Austin, Texas’ League of Extraordinatry G’z might not have a city to boast as the roughest city or with the richest hip-hop scene, but when SXSW hits their small Texas town, a plethora of industry professionals descend upon their scene. In what has turned out to be golden opportunity for them to network and get their music out to the some of the industry’s most influential tastemakers, the self proclaimed ambassadors to the city of Austin have embraced SXSW and made it work for them in best ways possible.
Comprised of three groups Da C.O.D., Southbound and Dred Skott, this nine member collective describes themselves as one big family. Having performed at AllHipHop’s Best of Texas Showcase amidst Paul Wall & Chamillionaire’s reunion show, “The League” is primed for greater exposure as they are welcomed to AllHipHop.com’s Breeding Ground
AllHipHop: Explain the make up of the group.
Greezo:The League is comprised of 3 separate groups: Da C.O.D. (Greezo , Tuk-da-Gat, Lil J, S.Dot), the twin brothers that make up Southbound (Lowkey, Sandman) and Dred Skott (Reggie Coby, Esbe Da 6th Street Bully) We all came together in April 2009 shortly after SXSW. Prior to that, Dred Skott and Southbound had a relationship and we had done a couple of mixtape joints with Southbound. We were all highly regarded as Austin’s new talent and figured it would be a good look to come together and put out a mixtape. The more we started f###### with each other though, the more we realized that the League was something bigger than just a mixtape and eventually blossomed to what we are today – a big family. This was ever more apparent when we had to deal with the recent and unexpected loss of our brother, Esbe Da 6th Street Bully. Although he is no longer with us, he left each of us with a part of him and is riding with us in spirit. He left a behind a legacy which you’ll see and hear.
AllHipHop: How does SXSW influence your music?
Lowkey: It doesnt. I mean it doesn’t influence our music so much but instead has more of an impact on it. Austin is our hometown and SXSW is literally in our backyard. Real talk, its like down the street from us. But yeah, it gives us the access to network with artists, industry people, and music lovers from around the world. The livest thing about it is that you never know who you’re gonna bump into.
Reggie Coby: SXSW is the s###! Austin is our home and we are like ambassadors to the city. Like Low said you never know who you are going to bump into. Like in ’08, we met a bunch of cats from Norway after they had asked the Bully to use his lighter. After we start chopping it up, come to find out they were rappers and had been given a government grant to come out to SXSW. So we end up kicking it with them and s### and they came back to our studio smoked a couple blunts and we ended up making some music with them. We still keep in touch till this day. Shout out to Lar Vaular, Leo, and the rest of the camp.
Greezo: We’re also fortunate to have Matt Sonzala who does most of the booking at SXSW to be one our biggest supporters. Matt’s a big reason for a lot of the exposure The League has received from SXSW. Our first official showcase in 2010 was actually AllHipHop’s Best of Texas showcase with the Paul Wall & Chamillionaire’s reunion show.
S.Dot: Ohh yea, we gets it in at SXSW.
AllHipHop: Who are you currently working with, and who would you like to work with?
Tuk-da-Gat: Man, we have been blessed with some great opportunities. So far we have gotten a chance to make music with Dead Prez, Devin the Dude, Killa Kyleon, Killer Mike, Jackie Chain, Shane Eli, Question, K-Rino, Bavu Blakes, Big Rube of the Dungeon Family. This has also led to a couple tours we have done this past year. After having Jackie featured on our “2 Much” track he gave us the invite to open up for him on his west coast tour back in May. Later on in August the brothers Dead Prez had us come along with them after working with Dred Skott. Man I love to f### with Yelawolf, Kendrick, LEP Bogus Boys, and even people that dont even do hip hop all day like Danger Mouse, Fishbone, Damien Marley, and all types of other different artists.
Greezo: We are also are collaborating with Swisha House on a mixtape project that will be released in the near future. So be on the lookout for that.
Reggie Coby: Kendrick Lamar, Goodie Mob, Outkast, Lupe, Erykah, Muhsinah, Ghostface, Bun, Mystikal
Lil J: Jon Connor, Rittz, Freddie Gibbs, K.R.I.T., Action Bronson
AllHipHop: What are your plans for 2012?
Reggie Coby: Continuing to focus on increasing our exposure and footprint in this game which we plan to do by releasing a number of projects as well as get on the road and do some more touring. We are also planning to make our 2012 SXSW showcase to be one those that will be talked about.
Lil J: Yea, after going on these past two tours across the US we definitely learned how important it is to get out your local scene and jump on the road. It opened up our eyes to see the response we got from cities like Lexington, Boise, Portland, Santa Barbara, El Paso, ATL, and Seattle.
AllHipHop: How has the DJBooth posting helped you guys?
Lowkey: Man, having released our Concealed Weapons 3 mixtape exclusively on DJBooth has most definitely helped us broadcast our music to a much wider audience online. This is the same site that has given a lot of today’s hottest artists their break into the game like Yelawolf, Freddie Gibbs, and Big K.R.I.T. So it was an honor to have been able to do that.
Greezo: Yeah, I actually met Nate at the beginning of the year when I was helping him find a venue for a DJBooth SXSW showcase this past year. He eventually had got handed one of our CDs at SXSW and reached out to us to do an exclusive project which we released in April. Building that relationship with DJBooth was key because 6 months later we were invited to perform at last months A3C festival in Atlanta on the DJBooth stage with Big K.R.I.T., Jean Grae, Saigon, Pill, Shane Eli, Aleon Kraft, Yonas, JNics, and Jon Hope.
AllHipHop: You guys had a few Jake One beats on the last project, talk to me about some of your favorite producers.
Tuk-da-Gat: We f### real heavy with a producer out here in Austin named Matt Schad. Matt first produced SouthBound’s Seasons Change album. Since then he produced League favorites “We Gon Make It” and “Yes He Is” and a number of tracks on our upcoming projects. Also, Reggie Coby is a beast on the production tip. A lot the artists we have relationships were introduced through Reggie’s production. He produced the Devin single “What I Be On” and has worked with both Killer Mike and Dead Prez.
S.Dot: They don’t nickname him the “Genius” for nothing.
Greezo: We are also working with a producer out of Toronto named Frank Dukes who has produced for 50, Danny Brown, LEP Bogus Boys, Ghostface, and many others. The kid is dope. Be expecting to hear from him on a major level.
Reggie Coby: S1, Kanye, Dre, Quick, Organized Noize, Timbaland, No I.D., Just Blaze
AllHipHop: Explain the Austin, TX hip-hop scene and some of the other acts to look for out there.
Greezo: Austin is a melting pot of artists. Like most metropolitan cities, there is a local hip hop scene out here in Austin and its filled with a lot of talent. They brand Austin as a the live music capital of the world because of all the music options that are available every night and while there are local hip hop events in Austin it still lacks the casual hip hop listener looking for local hip hop. I think this in large part has to with Austin not having its own identity in the national hip hop game. We are hoping to change to that. I’m sure artists in similar cities experience the same thing. Some dope acts from Austin to look for are: Crew54, M.i, Phranchyze.
Reggie Coby: Yeah I also think it has to do with a lot of trash that’s out there on the local scene. Just because you’re a poet doesn’t mean you a rapper. Some acts I recommend check out are Kydd and Poison Boys.
Lil J: Ya’ll definitely check out my DIE SLO family. Also, if you onine you need to check the Texas Battle League which hosts freestyle battle throughout the state. Go on youtube and check some of those classic battles like Gutta vs. Phranchyze.
AllHipHop: What’s the next project called?
Greezo: Our next major release will be our first official album entitled #LeagueShit which is currently getting mastered by Mike Mo and set to be released sometime in the first half this upcoming year. In the meantime, we are working on 2 new projects. One with DJ Michael “5000” Watts of the Swisha House and the other with Frank Dukes. Fans can stayed tuned by following us at www.LOEGz.com.
AllHipHop: Will you all release solo projects or is there any possibility that the 3 groups within the group LOEGz will drop projects separately?
Reggie Coby: Oh yeah, without out a doubt we have a number of projects coming out of the League umbrella. I am producing an EP project with Bavu Blakes. Also, prior to my brother passing away we were working on a Dred Skott project I produced entitled W420 that was partially completed. I plan to finish that project. Also, eventually will follow up with my own solo album. Also, we have enough material to release a posthumous Esbe Da 6th Street Bully solo album.
S.Dot: Yeah Tuk-da-Gat and I are working on a follow up to the WhiteBoy Mixtape that we released last year. Lil J is also working on a project with DIE SLO’s Sertified and then we got Da C.O.D. album.
Lowkey: I finishing my solo SouthBound & Down project and then there is a Southbound album that is going to follow.
Reggie Coby: Yea, as you can see there is whole lot music that ya’ll are gonna be hit with.
