Alpha Faktion

“In a group dynamic, you have multiple opinions to consider, which can complicate things. But we somehow created a record that embodies all three of us.” — Alpha Faktion on creating their new opus, “Creative Control“. “Creative Control” is a hard-hitting musical statement from the upstate New York rap crew, Alpha Faktion, who passionately eschew the compromise that often comes with trying to reach a bigger audience in the music world. Instead, they focused on staying true to themselves and the culture they love so deeply—and the end result is 14 tracks of all-killer, no-filler Boom bap from the trio of rapper/producer Azwun, rapper Kraze ILLA, and DJ Enyoutee. The three artists began working on the album nearly four years ago around the release of their 2013 released EP, Truth, Lies & Audiotape. It was then that they realized they didn’t want to cut corners or be forced to fit into a box. “We wanted to make the type of LP that we grew up listening to,” the group says. They add that they knew it would take personal and financial sacrifices, which often led to late-night recording sessions and pulling all-nighters after rocking shows in NYC. According to Alpha Faktion, “The process was stressful and a blessing at the same time,” and it certainly paid off with Creative Control. That much was evident with the release of singles such as the Nottz-produced title track, and the hard hitting, “System Shutdown,” produced by Marco Polo. The record’s inescapable energy shines

Underground rap trio Alpha Faktion have been hustling and building anticipation the past year for their next project, Creative Control. And today, all that hard work is clearly paying off with a banger of a lead single, “Creative Control,” produced by living rap legend Nottz. For the uninitiated, the proudly independent group is made up of rapper/producer Azwun, rapper Kraze, and DJ Enyoutee, who had previous success as solo acts. They opted to join forces, however, and have been killing it together ever since. That much is evident throughout “Creative Control,” a neck-breaking anthem for any artist taking their career into their own hands. Azwun and Kraze make their indie stance well-known throughout their verses, delivering bars like “I broke away from these chains/ man, these industry slaves/ They tried to manage, couldn’t handle the weight/ The wait’s over, motherf*cker/ Keep yo’ hands out the plate”; and “You look confused and I’m not surprised by the ignorance/ Force-feedin’ by hypocrites, team leaders, and simpletons.” “Creative Control” is a mission statement and one hell of a way to kick off the rollout for their upcoming album of the same name. In addition to Nottz, the project boasts collaborators such as Marley Marl, Marco Polo, Planet Asia, DJ Spinna, and more. The single is now available for both stream and download through all major digital retailers.