Can you envision the perfect mc? Would he/she be hardcore, conscious, funny, clever? What type of flow would he/she kick: laid-back, ferocious, melodic? In 2004 threee North Carolina natives were building on this exact question, and decided that one person could never fully embody hip-hop. Only a group could perfectly express the culture, and thus FAM 1st was born.
Fam 1st's members (Huff Da Author, Ovious McFly, and Andrew Sparkz) have each been involved with hip-hop since day one. Huff Da Author says "Everybody was doing their thing, talent shows, school performances, graffitti, beat boxing, djaying, we all wrote rhymes. So we're 360 degrees of hip-hop, we cover every aspect of the culture, the way of life." After forming Fam 1st, the three went straight to the lab and honed their skills, writing rhymes, and recording tracks for their debut.
Fam 1st paid serious dues, starting from the bottom with the critically acclaimed independent release in 2004: "For the Fam". The budget was not that of a major label release but the music blazed trails up and down the East Coast, South and oversees. Fam 1st was known as a group that could carefully ride the line of positivity (never using any profanity, or the N-word on their first album release) Andrew Sparkz. says "People felt our music and we realized our potential. We saw that positive street Hip Hop could be entertainng and accepted by the masses, so we pushed it to the next level."
The first music from "WE GOT A VISION" to escape from the studio were two classic tracks served up to feed the streets as well as the clubs and radio - the title track "We Got A Vision" and "Sweeter Than A Candy Dream" respectively.
"Fam 1st are more than just rappers from North Carolina," says Andrew Sparkz of his group's beloved street personas. "This time we want to express that a little more in our music. We're still the voice of the streets, we're still country, but we've seen more now. We can't just rap about that the hood and the corner. We've seen the world. That's making us more diverse as MCs."
"It's broader, but more focused," chimes in Huff Da Author. "We're giving you more than what we had on 'FOR THE FAM,' but we're fine-tuning the points."
"As MCs we've also stepped our game up," OVious McFly declares. "Lyrically we're better, and we have so many new styles we're coming with, you're not going to know what to expect."
"Definitely," Huff Da Author begins to explain about the song. "We've been to so many different places around the country and other parts of the world. Even though you may experience different cultures, there's something that always ties all people together. Whether it be the love for music or the struggles we go through in our everyday lives, its all a hustle." The group also gave back to their fans and the community in North Carolina, completing a television PSA in support of the PAX organization's "SPEAK UP" campaign against weapon-related school violence.
And while the fellas, who always try to stay humble, are thankful for everything they've already accomplished, they are also confident that "WE GOT A VISION" will solidify them amongst hip-hop's A-List Hip Hop groups.
"Just about the whole world is involved in a struggle," OVious McFly reiterates. "Most of the people in the world are like us - the have-nots that desire more. To be able to rap that story and connect with so many people in a positive way is a blessing."
