The face of hip-hop has changed drastically over the years. Its acceptance by the mainstream media has created stereotypes and confusion over the essence of the genre, but at the same time it's opened doors for groups like the Pacifics. Norm Rockwell, KP the Ilustrado and Strike III have been doing their thing for nearly a decade, filling their music with insightful thoughts and commentaries on society from a Filipino-American perspective.
Minorities in a minority-dominated genre, the Pacifics have tried to support diversity in hip-hop. In 1998, Strike III started an open mic nite at Subterranean, a forum that helped to foster dialogue and collaboration among some of Chicago's most well-respected artists. Thanks to his efforts (and Norm Rockwell's spinning), the event has become one of the city's most successful open mics, and it always carries the Pacifics' mellow vibe.
In 2002, the trio of rappers released its debut, The September First Project: Long Overdue, which sparked a nationwide tour with other Chicago-based hip-hop artists: Primeridian, Typical Cats and DJ Presyce. In 2005, they released Sunday's Chicken on the All Natural label. The album didn't receive as much recognition as anticipated, but the lack of publicity helped fuel them for the 2006 release of The Case featuring the production of Illmind. The group's work embodies a passion that can only be found in Chicago, and it looks as though things are only going to get better. (Jeff Min)
For more information, visit their website: http://www.myspace.com/thepacifics
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