Fit to Their Liking
From the dollar bin to dapper men, Tuxedo cleans up nice.
“We owe it all to Arcee! We couldn’t have done it without him.”
Mayer Hawthorne would shout his gratitude for the Toronto rapper and music aficionado Arcee from the rooftop of the Toronto Sheraton if he could get away with it. He and his partner Jake One sit in the hotel lounge, with countless hours of sleep lost in between Japan and Canada, where they had just completed a promo tour. The self-titled debut album of their side project Tuxedo hit number two on the charts, second only to Taylor Swift. The idea of another interview doesn’t provide much thrill, but the mention of their old friend’s name produces ear-to-ear grins.
The backstory: In the late 90s, hip-hop music was at its most polarizing. On one hand, you had shiny-suit “producers” looping up 80s pop hits and proceeding to twist and gyrate in their artists’ videos. On the other end of the spectrum were the blue-collar underground rap purists that scoffed at the hedonism of the mainstream and sought to be rich in respect.
In their formative years, Jake One and Mayer Hawthorne would have claimed to belong to the latter group. They made a habit of scouring dusty record shops for rare sounds to sample with the hope of carrying on the lineage of Gang Starr, EPMD, and Main Source. Many like-minded music makers from all parts of North America would run into each other at any given time. Among them was budding rapper Arcee, who was also an avid record collector. Limited to a tighter budget, however, Arcee’s shopping excursions were limited to the dollar bin where oft-overlooked 80’s R’n’B & boogie records would dwell.
“Back then, boogie records weren’t really hot,” Jake tells me. When they would all convene to compare their hauls, Arcee’s stash of boogie goodness eventually became the consensus favourite sound. “It was just something that hit me in my core,” Jake adds. “Something about the bass lines.” Names like Cameo, Shalamar, and Gap Band were prominent. This music was a staple during their childhood. The record shopping triggered enough nostalgia in the boys to create a lasting musical passion.
Years went by, and both Jake and Mayer flourished in their respective careers. Jake One’s gritty rap beats earn the blessing of the likes of 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and Drake. Mayer enjoyed a solo stint with his brand of blue-eyed soul that earned him a worldwide following.
They eventually found themselves pining to make something that broke the mold. Gangster rap was wearing thin for Jake, and Mayer needed an escape from his regular routine. Together, they would collaborate on tracks that captured the spirit of the records Arcee had dug up years before. They experimented with more dancefloor friendly tempos, and their lyrics were simplified.
In 2013, the duo casually released an EP on SoundCloud under the moniker Tuxedo, keeping their real names hidden. Three songs totaling twelve minutes in length had the music scene abuzz trying to identify these masked musicians. “I knew it was going well when we were getting offers to do shows based on three songs,” Jake says. “Pitbull actually spit a verse on ‘Do It’ and put it on his album.”
The EP piqued listeners’ interests. The stage was now set for the full length release. In early 2015, Tuxedo’s self-titled album was received with much fanfare. The sound – dance music organically arranged with a full compliment of brass, keys, and percussion – was a refreshing throwback to simpler times and an about face to the computer-generated brashness of the EDM movement currently throttling the airwaves. As a whole, the album plays like a full-on nightclub courtship. A gaggle of female vocals prop up Mayer as he entices his future girlfriend on “R U Ready.” The spirit of West Coast crooner Nate Dogg is channeled on “Number One,” helping to further the notion of love in the club. The lazy river flows of “Get U Home” and “Two Wrongs” act as closing remarks to aide the suitor in sealing the deal. From presentation to execution, Tuxedo make a pretty convincing case.
“It’s not deep allegorical music. It’s all about dancing and having fun,” Mayer explains. “When it’s ten below in Detroit and you have no money, that music makes you feel good.” It was a much needed yang to the pre-existing yins. Tuxedo are quick to point out that they are not a campy tribute band, too – they see themselves as musicians accepting a challenge. “We’re not trying to make something old,” says Mayer. “We’re adding things that weren’t around in the 80s to the existing style. It’s about moving the music forward.”
When the dust settles, Mayer and Jake One might look back on their Tuxedo phase as a lucky break. It was the product of a need to express themselves differently. And while the acclaim and world tours might give them a lifetime of memories, the biggest takeaway will hold much more weight. “The whole lesson in this is just to do whatever we feel,” Jake One explains. “We literally went into this project with no expectations. We did it for fun. And we’ve already gone around the world because of it.”
That’s a lot of value to be found in the dollar bin.
Tuxedo’s self-titled debut album is available now on Stones Throw Records.
Listen to more Tuxedo funk right here.
"We owe it all to Arcee! We couldn't have done it without him."
Mayer Hawthorne would shout his gratitude for the Toronto rapper and music aficionado Arcee from the rooftop of the Toronto Sheraton if he could get away with it. He and his partner Jake One sit in the hotel lounge, with countless hours of sleep lost in between Japan and Canada, where they had just completed a promo tour. The self-titled debut album of their side project Tuxedo hit number two on the charts, second only to Taylor Swift. The idea of another interview doesn’t provide much thrill, but the mention of their old friend’s name produces ear-to-ear grins.
The backstory: In the late 90s, hip-hop music was at its most polarizing. On one hand, you had shiny-suit “producers” looping up 80s pop hits and proceeding to twist and gyrate in their artists’ videos. On the other end of the spectrum were the blue-collar underground rap purists that scoffed at the hedonism of the mainstream and sought to be rich in respect.
In their formative years, Jake One and Mayer Hawthorne would have claimed to belong to the latter group. They made a habit of scouring dusty record shops for rare sounds to sample with the hope of carrying on the lineage of Gang Starr, EPMD, and Main Source. Many like-minded music makers from all parts of North America would run into each other at any given time. Among them was budding rapper Arcee, who was also an avid record collector. Limited to a tighter budget, however, Arcee’s shopping excursions were limited to the dollar bin where oft-overlooked 80's R'n'B & boogie records would dwell.
"Back then, boogie records weren't really hot," Jake tells me. When they would all convene to compare their hauls, Arcee's stash of boogie goodness eventually became the consensus favourite sound. "It was just something that hit me in my core,” Jake adds. “Something about the bass lines." Names like Cameo, Shalamar, and Gap Band were prominent. This music was a staple during their childhood. The record shopping triggered enough nostalgia in the boys to create a lasting musical passion.
Years went by, and both Jake and Mayer flourished in their respective careers. Jake One's gritty rap beats earn the blessing of the likes of 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and Drake. Mayer enjoyed a solo stint with his brand of blue-eyed soul that earned him a worldwide following.
They eventually found themselves pining to make something that broke the mold. Gangster rap was wearing thin for Jake, and Mayer needed an escape from his regular routine. Together, they would collaborate on tracks that captured the spirit of the records Arcee had dug up years before. They experimented with more dancefloor friendly tempos, and their lyrics were simplified.
In 2013, the duo casually released an EP on SoundCloud under the moniker Tuxedo, keeping their real names hidden. Three songs totaling twelve minutes in length had the music scene abuzz trying to identify these masked musicians. "I knew it was going well when we were getting offers to do shows based on three songs,” Jake says. “Pitbull actually spit a verse on ‘Do It’ and put it on his album."
The EP piqued listeners’ interests. The stage was now set for the full length release. In early 2015, Tuxedo’s self-titled album was received with much fanfare. The sound - dance music organically arranged with a full compliment of brass, keys, and percussion - was a refreshing throwback to simpler times and an about face to the computer-generated brashness of the EDM movement currently throttling the airwaves. As a whole, the album plays like a full-on nightclub courtship. A gaggle of female vocals prop up Mayer as he entices his future girlfriend on “R U Ready.” The spirit of West Coast crooner Nate Dogg is channeled on “Number One,” helping to further the notion of love in the club. The lazy river flows of “Get U Home” and “Two Wrongs” act as closing remarks to aide the suitor in sealing the deal. From presentation to execution, Tuxedo make a pretty convincing case.
“It's not deep allegorical music. It's all about dancing and having fun,” Mayer explains. “When it's ten below in Detroit and you have no money, that music makes you feel good.” It was a much needed yang to the pre-existing yins. Tuxedo are quick to point out that they are not a campy tribute band, too - they see themselves as musicians accepting a challenge. "We're not trying to make something old," says Mayer. "We're adding things that weren't around in the 80s to the existing style. It's about moving the music forward."
When the dust settles, Mayer and Jake One might look back on their Tuxedo phase as a lucky break. It was the product of a need to express themselves differently. And while the acclaim and world tours might give them a lifetime of memories, the biggest takeaway will hold much more weight. "The whole lesson in this is just to do whatever we feel,” Jake One explains. “We literally went into this project with no expectations. We did it for fun. And we've already gone around the world because of it.”
That's a lot of value to be found in the dollar bin.
Tuxedo’s self-titled debut album is available now on Stones Throw Records.
Listen to more Tuxedo funk right here.