Thurzday

Thurz
Background information
Origin	Inglewood, Los Angeles
Genres	Hip hop, trip hop
Years active	2006–present
Labels	London Live
Website	http://xxx.thurz.xxx

Yannick “Thurz” Koffi is a solo artist from Inglewood, Los Angeles. He is a descendent of both the Ivory Coast and Belize, taking his moniker from his last name "Koffi" which translates in Ghana’s native language of Akan to "boy born on Friday."

As a rap duo U-N-I put out three street albums and one mixtape Fried Chicken & Watermelon (2007), Before There Was Love (2009), A Love Supreme (2009) and A Love Supreme 2.0 (2010) becoming known throughout the urban and alternative blogosphere during a time of “hipster” movement momentum. The duo were credited with reviving the "true essence" of hip-hop, rejecting the Gangsta rap style that had become common. As a duo they won the 2008 MTV Video Music Award for “Best Breakout LA Artist”

On April 2 he performed as a solo artist for the first time at The 2011 Paid Dues Festival in San Bernardino along with Black Star, Immortal Technique, Asher Roth, Dead Prez, E-40, Murs, Blu & Fashawn.

In February 2011 he announced he would be putting out a solo album entitled L.A. Riot.

Paying tribute to the 20th Anniversary of the Rodney King beating (March 3, 1991) he released to YouTube a politically inspired re-enactment of the assault. The video clip transformed him into the image of the motorist (via makeup and computer effects). In conjunction he debuted the first song “Rodney King” which was a stark contrast to the music that U-N-I were known for which predominately centered on themes of video games, sneakers and women. “Rodney King” discusses every detail from the night of the beating including the statistics of the basketball game King was watching, the alcohol consumption, the marijuana, the make and model of car he was driving; the chase through highways and residential areas through Lake View Terrace interspersed with King's parole worries; the brutality captured on video by a plumber named George Holliday. He raps: "Beware: This stormy black Monday will morph its way into a black plague of agony: broken glass, burning buildings coughing up black smoke. My pain will be a molotov cocktail of hope for all those who sit silent, listening, contemplating violence, awaiting their turn to play their part in the uprising we call Rodney King Riots."

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Wikipedia