• 7l And Esoteric The Soul Purpose
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• 7l & Esoteric The Soul Purpose

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7L & Esoteric (7LES) are an underground hip hop duo from Boston, Massachusetts, known for battle rhymes and boom bap production. 7L is the duo's DJ/producer and Esoteric is the MC.^[1] 7L & Esoteric are both prominent members of underground hip-hop collectives Army of the Pharaohs and Demigodz, as well as being 2/3 of Czarface^[2] along with Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck.

History[edit]

Early Career (1993-1996)[edit]

The duo formed in 1993 when Esoteric DJed a hip hop show at a college radio station (WMWM) north of Boston. 7L, a DJ and producer who listened to the show, contacted Esoteric in the interest of collaborating. The two found they shared a common love of the golden age of hip-hop and decided to form a group.

After performing for some time in the Boston/Cambridge underground, the duo released their first single in 1996 as God Complex with MC Karma. The B-side, 'Secret Wars', gained a lot of attention as Esoteric paid tribute to the heroes of Marvel Comics in rhyme form. This led to the release of the Rebel Alliance LP, featuring acts such as Virtuoso, Mr. Lif, and Force Five. Also at this time, the two dropped the God Complex moniker and became known as simply 7L & Esoteric.

Rebel Alliance & Speaking Real Words (1997-1999)[edit]

Soon after, 7L & Esoteric put out their first 12” with re-mastered versions of their Rebel Alliance songs 'Protocol' and 'Be Alert'. 'Be Alert', the B-side on the record, began to receive significant radio play, due to its unique sampling of the Transformers TV theme song. The track, which was produced by Beyonder, became very popular in the underground scene, leading the duo to several European tours, major label interest, and becoming one of the first New England hip-hop acts to appear on the Stretch & Bobbito WKCR radio show in NYC and get spins on the Wake Up Show with MTV's Sway & King Tech. URB Magazine chose 7L & Esoteric for their 'Next 100' issue in 1997.

The duo then dropped the “Def Rhymes” single though Landspeed Distribution which earned them press in the Source. 'Def Rhymes' was also featured on the EP Speaking Real Words, released in 1999. The album also featured Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck on the title track. During promotion for the 12', Esoteric had spent time in Philadelphia and formed the supergroup Army of the Pharaohs with Jedi Mind Tricks' frontman Vinnie Paz. Esoteric would appear three times on Jedi Mind Tricks' breakthrough album Violent By Design in 2000.

The Soul Purpose, Dangerous Connection & DC2: Bars of Death (2000-2005)[edit]

7L & Esoteric released their debut LP The Soul Purpose in the summer of 2001. The single 'Call Me E.S.' charted at #83 on the Billboard hip-hop singles chart.^[3] The album received the Boston Music Award for “Best Hip-Hop Album,”^{[citation needed]} and led to the duo headlining tours of the United States and Europe. Upon their return, they recorded and released their second LP in the fall of 2002 entitled Dangerous Connection featuring Jedi Mind Tricks' Stoupe, Vinnie Paz, J-Live, Apathy, and others.

After taking a break from recording, the duo released their third LP DC2: Bars of Death in the spring of 2004 with Babygrande Records. The album received overall positive reviews and was lauded by long-time fans.^{[citation needed]} In 2006, Esoteric compiled an album entitled 'Moment of Rarities' which was also released with Babygrande. This CD was a collection of previously unreleased tracks. Esoteric has stated that this CD was put out to fulfill contractual obligations with Babygrande Records.

A New Dope & 1212 (2006-2010)[edit]

In 2006, A New Dope was released, taking the duo in a new direction with a more electro influenced sound and the production shared between both 7L and Esoteric. The cover featured a re-creation of an Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat gallery poster, something that was later used by Complex Magazine for A$AP Rocky and Jeremy Scott. The mix of eclectic samples, including pieces of Suicide's electro-punk classic 'Girl' ('3 Minute Classic'), Angelo Badalamenti's theme to cult TV show Twin Peaks ('Perfect Person'), and the Serge Gainsbourg/Brigitte Bardot duet 'Bonnie And Clyde' ('Everywhere'), evokes the Dust Brothers' work on the Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique according to XLR8R magazine.^[4] The album featured Ultramagnetic MCs' Kool Keith on the track 'Daisy Cutta'.

2010 saw the release of 1212 which marked a return to their original sound, featuring Brand Nubian's Sadat X rhyming with Esoteric on 'The Handle,' an ode to 1980s NBA Basketball that was recognized by ESPN.

Czarface & Every Hero Needs a Villain (2011-present)[edit]

In 2011, it was announced that 7L & Esoteric have formed a hip hop trio with Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck called Czarface^[5] and that they were working on a self-titled debut album. The album was released on February 19, 2013.^[6] The album features guest appearances from Roc Marciano, Oh No, Ghostface Killah, Action Bronson, Cappadonna and Vinnie Paz. The album's production comes from 7L, Spada4 and DJ Premier.^[7] In 2014, 7L produced the track The King's Curse on the Army of the Pharaohs album Heavy Lies the Crown, their second album in 2014 (next to In Death Reborn). Esoteric has a verse on the track, which makes it the first appearance of the duo together since the Czarface album.^[8] Later that year, the duo appeared on a track called Hard Hats and Timbs from the EPYear of the Hyenas by Army of the Pharaohs rappers Reef the Lost Cauze and King Syze. The track features raps from Esoteric and production from 7L.^[9]

A sequel to Czarface called Every Hero Needs a Villain was released on June 16, 2015.^[10] The album's first single, 'Deadly Class' featuring Meyhem Lauren, was released on April 7, 2015.^[11]

Esoteric solo venture[edit]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

• Speaking Real Words EP - Direct Records / Landspeed 1999
• The Soul Purpose - Direct Records / Landspeed 2001
• Dangerous Connection - Brick Records 2002
• DC2: Bars of Death - Babygrande Records 2004
• A New Dope - Babygrande Records 2006
• Dope Not Hype (mixtape, limited pressing) - 2006
• 1212 - Fly Casual Creative 2010

Compilations[edit]

• Rebel Alliance LP - Brick Records 1996
• DJ Revolution - R2K - 1999
• DJ Spinna presents - Urban Theory - Beat Suite - 2000
• Moment of Rarities - Babygrande Records 2005

Collaborations[edit]

• Demigodz - The Godz Must Be Crazy EP - 2002 (Ill Boogie)
• Vinyl Thug Music (7L & Beyonder) - Vinyl Thug Music - 2003
• Vinyl Thug Music (7L & Beyonder) - Welcome to Shaftville U.S.A. - 2005
• Army of the Pharaohs - The Torture Papers - 2006 (Babygrande Records)
• Army of the Pharaohs - Ritual of Battle - 2007 (Babygrande Records)
• East Coast Avengers - Prison Planet - 2008 (Esoteric, Tha Trademarc, DC The Midi Alien)
• Army of the Pharaohs - The Unholy Terror - 2010 (Babygrande/Enemy Soil)
• Demigodz - Killmatic - 2013 (Dirty Version)
• Esoteric & Stu Bangas - Machete Mode - 2013 (Man Bites Dog)
• Army of the Pharaohs - In Death Reborn - 2014 (Enemy Soil)
• Army of the Pharaohs - Heavy Lies the Crown - 2014 (Enemy Soil)
• Czarface - Czarface (with Inspectah Deck as Czarface) - 2013 (Brick Records)
• Czarface - Every Hero Needs a Villain (with Inspectah Deck as Czarface) - 2015 (Brick Records)^[10]
• Czarface - A Fistful of Peril (with Inspectah Deck as Czarface) - 2016 (Silver Age)^[12]
• Czarface & MF DOOM - Czarface Meets Metal Face - 2018 (Get on Down)

References[edit]

1. ^'HHUG Interview with Esoteric (of 7LES) - 1212'. Hip Hop Underground. December 1, 2010. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
2. ^@MCEsoteric (16 May 2015). 'the new album is named 'Every Hero Needs a Villain' and ---ahem---CZARFACE is the name of the group twitter.com/harry_amey/status/599616542905606145' (Tweet) – via Twitter.
3. ^'7L & Esoteric - Chart history'. Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
4. ^Jesse Serwer (August 11, 2006). '7L & Esoteric: Path to Dopeness'. XLR8R. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
5. ^@MCEsoteric (17 February 2013). '@uncle_nutty nah it's CZARFACE as the group name, and it's a self titled album' (Tweet) – via Twitter.
6. ^Horowitz, Steven J. (2013-01-07). 'Inspectah Deck & 7L & Esoteric 'CZARFACE' Tracklist & Cover Art'. HipHop DX. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
7. ^'Czarface: Inspectah Deck with 7L & Esoteric: Music'. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
8. ^http://www.discogs.com/Army-Of-The-Pharaohs-Heavy-Lies-The-Crown/release/6226271
9. ^'Hard Hats And Timbs Feat 7L And Esoteric - King Syze'. King Syze. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
10. ^ ^abGrefe, Cliff (April 21, 2015). 'Czarface 'Every Hero Needs A Villain' Release Date, Cover Art, Tracklist & Pre-Order'. HipHopDX. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
11. ^Sparkle Pratt (April 7, 2015). 'Czarface (Inspectah Deck & 7L & Esoteric) f. Meyhem Lauren – 'Deadly Class''. HipHopDX. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
12. ^'A Fistful of Peril by Czarface on Apple Music'. Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.

External links[edit]

• 7L and Esoteric at AllMusic
• 7L and Esoteric at Discogs

Rap group

As part of Boston's underground hip hop scene, deejay/producer 7L and rapper Esoteric have been creating thought-provoking lyrics and atypical beats since 1992; they stood out partly because they were one of the few white rap groups gaining any type of prominence at the time. The rap duo has released several CDs and singles that have kept fans wanting more. They have toured consistently around the United States, Canada, and Europe, where they are given celebrity status.

Met Through Radio Show

Rapper Esoteric was a radio deejay at Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts. He had his own hip hop show, and deejay 7L would call in to make requests for songs that were considered seminal to the rap genre, but were not very popular. Both had a love of old-school rap from the late 1980s, and sometimes Esoteric would freestyle during his show. 7L thought the two should collaborate, and they have been partners since then.

7L & Esoteric first called themselves God Complex, and they released a single that became a modest hit in the Boston area. Though rap music was more prominent on the East and West Coasts of the United States, many of the main cities and metropolitan areas did have burgeoning underground rap scenes. Radio play was not a guarantee, but word-of-mouth and the borrowing of cassettes helped spread the word for those whose records were deemed worthy to be passed around. For 7L & Esoteric, word did spread, and soon other cities heard their debut, including Los Angeles, New York. The two followed with the LP release Rebel Alliance. Next came opportunities to perform live, and the group built a fan base.

Released First Effort

More releases followed, and the duo changed their name from God Complex to 7L & Esoteric. They became known for their complex, battle-ready lyrics, combined with original beats and samples from the most unlikely places. In an interview with Chris Faraone of the Boston Herald the duo claimed: 'Our goal first and foremost has always been to release the type of music that we want to release when we want to release it without any questions. We just have a lot of fun making it.' While many sampled either James Brown or George Clinton and Parliament (or Funkadelic), deejay 7L chose the cartoon Transformers's theme music as his sample for the single 'Be Alert,' which became a classic in the Boston area. They also released the single 'Protocol.'

7L & Esoteric continued touring, helping to place the Boston rap scene on the map. With stops in Canada, Europe, New York City, and Philadelphia, the duo continued entertaining their fans and reaching new ones. In fact, they had more fans in Europe than in the United States. 7L told Faraone, 'We did a festival in the Czech Republic where there were 10 to 15,000 people there, and we were the headlining act.' Esoteric stated in the same interview, 'People over there are much more receptive. People over here are starting to get the idea, but in Europe it's a completely different animal.' The EP release Speaking Real Words (1999) was soon followed by their debut release on the Direct label, The Soul Purpose (2001). The CD sold over 20,000 copies and was reissued in 2006, a feat unheard of for an underground record. Not completely satisfied with the final product, 7L & Esoteric moved to Brick Records, where they released Dangerous Connection in 2002.

Worked on Various Projects

Thought of as premier artists and pioneers in Boston, 7L & Esoteric received some attention from other major players in the rap industry, and began opening for a number of acts including Rakim, Redman, and Bahamadia. They signed with the Babygrande label during this time, releasing DC2: Bars of Death in 2004. In addition to releasing their own work, the duo collaborated either jointly or separately with several local Boston and Philadelphia rappers and groups including Virtuoso, Mr. Lif, Celph Titled, and Apathy. They were also part of the supergroup Army of the Pharoahs and have collaborated on several CDs with fellow members Virtuoso, Vinnie Paz, Celph Titled, Outerspace, and King Syze.

Despite gaining new success and performing in various clubs, stages, and arenas around the world, 7L & Esoteric began to feel burned out. They switched gears and traded in battle rhymes for more entertaining dance tracks with their 2006 release A New Dope. While some fans were alarmed, most were happy with the new disc. Esoteric spoke about the new direction with Justin Rizzio of the 215hiphop Web site: 'With creative risks, there's gonna be people that want the old version. But people grow up just as artists do.' 7L also told Rizzio, 'I just wanted to do something different and I think when we started working on it, with some different aspects, it was just fun. That's something I haven't had in a while with music.' The CD also included work with rapper Kool Keith of the rap group Ultramagnetic MCs, who happened to be a favorite of the two. In addition to working on 7L & Esoteric CDs, 7L has also been a sought-after producer in the Boston area. He has worked with groups Mobb Deep, Main Flow, and World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler John Cena. Esoteric released a solo CD, EgoClapper, on his own record label, Fly Casual Collective, but the two plan to continue to work together in the future.

For the Record …

7l And Esoteric The Soul Purpose

Members include 7L , deejay/producer; Esoteric , rapper.

Started group in 1992; released Speaking RealWorlds, 1999; The Soul Purpose, 2001; Dangerous Connection, 2002; DC2: Bars of Death, 2004; A New Dope, 2006.

Awards: Boston Hip-Hop Awards, Single of the Year, 2000.

7l And Esoteric The Soul Purpose Zip

Addresses: Record company—Babygrande Records, Ste. 1038, 8033 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90046. Web site—7L & Esoteric Official Web site: http://www.7l-Esoteric.com.

Selected discography

Speaking Real Words, Direct, 1999; reissued, 2006.

7l & Esoteric The Soul Purpose

The Soul Purpose, Landspeed, 2001.

Dangerous Connection, Brick, 2002.

DC2: Bars of Death, Babygrande, 2004.

A New Dope, Babygrande, 2006.

Sources

Periodicals

Boston Herald, December 6, 2000, p. O-47; July 23, 2004, p. PE-07; January 30, 2006, p. O-38.

Online

'Artist Interview: Esoteric,' WERS.org, http://www.wers.org/articles/?id=179 (January 16, 2008).

'Esoteric—Egoclapper,' Six Shot, http://www.sixshot.com/interviews/9711/ (January 16, 2008).

'7L & Esoteric,' All Music Guide,http://www.allmusic.com (January 16, 2008).

'7L and Esoteric,' Houston Press,http://www.houstonpress.com/2006-07-20/music/7l-and-esoteric/ (January 16, 2008).

7L & Esoteric Official Web site, http://www.7l-esoteric.com (January 16, 2008).

'7L & Esoteric,' 215hiphop, http://215hiphop.com/interviews/7l-esoteric/#more-41 (January 16, 2008).

—Ashyia N. Henderson