Koncept & J57 were weaned on crate digging and local deep cuts, but have always kept one foot in the mainstream. It was this deep immersion into NYC’s hip-hop scene that brought the two together. Lyrically, Koncept delivers intimately biographical rhymes that explore where he’s at now by dissecting his past. His friend and cohort J57 adds his A-game production to the mix in a sweeping tapestry of boom-bap revival, orchestral synths & clever hooks. Now, as an ambitious producer/emcee team, the young veterans are ready to take their epic, relentless sound to the masses.
Koncept, the Queens-raised emcee, made a name for himself in the underground hip-hop trenches, but these days you can find him working with heavy hitters like Ty Dolla $ign, Pharoahe Monche, Big Daddy Kane, Doomtree, Tash of Tha Alkaholiks, Brand Nubian, Royce da 5’9” and Dead Prez. J57, the Long Island-raised/Brooklyn-based producer/rapper, has just as strong a resume—he counts the legendary DJ Premier as a mentor and has assisted the hip-hop architect on songs by Nas, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, A-list work that led to his own collaborations with Joey Bada$$, Method Man, Raekwon, Mack Wilds, The Roots and countless other influential artists.
The result of their collaboration their new EP The Fuel—a riveting underdog tale told as if the duo is looking back on its legacy a la ESPN’s SportsCentury. Fired up, Koncept details his hip-hop hustle over J57’s big-statement music, the whole affair filled with ecstatic anticipation for the real-life successes on the horizon.
Glide is premiering “Excitement” (below) off The Fuel a hard hitting number that cuts to the chase with urgent vocals but keeps one foot in the soul bucket, with its hook filled groove. The Fuel is scheduled to drop November 20, 2015, paving the way for Koncept & J57’s forthcoming debut LP, Flight, coming in 2016. Stay tuned.
“Excitement” was one of the first tracks created for the EP and it kinda helped as a guideline during the EP’s post-production stage,” says J57 to Glide about the track. “We knew it was something special, so we had to treat it very delicately; especially in the way that we presented it to the public. It fits the vibe perfectly. It’s a real blend of all of the vibes of the EP and Andrew Thomas Reid’s anthemic chorus really is one of the best choruses I’ve ever heard in my life.”
“As cliche as it sounds, I really have put my entire life into our music,” adds Koncept. “From 7 years old getting Koncept as my graffiti name, to getting my first turntables at 11, to getting hired at Fat Beats and completely re-focusing my life away from snowboarding to make music full time. I’ve focused all my energy and time into my passion, and it’s a beautiful-beautiful thing to release that into the world. A little nerving sometimes to let people into your heart, but still always very exciting. I speak about the steps it’s taken to get here. Being raised by a single mom, no dad, but she did what it took to keep me eating and dressed. That shit is exciting. I got to go to college. First one in my family, that shit is exciting. We sat down with major labels, that shit is exciting. We’re dropping The Fuel. That shit is exciting.”
Artist links…
Pre-order The Fuel on iTunes:
Koncept official site –
J57 official site –
Koncept Facebook: (@konceptfanpage to tag)
J57 Facebook: (@J57music to tag)
Koncept Twitter: (@koncept to tag)
J57 Twitter: (@j57 to tag)
Koncept Instagram: (@champagnekonny)
J57 Instagram:(@j57bbas)
