People Under The Stairs have been crafting quintessential, laid back, L.A. hip-hop since the release of their debut album The Next Step in 1998, way back when we were all still gettin jiggy wit it. Over the course of nine albums, Thes One (Chris Portugal) and Double K (Michael Turner) have put to wax effervescent hip-hop that tips its hat to the legacies of A Tribe Called Quest, Nice & Smooth and The Beatnuts. They understand that hip-hop is meant to be fun and full of life and they have built a reputation as two drunk monkeys who will steal the whole show whenever they hit your city. On record, their soulful crate-digging and storytelling provide the perfect soundtrack to follow you from catching the morning curls along the coast to kicking back at a barbecue with a Long Island Ice Tea to circulating the herbal essence with friends underneath the stars.
Thes One and Double K continue the good vibes that have defined their career on The Gettin’ Off Stage, Part 1 EP, the first in a three-part release of EPs. When taken together, the three releaseswill act as the band’s 10th album, a landmark record for a group that have become elder statesman in the underground hip-hop community. Thes One still has such a smooth touch for production and the beats on the six tracks are among the most crisp he has ever put to tape, like a neat shot of whiskey to your ears. Double K’s scratching is a familiar joy, his table skills a strong link that connects the People to hip-hop’s old school, and the duo’s rambunctious verses will have you hyped on life.
While it is nice to hear that People Under the Stairs have remained incredibly consistent over the course of nine albums, the EP’s title suggest that Thes One and Double might be looking to drop the mic and walk after this run of music is finished. They have mentioned before that reaching ten albums have always been an important goal of theirs, and if reached, the duo would have to do some self-reflection about where they stand in their careers.
The vagueness of their future is addressed in the EP’s opening track, “100 Miles.” The airy keyboards and drums are like a late-night jazz band in a hole-in-the-wall dive playing for tips. Double K and Thes One truly are working musician, hustling for every CD and ticket they sell, and the whole track plays like two veterans laying bare the harsh realities of following their passions. “In a motel in Columbus, he was ready to call it quits/ Sample lawsuits, fast foods, and the bed bugs itch/ But something about the rhyme and going on stage, it kept us going /As long as y’all kept showing, who am I to turn my back,” rhymes Thes One, gasping for breath as his voice becomes strained with emotion. The business side of things might be more than Double and Thes can bare in the future, but the P will always enjoy their music and celebrate their fans, and for now it is enough to keep them going.
They acknowledge the fuel for their fire on the infectious “The Love,” praising the fans for their continued support throughout the career. An unbelievably fluid bassline anchors a beat teeming with bubbly keyboards and guitar, the heady vibe perfectly accentuated with Double K and Thes One’s tight flow as they pop with vibrancy. Thes One always has at least one ear-worm beat on every album and “The Love” is his latest offering, with it also having the distinction of being one of his most undeniable works of art.
To some, People Under the Stairs will only ever be “Acid Raindrops,” the group’s glowing anthem to lighting one up and burnin’ it down. But the duo have always shown range in its sound and content and they manage to convey that quite well in limited space. The house party is brought to its knees with on the surge of adrenaline that is “Runaway,” with one of the group’s idols, Greg Nice, lending his talent to the three-pronged attack. The optimistic high of a night out on the town informs the smooth funk of “Saturday Again,” though the coin is immediately flipped with the duo turning to the realities of the streets in the cautionary “Alleys (Bada).” For those looking beyond the cloud of smoke over the group’s head, there is a little something for everyone.
The future remains unclear for Thes One and Double K after they finish The Gettin’ Off Stage. But with the first EP of the album being another solid offering from a group that has put so much love into hip-hop, you can only imagine the time up till then will be filled with a lot of great music.