvet and also plays guitar in See-I
, Jon Horvath recorded music with both DJ Dan
and Raskal, and Sid Barcelona was also a part of ESL Music Recording Artists Thunderball and Liftoff
. Fort Knox Five formed their own record label, Fort Knox Recordings to release their music, and the label is now distributed by Washington, DC based Dischord Records
.
In 2005 Fort Knox Five were selected to be the opening dj's on Gwen Stefani
's Harajuku Lovers Tour throughout North America, playing numerous shows in a wide variety of venues alongside Gwen Stefani
and The Black Eyed Peas
. Fort Knox Five were also selected by Urb Magazine for their annual "Next 100" artists to watch.
In 2007 Fort Knox Five were selected to remix two Bob Marley
songs which were released on Roots, Rock, Remixed. Fort Knox Five were also selected as the resident DJs at the Eye Candy Sound Lounge at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
in Las Vegas
.
In 2008 Fort Knox Five released their debut studio album Radio Free DC
which features all four members of Fort Knox Five on production as well as numerous guest vocalists and musicians. The album is a good representation of the Fort Knox Five sound as it moves from genre to genre, all with a focus on providing party music.
In 2009 Fort Knox Five began the year with a tour of Australia
. This was followed by Fort Knox Recordings hosting a special inaugural event called The Funk 4 Peace Ball which featured Afrika Bambaataa
, Fort Knox Five, 2Tuff
and Nappy Riddem. EA
released its Skate 2 video game in January, which featured Fort Knox Five songs on the game soundtrack. Fort Knox Five also released Volume 1 of Radio Free DC Remixed in February 2009.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-based recording artist consisting of Steve Raskin, Jon Horvath, Rob Myers, and Sid Barcelona. They have released their music on their own independent label Fort Knox Recordings. Their music style mixes elements of Funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, Hiphop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and Electronica
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
.
History
Fort Knox Five was formed in 2003 by four like-minded musicians as an outlet for a new style of funk-infused electronic music. Members hail from various side projects and previous outfits; Steve Raskin originally part of EdselEdsel (band)
Edsel was an indie rock/post-hardcore band from Washington, DC. The band broke up in 1997, having released four full-length albums, numerous 7" singles and an EP....
and Raskal as well as ESL Music Recording Artists Thunderball and Liftoff
Liftoff
-Plot:Having just been promoted, it's CJ's first day as Chief of Staff. After being introduced to the Secret Service Agents assigned to protect her, it is time for her last press briefing, where she receives a huge round of applause from a stunned Press Room...
, Rob Myers plays sitar and guitar with Thievery Corporation
Thievery Corporation
Thievery Corporation is a Washington, D.C. based recording artist and DJ duo consisting of Rob Garza, Eric Hilton, and their supporting artists, including current drummer Jeff Franca...
and International Velvet and also plays guitar in See-I
SEE-I
SEE-I is a method of clarification and understanding. It stands for State, Elaborate, Exemplify, and Illustrate. This method provides a way to better understand and/or clearly communicate a concept or topic. SEE-I also lends itself to a natural descriptive style of writing where important...
, Jon Horvath recorded music with both DJ Dan
DJ Dan
DJ Dan is an American electronic house music DJ and producer. Dan previously released works through the Moonshine label....
and Raskal, and Sid Barcelona was also a part of ESL Music Recording Artists Thunderball and Liftoff
Liftoff
-Plot:Having just been promoted, it's CJ's first day as Chief of Staff. After being introduced to the Secret Service Agents assigned to protect her, it is time for her last press briefing, where she receives a huge round of applause from a stunned Press Room...
. Fort Knox Five formed their own record label, Fort Knox Recordings to release their music, and the label is now distributed by Washington, DC based Dischord Records
Dischord Records
Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in the independent punk music of the D.C.-area music scene. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release Minor Disturbance by The Teen Idles...
.
In 2005 Fort Knox Five were selected to be the opening dj's on Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
's Harajuku Lovers Tour throughout North America, playing numerous shows in a wide variety of venues alongside Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
and The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
. Fort Knox Five were also selected by Urb Magazine for their annual "Next 100" artists to watch.
In 2007 Fort Knox Five were selected to remix two Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
songs which were released on Roots, Rock, Remixed. Fort Knox Five were also selected as the resident DJs at the Eye Candy Sound Lounge at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is a 44-story luxury hotel casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International. Five floors of the main hotel building are occupied by the five-star and AAA Five-Diamond Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas...
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
.
In 2008 Fort Knox Five released their debut studio album Radio Free DC
Radio Free DC
Radio Free DC is the debut studio album of electronica band Fort Knox Five. Planned to be a good times party album, it was recorded in the band's hometown of Washington, D.C...
which features all four members of Fort Knox Five on production as well as numerous guest vocalists and musicians. The album is a good representation of the Fort Knox Five sound as it moves from genre to genre, all with a focus on providing party music.
In 2009 Fort Knox Five began the year with a tour of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. This was followed by Fort Knox Recordings hosting a special inaugural event called The Funk 4 Peace Ball which featured Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
, Fort Knox Five, 2Tuff
2Tuff
2Tuff Crew is a collective founded in 1994 to bring drum'n'bass music to Washington, DC and establish a d'n'b scene. 2Tuff Productions has been active ever since throwing one-off events, weekly parties and taking their sound on road nationally and worldwide. The 2Tuff Crew was founded by Andrew...
and Nappy Riddem. EA
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
released its Skate 2 video game in January, which featured Fort Knox Five songs on the game soundtrack. Fort Knox Five also released Volume 1 of Radio Free DC Remixed in February 2009.
Singles and EPs
- Foundations EP (2003)
- Dodge City Rockers (2003)
- The Big Score (2003)
- Blowing Up The Barrio (2004)
- The Brazilian Hipster (2004)
- Radio Free DC (2005)
- Salvador Diaspora (2006)
- The Spirit of '75 (2007)
- Radio Free DC Remixed Vol 1 (2009)
Remixes
- Rodney Hunter - Electric Lady (2004)
- Dr. Rubberfunk - The Owner (2004)
- Dynamo Productions - Get It Together (2004)
- Jeff Settle - The Whistle Song (2005)
- Tower of Power - This Type of Funk (2005)
- Mo Horizons - Drum and Boogaloo (2005)
- Rex Riddem - Salvador (2005)
- Torpedo Boyz - Talking To Me (2005)
- Kraak en Smaak - One of These Days (2006)
- Chris Joss - Wrong Alley Street (2006)
- A.Skillz & Krafty Kuts - Roll Over Baby (2006)
- Tito PuenteTito PuenteTito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
- Ran Kan Kan (2006) - Deborah Bond - Don't Waste Your Time (2006)
- Nickodemus - Give the Drummer Some (2006)
- Skeewiff - Now Im Living For Me (2006)
- Soulphonic Soundsystem - Catalina (2006)
- Louis ArmstrongLouis ArmstrongLouis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
- Jeepers Creepers (2007) - Joe Bataan - The Fool (2007)
- Malente - Open Secret (2007)
- Ancient Astronauts - 36 Hours (2007)
- Thunderball - Strictly Rudeboy (2007)
- Afrika Bambataa - Got That Vibe/Just A Smoke (2007)
- Ursula 1000Ursula 1000Alex Gimeno is a DJ best known for Ursula 1000, a wide-ranging musical project including lounge, breakbeat, glam and cha cha.Gimeno was born in Brooklyn, New York. During his childhood, he and his family moved to Miami Beach where his father, a member of the Spanish orchestra, Los Chavales De...
- Electric Boogie (2007) - Bob MarleyBob MarleyRobert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
- Duppy Conqueror (2007) - Dust Galaxy - Here Come The Trumpets (2008)
- Bitter:Sweet - Salty Air (2008)
Music Videos
- Shift - released July 2010.
- SHIFT MUSIC VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyyK_Y9njgQ
- Directed by Stu MacKay-Smith & DJ Ball
- Animator/Editor: Stu MacKay-Smith
- Producer/Assistant Director: Travis Tetreault
- Associate Producer: Jon Horvath
- Director Of Photography: Christian Begin
- Stunt coordinator: Jason Hardabura
- Additional cinematography by JMO, Adam MacKay-Smith, Colin Mcgreal & Robin Bell.
- Featuring Afrika BambaataaAfrika BambaataaAfrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
, Mustafa Akbar, Fort Knox Five, The Now or Never Crew, Hybrid Movement Crew, Nessa V, Jina Anika & Foxy Moron - Filmed on location in Vancouver, BC – New York, NY – Washington, DC
Featuring artists
Fort Knox Five works with various vocalists and musicians to add a live element to their music.. The featured artists they have worked with include:- Afrika BambaataaAfrika BambaataaAfrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
- AsheruAsheruAsheru, born Gabriel Benn, is an African American hip hop artist, educator, and youth activist. He is widely known for performing the opening and closing themes for the popular TV series, The Boondocks, as well as his pioneering and innovative efforts to forward the Hip Hop Education...
- Ian SvenoniusIan SvenoniusIan Folke Svenonius is an American musician, notable as the singer of various Washington, D.C.-based bands including Nation of Ulysses, The Make-Up, Weird War, and Chain and The Gang. Between his numerous projects, Svenonius has released more than 15 full-length albums and more than 20 singles,...
- Mustafa Akbar
- Members of See-I
- Sleepy Wonder
Media Licensing
- Brazilian Hipster - Hôtel Costes, Vol. 7Hôtel Costes, Vol. 7Hôtel Costes, Vol. 7: Sept is a downtempo/lounge album compiled and mixed by Stéphane Pompougnac, resident DJ of the Parisian cafe/restaurant Hôtel Costes...
- Brazilian Hipster - The Cove (film)
- Insight - Need for Speed: ShiftNeed for Speed: ShiftNeed for Speed: Shift is the 13th installment of the long-running racing video game franchise Need for Speed; published by Electronic Arts. It was announced in December 2008 as part of a three-game announcement that includes Need for Speed: Nitro and Need for Speed: World...
- Insight - Fringe (season 1)Fringe (Season 1)The first season of the American science fiction television series Fringe commenced airing on September 9, 2008, and concluded on May 12, 2009. The season contained 21 episodes, although only 20 of them aired as part of the first season...
Episode 12 - King of the Street, etc - Skate itSkate ItSkate It is a skateboarding video game developed by EA Montreal, Exient Entertainment and EA Black Box for the Nintendo DS, Wii, and iOS. The game is a spin-off of 2007's Skate, and the developers have stated that it is not a port or sequel but rather an original game. It was released on November...
- We Don't Stop Yawl - NBA Live 10NBA Live 10NBA Live 10 is the 2009 installment in the NBA Live series, developed and published by Electronic Arts. Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is the cover athlete. It was released on October 6, 2009. This is the final game to be known as NBA Live...
- Insight - Test Drive Unlimited 2Test Drive Unlimited 2Test Drive Unlimited 2 is a racing video game developed by Eden Games and published by Atari. It is the sequel to Test Drive Unlimited and the tenth game in the series. The game was released on 8 February 2011 in North America and on 11 February in Europe.The game suffered from many bugs during...