BLAZE X BLACK SHAKE THINGS UP
R&B/HOP-HOP DUO BLAZE X BLACK FEATURES RICKY DONATO, LEFT, AND ROBERT JOHNSON.
If it weren’t for a thirsty elementary schoolteacher, Blaze X Black wouldn’t be the R&B/hip-hop combo they are today.
It all started in Atherton Elementary School in Fifth Ward, when both Rick Blaze and Bishop Black were attending summer school in the third grade and a certain schoolmarm had eyes for Blaze’s old man.
“One of my teachers found his father attractive and sent me to find out who he was, if his father was single,” remembers Black (government name: Robert Johnson).
Blaze and Black were good friends throughout that summer, but they wouldn’t meet up again until they were full-grown men. Says Blaze (aka Ricky Donato), “He ended up finding me on Facebook years later.” Adds Black, “I had to keep reminding him, ‘Hey man, you don’t remember me? I’m your best friend from, like, a long time ago!’ ” (Blaze says their friendship rekindled when Black brought up their love for the Honey Buns the school served at breakfast.)
At this point, both men already had experience as musicians and performers: Blaze spent most of his young life playing piano in the church, while Black, who already had a mixtape under his belt, spent most of his formative years writing R&B songs. He even tried to get a singing group going in high school called The Four Shades of Passion (unfortunately, he only had three members).
They didn’t start recording until they found out they were neighbors. Unbeknownst to each other, they both bought homes in the same neighborhood. “I would literally walk down the street and, then, we recorded our first project together,” says Black.
After collaborating on several EPs and mixtapes, they released their first, full-length album, “Pop. Cult.Music.Electric.Revival,” in 2017. As evidenced by the title (which was taken from a song by OutKast, one of their main influences), the music is all over the place. The fellas say the album, which is a compilation of tunes they’ve composed either together and apart for the past decade, is supposed to sound that way.
“It’s like getting to a destination and just taking different vehicles of choice,” says Blaze, who mostly handles the producing. “You can go there by train. You can go there by car. You can go there by bus. You can go there by plane. Just however you want to get there. So, when we look at music, we look at it that way.”
These 30-something guys have accomplished a lot in the short time they’ve been together. They’ve performed at SXSW, snagged a Readers’ Choice Award from the Houston Press Music Awards in 2016 and were given their own day — Aug. 4 — by the mayor a year later. The day came about thanks to their years of previously doing an internet radio show (called “The Blaze X Black Show,” of course) where they interviewed local entrepreneurs, visionaries, political figures and even many of the female, AfricanAmerican judges who were elected in Harris County last November. “I think out of the 18-19,” says Black, “we had probably 16 on our show.”
The pair has worked hard on providing an eclectic, good time at their live gigs, where they perform with their backing band, The Art Throbs. This Saturday, they’ll be doing a show called “All Superheroes Don’t Wear Capes,” which will salute the men and women who, even though they don’t rock spandex suits, still manage to save the day.
“We’re showing these individuals in the city who are making a difference in the community, making a difference and making strides in their personal lives and affecting the lives of others,” says Blaze. “They are a superhero to someone.”
A percentage of ticket sales will go to Fresh Spirit Wellness, a nonprofit devoted to women who have been verbally, emotionally, physically or sexually abused.