Description

Omniscence – The Raw Factor (2LP/CD) [Below System Records BS0121]

Originally scheduled for release way back in March 1996, “The Raw Factor” by North Carolina native Omniscence is one of the last of the unreleased mid 90s albums to see the light of day. Despite being awarded The Source’s coveted “Hip Hop Quotable” and dropping two well-received singles (“Amazin” and “Touch Y’all”), record label politics meant the full-length “The Raw Factor” album was never released and fans were left wondering what might have been.

Having been previously released on CD and cassette by Australia’s Gentlemen’s Relief Records in 2014, now, 28 years later after the original release date, “The Raw Factor” is finally being released on vinyl, CD and digital stores with a slightly different tracklisting. Featuring punchline-driven lyrics from Omniscence delivered in his unmistakable cadence, and backed by head-nodding production from Fanatic, the album is a must-own for fans of 90’s Hip Hop.

Omniscence haunted the same early 90s cyphers and stages that many lyrical greats from the era had to cross. With a gruff delivery and equal adeptness with punchlines and metaphors, his high finish at the 1994 edition Battle For World Supremacy at the New Music Seminar assured heads across the culture were watching. After this, he locked in with producer Fanatic (who also laced tracks for Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e and Michael Jackson). The result was “The Raw Factor” album, fifteen plus tracks of jazzed-out boom-bap, replete with crackin’ drums.

Now Below System Records has not only given the album its first vinyl release but also included more unreleased tracks than the Australian release.