‘There has never been a rapper like Mr.B’- Sunday Times
‘Note perfect’- The Telegraph
‘Pure genius’- Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music
‘One of my (Manchester) Festival highlights’- City Life
‘Sublime Genius’- The Chap
On a one-man mission to introduce Hip-Hop to the Queen’s English, Mr. B is delighted to present Chap-Hop. Having spent the best part of a decade bringing some manners back to popular culture, this dopest of fellows will entertain and amuse you with his ingenious stylings. Aiming to dazzle with dignity, Mr. B takes to the stage with his Banjolele and stiff upper lip to perform ditties of pipe-smoking, high society, Cricket and sexual misadventure, as well as some more well-known pieces from the world of Hip-Hop, re-worked in true Chap-Hop fashion. Mr.B has fast gained a reputation as an eloquent and entertaining live performer, playing recitals across the UK and into Johnny Continent for the past two years from the Glastonbury Festival to club NME in Paris, from the club in Surrey to a week’s residency at the Edinburgh fringe. His recent video ‘Chap-Hop history’ received over 100,000 hits in its first week on youtube. He has just guested on banjolele and vocals on US nerdcore rapper MC Frontalot’s forthcoming album.
At last year’s Wychwood Mr.B’s set on Tom Robinson’s Introducing stage went down a storm and he sold £500 worth of CDs. The queue to get them signed had to be shepherded away from the front of the stage as it was interrupting the next band. His debut long player ‘Flattery Not Included’ is available via www.gentlemanrhymer.com now.
Syl: Why are you getting involved in Wychwood Festival?
Mr B:…I played for Tom Robinson in the beer tent last year and I must say it went down rather a storm, so the kind ladies and chaps asked me to come back and play a recital in the Big Top. Most kind…and wise of them.
Syl: What are you expecting from the performance at Wychwood Festival?
Mr B:…It’s what the audience should expect that matters and that will be the unexpected.
Syl: What are your current performances (place for shameless self-promotion;)) and plans for 2010?
Mr B:…Crikey, I’m playing all over United Kingdom in May, then off to the Edinburgh Fringe where I shall be part of a three-person show called Me! Me! Me! Should be dreadful fun.
Syl: Do you want us to mention any albums, links to those?
Mr B:…My debut long player is called Flattery Not Included and it is available via www.gentlemanrhymer.com
Syl: What is your best and most weird/surprising/funny memory from previous performances?
Mr B:…My favourite performance was probably at the Grand Anarcho Dandyist Ball last year to celebrate 10 years of The Chap magazine. A few hundred trilbies aloft fills one’s soul with joy and no mistake.
Syl: What is your favorite drink – in case if your audience wants to invite you for one?;)
Mr B:…I do like a sherry or a port. Any good quality fortified wine will do the job.
Syl: Apart from music, what are your other favorite activities?
Mr B:…I’m something of a Flaneur. There’s no direct English translation of it, but it basically means to stroll about one’s town with no other plan than to observe the human race. And I like a drink.
Syl: Where can we find you on-line to stay in touch and learn about new performances? (blog, MySpace account, Twitter, Facebook?)
Mr B:…I am on facebook and twitter, just search for ‘gentleman rhymer’ there, and of course www.myspace.com/gentlemanrhymer or gentlemanrhymer.com
Syl: Thank you ever so much for your time!
Mr B: You are most welcome my dear. Sherry?
