Jedi Mind Tricks
Rapper : Vinnie Paz (Vincenzo Luvineri)
Producer & Dj : Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind (Kevin Baldwin)
Label : Babygrande

Jedi Mind Tricks (JMT) are an underground hip-hop duo from Philadelphia. The duo is composed of high school friends Vinnie Paz as rapper and Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind as producer and DJ. The group is known for Stoupe’s unique production and Vinnie’s edgy - though often blatantly offensive - lyrics, as well a long list of collaborations with both regional underground peers and rap veterans, including Kool G Rap, Heltah Skeltah, Ras Kass, Canibus, Killah Priest, and GZA.

JMT officially debuted with the Amber Probe EP in 1996. The B-side of that album was also included in their first LP ; The Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological & Electro-Magnetic Manipulation of Human Consciousness, which was released a year later. The album was themed by conspiracy theories and ancient Middle-Eastern mythology. It also featured the recording debut of fellow Philly rap-group Lost Children Of Babylon and Connecticut’s Apathy of the Demigodz on multiple songs. However the Lost Children Of Babylon soon parted ways with JMT, and in a 2001 interview member Cosmic Crusader cited that while Vinnie Paz had assured them that his cause was all for spiritual hip-hop, he soon saw "that [Vinnie Paz] was not really spiritual at all, but only interested in tapping that fan base."

Sometime after the release of their first LP, Vinnie Paz conceived the idea of forming a rotating, collaborative super-group of east coast, underground artists called the Army of the Pharaohs (abbreviated to AotP). 1998 saw the first result of these efforts in The Five Perfect Exertions EP. The release featured Chief Kamachi, Virtuoso, 7L & Esoteric, and Bahamadia as well as Vinnie Paz himself. The EP was later remixed for JMT’s next LP ; Violent By Design (2000). For unknown reasons Kamachi’s verses were omitted from the release. The LP, originally titled Polymatrix : Reincarnation of the Hologramic Christ, became known as the group’s masterwork and left a definitive mark on the world of underground hip-hop. With a fiercer and hungrier presence and the occasional use of gangsta imagery typical of mainstream artists, Vinnie Paz came off more aggressive than ever on the mic. In addition, he introduced the world to Jus Allah (a.k.a. Megatraum a.k.a. Megallah a.k.a. Ominous a.k.a A Jus), an old friend and fledgling rapper who had left for college but dropped out a short while after. A self-proclaimed five-percenter, Jus was present on every non-AotP track on Violent by Design, earning his status as JMT’s unofficial third member. Despite his lack of experience, he quickly proved that he was a highly capable MC. The list of guest artists on this album was also their longest, including Mr. Lif, Planetary of Outerspace, Louis Logic, Diamondback, L-Fudge, B.A. Barakus, J-Treds, Killa Sha, and Tragedy Khadafi, plus a couple of odd phone-call interludes by Mr. Len.

During the course of Violent By Design’s 1999-2000 recording period, Paz changed his alias to Vinnie Paz, inspired by the boxer of the same name. The reason for this has been reported to be the result of a short-lived rivalry instigated by fellow Philly underground rapper "Icon the Mic King". Vinnie Paz decided to settle on his new moniker in order to prevent any further confusion. Also it was around this time he formally declared himself to be a follower of Islam, and he has had no hesitation in informing his listeners of this with numerous references to his faith throughout JMT songs since the announcement (Stoupe is known to be a practicing Buddhist as well).

In late 2001, JMT was made an offer by Babygrande Records founder Chuck Wilson to join the upstart record label. Issues of uncertainty coming from "Jus Allah" caused him to leave the group on good terms. Thus, Stoupe and Vinnie Paz closed their homegrown Superegular label and migrated to Babygrande. A short while after this, an interview allegedly conducted with Jus emerged on the Internet with intense accusations of his former partners being frauds, homosexuals, and "white devil cavemen." This was apparently done to promote his upcoming White Nightmare EP on Virtuoso’s "Omnipotent Records" label. Instead the comments backfired in the worst way possible and practically isolated Jus from the entire Philly underground scene. The two sides wouldn’t talk to each other for over three years. Virtuoso was also estranged from JMT and kicked out of AoTP for his support of Jus, among other reasons.

Mid-2003 saw the release of JMT’s third LP, Visions of Gandhi. In an interview, Vinnie Paz said the title was inspired by Foxy Brown’s verse in Nas’s song "Affirmative Action," and expresses the need for a prominent figure of non-violent social change such as Gandhi in a post-9/11 world. Ironically, however, Vinnie Paz intensified his angry threats of thuggish violence and intolerance toward Christians and homosexuals in the name of Allah, almost to the point of monotony. Stoupe, now supplied with a professional studio in New York, also expanded his variety of production, incorporating grand orchestral samples and a stronger Latino feel than ever. In response, most longtime fans felt let down by Vinnie Paz’s over-the-top lyricism and delivery, as well as the overabundance of slick, upbeat loops adopted by Stoupe. Nevertheless, the album helped expand the group’s audience as its popularity and commercial success continued to grow.

Little over a year later, JMT continued its creative streak with Legacy of Blood, this time intentionally keeping guest artists to a minimum. Carrying with them their lessons from Gandhi, Stoupe and Vinnie tried to strike a balance between the past two albums. Vinnie Paz also added a more personal aspect to his lyrics, most notably in the last song "Before the Great Collapse."

In February, 2005, Babygrande officially announced that Jus Allah had signed on to the label after reconciling with his former partners. Babygrande released his long-awaited debut LP, All Fates Have Changed, in May of that year. However after dispute label C.E.O. Cuck Wilson soon after the albums release, Jus left Babygrande and has denied any new association with JMT.

In March, 2006, a reunited Army of the Pharaohs released The Torture Papers LP. This time around the crew had grown considerably and now consisted of Vinnie Paz, Chief Kamachi, 7L & Esoteric, Apathy, Celph Titled, Planetary & Crypt the Warchild (Outerspace), King Syze, Faez One, Reef the Lost Cauze, and new Jedi Mind Tricks hype-man Des Devious. Virtuoso and Bahamadia were not featured and are no longer associated with the Army.

The fifth Jedi Mind Tricks album, which will be titled Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell, will be released on September 19th, 2006.

Jedi Mind Tricks discography :

Jedi Mind Tricks albums :

Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell (2006)
Babygrande Records

Legacy of Blood (2004)
Babygrande Records

Visions of Gandhi ( 2003)
Babygrande Records

Violent By Design (2000)
Superegular Records

The Psycho-Social (1997)
Superegular Records

Jedi Mind Tricks Singles :
"Heavy Metal Kings"
"Before the Great Collapse"/"On the Eve of War"
"The Age of Sacred Terror"/"Saviorself"
"Animal Rap"
"Kublai Khan"
"Rise of the Machines"
"Heavenly Divine"/"Trinity"
"Genghis Khan"
"Retaliation"/"Blood Runs Cold"

official Jedi Mind Tricks site  : www.jmthiphop.com

No profanity, or inaproppriate remarks.