Lyrics Born - Biography
Lyrics Born is a Japanese American MC, producer, songwriter, and label founder. He is also one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef. Born Tsutomu "Tom" Shimura in Japan, LB moved to Berkeley, CA as a young child. He began freestyling in college at UC Davis and his song "Send Them" became the first single on Solesides Records, an independent label he formed with his friends Blackalicious, DJ Shadow, Joseph Patel, Jeff Change, and Lateef. After appearing on Lateef's single "The Wreckoning," LB put out his own 12" "Balcony Beach" in 1996. In 1997, SoleSides released The Album by Latyrx, a full-length LP featuring Lyrics Born and Lateef trading verses and DJ Shadow on production. LB's official full-length solo album, Later That Day, was released in 2003 on Quannum Projects (the reformed Solesides Records). He followed it with Same !@#$ Different Day in 2005; a live album, Overnite Encore: Lyrics Born Live!, in 2006; and Everywhere at Once (Anti -, 2008), which featured members of his live funk band. His latest album, As U Were, was released on Decon Records in 2010.