Freestyle Fellowship

Freestyle Fellowship
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Hip hop, freestyle rap, jazz rap
Years active 1991–1993
1998–present
Labels Project Blowed, Decon, 4th & B'way, Island, Sun Music, Beats & Rhymes, Ground Control, Whig Music
Associated acts Project Blowed, Haiku D'Etat
Members Aceyalone
Myka 9
P.E.A.C.E.
Self Jupiter
Past members J. Sumbi
M.D. Himself

Freestyle Fellowship is an American hip hop group from Los Angeles, California. It consists of Aceyalone, Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., and Self Jupiter.[1] They are part of the Project Blowed collective.[2]

History

Freestyle Fellowship was formed at the Good Life Cafe in Los Angeles, California during the early 1990s. In an interview, Myka 9 stated that he knew and grew up with Aceyalone and Self Jupiter since elementary school, and he met P.E.A.C.E. in 10th grade. Before Freestyle Fellowship was formed, Aceyalone, Spoon (of Iodine) and Myka 9 had been in a group called the MC Aces in high school.[3]

In 1991, Freestyle Fellowship released the first album, To Whom It May Concern....[4] In 1993, the group released the second album, Innercity Griots.[5]

Freestyle Fellowship went on hiatus due to the incarceration of Self Jupiter.[6] After his release, the group reunited to record the Shockadoom EP in 1998; it was released in 2002.[7] The third album, Temptations, was released in 2001.[8] In 2011, the group released the fourth album, The Promise.[9]

Style and influences

According to Los Angeles Times, Freestyle Fellowship incorporates "jazz rhythms into its raps, which have the improvisational ebb and flow and the random explosiveness of a jazz solo."[10] In a 1993 interview with Los Angeles Times, the group's member Myka 9 said, "What we are is liberators, liberating rap from its R&B/funk structures--that 4/4 (time) prison."[10]

The group has been described by LA Weekly as "the astral jazz-cracked geniuses of sherm-strafed South Central, rapping with caged bird cadences about sleeping on park benches, biblical books, and gangsta rap carpetbaggers.[11]

Discography

Studio albums

Remix albums

  • To Whom It May Concern... Version 2.0 (2001)

Mixtapes

  • Power Plant (2011)

EPs

Singles

  • "Bullies of the Block" (1992)
  • "Hot Potato" (1993)
  • "Can You Find the Level of Difficulty in This?" (1999)
  • "Sex in the City" (2001)
  • "Temptations" b/w "Ghetto Youth" (2002)

Guest appearances

  • Nobody - "Planets Ain't Aligned" from Soulmates (2000)
  • Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique - "Heavyweights Round 4" from P.A.I.N.T. (2001)

Compilation appearances

  • "Hot" from Project Blowed (1994)
  • "Can You Find the Level of Difficulty in This? (Hive Remix)" from Defcon 4 (2000)
  • "Ummm" from We Came from Beyond (2001)
  • "Crazy" from Constant Elevation (2002)

References

  1. ↑ Serwer, Jesse (October 16, 2012). "35. De La Soul "Transmitting Live From Mars" (1989) / Freestyle Fellowship "Sunshine Men" (1991)". Complex. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ Weiss, Jeff (December 15, 2011). "It's Your Anniversary: Underground hip-hop Project Blowed is 17". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Ring of the Fellowship". LA Weekly. February 14, 2002. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  4. ↑ Cowie, Del F. (September 1999). "Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  5. ↑ Fox, Marisa (July 23, 1993). "Innercity Griots Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  6. ↑ Weiss, Jeff (June 18, 2010). "Knowledge of self: Self Jupiter talks Freestyle Fellowship reunion, returning to school, and the West Coast underground". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  7. ↑ Chennault, Sam (July 14, 2002). "Freestyle Fellowship: Shockadoom". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  8. ↑ Haywood, Brad (February 12, 2002). "Freestyle Fellowship: Temptations". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  9. ↑ Thill, Scott (October 19, 2011). "Freestyle Fellowship's Brain-Hop Delivers on Promise". Wired. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  10. 1 2 Hunt, Dennis (June 29, 1993). "Liberating Rap With Jazz Sound : Freestyle Fellowship Adds Riffs to Rhymes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  11. ↑ Weiss, Jeff (September 27, 2011). "Having Already Influenced Every Rapper You Like, Freestyle Fellowship Are Back". LA Weekly. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Freestyle Fellowship on Twitter: "Our new LP The Masters hoping to get features from @TalibKweli @macklemore @chancetherapper @equipto @SnoopDogg @LuckyovLegends @LASymphony"". Twitter. 2014-05-16. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
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