Little Vic

Long Island rapper Little Vic adhered strictly to the classic boom-bap template established by early-’90s New York hip-hop when he first drew underground attention through his 2005 debut 12-inch “The Exorcist,” produced by DJ Premier. Born Victor John Orena III in New York, he sustained that initial momentum the following year with the mixtape For a Few Dollars More, which his cousin DJ John John mixed. His microphone ability and the DJ Premier endorsement soon prompted numerous mixtape DJs—including DJ Whookid, DJ Domination, and DJ Eclipse—to request guest spots from the Italian-American rapper. In 2007 he issued his second 12-inch, “Caked Up” b/w “The Evil That Men Do,” featuring Kool G Rap on the A-side and beats from D.I.T.C. producer Buckwild on the flip. Those selectively chosen partnerships proved effective, as the 12-inches received steady airplay on local college and underground radio outlets as well as online. His own Orena Records then released the 11-song EP Each Dawn I Die in 2008, which compiled every one of his singles.