Sly Johnson

Sly Johnson functions as a versatile vocalist capable of singing, beatboxing, and rapping while also writing songs and handling production duties. Emerging through Saïan Supa Crew, he expanded his path considerably after that French rap collective dissolved in 2007. His catalog of full-length releases encompasses a collaborative album alongside jazz trumpeter Erik Truffaz, an entire project issued under his hip-hop production alias TAGi & Steven Beatberg, and four solo albums stretching from 74 in 2010 to 55.4 in 2022, all situated in progressive R&B anchored by classic soul traditions.

He first gained notice as Sly the Mic Buddah within Saïan Supa Crew. The collective's wide-ranging approach, blending old-school hip-hop, zouk, dancehall, and salsa, signaled that his independent efforts could explore numerous avenues. After SSC issued three studio albums plus one live recording and disbanded, Johnson partnered with Erik Truffaz the following year on Paris, which appeared via Blue Note in France. He contributed much of the album's foundational low end by beatboxing basslines that occasionally evoked a bass clarinet while also providing vocals on several tracks.

Under contract with Universal Music France, Johnson collaborated extensively with producer Jay Newland, whose credits include Norah Jones and Charlie Haden, to deliver his initial solo album, 74, in 2010. He subsequently completed The Mic Buddah for the Heavenly Sweetness imprint. Despite sharing its title with his earlier moniker, the set advanced his sound across multiple fronts by showcasing ease with subtly distorted slow jams, ballads styled after vintage recordings, and contemporary funk exercises.

Following a 2017 release under the TAGi & Steven Beatberg alias that included work with Georgia Anne Muldrow and Rapper Big Pooh, Johnson issued Silvère in 2019 through Just Looking Productions. The album leaned largely energetic yet incorporated atmospheric ballads. He moved to Peter Adarkwah's BBE label for 55.4, whose title references both the 55 days required to complete it and its position as his fourth solo project. Recorded amid COVID-19 lockdowns between March and May 2020 with Johnson himself at the controls and supported by a core band plus featured vocalist Jona Oak, the richly funky album surfaced in 2022.