Lord Finesse, legendary artist, producer extraordinaire, and member of the iconic hip-hop crew Diggin’ In The Crates (D.I.T.C.), will open The TEC Experience at The 2023 NAMM Show, April 13, in Anaheim, California. Consistently named as one of hip-hop’s most influential producers and heralded DJs, Lord Finesse will be the vibe curator performing an eclectic DJ set celebrating Hip Hop 50 at the TEC Experience, an evening honoring the people and products advancing music.
The evening celebration will include Chuck D, the legendary leader of Public Enemy, social activist, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award winner, as he’s honored with NAMM’s Impact Music & Culture Award. The award recognizes individuals who move culture through the power of music. The world’s first “Turntablist” and Rock Walk of Fame inductee, GrandMixer DXT, will be presented with the Hip Hop Innovator Award for his contribution of innovating the turntable as a musical instrument, the impact of which can be heard in every musical genre.
Lord Finesse’s decades-spanning career began in 1989. Finesse discovered the late, great Harlem rapper Big L, mentoring him as his protégé and producing a large portion of Big L’s debut album, Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous.
As an artist, he released three albums, The Funky Technician, Return Of The Funky Man, and The Awakening. In 1992 his second effort, The Return of the Funky Man, which included a series of self-produced songs, helped to launch his career as a much-respected hip-hop producer. In 1994, Finesse made a production appearance on The Notorious B.I.G.’s classic five-time platinum debut album, Ready to Die, producing the track “Suicidal Thoughts.”
He returned in 1996, releasing the acclaimed album, The Awakening, which featured the single “Hip 2 Da Game.” The song would be used over a decade later on Mac Miller’s breakout single “Kool-Aid and Frozen Pizza.”
In 1999, Lord Finesse produced “The Message” on Dr. Dre’s eight-times platinum album The Chronic. Also, that year, Finesse provided the vocal sample on the hook to the international smash “The Rockafeller Skank” by British musician Fatboy Slim from his album, You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby. The song features Finesse’s repeated line, “Right about now, the funk soul brother. Check it out now, the funk soul brother.”
He was featured in Ice T’s documentary, “Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap,” and “Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives Documentary, The Hip Hop Evolution” series (Season 2: Episode Four, “New York State of Mind”).
Lord Finesse’s most recent critically acclaimed projects include Motown State Of Mind, a set of handpicked Motown classics remixed and reimagined by the influential producer, including remixes of “I Want You” by Marvin Gaye and “I Wanna Be Where You Are” by Michael Jackson. Similarly, he has also produced a Barry White project that includes remixes of “Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up.”
Today, Finesse continues to be one of the most respected staples in hip-hop, constantly touring internationally as an iconic artist, producer, and world-renowned DJ. Rap’s biggest names still seek him for everything from production to music business consultation.
Lord Finesse will open The NAMM TEC Experience. TEC Experience is a communal reception that gathers the crossroads of the industry to applaud the achievements of the researchers and developers, product designers, marketers, and innovators behind the innovations in pro audio. View the product finalists here. Admission to the TEC Experience is open to all NAMM Show attendees.
Additional notable Hip Hop 50 events planned during The 2023 NAMM Show include a Friday, April 14 session from 5-6 p.m.: “Chuck D on Hip Hop at 50, Hosted by Brian Hardgroove,” presented by Black to the Future and showcasing a historical look at the American music and cultural phenomenon; and on Saturday, April 15 from 3-5 p.m., the Yamaha Grand Plaza stage will come alive with the MIDI@40 celebration showcasing a performance by Resonant Alien, the new band featuring Brian Hardgroove and DJ Johnny Juice of Public Enemy. The performance will recognize the impact that hip-hop and MIDI — as an underlying, enabling technology — have had in breaking down barriers, as MIDI drum machines, sequencers, synths, and turntables are at the heart of many of the iconic records that made hip-hop the cultural phenomenon that it is today.
These events join the return of much-loved industry events, including the Parnelli Awards and the She Rocks Awards, as well as other event gatherings and networking opportunities, including the Top 100 Dealer, Pro Audio Pool Party, Women of NAMM and NAMM Young Professionals receptions, and more. View the schedule here: https://www.nammshow.org/event/the-2023-namm-show
In addition to the events and receptions, attendees of The 2023 NAMM Show will experience a robust show floor with exhibiting brands, including Adam Hall; ADJ; Allen & Heath; American Music & Sound; Apogee; Avid; beyerdynamic; C.F. Martin & Co.; Casio; Conn-Selmer; d&b audiotechnik; Ernie Ball; ESP; Harman; IK Multimedia; Ibanez; Kala; Kawai; KMC Music; Konig and Meyer; Line 6; Pioneer; Shure; Tama; Ultimate Ears Pro; and Yamaha, among many others.
Registration for The 2023 NAMM Show is now open at: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/attend
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