PDXme

Emerson Valentine Lyon in concert. Image courtesy of EVL.

PDXppl is a series of profiles of Portlanders and what they do.

Musicians are "a plenty" in the 503. With numerous music events such as MusicfestNW, PDX Pop Now! and the Waterfront Blues Festival, the Rose City definitely knows how to  jive on a Saturday night. What is more, Portland has also been a producer of top musicians, namely the Decemberists and Pink Martini. Musicians on the local level are also pretty good. Whether hopefully transitioning to larger gigs or laying low in Portland, artists employ their talents in a myriad of music genres. Emerson Valentine Lyon (EVL), a graduate of Wilson High School in SW Portland, is one of these artists.

PDXme: Describe yourself and what you do.

I am currently attending Portland State University as an English major, expected to graduate in 2011. In terms of my act, I like to describe myself as a hip-hop inspired artist rather than a rapper. Although my music has prominent hip-hop elements, the overall themes of my work very rarely touch on the obvious scenarios of the genre (and if they do, it is more satirical than anything else). My live act involves synths, toy guitars from the 80s, drum machines, and other things collected in thrift store visits around Portland. I am one half of the group Thuggage, the duo known for dissing Soulja Boy and making ironic ghetto anthems.

PDXme: What do you like most about being a musician?

Being a musician is great, especially a modern musician where even when I’m on tour, I can be writing songs due to my low-maintenance setup. I think having the ability to travel for practically free - and occasionally better than free -while paying for gas and food, is awesome.

PDXme: Are there any particular artists or types of music from which you draw inspiration?

My biggest inspiration as of late has to be Beck’s Midnite Vultures. Honestly Beck never appealed to me until my roommate insisted I listen to him because we supposedly share a certain sound. The artist I am frequently compared to, and for good reason, is Kanye West. Although I strongly dislike his last record, he is someone I aspire to be. Biz Markie is fantastic. Rare disco grooves are always funky and either inspire me to write something new or offer a source to literally pull samples from.

Image courtesy of EVL.

PDXme? What shows have you done in the past?

I recently came back from a tour where I played shows in Washington and Canada, opening up for Blackalicious in Vancouver B.C. Most people in Portland know me for hosting ‘The Gold Delorean Party" in a warehouse, where I played and booked my favorite Portland acts at the time.

The best way to get to know my music is on my Myspace page where you can get free downloads of my music. Thuggage also has a Myspace page.

To see me live, come check me out at Virgo & Pisces at 500 NW 21st this Friday, August 14th at 8PM. It’s free and for all ages!

You should follow PDXme on twitter @ djronan!