E.O.S

May 24, 2007

E.O.S Entertainment Inc. are set to release their first full length album in the summer of 2007 entitled “The Rap Superhero LP” by urban artists “Elements of Surprise”, more commonly known as E.O.S.

On the strength of their experimental EP “First Saved Message”, the three South Asian emcees, Indie, I-Que and Synic enlist the powers of multi-platinum producer Marcus Kane to produce their first two singles, “Keep Clappin’” and “Tonight”. Both tracks have received rotation on select Top 40/urban radio stations across Canada and the U.K. “When I heard First Saved Message, I knew these guys had the talent to be stars. They cover topics people don’t talk about, and they do it with this innate energy”, says the multi-platinum producer about his experience working with the group. Although the majority of the album is produced by in house producer Synic, it also features production from Cylla, Woogie, and another in house producer, Indie. All the tracks have been mixed by Latifmix, who has mixed songs for Moka Only, Fat Joe and T.I. to name a few.

Although the album’s first two singles have attained commercial success, the album converses about the touchy subject of racial tension the group has faced in the music industry and a post 9/11 world. Indie, clearly the outspoken member in the group boasts “We make a lot of fun party records for the clubs, but the world has a lot of problems too, and for some reason the way we look is at the forefront of those problems. That’s why we record tracks like ‘Conspiracy’, ‘Somethin’ I’m Not…’ and ‘World Keeps Turnin’, because everyone needs to have facts before they can form opinions on us. Once we get our say, they can have their opinions.”

The 16 track album is a fusion of Urban hip-hop mixed with South-Asian instrumentation and mindsets. From the South Asian roots of tablas and indian flutes to the classic piano and outside the box bagpipes, the album pushes the boundaries of urban music and its formulas. Speaking about their place in hip-hop and the music industry Synic explains. “Do you know how many records have Indian samples in them? We don't say they are tarnishing our culture, we say look at how they reinvented that sound. This is exactly what we’re doing, we are reinventing hip-hop. We belong in this game, and we are going to prove it".

Instead of letting the evil in situations deter them from continuing, E.O.S has formed as a solid unit that creates quality music for everybody. From concept tracks like “Rap Superhero” and “Gets Me High”, to the harsh realities of their personal lives on “This Life of Mine”, the group has put their hearts and souls on the line for a higher purpose. I-Que comments that “I have listened to hip-hop from when it was born. You will never hear lyricism, melody and content like what we have created. People will see beyond what we look like and focus on the integrity of our songs. To people this is music, but to us this is our means of expression and sanity, we will leave our mark.”

The Rap Superhero LP is filled with club bangers, urban classics and urban crossover. Whether they will be accepted or not does not matter to them. What matters is that they are given the chance to convey their story, their heartaches and their existence. Everything else will fall into place.


Media Contact:
Brian Ko
E.O.S Entertainment Inc.
416.893.4807
bko@eosmovement.com - E.O.S Entertainment Inc.

In a small studio outside of Toronto, Indie, Synic and I-Que take the floor and don their collective identity: EOS, also known as “Elements of Surprise”. Their performance is raw- no lighting effects, no gimmicks, just a few mikes, a sound system and a handful of people. EOS bring the heat and deliver with high energy and charged lyrics. In fact, you might’ve already heard them- their songs “Tonight” (featuring Dwight Anderson) and “Keep Clappin” have been getting heavy radio airplay. But what separates EOS album “The Rap Superhero” from the others is the combination of mainstream hip hop and socially conscious messages. Their strongest quality lies in the originality of their lyrically profound tracks, particularly the brutally honest “Somethin’ I’m Not’. The track begins with a scenario in an airport, where the phrase ‘da bomb’ is taken out of context. The song deals with post 9/11 misconceptions, particularly regarding Muslims and people of Middle Eastern/South Asian descent. A few lines from Indie’s rap that particularly hit hard, “Ever since 9/11, terrorists a dime a dozen, since Osama’s out there buggin, apparently I’m his cousin/’aint the truth, but the news’ll twist those to facts, how come you only listen to me when my phones are tapped?/” EOS realizes that being the first Canadian South Asian hip hop group, they will be looked up to. Synic believes that EOS’s religious diversity promotes a message of tolerance, “we comprise of two Muslims from Pakistan and one Hindu from India. This type of unity and message through music can put an end to cultural conflicts.” Although they can’t avoid becoming role models, they also urge their listeners to think for themselves. I-Que states, “There should be a solid line between entertainment and reality. Unfortunately a lot of kids out there smudge that boundary and are influenced negatively by what they hear.”

When did the EOS movement begin? Indie explains, “Synic was my cousin’s friend and I just had to battle him because that’s my nature…we didn’t like each other, and it was left at that.” But after Indie returned from recording in Winnipeg, he realized that he should’ve kept Synic on his side, “Synic was the only person that looked like me and rapped. After some conversation, we were a rap duo. We heard about I-Que through some friends and realized that all of us had been facing a lot of racial tension…forming as a rap crew, we would try to combat it.” The first performing experience EOS had was not a pleasant one. They were booed off a stage at an underground club,” The underground audience did not want to hear what we had to say… some of us feel that it had to do with the colour of our skin.” Synic admits. According to I-Que, the experience only made EOS stronger, “Instead of letting them get to us, this experience made us that much hungrier to prove them wrong.” What was their parents’ reaction when they told them they didn’t want to be engineers? Synic’s parents supported him, helping him set up his studio. Indie’s family supported his dreams, “I would say their belief in me grew in unison with how my beliefs grew about myself.” I-Que initially faced resistance, “But once they saw my love for the music and the endless hours of writing, they knew how serious I was.”

The EOS crew is influenced by a variety of genres, from Bach to Bhangra. Their unique taste in music allows them to formulate their own sound, ‘urban mainstream’. Synic questions, “Why can’t the non-commercial coincide with the mainstream?” EOS use collaborative approaches to revolutionize the hip hop scene, including a unique creative process to outdo each other. Indie confides, “There is always an internal competition between us to see who can write the best…it just elevates the music to be a higher level.” The group’s educational backgrounds and personal experiences create a richness to their music. Indie has an honours degree in Philosophy, Synic studied Radio Broadcasting and Production, and I-Que pursued Radiation Therapy after losing his father to Cancer in 1995.

What is most apparent about EOS is their immense drive to bring change to the blinged out world of hip hop. They want to be known for their lyrics, their verbal tactics, their stage presence, and not for the money, the hos and the excessive brand name clothes. The element of surprise to their EOS is their honesty. In a world brimming with superficiality, what can be more commendable?
- Anokhi

Destined for success, Elements of Surprise (E.O.S.) is an Urban Mainstream outfit made up of three South Asian music artists in the summer of 2002, known as Indie, Synic, and I-Que. Together creating a sound full of street-flavour yet managing to be commercially viable is no easy feat. Through utterly flawless production and genre-fusing, these guys know what they’re doing.

Their debut album ‘The Rap Superhero LP’ was released worldwide in October 2007. Tracks range from gangsta-edged ‘Tonight’ to quality Desi-beat tinted ‘Somethin I’m Not’, they even drop it like it’s hot on ‘Keep Clappin’.

Taking tips from Jay-Z & Linkin Park’s ‘Collision Course’, ‘World Keeps Turnin’ is an Eminem-meets-Mike Shinoda rap/rock-out! Full of ideas and wild creativity, E.O.S. even use an infamous quote by Mohandas Gandhi at the end of this track. Subtle strokes of genius that has to be heard to be believed.

Takings things back to the fundamentals; ‘Time to Breathe’ is classy R&B tune. Demanding attention from radio play lists worldwide, E.O.S. master an art that takes professionals decades to perfect: the art of making urban smash hits! - Priyanka Attapatto - Glasswerk.co.uk

Hip-hop is an intricate novel of stories, perspectives and anecdotes. Its connections to reality are closer than any other genre of music. Not only is it entertainment, but it is also a road from a path of life that others may not have had the pleasure, or displeasure of walking on. Enter Elements of Surprise, a three-emcee army out of Toronto consisting of; Indie, I-Que & Synic. Formed in the summer of 2002, Elements of Surprise, or E.O.S. as they are more commonly referred, set out on a mission to leave a permanent battle scar on the music industry.

With much attention focused on their skin tone, E.O.S. joined forces to combat the stereotypes and controversy built behind their South Asian heritage. Competing to be recognized, E.O.S. created a powerful style that listeners were blown away by. Every angle, from delivery to content, engulfed listeners into another realm. E.O.S. announced plans to begin the recording of a professional EP. After much debate over which tracks should be recorded, E.O.S. went into the studio in May of 2004. This led to their debut commercial release, 'First Saved Message'. Since the release of 'First Saved Message', the demand for E.O.S. has spread not only locally, but globally as well. E.O.S. recently hooked up with multi-platinum producer Marcus Kane, who produced their first single 'Keep Clappin''. The track is rotating on the radio and is a surefire summer anthem. The song is the lead off single from their full length album entitled 'The Rap Superhero LP', scheduled to drop in the fall of 2006. The direction E.O.S. will attack from next is that of lyrical phenomenon. Their versatility is a result of their passion to separate themselves from the recycled sound in today's industry. Their obsession to be innovative provides constant shock to listeners. Expect the unexpected.

Check out E.O.S.’s exclusive interview at Moonraker Studio’s at www.DesiVibe.tv - Nureen Qureshi - DesiVibe