Agent Bush Cage Mix - Nothing to do with RSE

Hey this is a lil thing a threw together and im just throwing it up here to see if i can get some people feedback - so download, give it a listen and let me know what you think! PEACE

Agent G.W. Bush

Eyedea fucking KILLS it on the Wake up show with Slug!

part 2

hip hop crack dot com does a feature on Rhmesayers

http://www.hiphopcrack.com/viewArticle.hhc?articleId=522

Rhymesayers Entertainment Finally Got Their Own YouTube Channel!

yep yep
youtube.com/rhymesayers

I Self Devine @ Fineline Tonight!

I Self Devine is going to be performing at the Fine Line in Minneapolis tonight. He'll be joined by Prof & Rahzwell, M.anifest and the Architexts on the bill for the show. show is 18+ doors at 9PM and tickets are $9.50.

Venue: Fine Line Address: 318 1st Ave N City: Minneapolis State: MN Phone: 612-388-8100 Doors: 9:00PM Ages: 18+ Cost: $9.50 -> Performing: I Self Devine, Prof & Rahzwell, M.anifest, Architexts and more!

myspace.com/iselfdevine

Fifth Element In-Store!

Fifth Element hosts an in-store performance by Evidence, DJ Revolution, Alchemist & Joe Scudda Thursday, February 1st. The free performance starst at 6PM and is All Ages. Come early to enter drawings for free prizes!

Fifth Element
2411 Hennepin Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55405

Brother Ali

Brother Ali
Real name: Ali Newman
Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin

Brother Ali biography:

Brother Ali has no reservations in saying that he’s “trying to be one of the greatest of all time” (on the Molemen track “Life Sentence”). Inspired by golden era legends like KRS-One and Rakim, this undisputed Master of Ceremony began rapping as a means of survival.

Growing up albino (colorless hair, skin and eyes, poor vision, and extreme sensitivity to the sun) in a world of cruel kids made it strikingly obvious to Ali that he needed a high-powered way to earn some respect and prestige among his peers. As a result, every since elementary school he hasn’t slowed down with his lyrical grind. In his rare moments of silence these days, if you catch his eyes, you’ll notice that this Minneapolis denizen is rapping in his head. For Ali, hip-hop doesn’t stop when he exits the studio or stage.

Around the turn of the millennium, Rhymesayers Entertainment couldn’t overlook Ali’s talent and drive when he submitted his self-produced demo, Rites of Passage. This rare, cassette-only effort features collections of rhymes, poems, and stories that he wove into his live sets. Its release help make him a welcome member of the RSE family alongside Atmosphere, Musab, and Eyedea and Abilities.

Before returning to the lab, Ali kicked his way onto the battle circuit and even wound up facing off with fellow RSE rep Eyedea at the 2000 Scribble Jam festival in Cincinnati. Ali beat battle champ Eyedea, but didn’t take home the trophy. Nonetheless, the MC collected his props and headed back to the Twin Cities, ready to record his official debut, Shadows On The Sun.

By no means a mixtape act, Ali focuses his energies on making complete records that will stand the test of time. This became clear on Shadows, the album that left critics and hip-hop kids alike stunned. As the Village Voice raved, “When Ali raps…I can’t do anything but sit and stare at my stereo, engrossed by the raw emotion and tricky wordplay.” Released in the spring of 2003, this breakout effort produced by ANT of Atmosphere saw Ali present himself as a “modern urban Normal Rockwell” who’s a “cross between John Gotti and Mahatma Gandhi.” Indeed, Ali painted vivid portraits of inner city plight on the fiery single “Room With A View” and showed the world that you can stand your ground without always resorting to violence on the uplifting track, “Win Some Lose Some”.

Since the release of Shadows, Ali has become just as revered for his performances, in which the MC takes audiences through heavy passionate ballads to high-energy crescendos and back. Among his 500-plus shows, Ali has shared stages with the likes of Atmosphere, Brand Nubian, Rakim, MF Doom, and Murs throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. And he hasn’t been limited to playing clubs and concert halls as he has participated in renowned music festivals like Coachella, Sweden’s Hultsfred and the Eurokeenes Festival in France.

During down time from touring, Ali returned to the studio with ANT to build off the chemistry sparked on Shadows to craft the Champion EP. While brief, this mini-album is an expansive effort that sees Ali express himself through everything from classic braggadocio (“Bad Ma Fucka”) to poignant societal examinations (“Chain Link”).

Following the release of Champion in the spring of 2004, Ali ran into a number of roadblocks that halted his usually steady recording process. This included him parting ways with his wife, being homeless, and trying to secure custody of his son. Armed with a wave of stories to share, Ali recorded The Undisputed Truth, once again with ANT in his corner. Due out Spring 2007 on Rhymesayers, Ali’s second full-length sees him dig deeper into his life experiences (“Walking Away”) and political views (“Uncle Sam Goddamn”) than ever before.

“I wanted to make an album that gives you no choice but to feel what I’m feeling at the time,” Ali explains of The Undisputed Truth. “I made choices that sent me through a lot of struggle in the past few years and ANT and I have made music that really communicates the exact feeling of those situations.”

As he ponders, “How does it feel to have to walk away from a ten-year marriage with a child? You got a six-year-old boy and he’s your life. How does it feel to look him in the eye and explain to him that you’re breaking up his home? The music and the sound of my voice and the way I’m describing the situations and emotions involved should make you feel like you’re in my shoes at that moment. That’s The Undisputed Truth.”

Brother Ali Discography :

Brother Ali albums :
Rites of Passage (2000)
Shadows on the Sun (2003)
The Champion EP (2004)
The Undisputed Truth (2007)

Atmosphere MTV News

Atmosphere MTV News!

Atmosphere will have a cameo appearance on MTV's show "I'M FROM ROLLING STONE". The air date for the episode that Atmosphere is interviewed on is February 4th more details coming soon...

P.O.S. & Mac Lethal @ pizza Luce 1.19.2007

POS will be performing at Pizza Luce in Duluth next Friday. He will be joined by label mate Mac Lethal to kick off their West Coast tour run. Buy your tickets early so you don't miss the show!

+ 01.19.2007 +
Venue: Pizza Luce
Address: 11 E. Superior St.
City: Duluth
State: MN
Phone: 218-727-7400
Cost: $7
-> Performing: POS & Mac Lethal

myspace.com/pizzaluce

Street Team Registration Now Available

Ever wanted to be an offical Street Team Member? Here's your chance to sign up for the Official Rhymesayers Entertainment Street Team! We have just re-launched our sign up form and are looking for ambitious and dedicated people. Street Team Members will help promote shows and upcoming tours as well as new Rhymesayers releases. If you live in or near any of our major markets (LA, NYC, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, San Diego, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., Louisville, Boston, Chicago or Philadelphia) and are interested sign up. If you don't, sign up anyway! You may live in a market we are expanding into but you'll never know unless you let us know. If you're interested go to RSE Street Team and fill out the sign up sheet.

www.rhymesayers.com/streetteam

Let Them Know you got the info from http://rhymesayersentertainment.blogspot.com!

POS Tour Poster 2006

P.O.S IS RUINING MY LIFE Doomtree is the next Minneapolis rap crew to blow up. Mark our words! Now signed to Rhymesayers, Doomtree's P.O.S hit the road to promote his new album "Audition." He asked Mike to design a tour poster and his only creative direction was "Make it funny violent... like a guy in a bunny suit with a chainsaw."

RSE 2007 News

RHYMESAYERS ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES 2007 RELEASE LIST

2007 looks to be a big year for Slug and company's Rhymesayers Entertainment imprint, as the label has several projects coming down the pipeline in the new year. The First of these will be Brother Ali's The Undisputed Truth, set for March 6th, 2007. Also on deck are the upcoming releases from Mac Lethal, Jake One, Abstract Rude & Vitamin D, and Los Nativos. Atmosphere & MF Doom will deliver their own DVD releases, while reissues of Doom's "Operation Doomsday" & "MM...Food" are also on deck
-Pizzo

Taken from Hiphopsite.com News

IPR and Rhymesayers Collaborate for Class On Hip Hop

Thursday, December 14, 2006


IPR and Rhymesayers Collaborate for Class On Hip Hop

For what may be the first of its kind, IPR (Institute of Production and Recording) College, located in downtown Minneapolis, approached Rhyme Sayers Entertainment a little over a year ago to coordinate a program for their students. After months of discussions, schedule juggling, and planning, finally the official class "Hip Hop Essentials" was born. The first day of class was 10-9-06 and the final day is this Friday, 12-15-06.

"Hip Hop Essentials", a class offered exclusively at IPR, teaches students in detail about the many facets of Hip Hop culture including History, Business, and Studio Work. Throughout this 10-week process students learned about these topics directly from the R.S.E Staff and Artists. Kevin Beacham formatted the lesson plans and taught History. The business sections were taught by Siddiq The CEO, J Bird, and Skye Rossi. Students were able to learn about the fine points of being an artist and working in the studio by Brother Ali (MCing lecture), Ant (made a beat live in class), Slug (recorded vocals to Ant's track in class), Joe Mabbot (engineered the Atmosphere track in class), I Self Devine (Live Performance lecture), Plain Ole Bill (DJ showcase), P.O.S & Felipe Chuatli of Los Nativos (helped students fine tune their final projects).

For their final grade, the 8 students were split into two groups to each produce and record one track. Each group was also responsible for creating a budget as well as developing a marketing and business plan for the completed songs. Finally they needed to book a venue w/opener and headliner to do a performance in order to showcase their completed work for the Hip Hop Community of Minneapols!

It was a great experience and all the students worked hard and did a great job!
Now the moment of truth is here. It's time for everyone out to come out and see the results*:

IPR and Ciphersession presents Essential/Existence
Dinkytowner: 412 1/2 14th ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55414

Performances:
Sandman and the Band
Out of Bounds feat: Existence [student group]
jGreen feat: Essentials [student group]
Omaur Bliss

DJ Blaze One

Host By: Mazta I

Date: Thursday, December 14
Door: 9PM
Ages: 18+
Price:$5
For more information contact: essentialexistance@yahoo.com

Myspace.com/Essential-Existence

*To all the Hip Hop Police out there: By no means am I (or Rhymesayers) trying to suggest that 10 weeks of school can make someone into a valid Hip Hop artist. Obviously they have to come into it with a certain amount of talent and potential. The class is a means of providing individuals with the tools to fine tune their pre-existing skills. Do they have the skills? Come and see! :)

for more information on the IPR Hip Hop Class hit me up: Kevin@rhymesayers.com

Slug Interview

Interviewed by Nathan Rabin
January 9th, 2007

Atmosphere frontman and Rhymesayers capo Slug (born Sean Daley) has carved out a singular niche as a darkly comic, confessional alt-rap heartthrob with a huge female following. Atmosphere (Slug plus producer Ant) is one of the few alternative, independent rap acts that regularly sells more than 100,000 copies of any given album, but while major labels have courted the duo, they've stuck to their independent roots by signing a licensing deal with punk-rock fixture Epitaph. Rhymesayers initially released albums from largely Minnesota-based acts like Atmosphere, Brother Ali, and Eyedea & Abilities, but it's grown into a respected national label boasting acts as accomplished and diverse as cult New York supervillain MF Doom, Seattle True-Schooler Boom Bap Project, and Chicago's Psalm One. The A.V. Club recently had a freewheeling, candid conversation with the always-outspoken Slug about his battles with the bottle, the sexual component of performing, and why he probably won't sleep with your ex.

The A.V. Club: You're perceived as a very honest, intimate artist—

Slug: I'm full of shit, though. Everybody puts me in that category, as that guy who's really honest and wears his shit on his sleeve, but it's all fake, man. I only do this for pussy. So people get it.

AVC: Do you feel like there's a spiritual element to performing live?

S: I don't really know how to describe the rush that I get onstage. I guess I would compare it to hang-gliding, but I've never hang-glided. Or snowboarding, but I've never snowboarded. All I know is that the rush I get scares the shit out of me, and at the same time, I'm addicted to it. People ask about all the touring that I do, and think that I must be making tons of money. Actually not, man. I spend so much fucking money on touring. And not even to the point where I'm complaining about it, but more so that I want those things around. I want to be able to bring 15 people on the road with me. I want to be able to do all this shit. I really don't give a fuck about the money. I know how much money moves around for touring, but I do a pretty good job of making sure none of that money goes into my pocket. Me and the guys I'm on stage with get such a fucking rush out of it—it's addictive. When I stop, I'm probably going to have to go to treatment.

AVC: Two very popular metaphors people use when talking about touring are sex and drugs.

S: Those are the obvious metaphors, because you get laid a lot and people offer you drugs.

AVC: Do you get a sexual thrill out of performing?

S: I believe it's better than sex, because I can hide my agenda. I can hide the selfish side of it so much better. With sex, let's face it, you can be an unselfish lover and still make her come 250 times, but in the end, you're still going to come. With performing, I'm not really looking for an orgasm. I'm looking for the foreplay. The little subtle moments of the show are the parts that really get me off and scare me. I wouldn't really compare performing to sex, because performing scares the shit out of me, literally. I have to shit before I go onstage every time. I get butterflies that have fangs that start up about an hour and a half before the set. And I don't even know what to do about it. I feel like I have straight-up stomach issues because of performing, and I don't know how to make that stop, but I feel like, in a way, I'm actually addicted to that fear. It's the only place in the world I've found that fear.

AVC: Is it adrenaline?

S: I'm not a doctor, I don't even know if it's adrenaline. I don't know what it is, to be honest. I've had adrenaline. Adrenaline happens when someone pulls a gun on you. Adrenaline is what happens when you know you're about to get beat up. Adrenaline to me is an excitement, but I don't know if I would call it adrenaline. I just know it affects me mentally and physically in a major way.

AVC: It doesn't get easier now that you've been touring consistently for 10 years?

S: Absolutely not. I've never once had a show where it was easier. I think it's worse. I think it was easier when I was younger. When I was "I really want these people to see me rap, 'cause if they see me rap, they're going to think I'm awesome." I think now the people who are watching me rap, they already know what I'm about. They know what they're there for. Even if it's their first time, they know why they're there. It's not like I'm getting up in front of a room full of people who've never heard of me. I think that it's harder now.

AVC: Because people have high expectations that you have to live up to?

S: Man, I can expect people having higher expectations with me. Especially people that are familiar with me.

AVC: Would you concede that you have a revered reputation as a live performer?

S: I don't know if I would consider myself a great live act. Tom Waits is a great live act. Fucking Dave Grohl is a great live act. People who can make you feel comfortable and confident while you're watching them, to the point where your confidence even outgrows their confidence, are great live acts. I don't know yet that I've reached a point where I consider myself a great live act. I know for a fact that I give 122 percent pretty much every time I get on the stage, so I get an E for effort. And maybe because I get an E for effort three times a year in your city, eventually you can be fooled into thinking I am a great live act.

AVC: The last time we talked to you, you talked about your tour being like group therapy or a cathartic ritual. Do you think that's something you need to do?

S: I think that at this part of my life, the phase I'm in, yeah. I haven't really found another way to accomplish what I'm accomplishing when I perform. I haven't figured out a way to scare the shit out of myself in a manner that I appreciate better than performing. Catharsis, that was one particular tour in general. I was trying to figure out if I could make my work work for me in a way that I haven't tried before. I was dealing with a handful of things, most notably a lot of alcohol. I was really attempting to use that tour as my 12-step program to get off of the alcohol.

AVC: How did that work out?

S: It was lovely. I didn't quit completely, but I've gone down from about eight beers and four shots a night to three beers a week. I owe a lot of that to that tour. I basically put as much as I could into that tour across the board. I did as much press as I could on a daily basis. Every in-store that they would possibly let me do—I would show up at your community center. I would talk to kids about rap. I basically went as professional as I could and as time-consuming as I could to really distract the fuck out of me and get me to stop abusing my body with alcohol and fast food, and essentially it worked. I haven't eaten a Whopper Junior in over a year, and my drinking has gone way down. I can't even remember the last time I was drunk. Now, if I do have a beer, it's pretty much social, and it's pretty much 'cause it tastes great with my cigarette.

AVC: Do you miss drinking?

S: No actually, I resent drinking. I can't believe I gave so much of my life to it. So much of my time. It was easily the most time-consuming, unproductive thing that I could be doing for the last 10 years. I'm not preaching straight-edge, and I'm not preaching to people not to drink. I think I had an issue, myself. I know plenty of people who don't have that issue. When it comes to alcohol, I think it's more about you as a person, and you keeping tabs on what the fuck you're doing with your life and staying productive. As productive as I was during my phase of drinking, I made a lot of records and I did a lot of tours, I'm trying to imagine what I could have accomplished without the alcohol there. It amazes me that I didn't see that sooner. I didn't see that I could have taken things further had I not been drinking so much. I work with a family called Rhymesayers, and each of them is on the ball, and everybody's doing their thing, everybody giving everything 130 percent, and I feel like I was the one that was drinking out of our unit. Nobody else was drinking like that, and I feel that my drinking even stole away from a lot of the progress that Rhymesayers could have made.

AVC: Yet Rhymesayers has grown exponentially all the same.

S: Sure, but I just try to imagine how much more exponentially it could have grown. Had I not been drinking and had an additional three hours a day to put in the phone work, for fuck's sake. It's like the things that I could have been doing instead of drinking. The MySpace page could be up to a million now.

AVC: What do you think the appeal of drinking was? Was it part of the mythos of touring?

S: I think I was backward. I think that I fell for the concept that drinking kills the pain. And so I made up the pain so I could kill it. I look back at the pains that I thought I was trying to kill. Those weren't real pains. You go through your 20s, and drama's a big deal, man. I wanted my life to be like it was right out of a movie, so I surrounded myself with dramatic people. All of my friendships, all of my relationships, they were all really fueled by drama, except for my business. I never worried about the business going bad, because everybody else was so on the ball that I really ran with co-dependency as far as alcohol and women were concerned. I was trying to kill the pain. That's not the point of a buzz, man. Buzzes are celebratory. You don't smoke a joint or drink a beer or whatever it is you choose to do so that you can think about how life sucks. You do it to celebrate life. And I was using it wrong. I think that if I had a better perspective on it, I would have been using it the way it's supposed to be used. Spirits are for celebration, not sitting in your apartment wasted because you miss the way she gave you head.

AVC: It seems like you've been able to reach places other underground rappers haven't, like Late Night With Conan O'Brien or Jimmy Kimmel Live. Why were you able to cross over in that way?

S: It's only a matter of time. If you do this shit long enough, it's only a matter of time before people go, "Oh, yeah, yeah. You're there. We know you're there." On one hand, we had that working for us, and we were a buzz band for five years. You're only supposed to be a buzz band for one year. And we were able to do that kind of stuff, and hold down that kind of ground for long enough, that it was only a matter of time before the rest of the industry recognized us and what we were trying to do. I think that turning down all those labels actually made them respect me more than they would have if I ever did one of those deals with them.

AVC: One of my favorite Rhymesayers release is MF Doom's Mm.. Food?, but it seems like Madvillainy overshadowed its release. Do you feel that it didn't get the attention it deserved?

S: Oh, I don't feel that way, I feel like with an artist like Doom, you can't really base it off of this record or that record. Doom is an enigma. Anyone who can release two albums in a year for three years in a row and not get shit on for it, it's because he has a fan base that will never go away, and will continue to grow. It's not really about which record is more successful. Just to take part in his career is an honor. This is fucking Zev Love X. Just to be aligned with him in any way whatsoever tickles me. I've got no complaints about what his record did as far as numbers, or people knowing, or anything like that. It's not like it didn't recoup. Above and beyond all that, we're a part of his story now, and I'm glad I got to play a part in that. And I don't even know if it did get overshadowed. They were two totally different projects. With the Madvillainy thing, Madlib already had his fan base in place as well. That record had a much bigger story to it than Mm.. Food? just because it had a whole other person involved who already had a name, who already had a fan base and audience, who was already on critics' lists as a cool producer. I would expect that record to receive more press.

AVC: As revered as MF Doom is, he's still underrated as a producer.

S: But you got to remember that when people talk producers, they're talking about everything. They're talking about Dr. Dre. We could take away the word "producer" and say "Dr. Dre," because the people who get revered as incredible producers are generally the people who are appealing to critics and the radio. If you can do both, you're looked at as a good producer. Doom, the beats he makes have a feeling only because his beats are never going to get played next to a Timbaland beat on urban radio. There's a feeling that you've got to be a part of this movement to appreciate a Doom beat. You've got to be somebody who loves boom-bap hip-hop or quirky stuff in order to call that dude a great producer. I fall into those categories, so I call Doom a great producer. Apparently Ghostface falls into those categories, 'cause Ghostface uses Doom production. As far as standing him next to a Timbaland or a Scott Storch, who also get called good producers, it's a whole different type of thing. The word "producer" changes. It doesn't mean the same type of thing when you talk about those types of producers.

AVC: How did MF Doom come to join the Rhymesayers family?

S: I think he and [Rhymesayers executive] Saddiq formed a friendship, for starters, that is much more than just a music thing. I think Doom just kind of saw what we were doing. At the time, Atmosphere was getting a lot of love and a lot of hate. No matter how you cut it, at the time, Atmosphere was getting a lot of lot of. After meeting me, most people go, "I don't like the guy's music, but I believe in what the guy's doing." Whether you're a fan of what I do, if you're a fan of hip-hop, you're going to recognize me when you meet me. And I don't even know if Doom's a fan of what we do or not. I couldn't imagine anybody being a fan of what we do. Different story. I don't know if he's a fan of what we do musically, but I know that he's a fan of how we got to where we are. Doom has been burned by the majors in the past. Has probably been burned by contemporaries. He's been burned by so many people that he's probably got his own version of bitterness toward the industry, and when he saw how we did what we did without the industry, I think he's a fan of that. Upon meeting me, like everybody that meets me, you think that I'm a little bit of an arrogant prick, but when it comes down to it, I really mean what I do, and I do what I say, and I stand next to my words, and people gravitate toward people like that.

AVC: How can you say that you can't imagine anybody liking what you do?

S: The songs that I have that are good, I don't see how anybody else can like those, because those are generally really personal to me. If you know me, I could see how you would like it, because you'd be like, "Oh, that makes sense, that makes me understand, that explains something." I look at the audience and I see this 18-year-old girl from the suburbs singing along to my shit, and I wonder how the fuck she could possibly relate to this 34-year-old alcoholic. It amazes me. I'm not that fucking cute, and it's funny there, too, because I get cool points from some people on my appearance, and I'm like, "Are you serious? If I was the dude that was delivering your pizza you wouldn't fucking look at me twice." The only reason you think that is the dichotomy of the stage. I'm fucking five feet taller than you right now. I don't get it, man, but I'm not going to complain just because I don't understand it.

AVC: Do you think there's a stigma attached to acts that are popular with teenage girls?

S: There's a stigma attached to everything. People call my music soft, and a lot of that is based on the music, but a good portion of that is passed on to the audience who listens to my music. But when people criticize you for your fan base, it ultimately says more about them than it does about you.

AVC: Do you think that because you rap about personal things, people assume that everything you do is autobiographical? That you're constantly baring your soul?

S: I feel that if all that shit was autobiographical, I wouldn't be alive. It's funny how people do that. I grew up on Slick Rick, who could tell any story he wanted, and you never stopped and wondered if that really happened. It was just a story. And rap has turned into such a literal thing. Especially because of all the "reality rap," kids actually think that rappers do these things. It's like, I got news for you, Lloyd Banks has never shot anybody, and I've never done heroin. But at the same time, I'm not going to change my technique because I'm worried about whether people are interpreting it right or wrong. That's not really my problem.

AVC: People who listen to your music probably do use it to form ideas about who you are and what your life is like.

S: That's important though. I'm not mad at that. These are the people who are never going to know me and are never going to have to pass judgment on me as a person. These are people who get to pass judgment on me as an idea, essentially. And as long as they decide upon hearing these songs that I'm a piece of shit and they wouldn't like me, that's important to them, because that's part of what reminds them to stay away from pieces of shit who really are in their life. If certain things that I say remind them of the dude they've been seeing on and off for the past four years, and it helps them realize that this dude is bad news for them, then so be it. I don't mind people passing their judgment on me. It's interesting when people assume that I'm probably a really nice dude or something based on the music, because I don't understand how anybody could hear that in the music. But I do like when that happens, 'cause then when they meet me, they tend to be like, "Oh, you're just like what I thought you would be."

AVC: It seems like having an emotional connection to people who listen to your music is very important to you. Do you ever worry that someday you'll be so big that you'll lose that sense of intimacy with your fans?

S: I've gone out of my way not to do rooms that hold 4,000 people. At this point, I could do that. But I would rather go, "You know what? Fuck it, we're going to extend the tour an extra two weeks and do two shows in Chicago, and two shows in L.A. I do worry about that, because the few times I've been onstage in front of more than 2,000 people at one time—and I can't even believe that I'm saying that. Two thousand people in my head right now feels like too much. But any more than that, it's not really right for what I'm trying to do. That's part of why I do keep my own leash on where this stuff goes and how big it gets.

AVC: So you have control over who sees it and how it's seen?

S: Honestly, even in my phase of being a press whore, I wasn't really doing it because I wanted tons of press. I was doing it because I was going to stay as active in my job as possible to keep me from going out and doing other stupid things. So I was just taking on anything that anyone threw my way, because you know what? There's another 15 minutes where I won't be smoking weed or drinking tequila.

AVC: You're 34 now. It seems that hip-hop is an inherently youthful genre, and it's very hard to grow old with dignity. Is your crowd aging with you? Or is it being replenished with teenagers discovering Atmosphere?

S: It's a lot of young kids who discover Atmosphere. I'm doing what I can about that as well. I don't necessarily know what to do, I'm just feeling my way through it. I do have every intention of being able to build an audience of women over the age of 30.

AVC: It seems like after a certain period, people become disenfranchised with rap—they associate it with college, with that period of life where they're trying to figure out the world. And eventually they become complacent, and hip-hop has less appeal.

S: I want those people. I want those complacent people. I want to figure out a way to tap into those people. Nobody in rap has done it, and I have every intention of doing it, it probably just won't be on the scale of what Neil Young or Tom Waits or any of these people are. Because, let's face it, they're much better artists than I could ever dream to be. But in my own small-scale version, I do intend on reaching a place where you can go to the show with your kid. Essentially, I'm probably going to have to scale back from even 2,000 people, and get down to 500, 400. Something like that. I do want to reach a place where I reach that soccer mom who has become complacent. She still likes what she hears when she plays my records.

AVC: What's the best and worst part of touring?

S: The best part of touring is the drive. I am the dude that sits at the window and watches everything go by. I'm the dude that sits at the window when we get to the city and analyzes the city and watches street signs and goes, "Oh, whoa. There's a record store there. I'm going to remember where that is so I can come back here after sound check." For me, it's the actual travel that's the best part of the touring. Every piece of it.

I'm a driver by heart. I'm a professional driver. That's what I did before rap. I'd drive those big trucks you see and get scared of on the freeway. I love that part of it. I think the worst part of it is… If you were to compare touring to an acid trip, there's those parts where the trip gets really intense, and for five minutes, you start to go, "Fuck, I wish I wouldn't have taken this." When you're gone for that long, you don't have much control over what goes on back home, and I'm kind of a control freak. So there are really dark parts of being away. The best and the worst part are the same part, the travel. There's a time when the worst part of touring was the hangovers. But let's face it, I'll be honest, now when I'm touring, one of my main priorities is finding a good place to shit. And I would have never thought of that when I was 23. I would have never given a fuck. I would have shitted in a sink in a truck stop. I didn't care. But now I need that five minutes to be Zen-like.

AVC: Why do you think Rhymesayers has been growing so steadily and has managed to avoid many of the pitfalls of the music industry and independent labels?

S: Without mincing words, because it holds water. You can't poke any holes in us. Any holes you can poke are based solely on your opinion of the art. You might not like this record or that record, but that is all of the criticizing that you can do of the unit. Everybody involved is a stand-up human being who is not going to fuck you over in any way whatsoever. You'll never hear any bad stories of any of the 20 core members of this unit. The worst story you're going to hear is that Slug fucked your ex-girlfriend. And honestly, I really doubt you're going to hear that, either. Our success is based off of the quality of the people involved.

Video - Soul Position - Hand Me Downs Live

Soul Position - Hand Me Downs Live

Psalm One interview

Psalm One
Droppin’ Science
psalm

“What was the question again?”

Cristalle Bowen, known to hip-hop heads as Psalm One, asks this more than once while being interviewed in the Abbey Pub’s basement. It isn’t because the Englewood-raised rapper is absent minded. It’s more that, luckily for IE, she truly attempts to answer each question as thoroughly as possible, which sometimes leads to tangents that lure her from the the initial topic.

It also doesn’t help (hurt?) she’s a little drunk.

That’s O.K., though; tonight is a celebration, after all. This cold, blustery late-October night is not only the 26-year old’s first hometown gig since July, she’s part of a solid lineup headlined by Del The Funkee Homosapien, and Psalm One stock has increased significantly since her last trip home. Death Of A Frequent Flier, Psalm’s second full-length but first for indie hip-hop powerhouse label Rhymesayers, has catapulted her from random mentions on underground hip-hop Web sites to glowing reviews in the pages of Rolling Stone and Spin.

Pretty impressive when you consider just two years ago testing for carbohydrate levels in food was more of a priority than music. Psalm spent four-and-a-half years studying chemistry at the University Of Illinois, and with degree finally in hand, she put it to good use at a Chicago Heights food lab. Hip-hop was still a part of her life, though. In fact, she started writing Frequent Flier in 2003, while still a food chemist (her 2002 self-released debut was aptly titled Bio:Chemistry), which, along with live shows, meant lots of lost sleep.

“At that point in my life I was working 6 [a.m.] to 2:30 [p.m.], and I would get home by like 4 then I would go to sleep by, like, 6 and wake up by 9. Then I would go ’til 2 [a.m.] on some rapper stuff then get up at 4,” Psalm remembers. “It was really bad. Something had to give.”

Psalm never disliked her job — “Man, I’m such a nerd. I loved it,” she says — but admits it became repetitive. She was offered managerial positions but turned them down so she could still be flexible with her music schedule. The single incident, Psalm says, that converted her was a guest spot on Casual’s 2005 record, Smash Rockwell. Her turn on the song “Bitin’ And Freakin’” was so strong she was offered a deal from Hiero Imperium, the label home of Casual, Del The Funkee Homosapien, and the rest of the famed Hieroglyphics crew.

Suddenly, Psalm was rethinking her career choice. “I was like, ‘I quit, I quit, I quit!,’” she says about the decision, which wasn’t immediately popular with the rest of her camp. “It was very funny because my lawyer, everybody told me not to quite my job. Everyone was like, ‘It’s gonna happen; you’re gonna tour.’ And I was like ‘I gotta get on the road!’”

“I was totally like . . . the bug just really caught me. That little bit of interest from a legend [Casual] to me was just like, ‘Ah shit, I’m done!’ When it hit me, it hit me so hard it kept me up at night; it changed my life. I was making a hella lot more money, hella lot more money,” she emphasizes, “than what I’m makin’ now, but I’m happy.”

Rightfully so. Though Psalm ended up signing with Rhymesayers instead of Hiero, Frequent Flier is a superb effort that showcases Psalm One as one of indie hip-hop’s brightest talents. Her flow moves seamlessly between serious (”The Nine”), goofy (”Macaroni And Cheese”), venomous (”Mountain High”), and narrative (”The Living”).

But most importantly, she rises above — far above — the female MC stereotype. On “Rapper Girls,” a scathing dis track aimed at Lil’ Kim/Foxy Brown/Trina-type rappers more concerned with image than skills, Psalm says, “You got that look down alright but you’ll never be Lauryn/that would be more than that girl who raps good for a girl.”

“You rap good for a girl” is the kind of backhanded compliment Psalm has heard more times than she cares to remember. “It puts you in this position where it’s like, you’re good but you’re only good in this respect and you can’t be good on this bigger stage. It’s like, ‘Are you kidding?’ But it’s O.K.”

O.K.? Really?

“It’s O.K. sometimes when people are really heartfelt about it, and I don’t want to get too offended because sometimes they are just ignorant to the fact that I’m very sensitive about it, and they’re really trying to compliment me. If you say I’m a very good MC or the best female MC I’m not going to be like, ‘What?!’”
But don’t, Psalm clarifies, mistake that for complacency. She wants to be known as a great MC — period. No gender clarification needed. It’s an attitude she learned from one of her favorite rhymesayers.

“Lauryn Hill taught me you could be better than the dudes in your group as far as rapping. I was on some rappin’ shit a little bit, but when I heard The Fugees I was like, ‘She’s the best rapper; she’s the best lyricist out of this crew,’” Psalm says. “That completely changed my whole perception. I was like, ‘You can be better than all these dudes.’ That was the difference; then it was competition. It was the difference between thinking that you can’t be competition to you can be. There’s no reason you can’t be. [Prior to that] my sense was that you’re just a chick. You’re not competition, you’re just a good chick, and you stay there. You don’t challenge anything you just stay in your position.

“I feel like there’s a very general perspective of female rappers because there are so few of us,” she continues. “So there’s only two or three categories you can fit in, and that’s it. With me, if you really listen to my lyrics, I’m extremely sexual, kinda slutty in some instances,” she says, laughing. “But I don’t do that. That’s not my steez. I’m not gettin’ up on stage in a bra, you know? I’m gettin’ onstage in this,” she tugs at the collar of her black hoodie, “and I’m out there spittin and talkin’ about things any MC, male or female, wants to talk about.”

Ultimately Psalm wants people to look at her the same way she looked at Hill, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Roxanne Shanté — female MCs capable of standing toe to toe with any other MC. If it doesn’t work? She’s always got a chemistry degree to fall back on. But for now Cristalle Bowen the food chemist is retired. Psalm One the mic chemist has just started.

“That was a dream of mine,” Psalm says about her former career. “That’s something I went to school for. And I have realized that people don’t get to live out one dream in their life, much less two, so I feel like I’m very fortunate, but at the same time, like, um . . . I’m sorry what was the question again?”

– Trevor Fisher

Big ups to First Ave for being named one of Playboys' 10 Best Rock Clubs in America!

First Avenue
701 First Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota
www.first-avenue.com

This former Greyhound bus depot has endured numerous name changes, shifts in ownership and even a bankruptcy since holding its first concert in 1970. But its permanent place on the historic register of American rock clubs has never been in doubt. This place is a temple to Minneapolis rock, and not just because the spacious, circular room and stellar views make good shows seem transcendent. It's been a testing ground and steady supporter since the '80s, when locals like the Replacements, Hüsker Dü and Prince became national stars. Twenty years later, the club hasn't atrophied. The Entry Stage is just that for today's younger, inexperienced bands. And many current Minnesota acts -- like the Hold Steady, Tapes 'n Tapes and the rappers on powerhouse label Rhymesayers -- rose through the ranks via some well-received shows at First Ave.

Famous Alumni: Prince, The Replacements, Atmosphere

Bands to See Now: Dosh, Brother Ali

2007 Will Be A Big Year For M.F. DOOM

2007 Will Be A Big Year For M.F. DOOM
2007 is steady approaching and the Supervillain has some serious servings of dopeness cooking in the ol’ iron kitchen.RhymeSayers is finally re-issuing the out-of print Operation:DOOMSDAY CD/LP. As many of you know the album was forced out-of-print due to legal issues regarding the cover and rumored sample clearance issues. The new version is rumored to be a deluxe edition digipak with additional tracks and a DVD featuring videos and live concert footage. They are also planning on re-issuing DOOM’s MM..FOOD CD/LP. Many of you might not even know that this was also pulled from shelves due to sample clearance issues.Madvillain 2 not seeing an ’07 release? Rumors have been circulating that M.F. DOOM and Madlib have yet to connect on any solid studio time for Stones Throw’s highly anticipated Madvillain 2 project. From what I’ve heard through the grapevine, DOOM only turned in one song for the project so far, and it’s the joint that was released on the Chrome Children LP this past fall.Unlike Madvillain 2, The Ghostface/M.F. DOOM project will supposedly see the light of day in 2007. Although the pair have only recorded a handful of tracks together, Ghostface has begun to see this album as a high priority in recent months, noting in some interviews that he knows his fans want this album to be his next. Madvillain toys? That’s right. Kid Robot, known for immortalizing the likes of Biggie Smalls and the Gorillaz in plastic have begun production on their latest creation, the Madvillain 8.5” figurine. Sure to be a highly sought after collectors item, this limited run toy will surely hit you hard in the pockets. But look at it like an investment, EBay kids, EBay. M.F. DOOM has a special holiday treat for you all. Christmas Eve from 10PM to 6AM the supervillain will be hosting Adult Swim on Cartoon Network. As DOOM explained in the teaser commercials, “Why spend Christmas Eve waiting for some extra fat white dude to come busting through the ceiling, when you can spend Christmas eve with yours truly, DOOM”. DOOM will be basically talking in between shows, giving his thoughts on the holiday happenings, and spreading holiday cheer to all who indulge.

posted by MixtapeBros

Seven's Travels

In the year that followed God Loves Ugly, Atmosphere's travels nearly took them to a major label; unlikely as it might have seemed at one time, the hip-hop trio's cerebral yet down-to-earth sound had become one of the hottest things in the underground, thanks in large part to rapper Slug's charisma, and surprising vulnerability. But the group pulled back, deciding to retain control and assign the album they'd completed to punk label Epitaph. That move made sense on a few levels, not least because Seven's Travels bristles with the independent spirit that put both punk and hip-hop on the map. There are any number of disgusted references to the mainstream; "National Disgrace" coldly observes a drunken star and notes, "This is a career, not a hobby." And producer Ant's varied and effective trick bag sometimes even includes a raw, uncompromising sound miles away from any imaginable chart action. But Atmosphere has always resisted the art-for-art's sake strain that has infested hip-hop in recent years; as Slug himself says early on, "I'm trying to find a balance." The beats seduce with R&B richness as often as they snarl, and instances where lyrical abstraction runs wild ("Cats Van Bags") are the exception, not the rule, because Slug is as much a storyteller as diarist. "Shoes" is another of his pickup-gone-wrong tales, ending in giggles in front of the toilet, and "Always Coming Back Home To You" dissects a slice-of-life moment with a guy and a gun in unexpected fashion. Just as remarkable, though, is the optimistic commercial for small-town living that follows, as Slug observes, "Minnesota is dope/if only simply for not what we have, but what we don't" and leads a shout-out that goes in part "If the playground is free of stems and syringes/If there's only one store in your town that sells 12-inches/say shhhh." Now that's keeping it real. ~ Dan LeRoy, All Music Guide

Lucy Ford [EP]

The opening track on Lucy Ford, "Between the Lines," burrows into the heads of a frustrated policeman, an oblivious young girl who watches movies perpetually to get away from her own life, and an indie rapper who descends into self-abnegation instead of self-aggrandizement -- hardly typical subject matter for a rap song. In fact, with Slug's singsong delivery, it hardly seems like a rap song at all, and is tugged back toward the genre only by Ant's steady beat-making. But then Atmosphere proves not to be typical in most every respect on this debut full-length, which is much the better for the duo's, and particularly its MC's, peculiarities. Lucy Ford actually collects the bulk of a pair of early Fat Beats-distributed vinyl EPs from the Minneapolis-based group on a single long-playing disc. It makes for a sterling introductory display. Like Eminem, Atmosphere is a joy to hear when caricaturing old school trash-talking ("Guns and Cigarettes," with a truly inspired, bluesy Ant track) and even more so when Slug is lampooning his own penchant for indulgent egotism ("It Goes") with hilarious, self-deprecating one-liners. At other times, however, Atmosphere bogs down in a more earnest self-involvement, as on the romance ballad "Don't Ever Fucking Question That," where the duo reaches for heartfelt with less-than-convincing results. Slug excels when he allows his obvious passion to settle on subjects outside himself, as when he tries to coax the hip-hop community toward a higher calling on "Tears for Sheep," or, more breathtakingly, mixes autobiographical details with flights of pure imagination. The best tracks tend to occur when he plums the psychological depths of complex characters through brainy, abstract, and freewheeling narratives that exist somewhere in a surreal netherworld ("If I Was Santa Claus," "Aspiring Sociopath," "Party for the Fight to Write," "The Woman with the Tattooed Hands," the aforementioned "Between the Lines"). On these songs, the duo approaches dazzling heights that Eminem could never approach. Despite its few flaws, including a bit of merely serviceable filler, Lucy Ford offered one of the freshest voices in rap in 2000; in fact, its stronger moments are among the most forward-thinking hip-hop ever made. ~ Stanton Swihart, All Music Guide

You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having

You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having [ENHANCED] [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

Atmosphere's fifth album (not including rapper Slug's numerous side projects) isn't quite as consistent as previous CDs like 2003's Seven's Travels or Lucy Ford, but it's hardly lagging far behind. For all the attention Slug gets as a rapper--deservedly so, given that he, along with Aesop Rock, is a smarter, less pissy Eminem--producer ANT is as vital to this pairing as anyone, lacing the album with everything from the hard knock beats of "The Arrival" to the gospel-influenced charm of "Get Fly," to the old-school drum assault on "Bam." Slug covers ground that he's already been renowned for, a balance of in-your-face braggadocio ("Watch Out"), tunneling introspection ("Little Man"), and a typically reliable ditty about his female problems ("Pour Me Another"). The only real fault is that the album doesn't quite seem to be as adventurous as it could be, but even in playing it (relatively) safer, this is still easily one of the top 10 rap albums of 2005. --Oliver Wang

Product Description

1. The Arrival
2. Panic Attack
3. Watch Out
4. Musical Chairs
5. Say Hey There
6. Hockey Hair
7. Bam
8. Pour Me Another
9. Smart Went Crazy
10. Angelface
11. That Night
12. Get Fly
13. Little Man

Rundown Of Upcoming Rhymesayers' Shows

01/12/2007 08:00 PM - Grayskul @ Black Sheep
2106 E. Platte Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado - $10/$12

Performing: Grayskul & Shapeshifters
01/13/2007 08:00 PM - Grayskul @ Marquis Theatre
2009 Larimer St., Denver, Colorado - $10/$12

Performing: Grayskul & Shapeshifters
01/15/2007 07:00 PM - Grayskul @ Zebra Cocktail Lounge
321 E. Main St., Bozeman, Montana -

Performing: Grayskul & Shapeshifters
01/16/2007 08:00 PM - Grayskul @ Other Side
1805 Regent St., Missoula, Montana - $8

Performing: Grayskul & Shapeshifters
01/19/2007 07:00 PM - POS @ Pizza Luce
11 E. Superior St., Duluth, Minnesota 55802 - $7

Performing: POS & Mac Lethal
01/20/2007 07:00 PM - POS @ Fargo Theater
314 Broadway, Fargo, South Dakota 58102 -

Performing: POS & Mac Lethal
01/25/2007 09:00 PM - POS @ Hollywood Alley
2610 W. Baseline Rd., Mesa, Arizona 85202 - $8

Performing: POS, Mac Lethal & Dessa
01/26/2007 08:00 PM - POS @ Knitting Factory
7021 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90028 -

Performing: POS, Mac Lethal & Dessa
01/27/2007 08:00 PM - POS @ Bottom of the Hill
1233 17th St., San Francisco, California 94107 - $10

Performing: POS, Mac Lethal & Dessa
02/01/2007 08:00 PM - POS @ the Annex
1206 Regent St., Madison, Wisconsin 53715 - $8

Performing: POS, Mac Lethal
02/02/2007 07:00 PM - POS @ Abbey Pub
3420 W. Grace St., Chicago, Illinois 60618 - $10/$12

Performing: POS, Mac Lethal
02/03/2007 07:00 PM - POS @ Rhino's
325 S Walnut St, Bloomington, Indiana 47401 - $10

Performing: POS, Mac Lethal
02/17/2007 04:30 PM - POS @ Avalon Ballroom
15 Lansdowne St., Boston, Massachusetts 02215 - $15.25

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/18/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ Revolution Hall
425 River St., Troy, New York 12180 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/20/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ Ohio Room
102 Pratt Hall, Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705 - $5/$8

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/21/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ 9:30 Club
815 V St. NW, Washington, Washington DC 20001 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/22/2007 05:30 PM - POS @ Webster Hall
125 E. 11th St., New York, New York 10003 - $16

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/23/2007 07:00 PM - POS @ Douglas Hall
500 Joseph C. Wilson Blvd., Rochester, New York 14627 - $12/$17

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/25/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ Trocadero
1003 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107 - $15/$17

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/26/2007 05:30 PM - POS @ Norva Theater
317 Monticello Ave, Norfolk, Virginia 23510 - $13/$16

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/27/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Freebird Live
200 N 1st St., Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
02/28/2007 07:00 PM - POS @ Culture Room
3045 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33306 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/01/2007 05:30 PM - POS @ Club at Firestone
578 N. Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/02/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ The Masquerade
695 N. Ave. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30 - $13/$15

03/03/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Rocketown
401 6th Ave S, Nashville, Tennessee 37203 - $13/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/04/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ Bogart's
2621 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 - $13.50/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/06/2007 06:00 PM - House Of Blues
308 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44114 - $12.50/$14

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/07/2007 05:00 PM - POS @ The Intersection
133 Grandville Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/08/2007 05:00 PM - POS @ St. Andrews Hall
431 E. Congress, Detroit, Michigan 48226 - $15/$16

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/10/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Le National
1220 St. Catherine East, Montreal, Quebec H2L 2G9 - $17/$20

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/11/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ Babylon
317 Bank St., Ottawa, Ontario - $17.50/$20

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/13/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Newport Music Hall
1722 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio 43201 - $12.50/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/14/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ The Irving Theater
5505 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, Indiana 46219 - $12/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/15/2007 05:00 PM - POS @ House Of Blues
329 N. Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois 60610 - $16.50/$18

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/16/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Pop's
1403 Mississippi Ave., Sauget, Illinois 62201 - $13.50/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/17/2007 05:30 PM - POS @ Granada
1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence, Kansas 66044 - $13.50/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/18/2007 04:30 PM - POS @ First Ave.
701 1st Ave N, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403 - $14/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/20/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Gothic Theater
3263 S Broadway, Englewood, Colorado 80113 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/21/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ Avalon Theater
3605 S State St., Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 - $13.50/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/23/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ El Corazon
109 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, Washington 98109 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/24/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ Hawthorne Theater
1507 SE 39th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97214 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/25/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ The Boardwalk
9426 Green Back LN, Orangevale, California 95662 - $16

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/26/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ House Of Blues
8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, California 90069 - $16

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/27/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ The Fillmore
1805 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, California 94115 - $16.50

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/28/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Soma
3350 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego, California 92110 - $13/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/29/2007 07:00 PM - POS @ House Of Blues
1530 S. Disneyland Dr., Anaheim, California 92802 - $14.99/$17

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/30/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Marquee Theatre
730 N Mill Ave, Phoenix, Arizona 85099 - $15/$16

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
03/31/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Rialto Theatre
318 E Congress, Tucson, Arizona 85701 - $13.50/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
04/01/2007 07:00 PM - POS @ Sunshine Theater
120 Central Ave SW, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 - $12/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
04/03/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ Gypsy Ballroom
2513 Main St., Dallas, Texas 75226 - $13/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
04/04/2007 06:30 PM - POS @ White Rabbit
2410 N St. Mary's, San Antonio, Texas 78212 - $12/$15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
04/05/2007 06:00 PM - POS @ Meridian
1503 Chartres, Houston, Texas 77003 - $15

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes
04/06/2007 05:00 PM - POS @ House Of Blues
225 Decatur St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 - $14/$16

Performing: POS, Gym Class Heroes, RX Bandits, K-OS https://tixx1.artistarena.com/gymclassheroes

Ok, So Brother Ali's new album "the Undisputed Truth" is about to drop. I listened to the advance copy, and i have to tell you, the album is GREAT. Many heads, just like me have been waiting what seems like FOREVER for this to drop - personally i just pre-ordered mine last night, i suggest you do the same, don't sleep on this one kids!

INFO STRAIGHT FROM Rhymesayers
+01.10.2007+  Pre-Order Brother Ali's The Undisputed Truth!


 




Pre-Orders available for The Undisputed Truth NOW at Fifth Element and www.fifthelementonline.com.

All pre-orders for Brother Ali's "The Undisputed Truth" will include:
• an autographed copy of the album
• Brother Ali sticker
• 2 FREE mix cd's:
"Off The Record" (Brother Ali & BK One) &
"Where'd You Get That Funk From?" (Brother Ali & Plain Ole Bill)

Mix CDs described at www.fifthelementonline.com.

Welcome!

Hey Welcome to the Unofficial Rhymesayers Entertainment blog - This will be your go to place for the newest Rhymesayers news, shows, and basiclly anything else you could ever want to know about Rhymesayers. Artist bio's are pretty much complete, note that much of the information came straight from the Rhymesayers' website - so they get credit for that, also some information came from wikipedia.org. New information added will be directed more towards news and shows - so enjoy!

Vitamin D

Vitamin D has been holding down the Northwest since early 1989. This established DJ, Producer & Emcee has opened up for nearly every significant artist that has come through Seattle. Along with fellow Seattle beatsmith Jake One, Vitamin has caught the ears of everyone from Hip Hop's underground to the Quincy Jones of Hip Hop himself, Dr. Dre. Vitamin has produced for De La Soul, Kardinal Offishall, Planet Asia, Rakaa-Iriscience (Dilated Peoples) and is currently working on Chali 2na (Jurrasic 5) & Gift of Gab's (Blackalicious) respective solo albums.

Psalm One

Psalm One never likes to sit in one place for too long. It makes her knees hurt, and beyond the physical discomfort it stifles her. Her music mirrors these sentiments, keeping her raps as ever-changing as the scenery. A Southside Chicago native, this rookie Rhymesayer has been raising eyebrows since 2002, with her self-released debut LP Bio:Chemistry. Released while Psalm was studying Chemistry at the University of Illinois, Bio:Chemistry was well received and served as a resume of sorts after graduating and returning home to Chicago later that year. After a powerful performance on the 2003 Nacrobats release Always (Birthwrite), Psalm went back to the lab with Chicago producer Overflo.

In 2004, bridging the gap between her previous work and her forthcoming album, she released Bio:Chemistry II: Esters and Essays (Birthwrite). It was a re-release of her 2002 debut, plus 5 unreleased tracks, repackaged and remastered. While staying diligent in the studio, her tour schedule began to become equally as busy performing on Warped Tour Code of the Cutz stage, the annual Scribble Jam Festival and B-Girl Be Summit in Minneapolis, as well as, sharing the stage with: 50 Cent, Slick Rick, Atmosphere, MF Doom, De La Soul, Camp Lo, Murs, Jean Grae, Royce tha 5'9, Diverse, Blueprint, Brother Ali, Masta Ace, Prince Paul, Casual of Heiroglyphics and many more. In 2005 she was named as on of URB's Next 100 and featured "as next to blow up" in such publications as: Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times and The Onion which only added fuel to her ever-glowing fire.

The Death of Frequent Flyer, out this summer on Rhymesayers Entertainment, shows her talent and versatility. It's a collection of songs, travels, and late nights, inspired by the sounds of the city from someone who has heard its voice. She successfully boasts of Chicago roots in blues and never lacks the soul of a hip hop treasure. Vocally she is skilled and smooth, yet doesn't indulge in over used rhymes or patterns. The album features production from: Ant of Atmosphere, Overflo, Maker, Thaione Davis, Confucious, Madd Crates and features Brother Ali, Thaione Davis, Ang13, vocalist KaDi and DJ DQ(Glue). Psalm One is a true fan of music, exceptional lyricist, quirky b-girl and former saxophonist. A cross between Lauryn Hill and Devin The Dude, Psalm One is influenced by everything she encounters, this new kid on the block emits the vibes of an old pro. If you like your mom, you'll like Psalm One.

Mr. Dibbs

Rumor has it that Mr. Dibbs once battled God...It's said that he lost but came in a close second. This would probably explain the horns as well as why Mr. Dibbs has become one of the most respected and innovative turntablist/dj style producers in the game. When the Invisibl Skratch Piklz get asked what break records are among their favorite and most used, Mr. Dibbs Unearthed series is always listed as a must have for any turntablist. This same Unearthed break record series has also been the break record of choice by numerous DMC & ITF DJ Champions such as Dj Craze, Dj Klever, Mixmaster Mike (see. Beastie Boys 3MC's & 1DJ video & song) and too many others to mention.

Los Nativos

With a Mexican identity, and using music as the backdrop, Los Nativos brings a new element to Hip Hop. Los Nativos was established in 1996 in St. Paul, Minnesota and was also one of the original groups in the Head Shots crew (later to become Rhyme Sayers Entertainment). Since that time, they have been nominated by the Minnesota Music Awards for "Best New Band" in 1996, "Best Hip Hop Group" in 1999, and "Best Hip Hop Recording" in 2003.

The group consists of Felipe Espinoza-Day (Felipe Cuauhtli) and Jermain Ybarra (Chilam Balam). Both of them being lyricists, Cuauhtli often lends live percussion talents, while Balam (the mastermind behind the production) conducts the keyboard. Needless to say, Los Nativos transports an aboriginal musical alliance while staying genuine to the Hip Hop culture.

Throughout their eight years in existence, Los Nativos have polished their craft by taking all the music they have experienced to develop a Hip Hop structure accented by a broken Spanish and English flavor. With a conscious message, the lyrical style adds a political motivation, community awareness and current events of the world to give the listener a sense of what's going on in their world. By integrating Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Tejano, Mariachi, Salsa and Cumbia, the groups delivers an original musical collage of their own.

The Los Nativos mission is simple - to be heard. Bringing their music to the people was the priority, which meant years of performing in church basements, house parties, political rallies, youth conferences, community events and finally making their way into concert venues. Los Nativos has now played venues in Minneapolis, Chicago, Texas, Arizona, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Iowa, Michigan, Washington and California. Most recently they have completed a 10 city tour throughout Mexico and were featured in the December 2003 issue of The Source magazine. They have shared the stage with The Roots, Ozomatli, RUN DMC, Atmosphere, and Black Eyed Peas to list a few.

In 2002, Los Nativos released a three-song single titled "AtLtLACHINOLLi" or "The Water Between Water and Fire" (a battle cry of the Aztec Warrios). The single contained the songs "Sobrenatural," "Tengolallave," and "Sincontrol." Los Nativos deals with the struggles of everyday youth, while still allowing entertainment to be the baseline of their message.

The album, "Dia De Los Muertos," or "Day of the Dead," after years of preparation, is a well-balanced album focused on Indigenous issues while bringing the message of the "calle" (street) to the music. Available on CD from Rhyme Sayers Entertainment.

"If Emiliano Zapata and Ernesto "Che" Guevara were alive today, Los Nativos would be their rap group of choice." - The Source

Grayskul

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? A single listen to Grayskul and you'll be transported to the pages of an animated world which seems to mirror the struggles and conflicts of our own.

On their debut full length Deadlivers, Oldominion's Onry Ozzborn & JFK along side their partner in rhymefighting, bass player Rob Castro, enter the proverbial phone booth and emerge as their respective superhero alter egos. Reason, Fiddle Back Recluse and Phantom Ghost El-Topo. If this trio of visionaries were raised in a world before beat machines and microphones, they might have found their creative outlet among the Stan Lee's and Jack Kirby's of the world, spinning a new mythology centered around the heroics of their focal characters.

Seasoned veterans of the rap game and sharing stages with rap luminaries too varied to list entirely, they have spent the last 5 years touring extensively with their Oldominion crew as well as the Def Jux and Rhymesayers camps. The Grayskul live show itself is unique in that it consists of 2 emcees (Reason & Recluse), live bass (Phantom Ghost El Topo) and a DJ. They're no strangers to the recording studio either, with previous solo projects and appearances on Oldominion crew albums. They've apparently impressed their peers in the industry as well, as they have attracted guest appearances from legendary battle emcee Canibus, current indie Hip Hop idol Aesop Rock, Project Blowed heavyweight Abstract Rude and Howard Zinn's favorite rapper, Mr. Lif.

Asked for comment on the trio, Mr. Lif said, "Grayskul tends to consistently do things that other rap groups wish they could do even once in a while". Aesop Rock went on to say, "Grayskul has managed to forge a sound and style that is airtight as albums from Hip Hop's golden age while remaining unique" and Atmosphere DJ, Mr. Dibbs states simply, "I like to beat up people to their music".

Onry & JFK have taken their years of experience and hard work and managed to join forces to create their best work to date with Deadlivers, a 17 track dark but energetic roller coaster ride through the minds of the skul.

The world is once again safe from treachery, Grayskul's on the clock

Soul Position

Ever since coming together as Soul Position in 2001, Columbus, OH natives Blueprint and RJD2 have had their hands full with more solo work and side projects than most MCs or producers could fathom. When not crafting instrumental masterworks like Dead Ringer, RJ can be found producing for MCs like Aceyalone or providing remixes for non-hip-hop acts like Massive Attack. Meanwhile Blueprint has recently made quite a name for himself as a MC/producer extraordinaire with the stellar album 1988 and continues to knock out tracks with his original crew, Greenhouse Effect and fellow Columbus rep Illogic. Yet, as two of the hardest working heads in hip-hop, this duo still manages to find time to unite as Soul Position and produce some of the most sought after beats and rhymes out today.

With the always spirited �Print on the mic and RJ deftly manning the boards, this pair caught the underground by storm with their 6-song EP Unlimited in 2002. Only a year later they got heads listening a lot more closely with 2003�s pensive full-length debut, Eight Million Stories.

As Blueprint expresses through Soul Position�s new material, it was a long, sometimes uncertain road from when they recorded Eight Million Stories until now. But with the duo back in action, as their new album�s title says, Things Go Better With RJ and Al. On this well-balanced release, �Print delves into a greater variety of subject matter than ever, as he speaks on reshaping the Black identity in hip-hop and, on the lighter side, warns people not to waste his precious cell phone minutes. And as usual, RJ mines an abundance of funky samples for his partner in rhyme to enthusiastically rhyme over. On their new album, Soul Position dodges the dreaded sophomore jinx and delivers yet another gimmick-free release that�s sure to be one of the most talked about records of 2006.


Soul Position is a underground hip hop group from Columbus, Ohio comprising of DJ, and producer; RJD2 and rapper; Blueprint. They have released two albums and one EP on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Discography

* Unlimited EP, (Rhymesayers, 2002)
* 8 Million Stories, (Rhymesayers, 2003)
* 8 Million Stories: Instrumentals, (Rhymesayers, 2003)
* Things Go Better with RJ and AL (Rhymesayers, 2006)

Singles

* Hand-me downs, (Things Go Better with RJ and AL, 2006)

Slug

Slug is the main alias of Sean Daley, (born in 1973[1]), who is an underground rapper from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The name "Slug" is derived from Sean's childhood nickname "Little Sluggo", which came from his father's nickname "Sluggo". The backronym "Sean Likes Ugly Girls" was formed from his name as the title of an unofficial 5CD set. He also goes by the name Seven which he has tattooed (as Se7en) on his forearm.


Ethnicity

Slug is one half white, one quarter black, and one quarter Native American. However, he identifies as being black, as a result of his grandfather being black and his father being half black, growing up with a largely black group of friends, and being immersed in hip hop culture from a young age.

Music and business

Slug is best known as one half of the hip hop group Atmosphere, which he founded with now ex member, Derek Turner (Spawn). He is also one of the founders of the Minnesota Hip Hop record label Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Another notable project of Slug's is Felt, a collaboration with his friend, another underground rapper, MURS. Other projects he has been a part of include The Dynospectrum, in which he was known as "Sept Sev Seven Two", and Deep Puddle Dynamics. He is a member of a loose collective known as The Orphanage.

In 2005, Slug and MURS started up Women Records, a record label through which they would release the albums of rock bands that they were friends with. The label was set up as an imprint through Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Lyrical Themes

The most prominently recurring theme in Slug's music is a woman who he refers to as Lucy. He named an EP The Lucy EP after her and mentions her on almost every Atmosphere album, a notable song being Fuck You Lucy. Slug has stated that whilst Lucy was originally used to write about his on-off girlfriend and mother to his son, Lucy has evolved past this to be a device to write about women in general and even disguise political statements.[2]

Discography

Atmosphere

* Overcast! (1998)
* Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EPs (2001)
* God Loves Ugly (2002)
* Seven's Travels (2003)
* Headshots: SE7EN (2005)
* You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having (2005)

Felt

* Felt: A Tribute to Christina Ricci (2002)
* Felt, Vol. 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet (2005)

With Deep Puddle Dynamics

* Taste of Rain, Why Kneel? (2000)

With The Dynospectrum

* The Dynospectrum (1998)

P.O.S.

“A message in a bottle written in gas and oil. Signed with a rag and a match, here catch.”- P.O.S Half Cocked Concepts

Whether falling of the stage or falling off his bike, P.O.S probably puts a little too much of himself into everything he does. His live show is machine-gun patterns, flailing, and giggles. Occasionally a bloody lip. Usually his, sometimes yours. His production is like a field recording of a drunken blacksmith. Disjointed but compelling, because yo, what is dude making?

Much has been made of P.O.S’s punk rock past; the tattoos and piercings, the skater fashion, the high school pictures of young P.O.S. sporting a frohawk. Fact is, P.O.S is not a cross-over artist. He has been rapping as long as he’s been thrashing. His punk sensibility doesn’t make him less of a rapper, it makes him more of a musician. P.O.S fuses the angst and sincerity of punk rock with the bass, wit, and lyricism of underground hip-hop. On his first album, P.O.S raps, “We went from lower-lower class to lower class to upper-lower class.” And he is living his own tongue-in-cheek rags-to-sportier-rags story.

Ipecac Neat, P.O.S’s debut full-length album, was self released to unanimous praise in 2004. Recognizing P.O.S’s raw energy and talent Rhymesayers Entertainment, the reigning princes of the underground quickly signed P.O.S and re-released Ipecac Neat. Since then P.O.S has been around the country three times performing with Atmosphere and has gained an increasingly enthusiastic fan base with every pass as he prepares for the release of his sophomore album, Audition on January 31st, 2006.

What forces conspired to create P.O.S? A chance encounter one day at a cousin’s house, seven year old Stefon discovered a bass guitar. Allowed to take it home, he banged the hell out of this old hobby bass for two years without realizing he needed an amp. The bass guitar led to stef unearthing the music of punk rock. It was easy to learn and had the right aggressive energy. He now had an outlet, music. Not just any music but punk rock. He knew this was for him but didn’t always feel the same open arms from the scene as a black punk.

Body surfing at a festival, a thirteen-and-a-half-year-old Stefon kicked a kid named Kai in the face. Two weeks later while moshing at a friend’s house party, he kicked Kai in the face again. They’ve been friends ever since. The two started the punk band Om and recorded a couple tapes with album titles like, Themes for Young Lovers. P.O.S also drummed for Cadillac Blindside before founding Building Better Bombs, who still tours today.

Punk Rock was P.O.S’s first love, but after being introduced to rap by Crescent Moon (Oddjobs/Kill the Vultures), BAMF (Mike Mictlan), Company Flow’s Funcrusher album and Rhymesayers Headshots cassettes he began rapping as a hobby. Back in 1996, at fifteen years old, P.O.S joined his first rap experiment, Room 237. Based on the hotel room from The Shining, this initial experiment generated nothing more than piles of cassette recordings but Hip Hop had taken hold of him. In 2001 P.O.S along with rapper Syst, and DJ Basis founded the group Cenospecies. The crew was short-lived, releasing only one album: Indefinition. In 2002’s City Pages Best of The Twin Cites issue, Cenospecies received “Best Band To Break Up In The Past 12 Months”. The kid even falls apart pretty.

Enter Doomtree. Remember the perpetually black-eyed Kai? Well along with Kai, P.O.S regrouped and formed a production duo known as Doomtree. Over the next couple of years, the duo grew into a formidable crew of rappers, producers and dj’s, including: Mike Mictlan, Sims, Dessa, Cecil Otter, Marshall Larada, Bobby Gorgeous, Emily Bloodmobile, Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, Turbo Nemesis, and Tom Servo. Heading up this collective P.O.S delivered their first full-length album, Ipecac Neat. Boasting innovative production, and an emcee that managed to be clever and earnest at the same time Ipecac received much critical acclaim:

Album of the Year –The Star Tribune

“This is the type of record Hip Hop fans should be pleading for.”
–Minnesota Daily

4 Minnesota Music Award Nominations

4 Critics’ Choice Award Nominations

The letters of the P.O.S acronym remain the same today, but the meaning constantly changes. Promise of Skill. Product of Society. Piece of Shit. Pissed Off Stef. Everyday is different and each definition has a purpose. P.O.S, a rapper/producer that also fronts a punk band, an artist influenced by Minor Threat as much as Dr. Dre, a musician that is self-taught to play guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and can still ride a skateboard. From seventies funk to eighties hardcore to nineties rap, P.O.S has the unique ability to incorporate all his influences into a cohesive style without being calculated or contrived.

Audition, the sophomore album from P.O.S is his first real step, what he sees as his audition to the world. A first step after years of preparation, to say more with less and to present smarter songs while blending redefined styles. The songs are shorter, punker, louder and overall more abrasive while remaining grounded in Hip Hop. Audition features a unique blend of guest appearances; Slug of Atmosphere, Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, Greg Attonito of Bouncing Souls, Maggie of Digitata and Doomtree’s Mictlan. The majority of the album is self produced by P.O.S with additional production by Emily Bloodmobile and Lazerbeak.

Life prepares you with the experiences necessary to make great songs. Music provides the outlet. Performing cultivates the songs. Time gives you the patience to master your craft. It’s been a long time since a young Stefon picked up a bass guitar and P.O.S is definitely on his way to lower-middle class.

P.O.S. (born Stefon Alexander), is a rapper signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment and a founding member of Doomtree.

Biography

Naming

P.O.S. began as a punk rock musician. In high school, Alexander and his friends played punk shows in a band called "Om," in which he first came to be referred to as "Pissed Off Stef." The abbreviation has taken on various and indefinite meanings since, including "Product Of Society", "Promise Of Stress", "Promise Of Skill" and "Piece Of Shit".

Entering rap

At first hostile to hip-hop, as many of his fellow rock musicians were, Alexander soon realized that rap was an alternative, valid method of expression. He began creating music that was increasingly influenced by the genre, despite having very little respect for mainstream rap.

In the Minneapolis music scene, P.O.S. has become increasingly known through his connections with local hip-hop collective Rhymesayers Entertainment, and his CD is sold through their distribution network, including their local store, Fifth Element, and their webstore[1]. He is also distributed through the iTunes music store. P.O.S. is also a founding member of the up-and-coming Doomtree crew.

Style

P.O.S. retains his punk rock influence in songs like Kidney Thief, but his music cannot easily be labelled. He has described his music as "rap to skateboard to". Through raw drum beats, punk rock bass guitar riffs, and heated, verbose, sharp wordplay, Alexander has crafted a style that is largely his own. In such songs as Kicking Knowledge in the Face, he rails against those "mainstream" rappers who utilise the art form to tout the virtues of the superficial (rims and jewelry).

Shows

P.O.S. often plays local shows throughout Minnesota, and occasionally tours the country with some of the Rhymesayers. His latest album is the critically acclaimed Audition. In promotion of Audition, P.O.S. toured across the United States and Canada with DJ Turbo Nemesis, Mac Lethal, and Sims.

Other projects

Alexander is also a member of the band Building Better Bombs.

Discography

* Ipecac Neat (Rhymesayers Entertainment, 2005)
* Audition (Rhymesayers Entertainment, 2006)

Eyedea

Eyedea (born Micheal Larsen in 1982, also known as Oliver Hart) is a well-known freestyle battle champion and underground rapper. His notable wins include the televised Blaze Battle sponsored by HBO (2000) and a victory at Scribble Jam (1999). He has appeared as a solo artist, and as the emcee half of the duo Eyedea & Abilities (along with longtime friend and collaborator DJ Abilities). His non-battle rhymes are generally philosophically or thematically based, and often tell a definite narrative. His song "Bottle Dreams" is a well known piece about a sexually abused violin prodigy who commits suicide.

For much of his youth, Eyedea lived with his mother in downtown St. Paul, MN. He attended Highland Park Senior High School, with interests including psychology, physics, and yoga. Favorite authors include James Joyce, and Finnegan's Wake is a favorite text of his.

First establishing himself as a battle emcee, Eyedea toured the circuit between 1997 and 2001, notably winning top prizes at Scribble Jam ‘99, the Rock Steady Anniversary 2000, and Blaze Battle Chicago 2000. He contributed a track to the Anticon compilation, Music for the Advancement of Hip Hop. Additionally, he toured extensively as second emcee for Atmosphere, with DJ Abilities sometimes filling in for Mr. Dibbs as tour DJ.

In 2001, he released First Born with his partner DJ Abilities (collectively, they were initially called the Sixth Sense, but they are now known as Eyedea & Abilities). In 2002, under his pen name "Oliver Hart", he released the self-produced The Many Faces of Oliver Hart. In 2004, he and Abilities reunited to release the self-titled album E&A (released March 23, 2004). All of Eyedea's releases have been on the Rhymesayers record label.

In addition to touring independently and with Rhymesayers labelmates, Eyedea and Abilities participated in the Def Jux-sponsored Who Killed the Robots? tour, titled by Eyedea.

As of 2006, Eyedea has seemingly abandoned hip-hop writing and battle rapping for a new rock music project entitled Carbon Carousel. There has been much debate on few online messageboards with regards to this new direction, consequently, Eyedea or Mike - as he's going by now, has addressed these criticisms via a now-removed blog entry on the group's Myspace page.

As well as performing with Carbon Carousel, Mike has also released an album of his freestyling over jazz percussion entitled Face Candy.

He is signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment, and has been known to collaborate with Slug, Blueprint and Sage Francis.

Discography

* First Born (2001)
* The Many Faces of Oliver Hart (2002)
* E&A (2004)

MF DOOM

Greetings True Believers, This issue�s opening scene is set in an undisclosed and unassuming location which serves as the secret hideout for one of the most feared, yet most respected super-villians....the man known only as Doom. �Known� in this case is extremely vague at best. For who truly knows what lurks behind those eyes which pierce thru from beneath that metal face? Yes, another masked man. The history of the masked man is as uncertain as it is legendary.. The legacy of Doom is no different. What purpose does the mask serve; does it hide the otherwise visable scars of pain? is it an escape from wrong doings of the past? or does its presence mark the setting of conquest for the future? One thing is for certain and that is it�s no mystery that Hip Hop is not a safe-ground for second chances. They are few and far between....nearly non-existent. However, Doom is indeed a product of rarity. The world was first familarized with him as the mild-mannered Zev Love X of the group K.M.D. Zev�s personal entrance into the business was the result of the helping hands of Third Bass who let him shine on �The Gas Face� from their debut �89 album. Not long after, K.M.D dropped a few top notch singles and a well received album entitled �Mr. Hood� on Elektra in �91. Following the success of that, K.M.D was further preparing to establish themselves as the �Kause of Much Damage� onto the industry... Unfortunately, tragedy struck both musically and personally. First, one of the lead MCs, Onyx, left the group leaving the weight on the remaining two, who happened to be brothers; Zev Love X & Subroc. Then K.M.D�s second album,�Black Bastards� suffered delays due to the label being unaccepting of their artwork which was a twist on their logo; a �x� out sign over the sambo character which had long been used as a premier negative potrayal of black people, particularly in entertainment. K.M.D lost the fight to maintain the use of the character and the cover although the context of the character as a logo was obviously an attempt to destroy this perception , initiate a healing process, and most importantly relay a more positive and accurate depiction of black people. Regardless, the ending result was the label opting to drop the project and the group itself off the label. Amiss all of this choas tragedy struck again only this time much closer to home as Zev�s brother, Subroc, was struck by a car and returned to the essence... Time off was needed and taken. Internal evolutions occured. Musical mutations took place. The mask was forged and donned then finally in �97 Zev resurfaced, but now the monkier was DOOM! Indeed much had changed.....then again maybe not so much. Perhaps the previous events only accelerated that which would have been an eventual natural metamorphisis. No one can ever really be certain. What we do know is that Doom�s approach to music is what defines such phrases as, �the fine line between insanity and genius�. Unconventional. Abstract. Unorothodox. These words merely scrape the surface of the layer of grain he goes against; musically, conceptually and let us not forget rhythmically. As if to mock the standards of musical timing his vocal patterns take shape and words land upon the drums in the same manner that a rock is skipped great distances across a lake; skillfully, constant yet erratic, and without a hint of when it will come to an end. Behind the boards and sampler things aren�t much different. Doom has long abandoned the rules of what is supposedly allowed or forbidden; 80�s R&B hits, rap classics, afternoon cartoon favorites...all are suitable prey for the hands of Doom. All to often such creativity breeds inferior imitations, but in all honesty I seriously doubt that Doom has much to trouble himself with in this realm. In a somewhat ironic twist, this could be viewed reminiscent of The Mighty Thor (one of many who attempted to foil Doom�s comic book counterpart) and his legendary hammer which could only be lifted by those deemed equally worthy. Doom�s style seems unfit for any would be clones. The pure truth of the matter is that Doom best personifies the orgins of Hip Hop...even better than those who may focus on attempting to make music that sounds like how it did �back in the day� or the �old school�. This is simply proven by the fact that Hip Hop culture was built on rebellion.The act of doing that which was generally considered to be taboo and that friends..is the essence of Doom! Reissue of - Operation Doomsday - 2006


MF DOOM aka Daniel Dumile is an American hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career - originally Zev Love X, most famously MF DOOM, and in side projects as King Geedorah, Metal Fingers and Viktor Vaughn.
Contents

History

Early Years with KMD

He was born in Southeast London, England on January 9, 1971 to a Zimbabwean father and a Trinidadian mother [citation needed]; the family moved to New York and lived in Long Island where he was raised.

As Zev Love X, he formed the group KMD with his younger brother Subroc and another MC called Onyx The Birthstone Kid. Originally, "KMD" stood for "Kausing Much Damage," but before their first album they changed it to "a positive Kause in a Much Damaged society." His debut on record came when he appeared on the song "The Gas Face" from The Cactus Album by the rap group 3rd Bass. A&R Dante Ross learned of KMD from 3rd Bass, and signed them to Elektra Records.[1] In 1991 KMD released their album Mr. Hood, which became a minor hit through its singles "Peachfuzz", "Who Me?" and heavy video play on cable TV's Yo! MTV Raps and Rap City. The group is seen today as a part of the genre of conscious hip hop outings, along with labelmates Brand Nubian, Poor Righteous Teachers, and early De La Soul.

Subroc was accidentally struck and killed by a car in 1993 while attempting to cross a busy Long Island expressway, before the release of a second KMD album entitled Black Bastards. The group was subsequently dropped from Elektra Records before the release of the album due to controversy over the album's cover art[1] which featured a cartoon of a stereotypical pickaninny or sambo character being hanged from the gallows.

With the loss of his brother, Dumile became disillusioned and began to suffer from bouts of depression. He disappeared from the hip-hop scene from 1994-1997, and testifies to living "damn near homeless, walking the streets of Manhattan, sleeping on benches and shit" [1]. Shortly after this time, he left New York City and settled in Atlanta. According to interviews with DOOM, he was also "recovering from his wounds" and swearing revenge "against the industry that so badly deformed him." Meanwhile, Black Bastards was heavily bootlegged and Zev Love's legend grew.

Birth of MF DOOM
Operation: Doomsday
Operation: Doomsday

In 1997, he began appearing at the Nuyorican Poets Café at open mic events for rappers, although few people knew that the man freestyling with a stocking over his face was the former Zev. The imaginative MC began using the new identity MF DOOM, inspired by the Marvel Comics supervillain, Dr. Doom from the Fantastic Four comic, using a metal mask while performing and refusing to be photographed without it ("MF" stands for "metal face". MF Grimm used the same initials but this stands for "Mad Flows"). (Note: this could also be Microphone Fiend DOOM referencing the song of same name released in '88 by Eric B. & Rakim on Follow the Leader).

The release of Operation: Doomsday in 1999 by independent label Fondle 'Em marked the official turning point for Dumile in his reinvention of himself from a major label recording artist of minor status to independent artist, where he would find his greatest success while maintaining the most control over his music.

Operation: Doomsday was received very well by underground listeners and was re-released in 2000 by SubVerse Music. In December of 2000 Dumile shot two music videos for the album's re-release, his first two videos in nearly a decade. "Dead Bent" and "?" featuring Kurious Jorge were shot in New York City by video artist PISTON HONDA. They received limited airplay on cable access video channels and a skateboard culture video called "Lunchbox" in the US. MTV France however, played both videos in rotation. The following year, he began releasing albums of instrumental work, a series known as Special Herbs for several small record labels under the name Metal Fingers. He created an additional alter-ego King Geedorah as a member of Monsta Island Czars, a group consisting of MF Grimm and (currently) 13 other underground New York emcees who released their debut album in 2003. It appears that his tenure in the Monsta Island Czars is now over.

Mainstream recognition

MF DOOM was still far below the radar of mainstream press when two albums were released under new aliases in 2003. The first was Vaudeville Villain, released under the name Viktor Vaughn on Sound-Ink Records, and the second was King Geedorah's Take Me To Your Leader, released by Big Dada/Ninja Tune. Viktor Vaughn appears as solely a rap project - he has no production or executive producer credit on the album, but raps throughout the album - and alternately, King Geedorah is a conceptual production project. Although he raps on few of the songs on Take Me To Your Leader, the album is produced entirely by MF DOOM. Several of his long time collaborators appear as MCs.

DOOM's first commercial breakthrough came in 2004, with the album Madvillainy together with producer Madlib under the group name Madvillain. Released by Stones Throw Records, the album was a critical and commercial success. MF DOOM was seen by mainstream audiences for the first time as Madvillain received publicity and acclaim in publications such as Rolling Stone, New York Times, The New Yorker, and Spin. A video for "All Caps" and a 4-date U.S. tour followed the release of Madvillainy. An additional video for "Rhinestone Cowboy" and a segment from the tour are shown on the DVD Stones Throw 101.

DOOM was featured on the 2004 De La Soul release The Grind Date, MF DOOM rapping on the track "Rock Co.Kane Flow", which was also released as a single. Late in the year, DOOM's second solo album MM..Food? was released by the Minnesota-based label Rhymesayers Entertainment, using various food items to metaphorically explain life and himself. As Viktor Vaughn he released his sophomore effort Venomous Villain (also called VV2), an album which received mixed reviews. Many criticised the production values, which were considered inferior to DOOM's recent work. Also criticised was its length: 33 minutes, only 10 of which feature DOOM.

In 2005 MF DOOM took another step towards the mainstream (while maintaining his independent artist status) with The Mouse and the Mask, a collaboration with producer DJ Danger Mouse released under the group name DangerDoom. The album was released on October 11, 2005 and frequently references characters from Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. He also voiced the giraffe named Sherman in Adult Swim's Perfect Hair Forever; not coincidentally a song on The Mouse and the Mask called "Perfect Hair" references the cartoon extensively. Perfect Hair Forever did not debut officially on Adult Swim until a month after Danger Doom, so many listeners might not have understood the references to Coiffio and Mt. Tuna. Also on this album, MF DOOM dissed M.I.C and MF Grimm in a song called "El Chupa Nibre" when he referred to the group as "midgets into crunk". MF Grimm featured a retaliatory track, "The Book of Daniel," as the closing track on his 2006 triple album, American Hunger.

In 2005, MF Doom appeared on two other Danger Mouse-produced projects: the Gorillaz album "Demon Days", rapping on the song "November Has Come", and Danger Mouse's remix of Zero 7's "Somersault". In 2004 he appeared on the track "Social Distortion" by Prince Po, which was produced by Danger Mouse.

Current and upcoming projects

MF Doom produced four tracks on Ghostface Killah's Fishscale album released in April, and two tracks on Ghostface Killah's More Fish. The two are also currently at work on a collaboration album called "Swift & Changeable". Doom is also planning to make another Madvillain album with producer Madlib, with one song, Monkey Suite, first appearing on the Adult Swim/Stones Throw Records album Chrome Children, which also contains the first-ever live show by DOOM released on DVD. He is also featured in the single 'More Soup' with rapper Moka Only from the group Swollen Members.

He also plans to make another Dangerdoom album with Danger Mouse. Also planned is another solo release, a new record under his alter ego Viktor Vaughn, a new King Geedorah album and a new album under the KMD name. [2]

He hosted Adult Swim on Christmas Eve, 2006.

Style

MF Doom's lyrics are sometimes perceived as eccentric. With an abundant use of polysyllabic rhymes and bizarre metaphors, MF Doom combines complex syntax with phrasing to create a rhyme flow that is both exhausting and entertaining. For example, an excerpt from Kookies, from the studio album MM..Food?:

One lonely evening alone home,
End up with carpel tunnel syndrome,
Here I am known for giving heavy back aches,
Grown and living off of Little Debbie snack cakes

Samples from old cartoons (particularly Fantastic Four cartoons in which characters refer to "DOOM") frequently find their way into MF Doom's productions. His songs commonly lack the typical verse/chorus structure in favor of showcasing extended rhyme schemes and strophic or repeating beats and melodies.

Unlike many rappers' third-person point of reference (most often used as a device of egotistical self-promotion), MF Doom refers to himself to better convey his own semi-fictional persona. Doom himself is a caricature, a masked incarnation of the "supervillain" that his lyrics describe, which combines with personal traits and experiences to create an endlessly fascinating topic for his own songs.

Personal life

Little is known about Dumile's personal life, although he did reveal details in an interview conducted on Independence Day in 2006, that was published on his Myspace page. He stated that he is married, with two children, one of them teenage. [2]

He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. [3]

The Mask

Similar to his name, MF Doom's mask is based on the Fantastic Four character Dr. Doom. Originally, MF Doom sported a mask that was very similar to Dr. Doom's, however his current mask, designed by Lord Scotch, a New York graffiti artist, is styled to resemble a mask worn by a character in the film Gladiator.

Said to hide the metaphorical scars remaining from the death of MF Doom's brother Subroc in 1993, MF Doom has also given a number of alternative meanings for the mask, including the preservation of creative anonymity in the increasingly image-driven genre of hip-hop.

Discography

Below is the list of his official albums.

KMD (as Zev Love X with Subroc and Onyx)

* Mr. Hood (1991)
* Bl ck B st rds (2001)
* Best of KMD (2003)

MF DOOM

* Operation: Doomsday (1999)
* MM..Food? (2004)
* MM..LeftOvers (2004)
* Live from Planet X (2005)

Viktor Vaughn

* Vaudeville Villain (2003)
* VV2: Venomous Villain (2004)

King Geedorah

* Take Me to Your Leader (2003)

Monster Island Czars (as King Ghidra)

* Escape from Monsta Island! (2003)

Madvillain (with Madlib)

* Madvillainy (2004)
* Madvillainy Instrumentals (2004)
* Madvillain Remixes by Four Tet (2005)
* Madvillain Remixes by Koushik (2005)
* "Figaro (Remix)" on Stones Throw 101 (2005)
* "Monkey Suite" on Chrome Children (2006)

Metal Fingers

Main article: Special Herbs

* Special Herbs, Vol. 1 (2001)
* Special Herbs, Vols. 1 & 2 (2002)
* Special Herbs, Vol. 3 (2003)
* Special Herbs, Vols. 3 & 4 (2003)
* Special Herbs, Vols. 4, 5 & 6 (2004)
* Special Herbs, Vols. 5 & 6 (2004)
* Special Herbs, Vols. 7 & 8 (2004)
* Special Herbs, Vols. 9 & 0 (2005)
* Special Herbs: The Box Set Vol. 0-9 (2006)

DangerDoom (with DJ Danger Mouse)

* The Mouse and the Mask (2005)
* Occult Hymn EP (2006) - Digital release by Adult Swim

The Super Villain

* Special Blends Vol. 1&2 (2004)

Others

* Nastradoomus (with Nas) (2003)
* Nastradoomus, Vol. 2 (with Nas) (2003)
* MF EP (with MF Grimm) (2003)

Music Videos

* "Who Me?" (1991)
* "Peachfuzz"(1991)
* "?" (featuring Kurious Jorge) (2000)
* "Dead Bent" (2000)
* "I Hear Voices" (2001)
* "Mr. Clean" (2003)
* "Benzoin Gum" (2004)
* "ALL CAPS" (2004)
* "Rhinestone Cowboy" (2004)
* "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" (2005)
* "Monkey Suite" (2006)