The Procussions
| Company type | Hip hop ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe |
Key people | Mr. J. Medeiros, Stro Elliot, Resonant |
| Products | Hip hop music, albums, EPs |
The Procussions are a hip hop ensemble originating from Los Angeles, California, comprising rapper Mr. J. Medeiros, rapper and producer Stro Elliot (also known as Stro the 89th Key), and rapper Resonant. Renowned for their diverse production styles, thought-provoking lyrics, and engaging live performances, they issued two albums—including one under the resurrected Rawkus Records label—and an EP before disbanding in 2008 to focus on individual projects. The group reunited in 2012, successfully funding a new album through Indiegogo, which was released on September 24, 2013.
1998–2002
Established in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1998 from the merger of two rival b-boy crews—SOL and TSF—The Procussions initially consisted of five members: Mr. J. Medeiros, Stro Elliot, Rez (Resonant), Vise Versa, and Qq (pronounced 'Q'). Following Qq's exit due to multiple sclerosis after collapsing at their debut Denver show, the remaining members continued performing throughout Colorado. They supported artists such as Run DMC, The Pharcyde, and Common, releasing two singles: "All That It Takes" and "Leave Her Alone," which were distributed by ABB Records. "All That It Takes" climbed to No. 9 on the College Music Journal hip hop charts and secured top rankings on Urban Networks and Insomniac charts; "Leave Her Alone" attained No. 4 on Rap Attack DJ charts.
Building on this success, Mr. J spearheaded the group's move to Los Angeles to commit fully to their music career.[1] Soon after relocating, Vise Versa departed to establish Deux Process.[2]
As Iron Sharpens Iron
Once in Los Angeles, The Procussions independently launched their debut album, As Iron Sharpens Iron, through Bassmentalism Records on October 28, 2003.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The record reached No. 5 on the CMJ Hip-Hop charts.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Up All Night
In early 2004, The Procussions undertook an intensive eight-hour overnight recording session with producer-engineer Jason Skills from The Sound Providers, featuring Stro on drums and Rhodes piano alongside spoken word and freestyle contributions from Rez and Mr. J. This session laid the foundation for their jazz-inspired EP, Up All Night, which was released exclusively in Japan on September 20, 2004.
5 Sparrows For 2 Cents
Their second full-length album, 5 Sparrows For 2 Cents, arrived in 2006 with production led by Stro and artwork directed by Rez. After negotiations with various labels, they became the inaugural signing of the revived Rawkus Records. This album marked Rawkus' first release following its relaunch on May 30, 2006, achieving No. 8 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Its launch coincided with their initial nationwide co-headlining tour.
Touring
The Procussions grew their audience through extensive touring across the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and Europe. Celebrated for energetic performances featuring live drumming and turntablism by DJ Vajra, they opened for prominent acts such as The Roots, Sound Tribe Sector 9, and Talib Kweli. Following the release of 5 Sparrows For 2 Cents, they embarked on The Storm Tour alongside Aceyalone, Ugly Duckling, ¡Mayday!, and Wrekonize, performing in 40 cities over six months and returning to Europe for festival appearances. After a concert in the US, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest invited them to join the 2006 Bounce Tour, adding them to a 15-city itinerary with Tribe and Rhymefest.
During a 2004 tour in France, The Procussions established a lasting partnership with French hip hop collective Hocus Pocus. They contributed to tracks such as "Hip Hop?" from 73 Touches (2005) and "Vocab!" from the gold-certified Place 54 (2007). Furthermore, Mr. J and Stro participated in Hocus Pocus' 2010 album 16 Pièces. In addition, Hocus Pocus member 20Syl has collaborated on Mr. J's solo projects and appeared on "Phantasm" from The Procussions' self-titled album released in 2013.
2007–2008
In 2007, The Procussions took a hiatus as members explored individual endeavors. Mr J. unveiled his solo debut, Of Gods and Girls, under Rawkus in July 2007, while Rez departed to concentrate on graphic design, web development, and photography. By early 2008, Mr J. and Stro formally ended The Procussions to focus on their solo paths.
2009–2012
In 2009, Mr. J. furthered his solo trajectory by establishing the De Medeiros label, issuing the EP The Art of Broken Glass alongside the album Friends Enemies Apples Apples, featuring production by Stro Elliot. His 2011 release, Saudade, was co-produced with Stro Elliot and Luke Atencio, collectively known as "The Stare". Their partnership extended into 2012 with the EP Pale Blue Dot, which included a remix by 20Syl of Hocus Pocus alongside Canadian rapper Shad—this collaboration earned Mr J. the 2013 International Portuguese Music Award. That same year, he put out several singles such as "The Rockies", "Two Light Beams", "I Hate My Job" (with Stro), "The Marquee", and "Tricycle" (featuring Relic and Rational), later compiled into The Rockies EP.
Stro pursued an independent production career, crafting beats for artists including Raashan Ahmad, Sareem Poems, One Block Radius, Wrekonize, Phonte, and Othello. On July 26, 2011, he released Stro's Old Beat Farm, a compilation of 18 hip hop instrumentals spanning from 2004 to 2011. In 2012, Stro composed the score for Hilton Carter’s short film *Victor* and began producing music for Carter’s animated series Lessons.
2012–2014
Responding to numerous offers and fan enthusiasm in 2012, Mr J. and Stro reunited as The Procussions for a performance in Colorado. This reunion rekindled both domestic and international interest and led to plans for a new album. On September 12, 2012, they initiated an Indiegogo campaign that nearly doubled its initial funding target. The self-titled album was delivered to backers on April 11, 2013; five tracks were subsequently released as The Procussions EP on limited vinyl and digital formats on April 24, 2013. Featuring collaborators such as Shad, ¡Mayday!, 20Syl (of Hocus Pocus), and trumpeter J. Kyle Gregory, the album saw a European release through Yotanka on September 16, 2013, followed by a US release on September 23, 2013. Afterward, The Procussions embarked on two European tours with DJ Manwell and scheduled a US tour spanning late 2013 into early 2014. In 2014, they issued The Pro-Exclusive EP, which included six unreleased tracks along with instrumentals.
2015–Present
Mr. J. Medeiros formed the electronic hip hop duo AllttA alongside 20Syl and serves as vocalist and songwriter for the punk-rap ensemble KNIVES.
Stro Elliot continues to produce solo material while collaborating with acts such as The Roots, The Hamilton Mixtape, J. Period, and Jazzy Jeff.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| As Iron Sharpens Iron |
|
| 5 Sparrows for 2 Cents |
|
| The Procussions |
|
EPs
| Title | EP Information |
|---|---|
| Up All Night |
|
| The Procussions EP |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Leave Her Alone" | As Iron Sharpens Iron |
| "All That It Takes" | ||
| 2004 | "Celebration" | |
| 2006 | "The Storm" | 5 Sparrows for 2 Cents |
| "Miss January" | ||
| 2013 | "Today" | The Procussions |
| "The Fringe" | ||
| "On A Mountain" |
In other media
The Procussions' songs have been utilized across television, cinema, and gaming platforms, broadening their audience exposure. In 2006, the track "Little People" was featured on the soundtrack of the motion picture American Gun. Four years later, both "Little People" and "The Storm" were included in the television series Blue Mountain State. The song "Shabach" was part of the soundtrack for 2K Sports' video game College Hoops 2K7, while "Fight Here" appeared in EA's game Facebreaker. Moreover, in 2006, Mr J. Medeiros, a founding member, made an appearance on the television show Miami Ink, where he discussed his involvement with the group and his track "Constance", emphasizing his personal association with The Procussions.