Getting lucky: Two locals scheme for fame
SC on the Boombox
91.9 WNRN
January 3, 2004
If talent were the deciding factor in who became the next radio mega star, I probably would listen to the radio more often. It takes more than talent. It takes networking, business savvy, and a little luck.
A few years back, luck fell into the hands of one local MC by the name of Anonymous. A major label had come to scout his group. The label set the group up with a studio in a plush hotel. But at the time, Anonymous and his crew weren't ready. His producer wasn't familiar with the high dollar equipment staring them in the face. And so, alas, that opportunity was blown because of youth and inexperience.
Anonymous spent the next few years traveling around Virginia linking up with various local crews. He's laid tracks from Norfolk to Petersburg and stops in between. Most recently he's found a partner in Scheme, a producer with talent beyond his means.
The two linked up doing songs over the phone- Scheme would beat-box to Anonymous' rhymes. Eventually Scheme invested in a Casio keyboard and began constructing beats electronically. It wasn't long before the two had enough material to put together an EP.
The lo-fi sound of the EP only adds to the gritty content of Anonymous' verses and Scheme's multi-layered production. Together they have produced hard-core hiphop that stands out as something much fresher and more original than the majority of the garbage being pumped on the street right now.
I met Scheme months ago through the it's-a-small-world network. It was in front of the Lucky Seven on Market, and he was excited to have finally finished the EP. He popped it in my stereo right there.
This past weekend, I met Anonymous playing basketball at Washington Park. He mentioned he rapped. I asked him to play me his stuff, and I recognized the sound instantly as what I had heard at the Lucky Seven. He and Scheme were headed over to WNRN, 91.9, that night to play a few songs for the BoomBox show, so I met them down there.
The vibe was incredible. Taking the first of many steps to make their dream come true, they had already hit the streets, and now they had locked down a little radio play. With a lot of work and a little luck, the group, Supreme Council, will be in the right position to call the shots the next time a major label comes to town.
Scheme and Anonymous jamming
PHOTO BY DAMANI HARRISON
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