Call RADIx the little group who could. Formed at Fitchburg State on the potluck of the draw, RADIx (MCs QUITE NYCE and SEEK) are making it all the way live in the next few months, with spots all over New England, a bangin’ record-release party March 24 in Boston, and a 14-date US tour in April that will take them to random places like Neurolux in Boise and Bernie’s Distillery in Columbus. “We’ve mapped it out to make it the most economical way,” says Ja’Quaine Lamer Coe, a/k/a Quite Nyce, who booked the tour himself. “I must have sent out 200 e-mails to get the six or seven shows that we got right now, but it’s good because it shows initiative. And you have the good music to go with it, which we do.” He laughs. “We thought about flying part of the way, but I lobbied to go with driving, because this way we can really meet people, like at gas stations and stuff.”
The RADIx tour kicks off March 24 at McGann’s at North Station, where the guys host a wild bill with SEV STATIK, DJ KNIFE, LINGO, SEAN DWYER, and Allston emo band A HERO NEXT DOOR. “It’s an eclectic mix of people,” Coe admits, “But every time I see shows in Boston, it’s the same guys. We want people to fall into other music, people that might not want to come to see RADIx. We try and be different.” Their CD, The Staple, is the result of three years of work: it hits streets April 4 but will be available at McGann’s, along with DVDs created by Seek. “I literally just made the promo DVD for the album,” says Brian Seekins, a/k/a Seek, who’s calling on the road home to Framingham. “It’s got a video, pictures, some live footage, slideshows, you know.” Seek graduated with a degree in video from Framingham State, so he knows what he’s doing. “Our video came out pretty good, and it’s not even lo-budg, it’s no-budg!” The Staple CD is 13 ill cuts of back-and-forth hip-hop with guest spots from MR. EON, MISTA SINISTA, and local gurus INSIGHT and AKROBATIK.
“Insight is crazy,” Coe says. “We cut that track in four or five hours, starting at 4 or 5 in the morning. The guy’s work ethic is incredible! And Akro, I mean, when I first heard about Boston hip-hop, it was Akrobatik, Akrobatik, Akrobatik! And now these guys are on our CD. It’s pretty cool.” Seekins: “Getting them to record is, basically, a lot of it is being on the scene. They saw us progress and progress, and finally they said, ‘Wow, you guys are ready now.’ ” Produced mainly by Dr. Six Shot and Grumble from GRIME LAB, the disc is mastered in parts by the Berklee-schooled Legendary MasterMinds, who also did the excellent “AkroRadix feat. Akrobatik (RMX).” Coe: “At the end of the day, we’re competing against the major-label sound, not the major-label style, so it has to sound good. Those guys did a great job.”
