Jeremy Toy is a New Zealand-based Shoegaze revivalist and one half of She's So Rad, who moonlights as "Leonard Charles:" a Hip-Hop-leaning producer, multi-instrumentalist, and Basement Funk originator. Since releasing his critically-acclaimed J Dilla tribute album, Basement Donuts, Leonard Charles has teamed up with Jellphonic, Reggie Blunt & kutcorners for a Rick James covers EP entitled ALL NIGHT LONG; earlier this year, he joined forces with Detroit emcee Guilty Simpson for "Breaking Over You" 7-inch on Japanese imprint WONDERFUL NOISE, which was premiered digitally right here at The Witzard. However, in recent weeks, Jeremy Toy was unfortunately, involved in a hit-and-run accident after a Leonard Charles gig and was left with two broken legs. Now, with nothing but idle time while his legs slowly heal, Toy has vowed to return to recording material as "Leonard Charles" from his bed with beat machine and a crate-full of records in hand.


Last week, on his first day home from the hospital, Charles effortlessly flipped a sample culled from Hugh Hopper & Alan Gowen's collaborative 1980 album, Two Rainbows Daily, as originally sampled by Jay Dee AKA J Dilla on Common's Like Water for Chocolate (2000.) Leonard Charles, then, added in a hard-as-nails acapella from M.E.D. Blu & Madlib's 2017 Bang Ya Head EP, The Turn Up featuring Oh No and The Lions' emcee Black Shakespeare. We now, have Leonard Charles' Fully Non-certified Unofficial Remix of M.E.D. Blu & Madlib's "The Turn Up," which he vows, will remain online, unless anyone has issues with it and he'll gladly take it down. Leonard Chales recently told The Witzard, via email, he's working on a number of projects from his bed-side home studio including, but not limited to, a 12-inch Basement Funk with "The King of The Boogie" himself, Leroy Burgess, as well as a collaborative EP with Guilty Simpson. Leroy Burgess is, of course, the one-time singer, song-writer, and producer of R&B/Jazz-Funk group Black Ivory, who have been sampled by everyone from RZA for Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... to Lil B on his 2012 White Flame mixtape.

"As Dilla Month draws to a close, I found myself discharged from a month-long stay in hospital. With both my legs broken, most of my day is spent in bed. First day out of the hospital, I mucked around with a sample from an album Jay Dee messed with for [Common's] Like Water for Chocolate and as the beat came together, I remembered that the latest M.E.D. Blu & Madlib joint was released as an acapella. I love that they did that, it's like, back when 12-inches had acapellas; this is a bit of fun, a throwback Boom-Bap beat. I love that sh*t. If it annoys the owners of this music, I'll take it down! Peace."

- Leonard Charles (@LeonardCMusic)