Stix Bones

Although drum machines and programmed loops tend to dominate rap productions far more than live percussionists, Brooklyn-born Stix Bones has maintained an active presence in hip-hop by supplying live drumming for Doug E. Fresh, De La Soul, Mos Def, the Last Poets, Gil Scott-Heron, and Rahzel of the Roots. He first took up the drums in church before pursuing formal studies, ultimately completing a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance at college. During his final year he joined the poets the Vibe Khameleons on a European tour, an experience that directly led to subsequent work with poet Jessica Care Moore. By the point of his recorded debut on the M.I.L. Multimedia/Michael Zager project In the Spirit, he had already become the drummer rappers sought whenever they assembled live bands. In 2006 he introduced his own smooth jazz approach on the album Groove Like This.