COMMUNITY SPIRIT EP available NOW!
Transatlantic flows from hip-hop's global yokels. Community Spirit, the long-awaited debut EP from American emcee Special Opps and a British trio comprised of wordsmith The Wize and producers DJ Thundercat and Jokes, is a unique collaboration spanning from Springfield, MA, to Oxfordshire, England. The 7 must-hear tracks cover topics as diverse as inept politicians and the love of nature, as well as every rapper's favorite subject: money (but don't think for a second they don't have their own twist on it). Available now: CD and digital download.
Remarkably, Opp and Wize wrote the first few tracks before they'd even met. The effect for listeners is that of two sage wordsmiths on distant shores, floating their verses back and forth across the ocean…except in this case, the ocean has been replaced by the Internet, and instead of rolled-up pieces of parchment they used emails and mp3s.
Community League Records CEO August Ruff eventually managed to helm the meeting of these talented emcees, finally bringing together all parts of the puzzle for the most electrifying US-UK collabo since Dipset and S.A.S. Over the past two years, memorable shows at Oxfordshire pubs (including Wize's opener for Klashnekoff) and Guinness-fueled freestyle sessions on both sides of the Atlantic have solidified the Community League, setting the scene for the Community Spirit EP.
From house parties to ciphers in the pub parking lot, hip-hop's roots are in the creative connections forged between people who find themselves in the same space, inspired by a shared love. The Internet boom has made it possible for this process to occur across great distances. This EP is a testament to the community spirit that makes hip-hop great—the global is local, from suburb to suburb and street corner to street corner.
Enjoy!
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