Monday, May 25, 2009

Florida~Georgia Connect: Dukes of DaVille



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Dukes of DaVille Bio: Cedric Lindsey (Ric) and James Small, unknowingly crossed paths many times as young kids. Both were sons of military families, who often moved to the same country or city without ever meeting. In 6th grade fate finally fell upon them on a baseball field at a military base in Hinesville, GA. In the outfield two kindred spirits realized each other was daydreaming about something that had nothing to do with baseball. From that moment on they became best friends determined to make music together. Now in their early twenties, this Atlanta based duo, RicJames, collectively known as Dukes of Da Ville, have skillfully intertwined hip hop lyricism with the soulful harmonies of R&B. Musically, their infectious hooks make instant fans, while their lyrical delivery gains them the respect of the most skilled writers. Their sound is distinctively fresh, with its southern influenced slang and syncopated lyrical delivery. Crossing age, gender, and cultural barriers, their music has universal appeal, displaying their superior vocal abilities and soulful interpretation. "We make Southern hip-hop/funk/soul music; it's kind of hard to pinpoint but we just say we create good music. It's something that you can listen to with your parents." So say the Dukes of DaVille when prompted about their upcoming debut on Capitol/EMI, Time Machine. While this tickling, tantalizing response addresses one question,it begs many more. Namely, how a duo from rural Hinesville, Georgia is poised —as comments on their MySpace page assert— "to bring back music." By the letters, the Dukes of DaVille comprises Ricky Balboa and Jimi Smalls, two army brats who first crossed paths in 1992 on a dusty baseball diamond in Fort Stewart, Georgia. But conjoining James' first name with that of his proclaimed "brother from another mother," the two conjured up the delightful moniker RicJames. It's that sort of subtle cleverness that defines the Dukes. But what of their musical odyssey? And better still, where the heck is Hinesville, Georgia?




Time Machine is nothing if not ambitious. But while many artists attempt a lot, the Dukes of DaVille actually achieve a lot. Their energy, their earnestness damn near leap right into the listener's living room. "I believe we're the most flexible group out right now," James asserts. "We feel like we're placing a standard to other artists; that wasn't our intention, but to the world this is our opening statement. When you pop in Time Machine, expect the unexpected. Going track-to-track, this album is a sigh of relief: `Ah, music is back.' Ric sums up the experience concisely: "The journey, the recording process has been the fun part, the real accomplishment. Along the way, if you don't believe in yourself, why should anyone believe in you?" We believe Ric. Come Spring 2009, so too will you Thank you, thank you, thank u!!! P.S. When in doubt, ALWAYS bet on da Dukes!!!