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Gym Class Heroes is an indie hip hop band from Geneva, New York. The band is best known for their Billboard Hot 100 top 5 single "Cupid's Chokehold" from The Papercut Chronicles. Rather than using the conventional tools of hip hop production, Gym Class Heroes use live instruments, similar to artists such as Stetsasonic, The Roots, k-os, and Crown City Rockers.
The Geneva, NY-based band has won popular and critical acclaim for kicking out genre-busting jams that seamlessly meld rap, rock, R&B, and anything else that happens to strike the musically voracious outfit`s fancy. The roots of Gym Class Heroes reach back to 1997, when McCoy first met drummer Matt McGinley in gym class (hence the band's name). The band officially came together in 2001 and went on the road developing their style along the way. As 2006 began, they settled down - albeit temporarily - and got busy making the record of their career, As Cruel as School Children.
In the year 1997, MC Travis "Schleprok" McCoy and drummer Matt McGinley became friends during physical education class at their local high school in Geneva, New York. The original GCH began playing birthday parties, clubs, and festivals which eventually led to numerous larger venues throughout the northeast, including two years on Warped Tour (2003, 2004). During 2001, guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and bassist Eric Roberts joined the group, and that same year they self-produced "...For the Kids." After the release of "...For the Kids," lead singer Travis McCoy won MTV's Direct Effect MC Battle and as a prize, appeared in Styles P's video "Daddy Get That Cash". Aside from "...For the Kids," the group released three other CDs from 1999 to 2004, including "Hey Candy," "Greasy Kids Stuff," and "Papercut Chronicles EP".
After hearing the song "Taxi Driver", Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy invited the band to one of his shows. Gym Class Heroes then went on to join Pete Wentz's label, Decaydance Records, an imprint of Fueled by Ramen. Travis later said that Stump's support, coupled with the label's touring ethos and family atmosphere, led the band to signing with Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen.
Gym Class Heroes appeared on the Warped Tour in the summer of 2005 and 2006. The band completed their leg of a tour with The All-American Rejects on Nov. 29 in Las Vegas. The band recently finished headlining The Daryl Hall For President Tour '07 with the RX Bandits, k-os and P.O.S.. During the tour, the band held a contest for fans to pimp out their myspace pages "gym class" style (Putting the band in the users' top friends section and having "Cupid's Chokehold" play on their profile were but 2 of the 4 steps involved in the contest.) The grand prize winner won an Xbox 360.
They will open for Gwen Stefani on her The Sweet Escape Tour in Australia and New Zealand during July and August 2007.
According to AP.net, Travis Mccoy is currently collaborating with Panic! at the Disco on a cover of *NSYNC's "Space Cowboy".
Main article: Gym Class Heroes discography
