Prince Ali, a rhymesayer from the Bay Area, fuses boastful B-boy swagger with subtle spiritual touches in his rhymes, pointing to the clear mark left by Souls of Mischief. Although born in Oakland, California, he grew up a short distance south in Hayward. Run-D.M.C., the leading B-boys of the genre, motivated him to pursue MCing in the middle of the 1980s. Once he finished his graduate studies at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, he launched Eye5 Recordings in 2006 and assembled a roster of forward-thinking rap acts that included the Los Angeles hip-hop band Destruments along with the three-man crew Pacific Sonz, of which he is part. The same year, his underground mixtape Corner Ensemble drew notice despite its narrow release. Oakland hip-hop originators Hieroglyphics learned of the emerging MC and arranged proper distribution for both that mixtape and his debut album, Curb Side Service, through Hiero Imperium/Fontana Distribution the next year. The project showcased Hiero members Pep Love, Tajai, and Casual as well as guest contributions from Planet Asia and Keith Murray.
