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Admit it: the search for talented and experienced emcees
is among us. It requires more than a few bars filled
with a few disses, curses and conscious theories thrown
in every now and then. Many emcees and media moguls
claim that this year, Hip Hop is going to do a 360.
One man in our City of Brotherly Love feels that his
group can switch the cycle: Obsidian, an inspiring activist,
poet, emcee and above all else...a bohemian.
ob·sid·i·an: A usually
black or banded, hard volcanic glass that displays shiny,
curved surfaces when fractured and is formed by rapid
cooling of lava.
"Since birth, I've been into the art of making
music," brags Obsidian, a 20 something year
old that resides in West Philadelphia. Like many of
the cities transplants, Obsidian moved here (from Brooklyn)
in 1995 to pursue a philosophy degree at Temple University
(graduated in 2001). During the beginning months in
college, his natural feel for Hip Hop began to show.
He grew up around it and branded himself an 'ultra super
fan'. Buying anything from KRS ONE to Public Enemy,
Obsidian identified for many years with the Hip Hop
culture. He explains, "I was constantly writing
and also served as a hype man for different acts.
" As the urge to create and express through rhyming
grew, Obsidian formed a group called Nemesis. Although
Nemesis didn't mature into a successful group, he realized
how the equation came together when he put forth effort
and practice. After only being in Nemesis for a year
(1996 1997), Obsidian felt there was more growth to
be had. Natural Burners (NB) became his next adventure.
This eclectic group of emcees consisted of Obsidian,
Lucky Live Wire and Last Word. NB performed at local
colleges and various venues around the city before they
merged with another local, budding hip hop group, Ghetto
Hero Superman Save-A-Poets, which included Inglish and
Suga Tongue Slim, both poets. Once the collision of
the two groups was complete, they reinvented themselves
as the so fresh and so clean Bohemian Fifth...also distinguishly
recognized as a movement.
For Obsidian, being in Bohemian Fifth has meant making
a few sacrifices. He divulges, "It's a compromise,
like any group. I can't always spit the righteous things
on my mind, but I understand the equality of our roles."
Obsidian relates to the like and mind of a revolutionary,
but he expresses whatever is on his mind. It could be
about school, the workplace, his girl or even your girl!
Another factor contributing to his place in the culture
is the roots of it. He infuses the common ground between
Hip Hop and the being Black. Aside from the common sense
he possesses, Obsidian has sought out the knowledge
of historical activists such as Malcolm X and Huey Newton.
As a matter of fact, he'd like to go back to school
for African American studies, "The realization
of the struggle and how we can fix it is a necessarily
important to me. Unity might be the answer,"
he says. He's managed to mesh those prophetic outlooks
with lyricism to try and make the recipients of his
music believers in the message he's trying to convey:
A belief that the hip hop and Black culture co-exist
and that each in itself must be represented correctly;
ultimately sacrificing himself as an example.
"I respect what Hip Hop was, but don't regret
what it's turned into." From Jay Z, Wu-Tang
Clan, to his favorite group, De La Soul, Obsidian feels
they each have their place in this infiltrated culture.
Along with those Hip Hop groups, he credits jazz for
having a huge influence on his career thus far, "I've
recently rediscovered the beauty of jazz."
That indeed comes in handy as part of Bohemian Fifth.
They aren't your regular, run-of-mill, competing for
the mic, too many people on stage type of group. Well,
if they are*they disguise it quit well. With the acquisition
of a determined manager, Glen Bell, they've had great
success, not only in Philadelphia, but in other metropolitan
cities. I won't go too much into that, because an interview
with the entire group is up and coming. I will tease
you a little and say they fuse funk, soul, rap, spoken
work and live instrumentation to create their refined
and defined sound. From opening for neo-soul's most
currently elite to being featured on a nationally recognized
comedy show, single in rotation at a mainstream radio
station and an upcoming album, it's safe to say that
Bohemian Fifth is trademarking what it means to love
what you do and do what you love through musicianship
of hip-hop. Obsidian's talents are versatile, and his
purpose is fulfilling. Believe me when I tell you they
(Bohemian Fifth) are a group worth your listening ears,
and he is a man that I feel will have a positive contribution
to hip-hop in Philadelphia. I know, I know you hear
that about everyone, but I don't recommend just anybody
to my faithful readers. Trust me.
bohemianfifth.com
Article by Deesha Dyer
March, 2002
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