Tunde Adebimpe
Encyclopedia
Babatunde Omoroga "Tunde" Adebimpe (born 1975) is an American musician, actor, and director best known as the lead singer of the Brooklyn
-based band TV on the Radio
. His vocal method often involves improvisation, the use of effects and repeating sampled loops.
and grew up in Hampton Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. His father was an artist, psychiatrist, and social worker, and his mother was a pharmacist. His sister is a gospel and opera singer, and his late brother was a writer. He attended Shady Side Academy
from 1989 to 1993, and then moved to New York City
after graduating. He is a graduate of New York University
's Tisch School of the Arts
, and formerly worked at MTV
as an animator
.
In June 2011, he married cartoonist/illustrator Domitille Collardey
.
movie, Jump Tomorrow
, based on a short college film, Jorge, in which he played the same character.
In 2008 he appeared as the groom in Jonathan Demme
's Rachel Getting Married
alongside Anne Hathaway
, who portrayed the bride's wayward sister. In the film, Adebimpe performs an a cappella
cover of the Neil Young
song "Unknown Legend
".
' latest record, It's Blitz!
, which was produced by fellow TVOTR member David Andrew Sitek
. He produced and guested on "Your Glasshouse" a track from Atmosphere's record When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
. He is also featured on the song, "Deathful", on Subtle's album Yell&Ice
.
In early 2009 he performed three shows as a duo with Tall Firs
drummer Ryan Sawyer, the latter two under the name Stabbing Eastward. Also in early 2009, Adebimpe released a combined single/DVD under the name Fake Male Voice on the Japan/Brooklyn label Heartfast. He performed one show under that name with a pickup group at the record's release party. Fake Male Voice again performed at a Heartfast showcase during CMJ 2009, as a duo comprising Adebimpe and Gerard Smith.
Adebimpe created the music video
for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
song "Pin
".
Adebimpe recently collaborated with Massive Attack
on the track "Pray for Rain".
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
-based band TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
. His vocal method often involves improvisation, the use of effects and repeating sampled loops.
Background and education
Adebimpe was born in NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and grew up in Hampton Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. His father was an artist, psychiatrist, and social worker, and his mother was a pharmacist. His sister is a gospel and opera singer, and his late brother was a writer. He attended Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy is a private, secular coeducational PK-12 preparatory school located on three campuses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, established in 1883.- Campuses :Shady Side Academy has three campuses in Pittsburgh....
from 1989 to 1993, and then moved to New York City
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...
after graduating. He is a graduate of New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
, and formerly worked at 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....
as an animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
.
In June 2011, he married cartoonist/illustrator Domitille Collardey
Domitille Collardey
Domitille Collardey is a French cartoonist and comic book designer. She is best known for her founding the Chicou-Chicou comics collective with Aude Picault.She currently lives in Paris and Brooklyn, NY.-Comics:...
.
Acting career
He starred in a 2001 indieIndependent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
movie, Jump Tomorrow
Jump Tomorrow
Jump Tomorrow is a 2001 independent film and romantic comedy written and directed by Joel Hopkins, starring Tunde Adebimpe, Hippolyte Girardot, and Natalia Verbeke. It concerns George , a shy, bespectacled man who is about to marry a fellow Nigerian American woman named Sophie Ochenado, played by...
, based on a short college film, Jorge, in which he played the same character.
In 2008 he appeared as the groom in Jonathan Demme
Jonathan Demme
Robert Jonathan Demme is an American filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. Best known for directing The Silence of the Lambs, which won him the Academy Award for Best Director, he has also directed the acclaimed movies Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married, the Talking Heads concert movie Stop...
's Rachel Getting Married
Rachel Getting Married
Rachel Getting Married is a 2008 drama film directed by Jonathan Demme, and starring Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin and Debra Winger. The film was released in the U.S. to select theaters on October 3, 2008. The film opened the 65th Venice International Film Festival. The film also...
alongside Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway (actress)
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
, who portrayed the bride's wayward sister. In the film, Adebimpe performs an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
cover of the Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
song "Unknown Legend
Harvest Moon (album)
Harvest Moon is the twenty-first studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released in 1992. Many of the musicians appearing on it also appeared on his 1972 album Harvest, and this album is considered by many to be a pseudo-sequel to Harvest....
".
Solo work and collaborations
As well as occasionally performing solo, Tunde regularly collaborates with other musicians. Adebimpe appears on the track on the Yeah Yeah YeahsYeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
' latest record, It's Blitz!
It's Blitz!
It's Blitz! is the third studio album by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, released March 9, 2009 on Interscope Records. It was originally set for release on April 13, 2009, however after being leaked to the internet on February 22, the release date was pushed forward to March 9 for the...
, which was produced by fellow TVOTR member David Andrew Sitek
David Andrew Sitek
David Andrew Sitek is a guitarist and record producer based in New York City, best known as a member of the band TV on the Radio. He has also worked with bands such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars, Foals, Celebration, and most recently Jane's Addiction, and produced free jazz-influenced remixes of songs...
. He produced and guested on "Your Glasshouse" a track from Atmosphere's record When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold is the fifth studio album by the Minneapolis hip hop group Atmosphere. It was released on Atmosphere's own Rhymesayers Entertainment label on April 22, 2008 to considerable critical acclaim...
. He is also featured on the song, "Deathful", on Subtle's album Yell&Ice
Yell&Ice
Yell&Ice is the fourth release by the sextet Subtle on Lex Records. As Wishingbone was to A New White, Yell&Ice is a sibling-album to For Hero: For Fool, containing remixes and reworkings of tracks from that album, including new material. The album expands and continues the story of the character...
.
In early 2009 he performed three shows as a duo with Tall Firs
Tall Firs
Tall Firs are a New York City based underground electric folk rock band, originally formed in 1990 by Dave Mies and Aaron Mullan in Annapolis, Maryland...
drummer Ryan Sawyer, the latter two under the name Stabbing Eastward. Also in early 2009, Adebimpe released a combined single/DVD under the name Fake Male Voice on the Japan/Brooklyn label Heartfast. He performed one show under that name with a pickup group at the record's release party. Fake Male Voice again performed at a Heartfast showcase during CMJ 2009, as a duo comprising Adebimpe and Gerard Smith.
Adebimpe created the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
song "Pin
Pin (song)
"Pin" is a single by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their debut album, Fever to Tell . It was released on July 22, 2003, and received critical acclaim but did not receive much mainstream attention, especially when compared with the band's next single "Maps". This single includes the B-side "Mr...
".
Adebimpe recently collaborated with Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
on the track "Pray for Rain".
Websites
- TV On The Radio Official Site
- Tunde Adebimpe performs a cappela and is interviewed on Radio Happy Hour
Interviews
- Citypages.com interview (04/2004)
- Hate Something Beautiful interview (11/2006)
- A.V. Club interview (10/2008)
Video
- PUNKCAST#1159 Live video from Glasslands Gallery, Brooklyn — May 29, 2007. (RealPlayerRealPlayerRealPlayer is a cross-platform media player by RealNetworks that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, Windows Media, and multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo formats.-History:...
, mp4)