News

On Wednesday February 20th, Brooklyn’s leading citizen rolls into town for an intimate gig at Headliners Music Hall (1386 Lexington Road).

Originally from Memphis, Citizen Cope (whose other moniker is Clarence Greenwood) first made a name for himself as a genre-blending D.J. attached to the hip-hop outfit, Basehead.

But Cope’s musical vision was ultimately broader than the parameters of the rap and hip-hop community. So, after an amicable departure from Basehead, Cope ventured into the studio alone. What he came up with was truly innovative. And amazingly, the strength of Cope’s initial solo demos earned him an invitation to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as an offer to record for DreamWorks sound division.

Despite a hard-earned cult following, his impressive major label debut, the aptly named, Citizen Cope, was largely overlooked by the masses. This fact, and other creative differences, prompted Cope to look for a new label home. Sensing an opportunity for growth, Cope shrewdly used an advance from Arista to buy out his DreamWorks contract and move on.

Cope’s next release, The Clarence Greenwood Recordings, resonated with industry peers and critics and it did manage to secure a much larger audience for Cope’s unique offerings.

It certainly didn’t hurt Cope’s popularity that the Pontiac corporation picked up the single “Son’s Gonna Rise” for an add campaign. Or that subsequently, Citizen Cope’s tunes have been utilized in an assortment of film and television soundtracks. And interestingly, Cope’s take on Radiohead’s “Karma Police,” was cited by many as the standout track on the tribute record, Radiodread.

His work of late on Alice Smith’s exquisite r&b record, For Lovers, Dreamers & Me, as well as his own most recent album, Every Waking Moment, have further cemented Cope’s reputation as a visionary artist.   

In terms of performance, Cope is increasingly popular for his groovy mixture of folk, soul, rock and hip-hop, and is a perennial crowd pleaser.

As such, tickets to Citizen Cope’s Louisville show won’t last long.

For the full scoop, call 584-8088 or visit www.headlinerslouisville.com.