*Speech confirms Arrested Development to Perform at
Java Soulnation Festival 2009!
“Our mindset, our music, our stage show and our sense of urgency are stronger than ever before - Speech. STRONG is that perfect mix between heavy and light, thought provoking and fun. It's a blend that only ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT can bring to Hip Hop & jam. It's the return of people’s music, and even if you weren’t the people the music was intended for, you can still feel it – it offers a deep human connection, through sonic celebration. STRONG is a more musical offering than any other previous AD release. The band shines more than ever before, funky pop jams like, "The World is Changing" show a side of AD that only live fans usually get to hear or quirky songs like, "Haters" which hints at musical styles of groups such as Queen. "We have been trying to match the energy of our live shows to our recordings every since we started. Now we finally got it! We’re fired up!", says Speech. We’ve experimented with different time signatures and grooves more than any other record in the past.” The album is produced by Speech, recorded at the Podium. (The same studio that cranked out Speech solo hits like: "Spiritual People", "The Hey Song" and "Like Marvin Gaye Said". The songs were primarily written by the entire group except Baba Oje' whose been recuperating after an unfortunate fall during a recent tour in France. Every song on STRONG shows the musical prowess of a group that refuses to fit into the “just add water” normalcy of today’s hip-hop. The group was founded in the late '80s by rapper Speech who decided to make the transition to a more positive, afro-centric viewpoint after hearing Public Enemy. Not to mention, his mother has owned a community newspaper every since Speech was 7 years old. Each member had a deep belief in music and helping those who have less opportunity to grow. Arrested Development's debut album, 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of... produced the hits "Tennessee” ,"People Everyday"(a rewrite of Sly's "Everyday People") and "Mr. Wendal" sparked the album to sell over four million copies. If winning MTV music & video awards in the early nineties, plus Grammys for Best Rap Album and Best New Artist wasn't enough, the group also was named Rolling Stone's Band of the Year 1993. Accolades poured in from their live show to their political activism. Arrested Development soon returned with the Grammy nominated Zingalamaduni (1994), which some reviews hailed as a major work, then the group suddenly took a 5-year hiatus, none the less releasing new material was always in their plans, so starting with the new millennium the band went back to what they do best...LIFE MUSIC! Since their last release in 2005 they’ve added a new face. Newest member, Tasha Larae (28 yrs old) met Speech at a church function in Atlanta and was asked to tour with the group. She may end up being a permanent member in the coming months. She'll be replacing Nicha who was featured on the groups’ last album two albums. A.D. respects women, promotes family, spirituality and male responsibility. Their music addresses consciousness, the earth, African self-determination and love. They call their live shows celebrations and you won’t want to miss their show, which is among the best in the industry. They were the first African - American artists to donate money to Nelson Mandela and the ANC to help South Africans; they also donated $20,000 to UNICEF for relief in the Congo, they've done charity for Homeless organizations, inner city youth organizations, women's prisons, anti – human trafficking groups, schools, and universities across the globe. Eshe (dancer of the group) adds, “This album has strong jams for the world to dance, think and have fun to!” Arrested Development is about significant music built on history and tradition, but pointing the way toward the future.
