Edan attended CU in late 2003-2005 majoring in production. The Rockville, Maryland native had already been experimenting with 4 and 8 track home recording using both live instruments (he is a drummer and bassist) and a truthfully Native Tongues inspired, sample based approach since 1986. He quickly advanced in skill throughout high school and college. Continuing on this path, Edan completed the officially unreleased album the end is forever on an 8-track digital cassette recorder in his dorm room while in his sophomore year. The only tracks to be released from this project appeared on his debut single in 1998. This sought after 12" contains the songs "The Es Have It featuring Eric Ferguson" and "Migraine," and was released by the now defunct Boston indie imprint Biscuithead Records. The single introduced Edan's slightly askew humor (sample lyric: The principal got nervous/When I ran into his office shirtless) and dusty production style to the world.
After leaving college in 2001, Edan began work on his official debut album, Primitive Plus eternity. The single for "godlove" which featured Boston MC Mr. Lif was released on Sun/Moon Records, after which Edan became the first artist signed to UK label Lewis-John Recordings, which released the single "Mic Manipulator." Around this time Edan began performing with several musicians from Berklee under the name Fiber. The band performed mainly in the Boston area, playing Edan's songs interspersed with long jazz improvisations during which he would scratch records and play with a delay pedal. The affiliation was short-lived, however, as Edan soon left to pursue solo ventures and Fiber began performing with MCs Bomshot and Professor Shuman. Primitive Plus was released in 2001 to critical acclaim. Edan handled all the production, rapping and turtablism on the album, with the exception of guest shots by Mr. Lif and Alaskan Fishermen member Father Time. In addition, production on one track, "Key-Bored," was done by Eli (aka Memory Man.) The experimental/throwback vibe of the album was also endowed with some of the '90s innovations in rhyming and scratching, which led to the album's title, explained on the title track as "primitive plus futuristic."
Edan then released a mixtape, Fast Rap. The seamless compilation of golden era burners by luminaries like Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap and lesser known mic rippers like Black, Rock & Ron was highly influential, sparking a renewed interest in "fast rap" and often influencing eBay auctions for the records used on the tape, much to the chagrin of hip-hop record collectors.
A non-LP track single, "Drop Some Smooth Lyrics," followed on Edan's own Humble Mag label, backed by the hilarious Kool Keith impression, "Ultra '88." In 2002 he released the wonderfully lo-fi Sprain Your Tape Deck EP, which featured some of the CD-only cuts from Primitive Plus and two new tracks. All of these songs had been recorded live in his home studio directly to an ordinary cassette deck after his 8-track finally broke. Deprived of the ability to overdub, all of the EP's scratching, mixing and effects were done live as Edan rapped to a sequencer and drum machine.
Edan then began producing other artists, providing remixes for Mr. Lif and Souls Of Mischief, and album cuts like Akrobatik's The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. Teaming up with fellow Boston MC/DJ/producer Insight in 2003, Edan began performing a much tighter live set. "Edan & Insight" (later billed as Duplex) often incorporate their DJ abilities into performances and display a level of showmanship that recalls the glory days of the Furious Five and the Cold Crush Brothers. Edan's "Johnny The Fox" routine involved rhyming with the mic in one hand while cutting up doubles of Thin Lizzy song's intro with the other, and can be seen performed in the independent film SBX.
Edan's first single from his follow up album was the aptly-titled "I See Colors," a psychedelic kaleidoscope of a light track featuring his own soaring Moog synth work over a loop which as he acknowledged in the lyric had been used before to great effect by Prince Paul. Edan deftly cuts between two versions of the sampled track in the song's chorus, heightening the dreamy quality. The lyrics concern psychedelic visions that can be attained without the use of drugs. The b-side, "The Science Of The Two," was the first recorded collaboration with Insight and featured some stunning production of its own. The single, released in early 2004, whetted fans appetites for what appeared to be a much more ambitious direction for his next album. Another mixtape, Sound Of The Funky Drummer, also appeared in 2004.
Beauty And The Beat, released in early 2005, is widely regarded as one of the best independent hip-hop albums of that year and was rated as such on many websites and in many publications. A psychedelic tour de force, the album finds Edan trying to "put Syd Barrett's face on Biz Markie's body" with "Kool G Rap's brain" and succeeding. The album features Mr. Lif, Insight, Percee-P and newcomer Dagha, and is again produced by Edan himself.
His most recent release, an audio-visual mega-mix, entitled ‘Echo Party Movie’, is an ambitious pastiche of dance, rapp, and punk that utilizes everything from turntables to tape echo, glockenspiel to guitar, and moog to kazoo. Once completed, the heady audio collage was then given to celluloid-splicer-extraordinaire, Tom Fitzgerald, who meticulously set the music to a wild array of found footage (sources ranging from Bollywood & martial arts films to subversive 60's animation, obscure new wave 8mm & vintage breakdance/graff footage).
Edan's previous effort, “Beauty And The Beat”, drew worldwide acclaim, most notably for its graceful marriage of hip-hop and rock-based psychedelia. Despite being off the beaten track musically, Edan tastefully/cautiously blends these influences into something new, with an emphasis on skills and originality. Keeping In line with said emphasis, the man is a world class deejay and emcee, taking it back to basics yet pushing forward at the same time… On stage, his repertoire includes cutting/looping up records such as Thin Lizzy’s ‘Johnny the Fox’ with one hand while holding the mic with the other and spitting his verse over it in good time, not to mention simultaneously stepping on a delay pedal for the sake of added texture…
Promised Land
Edan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the sell-a-lot plot from the megawatt mainframe
With a suit made of electricity
With a suit made of electricity
I ran through the Great Wall of China, convincingly
That was after the World Tour
That was after the World Tour
When I traveled through gravel and battled matter at the Earth's core
I did the show on a fireball, a pioneer
Ran into the jungle and jetted wearing a lion's ear
I fought fear with the Hammer of Thor lent me
I fought fear with the Hammer of Thor lent me
And tangled with the Angel of Death for four centuries
Put a nameplate on a asteroid belt
Put a nameplate on a asteroid belt
And I ran through the future with an android's help
That's when civilians were made of metal
That's when civilians were made of metal
I received the Coronation cause I had the last flower petals
My power settled a clash between races
My power settled a clash between races
And put good people on the magazine faces
Substituted television scandals with elephants and pandas
Tell 'em it's the elegant commando
With a hand so large
With a hand so big, I punched a sphinx in the nose
In the nose, decomposed, and so the story goes
I smacked a 40 out of a young man's hand
I smacked a 40 ounce, out of a young man's hand
And fed him lessons of life to formulate a plan
I wore the Prime Meridian as a wrist band
I wore the Prime Meridian as a wrist band
And gave away my riches but I still remained a rich man
I thought of freedom and I jetted to the Promised Land
The lyrics to Edan's song Promised Land present a surreal, imaginative journey of self-discovery and empowerment. The opening lines describe the singer's emergence from a dark, painful place and his subsequent embrace of technology and innovation, symbolized by the suit made of electricity. The Great Wall of China is a formidable obstacle, but the singer overcomes it easily, having already traveled the world and battled the elements. The imagery is hyperbolic but also evokes a sense of limitless possibility and fearlessness.
As the song progresses, the singer's adventures become more fantastic and otherworldly. He wears a lion's ear as he jets through the jungle, invoking both primal power and stealth. He wields Thor's hammer, a weapon imbued with divine might, and braves the Angel of Death for centuries, suggesting he has achieved near-immortality. He puts his stamp on the universe by naming an asteroid belt, and he teams up with an android to explore a future where humanity has evolved beyond flesh and blood. The idea of good people gracing magazine faces speaks to the singer's desire for positive change and uplifting representation.
The final verses of the song return to more concrete, earthly concerns. The singer intervenes in a scene of urban blight, using his physical presence and knowledge to steer a young man away from self-destructive behavior. He wears the Prime Meridian on his wrist, a symbol of order and balance, and though he has given away his riches, he remains rich in spirit. The promise of freedom, both personal and collective, drives him to journey to the Promised Land, a symbolic destination for those seeking liberation.
Overall, Promised Land is a vivid, poetic expression of one individual's quest for inner and outer transformation. It uses a blend of science fiction, myth, and hard-won experience to create a potent message of hope and possibility.
Line by Line Meaning
Out the dungeon of the brain pain I came
I overcame mental struggles and found my way out
With the sell-a-lot plot from the megawatt mainframe
With a successful plan from a powerful source
With a suit made of electricity
With a powerful and energetic presence
I ran through the Great Wall of China, convincingly
I achieved a seemingly impossible feat with ease
That was after the World Tour
After experiencing many different cultures and places
When I traveled through gravel and battled matter at the Earth's core
When I faced immense challenges and persevered through them
I did the show on a fireball, a pioneer
I accomplished something groundbreaking and impressive
Ran into the jungle and jetted wearing a lion's ear
I fearlessly explored new environments with confidence
I fought fear with the Hammer of Thor lent me
I overcame fear with a powerful tool given to me
And tangled with the Angel of Death for four centuries
I faced difficult challenges for an extended period of time
Put a nameplate on a asteroid belt
I accomplished something meaningful and significant
And I ran through the future with an android's help
I navigated a futuristic world with the assistance of technology
That's when civilians were made of metal
In a time of great change and advancement
I received the Coronation cause I had the last flower petals
I was recognized and awarded for my unique talents and abilities
My power settled a clash between races
I had the ability to bring people together and create peace
And put good people on the magazine faces
I elevated and celebrated individuals who deserved recognition
Substituted television scandals with elephants and pandas
I changed the narrative and brought attention to important issues and causes
Tell 'em it's the elegant commando
Let them know that I am a powerful and sophisticated force
With a hand so big, I punched a sphinx in the nose
I accomplished a remarkable feat with my great strength and power
In the nose, decomposed, and so the story goes
The impact of my actions was long-lasting and significant
I smacked a 40 ounce, out of a young man's hand
I intervened in a destructive behavior and taught a valuable lesson
And fed him lessons of life to formulate a plan
I guided him towards a better and more productive path
I wore the Prime Meridian as a wrist band
I carried an important and meaningful symbol with me at all times
And gave away my riches but I still remained a rich man
I recognized that true wealth comes from generosity and kindness
I thought of freedom and I jetted to the Promised Land
I sought freedom and found it in a place of hope and promise
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@c0rry
Out the dungeon of the brain pain I came
With the sell-a-lot plot from the megawatt mainframe
With a suit made of electricity..
With a suit made of electricity
I ran through the Great Wall of China, convincingly
That was after the World Tour..
That was after the World Tour
When I travelled through gravel and battled matter at the Earth's core
I did the show on a fireball..
I did the show on a fireball, a pioneer
Ran into the jungle and jetted wearing a lion's ear
I fought fear with the Hammer of Thor lent me..
I fought fear with the Hammer of Thor lent me
And tangled with the Angel of Death for four centuries
Put a nameplate on a asteroid belt..
Put a nameplate on a asteroid belt
And I ran through the future with an android's help
That's when civilians were made of metal..
That's when civilians were made of metal
I received the Coronation cause I had the last flower petals
My power settled a clash between races..
My power settled a clash between races
And put good people on the magazine faces
Substituted television scandals with elephants and pandas
Tell 'em it's the elegant commando
With a hand so large..
With a hand so big, I punched a sphinx in the nose
In the nose, decomposed, and so the story goes
I smacked a 40o out of a young man's hand..
I smacked a 40 ounce, out of a young man's hand
And fed him lessons of life to formulate a plan
I wore the Prime Meridian as a wrist band..
I wore the Prime Meridian as a wrist band
And gave away my riches but I still remained a rich man
I thought of freedom and I jetted to the Promised Land..
Sample : Arik Einstein : Dark, dark
@matthewsierra314
I love the lyrics to this song.
He was basically given the crown for being the last real thing alive in such a fake world where no one knows the truth and headed toward the promise land.
@kelechi_77
"I wore the Prime Meridian as a wrist band
And gave away my riches but I still remained a rich man
I thought of freedom and I jetted to the Promised Land"
@williehopscotch
One of the best hip hop tracks of the century. Criminally slept on.
@richardkusimenkah
the most epic story I've ever heard. seems legit!
@ElGeeEm777
The imagery is so incredible.
@odemata87
psychedelic hip-hop
@MrFuzzySlippas
this guy just needs to be known
@jdeniro1844
NO the Lame/mainstream will try to steal and cage him. Let him stay free, wild... DANGEROUS!!!
@Markgbutcher
Gave away my riches but still remained a rich man.
@kelechi_77
AMEN