Famous mashup collaborators and festival-rockin’ party band Lance Herbstrong released a new song and music video along with Grammy award winning hip-hop lyricist Big Daddy Kane. “Ripped” was written and produced for the new stoner film by the same name, Ripped, starring comedians Russell Peters, Faizon Love, and Alex Meneses.
The movie kicks off in 1986 with best buds Harris (Russell Peters) and Reeves (Faizon Love) toking potent top secret CIA weed only to wake up thirty years later. In their search for time past, the two friends discover weed’s been legalized and decide to open for canna-business. Between advances in technology and the newfound wonders of retail, it takes the hilarious duo a moment to get acclimated in the 21st century. The film eventually peaks in a celebration marked by a live Lance Herbstrong (Kamal Soliman, Peter DiStefano and Bill Sarver) performance of “Ripped.”
During production, Lance Herbstrong producer Kamal Soliman received a call from high-powered Hollywood fashion designer Midi Soliz, asking to feature the band in the film. “I received a text from Midi one day while doing wardrobe and production saying, ‘Hey, I’m working on a stoner film that wants a band to film a scene in the movie. Are you interested?’”
Soliman’s answer was a resounding, “Yes,” and the band went on to work with director Brad Epstein to write an original track (Lance Herbstrong’s first original song among three albums of mashups, some with millions of online plays, to be precise) while bringing hip-hop superstar Big Daddy Kane onto the track for some epic vocals. Upon Epstein’s suggestion, the Herbstrong crew and Big Daddy Kane recorded the eponymous “Ripped” hit for his latest comedy for the new generation.
“Kane and I were speaking about how to record his vocals and I’m telling him to just give us raw vocals with no effect, and he asks, ‘Which mic should I use? The special one I used on all my old hits, or something new?’ Of course, use the old one!” recalls Soliman.
Ripped has a distinct retro-future vibe, as does the movie, especially for fans of the genre with films pioneered by Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong in the 70s and the Gen-X crop led by the likes of Dave Chappelle and Jim Breuer.
Watch “Ripped” the official music video featuring Lance Herbstrong here.
Check out Ripped the movie here, playing in select cities now and streaming on iTunes and VOD.
