Prince collaborator Shel Riser had been writing and performing for years in Minneapolis before deciding to start his own project, the enigmatic Sonnyboy. Riser got the band off the ground in 1993 while also working with many important figures in the funk scene, but didn't make much headway until a move to New York City in 1996. From there, Riser drafted in several musicians from all around the world to help him put together the jazzy soul he was crafting, and began independently releasing albums. By 2002, he had already put out AfroSoul and Lovechild and was in the studio putting the finishing touches on Urban Misfit, his most widely available album up to that point. ~ Bradley Torreano