Skip to main content

Connecticut Rapper-producer & CURTA Opener Chef The Chef Unleashes First Proper Full-length DEMONZZZ "for The Ladies" (self-released)



Chefren "Chef The Chef" Gray is a rapper-producer, multi-instrumentalist, and singer hailing from Bridgeport, Connecticut. He recently emailed me, after being referred to The Witzard by my past collaborator CURTA, with a link to his latest 10-track project DEMONZZZ. Chef The Chef is playing a CURTA show along with fellow openers Zak G + ECID & PremRock at Connecticut's own Stella Blues this upcoming Thursday, October 12th at 8:00pm, as part of CURTA's awesomely-named Circus In a Suitcase 2017 Tour. "I was really influenced by my surroundings. My experiences and just the mental battles I fight everyday. So, I called it DEMONZZZ because I wanted people to instantly be able to see right through me," Chef The Chef wrote within an emailed statement. "I wanted to be very transparent. I feel like being vulnerable is a valuable trait in deciphering who we are as people," he continued. Chefren Gray initially told me he created DEMONZZZ on Tuesday, August 15th—a mere two days prior to sending the project my way—and self-produced the entire 10-track collection, with the exception of DJ Fife-produced "Flow" and "Déjà Vu."


DEMONZZZ almost sounds like something to the effect of an imagined "missing link" between Pharrell's early 2000's Funk-Rock band N*E*R*D and his beloved "Happy"-led mainstream solo breakthrough, G I R L. It additionally sounds like a Rap record "for the ladies," which could have easily been recorded by Soul-Funk crooner Isaac Hayes or even Philly's own pride and joy, Teddy Pendergrass and that was EXACTLY what Chef The Chef was going for: "I was really inspired by women; more notably women of color, as in the last few years I've had this profound awakening to feminism and women in my life in any way have I feel life I owe so much to as a man, so I really wanted women to enjoy it." Chef The Chef's first proper full-length, DEMONZZZ, is currently available to stream and purchase from Apple Music/iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, TIDAL, YouTube, and like-minded digital retailers. In addition DEMONZZZ, a few album's-worth of material is available on Chef's plethora of a Soundcloud page, with material dating back as far as five years.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of
1 comment
Read more

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra
3 comments
Read more

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel
1 comment
Read more