Dimethyltryptamine (DMT).

I’m a big Little Brother fan. I’m a big 9th wonder fan. I remember back in 2004 (freshman year), the first time I heard Minstrel Show. First time I heard 9th beats and Phonte’s smooth effortless rhymes. Pooh was never my favorite, but he was never too far behind Phonte on the mic.

I deemed Minstrel Show a classsic, and went back and got The Listening - which as it turns out is my all time favorite LB project to date. If you havent The Chitlin’ Circuit 1.5 mixtape is also incredible. 

After seeing them twice in concert, I noticed 9th was never there. They toured with DJ Flash instead. I remember how disappointed I was when I got to the show expecting to see a slim 9th behind the wheels. I later learned that around this time, there was tension internally in the group and 9th was refusing to tour with the rest of the group for whatever reasons. 

Then, there was the infamous twitter debacle with 9th and Phonte going back and forth at each other - at this point, I knew the group was going to be dissolved and I’d probably never hear another collaboration. 

Needless to say, I shed a single tear - like the Native American. 

Then came GetBack, which was okay, but was still missing the signature 9th beats. But I accepted it as what it is, and moved on - though sad still. LeftBack on the other hand, I thought was poorly put together and seemed like a rush album. It was deemed the last LB album and I thought they would give it their all. It seemed like a mixtape riddled with remixes and verses we already heard, not to talk about poor beat selection and track arrangement. 

Then out of nowhere, 9th and Phonte are said to be back on good terms, and Phonte announces a solo LP!?! I immediately, thought it was a rumour - because of they way they left things on twitter, I thought there was no coming back from that. 

Turns out, it was in fact true. That was the best Hip-Hop related news I’d heard since the announcement of Madvillainy 2. 

And that’s where we are today, ladies and gentlemen. The chemistry has never felt stronger. 9th initially announced Wonder Years a couple of years ago, but I always wondered why it never say the light of day.

Amist label problems, could it also be he wanted Phonte on the album but circumstance didn’t allow? Who knows. All I know is both 9th and Phonte are releasing projects both on the 27th of this month. The Wonder Years & Charity Begins at Home respectively. 

From what I’ve heard so far, the 27th is going to be a special day for me in Hip-Hop. 

Now on repeat till further notice, Phonte - The Good Fight (Prod. 9th Wonder)

I shed a single tear - like the Native American.