Central Avenue is a Chicago based hip-hop group consisting of MC/Producer/Engineer "Dr3am" (Jacob Parsons) and Guitarist/Producer/Engineer/Musical Savant "TruGeenyus" (Robert Wolkotte). Early members also include Daelah, Channel Zero and PozLyrix.

The Avenue began in 1993 on the street after which it was named, in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago. Over the course of the last 20 years, Central Avenue has seen many stages, some of which include: Congress Theater, Double Door, Elbo Room, The Lion's Den and countless more dive bars, house parties, communions and bar mitzvahs. Central Avenue has collaborated with several well respected underground Chicago hip-hop artists such as: Mic One, Ang13, Dirty Route Records, Molemen, Lunatic "The Messiah" and Channel Zero (Robin Steel). 

MC Dr3am fashioned his style with heavy influence from 90's east coast artists such as Rakim, KRS-ONE, Nas, Mobb Deep, and Wu-Tang. Dr3am began writing poetry at 8yrs. old. At 11, Jacob had penned his first rap song and performed it at his 7th grade talent show. At 12 years old, Jacob was joined by original member and co-founder "Daelah", and they began writing and performing songs such as Thotyoonew and World War III. Central Avenue went on to perform at countless house parties throughout the late 90's, and during this time released it's first single Poetic Revelation containing the original drafts of World War III and Thotyoonew produced and recorded by Panik at Molemen Studios. After high school, Dr3am and Daelah disbanded (amicably) to persue solo ventures. Dr3am went on to co-found Small World Productions, along with "Small World" (Manager/Owner) at which time he met Robert Wolkotte (co-founder) who would begin to shape the identity and sound of Central Avenue forever.

In a converted beauty salon turned recording studio in Villa Park, IL, Dr3am and Tru churned out track after track of cerebral, guitar laced, atmospheric hip-hop heavily influenced by the early poetry of Dr3am. Songs like Dream, Yo and Wishin were written, recorded and mastered along with many others. Central Avenue began taking it's talent to local pubs, events and competitions. The Avenue was well received at the 2001 Freshest Emcee Competition hosted by WGCI, and it was there that the group met and befriended Lunatic, who would go on to win the competition that year. Central Avenue continued to forge a name in the Chicago underground throughout the early 2000's with it's heavy instrumentals, live guitar and pajama donning lead MC.

Upon the closing of the Villa Park studio, Dr3am and Tru decided to work on solo projects, and Dr3am began the task of learning the intracacies of studio production and engineering. Dr3am went on to produce and record several solo songs throughout this period until the birth of his son in 2006. 

For the last 8 years, Dr3am and Tru have kept in touch, and though sporatic, have created some newer songs. Most recently, Central Avenue performed, for the first time in 6 years, at The Stage Bar in Chicago, a show hosted by Seven Oddities Records.

It is with the continued support (and badgering!) of colleagues, family and friends that Central Avenue is finally sharing with you the last 20 years of it's music and creativity all in one place. We hope that you enjoy our sound and can relate to the words and feelings of our most precious expressions. Hip-Hop is who we are, what we do and how we live.

Welcome to "The Avenue"

User 684339749 is following