Innovative duo takes the industry by storm and provides a breath of fresh air to the suffocating hip-hop game.

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Fly Gypsy, the hip-hop duo comprised of Russian-born producer/one-man-band Alexei Jendayi and Jamaican-born emcee Kowboy Kom, is proud to announce the release of its latest project, The Vodka & Rum Mixtape, currently available via the group’s own Fly Gypsy Music (FlyGypsy.com)

A classic feel-good record, Vodka & Rum connects 70’s soul with 90’s electronica, Lauryn Hill with The Chemical Brothers, and heavy synths with acoustic guitars, all while highlighting Kom’s lyrical versatility and Alexei’s production prowess. In creating The Vodka & Rum Mixtape, the Washington, D.C.-based duo set aside its usual production and writing formula. “Both of us did something on this album that our fans would not typically expect from us,” says Kom. “Alexei used samples, which he doesn’t usually do. I decided to not be super lyrical all the time and just have fun and write some fresh, young, and sexy songs.”

While the mixtape is not necessarily representative of the Fly Gypsy sound, which is normally more guitar and minor-key driven, the mixtape showcases the duo’s musical dexterity, displaying Fly Gypsy’s ability to provide a range and variance of musical and lyrical emotion throughout their songs. Speaking about the group’s direction for the mixtape Alexei says, “Vodka & Rum reflects a more playful side of Fly Gypsy, especially given Kom’s hilarious monologues. It was easily the most fun that Kom and I have had in the studio so far.”

The title Vodka & Rum references Alexei and Kom’s distinct immigrant backgrounds. Alexei was born and raised in Russia, coming to the United States in his teens. He grew up on stage, dancing, and performing music. Kom was born in Jamaica and moved to Brooklyn, NY with his family while still a child.

Kom and Alexei met in a cipher at D.C.’s institution Bar Nun, a famed open-mic spot that produced Raheem DeVaughn and for many years was home to D.C.’s hip-hop community. Upon meeting, the duo began working together, and that musical relationship has spawned a number of projects from the duo, including The Vodka & Rum Mixtape and a forthcoming EP.

The duo’s first single “You,” featuring Brazilian songstress Tattiana Aqeel-de Oliveira, was released last month and has been burning up the Net and Itunes.  The video for the single was shot in Jamaica by Ras Kassa, a video director critically acclaimed for his work with Damian Marley, Sean Paul, and Willie Nelson.

Alexei and Kowboy Kom formed Fly Gypsy after successfully collaborating on an election-time single, “The Ruler,” in the fall of 2008. The single and the video became a viral success, scoring high rankings on YouTube and earning praise from hip-hop bloggers. After “The Ruler” and several other tracks recorded in the same period received overwhelmingly positive response from both fans and industry insiders, Alexei and Kowboy Kom decided to continue as a group.

“My production is quite varied, ranging from soulful 70s sounds to club bangers, from afro-beat to guitar-heavy rock anthems,” says Alexei. “What especially impressed me about Kom at the outset was his ability to flow over just about any type of music and do it incredibly well.”

“The diversity of the Fly Gypsy sound is what I enjoy the most about what we do,” says Kowboy Kom. “I grew up listening to a lot of different music, from Rakim to Coltrane, from Buju Banton to Kenny Rogers, and Alexei’s production style allows me to dip into all those influences and keep my flow musically rich.”

In addition to the diverse musical influences, Kowboy Kom and Alexei share an immigrant background. Kom was born in Jamaica and came to the United States at the age of ten. Growing up in New York during the golden era of Hip-Hop, Kom was inspired by fellow artists of West Indian descent, including Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes, and Notorious B.I.G. Alexei was born and raised in Russia, performing music and dancing much of his life. In his production, Alexei prefers to build tracks from scratch, playing keys, guitars, bass, and percussion, rather than relying on samples.

The Vodka & Rum Mixtape and the single “You” are both available for free download here.  Enjoy. 

This story is filed under: Columns, Entertainment, The Listening Room

Read more like this in: Alexei Tsybine, Fly Gypsy, Kowboy Kom, Raheem Devaughn