“Portland-based trio Cleveland Steamers are one hell of a group; musically and topically united, the recently-formed trio of Hip Hop veterans showcases a collective craftsmanship, versatility, knowledge and humor that is sorely lacking in the current maelstrom of get-rich-quick “artists” who couldn’t distinguish Ed O.G. from Special Ed. With two MCs (Gen.Erik and Mic Crenshaw) and a DJ (Aero) handling the lion’s share of mic controlling, scratching and boardwork, Cleveland Steamers can’t help but remind me of the good ole days, when being Hip Hop meant being multi-talented (remember the 4 elements anyone?!), original (as in fresh, dummies), and confidently self-assured (a genuinely believable self-assuredness built up over many years and based on endless practice and performances, not just vain cockiness and pipe dreams, like today’s youngins). On “Treasure Chest,” then, the album title is more telling than the nom-de-plume and the artwork—there are indeed plenty of rare and valuable jewels to be found inside.

…many hilarious and spot-on details Gen.Erik and Mic C. throw into the stew, such as scathing impersonations of greedy-but-stupid MCs and ubiquitous corporate radio DJs. In addition, they showcase a level of self-awareness that’s pretty refreshing (last line of above song: “writing a song about rap clichÈs/ that’s just another rap clichÈ!”). In addition, they use the also-hilarious “Undergroupies” to shit on drunk girls at shows in a viciously candid yet still self-depreciating manner. Finally, CS save their biggest load for our commander in chief, on the ingeniously-sampled “The Decider,” in which DJ Aero scratches in numerous ridiculous and heinous “Bushisms” while the two MCs verbally taunt him in between. Seriously, with a president this goofy and incompetent, ridicule through exposure is much more effective than any angry tirade could hope to be.

…CS drops plenty of hot material that hits straight to the, ahem, chest. The guest artists, ranging from producer Mic Q to Rhymesayers’ always-killer I Self Divine, are uniformly dope and are used as they should be—to enhance the flavor of the main course. Whether it’s the deliciously fleshed-out party jams “The Groove” and “Rock That Shit,” the introspective and political musings of “It’s Been Alone,” or the purely celebratory bangers “Day by Day” and “Skull Bone,” CS know how to bring it like the veterans they are. On “Treasure Chest,” they master many styles, showcase nuance both lyrically and sonically, and bring a relevance and topicality to the game that’s sorely lacking in these troubled times. And it’s all delivered in a way both serious as cancer (in their approach to complex issues and love of Hip Hop), and coolly mischievous (indicating their ability to not take themselves too seriously). I could get specific as to the reasons most tracks bang, but that might take up too much of your precious time (unless you’re at the office like me trying to waste time, in which case I should have written more!)…  I suggest you get to your online/local store of choice and prepare to be Steamed on.”
-www.rapreviews.com

“Hip-hop wise, you won’t find a more sly excoriation of our dear President than on “The Decider,” the potent track off of the Cleveland Steamers’ intriguing debut Treasure Chest. When the soundscapes do rise to the word bending capabilities of emcees Mic Crenshaw and Gen.Erik, the results are quite pleasing. …clever numbers like the aforementioned Bush-basher. Doomsday horns and a sinister bassline punctuate “The Decider,” as quotables from Dubya are interspersed throughout. His famous declaration, “I’m the decider” is scratched into the chorus. It’s quite chilling, really.

Strident horns make “The Groove” an amiable delight. This time the Pacific Northwest crew is joined by Boom Bap Project’s Nightclubber Lang, who takes the award for best rap moniker. The minimal, old school leaning Skull Bone is club worthy, despite its indecipherable hook: “Put your skull bone, jaw bone/next to your gall stone/leave you with no earth to fall on.” Apparently dismemberment makes for good party music. …“It’s Been Alone” (is) infused with some vintage boom bap, in the spirit of the Beatminerz.

Speaking of beats, these emcees have the ability to devour them, especially frontman Mic Crenshaw, an award-winning slam poet and Sen Dog’s doppelganger. This alliterative, rhyme animal likes to get his Noam Chomsky on: there’s a diversity of perversity and delusion/adversity in the churches, schools, mosques/synagogues and universities. His partner Gen.Erik capably goes multi-syllabic…

…this talented crew deserves Skittles for offering social commentary that is informed and on-target. The Cleveland Steamers are quite capable of making the kind of hip-hop that even non-coprophiliacs can enjoy. Now about that name…”
-www.okayplayer.com 

 “…eclectic instrumentally-stacked production, hard-hitting flows and socially conscious and heavily-charged lyrics with which I can’t seem to stop singing along…�
While pretty much every track of this album bumps in one way or another, whether through quality production or the interestingly-unique trading of flows and lyrics between the two talented yet diverse emcees, the stand-out song on the album is “The Decider,” a ridiculously creative track in which the emcees trade lyrics back and forth with sound clips from George W. Bush. Bush’s verses consist of a combination of Bush-isms, lies he has told over the past six years, and other stupid-ass shit he has said while in office…  I’ve always believed that good conscious hip-hop can bring you closer to the truth, and the Cleveland Steamers’ “Treasure Chest” is another great example of hip-hop that serves to educate, inform and question the things around us. I’d highly recommend checking it out … you just might learn something.”
-www.hiphoplinguistics.com

“These guys are ready for next-level status.”     -www.musicforamerica.org

“The lines are delivered in stark verbal contrast to one another, but it’s the interplay between Crenshaw’s inflective baritone and (Gen.)Erik’s natural, front-free flow that makes the Steamers’ sound so engaging…  lyrically compelling throughout…”     -Willamette Week

“…the latest project from Portland hip-hop favorite Mic Crenshaw is his most incisive and enjoyable yet. “   -Oregonian

�

Please excuse the lack of content as we are working on adding everything.

Cleveland Steamers

In imagining the standard, stereotypical hip-hop group, listeners will find that the Cleveland Steamers are anything but. Comprised of Mic Crenshaw, a Portland, Oregon poetry slam champion and national finalist, Gen.Erik, a satirical lyricist with the ability to transform into a hip-hop DJ and producer, and DJ Aero, who has toured the world with Tommy Lee, as part of Methods of Mayhem, and with Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom Huck Jam, the group’s creative cohesion has mesmerized numerous crowds since the three members decided to form a union. Although each member of the Cleveland Steamers is a veteran to the music industry, they have emerged as a group, combining Crenshaw’s socially conscious clever lyricism and Gen.Erik’s thought-provoking wordplay with DJ Aero’s melodic, head-nodding beats.  As an added bonus, Cleveland Steamers often throw in DJs Wicked and Wels, two of the Northwest’s best hip-hop DJs, who are known as Style Molesters.  Wicked is also known for his “Got Milf” CD and touring as the DJ for Grayskul.  The Cleveland Steamers’ much anticipated album, “Treasure Chest”, will be released in late summer 2006, and features Sy Scott and Rhymesayers artists I Self Divine and Nightclubber Lang (Boom Bap Project), among others.

The Cleveland Steamers debut album “Treasure Chest” is a potentially classic hip-hop album, led by “The Decider”, a groundbreaking concept, in which MCs Mic Crenshaw and Gen.Erik trade rhymes with none other than George W. Bush over a smooth beat composed by DJ Aero. By utilizing the President’s popular foolish sound bites (Bushisms), the Cleveland Steamers substantiate Bush’s lack of compassion and intelligence in a clever manner that is entertaining and comedic to the listener. In an example of the song’s brilliance, Crenshaw exchanges quips with Bush, …Bomb the nation into oblivion/ Some say a village is missing it’s idiot/ Saying stuff like ‘poor people aren’t necessarily killers’/Damn George that’s the illest/ Now watch this, listen to how he feels/ ‘Just because you happen to be not rich doesn’t mean you’re willing to kill’. Gen.erik also takes some witty jabs at the President, You conned the nation taking photo ops/ A background filled with soldiers they probably fixed in Photoshop/ You broke the laws with your vanity/ No respect for those ‘working hard to put food on their family’. “The Decider” is a song that you will have to hear for yourself.

In addition to the politically charged single, Cleveland Steamers offer a wide variety of subject matter on Treasure Chest, ranging from pop culture to personal struggles to underground groupies (labeled “Undergroupies”). The album showcases superb lyricism from Gen.Erik alongside Poetry Slam Champion Mic Crenshaw. The majority of Treasure Chest was produced by DJ Aero (DJ with Tommy Lee and the Tony Hawk Boom Boom Huck Jam). The album also features production from Gen.Erik, Arkitek, P-Cutta, Mic Q, and Gregory B. from Italy.�

Cleveland Steamers CD Release at Berbati’s w/ Boom Bap Project, Sleep, and more!