Souls of Mischief

Formed in Oakland, California, Souls of Mischief comprises A-Plus, Opio, Phesto and Tajai — four MCs who emerged in the early 1990s within the orbit of the Hieroglyphics collective. The group represents a Bay Area strain of hip‑hop that blends West Coast heritage with dense, flexible lyricism, jazz and funk references, and a strong sense of collective sequencing, with voices flowing into one another. Their debut album, 93 ’til Infinity (1993), quickly established this aesthetic: airy productions, melodic samples and technically skilled yet accessible rap. After No Man’s Land (1995), Souls of Mischief continued to release group records while remaining active within Hieroglyphics, maintaining a steady presence on the independent scene with regular live shows. Their discography goes on with Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution (2000), Montezuma’s Revenge (2009) and There Is Only Now (2014), the latter made with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Over the years Souls of Mischief has retained an approach centered on vocal harmonies, relay-style lyrics and production that favors groove, soulful textures and cinematic atmospheres over showy display.