Who can resist Stereo MC’s Elevate My Mind (playing now)? Click the  button anytime to hear
band’s version of The Beatles’ Tomorrow Never Knows.
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The Stereo MC’s have obviously never feared comparison. Widely credited as the first British hip hop group to hit the states, they entered a music space in 1991 that was dominated by LL Cool J, Jay Z and The Beastie Boys. Their 1991 release, Supernatural, introduced The Stereo MC’s to American audiences with their breakthrough single, Elevate My Mind.
They quickly followed their early success with the now near-classic Connected, released in 1992. A great measure of self-control would be to turn up the volume on any cut from Connected and try to resist the urge to dance. This seriously fun album highlights the underlying talent of The Stereo MC’s by using no loops or samples, just great musicians plying their craft. Tracks of note include the title cut, Fade Away and Step it Up.
In the last year the Stereo MC’s have released two EPs, the aforementioned Sun and Set it Off. In both cases, the EP features an original Stereo MC’s song, accompanied by remixes of that song. The original cuts feature the signature Stereo MC’s sound of great rhymes backed by funk-influenced instrumentals. The remixes turn up the beat, thump the bass and offer an electronica alternative to the original.
The Stereo MC’s have proven that an innovative band can stay innovative for half a generation. This band has been the definition of “cool” for 15 years, and doesn’t seem to be letting up any time soon.
Editor’s note:
An iList reader asked DJ Urban Kobbb to review the Stereo MC’s. Want him to review your favorite performers? Zap us an email!
