The Food Chain aims to kill preconceptions of what Denver hip-hop sounds like

Nerves aside, there is one thing these folks are certain about: their music. The music has been naturally orchestrated, without any creative contention — and although they may argue like siblings, at the end of the day they're on the same page musically.

"[Our sound] happens so spontaneously," maintains C1, adding that songs like the album's poignant "Inertia" demonstrate the depth of their sound. "It's not like we tried to create this sound. The sound is bigger than us. We get in the studio, and before you know it, one guy is in the booth and — voilà!"

Chris Eng/High Planes Drifter Chris Eng/High Planes Drifter Films

Foodies: FL (from left), DJ Louiscide, C1, Mic Coats, Nat Soundz, Mass Prod and Champ are the Food Chain.

Related Content

• The 50 best rap lyrics of all time: Complete list
  March 14, 2013
• Pusha T
  May 9, 2013
• The 50 worst rap lyrics: The complete list
  March 8, 2013
• The 50 worst rap lyrics of all time: 30-21
  March 6, 2013
• The fifty worst rap lyrics (50-41)
  March 4, 2013

More About

• Mic Coats
• Big Pooh
• Natalie Tatum
• Ike Luva
• Hip-Hop and Rap

Mass Prod, a veteran producer who returned from Atlanta to Denver after realizing the Food Chain's potential, describes the album as "lo-fi AM compression." In other words, don't expect to hear any songs deliberately crafted for mainstream radio or the strip club. The Food Chain doesn't even care about signing with a label, rhetorically questioning why any artist would want to "whore themselves out." That's the very reason Big Pooh, who appears on "Rich Girl," says he was eager to get involved with the project.

"I support good music," says Pooh, who has worked with everyone from Lil Wayne to Kanye West and Bun B. "We had begun a working relationship prior to the feature request, and I felt it was necessary to do my part."

Pooh reasons that coming from a place that isn't widely known for hip-hop could even play to their advantage. "I couldn't tell you what a Denver artist is supposed to sound like," he acknowledges. "By them being from Denver, I definitely believe it will help their cause to be heard. It almost parallels the beginnings of Little Brother, when people were familiar with the sound but not its coming from a certain location."

To that end, the Food Chain is aiming to kill any preconceived notions of what Mile High hip-hop is supposed to sound like with its elastic sense of musicality. In other words, the group is doing its part to help maintain balance and order within the oversaturated world of hip-hop.