Spawned as an alternative to the West coast's gangster-dominated scene, Los Angeles rap crew Strong Arm Steady (S.A.S.) have been working for years on the underground circuit and are just now receiving respect and acclaim. Originally a wide-reaching collective that included both notable names (Xzibit, DJ Khalil) and underground Cali wordsmiths (Planet Asia, Chase Infinite of Self Scientific), S.A.S. have streamlined to three main members: Krondon, Phil Da Agony and Mitchy Slick. According to Krondon, the crew never had an issue with the Death Row movement, they just wanted to push their creativity and strive for something different. "I grew up on N.W.A., Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg...and what they have done is incomparable to anything. Our approach is different, [but] the point is the same, and that's to be the best!"
With the recent release of their brand new album In Search of Stoney Jackson, entirely produced by Phil Da Agony's long-time friend Madlib, S.A.S. marry their gruff West coast boasts and rhymes with typical smoked-out Madlib soul. Not surprisingly, the recording sessions for Stoney Jackson were filled with "a lot of smoking and joking" says Phil Da Agony.
Hot on its heels is S.A.S.'s next full-length, Arms and Hammers, planned for summer, which Krondon promises to be, "a very epic record done with the spirit of every West coast record known to man." Looking back years from now, perhaps we will remember the S.A.S. era as the time that the West was truly won.
With the recent release of their brand new album In Search of Stoney Jackson, entirely produced by Phil Da Agony's long-time friend Madlib, S.A.S. marry their gruff West coast boasts and rhymes with typical smoked-out Madlib soul. Not surprisingly, the recording sessions for Stoney Jackson were filled with "a lot of smoking and joking" says Phil Da Agony.
Hot on its heels is S.A.S.'s next full-length, Arms and Hammers, planned for summer, which Krondon promises to be, "a very epic record done with the spirit of every West coast record known to man." Looking back years from now, perhaps we will remember the S.A.S. era as the time that the West was truly won.