Pitch Black

As group member Zakee sees it, the five rappers in Pitch Black were already "360 degrees of hip-hop" before they joined together in 1994. Zakee, D.G., Devious, Fast, and G.O.D. had long been involved in the scene, writing rhymes, performing their own raps solo, DJing, and spraying graffiti around Brooklyn. After coming together they quickly released the independent single "Hold Me Down," and a five-track EP. Shopping their music up and down the East Coast, Pitch Black landed opening spots for Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Trick Daddy, and Method Man. Each show was considered a learning experience, as was a recording session with Lord Finesse. In 2002 G.O.D. was featured on the track "The Mix Show" from Wyclef Jean's Masquerade album. A year later the group released its first mixtape, Pitch Black Season, hosted by loudmouth legend DJ Kayslay. The mix featured Busta Rhymes, Wyclef, and a number of demos from the group's debut, Pitch Black Law, which dropped officially in early 2004.