Tim Tack a.k.a. Tack-Fu is a hip-hop producer and record label CEO of Tack-Fu Productions, a company based in Iowa City, Iowa. He has released two compilation CDs to date. ('Yen & Slang' 98' / 'Chained Reaction' 00') These separate projects have been reviewed in national publications such as URB, Insomniac, & Elemental. Firmly established since 1998, many hip-hop acts have performed in Iowa City, and Tack-Fu has shared the stage with all of them: Pharcycde, Spearhead, Slug from Atmosphere, DJ Vadim, Kotton Mouth Kings, Prime from the Molemen & 2002 Scribble Jam MC battle champ Mac Lethal, just to name a few. In 2001, Tack-Fu formed the '85 decibel Monks' a production team consisting of 4 producers with over 30 years of combined production experience. 'We're concentrating more on textures and sequence changes to keep it constantly moving without loosing sight of the groove,' points out Tack. Their collaborative efforts have moved Tack-Fu's style from a loop based 'boom-bap' foundation, to a more jazz orientated brand of hip-hop that skillfully splits the line between art and commercialism. The results have critics describing the sounds as a 'juxtapose of jazz phrases, stand up bass licks, and organic drums.' Newspaper articles have linked them to artists such as, 'Amon Tobin and Roni Size, if they were on painkillers.' The recordings with the 85 decibel Monks have also yielded a CD project titled 'Tack-Fu Presents the Production Team: 85 decibel Monks' due for release in the spring of 03', complete with national distribution support and funding from New York based Boiling Point Distribution.The recent additions have caused change in musical direction and live presentation. 'DJ Skwint, who is one of the best DJs in the midwest, can do a 5 minute presentation on the decks, and have the crowd in a frenzy. I just drop a dope beat behind him and let him take over. We can stop everything on a dime, and insert slam poet Justin Cox with some accepella flavor. Things are always stopping, shifting, and moving forward...30 minutes of live eye & ear candy...I can finally say I'm happy with my live set after doing this for 7 years.'