Meanest Man Contest

Before forming Meanest Man Contest, Quarterbar—also known as Noah Blumberg, the guitarist from the Oakland, California indie rock band Jim Yoshii Pile-Up—had previously worked with MC Eriksolo in mic.edu, an earlier project that ended when their collaborator, rapper A-Twice, died suddenly. The duo surfaced from Oakland’s fertile underground with the 7-inch “Contaminated Dance Step”/“Feelin’ Pretty Psyched (About Love),” which appeared on MC Eriksolo’s Weapon-Shaped label. Eriksolo supplied earthy raps with faint Latyrx echoes while Quarterbar, serving as DJ and producer, shaped the low-end beats. Their hazy, abstract sound quickly resonated in alternative hip-hop circles and opened the door to a full-length album. Merit, released by Plug Research in February 2003, evoked the noise of ghosts tumbling down stairs or freestyling inside the Fortress of Solitude. The record charted a fresh course for the thriving Oakland/Bay Area underground and placed Meanest Man Contest firmly on the map.