Paten Locke

Paten Locke Bio:

“Knock Em Out The Box rocks far less like a beat tape than the echo-laden score to some frenetic 21st-century road flick.” - Chairman’s Choice, XXL (Jul/Aug 2011)

“…nothing but pure unadulterated hip hop.”- Travis, Bloggerhouse.com (Oct 20, 2009)

“Paten Locke is the total package. Beats, cuts, rhymes, & performance.” - Mr. Lif, Amazon.com

“Paten Locke’s production may be the most impressive piece of the project…” - Coach Kim, Thahiphop.com (Oct 08, 2009)

“Paten Locke,…released one of, if not the best hip hop album last year on Tres Records in the form of Super Ramen Rocketship.” - Travis Glave, URB.com (April 12, 2010)

“Locke’s track is pure wizardry and his rhymes are equally intoxicating.” - D.L. Chandler, Potholes in my blog (Nov 07, 2009)

Most would agree, to create the ultimate Hip Hop artist and performer, first you would need the DJ skills of a Jazzy Jeff or similar, then the production genius of a Premier or Q-Tip, add the lyrical brilliance of a Nas or Rakim, and lastly, the stage presence similar to a Michael Jackson or James Brown. Unfortunately for us, no one person of this caliber exists, but fortunately we have a guy who generally aspires to become such a solo juggernaut, and his name is Paten (Pay-Ten) Locke.

Born in Boston, during the era of Hip Hops insurgence, Paten was break dancing on a piece of linoleum before many of you heard your first break beat. Balancing time between reading comic books, ultimately generally failing at break dancing, secretly rhyming over the human beat box, rhyming over his own beat box, listening to Iron Maiden at full blast, and studying Latin, Paten had no idea he was gaining knowledge that he would use to create his own world of music. Influenced by his fathers Jazz and funk record collection, Patens love and respect for music elevated to a level that sparked the beginning of a long life of record digging and collecting. With a move to Chicago during the early part of High School Patens interest in Hip Hop, specifically, was energized and molded by the windy cities academia driven take on the genre.

Moving to Jacksonville Florida in 95 with a small record collection, a pair of technics, and skills itching to scratch his own mark in a city that was desperate for Hip Hop outlets, Paten wasted no time in asserting himself as a prominent figure that demanded respect on the microphone, turntables, and the beat machine. Fast forward a decade later to the introduction of Asamov, a group consisting of Paten and three close friends, which began as a developmental team focused solely on the arts of Hip Hop. Exploding on the scene with their first album release And Now, which gained critical acclaim and international attention, Paten was introduced to the world as Therapy. Rhyming and scratching on every song, and producing four tracks on the album, including the hit single Boombox, it was clear that Paten was a force to be reckoned with. A cease and desist order, which caused the group to change their name to The Alias Brothers, was detrimental to the momentum that was behind Asamov. Refusing to let anything or anyone stop him from his pursuit, Paten formed a second group named The Smile Rays, with two other close friends, while still working with The Alias Brothers. The Smile Rays quickly released two albums entitled Party Place and Smilin on You, both of which he conceptualized, co produced and was the vocal front man. The albums were released in Japan and Europe, and received international attention earning them a place on a Rawkus records compilation album. While touring with The Smile Rays, Paten was also the tour DJ for Akrobatik and Mr. Lif. As Paten rhymed and scratched his way around the world, his notoriety and reputation was spread amongst some of Hip Hops most respected artists.

Word traveled fast through the Hip Hop community, and soon Patens production was being sought after heavily, pro