Finale Grand
"Finale Grand” has been engaged in Hip-Hop culture since 1984 when he saw “Breakin” in the theatre as a young child and immediately started practicing backspins in the laundry room, and would continue to practice all the related art forms and elements during the following decades. Elementary School years in the 80’s were spent raised just outside of Minneapolis, soaking up the radiant vibes of local legend Prince and the looming influence of Minnesota funk and soul from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Moving to Mid-South Jersey during early middle school life, Finale was catching influences from the neighboring town of Philadelphia. Recording Philly rap shows and visiting record stores and hanging out on South Street. Weekend trips up to New York City during 1992 -93 and being so close to ground zero of the golden age of HipHop was highly impactful. So much, that during that time Finale and fellow siblings persuaded their parents to open an underage Dance Club/Arcade near Evesham, New Jersey and would provide firsthand exposure to club culture and DJing at 12 years old.
Shortly after, the family relocated again, to Salt Lake City, Utah. Finale now 13 years of age, is fully immersed in skateboarding culture. The wooden vessels allows him the freedom to explore the city on his own terms with a Jansport, Walkmansport, mixtapes, and paint markers equipped. As teen years went by, and different interests came and went, hiphop and skate culture always remained close, and provided the life long lens to view and experience the world.
Fast forward, he is now 20 years deep in crate digging, beat making, DJing, and throwing live shows. A longtime contributor to the SLC music scene and is frequently producing projects and performing live beat sets. He created “Critical Beatdown”, a monthly showcase for producers and electronic musicians. Finale Grand still embodies that inner mischievous soul from his ’93 adolescence, and the youthful flame that craves dusty drum breaks, beat tapes and waxed curbs. Finale has been blessed to have collaborated and produced tracks with some of his idols and influences like Brand Nubian, Prince Po (Organized Konfusion), Evidence (Dilated Peoples), Zumbi (Zioin I), Guilty Simpson, Planet Asia and Rascoe, Brisk Oner, Concise Kilgore and more.
"Finale Grand is the renaissance producer you’ve been searching for! Armed with an Akai MPC 4000 and a vast knowledge of all types of music, Finale Grand is able to pump out professional, aesthetically sound beats that stretch across virtually any genre. A man of many talents, Finale Grand is also a DJ (perfect for your next mixtape release) and a music video producer." —TAYLOR HARTMAN, SLUG Magazine
“Crate-diggers take note: this [Baroque Beats] hour long suite of instrumental hip-hop is an old-school triumph. You can get it on cassette, too.” —Julian Ring and Andee Connors, PANDORA, “Bonus Tracks: Underground Music We Love”