Pep Love, a member of the legendary Hieroglyphics crew, best known for his critically acclaimed 2001 album Acension, fronts a one-man-band on his latest single, “Evergreen”. With eloquent rhyming prose, Pep shows why he remains a staple of the Oakland collective. Heavy guitar stabs and precise rock drumming play the background, while the lyrically-proficient MC finds his pocket and shows why he’s built to last as one of the tallest pines in the hip-hop forest.

The first single from Pep’s forthcoming Dolla Daily EP, which releases August 19th, is full of quoatables. “I’m trying to get my money up in a dump truck/ my lyricism like I hit em’ with a nun-chuck,” he raps, “pimp slap the track/ with a pack of zigzags and a big bag of that/ kick back relax.” The Hieroglyphics Imperium / General Organic Sound release focuses itself on the daily grind of acquisition and the pursuit of happiness through physical pleasure topped with an allegory of spiritual enlightenment with Pep as both MC and producer.

Today, First Light is releasing their debut album, Fallacy Fantasy. The duo, made up of Hieroglyphics members Pep Love and Opio, has released a new video for the single “Los Lobos” to coincide with the albums release. Both the duo and the album were born out of Hiero’s “celebration of spontaneous musical collaboration,” and as anticipation for the album’s release has continued to grow through the previous release of videos for singles “Hold On” and “Lighters,” First Light is now excited to deliver the full album to fans via their label Hiero Imperium.

“Los Lobos,” directed by Unjust, who also produced the track, and edited by Spencer Groshong for Ineffable Music, rightly places all of the focus on Pep Love and Opio., with the two rappers’ energetic performance shots contrasting against the blank, sandy terrain. The use of minor video effects (mirroring, blending shots, motion blur) does the track justice, fitting in with the beats’ dreamy vibe, and the contrast of Opio’s laid-back verse and Pep’s more aggressive take offer a balancing dynamic that helps bring the track together.

From Casual’s new LP, He Think He #RapGod, in stores today.
]]> http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/11/02/casual-rap-god-feat-tajai-pep-love-video/feed/ 3 http://www.hiphopsite.com/2010/09/10/young-gully-93-til-infinity-video-feat-pep-love-hongry-mp3-video/ http://www.hiphopsite.com/2010/09/10/young-gully-93-til-infinity-video-feat-pep-love-hongry-mp3-video/#comments Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:01:40 +0000 http://www.hiphopsite.com/?p=22346 [cont.]]]>

New Town Thizzness/ SMC artist, Young Gully brings us his remake of the Souls of Mischief classic, 93 Til Infinity. The song is Hiero approved. Peep the video and download the track below. Also checkout the download  for his mixtape The Definition of Gas.

Young Gully “’93 Til Infinity” Video feat. Pep Love & Hongry (MP3 + Video)

Casual unleashed this new-old Hiero track that didn’t make the group’s last LP. Opio, Pep Love, and Casual on the mic.

Rhymesayers Entertainment is throwing together this year’s Soundset festival Sunday May 30th at Canterbury Park in Minneapolis, MN. Huge lineup this year is headlined by Atmosphere, Redman & Method Man, Brother Ali, Hieroglyphics, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Souls Of Mischief, Casual, Pep Love, P.O.S., Freeway & Jake One, Murs, Cage, Eyedea & Abilities, Wiz Khalifa, Bus Driver, DJ Rob Swift, People Under The Stairs, Yelawolf, DJ Revolution, and many more. [Source: RSE]

2009 may not yet be a distant memory, but Hiero Imperium Records is already looking to the future with their energetic plans for the new year. The Oakland based label is poised to be at the forefront of underground hip-hop in 2010 with releases from Tajai, Chosen Few, Opio, Pep Love, Casual, and more.

Hiero Imperium Records triumphed in 2009 with the celebrated album, Montezuma’s Revenge from West Coast legends, Souls of Mischief. The album, lauded by both fans and critics alike, not only cemented Souls of Mischief’s stature in the hip-hop community but also sparked off a string of successful global tour dates. Fans were also enthusiastic to show their love for the Soul’s legacy, as a ’93 Til Infinity’ inspired tee shirt made in conjunction with streetwear staple Adapt sold out within 24 hours of its release. Eager to build upon its hip-hop hot streak, Hiero is now gearing up for an equally successful 2010 with an extensive slate of offerings from its famed roster.

The new year kicks off with music from trio Chosen Few, who will dropping the Opio laced single “Elevation” on February 9th, followed by the release of their debut album New World Symphony on April 6th. Fans will be excited to learn that the Opio extravaganza continues with the summer release of his highly anticipated album, Vulture’s Wisdom Volume 2, sure to extend the emcee’s linguistic legacy. Label-mate Pep Love plans on keeping busy in 2010 with a one-two sonic combo in form of pre-album project, The Rigamarole, and full-length album, Reconstruction, while Phesto Dee readies the release of his long-awaited Background Check for the masses.

Also on deck for Hiero is a new Casual project and a release from Tajai, who plans on dropping Rap Noir by years end. Not content to rest on their lyrical laurels, the label is also looking to unite its hip-hop superpowers and put out a Heiro-crew album, and, to top it all off, Tajai promises that more surprises are soon-to-come courtesy of the mighty Souls of Mischief. “2009 was a fantastic year, and we’re thankful for that,” explains Tajai. “There’s plenty more goodness to come in 2010 from the legendary Hiero Imperium Records.”

Though The Shaman has been vaulted for nearly a decade, this impediment actually works too Pep and Jay’s benefit, as the union (though solid) would have failed to resonate in the same indelible manner as previous Hiero debuts.  However, in an era of slickly produced tracks and rampant materialism, The Prose have undeniably appreciated with time, as its nostalgic quality alone is alluring enough to entice any true school head.  Immediately dating itself with the anti-weave P.S.A. “Rughead”, The Shaman eschews overzealous concepts for braggadocios emcee bashing and intrinsic production, which albeit briefly, reacquaints you with hip-hop’s inner child.  At the height of their rise, Hiero was known for weaving Cali doctrines, over jazzy loops and NY boom bap and that niche is furthered here; Pep fly’s nuff heads on “Can I Kill ‘Em” and flows effortlessly over Domino’s eloping (remember “Brown Sugar”?) bass licks and conga’s on “The Blues”. 

And while this is Pep and Jay Biz’s set (“Get Em Up” & “Feeling For The Flow” feat. Casual), the chemistry between Pep and Del is obvious, as Del lives up to his mantra (Funkee) on “Let’s Keep Searching” (which begs for another verse as it clocks in at a slight two-minutes) and fashions an innocent chill out jawn with “Days Of Blueness” where Pep laments–”I get inspired when the blunts get fired/I’m tired of all these niggas acting like they bout ta start a riot/calm your nerves/get perved at the chill spot/we can still hotbox when we at the hillspot.”

The vaults at Hiero maybe getting light, but its to our benefit, as The Shaman is a breath of fresh air that any hip-hop fan can, in the immortal words of Q-Tip, “inhaaaaaaale.”

What makes Pep Love seem so frank on the mic is his artfully effortless flow – He raps as if he’s having a conversation with a close friend; the only difference being that everything he says just happens to rhyme and fall into perfect rhythm. Ascension’s main flaw was in beats that didn’t fully complement this smooth style, making it sound almost repetitive at times. Fortunately, the production on Side C boasts a bit more experimentation and soul than the first album while still obviously maintaining a similar vibe. Standing out especially are “Warrior Poets” and “The Gaspers”, both produced by Mako (Of Oldominion) and both sounding like they’ve been inspired by some late night horror flick. The former uses an eerie string and piano arrangement to get across its spookiness; the latter features a brooding beat accentuated by ghostly howling. On a completely different note are Casual’s beat contributions, “Fallen” and “The Birds and the Bees”, which successfully capture the jazzy feel Hiero was known for in ’93 without sounding like retreads.

So if the beats are generally as good or better than those on Ascension, it must be the rhymes that aren’t up to par, right? If that’s the case, all emcees should hope for “throwaway” rhymes as nice as this: “We lose heart for the money and the fame / Modern day Buckwheats / Over butt beats / Never even reach to touch the peaks.” Like the production however, the album’s vocal and lyrical highlights result when Pep branches off from the norm (battle and motivational rhymes) and into different subject matter. In this case, different comes in the form of songs about lucid dreaming and out of body experiences, two topics not usually discussed at all, let alone on a Hip-Hop album. That the themes are presented in such striking detail is remarkable (“You wonder why you even want to fly / and then you might gather the gumption to try / in my field of dreams”). “The Gaspers” (about out of body experiences) is particularly memorable, as it appears to stem from personal experience: “I see myself outside of myself, I want to scream!” Sticking out for its sheer candor is “The Birds and the Bees”, where Pep melds childhood reminiscing with a jam dedicated to the ladies (a la Ghostface Killah’s “Child’s Play”). Check out some “natural” game: “In her summer dress / No bra to cover the breast / Nipples stand erect and I stand corrected.”

Needless to say, if you enjoyed Ascension, you’ll enjoy Side C. At a slim eleven tracks (no skits or interludes either), it’s not only a pleasant supplement to the original, but a fine album on its own that should please both long-time and new fans alike. A few misplaced hooks are of little consequence to the simple message successfully communicated: Even with old material, Pep Love rises to the top.

But don’t stick a fork in Hiero just yet. Why? Because with history on his side, the last Boy Scout of Hieroglyphics, Pep Love, has finally stepped out of the shadows with his rejuvenating debut Ascension. While it’s been a slow grind for Pep, to say that he has made the most of his limited opportunities would be an understatement. Whether, it was shining on Third Eye Vision, Del’s b-side classic “Undisputed Champs” with Q-Tip, or rendezvousing with Encore on “The Situation”, wherever Pep appeared the heat was soon to follow; that trend holds true with Ascension.

For those who yearn for uplifting and positive hip-hop, then Pep is your kind of emcee, as Ascension yearns to inspire. Eschewing material greed, and trivial matters, Pep seeks to reach higher levels of consciousness, and wants you to join him on this self-help trek. On “A New Religion” Pep states “we having church today.” Yet, what separates Pep from other pulpit prophesiers is that he drops knowledge (“The Grime & Grit”, and “US”), without sounding overly preachy. Likewise, Pep’s pleas for responsibility “What You Are” featuring A-Plus, and the ode to young love “T.A.M.I” (which gets originality points subtracted for using the sample Nature flipped) in an otherwise irresponsible genre is utterly refreshing.

Yet, Pep does more then exercise the mind. The laid back production of “Pacific Heights” embraces you like the suns morning rays, as Pep reps the Golden State’s virtues—-”the water is freezing, but the tide brings the cool ocean breeze when it’s hot outside, we got mountainous terrains, valley and hot springs, and beauty that’s boundless.” And he also flashes his lyrical fangs, on “Act. Phenom”, the heavy metal scented “If You Can’t Beat ‘Em” feat. Casual, and the confrontational, Evidence produced “The Fight Club”, where Pep warns—”poetical fisticuffs, I spit to crush the shit you bust, you don’t wanna get in the pit wit us.”

Ascension’s main detriment lays in its occasionally loopy production, as a handful of tracks (“New Religion” & “My Energy”) fail to meet the elevated plane Pep resides on. Similarly, the sinister “Karma (The Snake Charmer)” is undone by some very misplaced reggae chanting.

While Ascension is a notch below the classic debuts delivered by Pep’s more-established teammates, it is a critical building block, as it generates renewed faith in the Hiero collective. As “Act-Phenom” reiterates, Ascension “is a ritual you will enjoy.”