#FAMILYGRIND

By Steve Furay
Special to the Michigan Citizen

Detroit underground hip hop received a boost of energy this year with the release of the “Pirate Radio” album from 313Phresh and TrueSpeech, two Detroit emcees who perform as the collective Family Grind. The album is their statement to fans of good music that the radio does not support genuine talent, instead promoting songs from corporate-owned record labels with mostly negative messages.

“They play what they want to play; they’re in control of their programs,” says 313Phresh. “It’s just the mainstream commercialized radio that we have a problem with, that everyone has a problem with actually. But it’s very few artists who speak on it.”

TrueSpeech says artists don’t speak out because they’re too busy trying to get on the mainstream commercial radio. “It’s all politics,” he says.

313Phresh (left) and True Speech COURTESY PHOTO
313Phresh (left) and True Speech COURTESY PHOTO

“Pirate Radio” covers topics such as the loss of innocence for young urban Americans, the excessive intoxication of the generation of youth in their teen years and 20s, as well as the artists’ own experiences of growing into adulthood and accepting the responsibilities of making a career as an independent artist.

“We wanted to give people the experience where they can hear something relevant, the complete opposite of what’s going on in the mainstream,” says TrueSpeech. “That’s the true underground spirit that independent hip hop was founded on.

“That’s the point of listening to music — you want it to take you somewhere. And if it doesn’t, it doesn’t have a soul, what is it really doing for you? Nothing, you’ll forget about it in 15 minutes, as soon as the next song comes on.”

The time and attention the two put into creating the 21 songs on “Pirate Radio” is evident, knowing the importance of giving listeners a thought-provoking experience, as opposed to the “shallow mindlessness” of celebrity culture. The young men simply have too much on their minds to dumb down for the promise of radio airplay.

“Each song has its own direct message, but also each song has a second meaning to it,” says 313 Phresh. “We just try to keep the listeners thinking.”

“You have to give somebody brain food, cause if you don’t, then how are they going to grow from hearing your music?” says TrueSpeech. “How are they going to grow to attach themselves to you as an artist? If you don’t feed that person’s conscious mind, what are you doing?”

313Phresh says the goal of the album is to give them an alternative. Instead of listening to WJLB, listen to “Pirate Radio.”

“You’re going to get a much better experience, I guarantee it,” says TrueSpeech.

“Pirate Radio” from Family Grind (313Phresh and TrueSpeech) is available www.FamilyGrind.com. - The Michigan Citizen (Apr 2014)

by Eric Holka

For those of you who think hip-hop is dead, you have not heard #FAMILYGRIND’s album Pirate Radio. Jamil Mustafaa (313phresh) and Darrion Thompson (TrueSpeech) make up the group #FAMILYGRIND— they also happen to be cousins.

The two have been working together for more than a decade and the family ties create a special relationship between them. They are not afraid to criticize each other, which pushes each of them to produce their best work, which definitely shows on their 33 song album, Pirate Radio.

From start to finish a story is told with each individual song having a specific meaning and message. No one puts out an album this large, but I was surprised when listening. Not once was I bored. That could very well be because these two are unlike your usual rappers. Rather than putting out bullshit songs with catchy hooks, these guys actual deliver quality music with messages that are worth listening to, hence the concept for the title Pirate Radio.

By jacking the airwaves, Jamil and Darrion are in control of their own music and I can agree with them when they say they are sick of the radio nowadays and something needs to change. The album is worth at least three listens in a row to truly catch on to every message in each song. Songs worth the repeat are "Fuck the Radio", "Don’t’ Grow on Trees", "Lost in Translation" and "The Fine Print". Check them out at http://familygrind.com/ - Real Detroit Weekly (Mar 2014)

By Anna Lamma

So Indie Week has kicked off with a fantastic line up of artists which stretch across the Atlantic. Considering there are 250 acts, it’s impossible to see them all – so the best I can do is get a flavour of who is playing. The name ‘Indie Week’ can be a bit misleading, not every band plays with a ukulele or has an electric keyboard player, so let me introduce you to last night’s acts…

#FAMILYGRIND... Nocturne Club brought the night round with some home-schooled, original, Detroit Hip-Hop. I can’t express how uplifted this made me feel. The beats where solid and the on-stage relationship between the two MCs were on point. They had a conversational rhythm and although it was well rehearsed, #FamilyGrind had a natural delivery. And you can’t go wrong with a free CD giveaway at the end of the gig now? - invisibleimages (Oct. 17th 2014)