Single Minded Pros

Billing yourself as resident DJs for the American classlessness advocacy group that is the Jenny Jones Show is certainly not the best way to win the respect of anyone who isn’t, maybe, a strip club owner looking to fill their Friday night slot. That said, Windy City producers DJ Rude & Doc West — the Single Minded Pros — definitely have a lot more going for them than their day job would imply; evidence for which is present in the four star line-up compiled here on their debut full-length production project, From Now On. Underground firestarters Pacewon, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, and even Kool G. Rap, among others, show up with their A-game, breathing hot flames over beats that are more fully fleshed-out instrumentals than simple rhythm tracks. SMP have a penchant for infusing dramatic undertones and atmospherics into beats that fall a little to the left of the beaten path, where with nervous electronic sounds, string loops, and even the odd toy piano run they often play with appear to almost dictate and influence each cut’s choice MC. Akrobatik’s "Torture Chamber” offers an instant example, with the lyricist revealing his own Mr. Hyde over a synthesised, Halloween-esque creek and Super Mario-type sound loop. Kinda makes you wonder if there isn’t more to Jenny Jones after all.