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1142441064 - January 1, 1970 By : Underground Stand-Up; the duo who are devoted to jazzy samples, danceable beats, intricate rhyme skills and laid-back humor are back, westcoast please open the door once again to the People Under the Stairs.

The group who formed when Mike Turner (Double K) and Chris Portugal (Thes One) met on the fringe of L.A.'s late-'90s hip-hop underground. They came together to release their 1998 acclaimed debut album "The Next Step" and followed it up in 2000 with "Question in the Form of an Answer."

With the acclaim and underground success they toured with De La Soul and took their road experiences and brought it to the studio to record their next album. The final results became apparent in the summer of 2002 under the album name O.S.T. This release received acclaim worldwide and as such has sold over 35,000 copies to date bringing People Under the Stairs to the forefront of the underground and its follow-up album, "Or Stay Tuned..." complemented this release and allowed the group to headline nation-wide tours.

Known for serving up playful back-and-forth rhymes set to vinyl-centric production, Thes One and Double K are now back with Stepfather and had this to say about the release: "People are really going to be surprised by this album, we’re flipping the script on this one, coming with an extremely progressive approach. We study a lot of music theory and classic material, and this album reflects that. Even when we did the old school tracks on the album, we still tried to push the envelope with vocal settings and drum patterns," explained Thes One.

Using obscure vintage drum machines and running mic pre-amps to the point of intentional distortion, PUTS created a sonic kaleidoscope of textured and layered beats which are complimented by their refreshingly cool narratives of the L.A. Hip Hop life. A better description of Stepfather might be that of a Hip Hop history book on tape. From the old school beats with those classic SP 1200 drums and rich Hammond organ keys to new school progressive tracks with live guitar and bass, "Stepfather" is by far PUTS’s most intricate and musically advanced album.

It can be seen on the album that the group are offering a much more personal perspective into the lives of Thes One and Double K. On the track “Days Like This,” Double K reflects on his modest upbringing and the struggles that his mother endured in order to provide for the family, while Thes One offers a personal thanks to his father who labored has a fruit field worker so that his son may live a better life. On “Reflections,” Double K and Thes One lament in vivid detail their recognition of the moral vacuum that plagues today’s society. From these heavy hearted songs to the light and head nodding barbecue anthems such as “Jamboree pt. 1”, Thes One and Double K explore the spectrum of human emotions and offer their most personal music to date.

With an amazing live show and a loyal fan base hungry for their next album, People Under The Stairs’ "Stepfather" will undoubtedly be one of Hip Hop’s biggest releases of 2006! "Stepfather" features guest appearances from legendary Funkadelic and Parliament member George Clinton, Monty Stark (Stark Reality), and Kat of Crown City Rockers. The album will also included a bonus documentary-style DVD that includes show footage and a short film.

As ever dubcnn has been given some new audio from the release to share with you and we urge you to take a listen, both fans and new listeners alike, People Under The Stairs are unique and have an ear for production and a melodic flow that I guarentee will get you hooked! Enjoy the audio and let us know your thoughts via the dubcnn community.

People Under The Stairs - Step In
People Under The Stairs - Tuxedo Rap

Look for more news and audio on dubcnn from the People Under The Stairs camp over the next few months.

Rud

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