The High & Mighty

Posted on 04.17.2003

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Document sans titre

The High & Mighty
Mr. Eon and Dj Mighty Mi
Hometown : Philadelphia
label : Eastern Conference records

The High & Mighty biography :

The High and Mighty. It’s the classic hip-hop story with a twist. It’s about paying your dues and developing your own style. It’s about innovative, press-it-yourself rap on the verge of breaking commercial. It’s about street-credible beats and lyrics produced proudly and properly by—gulp—two white boys from Philly ?!

Understand, the street is a lot more finicky than it used to be—and a lot more complex. With rap cars being assaulted on all sides by inflated tales of greed and excess, today’s sophisticated rap listener starts yearning for true art, something "fresh" in the most meaningful sense. With Rawkus leading the way, the independent scene—an alternative to jiggy—became hot again. By releasing a series of superb records on their own label, Eastern Conference, The High and Mighty have carved their own niche, created their own fan base. Here comes the elevation : Rawkus is teaming with Eastern Conference to make sure the rap world hears, sees and feels The High and Mighty. Their time is now, they’ve earned it. It’s a story as old as rap itself, so to totally understand we have to go back to the beginning...

Nineteen-Eighty was an important year for Eric Meltzer (a.k.a. Mr. Eon of "The High") and Milo Berger (a.k.a. DJ Mighty Mi of "The Mighty"), that same year, the Sugarhill Gang’s "Rapper’s Delight"—rap music’s first hit—crossed over enormously. Nineteen-Eighty was the first year that these young lads heard the music that would become an obsession. See, while rap was being born in New York City, Philly was a mere two hours down the Jersey Turnpike. And Philly was listening hard, becoming the second major city to embrace the exciting artform and its new roster of stars.

Unlike most artists in this business (including many big name stars) Milo and Eric can take it back to the essence of this shit ; ain’t no new jacks here. Throughout the ’80s, the impressionable, duo soaked up vinyl and folklore, attending key early rap events such as the pivotal ’Fresh Fest". But it was attendance at the April ’87 Beastie Boys/Public Enemy show at the, Philadelphia Spectrum that marked a turning point for the pair. Watching talented white rappers—Jewish city kids like themselves—rock an entire stadium was inspirational to Milo and Eric, They were equally swayed by the innovative grooves and powerful presentation of then unknown Chuck D and Public Enemy.

A High School talent show in the Spring of 1987 saw the duo’s perfomance debut, under the name The Freshman 3, Eric and another friend rapped over the instrumental to "Public Enemy #1" while Milo controlled the sound. Soon, the emerging DJ/producer was inspired to buy his first real piece of equipment, an ELI mixer, for $60. And he practiced diligently until he could effectively scratch KRS-One saying "burger" when E screamed "tell ’em your last name !"

While attending college at Boston University, Mighty Mi became a popular club DJ, developing his skills by rocking parties week after week around Boston. Meanwhile, Eric was writing rhymes and creating a vocal style ; he tried out a few names—E Man, General E, MC Magnum—before finally settling on Mr. Eon, meaning to represent forever, for eternity. They took the name High and Mighty as a statement of their talent and a convenient description (Eon and Mi don’t hide their fondness for certain green herbs).

When the duo graduated in 1994 and moved to the Big Apple, it was clear hip-hop was on the agenda. Mighty Mi continued to sharpen his DJ skills, becoming a regular on the New York party circuit, blowing up celebrity filled events at trendy clubs like Life and Cheetah. Mr. Eon, meanwhile, worked at various odd jobs, dissing his bosses and developing the atmospheric flow he’s now known for. The two would meet at Mi’s crib uptown to record and experiment ; bits and pieces of equipment were assembled into what is now called The Muthafuckin’ Spot On Lexington, a top-notch recording facility which is still homebase for all the artists on Eastern Conference.

Longtime vinyl consumers, High and Mighty decided to try their hand at the old "press it up yourself game", the way they watched it happen for all those years back in Philly. They formed Eastern Conference, incorporated, and in November of ’96 they dropped "Hands on Experience" b/w "Cranial Lumps" and "It’s All For You." The record, an ode to masturbation, got enough love and moved enough copies that did it again, this time under the name Eastern Conference All Stars with the songs "All in Together" b/w "Captivating Cultivating" and "Know A Little N—." The radio play and sales continued to build momentum, and when The High and Mighty dropped "Open Mic Night" b/w "The Meaning" about a year after their first release, a distinctive sound and style was emerging.

Mi and E increased their creative output, collaborating with other artists and producers on songs that would comprise, their first full-length. Acclaim started pouring in from vinyl-loving DJs and sharp journalists around the country, with a particular interest coming from England. The next EC release, Smut Peddlers "One by One’" b/w "The Hole Repertoire," featured Mr. Eon trading rhymes with Cage, an innovative underground MC from the New York area best known for his ongoing beef with Erninem. The songs were funky as hell, and they got noticed. With dedication and a quiet confidence, Mighty Mi was emerging as a real production force on the hip hop scene.

The next release was by Virginia-based freestyle legend Mad Skillz, who covered Slick Rick’s "Lick the Balls" b/w "Conceited Bastard." The record got shine on Funkmaster Flex’s show on Hot 97, increasing the profile of the label. The press clippings started to pile up and the demand for High and Mighty increased. The group began performing locally in Philly, Boston, DC, Chicago, LA, and on a unique European tour hosted by underground fixture Bobbito. The duo’s credits and underground rep accumulated : Eon rhymed on the underground hit "Big Daddy Anthem : while Mi did production for Mobb Deep ("Godfather Part IlI" remix), Ghostface Killer "All That I Got" remix) and the Rawkus CIA project.

By the, time they dropped the original "B-Boy Document" single in late 1998, featuring El P, Mike Zoot and Mos Def, it was obvious this crew was ready to take it to the next level. With over 75,000 records sold independently, and a few dozen live shows under their belt (including visits to Norway, Sweden, Holland, Germany and Denmark) The High and Mighty were officially one of the hottest groups of the underground. Leaked copies of their debut album, Home Field Advantage, garnered very positive reviews in Blaze and several British rap mags.

The future looks extremely promising, as the single and video for the new version of "B-Boy Document" has heads turning and nodding with the groove. Feel the heat and honor the work of a talented producer/DJ and an MC who rhymes with integrity. Accept the fact that The High and Mighty have made 1999 their time to shine. Home Field Advantage will surely be remembered as a funny, funky, revealing statement by two real rap fans who create music with the same formula they like to listen to : from the heart.

Mr. Eon (Eric Meltzer)
DJ Mighty Mi (Milo Berger)
Eastern Conference Records

The High & Mighty Discography :

The High and Mighty Albums


The High & Mighty 12th Man 2005	The High & Mighty The Highlite Zone 2003

The High & Mighty Air Force 1 2002	The High & Mighty Home Field Advantage 1999

The High & Mighty Singles :

2003 Take It Off
2000 Dick Starbuck
1999 Sun, Moon & Stars
1999 B-Boy Document 99
1999 Dirty Decibels
1997 Open Mic Night/The Meaning

Compilations :

Eastern Conference All Stars, Vol. 4 (2004)
Eastern Conference, Vol. 3 (2002)
Eastern Conference, Vol. 2 (2001)
Eastern Conference, Vol. 1 (1999)

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