Freestyle Fellowship

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Freestyle Fellowship
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California
Genre(s)	Jazz & Freestyle Hip Hop
Years active	1991—1993 2001—2002
Label(s)	Beats & Rhymes 4th & Broadway Ground Control
Members
Aceyalone P.E.A.C.E. Mikah 9 Self Jupiter
Former members
J. Sumbi M.D. Himself

Freestyle Fellowship are a rap group from Los Angeles consisting of rappers Aceyalone, Mikah 9, P.E.A.C.E., Self Jupiter and producer J Sumbi. Their vocal techniques focusing on the method of the freestyle, as well as a successful infusion of hip hop and jazz established the group as forerunners in the sub-genre of jazz rap, and also placed them amongst prominent West Coast underground hip hop acts of the early 1990s like Hieroglyphics, Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique, and The Pharcyde.

The group was formed at the Good Life Café in LA during the early to mid 90s. Originally they were just a group of friends that met up at the Good Life's open mic sessions. The original Freestyle Fellowship consisted of over 50 members. The Emcees known as Freestyle Fellowship were the members that consistently came to the most open mic sessions.

Officially forming in 1991 and releasing the underground track To Whom It May Concern, the Fellowship became known in tape-trading circles, identified by their range in rhyming, at times bordering on scat, and Afrocentric messages over jazz inspired beat production. Their 1993 release, Innercity Griots is acknowledged by many to be among the best hip hop albums of the 90s.

Aceyalone, the most prolific artist of the group in terms of solo album releases, is known for such works as All Balls Don't Bounce and Magnificent City, a cooperative album with producer RJD2. Mikah 9, P.E.A.C.E. and Self Jupiter also had solo releases, affirming the group's position as a showcase for the varied and individual talents of the individual rapper. Each member continues a part time commitment to the original group, most recently making a 2005 appearance on a compilation for Los Angeles based label Project Blowed, with the track "Outro".

1 Discography
2 External links

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

To Whom It May Concern (1991)
Innercity Griots (1993)
Temptations (2001)
Version 2.0: To Whom It May Concern, Remixes (2001)
Innercity Griots Instrumentals (2002)
Shockadoom (2002)

[edit] Singles

Bullies Of the Block (1992)
Hot Potato (1993)
Can You Find the Level of Difficulty in This? (1999)
Temptations (2001)
Sex In the City (2002)

[edit] Other appearances

Project Blowed "Hot" (Project Blowed - 1994)
Project Blowed w/ T-Love, AC, Nefertiti, BJ, Ganjah K, Medusa, Ko Ko, & Volume 10 "Heavyweights Round 2" (Project Blowed - 1994)
Beneath the Surface "When The Sun Took A Day Off And The Moon Stood Still" (Beneath the Surface/ Celestial - 1998/ 1999)
Mumia 911 w/ Afu Ra, Goldii Lokks, Pharaohe Monch, Wise Intelligent, Slimkid 3, Sayeed, Zack de la Rocha, Jean Grae, Tragedy, Channel Live, Dead Prez, Chuck D, Divine Styler, Last Emperor, & Black Thought "Mumia 911" (Realized Records - 1999)
Nobody "Planets Ain't Aligned Z-Trip Remix" Earthtones (Ubiquity - 1999)
Nobody "Planets Ain't Aligned" No Categories 2: A Ubiquity Compilation (Ubiquity - 1999)
Defcon 4 "Can You Find the Level of Difficulty In This (remix)" (Celestial Recordings - 2001)
O.L.C. "Hungry" Operation Left Coast (Rah Rah Entertainment - 2001)
We Came From Beyond "Ummm" (Razor & Tie - 2001)
The Rob One All-Stars w/ Awol One, 2mex, Key Kool, Subtitle, Rakaa-Irisceince, RadioInactive, Adlib, Jizzm, Zag Brown, Xololanxinxo, Nelia, Dr. Oop, Lord Zen, Exist, Life Rexall, St. Mark 9:23 & Circus "Rob One Rock On" We Came From Beyond (Razor & Tie - 2001)
Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique w/ J Smoov, Neb Luv, Ellay Khule, Medusa, Sugar BJ, Zulu Butterfly, Priest, Nga Fish, K-Bar, Trensetta, Riddlore?, Busdriver, Ko Ko, Volume 10, DJ Rhettmatic & DR. EZ "Heavyweights Round 4" P.A.I.N.T. (Battle Axe - 2001)
Constant Elevation "Crazy" (Astralwerks - 2002)
Omid "Desperate" Omid Presents (2004)
Omid "Got You On the Run" Omid Presents (2004)
Project Blowed w/ Abstract Rude, Nocando, Pterradacto, S.P. & Ellay Khule "Heavyweights Round 5" 10th Year Anniversary (Project Blowed Recordings - 2005)
Project Blowed "Outro" 10th Year Anniversary (Project Blowed Recordings - 2005)