Any aspiring hip-hop or rap act from St. Louis making their live performance debut is well familiar with the name Scott Rivers, aka Ser Lesson.
He is the logistical mind behind the long running and steadily successful music showcase held bi-monthly at The Pageant.
What they may not be aware of is that the affable, perpetually-moving man they deal with is also one half of St. Louis rap stalwarts 40 'til 5. Emcee and promoter extraordinaire Ser Lesson teams with DJ/producer Urban1 to craft a sound which is one of the few heard in all corners of the city.
Some acts are known only in certain circles, receiving localized notoriety or word of mouth status that still falls in the whisper decibels, but 40 'til 5 is everywhere.
Considering the extremely politicized, divisive nature of St. Louis music, this is really saying something. Which is a good thing because 40 'til 5 has something worth hearing.
Ser Lesson and Urban1 formed 40 'til 5 over five years ago, after groups they were in came to their respective ends.
Mutual respect and a shared drive to claim their spot amongst the city's elite led them to connect and develop a sound that reflects the same no-drama house party atmosphere each wanted to see flourish.
At the same time it stays true to the same hip-hop aesthetic for which both men obviously share a profound adoration.
This is best exemplified by their debut cut, "What time is it?," which released in 2003, and immediately put St. Louis rap on notice.
Not satisfied with simply being the music, and somewhat dismayed at the readiness many local venues had to book hip-hop and rap acts, they took it upon themselves to negotiate a free, all ages show to take place in a large scale, legendary venue.
Soon, the Loop Underground was born and has been thriving ever since.
Their third studio release, "High Times," was intended to be a tangible snapshot of the unadulterated energy 40 'til 5 bring to any given set.
"We tried to come at it on a real live level … we wanted people to be able to take the same energy we brought to the stage home with them.
"It might confuse some people, they might be under the impression it was a live recording. It's not, but to make your album sound like it was way harder than you might think, unless you're us," Ser Lesson said, with a grin. "In that case, it's just a matter of pressing 'record'."
Urban1 supplies beats that effortlessly stick in your head.
The heavy warmth infused into each kick and bass sample capable of rattling sternums is a result of mastering the mysterious and sought after EMU sp1200, the ultra-rare weapon of choice for old-school production pioneers such as Pete Rock, Large Professor and the RZA, as well as more recent savants like El-P and Omega One.
This talent is akin to playing a flawless khaen, or speaking Sanskrit fluently. The man makes heads nod like Xanax. "High Times" also boasts top-notch guest appearances by the likes of Brand Nubian alum Sadat X, as well as Copywrite from the Mghz crew.
Words cannot really do this group justice. However, fortunately for you, 40 'til 5 is having a CD release show Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, at Blueberry Hill to celebrate the debut of "High Times."
Karma must be on your side, faithful reader, because in addition to the headliners, a ticket buys you a chance to catch The Treez, DugHoles, the FuFops and the incomparable Spark1Duh?
You can learn more about these local artists and the concert by visiting www.myspace.com/40til5 or www.myspace.com/serlesson for more details.
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