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Mr. Lif

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"Jeffrey Haynes" redirects here. For people with a similar name, seeGeoffrey Hayes (disambiguation).

Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif live at Pitchfork Music Festival, July 30, 2006
Mr. Lif live atPitchfork Music Festival,July 30, 2006
Background information
Birth nameJeffrey Michael Haynes[1]
Born(1977-12-28)December 28, 1977(age 46)
Boston,Massachusetts, U.S.
GenresHip hop,alternative hip hop,political hip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, record producer
Years active1995–present
Labels
Websitemrlif.bandcamp
therealmrlif

Jeffrey Michael Haynes(born December 28, 1977), better known by his stage nameMr. Lif,is an American rapper fromBoston,Massachusetts. While being praised because of his political lyrics, he has released two studio albums onDefinitive Juxand one on Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises. Mr. Lif is also a member of the hip hop groupThe Perceptionistswith long-time friends and collaboratorsAkrobatikandDJ Fakts One.

Early life

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Haynes grew up in the neighborhood ofBrighton, Boston,Massachusetts.[3]After attending theDedhamprivate schoolNoble and Greenough School,he went on to attendColgate Universityfor two years, and he eventually dropped out. He became a performer in 1994. Mr. Lif's family ancestry isBajan.

Haynes adopted the stage name "Mr. Lif" after ingestingpsilocybin mushroomsat an outdoorPhishconcert during his freshman year atColgate Universityin 1994. He imagined a fictional character called The Liftedly Man while under the influence, which gave way to "Mr. Lif".[3]He later said in an interview for theTimes Colonist:"I don't know any Phish songs. I went to the show, and I still don't know anything about them now."[3]

Career

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Influenced by legendary MC's likeChuck D,KRS-One,andRakim,Mr. Lif began releasing singles in the late '90s, when party rap and gangsta rap were the dominant styles for hip hop music, but Mr. Lif's lyrical agenda was a political and socially conscious one. Mr. Lif released his first single,Elektro,in 1998, attracting the attention of labels Grand Royal andDefinitive Jux.Working closely with producer and Definitive Jux label headEl-P,Lif released a series of critically acclaimed singles and EPs, starting withEnters the Colossusin 2000. In 2000 and 2001, he won theBoston Music Awardfor OutstandingRap/Hip HopAct.[4]Touring kept him busy for the next year, but he still found time to release theCro-Magnonsingle and a live CD. His track "Pull Out Your Cut" was featured in the soundtrack to the ESPN Video Game ESPN NFL 2K5.

In 2002, Mr. Lif released a pair of concept releases.The Emergency RationsEP bookended collaborations withEdanandAkrobatikin an MC abduction scenario, while theI Phantomfull-length formed a saga that led him from birth to apocalypse. He revisited hisAkrobatikcollaboration in 2005, when the pair joined producerDJ Fakts Oneto formThe Perceptionists,who releasedBlack Dialogue,also onDefinitive Jux.One year later, he returned withMo' Mega,his follow-up toI Phantom,featuring eight productions fromEl-Pand features fromMurs,Aesop Rock,andBlueprint.[5]Mr. Lif has also collaborated with Otis Grove,Thievery CorporationandAnomie Belle.[6]

I Heard It Todaywas released on Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises in 2009. Mr Lif embracedI Heard It Todayusing the album as a tool to address various political issues affecting people all over the world.I Heard It Todayis the third full-length studio album by Mr. Lif. The album was released on April 21, 2009, on Mr. Lif's own label Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises. Mr. Lif has stated that the album is "dedicated to capturing the pulse of this tumultuous era we're living through."

In June 2014, Mr. Lif announced on his Facebook that he is working on an album with The Polish Ambassador that will be released in the fall.[7]In September 2014, the pair embarked on a national 5-weekPermacultureAction tour with fellow musiciansAyla Nereoand Liminus. The musicians performed 4–5 days a week and then participated in weekly "Permaculture Action Days" where they held permaculture themed events and activities within the communities they were visiting. The tour raised over $40,000.[8]

Lif is also a vocalist forThievery Corporationand a member of the band's live performance group. In 2011, Lif recorded the title track to their 2012 album, "Culture of Fear". He continues to tour with the band today.[9]Lif also appears on 2017 album "The Temple Of I & I", performing two tracks – the single "Ghetto Matrix" and "Fight To Survive", and on 2 further tracks from the 2018 album "Treasures from the Temple",[10]"History and" Joy Ride ".

Discography

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Main article:Mr. Lif discography

Albums

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EPs

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Collaborations

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  • Black Dialogue(Definitive Jux, 2005) – withAkrobatikandDJ Fakts OneasThe Perceptionists
  • The Life & Death of Scenery(Mello Music Group, 2016) – with L'Orange
  • Terra BellaThe Polish Ambassador, Mr. Lif, Ayla Nereo (2016)
  • Resilient w/ Brass Menazeri (2017)
  • Vangarde(Fat Beats Records, 2020) – with Stu Bangas

References

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  1. ^"FIGHT TO SURVIVE".ASCAP.American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.RetrievedApril 27,2023.
  2. ^"Welcome to Enemy Soil".February 12, 2010.
  3. ^abc"A Phish tale the source of Boston rapper's stage name".Times Colonist.Victoria, British Columbia. 2006.
  4. ^"Mr. Lif Wins Big at the 2001 Boston Music Awards".Hip-Hop Elements. April 24, 2001.
  5. ^"Mr Lif".NME. 2007.
  6. ^Blodgett, Tom (September 5, 2009)."Anomie Belle w/ Mr. Lif @ Bumbershoot".Seattle Subsonic. Archived fromthe originalon June 29, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 1,2017.
  7. ^"Mr. Lif".facebook.Archived fromthe originalon February 26, 2022.RetrievedDecember 7,2017.
  8. ^"Polish Ambassador's Permaculture Action Tour".Indiegogo.RetrievedDecember 7,2017.
  9. ^"Culture of Fear".
  10. ^"Treasures from the Temple".
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