Arsonists (hip hop group)

Arsonists are an underground hip hop group. Their album, As the World Burns (1999), reached No. 78 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums;[1] its single, "Pyromaniax", reached No. 43 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart.[2]

Arsonists
Arsonists in 1997
Background information
Also known as	Bushwick Bomb Squad
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Fondle 'Em, Matador
Members	D-Stroy Freestyle Jise One Q-Unique Swel Boogie
Past members	Ching Rock Kinetic Energy Kriminal Krash

History

The group was formed with five members in 1993 in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York, as Bushwick Bomb Squad. The main members were Q-Unique, D-Stroy, Freestyle, Swel Boogie and Jise One, although the number of members eventually grew to eight. Q-Unique was a member of New York City's well-known breakdancing crew, the Rock Steady Crew.[3] The group released a single, "The Session", in 1996, which was played on New York radio stations and brought offers from record labels.[4] They signed with the independent label Fondle 'Em Records and changed their name to the Arsonists. They released their first album, As the World Burns, in 1999 on Matador Records, an indie rock label that ventured into hip hop music for the release.[5] The album received critical acclaim, but did not achieve mainstream commercial success; it reached No. 78 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[1][4] They appeared on the final album by the digital hardcore band Atari Teenage Riot, 60 Second Wipeout, that year. The group went from five members down to three: Q-Unique, Jise One and Swel Boogie, for their follow-up album, Date of Birth in 2001.[4] With their live performances, the group is known to be very varied in its rap style, drawing on many old school hip hop and east coast hip hop influences. Kansas City's alternative weekly newspaper, The Pitch, described them as "one of the best live bands in hip-hop" in 2001.[6] On 18 August 2011, Arsonists played the first show in 11 years that had all four members on stage at Hip Hop Kemp in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.

A new album titled Lost in the Fire was released in 2018 with all five of the original members Q-Unique, Swel Boogie, Jise One, D-Stroy and Freestyle returning. The album features six new songs alongside a selection of previously unreleased and rare songs recorded between 1996 and 2000.

Personal Information

A portrait of group member Jise One was posted to Humans of New York in June 2017. He took the stage name 'Jise' in honor of his older brother, who had been murdered in 1989.[7]

Discography

Albums

• As the World Burns (Matador, 1999)
• Date of Birth (Matador, 2001)
• Lost in the Fire (Below System, 2018)

Singles

• "The Session" (1996)
• "Blaze/Geembo's Theme/Flashback" (Fondle 'Em, 1998)
• "Backdraft" (Matador, 1999)
• "Pyromaniax" (Matador, 1999)
• "Backdraft/Halloween II" (Matador, 1999)
• "As the World Burns" (Matador, 1999) [instrumental limited edition]

References

1. Billboard Albums. Allmusic.
2. Billboard Singles. Allmusic.
3. McCabe, Bret,. "Fire Starters". Dallas Observer, June 28, 2001. Retrieved on February 23, 2009.
4. Waggoner, Eric, "Hot Stuff". Phoenix New Times, June 21, 2001. Retrieved on February 23, 2009.
5. Gillin, Eric, "Arsonists Light Up Bowery". Rolling Stone, August 30, 1999. Retrieved on February 23, 2009.
6. Hensley, J.J., "The Arsonists/DVS Mindz/Seven Fold Symphony/Mac Lethal & Approach Archived 2009-02-26 at the Wayback Machine". The Pitch, April 27, 2000. Retrieved on February 23, 2009.
7. "Humans of New York". Facebook. Retrieved 6 August 2017.

External links

• Arsonists at Matador Records