Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Burger.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always gravitated toward artists like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Toots and the Maytalls, Neville Brothers, James Brown, The Meters, P-Funk to name a few. I love the stories and the rhythm. The spirit emanating through the sound. The urgency, the sadness, the celebration, the alchemy. These and other artists touched me deeply and provided a soundtrack to life. I wanted this to be a dialogue so I picked up the pen and let it flow. I’ve also enjoyed the synergy of working with other musicians so as an HipHop lyricist, the majority of my career has been writing, recording, and performing with live bands as well as singers. I come from Oakland, California and went to Berkeley High and San Francisco State. All of those experiences were rooted in Social Justice, Critical thinking and Community. Reverence of the greats that paved the way and acknowledgment and work for the struggle is key, and I speak to this through my music.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha ha ha. Wow! Not in the least bit. From the time my biological mother gave me away and the near-death I experience as an infant, the alcoholism and drug abuse I picked up later and of the subsequent getting clean and sober 13 years ago. The journey has been revealing. I wouldn’t trade it though. There is a reason I went through all the hurt and pain. I see music as a way of digging deep, revealing the root, and passing the lessons on to commune and heal others… of course while making them move. I treat the circumstances now as a gift- with scars albeit, but a gift that through my triumph, I can pass it on. They say “you can’t keep it unless you give it away”. Music business-wise, I’ve been signed to record labels, done videos that aired internationally, toured the states and into Greece, which I actually ended up living there. I used to hike to the Acropolis and remark, ” damn, thru all this pain, all I had to do was speak about it over beats, and now I’m just chillin under ancient ruins, kickin it with wild dogs and writing the next song”. Music literally made my life. Saved it too. I’ve performed for crowds of 10,000 and groups of 10. I can’t say which has been more satisfying because there’s no substitute for the intimacy of a small crowd. Being the best conduit of the spirit is the most important.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a HipHop lyricist and spirit chanter. I am a musical networker. Working with producers and musicians of all styles, though I prefer the funk because it moves me in a certain way. I treat each track as a canvas with the answer already in the ether. I meditate, take long walks, breathe, focus, sometimes start with gibberish, but then the word power sound manifests thru the ether. If I get out of the way, then it just begins to flow. I’m known for having books of material in my head, and when whatever the band plays, it’s like a lyrical rolodex (yes I am that old school, Golden Era haha) I pull up the written lyric for the moment and burst on the track. I’m most proud of the myriad of musicians I can call on to play live or hit the studio. I put out my first record in 1988 and I just put one out in April of 2022. So longevity too, I’d throw in there. What sets me apart from others is my goal of trying my best to remain humble- which is a bit difficult to say, because that may not sound too humble. It’s important to remember that we are ALL extra special w superhuman qualities. I just happen to channel it often. What I do musically on tracks cannot be imitated or duplicated. I am original because the words come to life and bounce on the track especially when I’m in the live arena. I get a lot of that inspiration from African and Jamaican artists. Life is not separate from music. It is One.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Great question. I will say. Create, write, compose, arrange, rehearse, record, and perform. One of those do it every day. Believe in what you do. Study the masters. Read. Find inspiration wherever you can. Get to the “why” of it. Why are you doing this? Once you know the why. The how because much easier. Read the book “The artists’ way” and also “into the magic shop”. Both those books had a great impact of me. Commune with others that are positive and lift you up. Identify and say bye to the dream killers and negative people. They are hurt and that hurt will affect you. Do what you love and it will never be work. Choose a day job that you enjoy and the whole thing because even more magical. My day job is teaching digital literacy to the low-income community. I do this work as well outside of work because it’s the right thing to do. I believe in the lyrics I speak. And because I talk it, I walk it. Take care of your temple. Eat and live right. Go inside, meditate, and keep a journal. Treat yourself like the gem that you are. Your ancestors walk with you so don’t let them down. You are a star, know that and lift off. Do service, help others and this is the greatest reward. I wish I knew these things when I was starting out. But like I say, the journey is the prize.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.luvphenomena.com/
- Instagram: @luvphenomena
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luv.phenomena/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7jT1ZFrRP_zZmeCsLgVL2Q/featured
Image Credits
Photos by Joshua Lubensky, Malia Connor, et al.
