Montreal duo Chromeo say music industry has been failing their funk heroes

TORONTO — Musical duo Chromeo say two decades into their mission to funk up the world, they’re still waiting on the industry to do its part.

The electro-funk Montreal act says despite their efforts to draw attention to a legacy of influential funk musicians, many corners of the music community have failed to honour generations of their funk heroes, from Rick James to more obscure acts such as Zapp and Lakeside.

Chromeo keyboardist Patrick Gemayel, who goes by the name P-Thugg, notes that none of those musicians are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

And he says even Netflix’s deep catalogue of music documentaries doesn’t have one dedicated to funk’s history or any of its most prominent artists.

Vocalist David Macklovitch, who performs as Dave-1, says funk hasn’t received its laurels for complex reasons that include institutionalized racism, as well as disco-funk being tied to marginalized communities during its heyday.

The pair says paying homage to the many facets of funk is one reason they continue to record music together. Chromeo’s sixth studio album, “Adult Contemporary,” was released last week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2024.

David Friend, The Canadian Press