Henry Canyons

Henry Canyons is hungry. Maybe you can tell when he’s bobbing and weaving between French and English on “Evander Holyfield’s Ear”; maybe it’s when he trades foreboding barbs with Billy Woods on “Mood Swings”. One way or another, his new EP One Thousand Plateaus is a vivid opening salvo. At times, thematic through-lines get tangled, caught up in knots that may or may not come to a natural conclusion. Fortunately, the man at the mic has your attention. Canyons casts himself as the young Leo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can—alternately reckless and over-thinking, but with enough inimitable cool to pull it off.
One Thousand Plateaus is loosely based on Guattari and Deleuze’s 1980 philosophical treatise of similar name. Broadly, the book deals with multiplicities, rejecting the black-and-white thinking that dominated some schools of philosophy. It’s with this eye for the subtle that Canyons approaches his first project for Backwoodz Studioz. On “Schizophrenia”, he follows clear, easily placed imagery (“Tacky motel room, my chick’s got cheetah print on”) with an extended riff on the Star Trek convention into which he’s thrown. But after the hook, he’s posted up in Paris, “Picking up [his] earnings from a Picasso sold at auction”. Presumably, this is the same guy—or, more accurately, both characters are part of Canyons.
“Schizophrenia” and “Holyfield Ear” bookend the slow creep of “Offshoots” to make up a three-song run produced entirely by Austin’s Boom Baptist. The suite is a solid, varied introduction to those who missed Canyons’ scattershot Vignettes (2012). But Plateaus shines when the Backwoodz crew gets involved. The Willie Green-produced “Roses & Carnations” and Woods-featuring “Mood Swings” catch Canyons at his most vital: on “Roses”, he keeps his “true character hidden like a face behind a burqa”. Recorded more recently than the opening three, the tracks might be a harbinger of things to come on Canyonland, the Brooklyn-bred, L.A.-based rapper’s forthcoming debut LP. One thing’s for certain: Canyon’s enthusiasm will never cease. - Passion Of The Weiss

I hesitate to use the word basic, but there is a calmness to Henry Canyons new EP, One Thousand Plateaus. Maybe unhurried is a better word? It isn't that Canyons, and emcee out of Los Angeles, isn't hungry, it's that he sounds fucking confident. Like he finally found a pair of pants that fit right.

These days, in a reflection of society as a whole, hip hop is more acceptable than it used to be. A guy like Henry Canyons might have been overlooked, and he probably has on occasion. It's my favorite reason that Syffal exists, to give shine to artists that might have been, and probably are not getting their due. I'm here to tell you, Mr. Canyons, I like your shit!

Take for instance this verse from the end of "Offshoots":

"invasion / digging tunnels under mazes / can't find them, they'll be running guns a blazing / tracing new literature, smooth spaces / rarified form - statements of greatness / televised for - the fame is the nameless / man, am I bored - acclaimed entertainment / can I buy more? haven't seen this in ages / glorified, ?? , unorganized changes / caught up in disorder / gotta call upon my patience / borderline anxious / bonafide gracious / momentum not wasted / many fine lines absorbing sign's language / not rolling by aimless / fully in control of how I'm holding down stages / morphing into forms because of polarization / means globalization / technology's colonization / no mobilize - no homeostasis!"

That sixteen goes fucking hard! Makes me want to shake my assonance!

Henry Canyons has been making music for a while. Maybe I've been sleeping. Maybe I wasn't ready. Maybe (and I feel like this is most likely), Henry Canyons has found his voice. His cadence is like a brisk walk. There's an urgency, but he's not in a hurry. There a certain security, like he knows no matter how hard you are trying to get away, he's going to catch up. You know how no matter how fast you run, Jason Vorheez (of Friday the 13th) manages to keep up with camp co-eds sprinting for their lives? Well, it's kind of like that. Except that rather than getting an ax to the dome, well, you get a figurative ax to the dome, in the form of the well-constructed, well-recorded, well-rapped songs that make One Thousand Plateaus a great EP.

I've decided to stop running and let the sensh god Henry Canyons do me in. - SYFFAL

For today’s Guilty Five, we have FRANK friend and recording artist Henry Canyons who recently came out with his EP One Thousand Plateaus released by Backwoodz Studioz. We spoke with the artist and had him give us his dirty, guilty goods covering food preference, naptime, and Cole Haan desert boots. See below why Canyons may just meet all of our shameful little pleasures—and although he won’t reveal his favorite Thai restaurant, we have an inkling it could be Jitlada. Thanks Henry!

Asian Food
Growing up in Brooklyn, my family would often go to Chinatown in the Lower East Side. We had a few go-to spots, where the owners knew us and knew how to cater to the three of us kids. There was always something for everybody, and compared to other places, it was usually pretty damn reasonably priced. I don't know if there's any direct correlation to my obsession and ability to consistently track down absolutely mouth-watering Asian food, but my mom's last meal before I was born was peanut soup and minced squab with plum sauce at the Nice Restaurant on East Broadway. It's not only Chinese though; I have a soft spot for soup dumplings and dim sum too. I love Vietnamese (pho, bahn mi), Thai, Korean BBQ, sushi, ramen, hot pot, all of it. In LA, I live around the corner from Thai Town and have investigated the local scene and have devoted my loyalties to one spot in particular. I can't reveal it because that's not fair to me—rigorous research reaps its benefits. I go there all the time to the point that the little Thai woman that takes care of me has become my honorary Thai grandma. She sends me off with gift bags, party favors. I received a wrapped Christmas present. I feel at home there; I might be part of the family.

Naptime With My French Grandma
Before I moved to LA, I lived in a small town near Bayonne in the southwest Basque region of France for a year. It's where my mom and grandma live. I was working out there for a while, saving money, writing rhymes, and more than anything, getting some quality time with Grandma. Everyday before work, I would meet my grandma outside of her art studio (where she has worked on her art for the last 40 years) and we would walk down the small road along the river that flows in front of the house. She takes that walk every day, and finds something new every day, whether it is the light, the sound of the birds, the barren trees in winter, or the water level during the flood season. After the walk, we'd sit down to lunch, usually something deliciously simple like an omelette, salad, cheese, and bread. Man, I could eat that cheese and bread forever. Over the course of the meal we'd split a bottle of rosé and then plop down in front of dubbed re-runs of Columbo. She loves her non-violent police mysteries. She has a super comfy down-feathered couch that you sink into. There's a bowl of orangettes (a French style chocolate that is a candied orange peel dipped in dark chocolate) on the coffee table and we would sit and watch. My eyes would get heavy and I'd fall into a mid-day slumber—soaking in some quality time with Grandma just before heading to work. It's been a while since I've revisited that ritual.

Party Shirts
It wasn't until last year that I found my first “party shirt.” I was in the market for the perfect shirt for my costume as Woody Harrelson from White Man Can't Jump at a ’90s party my boy was hosting. I had the cyclist hat (brim flipped up), the baggy cotton athletic shorts, Jordan III's, high socks, and a sweatshirt tied around my waist. The missing element was the shirt. I went to a vintage store and started filing through the racks. My friend Mike stumbled upon a green silk, short-sleeved button down with an abstract design that resembled cocktail olives or fish eyes. It popped. It felt nice. And it made me feel nice. Regardless if I was going to a real party or not, I felt like a million dollars. I'm currently building up my repertoire. .

Destiny's Child
Before Beyoncé captivated the world as a solo act, for kids of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was all about Destiny's Child. Now, yes, this definitely feels more of a guilty pleasure than my love for Asian food because as a hip-hop artist and musician, people always judge and question your musical taste. Destiny’s Child was deeply planted in the cellar of my memory until recently. I was at the grocery store shopping for food to cook dinner. There was some scandalous story about the trio on a tabloid, which reminded me and my friend of their long list of classic jams from our childhood. With that random reminder in place, their entire catalogue became the soundtrack of that meal (particularly The Writing's On The Wall).

Buying Multiples of the Same Item
I don't know about you, but I know what I like. And if I really like something, then I use it or wear it all the time. I recently bought a pair of Cole Haan desert boots—the best pair of shoes I've had in the last ten years. They're really nice shoes, and they support my foot with what seems to be the ultra-arch buttress of all time. When I sport 'em, I got nothing but happy feet. I wear them all the time and they are beginning to get a little scuffed up, acquiring that casual but still chic beat up look of weathered, brown leather. Every time I see a new scuff or stain, I get anxious like, “What am I gonna do when I have to put them to rest?” Luckily, I went back to Off Broadway, and they still had the boots in my size! I copped two more pairs, because who knows where else I'll be able to find them. I was so jazzed that night, I was with my friend saying, "I can't wait to wear my new pair of boots ten years from now!" She bursted into laughter and called me ridiculous, but I'm gonna be the one with happy feet in ten years, so who's the one-on-top? - Frank 151

Creativity is as subjective as the resultant pieces, products and compositions that stem from it; when determining one’s thoughts of a music video, a wide array of factors potentially at play can funnel into the pot of creativity – minimal power, the maximalist tapping of nature’s vast beauty, special effects. Sometimes, though, the videos that stick out the most to me are those that capitalize on immediate and circumstantial surroundings. If an artist can articulate through film his or her talent in otherwise unspectacular settings, I’m impressed.

Rapper Henry Canyons did just that with the visual release of “Offshoots”; the Brooklyn-turned-LA native stays within a lane equal parts humor and quality hip-hop, generating impeccably delivered lyrics in the midst of a normally boring environment: home. With the assisting aid of pathetically, purposefully feather-heavy weights and eye-catching effects (think green screen meets picture frame). Fortunately for us, Canyons recently unveiled the project from which “Offshoots” hails, One Thousand Plateaus. If you like what you hear and see, be sure to give that project an attentive spin. - Potholes In My Blog

Verbal rip from the homie “Henry Canyons” Half of the duo “2Blunts and A Gent”… He recently dropped his solo project entitled “Vignettes”.. Highly recommend you peep the project out, Henry Canyons has been droppin’ heat for years and has stepped up his game with another release, it’s a brand new optical heater off his solo debut produced by the Texan composer “Boom Baptist”.. Happy slappin’ kids!… ghea - Word Is Bond

The West Coast duo has been sparkin’ up all types of fire, so today on WIB we are introducing the new optical heat from Las Angeles’ duo “2 Blunts and A Gent”…This time around it’s a solo press from “Henry Canyons” the composer/emcee is ready to drop the new project entitled “Vignettes” coming this October.. The track “Séance” is handled by the composer “Boom Baptist”.. Straight dope, this should keep you on deck till the project drops.. Keep us locked and jam this knock properly.. - Word Is Bond

Brooklyn-born, LA-based emcee Henry Canyons in the form of a video for “Okie Doke,” off his debut solo mixtape Vignettes. Shot guerrilla-style in one take at the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) in 3 minutes while the security guards changed shifts, “Okie Doke” is a high-definition display of Henry Canyons’ well-roundedness both on the mic and behind the camera. On the heels of his well-received video for “Séance”, Vignettes is sure to make a lasting impression as a highly worthy tape. With a diverse array of original and classic production, the talented emcee offers snapshots of his life as he transitioned from east to west coast; keen insight into the forces that push and pull his life as a half-Jewish half-French musician living in Los Angeles. - Zimbio

An interesting piece.
Now I’m not going to lie, this isn’t really me kind of thing. Yet I still felt the need to review this video. Also bear in mind the fact that I don’t get paid to write these little tidbits. Those few sentences should say a lot about my opinions on this video. I am not so conceited as to not reward talent when I see it.

I’ll start off with the video as that really is what decided this piece for me. It is quite simple really. Just one continuos shot of one guy singing. That’s why it is so impressive. it shows that this was filmed in one go, yet still done in a style that’s interesting and really quite clever.

As for the music itself, well I would say its good if you’re into that kind of thing. Its got a good beat and melody running in the background and the vocals on top are clear and one of the best I’ve seen in this style of music. If this is your kind of music you would enjoy this video.

So there you have it. If I was able to watch this video several times in a row whilst writing this, even though I was not that into it, then there should be nothing to stop you checking it out for yourself. I would definitely recommend this video to those who like this music. Check out more at henrycanyons.bandcamp.com - Big In The Game

The video was sparking seizures, but I’m diggin the joint. Cop Henry Canyons project Vignettes fo’ free here. Check it out. - The Hip Hop Dead

I got Henry Canyons video in my inbox today and although I've never heard dude before today, I figure "what the hell" and gave it listen. Dude is pretty sick. Anyone who craves that "boom-bap" style hip hop vs samples of Luke will really enjoy this. Word is Henry recorded this video at the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) in 3 minutes while the security guards changed shifts. Download his latest project Vignettes if you want to hear more.
- SuperXOfficial

I got Henry Canyons video in my inbox today and although I've never heard dude before today, I figure "what the hell" and gave it listen. Dude is pretty sick. Anyone who craves that "boom-bap" style hip hop vs samples of Luke will really enjoy this. Word is Henry recorded this video at the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) in 3 minutes while the security guards changed shifts. Download his latest project Vignettes if you want to hear more.
- SuperXOfficial

Video from Henry’s mixtape, Vignettes. Produced by BoomBaptist. Directed by Nicolas Heller. - UGSMAG

LA wordsmith Henry Canyons complements his head-spinning lyrics with a head-spinning video. New from his upcoming mixtape Vignettes. - Hip-hop.com

LA based rapper, Henry Canyons, transcends your typical boundaries of hip-hop identity. The self-described Brooklinite-French-Jew took to music at a young age; from his training as a jazz saxophonist to his teenage years spent in Brooklyn cipher circles, his melodic style and lyrical integrity reflect his diverse musical background. Canyons left for the West Coast in 2005 to attend Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. After graduating, it was longterm friend and flourishing emcee, Spliff Hemingway, who encouraged Canyons to move to LA to continue his music career. While residing in LA, Canyons has worked on multiple projects, most recently his first solo mixtape, Vignettes. Upon its release in October of 2012, Vignettes–which features production from BoomBaptist–received cosigns from WordisBond, HypeFloats, Hip-hop.com and many other online publications. Since then, Canyons has been working on collaborative projects with french producers, Keor Meteor and Freddy Jay, as well as NYC producer Willie Green. Over the course of his career, Canyons has racked up over 30,000 views on YouTube, and has shared stages with Macklemore, Tash, Open Mike Eagle, Pigeon Jon, Blue Scholars, billy woods, and tons of local LA talent.

Featured video “20/20 Hindsightin” off of VIGNETTES. Directed and Edited by Nicolas Heller. Shot by Lowell Meyer. VFX by Brian Dohn. Music by Henry Canyons (Prod. by BoomBaptist) - Underground HipHop Blog