God made us funky. Again (13 photos)

It was almost eight years to the day that SooToday last spoke with Toronto's nu-funk band God Made Me Funky.

Mirroring that 2007 Sault Ste. Marie performance at Foggy Notions, the sold out show at Loplops this past weekend had local funk fans on their feet from the show's opening notes to the final farewell.

Currently touring behind its sixth release Funky Fly n' Free, God Made Me Funky has almost 20 years invested in bringing nu-funk to the masses.

"You can be stagnant by trying to fight what is naturally happening," said MC Phatt Al about keeping the experience fresh. "We have had band members come and go, and it's always been a good time. As long as we ebb and flow with what God Made Me Funky the entity was, we're good."

In addition to a few member changes, the release of four albums, and a Juno nomination since our last chat, God Made Me Funky was given the opportunity to open for the Godfather of Funk himself, George Clinton, at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2010.

In fact, Clinton invited the band to dine with him, his family and all the members of Parliament Funkadelic prior to the performance, something Phatt Al described as a 'giant funky circus.'

"It was a completely surreal experience. It's one of the things that lead us to this album," he said.

Taking care not to rush this latest release, Phatt Al said it was important for the band to have fun with it, but also bring a message to their fans - be who you really are, free yourself from hate, and have a great time.

To keep up with everything God Made Me Funky or to purchase your own copy of Funky Fly n' Free, please click here.

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