Tre Hardson aka “˜Slim Kid Tre’ performs live today
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 18, 2003 9:00 p.m.
Judging by his creative ambitions, Tre Hardson has no trouble
ignoring boundaries. A veteran of the hip-hop scene, Hardson is
performing with a live band in Westwood Plaza today at noon to
promote his debut solo album, aptly titled
“Liberation.”
Hardson first introduced himself to the hip-hop scene as Slim
Kid Tre of the influential group The Pharcyde, which made its
landmark debut with 1992’s “Bizarre Ride II The
Pharcyde.” A mix of humorous rhymes and multi-layered
production, the creative album took hip-hop to a level not seen
since De La Soul’s “3 Feet High and Rising.”
But those days are long gone, and Tre has moved on, grown up,
and left the group, starting his own record label ““ Baboon
Records ““ and releasing his solo debut late last year.
Hardson’s music has significantly matured since then. In
“Liberation,” he has made a turn toward introspection.
He is backed by a live band and sings almost as frequently as he
MCs. Although at first glance he appears to have made a marked
shift in musical philosophy, Hardson puts it differently.
“I think it’s just a continuation of the same thing
I’ve been doing,” he said. “I’d say I had
to mature because I grew older.”
As for the current state of hip-hop?
“I feel like it’s going through a cleansing right
now. I can’t say that it works for me,” he said.
“It doesn’t have the same effect anymore “¦ I just
feel like someone’s trying to sell me (stuff).”
Hardson said not too many artists of the current music scene
have gained his admiration. Instead, he showed his appreciation for
older artists, naming off such greats as Sly Stone, Jimi Hendrix
and Led Zeppelin.
Such a mentality explains the return-to-roots vibe of
Hardson’s most recent work.
“I think I just went back to what music was. It’s
more organic at this point for me,” said Hardson about his
decision to use more live music and place greater focus on the
orchestration of his songs.
He certainly has taken more than a few creative roles since his
days in college as a dancer and performer, recording mixtapes and
demos in South Central Los Angeles in hopes of a record deal. But
he suggests that “Liberation” is just a starting
point.
“I have so many other tunes than that,” he said.
“I’m ten miles past what that record is. Each step is a
journey.”
Tre Hardson of Pharcyde phame performs at Westwood Plaza today
at noon.
