more from
Rhymesayers Entertainment
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

First Born

by Eyedea & Abilities

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD  or more

     

1.
One 02:35
2.
Music Music 04:40
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Big Shots 03:50
11.
12.
The Dive (1) 04:13
13.
The Dive (2) 05:13
14.
Well Being 03:09
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.

about

Micheal "Eyedea" Larsen and Gregory "DJ Abilities" Keltgen first met in the mid-90s and soon began a working relationship that would play a prominent role in the burgeoning Indie-Rap movement of the time. After numerous successes across nearly every notable MC or DJ battle of the late '90s and early '00s, including HBO's Blaze Battle, the Rocksteady Anniversary, Scribble Jam, the DMC's and more, they had already cemented their legacies both as individuals in the battle scene and as the dynamic duo, Eyedea & Abilities, for their live performances and showmanship. However, determined not to be dismissed as one-dimensional, they set out to prove they were to be taken just as seriously at writing and recording.

The release of their debut album, First Born, revealed their talents to be much more versatile and expansive than previously expected. The boastful arrogance and punchlines that had become synonymous with battling were notably scarce on the album. Eyedea chose to tackle subjects that were more conceptual and philosophical in nature, focusing on matters of reality and altered states of perception while pushing his urgent, dense delivery into darker, more abstract terrain. Meanwhile, DJ Abilities was able to craft worlds of depth and emotion, pairing hauntingly suspenseful beats with meticulous turntablism. The resulting album was rich in ambition, ideas and humanity. First Born came at the forefront of an exciting new era of underground hip-hop, delivering messages that emphasized questions over answers, ambiguity over certainty, and self-expression over exploitation, to an audience that was eager to expand their horizons beyond the commercial programming and clichés of the time.

In honor of its 20th anniversary, we’ve added five bonus tracks to this release: “Pushing Buttons”, “Architect’s Theme”, “Before & After” (feat Blueprint), and the instrumental for “Before & After”, as well as “Eyes of Today” which was on the original vinyl release, but not on the original CD or Digital formats.

credits

released October 23, 2001

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Eyedea & Abilities Minneapolis, Minnesota

contact / help

Contact Eyedea & Abilities

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Eyedea & Abilities, you may also like: