Equally inspired by 2pac, T.I., and Andre 3000 as he his by Brand New, The Used, and Bob Dylan, Seattle art-rapper Anthony J. Shears mixes angular sonics with deep, heart-felt lyrics, and pop structures. Melding elements of rap, rock, R&B, and funk into one cohesive and melodic sound, Anthony J. Shears had diverse appeal based on his impressive musical dexterity. Often touring with indie rock and pop-punk bands, he didn't fit comfortably into one specific genre; his music was rooted in traditional hip-hop, but featured live instruments as well as looped samples or beats. His lyrics were often socially conscious, but also incorporated humor and wry street-savvy perceptiveness.
Anthony's mixtapes and concerts began to attract attention from both the press and his peers. Shears sent a copy of their demo to Saul Williams, who invited them to open for him at the "Candle in the Dark Bash" at Morehouse College in 2003. Early the following year, the two released one of their demo tracks, "Miss Understood" as a single on Welcome 2 Seattle. The song did exceptionally well on local radio and became a local favorite with club-goers and DJs. A few months later, the two released another song, "Trapped", which went on to nearly 7,000 downloads. Their debut project, Welcome 2 Seattle, was released independently in the Northwest to widespread acclaim and went on to sell 5,300 units.
Later that year, "Tears In Your Eyes (Remix)" capitalized on the two's burgeoning popularity, as did the 2007 EP The Growth: My ENDtroduction. After an in-studio performance on the city's biggest (and what many call most influential) radio station, KEXP FM 90.3, and being placed in regular rotation on Audioasis (the leading trendsetting program in local music), Shears re-released The Growth on November 14th, 2007. The Growth: My ENDtroduction features an all-new design and the new radio and club smash "(S)ound (M)usic (G)rind". The Growth debuted at 5 in Hip Hop and 50 overall on Seattle's local charts, and continued to move up topping the Hip Hop Charts at 3, and the overall charts at 28. Locally, The Growth: My ENDtroduction is still 3 in Hip Hop after nearly six weeks on the charts (behind only M.I.A. and Jay-Z's American Gangster).
