Capital D

Capital D, aka David Kelly, first gained acclaim in 1998 as the MC of ALL NATURAL. His talent for delivering lyrics with a social and spiritual content, in a manner reminiscent of old school hip-hop artists, helped place the group on the music map. Through work as MC for ALL NATURAL, as well as a producer and writer, capital D established himself as a prolific lyricists and hip hop voice. The Chicago Tribune named him one of "15 Hidden Talents" in the Chicago arts community, and the Chicago Sun-Times deemed him one of 30 people to watch under the age of 30. He has dropped three albums as the MC of ALL NATURAL (NO ADDITIVES, NO PRESERVATIVES, SECOND NATURE & VINTAGE) as well as two solo album (THE WRITER'S BLOCK & INSOMNIA). For his work on INSOMNIA, CAP was interviewed on CNN and featured in TIME MAGAZINE and on MSNBC.COM. INSOMNIA is a relentless examination of current issues such as the inordinate number of Blacks and poor Americans making up the U.S. armed forces and prison system, problems such as the misconstruction of Islam by Muslim terrorists and failed policies such as the domestic War on Drugs. Though scathing in its intensity, INSOMNIA consistently calls for listeners to hold themselves accountable for recognizing and changing the world in which we live. THE WRITER'S BLOCK album, a collection of stories based around real and fictional characters, has received critical acclaim from the likes of HIPHOPINFINITY.COM, HIPHOPSITE.COM, PULSE and France's RADIKAL. Though containing moral undertones, on THE WRITER'S BLOCK CAP takes a hands-off approach to narrating the ups and downs of everyday life. In addition to writing five albums, capital D is a lawyer and the author of the book Fresh Air, which VIBE magazine called a "Tightly packed potpourri of cartoons, stories, brief essays, and lyrics" and which author Bakari Kitwana ("The Hip Hop Generation") referred to as "A stirring combination of music and language, and an expression of hip hop culture at its finest." capital D has also published articles in The SOURCE, TRACE, and Japan's CLUE magazine. CAP's music production credits include stand out songs such as 50 YEARS and APPRECIATE LIFE by ALL NATURAL; EACH ONE TEACH ONE, APPETITE TO WRITE (featuring J-Live) & DEEP ROOTED by IOMOS MARAD; and MRS. MANLEY from his solo album. On the professional side, CAP D is the founder of THE FAMILY TREE, president of ALL NATURAL INC., and has worked as Associate Editor at THIRD WORLD PRESS (the world's oldest black-owned book publisher). In addition he has toured throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, and has lectured on subjects ranging from hip-hop to religion at various colleges and universities including Northwestern University, DePaul University, the University of Illinois (Champaign campus), Chicago State University and Columbia College. cap D is current working on his third solo album (LEGACY: RETURN OF THE RENEGADE) and his second book (TRANSFORMATIONS) which are slated for release during 2006. The formation of D's hip hop group, ALL NATURAL, goes back to his days as a student at Chicago's Homewood Flossmoor High School, where around 1985 he became friends with fellow student Tone B. Nimble. Their common passion for hip hop and desire to maintain creative control over their art eventually led them to start their own record label, ALL NATURAL Inc. The company released various singles over the years, most notably the widely acclaimed track "50 Years", which led to the release of their debut album, NO ADDITIVES, NO PRESERVATIVES, in 1998. The album featured local heavyweights No ID (Common) and The Molemen, placing the group as one of Chicago's most promising young hip-hop talents. Always putting a lot of thought into their musical contributions are ChicaGo's ALL NATURAL. capital D and DJ Tone B. Nimble have followed up the success of last year's "50 Years" with a formidable full length. (The Source magazine) ALL NATURAL's second album, SECOND NATURE, followed in 2001, selling more than 50,000 copies. The record was a collection of well- balanced, perfectly produced tracks featuring D's mature MCing and storytelling skills. Tracks like "Elements of Style," "Queens Get The Money," and "Appreciate Life" show the duo's true talent. Unabashed hip-hop purist capital D's calm, authoritative flow effortlessly recalls the mic-wrecking skills of old-schoolers Big Daddy Kane and Rakim, while his lyrics and song structures reflect a similar fondness for hip hop's past. (The Onion Magazine) Capital D, who reverted to Islam in 2000, has continuously struggled with the negative elements of hip-hop, condemning the often- glorified hedonistic and sexist lifestyles of the culture. His reversion simultaneously completed a long search and signaled the beginning of a new one. Initially he believed that, as a Muslim, he was required to give up his career as an MC. However his reading of the Qur'an, hadith, literature, and consultations with Muslims has convinced him that music can be used to uplift humanity and, ultimately, to praise and please God. After withdrawing from music for more than a year in order to explore his religious beliefs, capital D returned with a clearer, more progressive perspective on the role of music and musicians in modern society on his first solo album, THE WRITER'S BLOCK which was named one of the Top Ten albums of 2002 by HipHopSite.com webzine. Especially in the aftermath of September 11th, cap D is adamant to use his voice to question dubious social policies and introduce people to the true meaning of Islam. Inshallah (God willing) capital D will continue seeking knowledge, writing rhymes and essays, producing beats, and using hip-hop as a medium to communicate the questions and answers that he uncovers. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.