The blend of subterranean growling or vivacious bass, creatively intricate 808 kicks, clever lyrics, and a flow of conscious melodies that is the Long Island based group dOpe Tendencies has been an innovative and constantly evolving force on the brink of expanding beyond New York’s borders for years. Most recently the duo, comprised of producer Abstract Beats and MarcusS, has found its sound in a sophisticated blend of hip-hop, deep house, dubstep, moombahton and trapstyle. The group was born of tragedy when MarcusS ulcerated and hemorrhaged his vocal chords in 2009, during his tenure in New York-based hardcore band A Way In Air. MarcusS left the band, which had been on a meteoric rise in the Long Island hardcore scene before flaming out after his departure. MarcusS had known he wanted to be in a band since he was 13 when his cousin introduced him to his own band, In For Red. Linkin Park and As I Lay Dying, among other groups, influenced his music as he began performing in local venues at the age of 15. He wasn’t about to let his medical roadblock stop him from his dream and it was around the time he damaged his vocal chords that a friendship with lunchtime buddy Abstract Beats was formed out of “weed, bacardi and house parties,” according to MarcusS. Ab, as Abstract Beats is sometimes called, grew up as a hip-hop head and began DJing at the age of 11. By 15 he was producing and has since worked with artists such as XXL Magazine’s Featured Rapper Phil the Thrill, Jack Martinez, Figgy Chioke and History in addition to many others. When he started, he had no production equipment and simply cut up songs into tiny bits and melded them into his own beats like aural jigsaw puzzles. After saving up to buy equipment, Ab began to blend his sampling roots with his own compositional elements. He found influence in his parents, house, world music, dancehall, J. Dilla, Kanye West, jazz, Milton Jackson, reggaeton, Timbaland, drum and bass, Diplo, trip-hop, Lex Luger and grime, as well as many other sources of inspiration too numerous to list. It was during one of their lunch periods together that Ab suggested to MarcusS that he try his hand at rapping. After months of resting his vocal chords, MarcusS knew it was time to take his music in a new direction and dOpe Tendencies was thus born. It was after several years of working together, and a few shows, that the group decided to release a mixtape recorded in Ab’s home built studio in the summer of 2011. The summer came to a close and tragedy struck once again as the nearly 20 tracks recorded for “Free Brain Friday Volume 1” were deemed unusable due to equipment malfunctions. It was during the hiatus that followed that MarcusS found himself at his first electronic show, Nero at Webster Hall on November 4, 2011. That night he decided what direction his new music would take. Ab joined MarcusS the following January at Terminal 5 to see Araab Muzik, Porter Robinson and Zeds Dead, where he came to the same conclusion as MarcusS. dOpe Tendencies had to take the electronic music world by storm. They decided they were in the unique position to conceive a diverse new style of music they considered “truly special” along with a dynamic live show. Over the years the two have become brothers and made a name for themselves in the Long Island music scene along the way. The path ahead of them has grown progressively smoother as they perfect their sui generis sound and find themselves getting booked for more sets. Abstract has been getting booked for DJ sets all over southern New York and MarcusS has had the privilege to accompany acts such as J.Rabbit, Sluggo, Xkore, Getter, RUN DMT, Helicopter Showdown, Dirty South Joe, Alex English and more as an MC. The live performance of this duo is a sight to see. The explosive energy from MarcusS’ movement and vocals mixed with the unique turntablism and production of Ab will have any crowd in an uproar. Recently the group opened up for BroSafari, Tittsworth and more in New York City during the Webster Hall stop of the Bro’s Gone Wild Tour, went off with Bare Noize at Radio in Huntington, NY and destroyed Sugar Nights on LI with Bare, Protohype and Kai Wachi. In early January of ’13 their remix of the song “Turn Up” by Borgore and Carnage, was released by New York’s newest label, Feral Muzik, for their Vol. 1 Compilation.

If you haven’t seen a set of theirs, you can always find them at an event supporting the NY Music Scene to it’s fullest. The two have been dabbling in their distinctive new sound for about a year, and though they know they have a long road ahead, the duo shows no signs of stopping. In June of ’13 they released their Young Jeezy x 2 Chainz – R.I.P remix as the Single off of their upcoming Debut ReMixTape dropping in the early Summer of 2013. They are ready to release this ReMixTape as well as original productions with the support of blogs all over the country. Don’t sleep on these two.

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