Tunnel Clones

The Tunnel Clones are a collaboration between two MC's, James "Bosco" Catchings and Deverick "Rachi" Sheftall, and a DJ/Turntablist, Luke "Redeye Jedi" Sexton. Although the three members of the group are from different cultures and diverse backgrounds, they share a similar interest for the love of Memphis Soul music, both underground Hip-hop music and it's culture, and the positive, conscious Hip-hop Movement that is flourishing in the midst of all the negative light shed upon the genre itself.

After chance meetings found them together in Memphis, TN five years ago, the group Tunnel Clones was formed and the trio were eager to share their musical prowess with the native ears of Memphis.

Rachi is an MC/Producer from Miami, FL, and is a classically trained musician, skilled at the euphonium and the trombone. Bosco, a poet born and raised in Naples, Italy, moved to Memphis when he was fifteen years old and has been writing poetry and music since 1997. Redeye Jedi, a DJ/Producer, originally from Kennett, MO, has been DJ'ing since 1994 and has opened for groups like SOULS OF MISCHIEF, ATMOSPHERE, FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP, CARLA THOMAS, THE PHARCYDE and Stax recording artists' the BO-KEYS. Despite being one of the founding members of the internationally known Memphix record label and the sole artist behind the exclusively sought after 'Red and the Eyerights' 45's, Redeye has performed across the globe with several trend setting turntablists like DJ KLEVER, DJ CASH MONEY, PEANUT BUTTER WOLF, MR. DIBBS and DJ DREZ. The soulful, intelligent hip-hop sound he brings to the music he produces earned him a chance to assist SCOTT BOMAR, WILLIE HALL and SKIP PITTS of the BO-KEYS in producing major parts of the score for the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, Peoples Choice Award winning movie ?Hustle & Flow'.

Together, performing for the past five years and still full of energy and creative ideas, the Tunnel Clones are here to express their original and unique style of music. As a whole, the Tunnel Clones have performed with groups like DEAD PREZ, DIGITAL UNDERGROUND, ALKAHOLIKS, DEFARI, STONES THROW recording artist PERCEE P, STRANGE FRUIT recording artists DELOACH and BAVU BLAKES, PIGEON JOHN, MEDIA DARLING RECORDS, YAMAGATA and HOPE CLAYBURN of BOOBALOO MUSIC. Amazed by local artist Hope Clayburn's eloquent skills on the flute and saxophone, and the fact that she has performed with musical legends JAMES BROWN, THE ALLMAN BROTHERS, THE TEMPATIONS and jazz giants DAVID MURRY, BILL FRISSELL and MELVIN SPARKS, the group insisted that she play live with them regularly.

The Tunnel Clones are a unique, high-energy, hip-hop group that creates a one of a kind sound, agreeable to people of all ages and to people who appreciate other genres of music besides hip-hop. They have been continually evolving since the release of their debut album, 'Concrete Swamp', in early 2005, and are again, breaking boundaries in hip-hop by creating the innovative and soul inspiring music within their sophomore album, ?World Wide Open', which was released locally and digitally September 25, 2007.

This local trio crafts music to go with a vision. They share a goal of making Memphis the formidable presence it deserves to be on the underground Hip-hop front; to bring it up out of the ashes and set it on a pedestal where it can do some good for the community that is working in it. They have focused on unifying local artists as opposed to proliferating battles, and they're efforts are constantly bringing together everyday people to celebrate this unparalleled sound.