MUSIC Local group blends funk, rap into Midwest 'gumbo'

We Famous bills itself as an 'entertainment label,' not just a band.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
The story behind Youngstown hip-hop act We Famous goes as follows: Tired of watching their friends make music without any offers to join the fun, Keith Logan Jr. (2Fly) and Patrick Dooley (Hollywood) decided to not only start their own unit but also create their own business model for success.
Logan admits he has high hopes We Famous, which opened for Lil' Jon at the Chevrolet Center last year, can become Youngstown's own Wu-Tang Clan.
"Basically, it's not as big as Wu-Tang, but it's our own entertainment label," Logan said. "We go by 'entertainment label,' because a lot of people know us for the music, but we also do a lot of other things like promotions, block parties, clothing, Web page design. We even have a mobile car wash that goes out to people's work or homes."
While other members come and go, the We Famous family includes Logan, Dooley, Marcus Dukes (Boom), Brandy Hall (Georgia), Toney Mauzy (Ubnoxus), Anthony Echols (Pryslezz), Andrew McGee (Cook), James Gibbs (JG) and Brian Burton (Flossy B).
This full service operation, which has been together three years, is about to go into overdrive this summer with the release of double album "Parking Lot Platinum." The expansive set acts as a follow up to the group's debut disc "Ghetto Gumbo." There have also been numerous solo projects.
Logan said the group members are cocky but it's all fun and games. However, the same can't be said for its music, which the outfit takes quite seriously.
Blended tastes
"We come with different ideas in our delivery and our style," Logan said.
"And our style isn't real hardcore rap. It's something that everybody can listen to and everyone does listen to. You get people from the inner city of Youngstown who love us. Then you have people from different areas like in Boardman, where the kids love us."
The Rayen High School graduate added, "We reach out to everyone. The first album I think is the best title because it's called 'Ghetto Gumbo' and what it did is it mixes something for everybody."
Similar to the Dirty South sound that emerged a few years ago, We Famous' style is distinctive, with Logan stressing it all begins with the funk as an homage to the king, George Clinton.
"Personally, I think whenever there is a big wave of music, it's heavily based off of funk because in the early '90s when the West Coast hit really hard, they sampled a lot of Parliament and Bootsy Collins," said Logan, who recently graduated from Youngstown State University with a degree in telecommunications and computer science.
Born in Houston but reared in the Youngstown area, Logan -- who is known for his love of old school Houston Astros baseball caps and his stage prop tin cup that he says holds battery juice to keep him energized -- believes Ohio is a tough market for any act or band to break out.
Still, he likes the challenge and feels We Famous can make the jump from local act to Midwest performer. That road begins at the Indie Music Fest, which takes place Friday at The Cellar.
The show will be special for Logan as We Famous performs with live backing group The Flava Band. The old school funk outfit includes Logan's father Keith Sr. (or as he's now referred to, 2Fly Sr.).
For Logan, there's no replacement for a live band.
"When you [perform] to tracks, you're sort of like in this box, but when you do it with the band, you can think outside the octagon," Logan said.
"So, you get the live band going with live singers, and crowd participation, you can do a lot more because you're in control of what's going on. If you want to break the music down and make it quiet or want the crowd to get into it, the band can play as long as you want. It's a lot of energy."