Valtònyc returns to the scene 18 years later moving from combat rap to jazz and funk

PalmaFor years, music took a back seat for Valtònyc. Now, 18 years after his beginnings in the world of hip-hop, the rapper returns to the stage with a project that he himself defines as the “most mature” of his career. It is called Jazztonycs and it abandons the more conventional borders of rap to delve into a combination of jazz, funk, improvisation, and groove.

The return comes after a long hiatus also marked by his conviction for glorifying terrorism and insulting the Spanish monarchy, following a complaint filed by the current Vox deputy in Congress, Jorge Campos. Now, Valtònyc is reclaiming music with a band with which he claims they have gone “all out”. Jazztonycs will premiere this Saturday in Sant Celoni.

Valtònyc started in the hip-hop world around 2007. He himself recalls those early years, when he took to the stage with groups like Atversaris and Rapsodes, among others. Almost two decades later, his return comes with a proposal that moves away from the usual rap formula and opts for a band consisting of a trumpeter, a drummer, a keyboardist, a double bassist, and Valtònyc himself as the vocalist.

Jazztonycs is defined as a band born "at the foot of the Montseny" that fuses funk, jazz, and rap. The group explains that their compositions transform "the usual rap foundations into a soundscape where improvisation, groove, and the freedom of jazz take center stage".

The lyrics also incorporate a new dimension. Valtònyc's texts, usually associated with his more protest-oriented side, now coexist with a more intimate and reflective facet. "Poignant and protest-oriented," as the group itself describes, his lyrics find "a new expressive dimension" in this new formation.

The first Jazztonycs concert will be this Saturday in Sant Celoni, where Valtònyc will return to provide vocals for a musical project after years of keeping this facet in the background.