Artist(s) That You Need To Hear: Little Brother

               The hip-hop trio known as "Little Brother" formed when the three met while attending North Carolina Central University together in the late nineties. The group consisted of two MC's: Phonte (left) and Rapper Big Pooh (right), and a producer: 9th Wonder (middle) The three had a love for earlier hip-hop groups like Gang Starr, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Slum Village, and Black Star to name a few. They adapted their style by listening to groups like these and even came up with their own group's name (They view them as their big brothers) from them. 9th Wonder's signature style of beat-making comes from the numerous samples that he uses of classic soul, jazz, and funk albums that he plays around with to create a beat that melds the old with the new. Phonte is rapper/singer who can spit a deeply lyrical verse or sing a sweet harmonic tune, while Big Pooh lyrical style complements Phonte's.

                The group released their debut record, "The Listening", in 2003 to high critical praise but limited commercial success. This strong first outing would lead to the group signing with a major record label, Atlantic Records. With the release of their sophomore album, "The Minstrel Show", in 2005, the group thought that they would find more financial gains by benefiting from the funding and advertising from their new label. However, few music videos of theirs were played on television and almost none of their songs were heard on the radio outside of North Carolina. It was later speculated that B.E.T. didn't play their videos because they were "too intelligent," and would go over viewer's heads. Shortly after the release of the "Minstrel Show", the group split from Atlantic Records and 9th Wonder left the group due to conflict with the other two members.
               The trio was now a duo, which meant that they now needed outside production with 9th Wonders departure. Phonte and Big Pooh released "Getback" in 2007, as Little Brother. Although this release only featured one of 9th Wonder's signature beats, the album was still a critical success. In 2010, Little Brother decided to disband following the release of their final album, "Leftback". The album's first single, and the first track on the record, is "Curtain Call", which is a tribute and a goodbye to their fans. Ironically, the last track of the album, "24" featuring Torae,  the group goes out with a bang with all three MC's spitting intense verses over a hard-hitting beat produced by Khrysis, a 9th Wonder affiliate.
                As of 2011, the group has no plans of reuniting, but the conflicts that lead to the split have been resolved. The three men are still friends, but would rather pursue their own careers for the time being. Rapper Big Pooh has released a pair of solo albums, with production from 9th Wonder on both, to critical acclaim. Phonte has released three albums with his new group, "The Foreign Exchange", consisting of Phonte, mostly singing, and beats from Dutch producer, Nicolay. The duo were nominated for a Grammy for the song "Daykeeper", in 2009. 9th Wonder has produced many songs and albums for many lesser known artists, as well as heavy-weights like Jay-Z, Drake, and Destiny's Child. He also won a Grammy for his production work with Mary J. Blige. Even if they never make another song together, Little brother has still left an undeniable mark in hip-hop.

Songs to sway you: Little Brother Edition
Little Brother- Nighttime Maneuvers
Little Brother- Still Lives Through
Little Brother- Say It Again