High and Mighty (band)
Encyclopedia
The High & Mighty are an underground hip hop
duo from Philadelphia consisting of rapper Mr. Eon ("The High", b. Erik Meltzer) and DJ Mighty Mi ("The Mighty", b. Milo Berger). Their commercial debut was in 1999 on the underground rap label Rawkus with their album, Home Field Advantage
, featuring rappers such as Mos Def
, Kool Keith
, What? What?
, Cage Kennylz
, Pharoahe Monch
, Evidence
of Dilated Peoples
, Defari
and Eminem
. They later left Rawkus, distributing the records issued by their own record company Eastern Conference Records
via Landspeed Records. They also established a group called Smut Peddlers with Cage
and published an album called Porn Again
.
The High and Mighty have a penchant for subjects that break the usual hip hop stereotypes. The titles of their albums and the name of their record label are both references to one of their favourite musical subjects, American professional team sports. Home Field Advantage
, for example, features numerous sporting references, including the track Friendly Game of Football and mentions of the '69 New York Mets
, Cris Carter
and Jason Sehorn
, among others. José Reyes and David Wright of the Mets were mentioned in the song "Key Master" ("We the future like Reyes and David Wright on Fireworks Night"). Another recurring source of lyrical fodder is the Star Wars
film series, with Home Field Advantage including lines about Jedi
Master Mace Windu
, the bounty hunter Greedo, Anakin Skywalker and the shiny droid C-3PO
.
Rapper Masta Ace
called them "a couple of high whiteys" in his hit battle rap "Acknowledge". This diss was probably because he was not pleased that they mentioned listening to his records in their "Jewish slaughterhouse" (referencing Ace's album Slaughtahouse
, the same reference was made by Cage on "Suicidal Failure") - it is not clear whether Ace simply misunderstood their homage or whether he attacked them for being white hip-hop
musicians. According to Ace himself , however, another rapper had told him that the High and Mighty had dissed him at one of their shows. This prompted him to create the devastating Acknowledge song on his 2001 album Disposable Arts
. Ace eventually learned that he was misinformed, but the track had already been released, presumably causing embarrassment and ending the feud.
They also had a feud with rapper Cage
, which resulted in "Public Property" from Cage's 2005 album, Hell's Winter
; along with Copywrite on the track "Poorly Promote This" produce by Twiz the Beat Pro.
Their song "B-Boy Document '99" was featured in the popular Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
video game.
Underground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
duo from Philadelphia consisting of rapper Mr. Eon ("The High", b. Erik Meltzer) and DJ Mighty Mi ("The Mighty", b. Milo Berger). Their commercial debut was in 1999 on the underground rap label Rawkus with their album, Home Field Advantage
Home Field Advantage (album)
Home Field Advantage is the debut album by hip hop group The High & Mighty. It is mostly produced by DJ Mighty Mi, but also features production from The Alchemist and Reef...
, featuring rappers such as Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
, Kool Keith
Kool Keith
Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...
, What? What?
Jean Grae
Jean Grae , born November 26, 1976 is an American hip hop artist who hails from South Africa. She rose to prominence in the underground hip-hop scene in New York City, and has since built an international fanbase.- Early life :...
, Cage Kennylz
Cage Kennylz
Chris Palko, better known by his stage name Cage, is an American rapper from New York City. He has released three studio albums and two extended plays. Cage is also the founder of the underground hip-hop supergroup called the Weathermen.-Early life:...
, Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch is an American hip hop artist. He is known for his complex lyrics, complex delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.-Biography:...
, Evidence
Evidence
Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...
of Dilated Peoples
Dilated Peoples
Dilated Peoples is an American hip hop group from Los Angeles, California. The group achieved notability in the underground hip hop community, although they have had little mainstream success in the US, with the exception of the song "This Way," a 2004 collaboration with Kanye West and Xzibit...
, Defari
Defari
D.A. Johnson Jr., also known as Defari, is a West Coast hip hop artist. Primarily, he is a solo artist, additionally he is a member of the Likwit Junkies, a rap duo with DJ Babu of Dilated Peoples. He was born at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He attended the University of...
and Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
. They later left Rawkus, distributing the records issued by their own record company Eastern Conference Records
Eastern Conference Records
Eastern Conference Records is an independent record label based in New York City, New York. It is owned and operated by DJ Mighty Mi, the DJ/producer for the High & Mighty....
via Landspeed Records. They also established a group called Smut Peddlers with Cage
Cage Kennylz
Chris Palko, better known by his stage name Cage, is an American rapper from New York City. He has released three studio albums and two extended plays. Cage is also the founder of the underground hip-hop supergroup called the Weathermen.-Early life:...
and published an album called Porn Again
Porn Again
Porn Again is a 2001 album by the Smut Peddlers, a group composed of Mr. Eon and DJ Mighty Mi from The High & Mighty, and Cage. Guest appearances include Kool Keith, Kool G Rap, R.A. the Rugged Man, Copywrite, and Apani B. Fly. The album was re-released on March 7, 2006, with four bonus tracks that...
.
The High and Mighty have a penchant for subjects that break the usual hip hop stereotypes. The titles of their albums and the name of their record label are both references to one of their favourite musical subjects, American professional team sports. Home Field Advantage
Home Field Advantage (album)
Home Field Advantage is the debut album by hip hop group The High & Mighty. It is mostly produced by DJ Mighty Mi, but also features production from The Alchemist and Reef...
, for example, features numerous sporting references, including the track Friendly Game of Football and mentions of the '69 New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, Cris Carter
Cris Carter
Cristopher D. Carter is a former American football player in the National Football League. He played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles , the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins ....
and Jason Sehorn
Jason Sehorn
Jason Heath Sehorn is a former professional American football defensive back in the National Football League.-Early years:Sehorn was born in Sacramento, California...
, among others. José Reyes and David Wright of the Mets were mentioned in the song "Key Master" ("We the future like Reyes and David Wright on Fireworks Night"). Another recurring source of lyrical fodder is the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
film series, with Home Field Advantage including lines about Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
Master Mace Windu
Mace Windu
Mace Windu is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, most famously portrayed by actor Samuel L. Jackson in the prequel films. However, Windu has also been voiced by other actors in assorted video game and animated projects....
, the bounty hunter Greedo, Anakin Skywalker and the shiny droid C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
.
Rapper Masta Ace
Masta Ace
Duval Clear , known better by his stage name Masta Ace, is a rapper from Brownsville, Brooklyn. He appeared on the classic 1988 Juice Crew posse cut "The Symphony"...
called them "a couple of high whiteys" in his hit battle rap "Acknowledge". This diss was probably because he was not pleased that they mentioned listening to his records in their "Jewish slaughterhouse" (referencing Ace's album Slaughtahouse
SlaughtaHouse
SlaughtaHouse is the first album from hip hop group Masta Ace Incorporated, consisting of Masta Ace, Lord Digga, Paula Perry, Eyceurokk and Leschea. Released three years after Ace's acclaimed debut Take a Look Around, the loose concept of the album is addressing the growing trend of violence in...
, the same reference was made by Cage on "Suicidal Failure") - it is not clear whether Ace simply misunderstood their homage or whether he attacked them for being white hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
musicians. According to Ace himself , however, another rapper had told him that the High and Mighty had dissed him at one of their shows. This prompted him to create the devastating Acknowledge song on his 2001 album Disposable Arts
Disposable Arts
Disposable Arts is the fourth album and the second solo album by American emcee Masta Ace, his first album since 1995's Sittin' On Chrome. The concept follows a young Brooklyn man's release from prison, his return home, and his life at "The Institute of Disposable Arts", a school in which Ace...
. Ace eventually learned that he was misinformed, but the track had already been released, presumably causing embarrassment and ending the feud.
They also had a feud with rapper Cage
Cage Kennylz
Chris Palko, better known by his stage name Cage, is an American rapper from New York City. He has released three studio albums and two extended plays. Cage is also the founder of the underground hip-hop supergroup called the Weathermen.-Early life:...
, which resulted in "Public Property" from Cage's 2005 album, Hell's Winter
Hell's Winter
Hell's Winter is the second full-length album by American hip hop artist Cage and his first for the Definitive Jux label. It was released on September 20, 2005 and received very favorable reviews, including a spot in Rhapsody's list of "The 10 Best Albums By White Rappers".This is the first Cage...
; along with Copywrite on the track "Poorly Promote This" produce by Twiz the Beat Pro.
Their song "B-Boy Document '99" was featured in the popular Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, often abbreviated as THPS2, is the second game in the Tony Hawk's series. It was developed by Neversoft and published by Activision in 2000...
video game.
Albums
- 1999 Home Field AdvantageHome Field Advantage (album)Home Field Advantage is the debut album by hip hop group The High & Mighty. It is mostly produced by DJ Mighty Mi, but also features production from The Alchemist and Reef...
(Eastern Conference/Rawkus) - 2002 Air Force 1 (Eastern Conference/Landspeed)
- 2003 The Highlite Zone (Eastern Conference/Caroline)
- 2005 The 12th ManThe 12th Man (album)The 12th Man is the fourth album by rap duo High and Mighty, released in 2005.-Track listing:# "Garbage Time"# "Wonderama"# "Green Balloons"# "This Babylon"# "Star Destroyers" featuring Sean Price# "Outta Here"...
(Eastern Conference)
Singles
- 1997 It's All For You / Hands On Experience / Cranial Lumps
- 1997 Open Mic Night / The Meaning
- 1998 B-Boy Document / Mind, Soul & Body
- 1999 B-Boy Document '99 / Chaos
- 1999 Dirty Decibels
- 1999 Sun, Moon & Stars / The Conflict
- 2000 Dick Starbuck Porno Detective
- 2003 Take It Off