Spree Wilson

Identifying as a nerd, Spree Wilson traces a pivotal shift in his path to De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising. The literate and witty rapper fuses an array of styles into hip-hop, a direct outgrowth of his varied upbringing. His father sang doo wop in Memphis, surrounding him with the leading figures of blues and jazz in addition to his treasured De La Soul. That unconventional outfit supplied an escape from the grim gangsta-rap landscape that left Spree unmoved. Rock later supplied another outlet, as Pink Floyd, Nirvana, and Sonic Youth took over his listening habits until the forward-thinking OutKast duo steered him back to hip-hop. He stepped in as MC for Knives Out, one of Atlanta’s more boundary-defying groups, and cultivated a devoted hometown following through incisive lyrics and an unhurried delivery. With assistance from Aphilliates DJ Jamad, he issued the solo mixtape Weird Science in 2007, captured at superstar producer Dallas Austin’s Darp Studios.