Spank Rock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spank Rock
Spank Rock in 2013
Background information
Also known as	Naeem
Born	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop electronic
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Bad Blood Records Big Dada Downtown Records Boysnoize Records
Associated acts	The Avalanches Boys Noize Benny Blanco
Members	Naeem Juwan
Past members	Alex Epton

Naeem Juwan Hanks, known by his stage name Spank Rock, is an American rapper and songwriter from Baltimore. He became famous for his 2006 album YoYoYoYoYo. This album was produced by Alex Epton, also known as XXXChange, who was a member of the group at the time.

Spank Rock was one of the first to create a new style of rap music in the 2000s. The group became known for mixing different types of music. They combined hip hop with electronic dance music styles like Baltimore club and Miami bass.

In 2007, Epton left the group to produce music on his own. Juwan then worked with pop producer Benny Blanco to release an EP called Bangers & Cash. After some disagreements with his record label, Juwan released his second album, Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a ... Liar. Many different producers, including Boys Noize and Le1f, helped create the album.

Life and Career

Early Life and First Album

Juwan grew up in West Baltimore with five sisters and two brothers. As a teenager, he often went to clubs that played Baltimore club music. In high school, his older sister introduced him to a producer named J. Period. J. Period was known for working with famous rappers like Mos Def. He became a mentor to Juwan and helped him become a better rapper.

Later, Juwan moved to Philadelphia. There, he met Alex Epton, who was also from Baltimore. Epton had studied music and learned how to produce in a studio. Together, Juwan and Epton started performing as Spank Rock. They quickly became popular in Philadelphia and began touring with other famous artists like M.I.A. and Beck.

Spank Rock's first album, YoYoYoYoYo, came out in 2006. It was released on the Big Dada record label and was nominated for the Shortlist Music Prize, a special award for great albums.

Solo Career and Collaborations

In 2007, Alex Epton left Spank Rock to focus on his own production work. Juwan continued as Spank Rock and signed with Downtown Records. His first release with them was the Bangers & Cash EP, which he made with producer Benny Blanco.

In 2010, Spank Rock was featured on the song "The Bike Song" by Mark Ronson. He also toured with Ronson in the United Kingdom.

The next year, Spank Rock released his second album, Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a ... Liar. The album featured producers like Boys Noize and had guest appearances from singers Santigold and Big Freedia. One of the songs from the album, "Energy," was included in the soundtrack for the video game FIFA 12. Because of his growing fame, Spank Rock was chosen to be one of the faces for fashion designer Alexander Wang's 2011 clothing line.

In 2014, Spank Rock released another EP called The Upside. Starting in 2016, he began performing as an MC with the Australian electronic group The Avalanches. He performed with them at big music festivals like Coachella.

In 2020, Juwan released a solo album called Startisha under his real name, Naeem. The album featured many other artists, including Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and the singer Amanda Blank.

Selected Discography

Here are some of Spank Rock's most important musical works.

Studio Albums

• YoYoYoYoYo (2006)
• Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a ... Liar (2011)
• Startisha (2020) (as Naeem)

EPs

• Bangers & Cash (2007) (with Benny Blanco)
• The Upside (2014)

Key Singles

• "Bump" (2006)
• "Energy" (2011)
• "Gully" (2014)

Notable Guest Appearances

• Kylie Minogue - "Heart Beat Rock" (Benny Blanco Mix featuring Spank Rock) from X (2008)
• Santogold - "Shove It" from Santogold (2008)
• Mark Ronson - "The Bike Song" from Record Collection (2010)
• Boys Noize - "Birthday" from Mayday (2016)