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breaking B O U LE VA R DS Her advice? “Jamil, you need to go solo.” Rashad calls that his light-bulb By Lydia Pudzianowski moment. “I started trying to find my PHOTO BY Daniel Topete sound,” he says. “I knew I wanted to For Boulevards—a.k.a. Jamil create something that was high energy, Rashad—fluency in all things and I started writing pop songs and funk is a matter of DNA. “My listening to a lot of Top 40 radio, trying BACKSTORY: Former punk-rocker Jamil Rashad, who relaunched his career as a dancefloor groover under the nom de funk Boulevards in 2013 FROM: Raleigh, North Carolina YOU MIGHT KNOW HIM FROM: Last year’s self-titled, self-released EP or the instantly charming video for single “Got to Go” NOW: Preparing for a slew of dance parties on tour to support the April release of his debut LP, Groove!, on Captured Tracks 14 FLOOD dad works at a radio station,” says to find my niche. I was always writing Rashad. “He’s from Philadelphia, so his music, but it took me a long time to find background in Philly soul and jazz and out what I wanted to do.” funk music definitely influenced the That’s when funk found him again. music I write now.” “I wish I would’ve known this earlier, That “now” is important, because but that’s my thing,” he says. “I just it’s been a long road. In high school and didn’t know how to express that funk.” college, the Raleigh native spent most spare minutes honing his craft. “I was on and the records that helped define the computer making beats all the time,” him, he mentions Kool & the Gang’s says Rashad. “And one night, somebody Celebrate! stole my laptop, so I didn’t know what to emphasizes Rick James’s Throwin’ do. I kind of gave up on production. I was Down and Street Songs, as well as the listening to decent rappers at the time. work of Prince. “Controversy. Scratch Myspace was hot. When that went away, that: Sign ‘O’ the Times,” he says. I kind of fell in love with the technical With Groove!, his full-length debut aspect of punk music.” as Boulevards, Rashad pays homage Yes, he said “punk,” not “funk.” The to those influences by respectfully overlap is not necessarily obvious, but it’s reinventing them. His vocal flourishes significant—and the energy contained recall everyone from Michael Jackson in a room full of sweaty music lovers to Prince’s alter ego Camille (who, jumping and dancing is a major part of it. appropriately, pops up on Sign ‘O’ the “The double bass drum, the shredding, Times). The message of Grandmaster the guitar solos—I was fascinated with Flash runs through “Cold Call,” but not that scene,” says Rashad. “My punk and verbatim. “Got to Go” is gone in just over hardcore music is still somewhere on two minutes, but if you’re not dancing the Internet. I won’t say the name, but if by then, you may need to see a doctor. people dig deep enough, you can hear me screaming on some tracks.” for Rashad, the new prince of good The inception of When he talks about inspiration and OutKast, but he So what’s a typical night like Boulevards times and party vibes? He’s still specifically can be traced back to the studying up by listening to music— breakup of Rashad’s hardcore band. at home. “I usually stay in. When I go He recalls sitting at a restaurant with a out, I go out with my lady.” All in the friend after one of the band’s final shows. name of funk.