L.E.S.

Montreal artist L.E.S. was fortune enough to spend his summers at the epicentre of hip hop’s burgeoning culture. The graffiti-stained subways, cardboard covered pavement, and oversized boomboxes that resonated throughout The Bronx, left the Montreal native with lasting memories and a deep appreciation for the style and originality of hip hop’s golden era. With the BX borough as an inspirational backdrop, L.E.S. took to the pen and began honing his skills as both writer and emcee.
As talented as he is introverted, the seldom seen artist remained an enigma to most throughout his early career, save for the lucky few who caught his occasional performances at one of Montreal’s popular poetry slams,. Standing in the crosshairs of looming real-life responsibility, and at the urging of some of his well-respected peers, L.E.S. finally began working on a short length album. The result was “Before the Genesis”, an eight song EP that displayed a propensity for deeply personal lyrics that blend hip hop bravado with artistic sensibility. Though not heavily promoted, the album received critical praise and was a personal milestone for the usually reclusive artist.
Following that accomplishment, L.E.S. chose to return to his comfort zone, behind the scenes where he co-created morburn-music.com - a website dedicated to promoting hip hop in his hometown. As a by-product of the site’s success, L.E.S., the artist, was once again a topic of discussion. A string of collaborations and standout performances followed in 2010, none more celebrated than his powerfully poignant verse on the remix to Montreal aka Real City’s unofficial anthem, Expos Fitted:
“My city’s been looking for the right flow
Some of them were nice but we never had a Maestro
Everybody sware that they’re the one
Call an Iso
When did Scott Pippen start thinkin’
That he’s Michael?”
It’s no wonder why some of the city’s biggest names in hip hop and r&b (Shaharah, Uness, Malicious, Dirt Work Productions) are looking to collaborate with the emcee. Finally realizing what many already knew, L.E.S. plans to shed his reclusive nature and share his ability to spill vivid lyrics over gritty, soulful beats with the rest of the world.
L.E.S. is currently working on “The Genesis” with some of the aforementioned collaborators and expects to release the project in fall of 2011.