Attica Blues
GenresTrip hop
Years active1995–present
LabelsMo' Wax
MembersD'Afro
Tony Nwachukwu
Roba El-Essawy

Attica Blues are a UK trip hop band,[1] who made their debut releases on the Mo' Wax label. Taking their name from an Archie Shepp album, the band have also provided remixes for Ultra Naté, Sneaker Pimps, Silent Poets and DJ Krush.

History

The group began life in 1994 when producers D'Afro (aka Charlie Dark, born Charlie Williams) and Tony Nwachukwu first met up. D'Afro had previously founded London's Urban Poets Society collective but the duo later became Attica Blues. While trying to sell some Japanese hip-hop records, D'Afro met up with Mo'Wax founder James Lavelle and was offered a spot on his Mo'Wax label[2] despite never having made music before.[3] The duo began recording their first single alone but when a local student, the Egyptian-born Roba El-Essawy, visited the studio during the recording for their debut single, D'Afro and Nwachukwu decided to ask her to join them. The band released their first single in 1995 and their debut album in 1997.

Roba was married to Turner-prize-winning artist Chris Ofili from 2002 to 2019.[3]

Roba released her debut solo release under the name MidnightRoba in 2021. The album was titled Golden Seams and is available on streaming services and on exclusive vinyl from her bandcamp site. (https://midnightroba.bandcamp.com/album/golden-seams) The MidnightRoba album was written, produced and self released by Roba.

Attica Blues have in recent years been back in the studio and are teasing a comeback with a third studio album.

Discography

Albums

  • Attica Blues (Mo' Wax, 1997)
  • Test. Don't Test (Columbia, 2000)
  • Attica Blues Present Drum Major Instinct (Ex:treme, 2001)
  • Golden Seams by MidnightRoba (solo album from lead singer Roba, self released, 2021)

Singles

  • Vibes, Scribes 'N' Dusty 45's EP (Mo' Wax, 1994)
  • "Blueprint" (Mo' Wax, 1995)
  • "3ree (A Means to Be)" (Mo' Wax, 1997)
  • "Tender" (Mo' Wax, 1997)
  • "Oh La La La" (1998)
  • "What Do You Want?" (2000)

References

  1. ↑ Attica Blues – Test. Don't Test , Discogs.
  2. ↑ Bush, John. "Attica Blues biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  3. 1 2 "AN INTERVIEW WITH CHARLIE DARK OF ATTICA BLUES". Mo Wax Please. Retrieved 16 June 2014.


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