By Chad Beck (2/17/00)
It's about time Fort Wayne warmed up to the urban sounds that the rest of the country has been onto for years. Of course, I'm speaking of the recent increase in hip hop and rap's visibility in the local music scene. Lately, and without even trying, I've come across oodles of evidence of this cultural shift happening in the Summit City. Recent articles in WhatzUp about MCs rapping their way to the top of MP3.com certainly grabbed my attention, as did a recent boom in local bars catering to hip hop-hungry patrons (Columbia St. West, The Outer Limits and the Voodoo Lounge are the first three that come to mind). If you add the sold-out Kid Rock concert at the Coliseum and the two new radio stations marketed towards a hip hop audience (Z102.3 and Hot 107.9) it looks like Fort Wayne is trading its backwoods image for a street-wise one.
Enter The Third Frame, a local act whose MCs have been preparing and waiting for this current buzz for more than eight years. Starting off by honing their skills in church parking lots in-between skate-boarding and loitering, MC Ry-Guy and Deluxe committed themselves to years of developing their craft into something special. Standing head and shoulders above the rest of what Fort Wayne is currently offering in terms of live hip hop acts, The Third Frame are nothing short of funky, groovy, memorable and completely original. They may never talk of themselves in such flowery terms, but The Third Frame's goal is to build, and then live up to, their reputation.
"We're the tow truck of the hip hop scene in Fort Wayne," chimes in Jack Ackshun, the band's energetic and humorous DJ. We're pulling the weight, trying to get this scene moving. There are innovators and imitators and we definitely would like to be known as the former. Innovators do things because of what they feel and not because it's what everyone else is doing." This honorable approach to creating music is winning over fans locally at The Third Frame's live gigs, which are becoming more and more frequent. They aren't an overnight success; in fact, it wasn't until a few weeks ago that traditional rock clubs began taking the risk of allowing The Third Frame to perform in lieu of the regular guitar-oriented rock acts.
Until recently (when Columbia St. West opened its doors on Wednesday nights as a venue for spinners, DJs and the like), The Third Frame was recognized only by the wild house parties where they occasionally perform. Such gatherings include loud, frenzied sets of the band's material from point blank. I've witnessed the basements at these parties spill up the stairs and out of the house, full of people trying to get an eye on DJ Jack Akshun, and emcees Ry-Guy and Deluxe. It's no fluke either. The Third Frame have a boisterous charisma powerful enough to win over anyone ready for a good time, something sorely missing from many of today's top acts. Fans aren't just drawn to the obnoxiously addictive beats and bass lines either. They are also clamoring to hear three of the more innovative players in town doing something no one else locally has successfully done; namely, playing live, no-holds-barred rap music.
The trio's sound is firmly rooted in the ol school, but they are also adept at flirting with modern beats and vocal delivery. Hints of the modern underground rap hero Kool Keith can be found in the band's futuristic style, as well as doses of old school style a la Too Short and Run DMC. Although the generic tag of "hip hop" does fit them well, they consider punk-rock acts like the Misfits just as big of an influence. The boys pull off this high-wire act of styles tighter than you might imagine, with break beats and sonic treats galore. Equally impressive is the group's knack for interesting lyrics that tell stories, incite parties and generally provide a good atmosphere.
Not ones to dwell in fantasy, Deluxe and Ry-Guy tend to detail real life experiences. "But Yo' Girl," for instance, is about a female stalker that seems to be at all of The Third Frame's shows. ("But your girl / seems to be at all our shows / and your girl / seems to know all our flows / we be breaking down our gear but she still won't go.") When asked about their riotous "Zonin'," they simply reply; "Zonin' is about getting with the crew and getting blitzed. It's basically a throwback to the band's old Roller Dome days." You'll have to wait awhile to get your hands on a disc by these guys (one is in the works), but their vocal clarity and attention to details make their words easy to hear live also.
DJ Jack Akshun works the turntables very playfully, almost like a kid set loose in the proverbial candy store. The role he plays in The Third Frame is invaluable, even though he's usually in the background. Jack Ackshun helps the group come up with its beats and occasionally jumps in on vocals. (His soulful performance on "Flip Side" is brilliant.) His scratching finesse adds just the right amount of punch to The Third Frame's irresistible groove, while his tasty samples enhance their songs with a light-hearted flare. Ackshun's DJ skills are as good as any I've seen, and the longer I watch him the more he impresses me. It wasn't until the fourth or fifth time I saw Ackshun spin that I noticed his amazing memory for dropping the needle on the vinyl exactly where it needed to be for each particular sound. If this sounds easy, believe me, it isn't. It requires looking at a completely black platter of vinyl, differentiated only by about 50 grooves, and putting the needle in its required spot, all with precision down to the centimeter. And all that has to be done on the fly. It's quite entertaining to watch, and Ackshun is the best I've seen in these parts.
Only time will tell whether or not Fort Wayne is "hip" enough to support a local rap/hip hop scene. I, for one, hope it is. The Third Frame couldn't agree more. "We feel that this format can work here as well as many of the original rock bands that have been thriving for years" states an excited Ackshun. "People need to stop being close-minded. Worry about what you like, not what the industry is spoon-feeding you. At least give us a try."
Fort Wayne will have a chance to see The Third Frame perform at Columbia St. West on February 17 at the Jackie Fly CD release party, and every other Wednesday Ackshun spins for Underground at the same club.
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