Wes Felton
Encyclopedia
Wes Felton is an African-American singer/poet/actor/emcee born and raised in Washington DC.
, Grant Green
and many others.
Wes has a son named Tobias.
tour and at the Apollo Theater
. Ellington has been on stage with Mos Def
, De La Soul
, Meshell Ndegocello and with his mentor UK Soul legend Omar
.
He has been crowned “the future folk-soul hero” by Complex Magazine
for his vocals on Prince Paul’s Politics of the Business
album.
and TFox
under the name Antithesis has so far resulted in two releases on Tasteful Licks
.
W. E. Felton has also been working with Raheem Devaughn. Together they are The Crossrhodes.
in Pittsburgh.
In 1999, he starred in the critically acclaimed hip-hop play Rhyme Deferred, performed at the Kennedy Center, the National Black Theatre Festival
, and the Nuyorican Poets Café
. Ellington had a role in Multitudes of Mercies, a movie that aired on BET worldwide Dec 1, 2005 as a part of World AIDS Day. His most recent film with the Thievery Corporation
is called Babylon Central.
Personal life
Wes Felton had a very musical upbringing. His father is Hilton C. Felton, a jazz pianist who had performed with George BensonGeorge Benson
George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
, Grant Green
Grant Green
Grant Green was a jazz guitarist and composer....
and many others.
Wes has a son named Tobias.
Music
Wes Felton started out with a lot of open mic nights. As a teenager he performed on the LollapaloozaLollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
tour and at the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
. Ellington has been on stage with Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
, De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
, Meshell Ndegocello and with his mentor UK Soul legend Omar
Omar Lye-Fook
Omar Lye-Fook and known as Omar, is an internationally acclaimed British soul singer, songwriter and musician. Omar grew up in Canterbury, Kent. He learned his craft classically, playing the trumpet, piano and percussion. Omar also spent two years at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, and...
.
He has been crowned “the future folk-soul hero” by Complex Magazine
Complex magazine
Complex is a young men's style/lifestyle magazine founded by Marc Ecko and Hugh McFall in 2002. The publication offers mainstream readers insight into the latest trends in niche cultures, such as streetwear, sneaker culture, hip hop, and graphic art...
for his vocals on Prince Paul’s Politics of the Business
Politics of the Business
Politics of the Business is the third album by American hip hop producer Prince Paul. This album is considered to be a concept album similar to A Prince Among Thieves. The concept for this album, however, is the concept of following-up a concept album that did not sell too well .-Track...
album.
Collaborations
His collaboration with JLaineJLaine
Jonathan Ernest Laine better known as JLaine is a Washington DC based Hip-Hop producer and drummer.-Background:...
and TFox
TFOX
TFOX is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer.-Early life:Travis Ian Fox was born June 27, 1979 in Washington D.C. to working class parents. He has two older sisters. In his parents spare time they started and played in several bands which performed top 40...
under the name Antithesis has so far resulted in two releases on Tasteful Licks
Tasteful Licks Records
Tasteful Licks Records is an independent, artist run record label based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Tasteful Licks, also referred to as TLr, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Remedy Media Group, LLC. The name is derived from the musicians’ term for a quick and sudden improvisation done in such a...
.
W. E. Felton has also been working with Raheem Devaughn. Together they are The Crossrhodes.
Acting
Felton studied theater for four years at Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in Pittsburgh.
In 1999, he starred in the critically acclaimed hip-hop play Rhyme Deferred, performed at the Kennedy Center, the National Black Theatre Festival
National Black Theatre Festival
The National Black Theatre Festival was founded in 1989 by Larry Leon Hamlin in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Serving as its executive director, Hamlin’s goal in creating the Festival was "to unite black theatre companies in America to ensure the survival of the genre into the next millennium"...
, and the Nuyorican Poets Café
Nuyorican Poets Café
The Nuyorican Poets Café is a non-profit organization in Alphabet City, Manhattan. It is a bastion of the Nuyorican art movement in New York City, USA, and has become a forum for poetry, music, hip hop, video, visual arts, comedy and theatre.-History:...
. Ellington had a role in Multitudes of Mercies, a movie that aired on BET worldwide Dec 1, 2005 as a part of World AIDS Day. His most recent film with the 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...
is called Babylon Central.
Writing
Wes Felton started writing when he was 13. He has so far published two books of poetry.Releases
- 1996: Experiments, self released
- 1997: The Final Day, self released
- 2001: Soul Sonnets, Art Hurts
- 2003: Bluetopia, Art!Hurts/Toronto August Music
- 2005: Postcards From the Edge
- 2006: A Dub Supreme, Art Hurts
- 2006: Outrospective: Me Then, Me Now, Genesis Poets Music
- 2008: Distraction City, Tasteful Licks RecordsTasteful Licks RecordsTasteful Licks Records is an independent, artist run record label based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Tasteful Licks, also referred to as TLr, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Remedy Media Group, LLC. The name is derived from the musicians’ term for a quick and sudden improvisation done in such a...
- 2009: Dub Ell 101 (the Vault vol.1), Hilton's Concept/Art Hurts
- 2010: Land of Sheep, Ruled By Pigs, Ran By Wolves
The Crossrhodes
- 2004: Limited Budget, Unlimited Quality, Urban Ave Music/Art Hurts
- 2005: The Invitation, Urban Ave Music/Art Hurts
Antithesis
- 2008: Antithesis, Tasteful Licks RecordsTasteful Licks RecordsTasteful Licks Records is an independent, artist run record label based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Tasteful Licks, also referred to as TLr, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Remedy Media Group, LLC. The name is derived from the musicians’ term for a quick and sudden improvisation done in such a...
- 2010: Love Daze, Tasteful Licks RecordsTasteful Licks RecordsTasteful Licks Records is an independent, artist run record label based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Tasteful Licks, also referred to as TLr, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Remedy Media Group, LLC. The name is derived from the musicians’ term for a quick and sudden improvisation done in such a...
Appears On
- 2002: The Healing by Urban Ave 31, song: Growing Up, Urban Ave Music
- 2003: The Healing Pt.2 by Urban Ave 31, song: Antidote, Urban Ave Music
- 2003: Politics of the BusinessPolitics of the BusinessPolitics of the Business is the third album by American hip hop producer Prince Paul. This album is considered to be a concept album similar to A Prince Among Thieves. The concept for this album, however, is the concept of following-up a concept album that did not sell too well .-Track...
, by Prince Paul, song: Beautifully Absurd, Razor & TieRazor & TieRazor & Tie is a New York-based corporation founded in 1990 by Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam. The company encompasses a record label with major label distribution , a home video company, a media buying company, a music publishing business, a marketing, promotion and sales team, and a direct... - 2004: Thinking Back Looking Forward, Neosonic Productions
- 2004: Never Scared by Chris RockChris RockChristopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
, song: Black Poet, DreamworksDreamWorksDreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming... - 2004: Moments of Clarity by Wayna, song: So Long Heartache, Wayna
- 2004: "All Seasons" by the illpoets.com Collective, song: "Fall"
- 2005: The Love Experience, Jive RecordsJive RecordsJive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
- 2006: Ink Is My Drink, Rawkus RecordsRawkus RecordsRawkus Records is an American hip-hop record label known for jump-starting the careers of both Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Rawkus started in 1996 with initial releases ranging from hip-hop to drum and bass...
- 2006: Ruff Drafts Volume 1, JapaNUBIA Musik
- 2008: A Mind On A Ship Through Time, Tasteful Licks RecordsTasteful Licks RecordsTasteful Licks Records is an independent, artist run record label based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Tasteful Licks, also referred to as TLr, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Remedy Media Group, LLC. The name is derived from the musicians’ term for a quick and sudden improvisation done in such a...
- 2008: Square Binizz, Resurrection Records
- 2008: Conflict by Sy SmithSy SmithSy Olivia Smith is an American Emmy nominated singer-songwriter. Born in New York, New York, Smith rose to fame in the late 1990s when she signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records. Smith released her first studio album Psykosoul in 2000, which spawned the singles "Gladly" and "Good N...
, song: Reach Down In Your Soul, Sy Smith Music - 2009: Music Fan First by Eric RobersonEric RobersonEric Roberson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter from Rahway, New Jersey, United States. He is sometimes referred to simply as Erro....
, song: The Hunger, Blue Erro Soul
External links
- Tasteful Licks
- Wes Felton on Myspace
- Wes Felton on Last.fm
- Wes Felton on Youtube