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Funkmaster Flex

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Funkmaster Flex
Birth nameAston George Taylor Jr.
Also known as
  • Flex
  • Funk Flex
Born (1967-08-05) August 5, 1967 (age 57)
The Bronx, New York, New York, United States
GenresHip hop
Occupations
  • Disc jockey
  • rapper
  • record producer
  • actor
  • television show host
Instruments
Years active1987–present
Labels
Websiteinflexwetrust.com

Aston George Taylor Jr.[1] (born August 5, 1967),[1] professionally known as Funkmaster Flex, is an American disc jockey, rapper, record producer, actor, and host on New York City's Hot 97 radio station. In 1992, he became host of the first hip hop radio show on Hot 97 in New York, which was a pop radio station at the time.[2]

Radio

Aston Taylor Jr. was born in the Bronx borough of New York City to sound system professional and DJ Aston George Taylor Sr.[3] At age 16, he began DJing at local nightclubs.[3] At 19, he began working with fellow Bronx native Chuck Chillout for WRKS 98.7 Kiss-FM in New York. He later left KISS, and spent a brief period at 107.5 WBLS-FM.[4]

In the early 1990s, Flex made club appearances at many of Vito Bruno's operated nightclubs. Bruno later convinced Joel Salkowitz, a regional vice president of Hot 97, to begin airing live broadcasts from clubs where he was performing. When they realized the resurgence of Hip Hop was coming fast from its fallout in the eighties, they increased the hours of this urban radio programming.[2] Due to the success of that programming, in the spring of 1992 Funkmaster Flex began mixing and hosting his own show, a specialized rap program on Hot 97. With this, Hot 97 became the first pop station in New York to showcase rap. Flex has been with Hot 97 ever since, and currently airs nationally through syndication during weeknights and weekends.[2] He is well known for his signature "bomb drop" sound effect over records.

Website

On August 3, 2010, Flex launched[5] his news website InFlexWeTrust.com. He makes the audio, video and mp3's of artist freestyles from his show "exclusively" available on the site. The site also posts entertainment news, music, cars, models, sports and technology. It joined[6] the Complex media network in September 2012, and has been mentioned in songs, including Fabolous' "So NY."

Controversy

In 2011, Flex was arrested for allegedly pushing his wife Monica Joseph-Taylor and sending her threatening texts.[7] As of 2014, Flex is battling his ex-girlfriend Haydee Diaz in court over child support for their son Dante.[8]

In 2012, Flex had a feud with rival NYC hip-hop radio station Power 105.1 and their radio personalities, including DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God.[9]

In 2015, a petition was started online to get Funkmaster Flex to step down from hosting his radio program on NYC's Hot 97.[10] Flex promised through a series of social media posts that he would air an exclusive premiere of Meek Mill's answer diss track to rapper Drake's "Charged Up" in the midst of their feud.[11] During the actual broadcast on Monday, July 27, Flex told listeners that he had reference tracks that would "expose" Drake's usage of a ghostwriter.[12] However, after many spins of Fetty Wap's "Trap Queen", Rihanna's "Bitch Better Have My Money", and songs off of Future's DS2, listeners started to become enraged, inciting that they felt duped.[13][14]

Music production

By the mid-1990s, Flex was signed by a major record label, Loud Records, for a series of mixtapes entitled 60 Minutes of Funk. All four were certified gold by the RIAA in the US.[4] In 1995 he formed The Flip Squad along with seven of New York City's most respected disc jockeys, including Biz Markie, "BounceMasta" Doo Wop, Big Kap, DJ Enuff, Mister Cee, Frankie Cutlass, DJ Riz, Cipha Sounds and Mark Ronson. Their self-titled debut LP was released on MCA in late 1998. In 1999, he released The Tunnel with Def Jam, which included songs by artists Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Eminem, LL Cool J, DJ Myth, Method Man, DMX, Nas, Travis Scott, Smokepurpp, Lil Yachty, 6ix9ine, YG, Yo Gotti, NBA Youngboy, YBN Nahmir and Snoop Dogg.[4] Other acts he has worked with include Yvette Michele, Pras, DJ Kool, Armand Van Helden[15]

Television

Funkmaster Flex first appeared on television in the early nineties on Yo! MTV Raps hosted by Fab 5 Freddy, DJ Myth, Ed Lover and Doctor Dré.[16][17] He later did various hip-hop and automobile spots for MTV.

In 2003, Flex debuted his first television series, Ride with Funkmaster Flex on the Spike cable network.[18] The show documented the subculture of cars popular in hip hop culture. Noteworthy moments in the series included a look into Diddy's private jet and a visit to Eminem's studio.[18][19]

Flex later developed a one-off Spike TV show race event – The Funkmaster Flex Super Series Invitational.[20] The race featured 60 late-model stock car drivers at The Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut.[20] Celebrities like Orange County Choppers, LL Cool J and Lil' Kim were brought out to watch the event.[20]

ESPN noticed Ride with Funkmaster Flex and decided to create a show with Flex focusing on custom cars and interviewing athletes from the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball. Guests included Danica Patrick, Terrell Owens and Jason Giambi. The show was called All Muscle with Funkmaster Flex and began airing early 2007.[21]

Later in 2007, a second show called Car Wars with Funkmaster Flex premiered on ESPN.[22] Car Wars asked different car customizers to modify existing vehicles for cash prizes. If featured automotive designers such as Patrick Schiavone, former Ford North American Truck & SUV Design Director and currently Vice President of Design at Whirlpool, Ford Explorer Exterior Design Manager Melvin Betancourt and Louis D'erasmo of Valanca Auto Concepts.[23]

For Fast Machines with Funkmaster Flex, Flex returned to Spike TV to focus on making muscle and modern car customization for celebrities. Examples included a 1955 Chevy Bel Air for Dale Earnhardt Jr., a 1966 Pontiac GTO for Pontiac Enthusiast Magazine and a 1970 Chevy Chevelle for the U.S. Marines. It also featured an interview with Royal Purple race driver Kathryn Minter.[24]

In 2010, Flex returned to MTV with a new show – Funk Flex Full Throttle. The show featured Flex interviewing hip-hop artists and customizing cars; either on location at Spring Break, the New York Auto Show or in his garage. Full Throttle also integrated reality elements as Flex directed his team of car customizers at various builds and allowed viewers inside the lifestyle of Hip-Hop stars.[25]

In 2014, Funkmaster Flex appeared on VH1 as part of the reality show This Is Hot 97.

Car Show Tour

Taylor developed and promotes an annual eight-city Funkmaster Flex Custom Car & Bike Show Tour. It has had featured artists such as Drake, Nicki Minaj and Fabolous. Each stop showcases customized cars in competition for cash prizes and model and recording talent search. In 2010, he added the Funkmaster Flex Lifestyle Expo which included sneaker and DJ battles, video game competitions, skateboard demos.[26]

He also displays some of his personal collection of roughly 40 muscle cars at each stop of the tour.[27]

Auto design

An FMF tenth-generation Ford F-150.

In 2005, Ford Motor Company opened its Dearborn design studio doors to Taylor to look at how to customize its product line-up and add exposure to the brand. He has since customized several models for Ford.[28]

Video games

Flex is a featured DJ on The Beat 102.7 in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.[29]

He is a celebrity adversary and an unlockable free agent fullback in season mode of ESPN NFL 2K5. He also has an unlockable team, the Baurtwell Funkmasters.[30]

Flex was an unlockable character and in-game narrator in Def Jam Vendetta.

Flex is also mentioned in the prelude of NBA 2K18 when talking to ATM (cpu character)

Discography

Main article: Funkmaster Flex discography

References

  1. ^ a b Jason Birchmeier (August 5, 1967). "Funkmaster Flex | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Charnas, Dan (2010). The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop, ISBN 978-1-101-44582-2
  3. ^ a b "Vibe". Books.google.com. p. 88. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Shapiro, Peter (2005) The Rough Guide to Hip-Hop, Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-263-8, p.149-150
  5. ^ "Funkmaster Flex Interviews Lil Wayne Live From Rikers". In Flex We Trust. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  6. ^ Martin, Andrew. "InFlexWeTrust.com Joins The Complex Media Network". Complex. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  7. ^ "NY Daily News". Nydailynews.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  8. ^ "NY Post". Nypost.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  9. ^ "The Urban Daily". Theurbandaily.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  10. ^ Goddard, Kevin (July 27, 2015). "Online Petition Started To Force Funkmaster Flex To Resign From Hot 97". Hotnewhiphop.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  11. ^ "Petition Started To Force Funkmaster Flex To Resign From Hot 97". Hip-Hop Wired. July 27, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  12. ^ "Meek Mill Doesn't Show Up On Funkmaster Flex To Address Drake". News.hiphopearly.com. July 27, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  13. ^ Davis, Justin. "Someone Started a Petition To Force Funkmaster Flex To Step Down From Hot 97". Complex.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  14. ^ "Someone Started An Online Petition To Remove Funkmaster Flex From Hot 97". Vibe.com. July 28, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  15. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20110707165642/http://www.artistopia.com/funkmaster-flex/music. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2011. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Funkmaster Flex – Interview @ Yo MTV Raps 1995 (HQ)". YouTube. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  17. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20110724030638/http://www.realtelevision.net/2010/04/29/funk-flex-full-throttle/. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2011. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b "Funkmaster Flex Rides Back for Season II on Spike TV - re> NEW YORK, April 15 /PRNewswire/". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  19. ^ "Eminem shows his GM truck to FunkMaster Flex". YouTube. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  20. ^ a b c Poniewozik, James. "Arts - Television - The New York Times". Tv.nytimes.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  21. ^ Blades, Nicole. "Muscle Man – Celebs and jocks roll with DJ Funkmaster Flex when they want their own wheels of steel" ESPN The Magazine July. 2007.
  22. ^ "Funkmaster Flex Returns in Car Wars". The Car Connection. May 17, 2007. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  23. ^ "Car Wars with Funkmaster Flex Bstroll Rap Freestyle". YouTube. June 14, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  24. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20101028172415/http://www.spike.com/show/31298. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2011. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ "Original TV Shows, Reality TV Shows". MTV. February 9, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  26. ^ Johnson, Mitchell."Royal Purple Lubricants Taps DJ Funkmaster Flex to Showcase Its Latest Performance Products" PR Newswire. March 8, 2010
  27. ^ "Funkmaster Flex's Classic and Muscle Cars - My Garage - Motor Trend Classic". Motortrend.com. June 20, 2006. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  28. ^ Mitchell C. Johnson."FORD FUSION AND F-150 TO RIDE FUNKMASTER FLEX STYLE" Ford Media. May 12, 2005
  29. ^ GTA.net."Beat 102.7" GTA.net. 2010
  30. ^ Zawada, Chris."ESPN NFL 2K5" GamesRadar.com July 27, 2004
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