Souls of Mischief

Souls of Mischief is a hip hop group from Oakland, California, formed in 1991. The lineup consists of A-Plus, Opio, Phesto, and Tajai, all of whom also produce, with A-Plus being especially active behind the boards. The group is a core part of the Hieroglyphics collective, the Bay Area crew that also includes Del the Funky Homosapien and Casual, and Souls of Mischief helped define the collective's jazzy, sample-driven sound in the early 90s.

Their 1993 debut album «93 ’Til Infinity» remains their defining work, with the title track becoming one of the most enduring West Coast hip hop anthems of the decade. The record is praised for its intricate lyrical interplay between the four MCs, who trade verses with a chemistry built from years of rapping together as teenagers, and for its warm, boom-bap production rooted in soul and jazz samples rather than the gangsta rap sound dominating the West Coast at the time.

Souls of Mischief continued releasing albums together into the 2010s and beyond, including collaborations with producer Adrian Younge, while also pursuing solo careers and Hieroglyphics group projects. They are respected as one of the more technically skilled and consistent underground rap groups to emerge from the golden era, influencing later generations of lyrically focused hip hop artists.