Scienz of Life

Scienz of Life stands out among lesser-known acts blending jazz with hip-hop in rap through their commitment to countering negativity and hatred via uplifting rhymes. The group, consisting of MCs I D-4 Windz, Inspector Wilabee, and Lil Scienz, began generating attention in New York City after their relaxed grooves and positive messages found favor within the city's underground hip-hop community. After connecting with Bobbito the Barber's Fondle 'Em Records, they issued the single "Powers of the Nine Ether" in the late '90s, which garnered an enthusiastic response. Sub Verse Music soon recognized their growing appeal and agreed to put out the crew's debut full-length album, Coming out by Day, in 2000. This Egyptian-themed project featured intricate productions merging aggressive beats with jazzy bass lines and horns, earning strong approval from underground listeners while achieving only limited mainstream success. Their distinctive approach led to an invitation to perform at the 2001 Montreux Jazz Festival, an accolade extended to few rap groups by the event's organizers. The following year saw the release of Project Overground: The Scienz Experiment, their polished second album incorporating additional live instrumentation alongside a broader range of production techniques.