Philadelphia Hip Hop- What’s Underground

With 2012 coming to a close and the holiday season winding down, we get a chance to reflect on the year.  So many things both fantastic and tragic have happened this year, nationally and locally, and music has been there for us to get us through the tough times and help us celebrate in the good times.  As we turn our attention to the new year at hand, few things have me as excited as the movement taking shape in the underground subcultures of Philadelphia hip hop.  What started out as a last minute show at the M Room on Girard ended up blossoming into a star studded event that would prove to be a catalyst for a lasting synergy between some of the underground’s hottest up-and-comers, forging a new alliance in Philly’s notoriously divided rap scene.

One December night an unassuming shed in the backyard of a Fairless Hills rancher played host to an impromptu gathering of MCs with the hopes to shape the face of Philadelphia hip hop.  The Shed is no mere storage unit, but a cultural hub with art and draperies adorning the ceiling and walls, a diverse arsenal of musical instruments, shelves stacked with dusty old vinyl boasting a display of bottles of the finest beer and an infamous, yet rich history of almost a decade’s worth of underground music.

Head of Shed operations is Rob Devious, the core producer whose talent stretches beyond genres and has been rumored to spread beyond space and time as well.  He shuffles back and forth between his instrumentals for ciphers for New Jersey’s own Rich Quick, whose most recent release “I’m with the DJ”  has now crossed the bridges from NJ to PA with a massive following, and Pennsylvania’s Biz Mighty, whose latest release Sumptin for Da Children, alongside Boogie Mandela, Wes Manchild, and Untytled has added to his popular album collection.  Also present is emcee Miles, a 22-year-old Shed original known for unparalleled freestyles and living his often off-color lyrics. He sits alongside Dick DiGiorgio, singer and frontman of the band Kilpoets. The two are listening to their latest Rob Devious produced classic “Anymore”. On their way, Hip Pop sensations CJ and Evan, following their EP release Chick Flick, keep up via text while emcees JOTS and ASK? are also in route.

ASK?

Biz

All of this was made possible by an unexpected call ASK? received from Philadelphia veteran emcee Vas late Wednesday night asking if he was interested in booking a show at the M Room.  The only catch was that the show was in two days.  That night, the M-Room became the scene of the paradigm shifting “Local Legends” show, hosted by none other than Dutch Dap, an emcee soon to release his first EP featuring Malik B of the Roots. Leading off the performances, Philadelphia’s JawnZap7, a hip hop powerhouse whose past year included three full albums, four self-directed videos and opening slots for Cypress Hill, Sublime, & Ghostface Killah.  Philly’s own Ghost Ghang, a coalition of rhymers who met up through the Freestyle Friday ciphers at Temple University, alongside Hall Of Fame of BET 106&Park Freestyle Friday Champion Mike Voss, and New Jersey representatives Rich Quick and the streetwise but philosophical emcee Skrewtape rocked the stage.  Mixing up the roster, Maryland native and multi-talented R&B/Hip Hop artist Milton II shook up the audience with tracks off of his EP-in-progress College Relations. Later on stage were ShedJam’s Biz Mighty, the polymath painter, graphic designer, beat maker and lyrical genius ASK?, ShedJam original Miles, and JOTS, with Ex-Dear Dj on the ones and twos.

Milton

With so much talent in one place the venue was blessed with performances that gave everyone goosebumps.  Lauded by most of the acts as one of the best shows they’ve ever performed in, it wasn’t too long before the talks of collaboration emerged.  The next day text messages and  emails started flying, and social media sites were abuzz.  While Milton II was in The Shed recording for College Relationswith producer Rob Devious, artists from the show’s roster and beyond started signing up to record.  For the next month, The Shed will be a revolving door of incredible underground hip hop and R&B artists recording groundbreaking music.  With plans to continue a monthly show with the same bill and hopes to develop a tour for the summer, this collective will become a movement of great music.

Miles

Sitting in the Shed on this Sunday night listening to all of their latest collaborations, all of these individuals represent a core convergence of many different crews in an alliance of musical mastery.  Every artist is feeding off the other’s energy and the anticipation of greatness is thicker in the air than the cigarette smoke. Every artist has their own releases scheduled to come out in 2013, with collaborations that will stand the test of time, forged in a little shed in Fairless Hills.