Dres Of Black Sheep Drops EP In Advance of Spring 2010 Full-Length
Dres, of the legendary Queens outfit Black Sheep is proud to announce the first of two brand new Black Sheep projects to be released in the next several months. The Native Tongues veteran is gearing up for his first full length since 2006, the forthcoming From The Black Pool Of Genius. Before the album is released in Spring 2010, Dres has decided to whet Black Sheep fans’ appetites with From The Black Pool of Genius: The Prelude, a five song EP to be released on December 1st, 2009.
The Prelude finds Dres showcasing his extraordinary skills without appearing to break a sweat. He manages to sound effortless while walking a lyrical tightrope- wielding his uniquely bouncy flow while addressing serious, deeply thought-out issues. Dres, one of the most experienced and insightful voices in hip-hop today, is using the album as a means of communicating what he believes the meaning of hip-hop truly is. “I once heard a poet say that ‘hip hop backward is ‘pih poh (people)’- the way I see it, many artists are a lot more hip-hop than they ever realized. I would dare to say that any artist over time, regardless of genre, that makes music for the ‘pih poh’… is hip-hop.” This type of inclusive, outside the box thinking is a hallmark of Black Sheep’s music and is very much on display on From The Black Pool of Genius.
As for the title of the album, Dres explains that, “‘Black Pool‘ doesn’t refer to black people. It refers to the color black’s unique ability to absorb light. This deep, vast pool of soul, of artistic insight; although it’s not always understood, the light it reflects back to the ‘pih-poh’ is necessary.”
Watch out for From The Black Pool of Genius: The Prelude on December 1st, and From The Black Pool of Genius full length in Spring 2010.
The Background:
It all began with a thundering baseline and an unmistakably classic phrase – “this or that.” One of the most widely recognized songs in rap music history, the 1991 classic “The Choice is Yours” was hailed by VH1 in 2008 as one of the best rap songs of all time. The highly respected Queens emcee Dres, along with DJing partner-in-crime William “Mista Lawnge” McLean took the music industry by storm in the early 1990’s as part of the groundbreaking collective Native Tongues. Penning such Billboard standouts as “Flavor of the Month” and “Strobelight Honey” for the duo’s platinum-selling debut album A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing in 1992, Dres would continue to crank out the hits on the group’s second release, Non Fiction. After a brief reunion with Mister Lawnge in 2000, Dres again set his sights on recording. He released the innovative online-only album 8WM/Novakane in 2007. Now he’s back in the studio, writing the next chapter of his storied career. Dres’ highly anticipated new project, From the Black Pool of Genius, out Spring 2010, promises to pair thought-provoking lyrics with astounding beats constructed by a corps of new and established beatmakers. They include Bean One, Showbiz, Tough Junkie, P. Locke, Urban Soul Music Group, and Willie Evans. He’s also got an impressive line-up of guest stars, including De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Rhymefest, AZ, and Tough Junkie, among others. Leading up to the release of his next full-length, Black Sheep will be releasing a precursor EP, From The Black Pool Of Genius: The Prelude, available December 1st.
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