Sound Proof is the solo and collective project of Jason Hanley, a rapper from Detroit, United States, born in 1973 and died in 2006. He is also known as Derty Harry. He is associated with D12, Soul Intent, Funky Cowboys, Promatic and 5 Elementz, and his music is identified as hip hop.

Overview

Sound Proof is presented as an evolving performance identity rather than a fixed band. Under this name, Jason Hanley works as both a solo artist and the primary songwriter for a rotating group of musicians. The project changes shape depending on the gig, but it remains centred on original material.

Background

Hanley is from Detroit. Earlier in life he grows up in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is introduced to blues through friends and his parents’ old records. He begins playing clubs in the late 1980s as a lead and rhythm guitarist in music described as alternative rock and roll, before moving into other musical projects and later adopting the Sound Proof name in south Florida.

Projects and style

Before using the Sound Proof identity, Hanley works under a number of project names, including Enterlandscapes, Latino Chrome, Trust Fall and Soul Beyond, alongside other changing musical ventures. Sound Proof develops as a collective built around improvised playing, with an organic approach that draws on jazz and blues progressions as well as original songwriting.

Role as a performer

In this project, Hanley performs under the Sound Proof name both as a solo act and with a shifting line-up of musicians. The emphasis is on spontaneous performance and a flexible band setup rather than a single permanent membership.