Blood of Abraham

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Very few contemporary hip-hop acts can say they performed alongside Eazy E, Public Enemy, and the Black Eyed Peas, in addition to working on videos for Nas, Gangstarr, T.I. and other platinum selling rappers, all in the span of a single career. Enter Blood of Abraham, the Los Angeles-based duo of Benyad and Mazik. Once signed to Ruthless Records, these talented MCs have drawn from their turmoiled lives and creative muses to conjure up hip-hop music which speaks to everyone from the stern hip hop head to the avant-garde musical elitist.



Countering the materialistic direction that much of the world has taken, the majority of the songs on Eyedollartree address the type of worship that ends up destroying people. "The title is a play on the word idolatry, idol worship," Benyad says. "With all of the hype and materialism, we wanted it to show that if you're motivated by materialism, your god is really money. Your god doesn't have to be your religion. It's what you spend your time on, whether its drugs, sex, material stuff." "Calling All Citizens," the lead single, aptly demonstrates Blood Of Abraham's message. In the song, Benyad and Mazik explain that things aren't always as good as they appear, from the person who undergoes cosmetic surgery to the propaganda being pushed by an ever-increasing number of sources. By coupling the urgency of their words with a strong soundbed that features a riveting bassline, Blood Of Abraham have created music of undeniable significance and addictiveness. "The beat is universal, it'll grab anybody," Benyad proclaims. "And it's got the lyrical potency that we love. We knew right away when we finished it that it was something special. We want to spark awareness in people, about where they live and what's going on.



Black Eyed Peas member Will.I.Am appears on "99 Cent Lighter," an organic, pulsating song where Blood Of Abraham warns against the ease and potential devastation that can be set off by a person's unintentional thoughtlessness, while "Rosetta Stone's" ominous wall of noise fits perfectly perfectly with its message that things must be examined and taken for what they really are. Elsewhere, underground legends Divine Styler and Kool Keith appear on the futuristic "Omegaton." Divine Styler portrays the oracle that Blood Of Abraham seeks during the song, while Kool Keith delivers yet another quirky role as the controller of water at Oasis Incorporated. We knew that if we had Kool Keith and Divine Styler on our album that it would have to be some shit," Benyad offers. "They've got their own characters on the song, and that track is like five songs in one. It's real dense audio-wise. It worked out beautifully."



Produced by Will.I.Am, Blood of Abraham, Cyrus Melchor, and Motiv8, Eyedollartree is replete with lush guitars, exotic keyboards and other-worldly sound effects. The 13-cut collection marks a definitive moment for hip-hop, standing as a testament to the idea that credible, enjoyable, groundbreaking hip-hop music can be created with an eclectic musical vision.



Blood Of Abraham has also produced a promotional short film that maintains the innovative vibe of their revolutionary music. In the black-and-white short, the two have assembled a stark piece of work that once viewed instantly heightens one's perception of his surroundings. "As we grew and matured, we knew that our sound is so specific that we would have to be the ones producing it," Benyad explains. "We're not the type of artists whose label will say, 'We'll get you five tracks from this guy, four from that guy and three from that guy.' It's our blood, sweat and tears from beginning to end. We had to take charge of everything."



Eyedollartree is now available on Basement Records / mastergrip. The album includes a bonus DVD which contains two videos and a short film. Click the 'play' button below to see their latest video.