Casual – The Hierophant & Mic Memorial

Long time fans and supporters of the Hieroglyphics will be stoked to hear that Casual, prolific MC and original member of the mighty Hieroglyphics crew, is back with a new release, The Hierophant, a collaborative project with Hiero DJ and producer DJ Toure. “A Hierophant is a person who deciphers arcane knowledge,” explains Casual when discussing the title of the album. “I’m releasing this album to help fund my next album, He STILL Think He Raw. Please support. With this, as well as my other albums, I attempt to make classics.” Currently, He STILL Think He Raw is scheduled for a fall release.

The Hierophant is available now for download through Casual’s Bandcamp page and features Tajai of Souls of Mischief, fellow Hiero member Pep Love, and Thomas Pridgen, former drummer of The Mars Volta.

Listen to The Hierophant

Download “Mic Memorial”



2011 SXSW Audible Treats Wrap-Up

(March 29, 2011 – Brooklyn, NY) Returning to Austin, Texas for the third time, premier marketing and publicity firm Audible Treats is happy to announce the success of not only one but two official showcases. Audible Treats produced their 2nd annual hip-hop showcase in conjunction with Blacksmith Music with headliners Talib Kweli, Jean Grae, Zion I & The Grouch, Black Milk, and Opio and Casual on Thursday night, followed by their first hip-hop and electro-indie hybrid showcase, co-curated by PrefixMag.com the following night with headliners Acrylics and J*Davey. Both showcases were marked by major giveaways and a number of special guests who helped to pack the venues.

Audible Treats’ 2nd annual hip-hop showcase, which took place in front of a packed crowd at The Scoot Inn on Thursday, began with an opening set by Kyle Rapps, whose debut EP, Re-Edutainment, will be released tomorrow. Kyle, who also served as host for the night, introduced the line-up, which included League510, The Niceguys, DaVinci, Erk Tha Jerk, Roach Gigz, DJ Toure, Moe Green, TRUTHLiVE, Kokayi, Black Milk with his live band, Opio & Casual from The Hieroglyphics, Zion I & The Grouch, and headliners Talib Kweli and Jean Grae with special guest Pharoahe Monch, who performed his classic “Simon Says.” Holding down the evening between sets was DJ and producer IMAKEMADBEATS, spinning a variety of songs mixed in with his own instrumentals, many of which fans will remember from the producer’s self-titled debut album.

The following evening, Audible Treats celebrated their second event of the week, partnering with PrefixMag.com for a showcase at Nuvola that featured an eclectic line-up, mixing hip-hop with a variety of electro and indie acts. DJ Eleven served as the house DJ and introduced, DaVinci, who performed a mix of tracks from The Day The Turf Stood Still, and his forthcoming 2011 releases, the Feast Or Famine EP and The MOEna Lisa. Next up were Headless Horsemen and Roach Gigz, who brought up special guest Kreayshawn for her very first performance, as well as Poirier and Moe Green, both of who ran through a variety of fan favorites. Co-headlining the showcase was Acrylics and J*Davey, who performed in front of a packed house.

Audible Treats would like to thank all partners who assisting in making the two showcases a success: PrefixMag.com, Blacksmith Music, FLüD Watches, Onitsuka Tiger, Native Instruments MASCHINE, IM KING Clothing, Orisue Clothing, and Rocksmith Tokyo Clothing.

Watch video highlights of the Audible Treats 2011 SXSW showcases here:

Black Milk:
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Casual & Opio of Hieroglyphics:
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Talib Kweli, Pharaohe Monch, & Jean Grae:
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Renowned Hiero Imperium Records Ready To Extend Legacy In 2010

(January 22, 2010 – Brooklyn, NY) 2009 may not yet be a distant memory, but Hiero Imperium Records is already looking to the future with their energetic plans for the new year. The Oakland based label is poised to be at the forefront of underground hip-hop in 2010 with releases from Tajai, Chosen Few, Opio, Pep Love, Casual, and more.

Hiero Imperium Records triumphed in 2009 with the celebrated album, Montezuma’s Revenge from West Coast legends, Souls of Mischief. The album, lauded by both fans and critics alike, not only cemented Souls of Mischief’s stature in the hip-hop community but also sparked off a string of successful global tour dates. Fans were also enthusiastic to show their love for the Soul’s legacy, as a ’93 Til Infinity’ inspired tee shirt made in conjunction with streetwear staple Adapt sold out within 24 hours of its release. Eager to build upon its hip-hop hot streak, Hiero is now gearing up for an equally successful 2010 with an extensive slate of offerings from its famed roster.

The new year kicks off with music from trio Chosen Few, who will dropping the Opio laced single “Elevation” on February 9th, followed by the release of their debut album New World Symphony on April 6th. Fans will be excited to learn that the Opio extravaganza continues with the summer release of his highly anticipated album, Vulture’s Wisdom Volume 2, sure to extend the emcee’s linguistic legacy. Label-mate Pep Love plans on keeping busy in 2010 with a one-two sonic combo in form of pre-album project, The Rigamarole, and full-length album, Reconstruction, while Phesto Dee readies the release of his long-awaited Background Check for the masses.

Also on deck for Hiero is a new Casual project and a release from Tajai, who plans on dropping Rap Noir by years end. Not content to rest on their lyrical laurels, the label is also looking to unite its hip-hop superpowers and put out a Heiro-crew album, and, to top it all off, Tajai promises that more surprises are soon-to-come courtesy of the mighty Souls of Mischief. “2009 was a fantastic year, and we’re thankful for that,” explains Tajai. “There’s plenty more goodness to come in 2010 from the legendary Hiero Imperium Records.”

About Hiero Imperium Records:

Founded in 1997 in Oakland, CA, Hiero Imperium Records is Del The Funky Homosapien, Casual, Pep Love, Domino, and the Souls of Mischief, made up of A-Plus, Opio, Phesto and Tajai. Coming off waves of success from earlier releases like Souls’ ’93 Til Infinity, the Hiero crew had already established themselves as a name in mainstream and underground hip-hop, and soon released their first collective project Third Eye Vision. Since then the Hiero team has been thriving in the hip-hop world, releasing a number of projects within the label as well as branching out for collaborations with the likes of Jurassic 5, George Clinton, Dilated Peoples, Q-Tip, Xzibi,t and Gorrillaz.