Funkmaster Flex
Encyclopedia
Aston George Taylor, Jr. (born August 5, 1968) better known as Funkmaster Flex is an American hip hop DJ, rapper, musician and producer on New York City
's Hot 97 radio station
and host of the hit MTV
show Funk Flex Full Throttle.
native, Funkmaster Flex is synonymous with Hip Hop
. For over a decade, he has reigned as America's No. 1 Hip Hop DJ personality, reaching more than two million listeners a week through his popular radio show on WQHT Hot 97 in New York. His turntable production talents and artist relationships have earned him five gold records for major-label mix albums like the 60 Minutes of Funk and The Tunnel.
Funkmaster Flex has successfully connected his Hip Hop celebrity status to the automotive industry to become a evangelist of car customization culture. He uses television to showcase his passion for cars. Currently, he is excited to be working on his second season of his new show Funk Flex Full Throttle - a high-adrenaline tour of music and car culture, the ultimate ride for fans who love to live in the fast lane on MTV
with celebrities like Diddy
and Ludacris
.
His eight-city Funkmaster Flex Custom Car and Bike Show tour keeps him constantly connected with the latest trends and styles happening in the automotive industry. He then puts this knowledge to good use with his high-profile custom-car club, Team Baurtwell where he customizes cars for attention-grabbing personalities in film, music and professional sports including Danica Patrick
, 50 Cent
, Queen Latifah
, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Manny Ramirez
.
Various companies including Ford Motor Company
, Sony
and Microsoft
have noticed Flex's success and have supported his career with several marketing/endorsements deals over the years. The high-point of these relationships was the creation of the limited-production 2008 Ford Expedition
Funkmaster Flex Edition which sold in dealerships nationwide. Currently, he is working with Flowmaster
Exhaust, Royal Purple
, Dupli-Color, Kicker Audio, Lincoln Technical Institute, U.S. Marines, TCI Transmissions, Sony
and Ford.
for WRKS 98.7 Kiss-FM in New York. One evening, Chillout was late for his show and Funkmaster Flex got his big break and was allowed to stand in, thus beginning his career in radio.
He later left KISS for a brief stay at 107.5 WBLS-FM, meanwhile Flex kept up his club appearances at many of Vito Bruno's operated nightclubs including The Tunnel, Home Bass and Mecca. Bruno helped convince Joel Salkowitz, a regional vice president of Hot 97, to begin airing live broadcasts from clubs where Flex was performing like The Tunnel. He called the hours of Saturday evening programming the "Saturday Night House Party". When they realized the resurange of Hip Hop was coming fast from its fallout in the eighties they increase the hours and days of these style of shows.
Salkowitz went and saw Funkmaster Flex perform and work the crowd at the Home Bass. After that night, he was convinced that Flex was his man and in the spring of 1992, Funkmaster Flex began mixing and hosting his own show, a specialized rap show on Hot 97. The first pop station in New York to showcase rap. Flex has been with Hot 97 ever since and aired nationally through syndication throughout the weeknights and weekends.
, Nas
, Jay-Z
, DMX
, Eminem
, Snoop Dogg
, LL Cool J
, Method Man
and 50 Cent
to participate.
He currently continues to be a prolific producer with a solid list of albums and artist he has supported over the years including Yvette Michele
, Pras
, DJ Kool
, Armand Van Helden
and many others.
hosted by Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover
and Doctor Dré
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s4HMhEOOIc Soon, MTV began to ask Flex to do various spots on up and coming Hip Hop artists and his true passion for cars and trickin' out their celebrity rides.
In 2003, Flex debuted his first television series, Ride with Funkmaster Flex on the Spike cable network. The show documented the explosive subculture of cars that are popular in the Hip Hop culture and with Hollywood celebrities. Noteworthy moments in series included a look into Diddy's private jet and a visit to Eminem's studio in the Motor City and look at his hot GMC Yukon.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs3UfCU3DxI
Soon after Ride's success, Flex wanted to explore his passion for car racing and developed a unique way to get it done with a new one-off Spike TV show race event - The Funkmaster Flex Super Series Invitational. The race featured 60 hungry late model stock car drivers from across the country turning laps at The Waterford Speedbowl in Conn. Flex went behind the scene to see what it takes to become a winner in racing while bringing out celebrities like Orange County Choppers
, LL Cool J
and Lil' Kim
to watch the event. Monica Taylor Enterprise - Rare Footage of Super Series
ESPN noticed Ride with Funkmaster Flex and decided they wanted a show to help them reach more automotive enthusiast who watched racing, NASCAR and sports. Flex came a calling with a show focusing on custom cars and interviewing leading sports celebrities from the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball
and the world of Hip Hop including Danica Patrick
, Terrell Owens
and Jason Giambi
. The show was called All Muscle with Funkmaster Flex and began airing early 2007.
Later in 2007, Flex shifted his focus to influencing automotive design. Based on what he was witnessing at the competitions at his various Custom Car & Bike Show tour events, he decided he wanted to push the envelope with these amateur designers with a new show - Car Wars with Funkmaster Flex on ESPN
. With initial sponsorship from Castrol and later Ford Motor Company, Car Wars asked different car customizers from across the country to modify existing vehicles for cash prizes. The show developed lots of noteworthy designed Ford Expedition
s, Ford Fusion
s and other vehicles. If featured famed automotive designers like Patrick Schiavone
, former Ford North American Truck & SUV Design Director now Vice President of Design at Whirlpool
and Ford Explorer Exterior Design Manager, Melvin Betancourt and Louis D'erasmo of Valanca Auto Concepts.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZElJdg-_hIU
For Fast Machines with Funkmaster Flex, Flex returned to Spike TV and his customization roots once again focusing on making some exciting muscle and modern car customization for celebrities like a 1955 Chevy Bel Air for Dale Earnhardt Jr., a 1966 Pontiac GTO
for Pontiac Enthusiast Magazine, 1970 Chevy Chevelle for the U.S. Marines. It also featured a fantastic interview with Royal Purple race driver Kathryn Minter.
In 2010, Flex returned to his MTV
roots with a new show - Funk Flex Full Throttle. Flex was back doing what he does best: interview the most buzzed-about hip-hop artists - with his signature raucous, familiar style - and complete car customizations that have made him a legend in the automotive world. Whether Flex was on location at Spring Break
, the New York Auto Show or hanging in his tricked-out garage the show was exciting. Full Throttle also integrated reality elements as Flex directed his team of car customizers at various builds and allowed viewers inside the lifestyle of Hip Hop stars - be it clubbing with Diddy, or helping Swizz Beatz
select a top-of-the-line dream ride.
Stay tuned for the second season of Full Throttle and a potential new Hip Hop lifestyle series from Flex in the future.
The tour moves across the country and has featured artists such as Drake
, Nicki Minaj
and Fabolous
. Each stop showcases the hottest customized rides in competition for cash prizes, model and recording talent search. In 2010, Flex added the Funkmaster Flex Lifestyle Expo. The Expo featured sneaker and DJ battles, video game competitions, skateboard
demos along with discounted prices on the hottest shoes, fitted hats and underground gear.
The Tour also showcases the premiere show for sneaker enthusiasts and Street Wear Culture, "The International Sneaker Battle." The Battle brings together sneaker enthusiasts and everyone involved in the culture of Hip Hop, graffiti
, DJing, sneakers, clothing, art, and overall fashion
.
Flex also loves to show off his personal collection of muscle cars at each stop. He has amassed over 40 cars in his collections. Here are his favorites.
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass
- A car his father once owned and started his passion for American muscle cars.
1969 Dodge Charger
R/T - The first muscle car he ever purchase, even though he admits he isn't really a Mopar fan.
1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 502 - Flex's favorite and the one car he will never part with.
1967 Ford Galaxie
G-Machine - One Flex's favorite Ford products.
2006 Ford Fusion - Flex is named the first customizer to transform the Fusion for the street.
2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition - Flex follows his idol Carroll Shelby
and is given the opportunity to have a limited edition Expedition with unique design cues with his name on it. The car is revealed for the first time at the New York Auto Show.
2009 Ford Flex
- Flex reveals his version of the new crossover at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) along side Hip Hop artist Nelly
.
2010 Ford Taurus SHO
- Flex tricks out the iconic Taurus for 2009 SEMA show.
2010 Ford Explorer
- Flex tricks out the all-new redesigned Explorer for the 2010 SEMA
show.
2011 Ford Fiesta
- A contest to win an all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta receives over a quarter of a million entries on FordUrban.com
IV - The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.
He is a celebrity adversary and a unlockable free agent fullback in season mode of ESPN NFL 2K5
. He also has an unlockable team, the Baurtwell Funkmasters.
Flex was an unlockable character in Def Jam: Vendetta. In that game, he was the in-game narrator of almost all fights. Except in After Hours matches, which don't have narrating.
Flex's music is featured in his own game - Funkmaster Flex's Digital Hitz Factory.
showing him saying negative things about rapper Tupac Shakur
on stage and referencing that The Notorious B.I.G.
was a better artist. He has gotten response from people such as Outlawz
, Nutt-So, Crooked I
, and Tupac's stepbrother Mopreme Shakur Flex justified his actions by saying that Tupac was a divisive force in hip hop and criticising the long lasting effect of Tupac's negative energy. He also claimed that he respected Tupac's musical legacy but there was documented animosity between the two stretching back to the days when Tupac was still alive.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Hot 97 radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
and host of the hit MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
show Funk Flex Full Throttle.
About Funkmaster Flex
A New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
native, Funkmaster Flex is synonymous with Hip Hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
. For over a decade, he has reigned as America's No. 1 Hip Hop DJ personality, reaching more than two million listeners a week through his popular radio show on WQHT Hot 97 in New York. His turntable production talents and artist relationships have earned him five gold records for major-label mix albums like the 60 Minutes of Funk and The Tunnel.
Funkmaster Flex has successfully connected his Hip Hop celebrity status to the automotive industry to become a evangelist of car customization culture. He uses television to showcase his passion for cars. Currently, he is excited to be working on his second season of his new show Funk Flex Full Throttle - a high-adrenaline tour of music and car culture, the ultimate ride for fans who love to live in the fast lane on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
with celebrities like Diddy
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
and Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
.
His eight-city Funkmaster Flex Custom Car and Bike Show tour keeps him constantly connected with the latest trends and styles happening in the automotive industry. He then puts this knowledge to good use with his high-profile custom-car club, Team Baurtwell where he customizes cars for attention-grabbing personalities in film, music and professional sports including Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
, 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
, Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
.
Various companies including Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
and Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
have noticed Flex's success and have supported his career with several marketing/endorsements deals over the years. The high-point of these relationships was the creation of the limited-production 2008 Ford Expedition
Ford Expedition
The Ford Expedition is a full-size SUV built by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced in 1997 as a replacement to the Ford Bronco, it was previously slotted between the smaller Ford Explorer and the larger Ford Excursion, but as of the 2005 model year, it is Ford's largest and last truck-based,...
Funkmaster Flex Edition which sold in dealerships nationwide. Currently, he is working with Flowmaster
Flowmaster
Flowmaster, Inc. is a specialty performance aftermarket exhaust parts manufacturer. The company has two locations totaling over in Santa Rosa, California and West Sacramento, California. It was founded in 1983 by Ray Flugger...
Exhaust, Royal Purple
Royal Purple
Royal Purple is an American manufacturer which produces lubricants for automotive, industrial, marine, motorcycle and racing use. It is known primarily for its line of Royal Purple Motor Oil products for use in gasoline and diesel engines...
, Dupli-Color, Kicker Audio, Lincoln Technical Institute, U.S. Marines, TCI Transmissions, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
and Ford.
Music
Funkmaster Flex (Aston George Taylor Jr.) was born in the Bronx borough of New York City with music flowing through his veins thanks to his father Aston George Taylor Sr., a sound system DJ for local clubs throughout the city. By 16, Flex began DJing at local nightclubs a perfecting his mixing and turntable talents. At 19, he got his first job as a record boy for fellow Bronx native, Chuck ChilloutDJ Chuck Chillout
Charles Turner better known as DJ Chuck Chillout, is an American hip hop DJ and producer on New York City's 98.7 KISS FM radio station....
for WRKS 98.7 Kiss-FM in New York. One evening, Chillout was late for his show and Funkmaster Flex got his big break and was allowed to stand in, thus beginning his career in radio.
He later left KISS for a brief stay at 107.5 WBLS-FM, meanwhile Flex kept up his club appearances at many of Vito Bruno's operated nightclubs including The Tunnel, Home Bass and Mecca. Bruno helped convince Joel Salkowitz, a regional vice president of Hot 97, to begin airing live broadcasts from clubs where Flex was performing like The Tunnel. He called the hours of Saturday evening programming the "Saturday Night House Party". When they realized the resurange of Hip Hop was coming fast from its fallout in the eighties they increase the hours and days of these style of shows.
Salkowitz went and saw Funkmaster Flex perform and work the crowd at the Home Bass. After that night, he was convinced that Flex was his man and in the spring of 1992, Funkmaster Flex began mixing and hosting his own show, a specialized rap show on Hot 97. The first pop station in New York to showcase rap. Flex has been with Hot 97 ever since and aired nationally through syndication throughout the weeknights and weekends.
Production - The Business of Making Music
By the mid-ninedies, Flex was signed by a major record label, Loud Records, for a series of innovative 60 Minutes of Funk mixtapes. All four of them achieved gold status in the USA. On The Tunnel with Def Jam in 1999, Flex managed to get some of the biggest names in hip hop to contribute, including Dr. DreDr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
, Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, DMX
DMX (rapper)
Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's...
, Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, Method Man
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
and 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
to participate.
He currently continues to be a prolific producer with a solid list of albums and artist he has supported over the years including Yvette Michele
Yvette Michele
Yvette Michele is an American R&B singer who released her debut album, My Dream, on August 26, 1997 on the RCA record label, which peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200...
, Pras
Pras
Prakazrel Samuel Michel, known as Pras, is a Grammy Award-winning Haitian-American rapper, actor, film producer, and member of the hip hop trio The Fugees.-Early life:...
, DJ Kool
DJ Kool
John W. Bowman, Jr., better known by his stage name DJ Kool is a rapper who, in the late 1990s, produced several popular rap singles. Born in 1959 in Washington, D.C., his influence from his years of working the go-go and rap circuits became apparent in his music...
, Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden is a record producer, DJ and remixer whose biggest commercial successes came from his remixes of the 1996 Tori Amos song "Professional Widow" , which reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1997, and his own track "U Don't Know Me ", which went to number 1...
and many others.
Television
Flex first started appearing on television in the early nineties on Yo! MTV RapsYo! MTV Raps
Yo! MTV Raps was a two-hour American television music video program, which ran from August 1988 to August 1995 through its original Yo! MTV Raps name and later by Yo! . The program was the first hip hop music show on the network, based on the original MTV Europe show, aired one year earlier. The U.S...
hosted by Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover
Ed Lover
James Roberts , better known as Ed Lover, is an African-American rapper, actor, musician, radio personality, and former MTV VJ.-Biography:...
and Doctor Dré
Doctor Dre
André "Doctor Dré" Brown is an African American radio personality and former MTV VJ.-Career:Doctor Dré is best known for being the co-host of MTV's hip hop music specialty program Yo! MTV Raps with partner Ed Lover. The duo also starred in the 1993 film Who's the Man?...
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s4HMhEOOIc Soon, MTV began to ask Flex to do various spots on up and coming Hip Hop artists and his true passion for cars and trickin' out their celebrity rides.
In 2003, Flex debuted his first television series, Ride with Funkmaster Flex on the Spike cable network. The show documented the explosive subculture of cars that are popular in the Hip Hop culture and with Hollywood celebrities. Noteworthy moments in series included a look into Diddy's private jet and a visit to Eminem's studio in the Motor City and look at his hot GMC Yukon.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs3UfCU3DxI
Soon after Ride's success, Flex wanted to explore his passion for car racing and developed a unique way to get it done with a new one-off Spike TV show race event - The Funkmaster Flex Super Series Invitational. The race featured 60 hungry late model stock car drivers from across the country turning laps at The Waterford Speedbowl in Conn. Flex went behind the scene to see what it takes to become a winner in racing while bringing out celebrities like Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers is a custom and production motorcycle manufacturer based in Orange County, New York, that was founded by Paul Teutul, Sr., and Paul Teutul, Jr., in 1999. The company was featured on American Chopper, a reality TV show that debuted in September 2002 on the Discovery Channel,...
, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
and Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
to watch the event. Monica Taylor Enterprise - Rare Footage of Super Series
ESPN noticed Ride with Funkmaster Flex and decided they wanted a show to help them reach more automotive enthusiast who watched racing, NASCAR and sports. Flex came a calling with a show focusing on custom cars and interviewing leading sports celebrities from the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and the world of Hip Hop including Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
, Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
and Jason Giambi
Jason Giambi
Jason Gilbert Giambi is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.He was the American League MVP in 2000 while with the Oakland Athletics, and is a five-time All-Star who has led the American League in walks four times, in on base percentage...
. The show was called All Muscle with Funkmaster Flex and began airing early 2007.
Later in 2007, Flex shifted his focus to influencing automotive design. Based on what he was witnessing at the competitions at his various Custom Car & Bike Show tour events, he decided he wanted to push the envelope with these amateur designers with a new show - Car Wars with Funkmaster Flex on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. With initial sponsorship from Castrol and later Ford Motor Company, Car Wars asked different car customizers from across the country to modify existing vehicles for cash prizes. The show developed lots of noteworthy designed Ford Expedition
Ford Expedition
The Ford Expedition is a full-size SUV built by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced in 1997 as a replacement to the Ford Bronco, it was previously slotted between the smaller Ford Explorer and the larger Ford Excursion, but as of the 2005 model year, it is Ford's largest and last truck-based,...
s, Ford Fusion
Ford Fusion (North America)
The Ford Fusion is a mid-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 2006 model year. The 2010 model was awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year and its hybrid version won the 2010 North American Car of the Year Award...
s and other vehicles. If featured famed automotive designers like Patrick Schiavone
Patrick Schiavone
Patrick Schiavone is currently Vice President, Design, North America Region for Whirlpool Corporation. Patrick was formerly an automobile designer, in charge of trucks for North America at Ford Motor Company...
, former Ford North American Truck & SUV Design Director now Vice President of Design at Whirlpool
Whirlpool
A whirlpool is a swirling body of water usually produced by ocean tides. The vast majority of whirlpools are not very powerful. More powerful ones are more properly termed maelstroms. Vortex is the proper term for any whirlpool that has a downdraft...
and Ford Explorer Exterior Design Manager, Melvin Betancourt and Louis D'erasmo of Valanca Auto Concepts.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZElJdg-_hIU
For Fast Machines with Funkmaster Flex, Flex returned to Spike TV and his customization roots once again focusing on making some exciting muscle and modern car customization for celebrities like a 1955 Chevy Bel Air for Dale Earnhardt Jr., a 1966 Pontiac GTO
Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO is an automobile built by Pontiac Division of General Motors in the United States from 1964 to 1974, and by GM subsidiary Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. It is considered an innovative, and now classic muscle car of the 1960s and 1970s...
for Pontiac Enthusiast Magazine, 1970 Chevy Chevelle for the U.S. Marines. It also featured a fantastic interview with Royal Purple race driver Kathryn Minter.
In 2010, Flex returned to his MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
roots with a new show - Funk Flex Full Throttle. Flex was back doing what he does best: interview the most buzzed-about hip-hop artists - with his signature raucous, familiar style - and complete car customizations that have made him a legend in the automotive world. Whether Flex was on location at Spring Break
Spring break
Spring break – also known as March break, Study week or Reading week in the United Kingdom and some parts of Canada – is a recess in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, mainland China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United...
, the New York Auto Show or hanging in his tricked-out garage the show was exciting. Full Throttle also integrated reality elements as Flex directed his team of car customizers at various builds and allowed viewers inside the lifestyle of Hip Hop stars - be it clubbing with Diddy, or helping Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
select a top-of-the-line dream ride.
Stay tuned for the second season of Full Throttle and a potential new Hip Hop lifestyle series from Flex in the future.
Funk Flex - On The Road - A Lifestyle
Flex developed and promotes an annual eight-city Funkmaster Flex Custom Car & Bike Show Tour, bringing the most exclusive and expensive candy colored rides to fans in cities from Miami to Atlantic City.The tour moves across the country and has featured artists such as Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
, Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
and Fabolous
Fabolous
John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
. Each stop showcases the hottest customized rides in competition for cash prizes, model and recording talent search. In 2010, Flex added the Funkmaster Flex Lifestyle Expo. The Expo featured sneaker and DJ battles, video game competitions, skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
demos along with discounted prices on the hottest shoes, fitted hats and underground gear.
The Tour also showcases the premiere show for sneaker enthusiasts and Street Wear Culture, "The International Sneaker Battle." The Battle brings together sneaker enthusiasts and everyone involved in the culture of Hip Hop, graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
, DJing, sneakers, clothing, art, and overall fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
.
Flex also loves to show off his personal collection of muscle cars at each stop. He has amassed over 40 cars in his collections. Here are his favorites.
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Oldsmobile Cutlass
The Oldsmobile Cutlass is a line of automobiles made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate car....
- A car his father once owned and started his passion for American muscle cars.
1969 Dodge Charger
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is an American automobile manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. There have been several different Dodge vehicles, built on three different platforms and sizes, all bearing the Charger nameplate...
R/T - The first muscle car he ever purchase, even though he admits he isn't really a Mopar fan.
1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 502 - Flex's favorite and the one car he will never part with.
1967 Ford Galaxie
Ford Galaxie
The Ford Galaxie was a full-size car built in the United States by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. The name was used for the top models in Ford’s full-size range from 1959 until 1961, in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement surrounding the Space Race...
G-Machine - One Flex's favorite Ford products.
Auto Design - Flex Style
In 2005, Ford Motor Company opened its Dearborn design studio doors to Funkmaster Flex to look at how to customize its product line-up and add exposure to the brand. To date, Flex has worked on lot of innovative projects for Ford.2006 Ford Fusion - Flex is named the first customizer to transform the Fusion for the street.
2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition - Flex follows his idol Carroll Shelby
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
and is given the opportunity to have a limited edition Expedition with unique design cues with his name on it. The car is revealed for the first time at the New York Auto Show.
2009 Ford Flex
Ford Flex
The Ford Flex is a full-size crossover manufactured by Ford Motor Company. Its styling is based on the Ford Fairlane concept unveiled at the 2005 North American International Auto Show. The production vehicle made its debut at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. Sales of the Flex began in...
- Flex reveals his version of the new crossover at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) along side Hip Hop artist Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
.
2010 Ford Taurus SHO
Ford Taurus SHO
The Ford Taurus SHO is a full-size performance sedan based on the Ford Taurus that was originally produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1989 until 1999. It returned in 2009 for the 2010 model year....
- Flex tricks out the iconic Taurus for 2009 SEMA show.
2010 Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
- Flex tricks out the all-new redesigned Explorer for the 2010 SEMA
SEMA
Specialty Equipment Market Association of the automobile aftermarket was formed in 1963 by Roy Richter, Ed Iskenderian, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand, Jr., Al Segal, Dean Moon, and Vic Edelbrock, Jr...
show.
2011 Ford Fiesta
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is a front wheel drive supermini/subcompact manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India, Thailand and South Africa...
- A contest to win an all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta receives over a quarter of a million entries on FordUrban.com
Video Games
Flex is a featured DJ on The Beat 102.7 in the 2008 Grand Theft AutoGrand Theft Auto (series)
Grand Theft Auto is a multi-award-winning British video game series created in the United Kingdom by Dave Jones, then later by brothers Dan Houser and Sam Houser, and game designer Zachary Clarke. It is primarily developed by Edinburgh based Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games...
IV - The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.
He is a celebrity adversary and a unlockable free agent fullback in season mode of ESPN NFL 2K5
ESPN NFL 2K5
ESPN NFL 2K5 is an American football video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports and the Sega Corporation. It is a part of the NFL 2K series. The game was originally released on July 20, 2004, for both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox video game consoles.- Features :The game...
. He also has an unlockable team, the Baurtwell Funkmasters.
Flex was an unlockable character in Def Jam: Vendetta. In that game, he was the in-game narrator of almost all fights. Except in After Hours matches, which don't have narrating.
Flex's music is featured in his own game - Funkmaster Flex's Digital Hitz Factory.
Tupac Shakur
On November 22, 2010, Funkmaster Flex was caught in a small controversy when a video recorded earlier in 2010 in New York leaked on YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
showing him saying negative things about rapper Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
on stage and referencing that The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
was a better artist. He has gotten response from people such as Outlawz
Outlawz
Outlawz, formally known as Outlaw Immortalz, is an American hip hop group founded by Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they are probably best known for appearing in the video "Hit 'Em Up", in a diss track aimed at Biggie Smalls and other New York...
, Nutt-So, Crooked I
Crooked I
Dominick Wickliffe, better known by his stage name Crooked I, is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the hip hop group, Slaughterhouse with other members Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9. Slaughterhouse is currently signed to Shady Records / Interscope Records....
, and Tupac's stepbrother Mopreme Shakur Flex justified his actions by saying that Tupac was a divisive force in hip hop and criticising the long lasting effect of Tupac's negative energy. He also claimed that he respected Tupac's musical legacy but there was documented animosity between the two stretching back to the days when Tupac was still alive.
Discography
- The Mix Tape, Vol. 1The Mix Tape, Vol. 1The Mix Tape, Vol. 1 is the first installment of Funkmaster Flex's Mix Tape series, released on November 21, 1995. The album is a compilation of freestyles and previously released songs, all mixed with Funkmaster Flex's production....
(1995) - The Mix Tape, Vol. IIThe Mix Tape, Vol. IIThe Mix Tape, Vol. II is the second installment in Funkmaster Flex's Mix Tape series, released on February 11, 1997 through Loud Records. Like his previous Mix Tape release, the albums is compilation of freestyles and previously released songs mixed together by Funkmaster Flex.The Mix Tape, Vol...
(1997) - The Mix Tape, Vol. IIIThe Mix Tape, Vol. IIIThe Mix Tape, Vol. III is the third installment in Funkmaster Flex's Mix Tape series, released on August 11, 1999 through Loud Records...
(1998) - The TunnelThe Tunnel (album)The Tunnel is an album released by Funkmaster Flex and Big Kap, released on December 7, 1999 through Def Jam Recordings. The compilation album featured Live Freestyle, a freestyle which featured verses from the late Tupac Shakur and the late Notorious B.I.G...
(1999) - The Mix Tape, Vol. IVThe Mix Tape, Vol. IVThe Mix Tape, Vol. IV is the fourth installment in Funkmaster Flex's Mix Tape series , released on December 5, 2000 through Loud Records....
(2000) - Car Show TourCar Show TourCar Show Tour is the sixth release by Funkmaster Flex, released on December 6, 2005 through Koch Records. The album is a compilation featuring songs from some of the biggest names in hip hop including 50 Cent, Cam'ron and Nas, along with a DVD that features a documentary about a Miami car and...
(2005)
External links
- Funkmaster Flex at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...