Field Mob

Although hip-hop often serves as an anthem for urban life, Field Mob have consistently championed rural sensibilities. Boondox, also known as Smoke, and Kalage, also known as Shawn Jay, grew up in Albany, GA, a modest community near Atlanta recognized as the hometown of soul legend Ray Charles. They adopted the name Field Mob as a nod to the Field, the particular neighborhood in Albany that shaped their early years. The two first crossed paths in high school when Boondox witnessed Kalage freestyling in the courtyard and issued a challenge for a battle the following day, after which they chose to collaborate. An initial contract with a modest independent imprint yielded a single that drew interest from MCA, prompting the major label to sign them. Their debut full-length, 613: Ashy to Classy, arrived in 2000 and proved remarkably refined for artists of their age and limited background, thanks to sharp lyricism and strong beats. The 2002 successor, From tha Roota to tha Toota, maintained that standard while adding a collaboration with Trick Daddy and shifting nearer to the OutKast-esque sound they had first suggested on their opening release. The young pair demonstrated an ability to hold their own among hip-hop’s elite acts, all while openly embracing their regional origins. Their Geffen debut, Light Poles and Pine Trees, followed in 2006.