Esinchill

The next movement in Bay Area hip-hop will likely revolve around lyricism. Past eras have tended to focus on the beats. The golden days of Yay Area mobb music saw variations on an uber-regional, neighborhood-oriented sound primarily associated with a particular turf, i.e., HP, Fillmoe, E.P.A., Vallejo, San Jose, Richmond, East Oakland. Most recently, the bay garnered considerable national attention for a certain dread-shakin', purp-smokin' subgenre that was predominantly producer-driven.

But since music goes in cycles — it's been said that hyphy was really just mobb music on steroids — we could see a return to the unique diversity the area once had, when artists were more distinctive and less imitative. And with a seeming lull in local hip-hop — at least until hot new albums by E-40, Lyrics Born, Del, and Keak Da Sneak drop — now is the perfect time to get back to basics.

Enter Esinchill. The extended member of the Digital Underground posse has been kicking around locally for a while; his name first started buzzing in the late '90s, after he appeared on DU's slept-on Who Got the Gravy? Esinchill followed that up with a solo album, Everything to Lose, which he put out on his brother's label, RCeason. This was followed up by Choice Cuts, a collaboration with King Beef that reveled in boom-bap fundamentals, yet had the misfortune of being released during the height of the hyphy movement, when er'body and their grandma was clamoring for club- and radio-friendly, uptempo turf music.

Now that grandma's finally traded in the multicolored hoodie for a sensible sweater, Esinchill is leading a charge toward a style whose primary goal isn't radio play, but wordplay.

"It's not difficult to pull out 'A, B, C, 1, 2, 3' songs or rap about the club or my shoes," he concedes. "To me, that's not appealing." Hooks are important, he says, but he wants people to actually listen to what he's saying: "I welcome the challenge. I don't feel like it's impossible."

A word of caution: Esinchill's next album Vigilantism isn't for fickle trend-hoppers looking for the Next Big Thing. It comes with no pre-F.A.B.-ricated catchphrases, no flashy fashion accoutrements, no bobblehead dolls, and no claims of being the Bay Area's answer to anything — except of course, the need for quality hip-hop music. "I consider myself to be different as well as innovative," the rapper says, adding, "I refuse to cheat my fans."

That's not to say that he doesn't have plenty of game to spit, just that his punchline flow manages to be clever, witty, and frequently socially relevant without repeating the same six phrases over and over. Instead, while remaining PC he references the P.I. code (short for pimp), and turns controversial epithets into a jump-off for a broad discussion on the sociocultural implications of language. "I like to wake people up, give 'em a jolt of lightning."

There's plenty of shock value on "Nigga Bitch Hoe," in which Esinchill uses hot-button words in order to make a larger point about hypocrisy: Picture the most extreme sophisticates, A-1 diction, stuck in they own convictions ... sit 'em in a room with somebody poverty-stricken.

The emcee admits these taboo words are in his vocabulary, yet, he says, "I don't just flagrantly use them." He doesn't go out of his way to say cusswords just to say them: "It can get tiresome to the ear."

Esinchill's favorite song on the album is "I Feel You," a pastiche of three separate scenes: a father whose daughter becomes a victim of domestic violence, a college student who becomes a dope dealer because he can't get a job post-graduation, and an abused altar boy who retaliates against his molester, a priest.

"Everyone has their breaking point," the emcee explains. He says he wrote "I Feel You" because he wanted to address "issues that get swept under the rug." His role as an artist, he adds, is "opening people's eyes so they can see what's really going on."

The album is finished, but contractual details are still being worked out; apparently, negotiations are underway with a local indie with major distribution. In the meantime, Esinchill is stepping up his visibility game.

A recent Friday night found him first at 1015 Folsom, where he opened for Too $hort, and then at the Red Devil Lounge, opening for DU. Sharing the bill with two legends on one night would seem to be a symbolic omen, yet even for the non-spiritually minded, such a feat represents a lot of hard work, at the very least. Esinchill points out that his time with DU helped him learn the ins and outs of live performance: what constitutes a good live show and what doesn't.

He was put to the test during his set at the Red Devil when technical difficulties arose. While the sound system was being repaired, he was forced to kill time. Yet instead of angrily walking offstage or making derogatory comments about the soundman, he smoothly made the most of his situation, calmly cracking jokes like a stand-up comic, and asking if any beatboxers were present in the house. Such composure is generally the mark of a veteran artist, but Esinchill remained unflappable, and when the sound was finally fixed, he picked up right where he left off.

Esinchill is very much rooted in the Bay Area, but he also spends a considerable amount of time outside the bay. He's got family in San Antonio and a fiancée in Atlanta, where he's been quietly working with the famed Dungeon Family on various projects.

"I'm trying to be bicoastal," he says, adding that Southern ears are more attuned to the repetitive, less-substance-filled nature of local crunk than straight-up lyrical hip-hop. Yet he promises, "They'll come around, just like Oakland has. It's just a matter of time." After all, rappers come and go, but lyrical emcees are forever.
- East Bay Express; By Eric K. Arnold

Peace yall, there is a fire storm coming wrapped in an artistry that is at once in the moment, forward, and profound. Grand adjectives to be sure and probably similar to the last hip hop write-up you read or the one you’ll read soon. What’s the difference, you ask? Well, I’m not here to offer braggadocio about a coming artist or waist your time by illuminating the aforementioned adjectives in an attempt to make Esinchill out as something he just isn’t. I think hip hop has taken that creative license too many times, which has to shoulder a bit of the blame for the current state of hip hop. Truth is, NOT EVERYONE IS DOPE, but I digress. Specific to Esinchill, we’ll leave all the clichés alone and provide his color by using something that is true to us all and, since we’re talking about things in the moment, used by the gentleman from the great state of Pennsylvania Senator Joe Biden…”just the facts people, just the facts…”.

A chance meeting with Digital Underground’s legendary front man Shock G, who exclaimed loudly “He’s ridiculous”, lead to 3 national tour stints progressing from roadie to opener to “stop the show it’s Esinchill time!!” His stage show was seen along side KRS-1 who, after expressing “Tightest I’ve heard in years”, called him on stage to add to his already unhinged performance. Also, he was found crowd surfing with Redman who was heard nasally suggesting “Watch out for this nigga!!” His identifiable vocal showed up on DJ Quik’s release “Balance and Options” to which Compton’s own announced “He’s special, the same light of the great ones”. Bold company, bold words, but again, it is not my intent to sell you on Esinchill through words, only to give you pause so as to allow curiosity to take over. My feeling, if Google doesn’t know about it, it probably doesn’t exist. Anyhow, touching on DJ Quik at the close of the last set of thoughts was a perfect segue to what’s most important and most pure….the music.

Esinchill’s “Everything To Lose” found him in his element; dope lyrics over dope beats (There’s that word again) to which Will Bronson of SMC, writing for Showcase Magazine at the time, described as “an excellent debut and Esinchill is doper than most.” Naturally, a true artist refuses to remain stagnant. Looking for inspiration through life’s course, it wasn’t long until Esinchill found the necessary groove to create the blissful listen “Choice Cuts” with long time collaborator King Beef. Its melodic grace was coined “hip hop mood music” and described as “a musical fusion of hip hop, soul, and funk, which produces a genre within a genre” by Stash Magazine. Esinchill, never one to rest on his laurels, delved deeper into his artistry and penned a few R&B tunes for Latoya London (American Idol), Malika (Making The Band), Lil Stevie, Moe Soul, and the legendary singer Lenny Williams. The Lenny Williams’ sung Esinchill written song “Tuesday” peaked at #23 in the country on Urban AC radio and gave a glimpse into where Esinchill may be going: the ability to identify with the listener beyond genre specific. Fast forward to now, Esinchill’s crowning achievement to date…His coming Jake Records release “Vigilante”. “Vigilante’s relevance is unmistakable! Its presentation is political at times, controversial, thought provoking, sensual, challenging, aggressive, engaging, compelling, and rousing all without compromising sonically”- The Rap Critic “Vigilante” is a fluid listen that features Dave Hollister, Mistah F.A.B., Casual (Hieroglyphics), King Beef, Dave Lopez (Flipsyde), Nate’, Eddie Projex, the spoken word stalwart Nicole Ryan, and stellar production from G-Unit’s own Jake One. When asked about “Vigilante” and the signing of Esinchill Jake Records CEO Scott Thomas had this to say: "We're proud to welcome another member of the Digital Underground family to Jake Records. Esinchill is extremely talented, and this upcoming album in particular is a monster... I'm not sure the world is ready for this... but we're going to give it to them anyway!!" Hell Yeah!

The internet has taken to calling Esinchill “Soul Of The City”, which means that he embodies the spirit of the common man, the street sweeper, and the blue collar worker; he gives them voice. Using today’s condition as a gauge, who would you rather listen to: the MC who speaks AT the people about things that are unfamiliar to what’s immediate or the MC who speaks FOR the people and gives credence to there struggle (So Presidential!). You don’t need an adjective to answer that question. One Love
Campbell
Signed: Slave to the music
www.rceason.com
www.myspace.com/rceasonmusic
www.jakerecords.com
www.myspace.com/officialjakerecords
- Rod Campbell

Objective: Share my music with the world

Qualifications:
• Lyrically gifted
• True showmanship; tour seasoned
• Skilled in ability to conceptualize hip-hop (i.e. story-telling, etc.)
• DJ accessible
• Retro

Summary: Posses excellent rapping skills, as well as all elements that promote longevity: imagery, strong stage presence, originality, and vocal ear candy; universally accessible

Employment:
“Do What You Want 2”; Humpty, Quik, MoneyB, Esinchill, and AMG; produced by DJ Quik;
“Somebody’s Watching Me”; TQ, Yukmouth, Lurch, Esinchill, and MoneyB; produced by M. Mosely
“Gimme An Hour”; produced by Toure’ B/W “Give It To Em E”; produced by Dotrix: RCeason
“Tribute”; produced by Alafi; video available B/W “Maybe Her Too”; produced by Knock: RCeason
“Wind Me Up”; ShockG, Humpty, and Esinchill produced by ShockG; video available
“Footage”; produced by Money B; video available; “Sex and the Studio”
“Purple Break 1” from “The Delinquents presents: The Purple Project”
“F/U”; produced by C-Dash for RCeason; “Bay Area Playas: The New Breeds”
“RCeason and NMEG presents Esinchill and King Beef 2003 Mix Tape”

Activities: (Albums) “Everything To Lose” (In Stores Now!)
“Choice Cuts” (In Stores Now!) “theFury” (Free Download!) “Vigilante” (Coming Soon!)
Featured in 4080 Hip-Hop Magazine, 5th year Anniversary Issue
Featured in Roots Magazine, Issue #23
Featured in Rap Pages, March Issue
Featured in Showcase Magazine Feb/March-Album review {3 and a half razor blades};(uncut dope)
Featured in Showcase Magazine June/July-Interview
Featured in Showcase Magazine 3 month compilation extravaganza

Education: (SOHK)
Redman initiated back and forth freestyle @ Maritime Hall; video available
KRS1 initiated performance@ Justice League; video available
3 tour stints with Digital Underground (courtesy of Entertainment Artist Nashville
C/O Bobby Bessone-a division of Prime Tours International)
Various shows rocked within the Bay Area; just completed a national tour; Digital Underground
Upcoming visibility on the Digital Underground/ Sex and the Studio national tour
References available upon request
- Cyberspace