The Package

Golden Rhymes: The Package

IN THE EARLY 1990s, Richard "Theory" Harris, Keeyon "Noyeek the Grizzly Bear" Rapsberry and Anthony "Dimensions" Fields first came together as part of a loose, nine-member collective called Infinite Loop. Consisting of MCs, DJs and producers, it was D.C.'s version of Wu-Tang Clan.

But by the time Infinite Loop splintered in 1995, Dimensions, Theory and Noyeek had already begun to gravitate toward working with each other, and got the name for their group from their very first song together: "The Package."

Now, The Package is celebrating the release of a 20-track album, "New Golden Era," which brims with substantive cuts that address poseurs ("Windows to the Soul"), question the concept of "street credibility" ("Crud") and empathize with the incarcerated ("Freedom").

"We need another best time in hip-hop," Noyeek says, alluding to the album title being inspired by rap's golden era of the '80s and '90s.

However, there is also a lighter side to the album, like the two uproarious "DJ Generik and Soopa Hype" skits that lampoon materialistic, derivative rap artists, or when Noyeek goes on a two-minute battle-rap blitzkrieg ("Outta My Sight").

"You're not going to get slapped over the head with one thing too heavy," says Dimensions of the new album.




As for Theory, he no longer raps, but in addition to doing all the singing duties on "New Golden Era" — particularly on "Makin' Waves" and "Windows to the Soul" — he produced all the tracks, too, featuring influences that stretch from country and rock to soul and classical music. His work adds to the jazzy, mid-'90s hip-hop aura that "New Golden Era" emanates. "It's more than what they played [then]; it's how they're played," says Theory. "It's the texture of the guitar. It's the way the kick drums sound on a James Brown record."


Despite years on the underground grind, the members of The Package still bubble over with youthful vigor, convinced they were born to do it.

"We're on that level [artistically]," says Dimensions, referring to A Tribe Called Quest and Wu-Tang Clan. "[It's] just [that] 15 million people don't know us yet."

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Dayo Akinwande
- THE WASHINGTON POST EXRESS

The Package is a group that's been holding down Washington D.C.'s underground scene since the '90s as a part of the Infinite Loop crew. Described as "real solid hip hop, no gimmicks, just that raw true school sound" and they certainly live up to their billing. About two seconds into the first track that I listened to, Look Out Below, I thought I was listening to some unreleased O.G.C. material.

The D.C. trio - Dimensions, Noyeek the Grizzly Bear and Theory - are good for more than just grimey boom bap tracks, however. The next song, Makin' Waves, is a tale of breakups to makeups over a significantly more mellow beat. For most unsigned hip hop groups, the combination of love-themed lyrics and an R&B hook would typically set the stage for an auditory trainwreck, but The Package manage to pull it off suprisingly well.

Having spent almost a decade overcoming Industry Rule #4080, The Package are on the verge of putting out an official album. In advance of their album New Golden Era, the group has released a six-track EP that you can download for free on their website. It's dope, so go cop it! - 33Jones

My mang DJ Eurok over at Upset the Setup hit me with this album from DC group The Package recently. And lord knows it's nearly impossible to get me to post anything but what I listen to religiously in the first place, but somehow this unknown crew snuck up on me.

These cats are a healthy blend of the sounds of The Roots, Goodie Mob, The Pharcyde, and Siah & Yeshua (I know, Im all over the map). Think okayplayer. They are versatile enough to break out the D'Angelo-esque love song but also hit you with something for the trunk too. You can cop individual tracks over at the aptly-named New Golden Era.
- The Full Clip

My mang DJ Eurok over at Upset the Setup hit me with this album from DC group The Package recently. And lord knows it's nearly impossible to get me to post anything but what I listen to religiously in the first place, but somehow this unknown crew snuck up on me.

These cats are a healthy blend of the sounds of The Roots, Goodie Mob, The Pharcyde, and Siah & Yeshua (I know, Im all over the map). Think okayplayer. They are versatile enough to break out the D'Angelo-esque love song but also hit you with something for the trunk too. You can cop individual tracks over at the aptly-named New Golden Era.
- The Full Clip