Kung Fu Vampire is an American rapper from

San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...

. Since 2001, he has been recognized as a "

goth Goth or Goths may refer to: * Goths, a Germanic people Arts and entertainment * Gothic rock or goth, a style of rock music * Goth subculture, developed by fans of gothic rock * ''Goth'' (2003 film), an American horror film * ''Goth'' (2008 f ...

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing ...

", and for being accompanied by a band in his live

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

performances. He released his debut album, ''Blood Bath Beyond'' in 2003.

History

Kung Fu Vampire began breakdancing at the age of six, and taught himself how to rap and sing while playing drums and bass as a hobby. At the age of 12, his aunt began taking him to see concert performances, and introduced him to a gothic style of dress. At 14 years old he and three friends formed a group which fused

old school hip hop Old-school hip hop (also spelled old skool) (also known as disco-rap) is the earliest commercially recorded Hip-hop, hip hop music and the original style of the genre. It typically refers to the music created around 1979 to 1983, as well as any ...

with

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

and

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that came to prominence in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mos ...

. In 2001, he adopted the name "Kung Fu Vampire" during a conversation with his friends in which they discussed the idea of a

martial arts film Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expression a ...

featuring

vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and c ...

s. He describes the sense of balance as the "Yin and Yang of Fang". In 2006, the group was voted the best local band by ''

Metro Silicon Valley ''Metro'', also known as ''Metro Silicon Valley'', is a free weekly newspaper published by the San Jose, California-based Weeklys media group for four decades, a period during which its readership area became known as Silicon Valley. Metro was ...

'' readers. Director

Darren Lynn Bousman Darren Lynn Bousman (; born January 11, 1979) is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in horror films. He has directed four of the ''Saw (franchise), Saw'' films: ''Saw II'', ''Saw III'', ''Saw IV'', and ''Spiral ( ...

was impressed by Kung Fu Vampire's performance style, and pushed for the rapper to perform at the release party for ''

Saw III ''Saw III'' is a 2006 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and a story by Whannell and James Wan. A sequel to ''Saw II'' (2005) and the third installment in the ''Saw'' film series, it stars Tobin Bel ...

'' that year,Carnes, Aaron (December 5, 2012
Cover Story: Local Rapper Kung Fu Vampire Sheds Costume to Focus on Music
metroactive.com performing at the release party for Bousman's film ''

Repo! The Genetic Opera ''Repo! The Genetic Opera'' is a 2008 American musical film. Described as a gothic rock opera, the film was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and based on the 2002 stage musical of the same name, written and composed by Darren Smith and Terranc ...

'' in 2008, and the rapper's song "Dead Girls Don't Say No" being featured in another Bousman film, ''

Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in Mar ...

'', in 2010. In 2009, the

Insane Clown Posse Insane Clown Posse, often abbreviated as ICP, is an American hip hop duo. Formed in Detroit in 1989, ICP's best-known lineup consists of rappers Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (originally 2 Dope; Joseph Utsler). Insan ...

fan website Faygoluvers featured Kung Fu Vampire's music video "iCount" on the site, attracting the attention of

Twiztid Twiztid is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan, known for both their horror-themed lyrics and rock-influenced sound. Formed in 1997, Twiztid is composed of rappers Jamie "Madrox" Spaniolo and Paul "Monoxide" Methric. Spaniolo and M ...

, who invited Kung Fu Vampire to perform as the duo's opening act during their 2010 "Slaughterhouse" tour. In 2012, Kung Fu Vampire appeared in the music video for

E-40 Earl Tywone Stevens (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. Stevens is a founding member of the rap group The Click (band), The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 27 stud ...

's song "Zombie" featuring

Brotha Lynch Hung Kevin Danell Mann (born January 10, 1969), known artistically as Brotha Lynch Hung, is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer from Sacramento, California who is a horrorcore pioneer of his own sub-category called “Rip-gut”. The R ...

and

Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper and singer. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold ...

. In 2016, Kung Fu Vampire released ''Look Alive'', featuring guest appearances by

¡Mayday! ¡Mayday! (stylized in all caps as ¡MAYD∀Y!) is an American hip hop group from Miami, Florida. The group comprises rappers Bernardo "Bernz" Garcia and Ben "Wrekonize" Miller, along with producer and percussionist Andrews "NonMS" Mujica. Unt ...

Locksmith Locksmithing is the work of creating and bypassing locks. Locksmithing is a traditional trade and in many countries requires completion of an apprenticeship. The level of formal education legally required varies by country, ranging from no formal ...

and

Ces Cru Ces Cru (often stylized as CES Cru) was an American hip-hop group from Kansas City, Missouri, signed to independent record label Strange Music. The duo composed of members Donnie "Godemis" King and Mike "Ubiquitous" Viglione, but has had numerou ...

. In 2019, Kung Fu Vampire performed on the "Shazam Stage" at Insane Clown Posse's

Gathering of the Juggalos The Gathering of the Juggalos (also known as The Gathering or GOTJ) is an annual music festival put on by Psychopathic Records, featuring performances by the entire label roster as well as numerous well-known musical groups and underground music, ...

Style and influences

Kung Fu Vampire's musical style fuses

gothic rock Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie an ...

and electro. His influences are

Danny Elfman Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since scoring his ...

Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent col ...

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

the Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts ...

Whodini Whodini is an American hip hop group that was formed in 1982. The Brooklyn, New York–based trio consisted of vocalist and main lyricist Jalil Hutchins; co-vocalist John Fletcher, a.k.a. Ecstasy (who wore a Zorro-style hat as his trademark; Jun ...

, Eric B. & Rakim and

N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip-hop group formed in Compton, California in 1987. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the great ...

. He rejected the classification of

horrorcore Horrorcore (also called shock rap, horror hip hop, horror rap, death hip hop, death rap, or murder rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music based on horror-themed and often darkly transgressive lyrical content and imagery. Its origins derived from ...

, preferring to call his music "gothic hip hop". He generally avoids rapping about graphic violence, and makes little or no reference to

campy Camp is an aesthetic and sensibility that regards something as appealing or amusing because of its heightened level of artifice, affectation and exaggeration, especially when there is also a playful or ironic element. ''Camp'' is historically ...

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...

s or smoking

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...

. His lyrics have spoken out against drug use, in particular meth and alcohol, and advocated for healthy living. He was initially known for making appearances with a shaved head and pale

face paint Body painting is a form of body art where artwork is painted directly onto the human skin. Unlike tattoos and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, lasting several hours or sometimes up to a few weeks (in the case of mehndi or "he ...

. In 2011, he grew his hair out and has stopped using face paint in his performances stating that he would rather spend that time connecting with fans at concert as opposed to preparation.

Live band members

;Current * Kung Fu Vampire —

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

* Jeremy Pollett —

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

* Chris Paxton —

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

Production team

;Current & Past * ProHoezak • TunnA Beatz * Skytzo Beatz • Subliminal Beats * Action Paxton • Nobe of Inf Gang * GodSynth • MOK Beatz * Cruels • Jawsh Crespo * Jazz Mafia • K-Oddic Beats * Duranamo • Michael “Seven” Summers * Charlie Beans • Starkore * MOK Beatz • The Butler

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations

Collaboration albums

Singles

Features

* '' Twisted Insane'' track "Voices" featuring Bleezo, Kung Fu Vampire, Bishop, and Poverty's Posterboy from the album ''The Insane Asylum'' (2013) * ''

'' track "Wasted Part 2" featuring Kung Fu Vampire, Chris Webby, RA The Rugged Man and Three Six Mafia from the album ''Get Twiztid'' (2014) * ''Bloodstepp'' track "Rave In My Grave" featuring Koshir and Kung Fu Vampire from the album ''Grand Theft Ufo: Floppy Disk Edition'' (2014) * '' Scum'' track "It Is Not" feat. Kung Fu Vampire from the Album ''One Track Mind'' (2016) * ''

Blaze Ya Dead Homie Christopher C. Rouleau (born April 27, 1976), known professionally by his pseudonym Blaze Ya Dead Homie or simply Blaze, is an American rapper from Mount Clemens, Michigan. A representative of the hip hop music subgenres gangsta rap and horrorco ...

'' track "Ghost" featuring Kung Fu Vampire from the album ''Casket Factory'' (2016) * '' Whitney Peyton'' track "Word Of Mouth" featuring Kung Fu Vampire from the album ''Break The Frame'' (2016) * ''Gorilla Voltage'' track "Rocks For Brains" featuring Kung Fu Vampire from the album '' Ape-X'' (2017) * ''Gorilla Voltage'' track "Lit" featuring Kung Fu Vampire from the album '' Ape-X'' (2017) *When They Hear It ( The R.O.C. ft. Kung Fu Vampire & Prozak) on the album ''Digital Voodoo'' (2017)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kung Fu Vampire American hip-hop record producers Goth subculture Living people Rappers from the San Francisco Bay Area Underground rappers Year of birth missing (living people)