LEIJONAMIELI & PUTKIMIEHET

Tuukka Rihkola alias Leijonamieli has been around about the same time as Finnish hip hop has been around. His best-known project to date has been Flegmaatikot, a three-man band that was at the peak of its career in the early noughties, when Finnish hip hop took its first steps in the mainstream success. With Flegmaatikot, Leijonamieli started as a DJ, but soon ended up as one of the rappers.

Leijonamieli is widely considered as one of the top Finnish DJs. In 2002, he started working with Paleface (another well-respected rapper in the far north). A couple of years of intense touring both in Finland and abroad with someone else's band was enough for Leijonamieli, and he went on founding his own band Putkimiehet and started to write songs for them. There is still no question as to who is the frontman of the band: besides Leijonamieli, all the other members prefer just to be called Putkimiehet numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Leijonamieli & Putkimiehet released their first album earlier this year. Lauluja sadepäivän varalle ('Songs for the Rainy Day') has been received well by critics, radio stations and record buying punters alike. And for a reason, too: Leijonamieli's imaginative hip hop is flavoured with soul and even good ol' rock'n'roll, so you don't need to be a purist to enjoy the vibes.

The rainy day songs will, obviously, work well in sunny circumstances too. (Everyone knows it never rains in Ilosaarirock!)

www.leijonamieli.net

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