Jermaine Dupri Introduces So So Def/Island Urban’s Newest Group GIT FRESH
ABOUT GIT FRESH
With the release of their banging Def Jam/So So Def debut single “Booty Music,” the multiracial R&B quartet Git Fresh has transformed the hotness of their hometown Fort Lauderdale into scorching grooves.
“Our song ‘Booty Music’ was one of the tracks we recorded when we were between labels,” says primary producer Rudy. Along with Sly, Brent (Penny) and Mike (Mike Easy), the group has been together for ten years. “Though I do most of the production, all group members contribute to the lyrics and vocal arrangements. We are own worst critics, so we have no problems trashing a song if it isn’t up to par.”
Originally formed when all the boys were still teenagers singing at local talent shows and performing at parties around the state, Git Fresh is far from another prefab boy band. “With the exception of Sly, we all went to the Dillard Performing Arts High School, and have been working together for years,” explains Mike. “As a unit, we love working together.”
Formerly signed to Jive Records, the group once called DeepSide changed their name soon after splitting with the label. “This is our new beginning, and Git Fresh is as energetic as we’ve always been,” Mike finishes.
Indeed, that energy can be heard in the electro bounce of “Booty Music,” a hypnotic dance track that is bound to be the song of the summer. “We recorded that song down in Atlanta, and somehow it leaked to a few stations,” says Rudy. “At the time we were parting with Jive, and being courted by other labels, and ‘Booty Music’ became our official calling card.”
Def Jam President LA Reid was one of Git Fresh’s many fans. After the fellows auditioned in LA’s plush New York office (which was also the day after Rudy buried his grandfather), R&B’s premier music man knew he had made the right choice.
“Though there were other labels were interested in us, we signed to Def Jam because we thought they were more artist driven,” recalls Sly. “Git Fresh felt at home from the moment we walked through the door.”
Having formed their own production company called The Studio Monkeys, the group immediately retreated back home to begin recording their upcoming disc. “We have been honing our skills for a long time,” explains Penny. “It was as if we put ourselves in boot camp. In our early days it was rough, but we stuck together through negative energy and hard times.”
Citing various artists from El DeBarge to Jodeci, Elton John to The Temptations as aural influences, Git Fresh works from a harmonic paint palate of many colors to create their impressionistic soul. So, while the group can wild out on party jams “Booty Music” and “Naked,” the can also slow down the pace on joints like “Cheaters” and “Blow Me A Kiss.”
Smiling, Penny says, “As a group, we’re just so excited about where our music is going. Though we make slamming club records, we also like making ballads that give us the opportunity to show heartfelt emotions.” One soulful standout includes “This Right Here.” “Our sound represents all that is culturally diverse in music.”
With so many, “just alright” singers, songwriters and producers littering the R&B landscape, the time is right for Git Fresh to get ahead.
