Charlie Mackenroe (Atlanta)Grip Magazine © 2006
By Kandis Knight
Walking into the recording studio of super southern producer Shondrae “Bangladesh” Crawford is like stepping into a totally different world oozing with musical stimulation. Polyrhythmic percussions vibrate walls. Piercing snares accent crisp highs. And the entrancing, futuristic flavors involuntarily make heads bob, fingers snap and hips sway.
Making a name for himself constructing sonic soundtracks for Ludacris’ breakout hit “What’s Your Fantasy” and Kelis’ saucy single “Bossy,” Bangladesh is now using his production expertise in promotion of four-man collective Charlie Mackenroe, the first group from his Bangladesh Productions imprint.
“I am working toward producing only my artists and not working with other artists,” reflects the twenty-five year old CEO. “Soon when people want to hear that Bangladesh sound, they have to go to Bangladesh Productions to get it.”
Made up of rappers D.O. Deville, Polo Joe, Eldorado Redd, and Tom Foolery and reminiscent of mismatched duo Outkast, each member of Charlie Mackenroe has a distinct character that emerges from track to track to captivate your imagination and drag your mind into their world.
“Our music is what you would have if Dolamite got some action from Halle Berry,” explains Redd, “and then met up with George Clinton or Curtis Mayfield to do a record; it would be a Charlie Mackenroe record,” says Redd, whose words flow in conversation, just like they do on hot wax.
D.O. Deville, the quiet one, interjects, “Our music is different because Bangladesh is different. It is foreign to the ear.”
Together as a crew since the tenth grade, most of Charlie Mackenroe’s members met while attending Tri Cities High School in Atlanta. Back then, Eldorado Redd was the only group member seriously pursing a music career. In 1999, Redd put out a mix cd called “Who You Calling Country?” produced by Bread & Water and signed a distribution deal with Freeworld before the company went bankrupt.
Like a funky Frankenstein creation, they combine elements of 80s gun-toting big screen vigilante and one of the illest tennis players to crush rackets on his opponents. “Charlie Mackenroe is a combination of Charles Bronson, the gangster,” explains an ever animated Tom Foolery, “and John Mackenroe, the tennis player, who has a mean back hand slap.”
That hybrid beast will be unleashed with the release of their debut album (untitled at the time of publication) which is slated for a November 2007 release. “Our music will satisfy,” Polo Joe sums up their unique sound, “We got Swag 101 going on over here we also got a lot of lessons people got to learn,” explains a the debonair emcee. “On our album you will learn about what 285 all through Georgia is all about. It’s a one way ticket so you should buy one. It is like a buffet. You can finally get a full meal. We are going to give you what has been missing in music: the creative genius.”
http://www.myspace.com/charliemackenroe
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