Pro Era

Pro Era is a Brooklyn hip-hop collective founded in 2011 by rapper Capital STEEZ and producer/DJ Powers Pleasant, growing to include core members such as Joey Bada$$, Kirk Knight, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution, Chuck Strangers and others. Rooted in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, the collective became a driving force in the early-2010s revival of boom-bap and 90s-influenced New York hip-hop, prizing dense lyricism, jazz-sampled production and a collaborative, crew-based ethos reminiscent of groups like Wu-Tang Clan.

The name Pro Era stands for «Progressive Era», reflecting the group's stated mission to usher in a new, more conscious age through their music, in contrast to what they saw as a stagnant contemporary mainstream. The collective's breakout mixtape «PEEP: The aPROcalypse» established their sound and lineup, and the number 47 — a recurring motif in their work, first popularized by Capital STEEZ — became a signature symbol representing the tension between heart (the fourth chakra) and mind (the seventh).

Pro Era's most visible member, Joey Bada$$, went on to a major solo career, but the crew's collaborative spirit remained central to their identity, with releases like «Like Water», «School High» and cypher tracks such as «THE PE CYPHER» showcasing the group's shared verses and camaraderie. Capital STEEZ's death in 2012 profoundly shaped the collective's music and mythology, cementing 47 and his memory as lasting touchstones of Pro Era's work.