MUSIC Revolution to stage 18th-century French rap duo

By Jack Hill (Contact)

LITTLE ROCK — Not every musician requests a willing suspension of disbelief for an interview, but it sounded like fun so it was agreed that we would consider Memphis musician Lord T to be just what he portrays - a time traveler, as it were, from the late 18th century - when we reached him at his make-believe “chateau on the French Riviera.”

A frequent performer in Little Rock’s River Market District, Lord T and his partner, Eloise, have been in the rap game since one of the various French revolutions.

“Eloise and I have been keeping track of pop culture in the New World ever since it was colonized,” he says. “We came over when we thought it was time for our sound, ‘Aristocrunk,’ which we define as aristocratic crunk music.

“We were all trained on ancient melodies and the lute, so many of our songs include stringed instruments, including cellos and violins. The lute gave way to the guitar, so we like to say that our sound blends well with traditional crunk music.”

Lord T & Eloise released their first album, Aristocrunk, in early 2007, and are now celebrating the impending release of its follow-up, Chairman of the Bored. On the new CD, the duo enlisted a host of collaborators, including 8Ball, Al Kapone, Gangsta Boo, Kingpin Skinny Pimp, Dirt Nasty, Free Soul, The Pneuman Trio and Cody Dickinson, from the North Mississippi Allstars.

MysterE is the producer of the new project.

“We heard of [MysterE] through his having attended the same musical conservatory as we did, years ago in Vienna,” Lord T says. “He has been studying rap music since the late ’70s, when it emerged, and he has been refining his skills. And he thought it was time to call on us to do something different, so he sent us a message in a bottle, as it were.

“With all the diverse influences he brought to us, in crafting each song, he has brought us to the most unique undertaking that we have embarked upon.”

Lord T & Eloise will utilize a Beastie Boys presentation - three MCs and a DJ will accompany them at their shows. While the duo record only original material, they deign to reinterpret some “classic” music of a certain era.

“We understand the proper term is ‘cover,’” Lord T acknowledges. “We do ‘Poppin’ My Collar’ by the Three 6 Mafia, so everyone should relax and take notes. Wego back to old school with Run DMC’s ‘Peter Piper,’ The Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul Revere’ and Slick Rick’s ‘A Children’s Story,’ plus Digital Underground’s ‘Humpty Dance.’ And we also do Whodini’s ‘The Freaks Come Out at Night.’”

On the Lord T & Eloise resume there are shows at the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference and the Bonnaroo festival, and the duo has been signed to play at the CMJ (College Media Journal) conference in New York in October, and there have beenpast tours with The Ying Yang Twins, Mickey Avalon, Dirt Nasty and The Pneuman Trio.

“The reason we named our album Chairman of the Bored is thatmany people have been lulled into boredom,” Lord T opines. “There’s a silent complacency because of the pervasiveness of bland musical textures on the radio. We have tried to stir up the pot a bit, and it’s like any revolution: People have been enjoying our movement, and we’ve been seeing excitement and a warm reception at every corner.

“We do have our detractors, which is part and parcel of the rap game. We welcome them and challenge them to come to our shows.”Lord T & Eloise 9 p.m. today, Revolution Room, 300 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock Opening act: Al Kapone Admission: $10 (501) 823-0090

Weekend, Pages 63 on 09/05/2008