Stolen Moments

Lets say it's the early '90's and you're a kid growing up in the relatively small town of Amarillo, Tx. (est. pop: 180,791) and every summer you'd travel to Brooklyn where all the kids were playing the sounds of Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth, A Tribe Called Quest and GangStarr and you were simply mesmerized. "They don't play stuff like this back in the Panhandle." So then you started to wonder to yourself "How do they get that sound?" So when you get back home you work whatever shitty job you have to work to get your first SP-1200 because you heard that's what Pete uses. And after years and years of hard work you finally get your studio together and in working order. Now lets say that out of the blue someone comes along and jacks all you're prized possession and you have to start all over again from scratch. What do you do then? Well, if you're a true hip-hop head you create a cool alter-ego (Rob Viktum), move to the closest big city (Dallas) and dive head first into the flourishing hip-hop scene.

Dallas, most know as the town that birthed the D.O.C. if defiantly overlooked when referring to Texas hip hop. (but not as overlooked as Amarillo I'm sure.) Texas Hip-hop is usually assimilated to Houstonites especially with the current rise of stars like Slim Thug, Mike Jones, and Paul Wall, the continuing efforts of Scarface and the second coming of UGK . But the indie label Ground Opening plans to change that with MC's like Mes the Jive Turkey, Headkrack,Gutterball and the founder of G. O.
Riq the Briq. But like Mr. Lawnge said "You can't have a party with out the DJ."

"I take it back to the first concert I ever went to; my dad took me to a James Brown concert when I was four. I just remember seeing the crowd and the reaction of people's faces. I was like 'this is pretty cool.' My dad bought me my first record which was Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Every since then I was like I needed to do this and I could not imagine doing anything else. There is no plan B."

Since those days of scraping for cash Rob has created his own production company called Audible Facts and is also a full time producer for his crew Ground Opening. Along side of the aforementioned underground MC Mes the Jive Turkey, he created the self titled album The Socialist which was originally released on Ground Opening but was soon picked up by Mr. Dibbs (most known as one of the people who co-founded Scribble Jam) and rereleased it on his record label Self Core Records.

The 27 year old classically trained pianist (as well as other instrument including drums, guitar and various woodwinds) is currently working on a world wind of projects with no end in sight. Including 8 tracks on Mes's current album entitled "Songs About You", Icon the Mic King's latest long player, and Reflect Junes' album entitled "A King's Gold is a Whore's Lunch". That's not including his (2 CD) mix tape/ instrumental album B.L.O.O.D./BLOOD Sport. His Audible Porn Mix tape, and his Jay-Z Black Album Reviktumized album. Before you go "Not another Black Album." Know that this was done purely out of love for the art form. He also remixed Aesop Rocks "Bazooka Tooth" album which is no easy task considering 'Sops drunken monkey style cadence. But the biggest new project Viktum is working on is his collaboration album with Mr. Dibbs himself in their group 9th Circle which should hit the stores this summer.

At this rate it shouldn't be too long before the entire underground is thanking the jerk that stole Rob Viktums equipment in the first place. And I'm sure Rob will have some choice works for him too.

Lee H. Tillman is a Los Angles based MC/writer. For more information go to
calogerodean.com

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