Hezekiah

Upon hearing how adroitly Hezekiah framed such Philly royalty as Bilal, Jaguar Wright, and Freeway as the leading producer on I Predict A Riot, Hezekiah was catapulted to the top of every roster’s producer wish list. The self-admitted “musician first” appropriately has credits on the liner notes of East Coast staples like Musiq, Aaries, J-Live, Bahamadia, Pharaohe Monch, Zap Mama, Eric Roberson, The Jazzyfatnastees and Aaron Livingston, with even more major production creds to come throughout the year. The sought-after producer’s streetscapes can also be heard as the musical co-producer on the Showtime original series, Street Time. The self-declared “music nerd” who grew up admiring artist producers like Quincy Jones, Barry White, and J-Dilla is well on his way to joining their ranks. Sometimes being a nerd pays off.

Being a superstar producer may pay the bills, but it doesn’t satiate the griot beast burning a hole inside of Hezekiah’s artistic soul. To feed the need, Hezekiah is roaring back to the mic this summer with his third release, the forthcoming Conscious Porn (from a renewed SoulSpazm Records). Determined that the third time is the charm, Hezekiah is leaving little to chance by again working his newly refined warlock mojo both in front of and behind the boards, with a little help from producers Steve McKie (Estelle, Jill Scott) and Street Orchestra (Baby Blak, Eshon Burgundy). Hipster faves Bilal, Mos Def, Phonte, Cody Chestnutt, and Bahamadia each deliver star-turning performances under Hezekiah’s revealing Conscious Porn lens.

Conjuring the spirits of soul and funk influences like Otis Redding and Rick James while infusing the phrasing of such disparate rappers as Kool G Rap and Petie Crack into his distinctive flow, with Conscious Porn Hezekiah is out to prove he’s the kind of artist that has ecstatic crowds shouting “You gotta hear this!” and throwing their cells up to his electric skies.

From the man’s whose scrappy come up began in ‘93 with the legendary Roots crew, Hezekiah is the evolution of conscious rap, if with hood sensibilities. The urban sounds of Conscious Porn are in the vein of Beanie Segal and Native Tongues, even a dash of NWA can be found salting Hezekiah’s musical cauldron. This mystical hip hop revolutionary is coming hard with Conscious Porn to claim the hearts and souls of all hip hop heads for a noble cause: the liberation of self, family, culture, and community.

A movement maker, Hezekiah’s also the director and founder of the Beat Society, a producer collective and interactive experience (www.beatsociety.com) that gives a much needed spotlight to hungry indie producers with that Midas touch. It’s a touch Hezekiah’s given to others time and again, now there is no more “hurry up” only to have to wait for his moment to shine; the wait is over. More than an artist, a producer, a director, a founder, a leader, a future Grammy winner, the father of Conscious Porn, Hezekiah is the truth whose time has finally come and this time all will know him.