Pink Siifu
Birth nameLivingston Lemorie Matthews
Also known as
  • iiye
  • Liv Martez
Born1992 (age 30–31)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.[1]
Genres
Years active2013–present[2]
LabelsDynamite Hill
Websitepinksiifu.com

Livingston Lemorie Matthews,[3] known professionally as Pink Siifu, and occasionally iiye,[4] is an American rapper and singer from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Birmingham, Alabama.

Life and career

Matthews acquired an appreciation for music from his family, while dividing his time between Birmingham and Cincinnati in his youth. His father, a saxophone player, introduced him to classic jazz, while his mother and older brother introduced him to R&B and hip-hop. Matthews played the trumpet and drums in marching bands throughout his youth. After high school, he became a theater major at Wright State University in Fairborn, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton.[5] However, he chose to leave the university to focus on a rap career. He started performing in Cincinnati under the name 'Liv Martez' before moving to Los Angeles in 2013 after recording in studios there, including working on a project with Syd tha Kyd.[2][6]

He began releasing music under the name Pink Siifu in 2014,[7][8] while also producing under the name iiye.[8] Matthews released several projects between 2014 and 2018.[8]

In 2018, Matthews released Ensley under the Pink Siifu moniker to critical acclaim.[7][9] He named the LP after Ensley, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham where his grandmother lived. Ensley received a placement on Pitchfork's best rap albums of 2018 list.[10] His next release was the album NEGRO. Initially titled To Be Angry, the album has been described as a "shrill and abrasive"[7] blend of jazz, punk rock, and rap.[11][12] Siifu's most recent album, Gumbo'!, featured his studio album debut alongside artists Georgia Anne Muldrow and Nick Hakim. It also featured production by Monte Booker, The Alchemist, and others.[13] In 2021, Matthews directed a short film titled 'NATION TYME!', an experimental film centered on an excerpt from famed writer Amiri Baraka's essay 'It's Nation Time'.[14]

Style and influences

Pink Siifu has been described as having a slow and lackadaisical delivery to his vocals, a quality he attributes to the influence of Mos Def, Lil Wayne (Who was his favorite growing up), and Outkast. Siifu's music has generally been described as alternative hip-hop and neo-soul, but he has experimented with other genres, including punk on his 2020 release, NEGRO. Outside of hip-hop, Matthews has listed George Clinton, Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra, Pixies, Radiohead, and Death Grips among his influencers.[15]

Discography

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Albums

Collaborative albums

Extended plays

Singles

References

  1. ^ Hobbs, Thomas. "Pink Siifu is one step ahead". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b Bell, Max (August 6, 2018). "An Interview with Pink Siifu". Passion of the Weiss. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  3. ^ "ADAM X JALEN EYE LUV U". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  4. ^ "Pink Siifu's Mad-Scientist Melting Pot". stereogum.com. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  5. ^ Moore, Marcus J. (17 August 2021). "Pink Siifu, a Shape-Shifting Musician With One Demand: Don't Box Me In". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  6. ^ "A Guide to the Prolific Rap, Punk, and Soul of Pink Siifu". bandcamp.com. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Moore, Marcus (April 15, 2020). "The necessity of Pink Siifu's rage". The Fader. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  8. ^ a b c Crone, David. "Pink Siifu AllMusic Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  9. ^ Pacheco, Thomas (August 4, 2021). "Pink Siifu's GUMBO! Is Good For The Soul". Spin. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  10. ^ Aku, Timmhotep (December 18, 2018). "The Best Rap Albums of 2018". Pitchfork. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  11. ^ Joseph, Branden (June 10, 2021). "Fire and Smoke: Pink Siifu Interviewed". Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  12. ^ Pearce, Sheldon (April 15, 2020). "Pink Siifu: Negro". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Interview: Pink Siifu on His Ever-Shifting Musical Approach". Reverb.com. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  14. ^ "Watch Pink Siifu's New Short Film NATION TYME!". Pitchfork. February 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Don't Expect Anything From Pink Siifu at III Points". miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Ensley - Album by Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  17. ^ "NEGRO - Album by Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  18. ^ "Gumbo! - Album by Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Twothousandnine - Album by Pink Siifu & Swarvy". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  20. ^ "BRWN - Album by B. Cool-Aid". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Black Sand - Album by Pink Siifu & AKAI SOLO". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Bag Talk - Album by Pink Siifu & Yungmorpheus". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  23. ^ "FlySiifu's - Album by Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  24. ^ "$mokebreak - Album by Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  25. ^ "Real Bad Flights - Album by Pink Siifu & Real Bad Man". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  26. ^ "Cocoa - Single by Pink Siifu & Swarvy". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  27. ^ "Cocoa - Single by B. Cool-Aid". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  28. ^ "Cement - Single by Shungu & Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  29. ^ "Dollar Dr. Dream - Single by Fly Anakin & Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  30. ^ "Richard Pryor - Single by Fly Anakin & Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  31. ^ "Mind Right - Single by Fly Anakin & Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  32. ^ "Blame - Single by Fly Anakin & Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  33. ^ "lng hair dnt care - Single by Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  34. ^ "Bussin' (Cold) - Single by Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  35. ^ "48 - Single by Maxo". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  36. ^ "Pour The Wine - Single by Pink Siifu & Real Bad Man". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  37. ^ "Pour The Wine - Single by Pink Siifu & Real Bad Man". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  38. ^ "L's (Eyedress Remix) - Single by Fly Anakin & Pink Siifu". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  39. ^ "Bonded - Single by B.Cool-Aid". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  40. ^ "Cnt Go Back (Tell Me) - Single by B.Cool-Aid". Retrieved 23 January 2023.
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