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Professor Elemental
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Key Information
Paul Alborough (born 1 June 1975), professionally known as Professor Elemental, is a chap hop musical artist.[1]
Career
[edit]Professor Elemental began his career as Emcee Elemental. The character of Professor Elemental arose from a planned concept album, which never came to fruition.[2] Professor Elemental has since been seen performing as a solo act or in theatre acts such as Come into My Parlour. He is also popular at steampunk events and has been a headliner at the Steampunk World's Fair and the Waltz on the Wye.
Professor Elemental first gained attention with his music video for "Cup of Brown Joy" (directed by Moog Gravett), which got the attention of Warren Ellis. Since then he has released albums and performed live. He was in a friendly feud with fellow "chap-hop" artist Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer,[3] and eventually had a brief appearance in the latter's music video for "Just Like a Chap", of which Professor Elemental said, "much as I hate to admit it, I bloody love that video and am jolly glad [Mr.B] let me gate crash."[4] Mr.B reciprocated with a cameo on Elemental's video for his song "I'm British" (which also features members of the Eccentric Club, of which Elemental is a member).[5] Finally, the two battle rap on Elemental's 2012 song "The Duel", after which both agree that the other is "jolly good" at what they do.
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The short film The Chronicles of Professor Elemental was successfully funded via Crowdfunder in 2012, raising £7,226 – with 155 supporters in 45 days.[6] In the film, the professor is called on to find the statue of the golden frog. The 45-minute musical comedy was directed by Benjamin Field, starting Paul Alborough, Grace Alexander-Scott, and Dan Gingell, created by Hilton Productions Ltd, and released in three parts in 2013 via YouTube. This was later removed, with the whole film available to stream via Amazon Prime Video.
In 2013, Elemental appeared in the "Steampunx" episode of Phineas and Ferb, as well as the episode "The Bewildering Bout of the Astounding Automatons" of Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero.[7][8][9]
Elemental collaborated with the steampunk rock group Steam Powered Giraffe on their song "Sky Sharks", from their 2015 album The Vice Quadrant: A Space Opera.[10]
Elemental's 2015 album Apequest: The Search For Geoffrey inspired the Kickstarter-funded board game Apequest, which was expected to be released in May 2023.[11]
Personal life
[edit]![[icon]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (July 2020) |
Originally from Ipswich,[12] Alborough currently lives in Brighton.[3] Alborough has stated concern that by rapping about British culture his work could attract British nationalists with racial prejudice, saying in an interview he goes out of his way to alienate those people from his audience and that "the Professor is definitely a parody of the British class system."[13]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- The Indifference Engine (2009) [14]
- More Tea? (2010)
- Special School: The Album (2011)
- Father of Invention (2012)
- The Giddy Limit (2014)
- Apequest: The Search for Geoffrey (2015)
- Professor Elemental and his Amazing Friends (2016)
- The School Of Whimsy (2018)
- Professor Elemental and his Amazing Friends 2 (2019)
- Let's Get Messy (2020)
- Good Dad Club (2021)
- Nemesis! (2021)
- Topsy Turvy (collaborative EP with Victor Ghastly) (2022)
- Professor Elemental and his Amazing Friends 3 (2023)
- ApeQuest 2 (2024)
- Unlikely Cyphers: Cereal Mascots (Feature) (2025)
- The Love Album (2025)
References
[edit]- ^ Moore, Matthew (5 June 2008), Cup of Brown Joy tea rap becomes YouTube hit, UK: The Telegraph, retrieved 9 January 2011
- ^ Watkins, Carl (26 November 2010), An interview with Paul Alborough, AKA Professor Elemental, GuerrillaGeek, archived from the original on 2 January 2011, retrieved 9 January 2011
- ^ a b Robinson, Frances (4 April 2011), "In 'Chap-Hop,' Gentlemen Rappers Bust Rhymes About Tea, Cricket", Wall Street Journal, retrieved 5 April 2011
- ^ Alborough, Paul (22 October 2012), Professor Elemental on Twitter, retrieved 22 October 2012
- ^ Meredith Vieira, Inside England's centuries-old 'Eccentric Club', TODAY.com, archived from the original on 11 August 2012, retrieved 28 November 2012
- ^ "The Chronicles of Professor Elemental". Crowdfunder.co.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ "Professor Elemental dishes on his "Phineas and Ferb" cameo". Comicmix.com. 19 November 2013.
- ^ Viccar, Moriarty (20 November 2013). "Professor Elemental performs on Phineas and Ferb". Steampunkjournal.org. Archived from the original on 23 November 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ "Tumblr". Samakaphyllis.tumblr.com. July 2017.
- ^ "Release "The Vice Quadrant". MusicBrainz. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ "Developer Crowdfunds Board Game Inspired by Prof. Elemental's 'Apequest'". The Steampunk Explorer. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
- ^ Professor Elemental (25 April 2019). "WHAT?! How very DARE they? Please update it to say Ipswich ..." Twitter.com. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ Tom Wilson. "PROFESSOR ELEMENTAL - A Man In His Element". Sense Music Media.
- ^ "Professor Elemental-About". Professorelemental.com. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
External links
[edit]
Professor Elemental
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Professor Elemental is the stage name of Paul Alborough (born 1 June 1975), a British rapper, comedian, and performer based in Brighton who specializes in chap-hop, a niche genre fusing hip-hop rhythms with Edwardian-era aesthetics, steampunk imagery, and whimsical themes often centered on tea, science, and Victorian propriety.[1][2][3]
Alborough, embodying a mad inventor persona complete with top hat and monocle, first rose to prominence in 2008 with the viral music video "Cup of Brown Joy," a paean to tea that garnered over two million views, followed by "Fighting Trousers," which exceeded three million.[4][5]
Over his career spanning more than a decade, he has released ten full-length albums, including the steampunk-themed The Indifference Engine, alongside novels, comic books, and merchandise, while performing at international festivals, conventions, and private events from Canada to Cambodia.[4][6][7]
His work has earned critical praise from outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian, and he has contributed to video games, Disney animations, advertisements, and radio productions, establishing him as a leading figure in blending educational hip-hop with retro-futurist entertainment.[4][8]
Biography
Early Life
Paul Alborough, professionally known as Professor Elemental, was born on 1 June 1975 in England.[2][3] Public information on his childhood remains limited. He attended the University of Humberside.[9] Prior to his rise as a musician, Alborough worked as a special needs teacher, instructing teenagers in hip-hop and benefiting from their unique outlooks on life, which later informed his performative style.[10][11]Persona Development
Paul Alborough created the Professor Elemental persona over a decade prior to 2020 as part of an unreleased concept album intended to explore how rap music might have sounded in various historical periods. The character, depicted as a safari-suited British gentleman with a penchant for tea, debuted publicly in the 2008 music video for "A Cup of Brown Joy," drawing inspiration from quirky early 1990s hip-hop acts such as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Digital Underground.[8] The persona represents an amplified, over-excited iteration of Alborough's own personality, stemming from his lifelong inclination toward rhyming that he humorously traces back to infancy. Designed as a rapping Victorian English professor to inject silliness into hip-hop through steampunk and Victorian aesthetics, it parodies elements of the British class system while navigating sensitivities around colonial imagery.[10][12][8] Following the video's viral success, the character was embraced by the steampunk community, prompting convention performances and its evolution from a conceptual experiment into a committed alter ego sustained by authenticity to Alborough's interests in geek culture and personal expression. This development facilitated expansions into albums, collaborations with producers like Tom Caruana, and fan-funded initiatives via platforms such as Patreon, ensuring the persona's alignment with Alborough's creative risks and hobbies.[8][13][12]Personal Life
Paul Alborough resides in Brighton, England, with his partner Helen Fry and their two daughters.[14][15] In a 2021 interview, he described living in "sunny Brighton" with his partner and "two lovely girls aged 9 and 12."[15] Alborough has discussed the challenges of balancing his performing career with family responsibilities, noting the need to manage time away from home during tours while maintaining domestic life.[14] He has expressed enjoyment in fatherhood, stating in 2014 that "family life is super too, I like being a dad."[16] Alborough's residence, described as a mansion in Portslade built on the site of an old infectious diseases hospital, serves as his creative base, referred to in character as Professor Elemental's lair.[14]Career
Breakthrough and Initial Releases
Professor Elemental achieved his initial breakthrough with the single "Cup of Brown Joy," released on March 28, 2008, via Tea Sea Records, which quickly gained traction as a YouTube hit celebrating British tea culture in a humorous rap format.[17][18] The track's viral success, amplified by its whimsical video and alignment with emerging steampunk aesthetics, marked the character's public debut and established the chap-hop style, drawing media attention including coverage in The Telegraph by June 2008. Building on this momentum, "Fighting Trousers" emerged as a follow-up single in November 2010, positioned as a playful diss track targeting fellow chap-hop artist Mr. B The Gentleman Rhymer, with production by Tom Caruana.[19] The song's energetic delivery and absurd lyrics about combat-ready attire further popularized the persona, achieving over a million YouTube views shortly after release and solidifying Elemental's niche appeal within geek and alternative hip-hop communities.[20] These early singles culminated in the debut album The Indifference Engine, released on October 10, 2010, which compiled tracks like "Cup of Brown Joy" and "Fighting Trousers" alongside new material exploring themes of Victorian whimsy and invention.[21] The album, also produced by Caruana, received positive reception for its novelty and musicianship, laying the foundation for subsequent releases and live performances.[22] A 10th anniversary edition in 2020, remastered with additional content, underscored its enduring role as the starting point of Elemental's catalog.[23]Expansion into Broader Media
Professor Elemental expanded his presence beyond music into television, radio, comics, and gaming. In 2013, he made a guest appearance in the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb, voicing himself in the episode "Steampunx" from season 4, where he performed the original rap song "Brave New World," integrating his chap-hop style into the show's steampunk-themed plot.[24][25] This cameo introduced his persona to a younger audience and highlighted his adaptability to animated formats.[1] His work extended to audio media with The Adventures of Professor Elemental: The Radio Series, a collection of four full-length radio plays released in 2019, featuring narrative episodes such as "The Quest for the Golden Frog" and "A Fete Worse Than Def," which blend storytelling with his musical elements for ages 12 and up.[26] These productions draw on his established lore, positioning him as a character in scripted adventures rather than solely a performer. Additionally, his voice has appeared in unspecified adverts and radio plays, as noted in his official biography, broadening his reach into commercial and broadcast audio.[4] In print and visual media, Elemental ventured into comics with the anthology series Professor Elemental Comics, launched around 2012, which includes whimsical, adventure-focused stories centered on his Victorian inventor persona, such as issues illustrated by artists like Chris Mole.[27] A notable 2021 release, Nemesis: The Prequel Comic Book, accompanies his album of the same name and features a rogues' gallery storyline pitting the character against adversaries, with contributions from writer Mark Russell.[28][29] These comics expand his universe into sequential art, often tying into album themes for multimedia synergy. Gaming collaborations include promotional content for video games, such as the 2014 music video "Sir, You Are Being Hunted," created to support the FPS title of the same name by Team17, where Elemental's track aligns with the game's procedurally generated, British countryside survival theme.[30] He has also licensed his likeness for tabletop games, including Stuff and Nonsense (2014), a press-your-luck card game about fictional adventuring published by Cheapass Games, and Apequest (later editions), a board game involving time travel quests.[31][32] These forays demonstrate his integration into interactive entertainment, leveraging his eccentric character for thematic gameplay.Recent Developments and Ongoing Work
In 2023, Professor Elemental released Professor Elemental and His Amazing Friends 3, a collaborative album featuring various artists in his signature chap-hop style.[5] This was followed in 2024 by ApeQuest 2, a sequel to his earlier adventure-themed work, and Elements of the Professor Vol. 2, compiling select tracks and rarities.[7] [33] The year 2025 saw multiple releases, including The Love Album on February 14, centered on romantic and whimsical themes with tracks like "Professor Elemental's Guide to Romance."[34] Later that year, Summer Daze debuted on July 8, incorporating summery motifs and remixes such as "Hat Full of Sunshine" featuring Sadie Jemmett.[35] Additional projects included a feature on Unlikely Cyphers: Cereal Mascots and mentions of Screampunk on his official site, indicating continued experimentation with genre blends.[33] Ongoing work encompasses live performances, with scheduled shows in late 2025 at venues including Bootle on November 4, Rose Hill in Brighton on December 4, Ocean View Hotel on the Isle of Wight on December 5, and The Woodman on December 12.[36] Plans extend to 2026, featuring joint appearances in Ontario, Canada, with John Sprocket of The Cog is Dead at Cogs and Clockwork events.[37] He maintains activity in bespoke song commissions, voiceover services, and visual art, building on a 2023 Kickstarter for The Art of Professor Elemental, a hardback collection of comics and illustrations funded through fan support.[36]Musical Style and Themes
Chap-Hop Genre and Steampunk Integration
Chap-hop emerged in the late 2000s as a niche subgenre of hip-hop originating in England, characterized by rapid-fire rhymes delivered in Received Pronunciation over beats infused with British cultural stereotypes such as tea-drinking, cricket, and gentlemanly etiquette, often executed in a parodic or humorous vein.[38] The genre draws from "chappist" sensibilities—evoking the dandyish, Edwardian-era gentleman—and frequently incorporates steampunk motifs like Victorian-era machinery and imperial exploration, distinguishing it from mainstream hip-hop through its emphasis on whimsy and cultural satire rather than urban narratives.[39] Professor Elemental, alongside Mr. B the Gentleman Rhymer, stands as one of the genre's pioneering exponents, with his work exemplifying chap-hop's fusion of rhythmic flows and upper-crust British archetypes.[40] Professor Elemental's integration of steampunk into chap-hop centers on his self-styled persona as a time-traveling inventor and explorer, complete with attire featuring pith helmets, brass goggles, and Union Jack-emblazoned safari suits that evoke neo-Victorian aesthetics.[8] This visual and thematic embedding extends to his music videos and performances, where steam-powered contraptions and retro-futuristic narratives underpin tracks like "Cup of Brown Joy" (2008), which celebrates tea as a cultural elixir amid mechanical whimsy.[5] His 2012 album The Indifference Engine exemplifies this synthesis, pairing old-school hip-hop production with turn-of-the-century pop influences to create soundscapes that mirror steampunk's blend of historical nostalgia and speculative invention, positioning the work as essential listening within steampunk communities.[41] Lyrically, Elemental's chap-hop employs steampunk as a framework for exploring adventure, science, and eccentricity, as seen in references to fantastical devices and exploratory exploits that parody imperial-era tropes while maintaining a lighthearted, non-confrontational tone.[42] This approach not only differentiates his output from conventional rap but also amplifies chap-hop's appeal in alternative subcultures, where steampunk's DIY ethos aligns with hip-hop's improvisational roots, fostering a genre variant that prioritizes intellectual playfulness over aggression.[43]Lyrical Content and Influences
Professor Elemental's lyrics are marked by intricate wordplay, alliteration, puns, and narrative storytelling, delivered in a refined British accent that emphasizes chap-hop's gentlemanly ethos. Common themes include whimsical celebrations of British culture—such as tea consumption in "Cup of Brown Joy" (2008)—steampunk-inspired adventures, scientific curiosity, and geek subcultures like comics and superheroes, often infused with positivity and silliness to promote fun over solemnity.[44][45] Tracks like "Fighting Trousers" (2010) exemplify humorous rivalries framed as Victorian duels, while albums such as Apequest (2016) explore collaborative tales of death and exploration in a Victorian setting.[12] Later works incorporate commentary on modern events, including critiques of media narratives around GamerGate in "Was it about ethics?" (2016) and observations on social shifts like the Me Too movement in "Nothing Says Cool Like a Middle Aged Man" (2021).[46][47] His lyrical approach draws heavily from early 1990s hip-hop for rhythmic density and character-driven narratives, citing influences like Slick Rick, Biz Markie, and Big Daddy Kane for their humorous, story-heavy styles that allow blending complex ideas with absurdity.[44] Comedy sources shape the eccentric tone, including Viv Stanshall of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Blackadder, and Monty Python for British satirical whimsy and wordplay.[44][48] Non-musical inspirations encompass authors like Neil Gaiman for fantastical storytelling and characters such as Mr. Toad from The Wind in the Willows for playful Victorian archetypes.[12] Producer Tom Caruana's beats fundamentally dictate lyrical subjects and styles, providing a foundation that merges hip-hop flexibility with steampunk and chap sensibilities.[12] This synthesis avoids mainstream conformity, prioritizing niche, lighthearted escapism over broad appeal.[12]Discography
Studio Albums
Professor Elemental's debut studio album, The Indifference Engine, was released on November 11, 2010, via Tea Sea Records, featuring tracks such as "Fighting Trousers (Golden Syrup Mix)" that established his chap-hop style blending hip-hop with Victorian-era themes.[49][50] His second album, More Tea?, followed in 2011, also on Tea Sea Records, expanding on whimsical narratives with songs like "Cup of Tea" and incorporating jazz influences.[51][52] Ffather of Invention, released November 26, 2012, on Tea Sea Records, included guest appearances and tracks emphasizing British eccentricity, such as "Cup of Brown Joy."[53][54] Subsequent releases include Apequest on November 23, 2015, marking a narrative-driven adventure album produced with Tom Caruana.[55] Professor Elemental and His Amazing Friends, issued December 6, 2016, featured collaborations with various artists, continuing the thematic exploration of invention and whimsy.[55] School of Whimsy arrived on April 16, 2018, incorporating educational elements and contributions from guests like Nick Maxwell.[55] More recent works encompass ApeQuest 2, released November 18, 2024, as a sequel to the 2015 album with eclectic production by Tom Caruana and tracks like "Pirates Hate Me."[56] The Love Album, released in 2025, focuses on romantic themes in line with Valentine's Day timing.[5][7]| Title | Release Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| The Indifference Engine | November 11, 2010 | Tea Sea Records |
| More Tea? | 2011 | Tea Sea Records |
| Father of Invention | November 26, 2012 | Tea Sea Records |
| Apequest | November 23, 2015 | Tea Sea Records |
| Professor Elemental and His Amazing Friends | December 6, 2016 | Independent |
| School of Whimsy | April 16, 2018 | Independent |
| ApeQuest 2 | November 18, 2024 | Tea Sea Records |
| The Love Album | 2025 | Independent |
EPs, Singles, and Compilations
Professor Elemental has issued numerous EPs and singles, primarily through independent digital distribution on platforms such as Bandcamp, alongside a limited number of compilations aggregating prior material or collaborations.[57] These releases often complement his studio albums by exploring thematic extensions, seasonal content, or standalone tracks emphasizing whimsy, steampunk aesthetics, and chap-hop style.[58]EPs
- The Giddy Limit EP (2014): Includes tracks like "All In Together" and "Don," serving as a follow-up to the album Father of Invention.[6]
- Nervous EP (June 25, 2018): Features "Nervous (Album Version)," "Nerds Gone Wild," "Hopeless Maine," and "Make Good Art pt. 3."[59]
- The Housebound Hedonist EP (2020): A collection released during pandemic restrictions, focusing on introspective and hedonistic themes.[60]
- Screampunk - A Halloween EP (2024): Seasonal release blending horror-punk elements with chap-hop, produced in collaboration with Tom Caruana.[57]
Singles
- Cup of Brown Joy (2008): Early digital single celebrating tea culture, produced with Tom Caruana.[58]
- Home Sweet Home (August 24, 2016): Standalone track with instrumental version, emphasizing domestic whimsy.[61]
- Bob Ross (2025): Tribute single to the painter, highlighting artistic inspiration in hip-hop form.[62]
- Get Loose (2025): Energetic single promoting uninhibited expression.[7]
Compilations
- A Platter of Platypuses (2013): Compilation aggregating select tracks and rarities from earlier works.[60]
- Elements of the Professor Vol. 2 (2024): Curated selection of reissued or remastered tracks spanning his career.[62]
- Professor Elemental & His Amazing Friends (December 6, 2016): Collaborative compilation featuring guest artists on whimsical and anti-boredom themed songs.[63]