The Gray Kid‘s “trunk-wobbling anthems and ballads of love and lust” have e… Read Full Bio ↴The Gray Kid‘s “trunk-wobbling anthems and ballads of love and lust” have established him as one of independent music’s most dynamic and entertaining performers. Having spent 2008 developing SPIRIT ANIMAL, a five-piece made up of top-call musicians who have recorded and toured with Ben Harper, The Pharcyde and Oliver Future, Gray is poised to enter a new realm of soul and dance music that recalls the grit, intensity and tenderness of bands like The Doors, Stevie Wonder and LCD Soundsystem.

First though, he’ll deal a cross-genre blow in the form of this fall’s “FREE MUSIC,” a rap and soul EP rich in musicality, hooks and wit. The record, mixed by Danny Kalb (Beck, Neon Neon, They Might Be Giants, Rilo Kiley) and produced by Gray and L.A. analog guru Computer Jay, features 18 musicians and six songs, including fan favorites “Eh Man,” “Oh My,” and “Soothsayer,” for which there is a racy, film noir music video. “FREE MUSIC” is the inspiration for a broad effort by Gray to offer all of the music he has written and produced, dating back to 2001, in one place for one cost: $0.00.

Gray has received high praise from various media outlets (Yahoo, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Interview), shared the stage with leaders of the new school pack (M.I.A., Cool Kids), and licensed a track to NBC’s 30 Rock, all without a record deal. “The opportunities are endless now and I’m anxious to share what we’ve built and the energy we can bring to as many people as possible.”

Gray’s strong foundation rests partially on the three albums he’s self-produced, recorded and released, partially on his stomping, crooning live shows and partially on the online presence of his hot-button art collective, People-Food(United Talent Agency/BenderSpink). The collective is responsible for over 4 million video views and enables Gray to stay ahead of the pace, accompanying his musical efforts with groundbreaking visual components and alternative multimedia at every turn.

Fall ’08 will be an exciting time for Gray, scheduled to release an MSN commercial, two Internet cooking segments and a cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony” for London-based ‘SUP Magazine. He puts it plainly: “The idea is to combine art with entertainment, intelligence, commerce and cool. There are hundreds of thousands of people watching and listening to videos and music every minute, and it motivates me. I want to generate something fresh and exciting that moves everybody at the same time. That’s my goal.”