Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Boston is doing it again

Edo. G, Slaine, & Jaysaun Form Special Teamz For Duck Down Debut

While the Duck Down name, its history and artists are widely renowned and branded throughout the Hip-Hop landscape, the label is branching out to begin to distribute and promote artists from those outside the typical Boot Camp Clik artist structure and this change signifies a major transition in the label, as it becomes a home to develop and market artists of all flavors. The first such project of this transition will be Special Teamz (EDO. G’s collective group, which also consists of Slaine, Jaysaun, and DJ Jayceeoh) debut Stereotypez; which will be released on 9-25-07.

Genuinely considered the Godfather of Boston Hip-hop, EDO. G has crafted a handful of classics (“Be A Father To Your Child,” “I Got To Have It” and “Love Comes And Goes” among others) and in 1991 his "I Gotta Have it" hit number one on Billboard and the YO! MTV Raps countdown. His debut, Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto, sold over 600,000 units on the strength of Edo's flawless portraits of inequalities in Roxbury, and became his city's first and only rap artist to ever go gold. In the 15 years since, EDO’s dropped four heralded LPs and two EPs, toured the world extensively, and collaborated with the likes of Pete Rock, DJ Premier, KRS One, Common, Black Thought and Masta Ace.

Formerly the front-man for The Kreators, Jaysaun sold 10,000 copies of the Boston classic, Home, (featuring Guru, Big Shug, Akrobatik, Krumbsnatcha, and EDO. G), and was nominated for three Boston Music Awards, and even garnered significant MTV rotation. One of Boston's most respected wordsmiths, Jay has worked with Pete Rock, Cappadonna, and DJ Premier and has been an instrumental component in EDO’s recent solo releases.

The Southie gunner Slaine has become an overnight force! He dropped his infamous mixtape; The White Man is the Devil Volume 1 in 2005 and moved more than 7,000 units without any distribution. Recently he followed that up with its sequel Citizen Caine. Slaine's controversial tales of cocaine abuse, pharmacy robberies, violence, politics, racism, combined with his brutal imagery, have earned him the respect of collaborators such as Royce 5'9", Krumbsnatcha, Hatebreed, DJ Premier, DJ Muggs, B Real, Everlast, DJ Lethal and Ill Bill, the latter three of whom he moonlights with as La Coka Nostra.

For Special Teamz first collaborative effort, Stereotypez, the stakes are much higher. Boasting guest appearances from Devin The Dude, Sean Price, Buckshot, Ill Bill, Akrobatik and Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta as well as production from legendary producers DJ Premier and Pete Rock and rising beatmakers Marco Polo, Moss, Jake One and Xplicit. Special Teamz's Duck Down debut proves what their fanbase already knows: that no matter what preconceived notions people have about their city, Boston's top guns deliver some of the most socio-politically relevant boom-bap in recent memory. And while their rhymes are the sound of race lines being crossed and barriers being broken, it's really just the sound of rewind-worthy Hip-hop music, and that's all that really matters. - Matt Conaway

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