If you were a follower of underground hip hop during the Rawkus years, then today's company will be a special treat for you (especially if you are from the 804). With his cousin and a high school friend, this gentleman's rap group quietly helped open doors for "southern-based" emcees and groups to get noticed by record labels in NYC. Their group, Down South, had a single and video called "Southern Comfort" that rang through the underground. After meeting Mos Def, today's company's name as a producer started to bubble and led to working with some underground hip hop royalty. The 804's own Mad Skillz, Q-Tip, Ras Kass, Artifacts, and many others dropped vocals on his production work; and during our conversation, I learned that he was part of the original 4 individuals who began what we now know as Black Star. Jigga WHAT? Jigga WHO? How did I not know that? We discussed his music career, how his spiritual journey changed his life (and his use of sampling), and his Drum Stacks sound design endeavor that is ready to take flight. Say hello to 804-born and raised music producer, Shawn J. Period. -Source
