The Co. (Coalescence)

Vega Benetton was an up-and-coming DJ on campus at Morehouse College in Atlanta, with a reputation for taking house parties to another level. Vega and Suede were introduced by a mutual friend, and bonded immediately due to their common appreciation for that authentic New York hip-hop sound. As their friendship grew, a partnership was created and the Vega & Suede alliance was born.



Once they returned to New York, Vega & Suede continued to hone their production skills, and began work on an album remixing some of hip-hop's greatest songs over their production. During this same time, Vega also started to get involved in the mixtape circuit. It was through the production of Vega's first mixtape "Streets of New York" that the duo met Kil Ripkin and Torae"two of the illest MCs" that they had heard in quite some time.



Torae and Kil Ripkin were two up and coming solo emcees on a mission. The music they grew up on and loved was becoming too watered down and they wanted bring back the awareness and diversity in the sound of hip-hop. After countless meetings with A&R's that loved their songs, but were too afraid of the contents selling potential, they each decided that independent was the way to go. Ripkin went on to drop "Black Power Black Love". This EP added to his already incredible catalog and began an almost cult like following at his shows. With both emcees hailing from Coney Island they already had a working as well as personal relationship. Ripkin did production on Torae's independent release "Coney Island's Finest EP" and appeared on his "Make Room @ Da Top" mixtape. The buzz created from "Royalty" a song they recorded together had the public begging for a full-length album featuring both emcees. Well the wait is over.



With Vega & Suede's hard-hitting production and Kil and Torae's gritty but conscious lyricism a bond was formed, and The Coalescence was born.