Gerrit-Jan Mulder, known professionally as Brainpower (born 5 February 1975), is a Dutch rapper who writes, records and performs in both English as well as his native Dutch. He was born in Belgium and grew up in the Netherlands. He started making music in the eighties and spent his time making a name for himself in the 2001. Since 1990, he has released six solo studio albums, one live album CD/DVD set a greatest hits box, four EPs
Early life
Gertjan Mulder was born in Antwerp, Belgium as the son of a progressive Dutch minister and a Dutch mother. He was raised in Alphen aan den Rijn in the Netherlands, where he became a fan of hip hop and rap. He started rapping in the mid eighties, imitating heroes like Run DMC, and Eric B & Rakim. He wrote his first rap song in 1988. He moved back to the place where his mother was born, Amsterdam, in the early 1990s.
Career
1998-2000
In 1998, he entered the Grote Prijs van Nederland, a national talent show for Dutch musicians, in the category of hip hop, winning in four out of five awards, including both the grand jury award and the public appreciation award.
In 1999, he was featured on the Top-40 hit, Extince track Zoete Inval ("Sweet Incursion"), with several other Dutch-language rap artists. In 2000, Brainpower was both seen and heard in the video clip of the song Als niet Als ("If not If"), by the renowned pop /reggae musicians of classic Dutch supergroup Doe Maar. In that same year, he had his first solo hit-song and video, Door Merg en Brain ("Through Marrow and Brain").
2001
February 2001, Brainpower released his first album, named after the hit single Door Merg en Brain. It contains a number of songs. some basic boombap Hip Hop, and some with an emotional touch, like the critically acclaimed and now famous Je Moest Waarschijnlijk Gaan ("You Probably had to Go"), referring to the suicide killing of one of his best friends. Ten years later the track is considered iconic and is known to comfort many people in times of mourning. four singles and videos are taken from the album and Brainpower tours the whole year 'round.
2002
In 2002, Brainpower released his second album Verschil Moet Er Zijn. Dansplaat ("Dance Track") was the first single to be released, and it swiftly topped the charts in both the Netherlands and Belgium. The single broke records, debuting at #1 on many charts. In the same year, Brainpower won two Dutch Awards (TMF Awards for Best NL Hip Hop Act & Silver Harp for most promising Artist) and also an MTV Award for best Dutch act. He is the only solo MC out of the Benelux ever to win such accolades. Brainpower continues to push the envelope for Dutch and Belgian Hip Hop and has even collaborated with Hip Hop legend Nas.
2003
In 2003, Brainpower won a second TMF Award as well as an Edison Award (Dutch Grammy's) for Best National Hip Hop act. Brainpower also released a two-disc DVD/CD containing live versions of many of the songs of his first two albums performed LIVE for the Box PURE Sessions. The rapper performed with a 7-piece band and a string section of 5, plus had guest appearances by (long time Prince sax player) Candy Dulfer and Berget Lewis. The second album sparked an 18-month tour including shows in 7 countries. This stands as the longest tour in Dutch Hip Hop History to coincide with one album.
2004
In 2002 he started a new project called ADHD, altering the acronym's meaning to Aanbevolen Dagelijkse Hoeveelheid Dopeness ("Daily Recommended Dosage of Dopeness"). The group recorded their album in 2002-2003 and released it in 2004 and was the first ever Rap Group out of the Netherlands to have their own sneaker. Brainpower also wins his third consecutive TMF Award for Best NL Hip Hop Act and his first MOBO Award in London, UK, (for Best Urban TV Show) for his Hip Hop TV show MTV Raw, which he hosts with Too Tall & DJ TLM. Brainpower was asked to remix the Beastie Boys song 'Triple Trouble' and his remix ends up as a B-side for the Belgian CD-Single Release on EMI.
2005
In 2005, Brainpower returned with the hit-single Even Stil ("Moment of Silence"), also the title of the new album. He plays 20 big festivals throughout the Benelux and wins his second MOBO Award. This time he wins in the category Best Live Act. He is also part of a huge production for a single to raise money to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami. The song is a #1 hit and all profits go to charity.