Artist of the Week: Blue Scholars

Class is in session this summer with the hip-hop-help of Blue Scholars. BTR has been bumping tracks from the Seattle-based duo since the station  began broadcasting, and now the Scholars are coating the country on the Freshly Dipped Tour, along with lyrical elders Hieroglyphics (getcha your tour dates below).

MC Geologic (George Quibuyen) is the bald, baby-faced son of Filipino immigrants. His family skipped around, moving from Hawaii to various locations along the West Coast before finally settling down in Bremerton, Washington. Geologic sharpened his writing as a spoken word poet and did work on the side as a community organizer for the Isangmahal Arts Kollective. In 2002, he became a member of The Show (Student Hip Hop Organization of Washington), which is where he met a jazz pianist named Saba Mohajerjasbi. Saba is an Iranian American who wrote and performed for a punk and ska band before picking up the turn tables as DJ Sabzi for Blue Scholars.

With a self-titled album and The Long March EP in the books, the pair proceeded to make a series of serious moves in 2006.  They secured a slot at the Sasquatch Festival, opened for Kanye West at the Bumbershoot Festival, and started a label called MassLine Media with fellow Northwestern Hip-Hoppers Common Market. In 2007, Blue Scholars combated the dread of working on New Year’s Eve by holding a five day hip-hop festival they labeled The Program. Common Market showed up again, along with local performers Saturday Knights and Dyme Def.

Their latest cut is a 4-track digital EP titled Butter & Gun$. Included in the download is “Loyalty” (a laid back chiller from last year’s Bayani album), two new tracks, and three instrumentals. The title song is a chilling grinder that tears into the war with rounds of words instead of ammo. MC Geo declares, “Others grip the gun / My weapon is my tongue”.

Along with work in the studio, the two have somehow found time to contribute to other projects. Geologic is releasing a solo venture under the name Prometheus Brown, and doing charity work to help families of human rights violations. Meanwhile, DJ Sabzi happens to command the tables for none other than Common Market, which explains all of their buddy-buddy connections. Listen for Blue Scholars tracks all this week on BreakThru Radio and start making plans to see them live when they swing by your city.

06/28  Next Door -  Honolulu, HI
07/11  Glasshouse (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Pomona, CA
07/12  El Rey Theatre (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Los Angeles, CA
07/13  Belly Up Tavern (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Solana Beach, CA
07/15  The Clubhouse (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Tempe, AZ
07/16  Orpheum Theatre (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Flagstaff, AZ
07/17  Sunshine Theater (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Albuquerque, NM
07/18  Granada Theater (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Dallas, TX
07/19  Emo’s Alternative Lounging (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Austin, TX
07/20  House of Blues (w/ Hieroglyphics) – New Orleans, LA
07/22  The Social (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Orlando, FL
07/23  The Masquerade (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Atlanta, GA
07/24  Cat’s Cradle w/ Hieroglyphics – Carrboro, NC
07/25  The Music Farm (w/ Hieroglyphics) – Charleston, SC