WKNC’S HIP-HOP TIME MACHINE

In honor of Underground Hip-Hop headlining night two of Double Barrel 13, WKNC takes a look back at the last 13 years of the most influential North Carolina Hip-Hop

by Yeägermeister

2003-2005

9th Wonder and Cesar Comanche’s creation, Justus League, was in full swing by 2003. The collection included artists L.E.G.A.C.Y., The Away Team, Darien Brockington, Little Brother, Edgar Allen Floe, Median, Chaundon, Cesar Comanche, 9th Wonder, Buckshot, Sean Price, and Skyzoo. The Hall of Justus was founded by Little Brother’s former manager, Big Dho, as an outlet for the collective. National recognition to Little Brother is achieved when Jay Z reached out to 9th Wonder to help produce his track “Threat”. Meanwhile at NC State, students with a common interest in hip-hop come together to form the Hip Hop Organization (H2O).

2006-2007

9th Wonder leaves Little Brother and the remaining members, Phonte and Big Pooh, decide to leave record label, Atlantic Records, after failing to deliver expectations on the their second album, “The Minstrel Show” (one dope. ass. record, like how’d that shit not blow up? anyways...). It was around this time that J. Cole started receiving recognition after releasing his mixtape “The Come Up.” J. Cole would go on to say WKNC is the shit. Kooley High meets at NC State and releases their tape “Raleigh’s Finest,” a collection of NC’s young blood in the local scene.

2008-2009

With the fall of Little Brother, rapper Phonte collabs with producer Nicolay to release Leave It All Behind. Big Pooh goes on to release two solo albums, The Delightful Bars and Rapper’s Delight. 9th Wonder goes on to produce tracks for some of the BIGGEST names in hip-hop and R&B. We’re talking Jay Z, Destiny’s Child, De La Soul, Sean Price, Wale. Kooley High release their first official tape, The Summer Sessions EP and continue to rep the local NC scene.

2010-2011

Rhapsody of Kooley High gains national recognition with the release of her mixtape “Return of the B-Girl” and continues to grow the following year in 2011 with “Thank H.E.R. Now.” Drique London, NC State Alum, releases the anticipated “Nike SB: The Mixtape “after repeated setbacks from the original release date in 2008. King Mez plays Hopscotch and Double Barrel Benefit VIII. Professor Toon releases Hulk Smash Music Video. Deniro Farrar releases his debut mixtape, “Feel This.” Kooley High releases “Eastern Standard Time.”

2012-2013

Deniro Farrar continues putting in work releasing “Kill Or Be Killed,” which lands as Stereogum’s “Mixtape of the Week” in October 2012. Well$ releases “$ay La V.” Deniro Releases both “The Patriarch” and “The Patriarch II” within months of each other. Charlotte scene gets hype as shit. Rhapsody releases “The Idea of Beautiful” on Jamla Records. SkyBlew Releases “Your Dream Is BLEW Reality” on Bandcamp.

2014-2016

In 2015, SkyBlew releases “Jazz For Autumn Kismet” And “Race For Your Life, SkyBlew” a few months later which climbs to Bandcamp’s second best seller. This is also when SkyBlew teams up with The Digi Destined for a full band. SkyBlew basically achieves stardom in South Korea and is invited to play Hopscotch 2015. Professor Toon plays Hopscotch in 2014 and shortly after collabs with Made of Oak (of Sylvan Esso) and Well$ (Track: Side Rides yet to be released). A few months later Toon releases “Take Notes” on bandcamp. Deniro Farrar interviews on “Sway In The Morning” in 2014. His latest work Cliff Of Death II with producer Young God is released in 2015. Deniro also collabs with Denzel Curry and DKAD to release “Bow Down.” In 2016, Deniro is now signed to Vice Records and Warner Brothers Records and continues to rep Cult Rap, truly raising a new and substantive genre of rap.

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