myspace.com/Dynamics Plus
myspace.com/DoctorStrange
myspace.com/Centri
myspace.com/lenzmen4
Influences
How long have you been into Hip Hop... I mean as a fan not an artist.
Dynamics: Since day one. Wow, I’m that old. I was truly infected by White Lines. That record is what did it. My older sisters were into Rap and we would make routines performing all the popular Rap joints, but when I heard that bassline something in me changed.
So then growing up, who were some of your musical influences?
Centri: For me personally I’ve never really been influenced by one particular person or group. I’ve been ---more influenced by particular songs of certain people like Nas’s verses on live at the barbeque or ----X-clan’s 1st album. I gotta admit though everybody was influenced by Raekwon’s Cuban Links. Dynamics Plus: Depends on what era you’re referring to.
I could say Public Enemy, Ultra Magnetic, De La Soul, Tribe, Organized Kofusion even Leaders (Of The New School)… Yo! Bum Rush The Show was the first album that made me do research behind Rap lyrics, but since this is Critical Beatdown- let’s discuss Ultra…I heard Kool Keith doing all these promos for DJ Red Alert way before Critical Beatdown the album dropped and I felt like when I listened to his verses I believed everything he was saying. It wasn’t that I wondered is he was as nice as Rakim or Kane, but in his own world he was 10x better. That was the key. He had constructed his own world with his style of rhyming and beats. When you put on an Ultra record you are instantly transported there and no other rapper really matters. Doctor Strange: Damn y’all said a lot. I’ll keep my answer short. I came up on Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Bizmark, Keith Murray, EPMD, JVC Force and The Invisible Men. I was also inspired by KRS-One. He once heard me spit early on and told me it was in my future to be an Emcee- that meant a lot. I also think being around each other is a great inspiration. When we hear each other bust, it always provides inspiration to step up.
Strong Island NY collective The Lenzmen have been plying their craft for a minute. Forming in the late 90s out of a college radio program, these next level cats have been blending the fantastical in wordplay with gritty hip hop. The group debuted on The Persecution Of Hip Hop compilation album several years ago which also featured indie hip hop royalty such as Cannibal Ox, Slug (Atmosphere), Atoms Family, Deep Puddle Dynamics (Anticon) and Hangar 18.
While many of those groups have already exploded onto the national scene, The Lenzmen stayed to the shadowy background like the super heroes they write about, training in the hip hop danger room on lyrics and beats. That time spent in seclusion was well worth it as the group recorded enough material for two albums worth, which is collected on the CD in this package. The Magnify Lenz part of the CD focuses the Lens on themselves. A rich mythology of references and scenarios from wrestling, sci-fi flicks, the martial arts and fantasy interweave into the tracks and the groups battle for originality within hip-hop. The Scientific Community part of the album sees NY hip-hop under attack and sees the independent scene as a community must band together to repel the attack. With more twists and turns that a Tarantino film The Lenzmen have crafted a epic album that compares to a audio version of a choose your own adventure book.
Part of the reason these albums took so long to be released, is the fact that the group have also been focusing on their own solo material. Dynamics Plus who produces all of the groups tracks has released several solo albums on his own Dynamica Music Imprint. The most recent of which Doctor Atomics And The Fortress Of Solitude is a concept album about a futuristic universe and hip hop as a weapon to stop a robot invasion. Centri is signed as a solo artist to Uncommon Records, the record label owned by NASA (Def Jux producer/engineer) and will have an album out this fall. Earthadox is close to completing his first solo album Doxology which is to be released this fall on Dynamica Music. Doctor Strange is working on material and has recently appeared on the Blu Warta: Street Tested Hood Approved mix-tape. The Lenzmen will also have group and solo tracks on a compilation Cryptic One of Atoms Family will release on his CP Records label.
Centri, Earthadox and Dr Strange grew up together and went to high school with DJ Makin Noize, who was Dynamics DJ. Centri and Dynamics met and clicked because their styles focus on progressing the lyrical narrative. The duo started a group and recruited other emcees who complemented their lyrical quest. The group chose the name Lenzmen, derived from a Japanese anime about a interplanetary police force and much like that fictional group, the Long Island crew devote their focus to exploring the cosmos of original rhyme schemes. The group also support the hip-hop community by hosting radio shows, producing a weekly showcase and waving the banner for hip hop. As Centri says when you are buying our album, dont just think you are buying into high lyrical underground rappers, you are supporting an entire movement. We dont want to be appreciated for being different, we want to be appreciated as skilled artists with an original voice in hip hop.
Stopping by to bless your page with a little "Afrolicious" love. Checkout my new song "Hold Up" when you get a chance and let me know what you think. It's track #3 on my player.
What up Lenzmen...well I did have a new banner saying that I got some new beats...but ho hum…so grab a glass and pass on through…you cant miss it...it’s the one with the welcome mat outside the door.
yeahhhhh,i bought the cd 4 or 5 days pass, i expect that arrive for the less time posible in my door,but i got to say devotion is a super sonic track that leave me to my cryin days alone in my faith of hip hop,and now still grow and put me in my place crown now for real,i want to listen to all the tracks and the dynamics plus cd too,my next record will do things in the atmosphere i guess that activated more positive times in my fuckin life that i don't had enought time to see the value of my self,i will informate if you're want for the new music in myspace,excuse me if i don't wrote correctly.peace
What's up! Just wanted to let you know that we just launched the new 88HIPHOP Video Channel on Joost, so all independent artists send us your videos. We've also got Exclusive Invites for all our peeps at http://www.88HIPHOP.COM/joost Peace.
Just coming thru to say whats good, Have a good memorial day weekend and all that good stuff ...
& if you ain't already know the new goodbye is GET $$$
hello,i,m here to comment yours that one song of my new singel are ready for those who want,it listen,i'm hope you enjoin it,the production and the raps and the scratches are mine,and i hope the singel come up,but i got new proyects,thanks lenzmen,shouts from españa,peace.
Whats up The Lenzmen? How r u?.....I stopped by to tell u that Hip-Hop Legend Nas threw down a sick show last week at the Kool Haus...... proving that Hip-Hop is alive and well....It was a great show and the Toronto crowd went home witness to hip-hop history.....One of the shows highlights was NAS's performance of "One Mic". Nas was on the top of his game during this song, switching between tempo's with gusto.....You can watch NAS's performance of "One Mic Live in Toronto" by copying/pasting the link below:
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