mic.edu, Substance Abuse
The re-release of Brand New Crime, the split EP by hip-hop groups mic.edu and Substance Abuse, is dedicated to the memory of mic.edu’s Lafura Jackson (aka A-Twice), whose life was taken by cancer in 2000 when he was 24 years old.
Brand New Crime was recorded and originally released on cassette in 1998 by Rocketship Records, a small Southern California hip-hop label that also released early recordings by Emanon (Aloe Blacc and Exile), Zion I (AmpLive and Zumbi), and Styles of Beyond. The two groups featured on the project – mic.edu and Substance Abuse – worked with the label to sell several thousands of copies of the tape hand-to-hand, as well as via influential online hip-hop distributors like ATAK.
The five members of mic.edu (A-Twice, DJ Lion, Eriksolo, Quarterbar, and Rüd the Instructor) met as college students at UC Santa Barbara, where they were DJs at the university’s radio station, KCSB. The group’s music was rooted in the sounds of the hip-hop they grew up on, but was also heavily influenced by the jazz, rock, and electronic music they were exposed to via KCSB’s vast library. The duo of Substance Abuse (Eso Tre and Subz) met as LA grade schoolers, where they bonded over a shared love of classic rap. Their songs offered an updated take on this sound, combining intense, thoughtful lyricism with the innovative beats of DJ/producer NO. The two groups met through mutual acquaintances in the Southern California music scene and became close collaborators who remain friends to this day.
Lafura was the son of author Yoshiko Jackson and bassist Paul Jackson, a founding member of the jazz-funk fusion band The Headhunters. He grew up in Tokyo before moving to the US for college, and was graced with the ability to rhyme with equal skill in Japanese and English. He was also a gifted DJ, writer, illustrator, and party promoter who made friends with just about everyone he ever met. With his tragic death, mic.edu disbanded in 2000, leaving behind an album’s worth of studio material, as well as a large collection of radio freestyles and live performance recordings that they plan to someday release.
mic.edu’s Eriksolo and Quarterbar went on to form the hip-hop/electronic pop group Meanest Man Contest and continue to work with DJ Lion and Rüd the Instructor on music and other creative projects. Substance Abuse’s Eso Tre and Subz are currently finishing the follow-up to their highly-acclaimed album Overproof.
The members of both groups arranged for the re-release of Brand New Crime as a tribute to Lafura, so that people can enjoy the work of their friend, who they know would have gone on to do a long list of incredible things if he’d had the opportunity. All proceeds earned by this project will be donated to the Cancer Research Institute in Lafura’s memory.
Credits
* mic.edu is A-Twice, DJ Lion, Eriksolo, Quarterbar, and Rüd the Instructor
* Substance Abuse is Eso Tre and Subz
* Cassette release by Rocketship Records in 1998
* Digital release by Circle Into Square in 2010
* Tracks 1, 3, and 4 produced by Quarterbar
* Track 2 produced by ACV
* Tracks 5-8 produced by NO
* Tracks 1 and 3-8 recorded by E-Dub in 1998 in Oxnard, CA
* Track 2 recorded by ACV in 1998 in San Diego, CA
* Intrepidly mastered from various lo-fi sources (if anyone knows where the original ADATs are, let us know!) by Colin “newageynofriends” Guthrie in Oakland, CA
* Cover art for the 2010 release by Chris Weisbart (based on the 1998 release’s cover art by Chrissie Canino, which was, in turn, based on an awesome photo of Anna Karina by Jean-Luc Godard)
* Dedicated to the memory of Lafura Jackson (aka A-Twice) (1975-2000). Artist proceeds earned by this project will be donated to the Cancer Research Institute in Lafura’s memory.
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