Hip-Hop is in for a change of guard. Two young artists are currently cultivating their talents, while in the last leg of their college careers. They are Tec Beatz and Juice, collectively known as The Replacementz. The two, who are both lyricists and producers, have been a team since the respect of their peers brought them together during their sophomore year at Clark Atlanta University.
Each of them had transformed their dorm rooms into makeshift production studios; and though they did not know each other, Tec and Juice were making music in sync. “My friends came down and told me there was some dude down the hallway making beats too,” recalls Tec. “I got down to his room, and he was doing the same stuff I was doing. Same type of music and all that.” Since then, The Replacementz have fallen into the perfect dynamic with Tec as the producer and Juice as the lyricist of the group.
What gives them an edge over many other young up-and-comers is that each artist understands the other’s style and skill. “I can do things to his beats that other people probably would be scared to do,” says Juice. Their unique sound, which Tec defines as “futuristic,” combines the soulfulness of the Midwest with the crunk rhythms of the South and the lyricism of the East Coast; a versatility which comes from Tec and Juice’s individual musical backgrounds.
Born and raised in Chicago, Juice’s interests in the music business were sparked by his brother, who is ten years older than him. “He was one of my role models,” he explains, “so everything he did, I wanted to mock.” When Juice was in the 8th grade, his brother released a single, which inspired Juice to seriously consider a career as an MC. While Chicago artists like Twista, Do or Die, and Crucial Conflict were exposing the world to “fast rap,” Juice felt at a young age that the game needed something new. Thanks to his older brother, he had been exposed to more than just the Chicago sound, listening to MC Eiht, Geto Boyz, Nas, Jay-Z, and Three 6 Mafia. In high school, Juice and his best friend formed a group and took the underground scene by storm. Once he relocated to Atlanta, though the distance put a strain on his group, Juice’s personal career goals remained undeterred.
Tec Beatz grew up in Gainesville, GA in a family of musicians. Fascinated by the sounds to which he was constantly exposed by his uncles, he knew at a young age that the music itself was what he was interested in making. After one of his uncles gave him a drum sequencer when he was in the 7th grade, Tec started making beats and never looked back. His natural talent was strengthened by a formal education acquired through years as a percussionist in both his high school band and the Clark Atlanta University marching band. When other lyricists were slow to catch Tec’s vibe, he made himself into the MC needed to navigate his sound. “I’m looking ahead to the future. I might not live to see it, but that’s how my mind set is,” he states. “I try to make the most futuristic sounding music as possible.”
Less than two years since The Replacementz got together, they have attained an impressive level of success both in and outside of Atlanta. Supported by their management, Division 1 Entertainment, they have performed on stages ranging from college talent shows to the first annual Vibe Music Fest, and have collaborated with such mainstream artists as T.I. and Stat Quo. And so impressed was the latter, that he endorsed and hosted The Replacementz first mixtape, The Panic Room Mixtape, Vol. 1. In addition to their own mixtapes, The Replacementz have also been featured on mixtapes by some of the most respected DJs in the game, including DJ Drama, DJ Don Cannon, and DJ G-Spot. In March of 2005, the group released The Panic Room Mixtape Vol. 2, featuring their first single, “Worldwide.” They are in the studio constantly, taking advantage of every opportunity to continue to hone their skills, while expanding their already impressive catalogue. The group has gotten the attention and support of several major players in the game. As Stat Quo said, “The Replacementz are the real deal! Check for anything these young cats are doing along with the Division 1 Entertainment staff.”
“If you want something you’ve never had, you must do things you’ve never done”
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