Artist Information
Biography
The group known as C.L.S. started in the late 1990’s. It was originally a duo that rhymed over twelve-inch hip-hop instrumentals. These records were the early backdrops to their first recorded rhymes. A Pyramid mixer and a Gemini 1100 turntable provided the entire audio accompaniment that the early C.L.S. crew (then known as The Urban Poets) felt they would ever need. They would record their own rhymes, over popular beats, and blast their finished product for their neighborhood to listen to. Their neighbors in Elmhurst and Hollis, Queens were the first to be exposed to these future stars.
After working with various producers, such as the Fatheads from Jamaica and JS from Corona, a childhood friend of theirs gave them an opportunity they could not refuse. Upstart producer, Joey Keyz was working on homing his production skills at the famed Power Play Studios in Long Island City. By this time, C.L.S. had morphed into the MC’s we know today as Clever and Spel. The C.L.S. crew would sneak into Power Play Studios to record early demo tracks after everyone but the night manager and C.L.S. producer, Joey Keyz would leave. This was the beginning of the musical odyssey that would later become “The 1st Step”.
In 2001, they started recording at Power Play Studios. During this period C.L.S. was creating their sound we hear today. It was not until 2003, with the permanent addition of an MC by the name of Lookaway, did C.L.S. really take off. These MC’s are now eager to take on the hip-hop scene by storm. They are currently doing shows in New York and Pennsylvania.
With the new lineup now officially set to start batting out hits, C.L.S. has dedicated themselves to putting out quality material for many years to come. Their marketable subject matter deals with a broad spectrum of topics, which include love, death, the state of hip-hop, and reality based rhymes, enjoyed by many. They inject badly needed new blood into the veins of Hip-Hop. They have built a catalog of songs that easily grab your attention. “All Out War”, “Two Tears”, “Undeniable”, and “Reflections” are just some of the songs that are truly music to your ears! So sit back, relax and enjoy the sounds brought to you by C.L.S.!
Instrumentation
Clever, Mr. Lookaway and SpeL make up this dynamic trio. All three are Masters of Ceremony.
Discography
C.L.S has released " The 1st Step" LP that is sold independently at all of their venues. They are currently working on their new album. Streaming tracks can be heard on thier web site WWW.CLSMUSIC.COM.
Video
Press
Setlist
Our set list ranges from 15 to 45 minutes in length. The set includes the following songs: All Out War, Two Tears, Opposition, and many more depending on time availability.
