Greyboy
Greyboy, aka Andreas Stevens, became the first American producer to mix instrumental hip-hop with jazz. He is the leader of the American acid jazz sound in the early '90s. His first full-length album, Freestylin’, holds cult-status.
His chunky beat-making sensibilities first earned him praise from the European crowd and his tracks were heard by crowds checking out DJs like UK-based Gilles Peterson, Marcus Wyatt (LA), and DJ Smash (NYC).
"When I first started making beats, I was making hip-hop. Since I couldn't find MC's to work with, I decided to try the jazz thing and lace my tracks with live instruments instead. That's where Karl Denson and the Greyboy Allstars came into the picture", explains Greyboy.
Beyond recognition from the DJ crowd, music by Greyboy also ended up in movies like Get Shorty and Celtic Pride, The Kelly Slater Surf Pro video game, Budweiser commercials, and he was picked to provide a mix CD for DC Shoes. Since the release of Freestylin? he has released the equally jazz-based instrumental Land of the Lost and the soundtrack and hip hop inspired Mastered The Art, which featured musicians and MCs in a prelude to the vocal-heavy Soul Mosaic album.