It is now widely known that Tuxedo is a Nu-Funk/R&B duo consisting of one-time Stones Throw crooner Mayer Hawthorne and super-producer Jake One; however, at one point in time, surrounding the release of their 2013 Tuxedo EP, Tuexedo's members' identities were largely shrouded in mystery. I personally believe, that Tuxedo's nom de plume was, initially, a bit of a lighthearted tongue-in-cheek jab at Justin Timberlake's similarly-titled/sounding "Suit & Tie" single with JAY-Z. Tuxedo have since released three full-length albums: Tuxedo, Tuxedo II, and most recently, III AKA Tuxedo III, as well as a slew of Funk-tastic remixes, stand-alone singles, and Yuletide nuggets. For their latest single from III, "Toast 2 Us," Mayer Hawthorne & Jake One have enlisted frequent Stones Throw collaborator and multi-talented director / photographer / editor / creative / VFX artist Ross Harris. Tuxedo & Ross Harris previously collaborated on music videos for "Do It," "2nd Time Around," and "Holiday Love," as well as numerous music videos for Mayer Hawthorne's solo escapades.


Tuxedo's music video accompaniment for "Toast 2 Us" Feat. Benny Sings pays "homage to the greatest art form of our time: the 12" vinyl record cover." Harris has, somehow, managed to stylistically re-create a gaggle of iconic 12-inch vinyl record covers and amazingly managed to incorporate Mayer Hawthorne, Jake One & Benny Sings into said visual cover re-designs. Hastagged, as always, "#FuxWithTheTux," "#TuxedoTuesdays," and "#Tux3do," "Toast 2 Us" features 12-inch album cover allusions to OutKast's Stankonia (see above,) Elvis Costello's This Year's Model, Robert Palmer's Pressure Drop, Pet Shop Boys, actually. Sparks' "Angst In My Pants" B/W "Moustache" 7-inch * single, Donald Fagen's The Nightfly, The Knack's "My Sharona" 7/12-inch single, Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, and Run-D.M.C.'s King of Rock. Tuxedo's III AKA Tuxedo III is currently available to stream, download, or purchase through Funk On Sight and features appearances throughout from everyone from MF DOOM to Dâm-Funk.