That Other Ish: Byzantine

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Byzantine - ILL

Byzantine - ILL

Saints of the Byzantine Era drop timely wisdom through counter-cultural message on new single ‘ILL’

BALTIMORE, MD & PHILADELPHIA, PA – Byzantine is a new edgy Hip Hop group from Baltimore and Philadelphia whose music represents a light in a dark period. Adopting monikers of Saints of the Byzantine Era, these masterful artists use cautionary tales, songs of hope and good vibes paired with grit from the streets to offer a refreshing aura to the world of Hip Hop.

The six artists who make up the group are St. Basil, St Justinian, St Percinnius, St. Leo, St. Phocas and St. Zeno.  Together they’re introducing their unique sound and style to the world with their single “ILL” which features another artist named St. Justinian. Originally introduced to the group as an idea from St Justinian, the song offers a platform upon which each of the artists is able to spit some hot lyrics and showcase their individual styles while also offering a timely message to the world.

“Each of us individually has a different sound,” St. Leo said. “I’m more laid back, while St. Zeno and St. Phocas are more animated than myself. When we come together, we blend well together. No one else out there has that type of bond when they rap. Most groups you see today will have one artist carrying the rest of the group, but we’re all carrying each other and we all bring that same level of talent to the table.”

The idea behind the Byzantine brand was first formulated by a mutual mentor of the artists. They’ve all rapped separately and worked on individual music careers while also rubbing shoulders through collaborations and through family affiliations. When their mentor suggested the idea of forming a group with the Byzantine mission behind it, they each began to gravitate toward one another.

“There was an immediate natural chemistry,” St. Basil said. “As we talked about this idea of the Byzantine Era and taking the names of these saints – who represented things that an intellectually and socially unenlightened world needed to hear – we realized that we’re in the same type of time now. When we rap, we’re rapping the opposite of what the world sees or thinks. We flip things right side up through our music.”

According to St. Phocas, the big picture for the group is creating music that is thought-provoking, aggressively challenging, and inspiring through its personal and sometimes convicting messages.

“We want people to understand we’re not talking about the same things everybody else is talking about,” St. Phocas said. “We’re not degrading our women or our brothers and sisters like a lot of other Hip Hop artists do today. We’re making songs that sound good and also have a deeper message.”

Their unique sound and style has definitely put them on the map within the music industry. Their music has been featured on regular rotation with Sway in the Morning, and it has also been featured on Air It Out Radio. With more music in the works following the success of “ILL,” Byzantine is sure to become one of Hip Hop’s most motivational and long-lasting groups.