Gift of Gab

Present of Gab made his name seeing that the technically adept MC in the vaunted underground rap duo Blackalicious, together with manufacturer/DJ Key Xcel. Delivered Tim Parker, he was raised mainly in Pacoima, component of L.A.’s San Fernando Valley area, but attended senior high school in Sacramento. There he initial met Key Xcel (delivered Xavier Mosley) in 1987. Parker, after that contacting himself Tiny T or Gabby T, had been developing keen abilities as a fight MC, and he and Mosley teamed up the next season. After graduating, Parker came back to LA, but he and Mosley held up their relationship by mobile phone. While participating in UC-Davis, Mosley dropped in with several hip-hop eccentrics who became the SoleSides collective, and Parker relocated up to the Bay Region to become listed on him in 1991, right now having resolved on Present of Gab as his hip-hop alter ego. Blackalicious released their debut solitary, “Swan Lake,” on SoleSides in 1994, and many more followed, creating their underground status and resulting in a tour of European countries. They began focus on a full-length recording, during which period SoleSides turn off and reconfigured itself as Quannum; nevertheless, the procedure was lengthy and laborious, as Present of Gab battled with an alcoholic beverages problem that had taken many years to get over. Finally, in 1999, Blackalicious re-emerged using the A2G EP, whose “Alphabet Aerobics” electrified the underground and proclaimed Present of Gab being a prodigious brand-new talent. That skill was verified by Blackalicious’ initial two full-lengths, 2000’s NIA and 2002’s Blazing Arrow, which raised him towards the position of possibly the most underappreciated top notch MC in hip-hop. In the wake of Blazing Arrow’s important hosannas, Present of Gab branched out with several guest appearances, documenting with famous brands DJ Vadim, United kingdom hip-hoppers New Flesh, and Michael Franti & Spearhead. In early 2003, he underwent crisis eye medical operation necessitated by problems from diabetes, but thankfully made a complete recovery. Searching for outside collaborators to maintain himself clean for the 3rd Blackalicious record, Present of Gab embarked on the solo task for Quannum with two Seattle-based manufacturers, Supplement D and Jake One. Progress one “The Writz” made an appearance in past due 2003, as well as the record itself, 4th Dimensional Rocketships INCREASING, found its way to the springtime of 2004. Testimonials of the creation work varied broadly, but general the record — a simple, mellow affair — solidified Present of Gab’s placement among the best MCs of his period, underground or elsewhere.