Freestylers
108 Shouts - 2,738,026 Scrobbles
Biography
United Kingdom
Read More...The Freestylers formed in 1996 when DJs and dance music producers Matt Cantor, Aston Harvey and (initially) Andrew Galea joined forces. All three of them had been involved in the British dance music scene since the 1980s. Cantor had recorded as Cut n' Paste and Strike with Andy Gardner (Plump DJs). Aston Harvey recorded as Blapps! Posse best known for the 1990 breakbeat dance hit "Don't Hold Back" before working with Definition of Sound, Rebel MC and DJ Rap (as DJ Rap and Aston). Harvey joined with Galea under the name Sol Brothers before Cantor was recruited to form the Freestylers. The group took their name from their first sample "Don't Stop The Rock" by Freestyle.
The trio's first single "Drop The Boom (AK-48)" on their own Scratch City Records in 1996 becoming a dancefloor hit in the UK and Miami. The band released the Freestyle EP in 1996 on Freskanova (Freskanova's parent label, Fresh, had released Cantor, Galea and Harvey's previous work). Andrew Galea left the Freestylers shortly after the release of the Freestyle EP.
After the departure of Andrew Galea, Matt and Aston formed an 11-piece band (initially an idea of their record label, Freskanova). This consisted of the 2 producers (Cantor and Harvey), a scratch DJ (Mad Doctor X), a guitarist (Tony Ayiotou), drummer (Clive Jenner), bass guitarist (Joe Henson), 2 MCs (MC Navigator and Tenor Fly) and 3 breakdancers (Coza, Marat, Tim).
The band's first album We Rock Hard was released in 1998. The single "B-Boy Stance" became a singles hit in the UK in 1998 featuring the contributions of rapper Tenor Fly. In 1999, the Freestylers enjoyed success in the U.S. with track "Don't Stop" reached the top 10 of the Billboard dance charts and "Here We Go" becoming a MTV Buzzworthy clip. We Rock Hard sold well in the US selling over 150,000 and reaching the top 30 of the Billboard Heatseeker chart.
Following the success of B-Boy Stance, the band were asked to remix tracks by Audioweb, Afrika Bambaataa and the Jungle Brothers as well as a big beat compilation album FSUK 2 and a Radio 1 Essential Mix featuring Beenie Man, Public Enemy, Whodini and The Fall.
The Freestylers released a mix album Electro Science in 2000. Their second album Pressure Point was released in 2001 with the track Get Down Massive featuring Navigator reaching top 20 on the Billboard dance charts in 2002.
During 2002 and 2003 the group began releasing singles under the artist name Raw As F**k which then became the title of their third album. Released in 2004, it featured the single "Push Up", which reached the top 30 in the UK and top 3 in Australia. Another single, which was previously released before "Push Up", called "Get A Life", was re-released and reached the top 20 in Australia.
User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.
Top Tracks
Total plays on Last.fm over the last 6 months- Cracks (Flux Pavilion Remix) - (3:20) - 66,260 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP3
7digital
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes- Ringtone
-
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.89 USD
7digital
iTunes- Ringtone
Cracks Feat. Belle Humble (Flux Pavilion Rmx) - (0:30) - 29,939 playsLyricsJust walk away
When it's over
And my heart breaks
And the cracks begin to show...
And the cracks begin to show... [2x]
-
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital0.99 USD
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
Push Up - (3:54) - 7,590 playsLyricsI think I saw your body 'fore I saw your face
The kinda moves you made were rockin' up the place
Then your favorite song came on, the one you love
You came over to me, looked me in the eyes and said for sure
You had your hands all over my body tonight
- Cracks (Flux Pavillion Remix) - (2:07) - 6,241 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP3
7digital
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes- Ringtone
- Cracks (Flux Pavilion Remix) [feat. Belle Humble] - (4:43) - 6,792 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP3
7digital
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Cracks (Flux Pavillion Remix) [feat. Belle Humble] - (0:30) - 4,835 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP3
7digital
iTunes- Ringtone
- Painkiller - (4:28) - 3,753 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital0.99 USD
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Ruff Neck 09 (Excision and Datsik Remix) - (4:27) - 2,192 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP3
7digital
iTunes- Ringtone
- Feel The Panic - (5:56) - 1,511 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Fasten Your Seatbelt - (6:38) - 2,126 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP3
7digital
iTunes- Ringtone
- In Love With You - (3:36) - 1,764 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital0.99 USD
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Don't Stop - (4:19) - 1,399 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Get a Life - (3:12) - 1,097 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital0.99 USD
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Ruffneck - (5:42) - 1,081 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.89 USD
7digital
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Drop the Boom - (3:02) - 1,111 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Now Is the Time - (4:39) - 860 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Music Is Music - (1:10) - 779 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital0.99 USD
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Security - (4:58) - 1,201 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital0.99 USD
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Boom Blast - (6:07) - 874 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital0.99 USD
Juno1.49 USD
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone
- Freestyle Noize - (5:42) - 912 plays
- Download This Track
Amazon MP30.99 USD
7digital
iTunes0.99 USD- Ringtone


Plump DJs
Krafty Kuts
DrumAttic Twins
Deekline & Wizard
The Breakfastaz
Soul of Man
Ed Solo & Skool of Thought
Dub Pistols
Stanton Warriors
Aquasky