IREP Magazine Online - The Scholars

The Scholars

Who are The Scholars? “We are two young brothers. We are the essence of excellence – and we are here to entertain you! We’re always gonna give you that Grade A Scholarship Music!” – Hurricain of the Scholars.

What exactly does mean when you call someone an entertainer? In my opinion, an entertainer is someone who has dedicated their entire being into making sure that the crowd has a great time. No matter what happens, an entertainer makes sure that the show goes on. Not all artists are true entertainers. Not all entertainers are true artists. The Scholars are both.

During a recent performance at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA, technical problems caused the Scholars to lose their music in the middle of performing a song. Without missing a beat, King started beat boxing, Hurricain started freestyling, and the crowd went wild!

"We Are Richmond"

Hurricain and King met during 5^th Period Math their junior year at Richmond's Henrico High School in 2003.

Hurricain - "I heard this guy rapping in the back of the class - introduced myself, and we became fast friends!" The two soon discovered they had a natural connection - becoming more like brothers than friends. They started getting serious about their music during their senior year - and kept creating beats and writing rhymes as a team after high school and throughout Hurricain's two year stint in the Navy.

King - "I'll make a beat, he hates it, so we'll fight - change the beat - and it'll be incredible!"

Hurricain - "People say, ‘We don't write like rappers - we write like songwriters.'"

When I asked the Scholars why they choose to stay in Richmond and make their music, their answer was insightful and inspirational.

King - "The goal is to blow up Richmond and put this city on the map musically!"

Hurricain - "The reason why the other cities blow up is because one act gets through the cracks, and they bring the whole colony!"

IREP - "So what's keeping the Richmond Hip Hop scene from blowing up the like other cities?"

The Scholars - "Richmond needs to stop trying to be like everybody else. Too many folks around here sound like they are from somewhere else. We need to be ourselves. Be original. Showcase that ‘Middle East Sound'"

"Local radio and local people need to support local music. In Mississippi and other states, local music is a part of the playlist and on the radio like it's established. The Richmond Market could be big and recognized, if only the people at the top would support the local flavor."

"Local bands and Indy rock groups get their support - but the local venues are scared to support hip hop."

"Scholarship Over Bitches"

IREP - "Scholarship Over Bitches" - what's the message behind that line from your song "Show Me!"

The Scholars - "I'm trying to get mine, and I don't need a materialistic woman getting in the way. It's not about all women - because even women will tell you a lot of women out here act like bitches. And when we say bitches, we are also talking about men! Men can be bitches too!"

IREP - "So what make a man a bitch?"

The Scholars - "Gossiping all the time - staying all up in other people's business. Backstabbing. Little-girl tendencies - grown men acting like children. Men who are too worried about what's going on everywhere, but aren't handling their responsibilities."

IREP - "Does a man not taking care of his kids make that man a bitch?"

The Scholars - "YES! Kids are our future - and too many times, the men are not there to show the children the right way. REAL hustlers will tell the kids to stay in school and to take care of their children."

"Keeping it Real!"

One reason the Scholars stand apart from a lot of other artists is the throwback feel of their music. Not content to only rap about the streets, the Scholars weave a multitude of topics into their music.

The Scholars - "People like The Scholars because we come from different backgrounds, but we have the same message. Music is the universal language. Real recognize real. You will not hear Hurricain talk about being on the block, ‘cause that's not me. I've seen it, I know cats that's on it, but not me"

"If a man has to do what he has to do, I'm not gonna knock him - as long as he doesn't bring it around my way. Our goal is not to make people like us; our music will speak for itself."

When you listen to The Scholars music, you can hear the soul of hip hop. The only thing better than listening to their tracks is watching them perform live. You will be hard pressed to find anyone that puts more work into their performance - signed or unsigned. Hurricain and King - the Scholars, represent what hip hop was when it was born, what it is when it's done right, and what it can be if we stay focused for the future. If Nas still thinks Hip Hop is dead, he's wrong - it's just moved to Richmond.

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