
Producers are the new underground "tryin to get signed" cats with
all the music software available. But not everybody can use software music
programs and make drum patterns sound so crispy. In comes Uncle
JunBug. Born Marlon McElroy in Columbus, Ohio 1972. Known as "The Infamous" by
his Hooligan label mates, he loves his moniker JunBug. "I'm like ya drunk
uncle that freaks the electric slide at the family reunion wit all the aunties!"
Drawn to music from the early stages, Marlon played drums in
church at the age of 7. With a knack of picking up instruments & playing by ear,
he learned to play hip-hop melodies on the church piano. When "Christian"
hip-hop was new to the younger cats forced to go to church, Jun came
up with tracks familiar from the streets & he and his friends wrote
rhymes that were church friendly. "Most artist today and from the past are
heavily influenced by the church organ!" Beating out the same pattern as Salt &
Pepa's "Push it" & BDP's "Loves gonna get ya" on his Yamaha drum
machine, a natural beatminer was introduced.
In the tradition of Pete Rock, Eric Sermon, & Primo, Uncle JunBug
has a heavy influence on sample chopping. Without giving away tricks, he can
chop & hide samples along with gritty drum tracks producing a sound that
sways your head regardless of the tempo. Producing for local hip-hop crew
Dead Poets Society, JunBug beat his way into local stardom. Relying on his
crafty rhyme styles, he decided that he would focus more on rhyming.
"I loved makin the track, & rhymin' over it while everybody oohed & ahhed
over my voice & my kick drums!" C.A.M.P. Hooligan was formed with longtime
fellow rhyme partner, Goldeneye in the late 90's.
After a long stretch at rockin the mic behind fellow Hooligan
producer 4Mentillz grimey tracks, he walked away from hip-hop
completely. "At that time, there were so many hungry cats doin any & everything to
get in the game, I lost my love." Influenced by the lack of soul in today's
radio crazy rap music, he felt he could bring back originality to the
format. In the likes of Fruity Loops phenom 9th Wonder, Uncle JunBug
wants to focus more on producing albums instead of a song or two.
"Completing a whole album for an artist is my main outlook." Working on projects
from Hooligan label mate Panama Jak's upcoming album, as well as music for
N.Y.'s Sonny Black. Jun also has some soon to be released projects with
SupaMc, and Brooklyn's Mook Diamonds as well as Scrape from the Takeover Gang.
With a long list of upcoming projects, he is scheduled to release his debut
instrumental cd entitled "Whats Needed". Hip hop is strongly in need
of throwback beat production, in comes Uncle JunBug.


