Lawless Element 'Soundvision: In Stereo' album

When Kavi "Magnif" Tapsico and his cousin Alfred "Griot" Austin of Detroit's hip-hop duo Lawless Element were but pint-sized playmates (6 and 9 years old, respectively) they didn't waste time messing with toys. No, as impressionable children of the '80s, these pup prodigies were wrapping their sticky fingers around hip-hop culture and little else.

"We wanted to be rappers even back then," Griot says, smiling wryly. "We started out by beat-boxing into an old radio and recording it. Then we'd play the beat-box back and rhyme over it all day." He pauses, and then he adds, "I think Mag's been making beats since he was in the first grade."

Their years of working together have created a chemistry that can't be duplicated. By studying a range of artists, they have been able to come up with a style all their own.

At 19, Magnif's self-taught production skills have been hailed by many as far beyond his years.
"I'm influenced by De La Soul and a lot of stuff Jay Dee was doing. And Pete Rock & DJ Premier influenced me on the production tip," Magnif says.

The production style that's developed (and on display in 10 out of SoundVision's 12 cuts) is both smooth and bass-heavy — with an array of chopped-up drum patterns reminiscent of early '90s boom-bap.
In fact, Chicago lyricist Diverse, best known for his collaborations with Mos Def and Prefuse 73, recently purchased three beats off Magnif for his own upcoming album. Considering said record also features production from RJD2, Prefuse 73, and Jeff Parker of Tortoise, Magnif's contribution is impressive.

As for Griot (which in West Africa means "storyteller"), his skills represent the group's grimier aspects; he can sling antagonistic and narrative-driven raps about you, your mom and your chick in all of four bars. A longtime fan of story rappers like Slick Rick and Nas, Griot attempts to live up to his nom de plume with each verse.

"It's the cadence and the dopeness of the flows that makes me want to write," Griot says. "I got a passion for getting in the booth and just letting it all out."

It is this creative duality that both defines and individuates Lawless Element's distinctive chemistry; born of a fusion between A Tribe Called Quest, Black Star and accompanying '90s boom-bap, but maintaining a harder underlying lyrical sensibility.

SoundVision resonates with a songcraft that might woo both mainstream and underground ears. Rhyme schemes change as often as the production, and listeners may detect various stages of Lawless Element's growth. As a bonus, Pontiac chanteuse Melanie Rutherford lends her powerful voice, as do Phat Kat, Diverse and Big Tone. Underground rising star Madlib mans the boards for a standout track entitled "High."

While Griot and Magnif both say they were elated to collaborate with Madlib, they were especially honored to work with Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla) who also lent vocals to Sound Vision: In Stereo in addition to his production work on "The Shining."

"Dilla showed love and looked out," Magnif says. "He's a real humble dude; that's not what I was expecting coming from a legendary cat like him."

Garnering extensive critical accolades in support of their three 12" releases to date, coupled with strong local Detroit press and support from the notoriously discerning Okayplayer tastemaker community, the release of SoundVision:In Stereo heralds the beginning of what's sure to be a storied musical journey.

As Magnif himself states "Everyone should listen to us because our beats are hot, and we're different from the rest. We have a wide range of music—there is something for everyone to listen to."

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Lawless Element - Soundvision: In Stereo