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7L & Esoteric (7LES) are an American underground hip hop duo from Boston, Massachusetts, known for battle rhymes and boom bap production. 7L is the duo's DJ/producer and Esoteric is the MC. 7L & Esoteric are both prominent members of underground hip-hop collectives Army of the Pharaohs and Demigodz, as well as being 2/3 of Czarface along with Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck.

History

The Soul Purpose, Dangerous Connection & DC2: Bars of Death (2000–2005)

7L & Esoteric released their debut LP The Soul Purpose in the summer of 2001. The single "Call Me E.S." charted at #83 on the Billboard hip-hop singles chart.

Czarface & Every Hero Needs a Villain (2011–present)

In 2011, it was announced that 7L & Esoteric have formed a hip hop trio with Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck called Czarface and that they were working on a self-titled debut album. The album was released on February 19, 2013. The album features guest appearances from Roc Marciano, Oh No, Ghostface Killah, Action Bronson, Cappadonna and Vinnie Paz. The album's production comes from 7L, Spada4 and DJ Premier. In 2014, 7L produced the track The King's Curse on the Army of the Pharaohs album Heavy Lies the Crown, their second album in 2014 (next to In Death Reborn). Esoteric has a verse on the track, which makes it the first appearance of the duo together since the Czarface album. Later that year, the duo appeared on a track called Hard Hats and Timbs from the EP Year of the Hyenas by Army of the Pharaohs rappers Reef the Lost Cauze and King Syze. The track features raps from Esoteric and production from 7L.

A sequel to Czarface called Every Hero Needs a Villain was released on June 16, 2015. The album's first single, "Deadly Class" (featuring Meyhem Lauren), was released on April 7, 2015.

Discography

Studio albums

• Speaking Real Words EP – Direct Records / Landspeed 1999
• The Soul Purpose – Direct Records / Landspeed 2001
• Dangerous Connection – Brick Records 2002
• DC2: Bars of Death – Babygrande Records 2004
• A New Dope – Babygrande Records 2006
• Dope Not Hype (mixtape, limited pressing) – 2006
• 1212 – Fly Casual Creative 2010

Compilations

• Rebel Alliance LP – Brick Records 1996
• DJ Revolution – R2K – 1999
• DJ Spinna presents – Urban Theory – Beat Suite – 2000
• Moment of Rarities – Babygrande Records 2005

Collaborations

• Demigodz – The Godz Must Be Crazy EP – 2002 (Ill Boogie)
• Vinyl Thug Music (7L & Beyonder) – Vinyl Thug Music – 2003
• Vinyl Thug Music (7L & Beyonder) – Welcome to Shaftville U.S.A. – 2005
• Army of the Pharaohs – The Torture Papers – 2006 (Babygrande Records)
• Army of the Pharaohs – Ritual of Battle – 2007 (Babygrande Records)
• East Coast Avengers – Prison Planet – 2008 (Esoteric, Tha Trademarc, DC The Midi Alien)
• Army of the Pharaohs – The Unholy Terror – 2010 (Babygrande/Enemy Soil)
• Demigodz – Killmatic – 2013 (Dirty Version)
• Esoteric & Stu Bangas – Machete Mode – 2013 (Man Bites Dog)
• Army of the Pharaohs – In Death Reborn – 2014 (Enemy Soil)
• Army of the Pharaohs – Heavy Lies the Crown – 2014 (Enemy Soil)
• Czarface – Czarface (with Inspectah Deck as Czarface) – 2013 (Brick Records)
• Czarface – Every Hero Needs a Villain (with Inspectah Deck as Czarface) – 2015 (Brick Records)
• Czarface – A Fistful of Peril (with Inspectah Deck as Czarface) – 2016 (Silver Age)
• Czarface & MF DOOM – Czarface Meets Metal Face – 2018 (Get on Down)
• Czarface & Ghostface Killah – Czarface Meets Ghostface – 2019 (Silver Age)
• Czarface – The Odd Czar Against Us – 2019 (Silver Age)
• Czarface & MF DOOM – Super What? – 2021 (Silver Age)
• Czarface – Czarmageddon! – 2022 (Silver Age)

References

1. "HHUG Interview with Esoteric (of 7LES) - 1212". Hip Hop Underground. December 1, 2010. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
2. @MCEsoteric (16 May 2015). "the new album is named "Every Hero Needs a Villain" and ---ahem---CZARFACE is the name of the group https://twitter.com/harry_amey/status/599616542905606145" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
3. "7L & Esoteric - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
4. @MCEsoteric (17 February 2013). "@uncle_nutty nah it's CZARFACE as the group name, and it's a self titled album" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
5. Horowitz, Steven J. (2013-01-07). "Inspectah Deck & 7L & Esoteric "CZARFACE" Tracklist & Cover Art". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
6. "Czarface: Inspectah Deck with 7L & Esoteric: Music". Amazon. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
7. "Army of the Pharaohs – Heavy Lies the Crown (2014, Digipak, CD)". Discogs.
8. "Hard Hats And Timbs Feat 7L And Esoteric - King Syze". King Syze. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
9. ^ Grefe, Cliff (April 21, 2015). "Czarface "Every Hero Needs A Villain" Release Date, Cover Art, Tracklist & Pre-Order". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
10. Sparkle Pratt (April 7, 2015). "Czarface (Inspectah Deck & 7L & Esoteric) f. Meyhem Lauren – "Deadly Class"". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
11. "A Fistful of Peril by Czarface on Apple Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
12. "Czarface - Czarmageddon!". Apple Music. Retrieved April 29, 2022.

External links

• Official 7L & Esoteric website
• Official Esoteric Twitter Page
• Official 7L Twitter Page
• 7L and Esoteric at AllMusic
• 7L and Esoteric at Discogs

• American hip-hop duos
• East Coast hip-hop groups
• Musical duos from Massachusetts
• Musical groups established in 1993
• Underground hip-hop groups
• Czarface members