OAKLAND, CA. (www.blackalicious.com) - Blackalicious' are set to release their long awaited 5th full-length studio album The Craft on
September 27th, 2005. Balancing deep thought with visceral impact, The Craft features 15 new tracks and is the group's most accomplished release to date. The album is the duo's first collection of new material since 2002 and also marks their debut release on Anti Records. The group plans to a release the track 'Rhythm Sticks' from The Craft as a 12' this summer.
The Craft reveals one of global hip-hop's best loved, most critically acclaimed crews in the midst of yet another artistic breakthrough. Chief Xcel and Gift of Gab have created a record that represents state-of-the-art hip-hop with an expansive worldview. The music has such sonic depth and lyrical ambition that it can proudly stand alongside the work of Bay Area funk fathers Sly Stone and Shuggie Otis, as well as hip-hop classics like Outkast's Aquemini, The Roots' Things Fall Apart and Gang Starr's Daily Operation.
From its opening, the album moves from peak to peak, including the Prince-ly rush of the album's first single "Powers", a sinuous funk summit with George Clinton on "Lotus Flower", and the seductive meta-futurist soul of "Automatique," which features special guest vocals from Floetry.
Said Chief Xcel "The Craft is our passion to bring discipline to this music, the passion to keep growing, keep stretching, keep doing things we haven't before. The craft is what we live for."
Gift of Gab added "It's my favorite of all of our albums. I think that it's our best."
The tracking list for The Craft is as follows:
1. The World Of Vibration (featuring Ledisi)
2. Supreme People
3. Rhythm Sticks
4. Powers
5. Side to Side (featuring Lateef & Pigeon John)
6. Lotus Flower (featuring George Clinton)
7. Automatique (featuring Floetry)
8. The Fall & Rise Elliot Brown Parts 1 & 2
9. The Fall & Rise of Elliot Brown Part 3 (Black Diamonds & Pearls) [featuring Ledisi & Larry Saunders]
10. Cry
11.Your Move (featuring Life Savas)
12.Give It To You (featuring Kween & Lyrics Born)
13.In The Days To Come
14. Egosonic War Drums (featuring Peace)
15.Dance of Firefly
Emerging from the influential Bay Area indie scene of the mid-90s, The Gift of Gab, one of the most respected MCs in the game today, and phenomenal producer/DJ Chief Xcel, fused together to form Blackalicious. Since impacting the music world in 1995 with their critically acclaimed debut album Melodica, the pair's innovative compositions and insightful lyrics have provided a roadmap for hundreds of underground artists to follow. Gab and Xcel's relationship as the MC and DJ/Producer reflects the core artform of hip-hop, and the duo now claims five groundbreaking albums and EPs to their credit.
Look for Blackalicious to hit the road this fall. For more info go to www.blackalicious.com.
