First Born (20Th Anniversary Edition)

Description

Micheal 'Eyedea' Larsen and Gregory 'DJ Abilities' Keltgen first met in the mid-nineties and quickly began a working relationship that would play a prominent role in the burgeoning indie rap movement of the time. After many successes in nearly every MC or DJ battle of the late 90s and early 2000s, including HBO's Blaze Battle, Rocksteady Anniversary, Scribble Jam, DMC, and many more, they had already cemented their legacy both as individuals and as the duo, Eyedea & Abilities, for their live performances and showmanship. However, determined not to be seen as one-dimensional, they set out to prove that they were just as serious about writing and recording. The release of their debut album, First Born, revealed that their talents were much greater and more diverse than previously thought. The boisterous arrogance and punchlines so prevalent in battles are significantly rarer on the album. Eyedea chose to tackle more conceptual and philosophical subjects, focusing on questions of reality and altered states of perception, while pushing his urgent and dense delivery into darker and more abstract territory. DJ Abilities, meanwhile, created worlds of depth and emotion, combining haunting suspenseful beats with meticulous turntablism. The resulting album is rich in ambition, ideas, and humanity. First Born was at the forefront of an exciting new era of underground hip-hop, conveying messages that prioritized questions over answers, ambiguity over certainty, and personal expression over exploitation, to an audience eager to broaden its horizons beyond the commercial programming and clichés of the time. In honor of its 20th anniversary, Rhymesayers is re-releasing the long-out-of-print album with new exclusives.