ARTIST INFO

GIANT PANDA

To the Animal kingdom, a giant panda is the symbol of resilience for species pushed to extinction. The recently synthesized and comically mundane world of Hip-Hop, Giant Panda is the rare group that symbolizes the power of using traditional methods to stay innovative and funky.

Hailing from 4 separate areas of the world, Giant Panda was formed around a childhood friendship, chance meetings, and an inside joke. Los Angeles is where the Pandas call home, but it all started when Maanumental and Newman started building on the teatherball courts of their Seattle elementary school. Newman would end up in So. California for college, where he met Chikaramanga and DJ Superbrush 427 who were roommates through out college. It is in this dorm (which was the centre of the local scene) where Giant Panda would begin to take form. However, it would take a few years (and a few groups) before they would move to the heart of L.A., add Sir Kato (Maanumental’s brother), and adopt Kado’s nickname (for Chikara, Maanu, and New) of Giant Panda as the name they should’ve been all along.

It is Giant Panda’s dedication to fresh beats, lyrics, flows and stage shows that gained them the respect of their peers (People Under The Stairs, Cut Chemist, J-Live, DJ J-Rocc) and the release of “88 remix” (12 inch UKJ-001 Dec 2003) that gave them the approval of their elders (Marley Marl, Pete Rock, Brother J). Although “88 remix” was only pressed in limited quantities, it reached the high honour of “Single of the Month” in Hip-Hop Connection magazine. Their next release, “With It” (12inch Tres Records) was reviewed by Chairman Mao in his “Chairman’s Choice” column (XXL Jan/Feb 2005). With a feature in URB NEXT 100 (April 2005), it seems that the perfect time has arrived for Giant Panda to release their debut album, “Fly School Reunion”.

The overwhelming amount of support and respect Giant Panda has received confirmed that their desire to stretch out without getting thing and progress without forgetting where this art came from is the right choice. While quality Hip-Hop becomes a rare product to find, Giant Panda stand to be a constant reminder that it will stay in existence.

“A refreshing example of independent hip-hop that manages to bypass the modern indie rap failings and represent itself as just good hip-hop. Remember that?” *** HHC (Jul ’05)
‘my fave of the summer, maybe the year’ – Matt Smooth (Knowledge)
“this shot in the arm will become a fixture on the stereo for time to come.” Update
7/10 – NME
“This is greatﾉLook out for more from fresh new label Tres” Knowledge
'Hip Hop done the right way' *** HHC
'Beautiful intriguing sh*t from one the US's most exciting new labels.' DJ