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Speech was born Todd Thomas in Milwaukee. The youngest of parents Robert & Patricia Thomas. He grew up on two sides of life: the ghetto of Milwaukee (one of the nations roughest cities for African Americans) and (Wauatosa) Milwaukee's suburbia. Speech learned how to draw from the pains and beauty of both. He would absorb the plights of his people and the retreat of middle class blacks to primarily white neighborhoods. Yet, there was no "silver spoon" life for Speech, experiencing hard core racism as a young boy he ultimately learned how to recalibrate his inner anger to constructive and dynamic music. With this formula, Speech would later start a group called Arrested Development. By that time Speech was based in Atlanta Georgia. From humble and rural beginnings, Arrested Development became a landmark, & pioneering force in the music world. The group won their first two Grammy Awards (Best new artists & Best rap single 1993) with songs that Speech wrote and produced from the album, 3 years, 5 months and 2 days in the life of...". They released a second album in 1994, "Zingalamaduni" which was met with critical acclaim and was nominated for another Grammy award. After some internal strife & over exposure, the group went on hiatus in 1995. Immediately, Speech buried himself in experimental sound scapes, most of which alienated his former MTV fan base. Just as his career went belly up in the United States, he noticed his single "Like Marvin Gaye Said" was #1 on the Japanese charts. That was the true beginning of Speech as a solo artist. Despite touring with Vice President Al Gore and Hillary Clinton during the Clinton re-election campaign, and other tours with Hootie & the Blowfish, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Youssou N'dour, James Brown, Parliament - Funkadelic, Jason Mraz, and The Roots; Speech was still largely uncelebrated except in Japan. Yet, Speech kept producing and writing songs for Zap Mama, (Spike Lee's) Malcolm X soundtrack, Boomerang, Bebe's Kids, Warriors of Virtue, "Whipped" and Michael Jordan's "to the Max" (An IMAX production). Speech visits Japan often. He has released 5 solo albums since 1996 all of which have spawned Top 10 hit singles. His album "Spiritual People" released in 2000 went Gold 3 months of its release. It was also awarded the Best black music album of the year 2000 by ADLIB magazine. Speech supported each album with sold out tours and intense promotional schedules. Yet he still wanted to have more music available in his own country (USA). In April of 2006 Speech toured the U.S. with Tre' Hardson (Pharcyde), and released "The Vagabond" (Bluhammock records). That album won Best Hip Hop album of 2006. Speech says, "I don’t really yearn for fame, as much as for artistic communion, fellowship. I want someone to relate to me and me to them. I want my music to bring me intimate moments with those that can relate to where I’m at in life." His present home is in Fayetteville, Georgia, where Speech owns Vagabond Records & Tapes which released "Since The Last Time" (Arrested Development's first U.S. album in 12 years) and will release "The Grown Folks Table" the upcoming Speech solo album. Speechs says,"Grown Folks Table is a coming to adulthood record “people can’t stay in high school for ever, we grow up. It’s my favorite record. It’s as honest and clever as anything I’ve ever done to date. It’s hip hop, that has elements of what Jesus has taught me, what the streets have taught me, and what my own experiences have taught me." Speech continues to do side projects like 3 FOOT ICON (which is Kyle Hollingsworth from String Cheese Incident, Chief Xcel of Blackalicious and Speech), being a DJ for Victor Wooten, co-writing with Zap Mama Ty, 1 Giant Leap, Braille, Steph Pockets, WISE & Jamil from Japan, Ulali from India, Nenah Cherry, and others. Speech says, "My most proud achievement is my marriage, (we've been together for 17 years), our two children and my faith in Jesus, which is my strength & my guidance." (back) |
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