Professor Elemental
Professor Elemental | |
---|---|
![]() Professor Elemental at the Steampunk World's Fair 2010 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Norwich, England |
Genres |
Steampunk Hip Hop Chap hop |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Years active | 2005–present |
Labels | Tea Sea Records (2009–present) |
Website | ProfessorElemental.com |
Paul Alborough, more often known as Professor Elemental, is a steampunk and chap hop musical artist.[1]
Background
After being approached to do a concept album of hip-hop as it would sound in different time periods, Emcee Elemental created the character of Professor Elemental. While the album never came to fruition, the character stuck.[2] Professor Elemental has since been seen performing as a solo act or in theatre acts such as Come into My Parlour. He is also popular at steampunk events and has been a headliner at the Steampunk World's Fair and the Waltz on the Wye.
The Professor Elemental character first gained notoriety with his music video for "Cup of Brown Joy," (Directed by Moog) which got the attention of Warren Ellis. Since then he has released a new album, continued his work in the community and performed live. He was, until recently, in a feud with fellow "chap-hop" artist Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer.[3] However, Professor Elemental had a short appearance in Mr. B's music video for the song "Like a Chap", of which Professor Elemental said "much as I hate to admit it, I bloody love that video and am jolly glad [Mr. B] let me gate crash."[4] Mr. B reciprocated with a cameo on Elemental's video for his song, "I'm British" (which also featured appearances by members of the Eccentric Club, of which Elemental is a member).[5] The two seem to have finally settled their differences in the track, "The Duel", on Elemental's 2012 album The Father of Invention, where, after a rap battle, both agree that the other is "jolly good" at what they do and go to enjoy a crate of sherry and some opium.
He appeared in the "Steampunx" episode of Phineas and Ferb.
He collaborated with the steampunk rock group Steam Powered Giraffe on their song "Sky Sharks", from their 2015 album The Vice Quadrant: A Space Opera.[6]
Although he is originally from Norwich, Alborough currently lives in Brighton.[3]
Discography
Albums
- The Indifference Engine (2009) [7]
- More Tea? (2010)
- Special School: The Album (2011)
- Father of Invention (2012)
- The Giddy Limit (2014)
- Apequest: The Search for Geoffrey (2015)
See also
References
- ↑ Moore, Matthew (5 June 2008), Cup of Brown Joy tea rap becomes YouTube hit, UK: The Telegraph, retrieved 9 January 2011
- ↑ Watkins, Carl (26 November 2010), An interview with Paul Alborough, AKA Professor Elemental, GuerrillaGeek, archived from the original on 2 January 2011, retrieved 9 January 2011
- 1 2 Robinson, Frances (4 April 2011), In 'Chap-Hop,' Gentlemen Rappers Bust Rhymes About Tea, Cricket, Wall Street Journal, retrieved 5 April 2011
- ↑ Alborough, Paul (22 October 2012), Professor Elemental on Twitter, retrieved 22 October 2012
- ↑ Meredith Vieira, Inside England's centuries-old 'Eccentric Club', TODAY.com, retrieved 28 November 2012
- ↑ "Release "The Vice Quadrant". MusicBrainz. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ↑ Professor Elemental-About, retrieved 2 December 2013