Spank Rock

Naeem Juwan, better known by his stage name Spank Rock, is an American rapper and songwriter from Baltimore. He rose to fame with his 2006 album YoYoYoYoYo, which was produced by former group member Alex Epton (XXXChange). A harbinger of post-millennial alternative rap,[4] the duo became known for its mixing of disparate hip hop and club genres, including Baltimore club,[5] Miami bass,[6] electro music and rock.

Spank Rock
Naeem Juwan
Background information
Also known asNaeem
BornBaltimore, Maryland, U.S.[1]
Genres
Years active2005–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitespankrock.com
MembersNaeem Juwan
Past membersAlex Epton

In 2007, Epton left the group to pursue his own production[7] while Juwan went on to release the Bangers & Cash EP (2007) with pop producer Benny Blanco. After a five-year contract struggle with his label Downtown Records,[8] Juwan released his sophomore album, Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a Fucking Liar, with a range of producers including Boys Noize, Le1f,[9] XXXChange, and Squeak E. Clean.[10]

Biography

Juwan grew up in West Baltimore in a row home alongside five sisters and two brothers.[11] As a teenager, Juwan frequented clubs such as Paradox, where DJs played Baltimore club music. In high school, his older sister introduced him to Brooklyn-based producer J. Period, known for producing records by underground rappers Mos Def and Artifacts. J. Period mentored Juwan and helped him improve his skills as a rapper for some time. After moving to Philadelphia and dropping out of college, Juwan met fellow Baltimore native Alex Epton, who had studied composition at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and learned studio production as an intern at the DFA Records studio in New York.[11]

Juwan and Epton started performing under the name Spank Rock together in Philadelphia and Phoenixville, where their reputation quickly increased. They later toured with Hollertronix and M.I.A.. They also toured with Beck in 2006.[12] Spank Rock's debut studio album, YoYoYoYoYo, was released in 2006 on the Big Dada record label.[13] It was nominated for the 2006 Shortlist Music Prize.[14]

In 2007, Alex Epton (XXXChange) left Spank Rock to pursue his own production while Naeem Juwan signed a deal with Downtown Records.[15] Spank Rock's first Downtown Records release came in the form of fall 2007's Bangers & Cash EP, a 2 Live Crew-inspired collaborative EP with Benny Blanco.[16]

In 2010, MC Spank Rock was featured along with The View's Kyle Falconer on "The Bike Song" by Mark Ronson, which featured on Ronson's 2010 album Record Collection. He was also the touring rapper on the album's 2010 UK tour.

In 2011, Spank Rock released his second studio album, Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a Fucking Liar, on his own label, Bad Blood Records.[17] Pitchfork premiered the first single from the album, titled "Energy," produced by Boys Noize,[18][19] and later selected the single "Nasty" as Best New Track.[20] Rolling Stone premiered the album in September 2011 on their website.[21] The album featured production from Boys Noize, XXXChange, Sam Spiegel, and Le1f, as well as appearances by Santigold and Big Freedia.[10][18] After the release of his album, Spank Rock was one of the faces of Alexander Wang's 2011 T collection, along with Santigold.[22]

In 2012, Spank Rock released a second EP, E. I. B. A. E. I. A. F. L. Remixes, a collection of various producers' remixes of tracks from his sophomore LP. In 2012, Naeem Juwan co-wrote the Boys Noize-produced track "Look at These Hoes" from Santigold's album Master of My Make-Believe.[10][23]

In 2014, Spank Rock released his third EP, The Upside, on Bad Blood Records and Boysnoize Records, with production contributions from Kid Kamillion, Boys Noize, and Damian Taylor. The EP premiered on December 9, 2014 following a premiere stream of the entire EP on Dazed & Confused.[24] Lead single "Gully" was remixed by Brodinski and Switch, and has received extensive play on BBC Radio 1.[25]

Under the Naeem moniker, Juwan released his solo studio album, Startisha, in 2020.[26] It features contributions from Justin Vernon, Francis and the Lights, Ryan Olson, Swamp Dogg, Velvet Negroni, Amanda Blank, and Micah James.[27]

Discography

Studio albums

Mixtapes
  • Couche Tard (2006)

DJ mixes

EPs

Singles
  • "Put That Pussy on Me" (2005)
  • "Rick Rubin" (2006)
  • "Sweet Talk" (2006)
  • "Bump" (2006)
  • "Energy" (2011)
  • "Car Song" (2011)
  • "I Know a Place" (2014)
  • "Gully" / "Vertigo" (2014)
  • "Gully (Brodinski Remix)" (2014)
  • "Assassin" / "Back Up" (2014)

Guest appearances

Compilation appearances
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References
  1. "RBMA Radio - Spank Rock (Big Dada, Boys Noize Rec., Baltimore) - Train Wreck Mix". Red Bull Music Academy. November 3, 2011. Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  2. "Spank Rock". AllMusic. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
  3. "Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a F-ing Liar by Spank Rock". iTunes. September 27, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  4. Cooper, Duncan. "Spank Rock: DTF DADT". The Fader.
  5. Bush, John. "Everything Is Boring & Everyone Is a F---ing Liar Album Review". AllMusic.
  6. Pajot, S. "Spank Rock Feeds his Serious Need for Speed". Miami New Times.
  7. "Exclusive: DJ XXXChange Is No Longer In Spank Rock". Big Shot Mag. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014.
  8. "Spank Rock - Biography". AllMusic.
  9. "Spank Rock feat. Big Freedia: Nasty". URB. Archived from the original on November 13, 2011.
  10. "Liner Notes for Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a Fucking Liar". Discogs.
  11. "Spank Rock Biography". Resident Advisor.
  12. Porter, Christopher (October 30, 2006). "Baltimore's Spank Rock: Unhinged but Hot". The Washington Post.
  13. Gilchrist, Todd (April 21, 2006). "Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYo". IGN. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  14. "Shortlist finalists announced". NME. May 1, 2007. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  15. "Spank Rock Goes Downtown: Will They Be the New Gnarls Barkley?". The Daily Swarm. June 20, 2007.
  16. Thompson, Paul (September 4, 2007). "Spank Rock's 2 Live Crew Inspired EP Revealed". Pitchfork.
  17. "Spank Rock – 'Energy'". Stereogum. May 5, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  18. "Spank Rock Returns With New Album". Pitchfork. June 7, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  19. "Energy". Spank Rock.
  20. Battan, Carrie. "Spank Rock "Nasty"". Pitchfork.
  21. "Exclusive Stream: Spank Rock's Rowdy New Album". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2011.
  22. "Exclusive: Santigold And Spankrock For T By Alexander Wang". Style.
  23. "'Look at These Hoes' liner notes". AllMusic.
  24. "Stream Spank Rock's 'The Upside' EP". Dazed Digital.
  25. "Spank Rock profile on BBC One". BBC.
  26. "Startisha by Naeem". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  27. Strauss, Matthew (April 16, 2020). "Naeem Announces New Album Startisha, Shares New Song With Justin Vernon: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
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