Sleep (rapper)

Last updated
Sleep
Sleepperforminglive.png
Sleep performing live in 2011
Background information
Birth nameChristopher Tafoya
Also known asSleep of Oldominion
Born (1975-06-02) June 2, 1975 (age 49)
Farmington, New Mexico, U.S.
Origin Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Genres
Occupation Rapper
Years active1996–present
Labels
Website www.strangefamousrecords.com

Christopher Tafoya (born June 2, 1975), better known by his stage name Sleep or Sleep of Oldominion, is an American hip hop artist from Farmington, New Mexico, who is currently based in Portland, Oregon. [1] He is a founding member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion [2] and hip hop duo The Chicharones alongside Josh Martinez. [3] [4] He is signed to Strange Famous Records. [5] [6]

Contents

Early life

Tafoya grew up in the small town community of Farmington, New Mexico. He is of Mexican descent. [7] At the age of five, Sleep was already rapping and b-boying with his friends and relatives in the small town, with himself naming Run DMC as an important influence when he first began. [8] [9]

In addition to the hip hop he heard early on, his father was a former bass player for blues musician Gatemouth Brown, and would play a wide array of music, from Mariachi, to blues, to rock. Sleep also grew up with seven other brothers who all played musical instruments and had a grandfather who was also a multi instrumentalist. [10] Entering the world of rap, he felt that his talents as both an MC and a writer were overly slept on, hence the creation of his name Sleep. [11] [12]

Growing up in New Mexico, Sleep went to the same school as Onry Ozzborn, which led them to meet Pale Soul. [13] Together, they formed the group Oraclez Creed, which would later become Oldominion after combining with Frontline (Destro, Nyqwil, and Snafu). [14] After the join, the massive Pacific Northwest hip hop collective grew to over twenty members. [15]

Musical career

2001-2008: Riot by Candelight, Christopher and the Chicharones

Sleep released his debut album, Riot by Candlelight, in 2002. [16] Following the release, he was heavily involved in the multiple albums by Oldominion. [17] In 2001, Sleep met Canadian rapper Josh Martinez by chance encounter at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. [18] Together, the two would create the hip hop duo the Chicharones. [19] [20] Sleep's second album, Christopher , was released in 2005 (and then re-released with bonus tracks in 2009). [21]

2009-2013: Strange Famous Records and Hesitation Wounds

Leading up to 2009, Sleep had contacted Sage Francis in an attempt to receive a feature for his upcoming album, which eventually led to his signing to Sage's independent label Strange Famous Records. [22] In 2009, Sleep released his third solo album, Hesitation Wounds. It features verses from Grayskul and Del the Funky Homosapien as well as production from likes of Zavala and Reanimator, among others. [23]

2014-present: Oregon Failure

Sleep's fourth solo album, Oregon Failure , was released on April 15, 2014 on Strange Famous Records as well. [24] The entire album is produced by Maulskull and has features from Onry Ozzborn and Ceschi, among others. [25]

Style

Sleep's style has been described as "having intricate rhyme schemes and rapid-fire delivery," with his lyrics being both witty and personal. [26] [27]

Discography

Solo

Studio albums

  • Riot by Candlelight
    • Released: November 5, 2002
    • Label: Under the Needle Recordings
  • Christopher
  • Hesitation Wounds
    • Released: June 29, 2009
    • Label: Strange Famous Records
  • Oregon Failure (produced by Maulskull)
    • Released: October 20, 2014
    • Label: Strange Famous Records

EPs

Singles

Collaborative albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strange Famous Records</span> Record label

Strange Famous Records is an indie hip hop record label based in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded by Sage Francis. Artists on its roster include B. Dolan, Cecil Otter, Prolyphic, and Sleep, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Martinez</span> American rapper

Matthew Edward Kimber, better known by his stage name Josh Martinez, is a Canadian rapper, record producer and record label executive. In the early 2000s, Martinez started his own label, Camobear Records, to which fellow rap artist Moka Only is signed. Josh Martinez was once named by Urb Magazine as one of its "Next 100 Rising Stars".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grayskul</span> American hip hop group

Grayskul is an American hip hop duo based in Seattle, Washington, consisting of rappers Onry Ozzborn and JFK Ninjaface. Since its formation in 2003, the group has released ten solo albums. The duo often collaborate with artists from the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion.

The Chicharones are an American/Canadian alternative hip hop duo, composed of Sleep of Oldominion and Josh Martinez, and are usually accompanied by DJ Zone. They are known for their socially conscious lyrics, energetic live performances, and strong underground following.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fake Four Inc.</span> American independent record label

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prolyphic</span> American rapper

Alfred Schoeninger, better known by his stage name Mopes, and formerly Prolyphic, is an American hip hop musician from Rhode Island. He is one half of the duo Stick Figures along with Robust and is currently signed to Strange Famous Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oldominion</span> American hip hop group


Oldominion is an American hip hop collective, consisting of more than twenty members. It was described by Casey Jarman of Willamette Week as the "Northwest's largest hip-hop crew" which "united the local underground rap scene for the first time".

<i>Hesitation Wounds</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Sleep

Hesitation Wounds is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Sleep, a member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion. It was released on Strange Famous Records on June 29, 2009.

Alexander Robert Zavala, better known mononymously by his stage name Zavala, is an American hip hop and electronica record producer from Chicago, Illinois. He is a founding member of the hip hop duo Dark Time Sunshine alongside Onry Ozzborn.

<i>Oregon Failure</i> 2014 studio album by Sleep

Oregon Failure is the fourth studio album by American rapper Sleep, a member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion. It was released on Strange Famous Records in 2014. The album is entirely produced by Maulskull, and it features guest appearances from Ceschi, Onry Ozzborn, and Pigeon John, among others.

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<i>Hold On for Dear Life</i> 2011 studio album by Onry Ozzborn

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<i>Polarity</i> (Norman album) 2003 studio album by Norman

Polarity is a studio album by American hip hop group Norman, consisting of rappers Onry Ozzborn and Barfly, both members of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion. It was released on Under The Needle on March 4, 2003. The album is a rap opera concept album.

<i>One</i> (Oldominion album) 2001 studio album by Oldominion

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Ryan McMahon, better known by his stage name Iame, is an American rapper, record producer and record executive from Portland, Oregon. He is a member of the hip hop groups Oldominion and Sandpeople. In 2012, he released the album Lame$tream, which was given favorable reviews including Willamette Week, who on said "This is an MC at the very top of his game" and the albums's songs "shines a light on the MC's powerful grasp of storytelling." He has shared stages with Grayskul, Sleep, The Chicharones and Boom Bap Project, among many others.

Todd Joseph Gumke, better known by his stage name Mr. Hill, is an American hip hop record producer and DJ from Seattle, Washington. Mr. Hill has produced for the likes of Kool Keith, Mr. Lif, Boom Bap Project and Grayskul, among others. He is a member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion.

Tyler W. Andrews, better known by his stage name Xperience, is an American hip hop recording artist from Detroit, Michigan, who is currently based in Seattle, Washington. He is a member of the hip hop group Oldominion and is a frequent collaborator with fellow Pacific Northwest hip hop artist Macklemore.

<i>The Grey Area</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Onry Ozzborn

The Grey Area is a studio album by American hip hop artist Onry Ozzborn, a member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion. It was released June 17, 2003 on One Drop Records. Guest appearances include Sleep, Qwazaar and Luckyiam of Living Legends, among others.

<i>In Between</i> (Onry Ozzborn album) 2005 studio album by Onry Ozzborn

In Between is the third solo studio album by American hip hop artist Onry Ozzborn, a member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion. It was released November 8, 2005 on Camobear Records, an independent Canadian hip hop record label run by Josh Martinez. Guest appearances include the likes of Aceyalone, Busdriver and Ill Bill.

References

  1. ↑ Spinner - Sleep interview
  2. ↑ All Music Guide - mini-biography
  3. ↑ Music That Isn't Bad - Swine Flew album review Archived 2013-04-15 at archive.today
  4. ↑ Indy Mojo - interview Archived 2013-12-30 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Sleep at Strange Famous Records
  6. ↑ Willamette Week - album review
  7. ↑ "Sleep of Oldominion - Strange Famous Records". Strange Famous Records. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  8. ↑ Poet, Todd Jones aka The New Jeru. "An Interview with SLEEP of Oldominion- Interview by Todd E. Jones". www.reocities.com. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  9. ↑ Fake for Real - interview
  10. ↑ "STIFF Licks Closing Party with Sleep and A Gun That Shoots Knives". www.brownpapertickets.com. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  11. ↑ "The HYPE Magazine Interviews Sleep of Oldominion! | @SleepSFR" . Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  12. ↑ XLR8R - album review
  13. ↑ "Onry Ozzborn: The RAPstation Interview". Rapstation. 2015-12-12. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  14. ↑ codotusylv (3 October 2005). "SLEEP - Interview - Fake For Real". english.fakeforreal.net. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  15. ↑ "One - Oldominion | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  16. ↑ Quinlan, Thomas (October 2002). "Sleep - Riot by Candlelight". Exclaim! .
  17. ↑ Exclaim! - Riot by Candlelight album review
  18. ↑ URB - album review Archived 2013-12-29 at archive.today
  19. ↑ Spinner - Chicharones interview
  20. ↑ Yahoo Voice - interview Archived 2013-12-31 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ↑ "Sleep - Christopher + Bonus Tracks CD - Strange Famous Records".
  22. ↑ URB magazine (July 7, 2009). "Sleep - Hesitation Wounds (Review)". URB . Archived from the original on December 29, 2013.
  23. ↑ Faraone, Chris (June 16, 2009). "Sleep - Hesitation Wounds". The Phoenix .
  24. ↑ Chang, Jason (April 8, 2014). "Crosscheck: Sage Francis & Sleep". URB . Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  25. ↑ Tafoya, Christopher (2014). "Sleep x Maulskull - Oregon Failure - Tues April 15th, 2014". Sleep. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
  26. ↑ "Sleep of Oldominion - Strange Famous Records". Strange Famous Records. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  27. ↑ "Sleep Reflects On His Intricate Rhyme Styles & Touring With Sage Francis". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
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