Demo : Monastic Cipher - Disaster Plight - 1995

The legendary Kevin Beacham is posting a new demo from his archives every day for the next 30 days via his youtube channel RedefineHipHop !! ... Here is the Demo #1 "Disaster Plight" recorded in 1995 by Monastic Cipher from Chicago.

"In May 1995, I went to an event called Mayfest at the University of Illinois in Champaign. All throughout the '90s, it was common for me and my crew to roll up to Champaign to freestyle at parties, make appearances on Rap Radio shows on WEFT, chill with local MCs, and get pretty wild in the streets sometimes. At this time, I was living in Waukegan, IL (about an hour north of Chicago), and I think we mostly went to Champaign when there wasn't an event in Chicago we wanted to check out. But, also I think it's true that sometimes we all couldn't afford the events in Chicago and we didn't always have access to get on the mic at the parties/events there, and I don't think most of us realized you could just show up at the radio station and ask to rap, we thought you had to be invited. But, in Champaign, all of those things were welcomed to us, and we were always invited back.

However, in '95, I was the co-owner of a magazine called Caught In The Middle magazine, and our third issue was possibly going to have Rubberoom on the cover, and they were performing at Mayfest (with Tone B Nimble of All Natural as their DJ for the day), so I specifically went to Champaign this time to take pictures of their set. They were a group that I was always somehow involved with their whole career, circa '92-'99.

Other groups on Mayfest '95 were Primeridian and Monastic Cipher. This was my first time seeing Primeridian, who soon after became friends. I was also responsible for getting them and Rubberoom a show together, for both of their first appearance in Minneapolis, at a Rhymesayers event at 7th Street Entry in 1997. And, Mayfest '95 was my only time seeing Monastic Cipher, which would be true for most anyone , if not everyone, there, because I learned much later that they broke up really soon after this, so this was likely one of their only shows!

Their set really impressed me! It was just so raw. The beats were stripped-down and kinda quirky, but absolutely hardcore also. And, they all naturally had great flows, lyrics, and personalities on the mic. I approached them after the set and told them I dug their performance, and asked for a tape because of Caught In The Middle magazine and my radio show, Time Travel on WNUR in Chicago. I played this tape pretty heavy on the show. 

I wish they made more music, but I did learn that they split into three different crews after this show. I'm hoping to still track down the music from those separately formed groups!!" 
- courtesy of Kevin Beacham