When The Toilets' Ellis D. Traails contacted us with a very special mixtape Joey Blank - Oddball The Caustic Silence Vol I, we were at first confused. What is this metal man doing making and circulating straight up hip-hop? We asked Traails what the hell he was thinking changing genres on us. We're a simple people, easily confused. Was this the first time he'd ventured into the realm of rap? "This is my first time taking my hip-hop public." He said, "I've always spit in
freestyle cyphers, and I always tended to stay more consistent than a
lot of the actual 'rappers.' I figured in almost 30 years of life, I
must have something to say by now." Let's hope so.
The album is available right here, and was recorded in two hours at Chaos Kitchen (maybe his Dad's house?) by Willy B. and Joey Blank (A.K.A. Ellis D. Traails himself). There's no editing, no effects, and Blank/Traails wrote all the lyrics himself, with instrumental samples by Bugseed and Saukrates. It's the first in a four-part volume -- all are free and available by emailing [email protected].
The songs are about, he said, "The ride of life. Anything and everything that has happened from my
birth 'til the present and maybe a few hopes for the future." But with the name he's given his metal act, you know, "There's
always a hint of humor in what I do, as you can tell from The Toilets. This is just another facet of my expression, and it's a brutally
honest one."
He says that growing up with hip-hop, it's his "heart and soul." He favors New York pioneers of the genre like Pharcyde, Redman, Masta Ace, Wu-Tang, Biggie, Big L, and Mobb Deep. Of newer artists, he says, "There are a handful that are keeping it honest and going above and beyond, most notably: Dirtbag Dan, Koncept, Soul Khan, Brown Bag All-Stars, Clear Soul Forces and Kooley High," adding, "Hip-hop isn't dead, but she's definitely in need of some TLC."
Traails adds some of that loving tender care to this first volume. Loving hip-hop like the sensual strong lady she is. Just like love, Traails said, "I hope to keep making hip-hop my whole life."
The Toilets release party is coming up on July 27 at Propaganda, 6 South J Street, Lake Worth, at 9 p.m. Traails wanted to shout out to Warwick Smooth, RNK n J-Bo, Ryan Jabrjaw Britt, Christopher Meow Martin, Willy B, and, of course, Dad's House.
New Times on Facebook | County Grind on Facebook | Twitter | e-mail us |
