Fans of Hip Hop and Rock Have Been Waiting for The Higher Concept - Three NYC-Based MC's, Whose Groundbreaking New Full Length "Everybody" Includes Packaging That Uses The Sgt. Pepper Motif

BOSTON, MA, August 15, 2012

In the colorful video for "Everything," one of the infectious key tracks from their new full length album Everybody, IB, Matty J and tekst--the trio of NYC based MCs collectively known as The Higher Concept--strut around their adopted hometown, standing out from the crowds and the street scenes wearing their shiny satin Sgt. Pepper jackets and stating their mission in the song's catchy chorus: "We won't stop till we're looking from the top/You can hate us all you want/'Cause everything is everything."

Their boldness, backed up by powerful talent, shared vision and numerous accolades since forming in 2005, extends to the packaging of Everybody, a vibrant takeoff on the Sgt. Pepper motif featuring the MCs in the center surrounded by a sea of today's pop icons. Just as the Beatles turned the corner in their careers with that 1967 album, The Higher Concept shifts into high gear on this project, working with longtime producer J. Glaze to create a powerful hip-hop rock hybrid that appeals to kids, their grandparents and everyone in between, living up to their goal of "changing lives one rhyme at a time."

Combining creativity, positive energy, uplifting messages, hard hitting lyrics and state of the art production, the group--working with numerous live musicians, including their live ensemble Contraband and vocalist Joyluv, who appears on Everybody--transcends the usual paint by numbers indie rappers of the day to create a fresh sonic adventure on every track. Critics and industry insiders have been effusive in trying to define the magical chemistry of A Higher Concept. Tainted Blue Studios' "From The Penthouse" review mused, "If A Tribe Called Quest and the Beastie Boys had a baby, it would come out as THC." Vin Forte, Program Director of 88.9 WSIA-FM in Staten Island (where the band shares living and studio space in "The House of Dreams"), said, "One listen will transport you to a place where the Soulja Boys of the world are scoffed at instead of praised and everyone knows who EPMD and A Tribe Called Quest are."

The Higher Concept has been completely DIY, to the point of rejecting potential management and label deals that might compromise their progressive grassroots musical aesthetic. So it's astounding just how successful and mainstream acceptable they have become over the years. They landed a distribution deal to start their own record label, The Projectivity Movement, which has allowed them to distribute their music worldwide; have rocked venues throughout the Northeast, including such NYC venues as the Highline Ballroom (where they opened for LMFAO), Tammany Hall and The Bitter End; have opened shows for everyone from Nas, Kid Cudi and Method Man to Fergie, Sean Kingston, DJ Kool Herc, NYOil, Remedy and Slaughterhouse; played at the Zulu Nation's 35th anniversary; and got a co-sign from the original hip-hop DJ, DJ Tony Tone of the Cold Crush Brothers.

"As much as we enjoy having a studio in our home and working on our music there," says Tekst, "performing live is what we do best. We make our live show a complete experience, with improvisations, cover songs, freestyling and segments where we allow our band to rock for ten minutes. There's a synergy with our audience that is the true core of what we do." Last year, the New York Daily News listed The Higher Concept as "One of the Top Ten Bands to See" at the CMJ Festival; this year, THC will be performing at the premiere college music event again this fall. In addition, THC's funky, horn infused new tune "Topganga" was featured on DJ Emilio Sparks' compilation Scumbino's Way. "

The incisive, inspiring lyrics and richly textured melodic and rhythmic flow throughout the 14 tracks make it hard to pinpoint key moments on Everybody--and the visuals run so deep that THC has made high level videos for a total of four tracks: "Everything," the jangling rocker "American Way," the hypnotic, rockin' call to action "Change" and the explosive dance rocker "Runnin' Away" featuring vocalist Missy Modell. "Change" is one of the earliest songs THC wrote for the album; its goal is to push listeners to question what they would do when change comes, and ask themselves how they could make changes themselves. Another early song was the title track "Everybody," which is the first song the group wrote in the pop rock vein; its hip-hop beat, live guitars and pop-gospel choir vibe help convey THC's message that this music is truly for everybody who opens their mind.