The Goodfellas are a music production duo consisting of trumpeter Kyle Borchert (aka Highstylekyle) and keyboardist Frederick Gotfredson (aka Friendly Fred). Beginning as producers/musicians in the Minneapolis-based hip hop band Leroy Smokes, they have backed up such artists as Bobby Brown, Rhymefest, Omaur Bliss, Golden, Muja Messiah, Slug, and Maria Isa, whose band the two joined shortly after signing on to produce her first record M.I. Split Personalities released in May 2007. It was during the recording of that project that Maria gave them the name ‘The Goodfellas’. They then teamed up on the bulk of the tracks for Lightning and Thunder Vol 1, released in March 2008. Both the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the City Pages hailed the record as one of the years' best releases. While working on tracks for Lightning and Thunder Vol 2, the pair continued to play in the Maria Isa Band, performing on her June 2009 release, Street Politics. During this time the 'fellas also recorded as instrumentalists with: Atmosphere, Kanser, Omaur Bliss, The Reef, More Than Lights, Aby Wolf, Umbrella Bed, I Self Devine, Lazerbeak (of Doomtree) and Reynaldo Moreno. Volume Two follows the path led by Volume One all-stars St. Paul Slim, The Kamillion, Prince Jabba, Maria Isa, Truth Maze, Pee Wee Dread, Innocent, Backup Plomo, Don Xaba, Jah Son and Unicus and expands it, welcoming to the fold Trama, Yoni, Guante, Waltah PPK, M.anifest, Baraka and a posthumous vocal by twin cities reggae luminary, Peter Nelson of Shangoya. What began as a late night recording session in Leroy Smokes' Dinkytown studio eventually became a groundbreaking Minneapolis franchise. With The Goodfellas Present Lightning and Thunder Vol. 2, it is now a unifying force in the Twin Cities music scene. PRESS QUOTES “a mix of savage lyrics, intense reggae charm, slam hall beats and a worldly musical tone ... the album to bounce to.” KALEB BRONSON, RIFT MAGAZINE “A striking first for reggaeton. The all-star CD "Lightning & Thunder" says as much about reggaeton's popularity as it does about the Twin Cities' diversity.” CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER STAR TRIBUNE "Top 5 local albums: #4 Lightning and Thunder Vol 1" PETER SCHOLTES CITY PAGES “The ‘Lightning and Thunder’ disc and its accompanying release party really do constitute an exciting and genuinely substantive reggaetón movement in the Twin Cities.” JORDAN SELBO CITY PAGES “The disc is a high-powered anthology of 14 cuts featuring 16 artists” DWIGHT HOBBES INSIGHT NEWS “Best who'd-a-thunk-it'd-come-from-Minnesota CD” CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER STAR TRIBUNE