Pimp C – Since The 90′s (feat. Gator Mane & E-40)

Wiz Khalifa – In The Cut (Remix) (feat. Fashawn)

Group Home – G.U.R.U. (feat. Jeru The Damaja)

Kanye West – Devil In A New Dress (prod. by Bink!)

In a climate of an oversaturated Hip-Hop market and “dumbed-down” content, The Lyricists are a group that champions the creativity and originality it takes to be artists in the Hip-Hop movement, not just a couple of grandiose rappers.

Jewan Reed a.k.a. Rym-B, a native Detroiter, and Robert “Scooter” Johnson a.k.a. Illtone a native of Port Huron, MI, are your quintessential, in the truest definition of the word, emcees for the group. Class and quality being their watchword, their strong stage presence, witty lyrics and adept delivery make them the one-two punch combo that provides both a wildly entertaining stage show and superior lyrical content on albums.

Hailing from the city of Port Huron, Michigan, a city at the end of Detroit’s “Automation Alley” with a population of just over 32,000, this dynamic duo crafts a sound that not only embodies the true-school elements of Hip-Hop, but also keeps pace with the cutting edge of what lyrical virtuosos ought to be. The Lyricists, a name very appropriate in defining their style.

The Lyricists are no strangers to the grind that is trying to gain exposure with what they know is quality Hip-Hop. Beginning with their debut album “Outta Nowhere” (2000) The Lyricists have dropped three LPs, an EP and a mixtape. They are currently and tirelessly performing a full schedule of live shows while concurrently working on two additional EPs with two separate producers. Somehow, despite their already grueling schedule, they also make it a point to keep the freshness coming by dropping a mixtape before the release of each EP. Their most recent project the “Constructicons Mixtape” is due out early Summer 2010. In a time where listeners’ attention spans are shorter, and MP3 libraries grow to extraordinary proportions, The Lyricists are sure to fill the demand of fans wanting more and more from their favorite artists.

“Outta Nowhere” was only the beginning. The Lyricists sophomore effort, “Anti-Industry” (2003) was their opposition to the virtual machine that controls the commercial hip-Hop scene. While it may have seemed like foreshadowing at the time, this concept still rings true today. Their third album “L3” (2005), short for Level 3, symbolized their third effort of professional production together and their motivation to always elevate as artists. “Get Heard or Die Tryin” (2007) was the first of what will prove to be a number of mixtapes used to quench their fans thirst for more material. The project being 25 tracks featured more than a dozen guest emcees and several guest producers. Using social networking and live performance contacts, The Lyricists were receiving instrumental tracks from all over the globe to make the mixtape. The first of their 3 installments of EPs was released in 2009, titled: “Transmittin’ Live” it was the first release under a label. Baltimore, Maryland’s Bmore Original Records was the label and the album was co-produced by DJ Excel who is the founder as well as an artist for Bmore. “Transmittin’ Live” was received and reviewed well by several different media outlets including okayplayer.com and Real Detroit Magazine which review it as one of the top 10 Detroit Hip-Hop albums of 2009. The trilogy of EPs will be complete within a year’s time and will include: “Transmittin’ Live”, a second EP with their long time producer Know-It-All, and a third with another long-time producer by the name of Prologic. Each of the EPs will cover a different media theme that is used to express music: radio, media and videos. Prologic and Know-It-All have been integral parts of The Lyricists creative network. Along with former DJs Speed and Haus Diesel and current DJ Davey the Love Terrorist a.k.a Davey D, and Lee Hoffman, studio manager and engineering extraordinaire, the Lyricists have a close network of very talented supporting cast members to best put an exclamation point on their, hard punch lines and on-point rhymes.

The Lyricists’ music can be heard and/or purchased at various places on the net to include: smoothbeats.com, vinylexchange.com, thelyricists.net, myspace.com/thelyricists, amazon.com, cdbaby.com and iTunes.com. They have shared the stage with Rahzel, The Executioners, J-Rocc of the World Famous Beat Junkies, Camp Lo, Cappadonna and Killa Priest of the Wu Tang Clan, Proof, Slum Villiage, One Be Lo, Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Soul Position and many others and are now ready to bring their energy and chemistry to a stage near you.

The Lyricists – Constructicons (mixtape)

The album’s concept sounds real dope. Can’t wait to hear the finished product.

Damn it takes some skill to throw a Frisbee into a car for a person to catch. Additionally, it is a dope song.

Doc Ish – Make Moves (feat. Buckshot, Rock & Colloso)

So, it sometimes dawns on me randomly that I know a lot of cool motherfuckers that make some amazing music – but since I look at them as comrades first, I forget, I should interview these assholes. …such is the case of this kid they call Thelonious Martin. Check this shit out.

Who are you, where are you from, and, well, what the fuck do you do?

My name is Malcolm J. Martin, but if you like music you know me as Thelonious Martin. From Montclair, NJ via Chicago, I am a music producer, I make heads nod.

Alright, you’re not exactly from a hip hop Mecca. …how did you get into hip hop and eventually fall into beat making?

Started off rapping in middle school, but got more interested in the making of music, and it always interested me even before then I used to get in trouble for beat boxing and making sounds, so I eventually got all my equipment in like 2008 and I’ve been creating ever since.

Where might we have heard your production before? Who have you worked with? Beat compilations? …all that shit.

I have released a couple beat tapes, (Life Of A Teenage Champion, 1UP, Dusty Cartridges). Done production for K.Sparks, Quest, and Moshadee just to name a few, and even featured on the TV Themes Flipped Vol 1&2 with Curtiss King and a cornucopia of producers as well.

In terms of production, who are your favorites? Who do you look up to and who are you trying to model yourself after?

Growing up I was in love with whatever my dad was playing in his car during the summer, so it ranged from Wu-Tang we used to get crazy with to the Floetry we played when my little sister was in the car. As I grew up a bit more people like 9th Wonder, Dilla, and Dj Premier were people I really looked to in terms of style and a foundation to start my own.

Who is the one MC that you would throw a very sharp dart at a baby animal, let’s just say, a puppy (for specificity), to have rap over one of your beats?

Right now, there is a few artists I’d nudge cute cuddly animals into highway traffic for, The Money Making Jam Boys would be one even though its a whole group, yup thats right I cheated. I saw them perform at the Brooklyn Hip Hop fest and they really killed it. Same with Curren$y, yeah its a tie between them.

What do you love and/or hate about hip hop?

I love the music, hate the people who front like its some giant living off in the woods, hip hop is the people, however the people are, thats how the music and culture are gonna be.

So, what’s the plan? …where do you go from here?

Long term goal is a grammy, I do music for myself though. My music is an escape and relaxing process whatever emotions i have go into my beats. Hopefully 2-3 years from now my music be on radio’s nationwide, I’ll be a even better producer, and I’ll be in college.

If we could crack into your hard drive (or whatever ungodly place you keep your music), what would we find? Basically, who are you listening to? …please feel free to NOT limit that to just hip hop.

Honestly if someone got into my itunes they’d shit their self. it’s over 11,000 songs of everything, mainly because my mom and auntie used it too. It’s about roughly 1/3 songs i acquired hunting for samples and the rest is straight up good music. Not saying you won’t find a mainstream artists or two but hey music is music each song you can look at differently and puts you in a different state of emotion. Artist wise in my itunes though there is all of OFWGKTA, Hodgy Beats, Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler the Creator. There’s an astounding J Dilla library, some Janko Nilovic, Dexter Wansel, Dwele, Black Milk, Kanye, Lupe, Brandun Deshay, N*E*R*D. Lets just say its a lot.

What do you want to know about you, you young motherfucker? …what should we walk away from this interview knowing?

I just want people to know that I make feel good music, I turn eighteen on the nineteenth of next month so even though I’m “young” its still from the soul. Oh and that you should download everything from http:theloniousmartin.bandcamp.com/ and look out for Just For Kicks and Player 2…I guess thats it…Shout outs to my people in Montclair, Chicago, and the Left Coast

Peace.Love.And Dilla.

So that concludes my interview with newb Thelonious Martin. …this boy has a few beats that are near and dear to my heart (I know it’s awkward, thinking I have a heart. …and it may or may not be true, but you know what I fucking mean). You DEF need to give his music the old college try (check him out HERE). Peace.

Miami Beat Wave – Virtue Of Success (feat. Skyzoo & Wrekonize) (prod. by Miami Beat Wave)

Hezekiah – Cornbread (feat. D.R.E.S. Tha Beatnik)

Rah Digga – This Ain’t No Lil Kid Rap (Remix) (feat. Redman)