Jamey Bennett ("Chunjay") - Lyrics, vocals, production, and more Michael Walker ("Flatline") - Lyrics, vocals, guitar, piano, production, and more
Influences
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, UMCs, Run DMC, Pigeon John, LA Symphony, Beastie Boys, The Postal Service, Fatboy Slim, DJ Shadow, Chemical Brothers, Joy Electric
Friends Jamey Bennett and Michael Walker have been making music together since January 1998 -- over ten years. Formed while both were in high school in Bakersfield, California, Royal Ruckus have always found a way to make funny, poignant, and creative music blending different genres from Hip-Hop to Rock. With probably about a dozen releases between the two of them and at least six as a group, their record label debut was in November 2002 with their self-titled album released internationally on Audio Adrenaline's Flicker Records.
Having shared the stage with a broad range of acts including Phantom Planet, Save Ferris, Pillar, Kids in the Way, The Swift, Newsong, John Reuben, Joy Electric, Starflyer 59, Tait, Toby Mac, KJ-52, LA Symphony, Plus One, Detour 180, and Todd Agnew, RR have constantly demonstrated a versatile stage presence. Their eight year journey has also taken them to the studio with such luminaries as Pigeon John, Sup the Chemist, LA Symphony, Malachai Perez, RedCloud, Sackcloth Fashion, Greg WORDS, Johnny Come Lately, J-Remy, Vinyl Jones, and 80s rap star, Rappin Duke.
Besides Royal Ruckus, Jamey is teaching himself Latin, working on his doctorate in Patristic Philosophy, and has spent the last five years as a Christian school teacher. He runs a bunch of websites over at WittenbergHall.com. Mike is also involved with many other avenues of life, including a number of music projects -- as a solo artist, as well as playing drums in other bands, producing music, and doing session work -- not to mention his late night gig at the Vanderbilt emergency room admitting peanut butter junkies and gangstas to the hospital.
Both survived several years as Baristas at Starbucks.
Continue to check back often for updates, new songs, and cookie recipes.
Here's what others have said: "Royal Ruckus is the most hilarious and honest hip hop out there and they are destined to make waves...big ones!" - Pigeon John
"I think the Royal Ruckus project adds a nice balance to the current state of hip-hop, offering a different approach to the so-called 'realness' that is often portrayed by those who have yet to find out what 'real' is! Light-heartedness has been the missing ingredient to the puzzle we call hip-hop." - Stacy "Coffee" Jones, Grits
"If you have even a passing interest in hip-hop, you gotta check these guys out." - Musicforce.com
"Turn up the Ruckus! ... Armed with creative beats and quirky rhymes, Bennett and Walker quickly prove they are up to the task of finding the humor in situations both dark and light, a key ability if one is trying to convince a young audience that things are never quite as bad as they seem. These latte-swilling MCs specialize in pointing out the absurd in pop culture - imagine Barenaked Ladies without the self-conscious nerdiness or the Beastie Boys with faith-based messages." - R&R Magazine
Our record with Flicker has sadly gone out of print. But you can usually find it on Amazon.com or eBay for next to nothing.
Hey Royal Ruckus... how are you doing?? im just showing some love.. and letting you know about the "sale" i have going on for my 3 CDs.... all three of them for just 23.99.. cheap right? seeing how retail price on two is 16.98. haha.. but yeah. just letting you know.. u might wanna hop on this if u havent already! all u have to do is click the "buy now" button under my "band bio" thingy.. haha. thanks though.
Wow!! Congrats on 10 years guys. Seems like it was only yesterday you were picking me up in the graffiti Lebaron and I was watching you record your 2nd album in the studio. Good times for sure. Love you guys! Again... Congrats!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FREAKS. Proud to be a part of your heritage I am. Light a candle in memory of the great reddfive ent/ RR collabo. Oh those were the days.
