BOSTON HERALD ARTICLE BY MARTIN CABALLERO
Since their formal launch in 2004, the Greater Good has built itself as a brand similar to the Wu-Tang Clan model, in which the group serves to promote their individual projects and vice versa.
The six-member rhyme squad – which includes J the S, Amadeus the Stampede, Prone Two, Speks, Lord Touch and DJ Special Blend – have sharpened their skills over time, as their new album “As Good As It Gets” (available for free on the Internet beginning Friday) attests. But it’s the years of shared support and friendship that’s more apparent than any high-minded business plan.
“Everybody has their own projects and everybody has been rhyming on their own since before we became a group,” said J the S, on a couch surrounded by the other members in an Allston apartment.
J the S is an unsigned artist living in New York who’s gaining buzz thanks to a single featuring rap heavyweight Jadakiss that’s getting spins on national radio. Ordinarily, this would seem like a higher priority than working on heightening the group’s profile with a free Internet release. “But we have mad love for each other, and people want to see us together. ”
The group’s chemistry is years in the making: Speks and Lord Touch met as 14-year-olds working in the city’s Red Shirt program, while attending high school in the South End with Amadeus. They met J the S at an impromptu freestyle cypher while those two were students at Northeastern University, where J the S was a classmate of DJ Special Blend. All the members of the group have been roommates at some point. They even share a passion for cooking (as detailed on the song “Marvelous” from the new album) that has them sharing recipes and engaging in friendly “Top Chef”-style competition.
Their collective strength was also forged by surviving trying experiences together. The group rallied to support Amadeus while he spent time in a mental institution last August after a schizophrenic episode.
“We are too connected to have something come between us,” said Speks, who maintained close ties with the crew while serving time in jail several years ago. “There have been times when I didn’t have anything, and these dudes have helped me out. J was at multiple court dates of mine in New York City with my aunt, just there to support. There’s people I’ve known for 20 years that wouldn’t even come to a court date of mine in Dorchester. But this dude, who I’ve only known since 2000, is there with my aunt.”
This chemistry translates to their new album “As Good As It Gets,” which they’re celebrating with a performance at the Middle East Friday night. They cover a lot of ground, from radio-ready single “Calling Me” (featuring Hyde Park songstress Lisa Bello) to rawer songs such as “Come On Dog.” Despite some standout solo performances, the best tracks are the longer cuts like “Anywhere,” in which everyone gets involved and builds on each other’s verses.
“Whenever I feel like my own stuff is slacking, I go around these guys and they make me step my game up,” said Lord Touch.
J the S is working on a solo album, due out later this year, DJ Special Blend recently released an album as a member of Boston-based hip-hop group Audible Mainframe. Amadeus, Speks, Prone Two and Lord Touch have all logged long hours in the studio themselves. But, in staying true to their moniker, the group always comes first.
“People come up to me, like, ‘Your solo stuff is dope, but why didn’t you have Prone and Touch on that song’ or Blend might DJ and people ask, ‘Where’s the crew you DJ for?’, ” said Speks. “Anytime you see any one of us, it’s still always representing the whole crew. ”
The Greater Good, with Capone-n-Noreaga, at the Middle East, Cambridge, Friday. Tickets: $20; 617-864-3278.
…I had to honor of being part of a photoshoot yesterday for the girls. Karin takes the shots, Christina does the styling/hair and more and Noel did the make-up…Fabulous final products. Stay tuned for more pics
