Sub-Conscious is an emcee who has been a dominant presence in the underground circuit for several years. Born and raised in New York City, the wealth of musical culture was engrained in him from birth. As he prepares to release his new album SubTalk on Eastern Conference Records in March 2006, SubCon is preparing to give the world of Hip Hop his melodic blend of lyricism and intellect.
SubCon's 1997 debut album Full Spectrum Analysis was a collaboration with his group Sight Beyond Light, and was released on the self-maintained label Low Tech Records. With only 500 copies of the album pressed, it became obvious that the effort to create a buzz was going to have to happen on foot as well. SubCon began to terrorize New York's open mic scene as both a poet and a lyricist, making a name for himself as a skilled wordsmith and poised battle champion.
As respect grew for SubCon's skills, he went on to release another single with his crew called "New Beginnings" on the same imprint. The buzz caught the attention on the west side, and a year later the crew released another single called "Have Faith" on Deep Con recordings. The growth of the Sight Beyond Light's catalog was increasing, but SubCon's individual progression began to surpass the group success. His theatre training from a performing arts high school began fermenting through his flows, and his enigmatic stage presence got the attention of listeners who were challenged by his intricate rhyme schemes.
At that point in his career, a solo venture was almost inevitable. It
brought him to a decent position to display an enduring presence as an independent artist. In 2001 Sub-Conscious collaborated with Yeshua Da PoED to release his debut solo single "Pushin' Orbitz" on Head Bop records. The sales weren't through the roof, but the record claimed him greater respect as an innovative lyricist, and validated his decisions to venture solo.
The buzz from this single earned him a spot on a number of mixtapes, as well as a verse on DJ Logic's "Project Logic" on Rope-a-Dope Records. After jumping off the Cali leg of Logic's tour that summer, he came back humbled by the experience of being on tour without CD's to sell. As a result, he put a full-length project together called Lyric Luverz Deluxe on Low Tech Records in 2002. Even though it was done mixtape-style with SubCon rhyming over familiar beats, it was received by fans as an album.
The single from the project was released on Bobitto Garcia's imprint Fruitmeat Records. Both sides of the single were produced by SubCon's childhood friend DJ Eli, and the response from the single forced the duo to seriously evaluate the potential of their future work together. They began formulating long term plans, and created the explosive single "Bezerkowitz", which featured Breezely Bruin from the Juggaknots.
In addition to his songwriting abilities, Sub-Conscious is a hard edged battle emcee dedicated to proving he has more than just punchlines in his arsenal. He is a three-time Bragging Writes champion, and still the only competitor to win the competition in two states. He was in the Philly Blaze Battle, and he was a finalist in the Boston Superbowl Battle, and the only emcee from NY become a finalist there.
With an immense vocabulary, knowledge of world history, and a dedication to uplifting consciousness in his song content, SubCon is setting the pace for next-generation emcees. In early 2005 he released The Holdoverz as a prelude to his next project, SubTalk. His goal with the new album is to present a solid array of prolific songs, and to display the tangible substance that supports his affluent vernacular. With DJ Eli handling the production, SubTalk focuses on the silent energies behind the music. It will definitely be one to watch for in Spring 2006!
For more on Sub-Conscious, go to www.tygereye.net/subcon
