Issue date: 4/6/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: Photo courtesy of Amphibious Underground

Media Credit: Photo courtesy of Amphibious Underground

Nathaniel Paul Joseph met Sam Troelstrup at ISU, and little did he know they not only shared the same hometown but also the same passion.

That passion is hip-hop music, which they both fell into in high school and are moving forward with it still.

"Ever since high school I got into performance poetry and that was kind of the gateway into hip-hop music because everyone that was involved typically was involved in hip hop as well," Nathaniel Paul Joseph, a senior international business major, said.

Troelstrup also has been involved in hip-hop music since his early years in high school.

"I just started recording on my own with really cheap equipment that I had…[and] it just became a better way to spend my time than doing bad things," Troelstrup, a junior mass communications major, said.

Although high school was the starting point for Joseph and Troelstrup, those days are gone and the two have pursued their zeal for hip-hop music by actually making and performing the music. The two started out going to 12:20 Freestyle nights at ISU's radio station WZND, where rappers get together and freestyle rap from 12:20 a.m. until 1 a.m. Troelstrup was also a disc jockey and was shadowing the graduating host of the show "Street Vibes."

"Sam was learning about the show, not that underground hip-hop wasn't in his blood to begin with," Stephanie Somer, a senior mass communciaton major and urban program director at WZND, said.

Somer said she knew Troelstrup had the talent and was perfect for the job. However, Troelstrup needed a co-host for "Street Vibes."

"Sam had mentioned his friend Nate who he had in mind," Somer said. "They both have a deep interest in underground hip-hop."

Now, Troelstrup and Joseph host "Street Vibes" every Monday night from 10 p.m. until 12:20 a.m. and then a freestyle from 12:20 a.m. until 1 a.m.

"We play basically whatever we want, which is from our own personal record collection and completely underground music you won't hear on mainstream radio at all," Troelstrup said.

However, their progress does not stop with hosting their own radio show. Troelstrup and Joseph have formed their own group called Amphibious Underground and they perform at various places around Bloomington-Normal and occasionally at different places in Chicago.

"Me, Sammy and another [artist] all formed a group and we basically made a 16 sound demo and just pushed it to different places seeing if we could play at different open-microphones," Joseph said.

Joseph said their group knows a band that performs in Chicago occasionally and they are trying to get signed as well. Sometimes the band lets Amphibious Underground open for them, which Joseph said is great for getting exposure.

"Over Christmas break we did a venue down on N. Clark St. up in Chicago and it was really cool because there was a lot of people out," Joseph said.

They have also performed at various open-microphones and coffeehouses in the Chicago area. The group keeps busy around the Bloomington-Normal area as well. Aside from WZND, Amphibious Underground performs at coffee shops around the area, including the Coffeehouse.

"They have open microphones every week and they've been pushing us to do our own show," Joseph said.

He said this is most likely due to the group's fresh sound, and it differs from the typical Coffeehouse performers. Although getting exposure around the central Illinois area is good and any kind of practice and performance helps the group get better, Troelstrup said performing in Chicago is more beneficial to the group.

"I think there's a bigger scene for hip-hop in Chicago and we get a good response from the audience. It seems that the demand [is higher] for hip-hop in the city than in Bloomington-Normal," he said.

As far as recording the songs Amphibious Underground makes, Troelstrup has the necessary equipment to record and produce tracks. The group uses computer programs, turntables and microphones to make the music.

"It's definitely not the typical recording booth but we're college students and we definitely make do," Joseph said.

Troelstrup said they try to make music people can relate to in everyday life. He said the songs come from all angles of life and draw on different situations they find themselves in.

Additionally, the music has an innovative feel to it, which makes their music stand out from others.

"We differ from other groups in that if you pick an average rap group out, you're going to find a lot of stereotypical materialistic lyrics. When it comes to us, we try come with originality, a new sound and more of a positive vibe," Troelstrup said. While the two have busy schedules outside of hip-hop as the end of the school year and graduation is quickly approaching, they will spend more time performing once summer is here.

"I have a feeling their music interests will not end whenever they graduate," Somer said.

To learn more about Amphibious Underground and to hear some of their songs, log on to myspace.com/sammyfaze or soundclick.com/sammyfaze.

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