Mad Happy

Biography:

Mad Happy is an act that pushes the envelope. With a distinctive and edgy sound, solidly rooted in hip-hop and the blues; Their lyrics, intelligent verse promoting tolerance and individuality. Mike iLL and Rivka draw on a rainbow of influences, from Hasidic folk melodies to Public Enemy to Hank Williams, Nina Simone, Madonna and Sly Stone. Mad haPPy twists it all up into electro-pop/hip-hop.

The two love birds were hatched in devout religious families. Rivka's parents, both born Jewish, joined the Hasidic movement during their college years in Boston and followed their Rabbi to New York where Rivka was raised the seventh of nine children hidden from American culture in an enclosed Hasidic community in Brooklyn's Borough Park. Mike's parents, an ex-nun and seminarian were involved in the civil rights movement. They gave birth to Mike in Montgomery, Alabama where they were organizing an integrated county government. Looking to move to New York City, the young family settled across the Hudson River where Mike, the oldest of five children was raised amongst the working class artists of Hoboken, New Jersey.

Rivka and Mike iLL met in 1997 in a sweat lodge at Nature's Friends Farm in New Jersey. They got together for a musical project and ended up hopelessly romantically entangled in '98. It wasn't until New Years of 2002 that they formed Mad Happy. They recorded "The Rock and Roll" and "Not Jealous of the Angels" completing an eleven song album "Feel Good Music... for the Broke Middle Class" (Bar/None Records BRN CD ..129); released in April, 2002. The two have been doing over 200 live shows a year since, sharing bills with indie hip-hop and experimental acts, including Drop the Lime (Tigerbeat 6), Sole, Pedestrian and Dosh (Anticon) and Goldchains and Sue Cie (KRS); selling over 2000 CDs and live DVDs.

Mad Happy's live show is tight, energetic and emotionally charged. The charismatic pair, with manic colored hair, an MC-505 Drum Machine and a free spirited approach, can start a party anywhere.