It’s been a decade since the Hieroglyphics crew, quickly recovering from a series of failed major label deals, regrouped to form one of the most lasting and influential imprints in hip-hop. You can’t talk about the West Coast without mentioning Hiero and its crew of ace MCs — Del the Funky Homosapien, Souls of Mischief (A-Plus, Phesto, Opio and Tajai), Casual and Pep Love. (And you can’t forget producer and label manager Domino, either.)
To celebrate 10 years in the game, the mighty Hiero family have lined up a series of special projects. First comes Over Time, a compilation of B-sides and rarities. It actually dropped last Tues., March 20. Next up comes a spring jaunt featuring Souls of Mischief. The quartet will hit several East Coast and Canadian cities, wind through spring music festivals such as Signal Fest and A3C 2007, and pair up with underground vets Zeph & Azeem and Icon the Mic King, and Bukue One on select dates.
A-Plus will drop his solo debut My Last Good Deed on May 1. Finally, this may be the year when we finally get a new Del album.
But first, A-Plus‘ solo debut. In a press release, the Oakland rapper and producer says his solo debut marks the first time he’s been able to freely express himself. “I’ve never said anything this personal on a Souls of Mischief album before… ever,” he says. “When writing songs in a group, you have to keep everyone’s messages in a cohesive manner and that doesn’t always allow for each of our personalities to stand out.” In addition to his beats, A-Plus sought out J-Zone, Q-Tones and Jake One to add tracks.
In related news, Hieroglyphics recently signed a metal group, A Band Called Pain. The group’s album, Broken Dreams, drops on July 3.
Here’s the tour dates:
- 3/30: The Terrace, Pasadena, CA
- 4/13: The Rutledge, Nashville, TN
- 4/14: The Loft, Atlanta, GA
- 4/15: The Hideaway, Johnson City, TN
- 4/18: Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY
- 4/19: Heaven, Ottawa, ON
- 4/20: Tabu/The Outback, Killington, VT
- 4/21: Pepper Jack Cafe, Hamilton, ON
- 4/22: Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI
- 4/23: Abbey Pub, Chicago, IL
- 4/24: The Stonefly, Milwaukee, WI
- 4/26: Emerald Lounge, Asheville, NC
- 4/27: The Soapbox, Wilmington, NC
- 4/28: Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
- 4/29: The Handlebar, Greenville, SC
- 4/30: The Howlin Wolf, New Orleans, LA
- 5/01: Thee Imperial, Jacksonville, FL
- 5/02: Roxanne’s on Main, Oakland Park, FL
- 5/03: The Firestone, Orlando, FL
- 5/04: The Orpheum, Tampa, FL
- 5/05: Beta, Tallahassee, FL
4/13-5/05: w/Bukue One
4/13, 4/18-4/24, 4/28, 4/30-5/04: w/Icon the Mic King
4/14: A3C Festival w/Collective Efforts, Black Milk, Binkis Recs, Kaze, Simple Complexity, Kenn Starr, Proton, Transistor Fist
4/18-4/22: w/Zeph & Azeem
4/28: Signal Fest w/Masta Ace, Wordsworth, DJ Flo Fader, Black Milk
www.hieroglyphics.com
www.myspace.com/hieroglyphics
