Premiere: Gangstagrass backstage

What really goes on when gangstas meet banjos? (Spoiler: Music!)

Gangstagrass released their fifth album and first live recording, Pocket Full of Fire, earlier this year, continuing their pairing of bluegrass and hip-hop, two genres paired as perfectly as Beauty and the Beast. That concept may look jarring on paper but on stage, it’s electric—and acoustic.

Brooklyn rappers and Brooklyn pickers (remember country bigshots like the Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts, and Lady Antebellum are from Brooklyn) collided like Tectonic plates (well, maybe a little faster) to form a new and exciting environment in Gangstagrass.

True to their outlier credentials, the band here premieres not a particular song, but an extended glimpse of what goes on both onstage and offstage—a backstage pass, as it were, or a roadie’s-eye-view of a day in the life.

L-R: Dolio the Sleuth. Dan Whitener, Brian Farrow, Rench, RSon the Voice of Reason, Photo: Janet Mami Takayama

“While we are very proud of our studio albums, there’s just something about our live shows that you can only get if you’re there in the room. We do our best work onstage, and this album captures some of our best shows, in our favorite rooms, with crowds that support us and give us amazing energy that we give right back,” said banjo player Dan Whitener

“Pocket Full of Fire” is a personal experience from Gangstagrass to their audience. Dolio the Sleuth states, “Gangstagrass is powered by love that takes on many shapes and forms. Most of all, it presents itself in our mutual love of the art we create together. Doing what we do live allows us to share that love with all of you!”

Main Motivator Rench told Elmore, “What if you could come back stage with us? Of course we wish we could bring everyone backstage with us all the time, but at least this way we get to share a glimpse of the chilling we do and a little bit of fun we have. We don’t always chant “Holy Shit!” before a show, it’s always something different. But we do put hands in and get pumped up, because as you can see in the stage clips, the show is so fun and energetic and the fans are really the best thing that could happen in our day!”

Gangstagrass are Dolio the Sleuth and RSon the Voice of Reason (MCs), Dan Whitener (banjo and vocals), Brian Farrow (fiddle), Rench (guitar/ vocals/ mastermind).