Speech

Todd Thomas (born October 25, 1968), better known by the stage name Speech, is an American rapper. He is a member of the progressive hip hop group Arrested Development and has released a number of solo albums.

Early life Speech was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spent his childhood years there and in Ripley, Tennessee, before relocating to Georgia in 1987 to attend the Art Institute of Atlanta. He attended Rufus King High School and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His first rap group, Attack, was active from 1984 until 1986. He also DJ'd at a popular teen club called the Fox Trap along with other guest DJs.

Music career Arrested Development In 1987, Speech joined with fellow DJ Headliner to form the group Arrested Development. Speech went on to pursue his solo career, also starting Vagabond Productions as a vehicle for Arrested Development and their business dealings, and became a promoter of neo soul, hip-hop, and rock concerts in Atlanta. The company then switched to representing artists in U.S. and Japan. Since then, Vagabond has become an all around production house that presents music to various labels and digital outlets across the world.

In 2000, Speech also reunited with Arrested Development (without the participation of DJ Headliner or Aerle Taree).

Solo His debut solo album, Speech, on Chrysalis/EMI, was released January 23, 1996. Speech followed up with various sold-out tours and heavy promotional schedules. Spiritual People was later released in the United States in 2001 on ArtistDirect. Speech then licensed to Toshiba EMI, Down South Produckshuns which spawned another top 10 hit entitled "Braided Hair." Vagabond Productions later released a Speech solo compilation of Down South Produckshun songs, Spiritual People songs (U.S. version) and songs from Arrested Development's Among the Trees album, entitled The Vagabond in 2006. That album was released on Bluhammock records and won in The 6th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album.

Speech toured with US Vice President Al Gore and First Lady Hillary Clinton in the South during the 1996 United States Presidential election. Speech was also invited to and attended the inaugural celebrations. In November 1996, he toured with Hootie and the Blowfish.

In addition to touring and releasing his own albums, Speech has performed on several other projects including 1 Giant Leap and collaborating with Zap Mama on "Each Step Moves Us On".

Publications What Is Success?. Vagabond Records and Tapes, 2009.

Discography Solo albums Speech (1996), Chrysalis Hoopla (1998), TVT Spiritual People (2000), Toshiba EMI Down South Produckshuns (2002), Toshiba EMI Peechy (2003), Toshiba EMI The Vagabond (2005), Bluhammock The Grown Folks Table (2009), Vagabond Records and Tapes Expansion (2020), Vagabond Record and Tapes