INTRO

"Do you believe only what you see?
Or what your soul knows when you close your eyes and you go deep inside?
Ain't no eagle-will pride, we're united for the prize
It's time to shine your underground rise."

Underground Rise is a project that combines some of the most recognized names in indie hip-hop together for the first time to create all new
music!

Headed by the Tunnel Rats, Underground Rise includes collaborations between artists like L.A. Symphony, LMNO and 2Mex (Visionaries),
manCHILD of Mars ILL, Playdough of ill harmonics, Listener of Deepspace 5, Remnant, Mass Reality, Sekou the Misfit, the T.R.'z themselves
and more!

A project of this caliber is almost unprecedented. Backed by awe-inspiring and cutting-edge beats by the all-star team of Dert, Jerms and Donovan Luke Henry, Underground Rise will be a groundbreaking project in the hip-hop world. "It's more than just a bunch of songs," says Raphi of the Tunnel Rats. "It's a movement. It's time for the underground talent to rise up! It's a statement of unity."

Sev Statik of the Tunnel Rats adds, "We have people from all over the U.S. on it, from east to west that represent different cliques and different styles. If you like hardcore hip-hop - we got it. If you like wordplay - we got it. If you like down south, east coast, west coast, whatever! This record has it - and it's done very well. We want to reach all of the fans (of these genres) and show the heads out there this is what we have when it comes to 'our' side of Hip-Hop culture."

THE SONGS

After Jamie (wife of New Breed's Macho), begins the album with a spoken word intro, the excitement begins. How We Get Down features Macho, Propaganda, Reconcile, Griffin, Elsie and Sev Statik exchanging aggressive verses over an energetic beat.

Next comes the triumphant You Don't Want That featuring manCHILD of Mars ILL, Playdough of ill harmonics and Jurny Big of LPG. The three
respected lyricists combine their talents over an inventive beat containing rolling timpani drums and mid-east horns and flutes.

Southern Brutality features a gang of emcees from Down South who get "crunk" on the mic. New Tunnel Rat members Dokument and Propaganda trade verses with Mass Reality members Lazarus and Reconcile and Neogen of The Remnant over a bluesy guitar line.

"My favorite moment (while recording the album) was being in the booth recording my verse for Southern Brutality," says Reconcile of Mass
Reality. "I was hyped after peeping the reaction and response of my peers in the game - it was definitely uplifting In general, just building with all the heads that were down there."

The next song, Kick Kick, features the commanding voice of underground legend LMNO of the Visionaries during the chorus, as well as appearances by Knows, and Dezin8ed, plus Dax, Sev Statik and Zane of the Tunnel Rats.

LMNO explains, "The title is Kick Kick and that is what we must do to opposition - let this be a 'when the going gets rough' theme-song."

One Voice is a landmark song that for the first time combines the entire LA Symphony and Tunnel Rats crews - 17 emcees appear on the track.

"We got a call from Dax," says Cookbook of L.A. Symphony, "He was like 'let's do something that's never been done: a massive crew song with all our people, and all your people.' And I was like, 'Let's do it!' We were all in the (Rat Hole) studio. L.A. Symphony got there on a Sunday
night, and we just started vibing to the beat. Macho had already recorded the hook, so we just wrote and recorded the whole thing in like 2
hours."

Cookbook continues, "It was real hype. Back in the day, T.R.'z and the Symphony would kick it together a lot, so it was like a reunion. Plus,
the energy was high, we were cracking jokes, and laughing. It was real fun. The song is real cool. The beat was hot, and I think everyone came off (correctly). My man J-Beits' verse had us rollin'!"


BEHIND THE SCENES

Most of the songs on Underground Rise were recorded in one weekend in late last year at the Rat Hole (the Tunnel Rats' studio) in Whittier,
California.

"Thirteen songs in two days," Raphi recalls. "There was like sixteen emcees up at the Rat Hole. Non-stop, round-the-clock buildin'. It was crazy.
Different people were flying in from all over. We were making airport runs almost every hour. Most of the cats were only here for a couple of days so nobody was really sleeping 'cuz they all wanted to work. We had already dumped most of the beats (from the MPC to the studio computer) so a lot of the time it was like, 'Who got something for this? Lets hear it. All right, get in the booth - let's cut it.'"

"It was dope though 'cuz it was all love," he continues. "It was all good. There were no egos, just respect. That alone was ill to see. We all
came together like one group, one family - one crew. We were one voice. It wasn't like we were doing a compilation. It was more like a supercrew
coming together to fellowship and bust on the mic. Everybody was just so appreciative of the experience."

Raphi says that songs took on a life of their own when guest emcees interpreted an existing concept and wrote to it. "Y'all gonna have to wait
and hear it," he promises. "It's tight."

THE IMPACT

"This entire project will be a blessing for those people who come across it - unknowingly or knowingly," says LMNO. "It is an honor to be a
part of Underground Rise, respect to everyone's involvement in this project, All Glory to GOD!"

"I think this project is definitely a step toward having a quality, unified voice in hip hop, period," Reconcile of Mass Reality says. "It raises the bar, man; after hearing this album, you should be inspired to come harder on the mic."

"Because we have so many different people reppin' different areas of the U.S.A. - of course we're gonna have the versatility to catch anyone's
attention," says Sev Statik. "We punch the mainstream market in the face, but help 'em up to walk 'em back to get help, we ain't ruthless ya'
know. We got those crowd bangin' beats that everyone loves tied the underground credibility from all of the dope emcees and they way we
spit. It's awesome the way we blend all that together."

The underground is rising. Underground Rise "Sunrise, Sunset" impacting listeners now.