Sly Johnson

Sly Johnson

Sly Johnson is a French hip-hop singer, rapper and beatboxer from France. He is also known as The Mic Buddah, a name he adopts in connection with beatboxing. He is a member of Simple Spirit.

Career

He first comes to wider attention as part of Saïan Supa Crew, and after that group ends in 2007 he begins working on a more personal direction. His music shifts away from rap toward soul, while still keeping beatboxing and vocal acrobatics at its centre. He describes this change as a move toward self-discovery through soul rather than rap.

His debut album, 74, is named after his birth year, 1974, and is also referred to as 26/06/74 in the album’s title track. The record focuses on his own experiences and emotions, with songs built around self-doubt, love and loss. It includes two covers: Otis Redding’s “Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa” and The Korgis’ “Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometimes”.

Musical style and collaborators

Johnson’s work combines hip hop, soul, funk, neo-soul and beatbox. His voice is central to his music, moving between singing, beatboxing and other vocal textures. He has collaborated with Camille, Rokia Traoré and Erik Truffaz.

For 74, he works with producer Jay Newland and arranger Larry Gold, and the album features musicians and guests including Slumvillage and Ayo. His musical interests are shaped by childhood listening to his father’s records, including salsa, rumba, jazz and soul, and by later guidance from record dealer Jean-Philippe Mano, who helps develop his taste for original pressings and rare groove.

Background

Johnson is born in 1974. He is strongly associated with beatboxing, but his later solo work places equal emphasis on singing and soul influences, with spirituality and melody becoming more prominent after the end of Saïan Supa Crew.