Freestyle Fellowship August 7, 2010

"You always hear the word 'legendary' as if it's like, 'Wow, they did something a long time ago and haven't been prevalent all through the years.'"

Myka 9 is in Cali, reflecting on the word "legend" while working on tracks that will eventually become The Promise, the heavily anticipated new album from hip-hop pioneers Freestyle Fellowship and their first group effort in nearly a decade.

"Legendary" is far from a hyperbolic claim. Emcees Myka 9, Self Jupiter, Aceyalone, and P.E.A.C.E., along with DJ Kiilu Grand, have made an indelible mark on hip-hop since the independent release of 1991's To Whom It May Concern, traveling in stream-of-consciousness rhymes, intricate wordplay, powerful battle raps and thoughtful spoken word poetry that incorporated jazz, funk, soul and reggae all under the umbrella of hip-hop. With subsequent releases Innercity Griots, Shockadoom and Temptations (the former instantly earning "classic" status upon its release), the Los Angeles-based group rose from their initial ciphers at the storied Good Life Café and solidified their stronghold as influential leaders in the underground hip-hop movement.

Never one to rest on their laurels, the group returns harder than ever on (Title), a __-track instant classic that finds the group picking up immediately where they left off. "When I got out, it almost felt like I never left," says Self Jupiter, referring to his recent release from prison. "Nothing had really changed so it was automatic that once I got out, we were going to do another album."

While the group has collectively appeared on countless solo albums, splinter groups and guest spots over their 20-year career, it was an impromptu reunion show in Los Angeles in 2009 that sparked the realization that the whole was greater then the sum of its parts and it was time to get back to the groundbreaking project that started it all.

Official Website: http://www.yoshis.com/sanfrancisco/jazzclub/artist/show/1414