`To me, revolution means a rebirth, a cleansing,” says Speech, the 23-year-old singer whose ardent but unaffected songwriting and production style are the prime attributes of his group, Arrested Development.
”The word `revolution` is misconstrued, in America especially. But when you look at all the problems that face African-Americans-or every American-I think revolution is a beautiful concept that gives people hope.”
It also gives people a musical rallying point, in that ”Revolution” is the name of the Arrested Development song chosen as the first release from the soundtrack of director Spike Lee`s ”Malcolm X” movie. The ”Revolution”
single and its Lee-directed video will be issued by Chrysalis/EMI Records on Nov. 10, with the film biography`s full soundtrack to reach stores via Qwest Records when the film opens nationwide on Nov. 20.
”Malcolm X`s basic thing was self-determination and pride,” says Speech, who was born Todd Thomas in Milwaukee, the second son of Patricia and Robert Thomas, who publish the Milwaukee Community Journal newspaper. ”One thing the movie does that I`m really thankful for is that it gives a side of Malcolm that`s also the perspective Arrested Development comes from, which is caring.
”The movie shows the sensitive side of Malcolm as a family man, a husband and a person who made a lot of sacrifices. Malcolm X was a changing man; he always had the same goal, which was the freedom of African people, but he changed philosophies throughout his lifetime, and that really shows a very caring person-a person whose ego didn`t get in the way of his objectives or his growth as a leader.”
Similar virtues are apparent in the demeanor and artistic ideals of Arrested Development`s unassuming leader, whose music is equal parts colloquial rap, rustic hip-hop, festive incantation and spirituality.
On record, cowbells, casual conversation and the percussion of daily life mingle with scratchin` passages, bass drum thumps, and harmonic gospel/reggae hollers for A.D.`s two Top 10 hits, ”Tennessee” and ”People Everyday,”
from the group`s first album, ”3 Years, 5 months and 2 Days in the Life Of . . .” (Chrysalis/EMI).
”When Spike Lee asked me to write a song,” says Speech, ”it was a privilege, but also a personal responsibility, because I needed to tell how a man like Malcolm could affect me. That`s why in the lyrics I say, `Am I doing as much as I can for the struggle?`
”My responsibility as an individual is to acknowledge that there is a need for struggle, because of all the bad things going on in the nation-high teenage pregnancy rate; high rate of black-on-black crime and homicide; high rate of crack babies; three quarters of the black population living in the underclass-most of them being experienced by the people Malcolm X was preaching to.
”The song also states, `Let`s talk about revolution,` because this is a serious and timely moment to discuss it.”
Arrested Development began some four years ago when Speech and DJ Headliner, a k a Tim Barnwell, met at the Art Institute of Atlanta. ”At that point, I was fighting a lot and doing terribly in school,” says Speech. ”I had just graduated from high school and moved to Atlanta when I heard Public Enemy`s `Rebel Without a Pause,` which was rebellious enough to catch my attention.” After a half-hearted stab at gangsta rap, Speech and Headliner devised a more embracing fusion of ”Southern-folk-ethnic-rap” that they christened ”life music.” They brought two women (singer/designer Aerle
”Early Ta-Ree” Taree and choreographer Montsho ”Ee-She” Eshe) into the fold, along with drummer/vocalist Rasa Don, dancer/counselor Baba ”O.J.”
Oje, and support personnel like singer Dionne Farris, whose fervent solo swept across ”Tennessee.”
The plaintive, pastoral pull of ”Tennessee” paved the way for the current platinum-plus sales of the ”3 Years, 5 Months . . .” album; and the graceful musicality of A.D.`s recent live sets as tour openers for En Vogue have primed both rock and rap fans for the group`s inciteful uplift on
”Revolution.”
”Historians` biggest and best examples of history are usually art,”
Speech says. ”It gives the most complete story of a people`s existence. Music is the same way. I`m not saying song is the only way that messages should be sent, but it`s fascinating how it can reach across obstacles to tell others exactly how people are thinking and living.
”America only seems free in terms of freedom of speech,” he adds, ”and any conscious person is surely aware of the tactics that are taken to shut people up, whether it`s the assassination of people like Malcolm, or the political imprisonment of others. Art is often one of the only ways you can slip challenging information into a situation, to tell people about their commonalities, and spread reality. That`s why I`ve never looked at music as just entertainment.
”Song lasts for generations; in terms of revolution, it definitely serves its purpose.”
