Caveman Theory

In case anyone is becoming too worried, rest assured that there are still artists out there who remain true to the artistry and ethics of real hip hop. This group of three steadfast MC's and one rock solid DJ keep it real with ease, spitting carefully penned reality rhymes over hard hitting beats that flow with an understated eccentricity. This is a group that takes the high road: While some crews get caught up harping on the current state of hip hop, these cats let their music lead the way, concentrating hard on flow, content, and constant exchanges of the microphone. It bodes well for this trio of MC's, who, without the detriment of a weak link, can run lyrical circles and never miss a beat. There's hints of old school homage in the beats, but the lyrics here are contemporary in both style and substance, coming off as hard but strikingly pragmatic, harsh but not derogatory. It's groups like this, the ones who remain focused and true to the music, that are making the kind of modern hip hop that folks should be looking for and turning to.

- Brad (CD Baby Staff)

- CDBaby.com

With rap fixated on drug dealers and ringtones, it's never been harder for an underground act to break out and find an audience. Godamus Rhyme, Redd Simpkins, Kap and DJ Dolo, collectively known as Caveman Theory, are the newest true-school contenders demanding your attention in a crowded marketplace. This multi-regional crew hailing from Maryland, Florida and Washington State ignore current trends in Hip Hop, positioning themselves as the successors to the late 90's backpack scene, for better or for worse.

Drawing on the laid back abstract vibe perfected by A Tribe Called Quest and Souls of Mischief, there's quite a lot to enjoy on The Stone Quartet. Smooth tracks like "Friends F-ck" and "Sunraised" are perfect for late night smoking sessions and long drives thanks to Godamus' head-nod inducing beats and Simpkins' metaphor heavy rhymes. Aptly examining every day life, relationships and the art of rapping, the crew's down to earth approach is a breath of fresh air in a scene dominated by technical wizardry and nerdy complexity. Elsewhere, Caveman Theory take on everything from politics to poverty all while avoiding the preachy tendencies of some of their contemporaries. Wisely, the group offsets their pensive rhymes and mellow beats with infectious road-tested hooks sure to get any crowd jumping. With so many underground emcees straying towards pedantic "conscious" rhymes over sleepy beats, it's refreshing to hear boom-bap dinosaurs that remember that the Native Tongues had fun on wax.

The group half-steps on their harder edged material however. Whether it's overly sparse production on "Step Right" or the clichéd complaints on "Don't Violate", the crew seems ill at ease on the rugged tip. Also, while admirable, Caveman's wordy lyricism occasionally obscures their songwriting, burying their intent in a torrent of similes and wordplay. While the throwback approach is appreciated, this adherence to some of the less fondly remembered elements of the late 90's white label scene can make the group seem…prehistoric.

Missteps aside, Caveman Theory have put together a well rounded debut highlighting their reflective version of traditional boom-bap. While no one will confuse The Stone Quartet with a party album or the hardest release on the block, those looking for beats rhymes and life will be well rewarded. With their debut laying a solid foundation, Caveman Theory is in the position to build on this release's success and won't be going extinct any time soon.

- OhWord.Com

Jean Grae, Murs and Caveman Theory Concert Review of there mind blowing, just short of being sold out show at The Backbooth in Orlando FL on Thursday, March 30th.
Saturday, April 08, 2006 -

Approaching the venue I quickly noticed the long line of people waiting to get in to the club which was filled with an extremely diverse crowd of people, both ethnically and culturally. Upon getting inside grabbing a cold one and mingling with some local musicians while some old school music played through the sound system I made my way to the back of the club. Once there I saw the club's manager and then met the lovely and talented Jean Grae. We chatted it up a bit and that woman is so down to earth and chill its unreal.

The first act Caveman Theory, who hails here in wonderful Orlando, finally took the stage around eleven and immediately got the crowd into a frenzy and hyped up. They put on a fantastic set mixing some wild beats with dope rhymes. Some technical difficulties didn't stop these guys; they took it back, way back and starting passing the microphone when it was that particular persons verse. The transition was silky smooth and if you hadnt seen them smacking the mic, youd never have known anything was up. I don't think the crowd was expecting Caveman Theory to be as live and fiery as they were. They definitely nailed the "opening" in they got the crowd all ready for the next two artists, and definitely managed to recruit some new fans in the process as well.

As Caveman theory was headed off stage, I meandered back to the bar where I chilled next to Miss Grae and sipped on some drinks...

- Entertainment World

By: Natalie Zfat
Issue date: 4/6/06 Section: Variety

Business is good for rap group Caveman Theory, which has sold over 250 CDs since the release of its new album less than two weeks ago. At $5 a pop, that's not bad money for four guys who say they're just doing what they love.

"The only thing that makes me happy is music," said Alex Minor, aka Godamus Rhyme, one of Caveman's three MCs, before a show at Back Booth last week. The group was getting ready to open for Murs and Jean Grae in what Minor called "the biggest show they've ever played."

Caveman's 30-minute set got a crowd of about 300 pumped, nodding their heads and doing the non-existent basketball bounce with their hands. One hundred fifteen of those people bought Caveman Theory CDs immediately following the performance. One particular burst of applause during the set prompted Godamus to make a confession to the audience: "I wrote that song," he whispered.

Caveman Theory credits its sound influence to several artists including the Wu-Tang Clan, Big Pun, Common and Public Enemy. Some of the band's songs even sound strikingly familiar, as its DJ, Dave Mock, aka DJ Dolo, remakes hip hop songs from decades ago and blends in new beats to keep them modern.

"We want to change music and go back to the basics," said MC Lane Kaplan, aka Kap, explaining the reason behind the name Caveman Theory: "Our music is primal."

"Ninety five percent of our songs are concept songs," said Kap. "We don't just rap to rap. If Godamus has a problem with us, he'll rap about it in our music. We're not afraid to be honest."

Luckily, Godamus agrees.

"If we have a problem with each other, we'll put it on a track. No hard feelings." Godamus said that's what sets them apart from other musicians and most mainstream artists.

Kyle Simpkins, aka Redd, who spends much of his time writing song lyrics, said the reason music is so important nowadays is because of what it represents. "I can take everything and anything around me and put it into a song and it'll make sense," Redd said. "It's what I want to be doing with my life."

And CD sales aren't the only way this quartet makes money. "A lot of (our income) comes from merchandise sales and paid concerts," said Kap. "And we get paid for almost every show we do."

The group's last paid show was in North Carolina on March 21 at the CD release party of Odd Numbers with the Justus League, but the group's biggest accomplishment was the following night at Lounge Battles in downtown Orlando, where it competed against 18 groups to earn the title of 2006 Lounge Battles Performance Champions.

Future plans for Caveman? "A distribution deal," said Kaplan. "And lots of touring."

The group's next show is April 22 at AKA Lounge.
- Central Florida Future

Killer Pop Magazine: Caveman Theory Interview by Jack Cusumano

A lot of people don't realize that Orlando does, in fact, have a pretty active underground community of hip-hop artists. If you've so far gone unaware of our hometown scene, a good place to start would be by checking out local crew Caveman Theory, who believe musicians should bring both a good record and a solid live show to the table. Get to know them with this interview:

First things first, we noticed you're opening for Murs and Jean Grae on the 30th at Back Booth. How do you feel about them?

Kap: Murs is amazing. To tour that much is incredible. He's a machine. I haven't heard any projects that I've disliked from him yet. And hands down Jean Grae is one of the dopest emcees I've ever heard.

Godamus: Jean Grae is one of my favorites. She shows that girls can rock just as hard as dudes without compromising their images. She's smart, got sick ass punchlines, and is sexy as hell. Murs I'm jealous of. He's doing everything that I want to be right now. Touring coast to coast and making albums all the time.

Redd: I've followed Murs since he opened for Atmosphere in Orlando in 2002. Murs has got madd style and I appreciate that in an artist. His material with the Living Legends and 9th wonder is ridiculous. But I have to say my favorite stuff is from Felt 2. I havent really had a chance to experience a live show from Jean Grae, but the tracks I've heard are ridiculous. "Soap & Soda" with Masta Ace is probably my favorite that I've heard so far. Overall I'm extremely excited to be opening for these two nationally acclaimed acts. I'm positive the show is gonna be dope.

The show's part of Elements' "Hip Hop Month" lineup. How do you feel about Elements, and what kinds of events have you done together before?

Caveman Theory: We've done numerous events for Elements on campus and things are usually well organized. Unfortunately the scene doesn't always support.

A lot of people don't think of Orlando when listing the nation's top hip-hop scenes. How do you think orlando's scene really measures up?

Godamus: I think there's potential. The problem isn't a lack of artists or talent. The problem is an effective means to get people to come out and support the locals without some big name from out of town having to come through. Even Sol. illaquists had trouble getting support locally until they started touring with Sage Francis. And their's no question they're one of the most talented groups here.

Kap: I agree. We've got tons of talent in Orlando like Sol. illaquists of Sound, Grey Matter, and Critical Madness... And of course Caveman Theory. The real problem with the local scene isn't the talent, it's the fans. Most of the fans are artists themselves.

Redd: To add to what they said, I've been in the Orlando scene the longest out of the three of us, and back in 2001 when the HUSH show was still in full affect, the scene was totally different. Everyone came together strictly to see people spit and break dance. Now there's no common ground for anyone who wants to showcase their skills. It's become about who you know. Even to get a spot in a local showcase can sometimes be hard. It's never been a question of talent. I'd almost say there's too much.

Can you tell us a little something about the Cro-Magnon Mixtape? Where/when can we find it?

Caveman Theory: You can get it from our website, OfficialCavemen.Com and from our myspace page, myspace.com/cavemantheory. It features appearances by Splash ("The Ripple Effect"/9th Wonder Fame), K-Hill ("Da Instigator" 12-inch/Neblina Records), C-Style, and G-Ro of Stumpp, a rock/hiphop group on our label. It's a real mixtape, cut and blended by our DJ, DJ Dolo. By the way, it's FREE. (artists note: since this article was published, the price of the mixtape has been changed to $5)

If there are any online distributors or Mom & Pop store owners who want it, they can simply contact our management at Lane6Kap90@aol.com We'll be glad to hook them up.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

Caveman: There's too many to name really. There's four of us in the group and we all come from different backgrounds and have different tastes. Life is our biggest influence.

What do you think sets Caveman Theory apart from the rest of the music going on around Orlando, or just these days in general?

Caveman Theory: Originality. We're not scared to take chances with our music and try to not follow all the "rules". We have an Old School approach when it comes to our shows. We really believe in moving the crowd. We're not just a studio group. Usually the first time people hear us is live, and first impressions are everything.

Caveman Theory is a metaphor for change and evolution, but also going back to the basics. Beats, rhymes, and hunger.

Besides the March 30th show, where else can people catch you guys?

Caveman Theory: We're performing at the Odd Numbers record relea - Killer Pop

If making Hip Hop is so simple why does it take a Caveman to do it right? Caveman Theory features emcees Redd Simpkins, Godamus Rhyme, Kap, and DJ Dolo. I'm not sure why they have Caveman in their name, but if I had to guess, it would be because they are coming with a stone club and bashing the rap game with their brand of original classic Hip Hop. Think classic meaning tight, back to basics Hip Hop music, not necessarily old school. There new album "The Stone Quartet" is not really anything you haven't heard before, but it's something you don't hear often enough; solid rhymes combined with top notch beats, and rhythmic scratching. Check out samples of their music on http://cdbaby.com/cd/cavemantheory . - Insomniac Magazine

Three MCs and one DJ take on the cookie-cutter hip-hop game and turn it upside down with this amazingly made album. The MCs (Kap, Godamus Rhyme and Redd Simpkins) all hail from the East Coast but take a very individualized approach to delivery. Their intelligent lyrics take on subjects from serious politics to good times to love gone sour. They are a breath of new life into a genre that has become tired and predictable. The DJ (Dolo) makes delicious beats. (Editor's note: Production is also provided by group member Godamus and producer Optiks.) - Jessica Kizer/Kalamazoo Gazette

"Stone Quartet" Review by Beautiful Decay Magazine
The members of Caveman Theory love hip-hop, and I love them for it. Every song from their debut record, The Stone Quartet, expresses a sense of optimisim that is rare in rap. Emcees Godamus Rhyme, Redd Simp, and Kap sound eager to get on the mic. On the title track and the banger "Funk Box," the rappers keep their verses short, going back and forth and finishing one another's lines. The beats are crisp, with hum-able samples and snappy drums; DJ Dolo provides the cuts. The inspiring track "To the Top" reminds listeners that what you do is more important than what you own. "On the Road" tells the hip-hop version of Kerouac's classic tale, without the underlying sense of despair and dissapointment. "Shit's exhausting," they rap, "but so worth it/ Being able to live off love, shit is perfect." - Ben Muessig
- Beautiful Decay Magazine