thePULSEa.k.a. Tha Cheeba Don, a.k.a. L Da Head Toucha
January 2006 –
The way I see it, there are two different types of hip-hop music. First, there’s the party music. Full of melodies, thumping bass and actual singing, the focus is on the beat, and the desired effect is to make people dance. Then there’s the straightforward, content-centered rap. The first type of music, while very popular and extremely culturally significant, can often fall short of the lyrical originality and intensity of a more pensively styled rap.
Local rapper Larry Cheeba harnesses the best of both styles, a difficult balance to achieve. The desired effect of his music is to make people think. Cheeba calls it “real talk” and says that many listeners readily relate to his story, style and lyrical approach. His story is one of the streets and involves drugs, jail time and now music. One song in particular, “Evolution,” includes many references to this way of life and how he got to where he is now.
Cheeba refers to his thoughtful style as the origin of his name L Da Head Toucha. He said his sound is “more than music; it’s feel music” and that this is what is meant by “Head Toucha.” He recognizes that his style, while wholly very well received, is not exactly what the masses automatically look for these days. And “Cheeba,” he reveals, comes from an element of his past, a self-proclaimed “appreciation for various types of marijuana.”
Cheeba lists soul and R&B of the 70s and 80s as important influences. “I feel like music reinvents itself,” Cheeba said. He includes traces of a re-invented soul sound that helps to make his music very attractive. In fact, I am rather surprised (pleasantly so!) to find that Cheeba has officially opened my eyes to the world of quality rap music. After years of struggling to enjoy the genre, I’m finally able to do so. Listening to his music, it sounds as if the man’s brain is simply wired for manufacturing aurally appealing and mentally engaging lyrics and phrases. The ease of listening is impressive and inviting and will no doubt lend to Cheeba’s continued success.
And speaking of success, Cheeba’s music has become very popular on the East Coast, especially in New England. After a slew of shows in Worcester, Boston and New York City, his fan base has grown quite a bit. What’s important about his sound is that it is just as engaging to non-rap fans as it is to the regulars. He is in no way compromising his art for success though, stating that “A lot of what I do is in no way, shape or form commercial, even though it has commercial appeal.”
Cheeba has many long-term goals and Worcester plays a part in most of them. He is constantly on the lookout for talented local rappers and would love to someday join forces with those he finds. He looks at area teams like the Red Sox and then looks at rap groups like G-Unit and he sees the future. Aware that this area is “…always dying for a star team,” he would love to give them one ~ in rap form. Cheeba considers the work he’s doing, learning about the industry and promoting himself, to be just one part of local hip-hop’s big picture. “It’s not just for myself, it’s for the whole area. I want to be able to establish and branch out everyone in the whole area.”
Frequently appearing on the New York City stage, he uses those shows as an opportunity to “…let them know dudes from Mass be holdin’ it down.” With his star on the rise, Cheeba still calls Worcester home and says that “there’s nothing like rockin’ at home.”
You can order Larry Cheeba’s CD, Destined for Greatness, at www.midheaven.com and find out more about the artist at www.myspace.com/larrycheeba. Also, you can listen to much of his music at www.datamike.net/ltheheadtoucha/. Watch for the upcoming release of Cheeba’s next album, “Tha Product,” in early 2006.
