“I just tell them I’m a scholar with diplomas, a hoodlum with aggression, multiple personas, quotables for grown ups, noble and a learner, notable to loners, closure for the posers”- is the way Al Basics describes himself on the leading single “Envision” from his well received debut album, Doomed Enterprise.

Born in Queens, NY, Al Basics (Allan Holguin) discovered he wanted to rap at the age of 21. When most Emcees pride themselves with starting their music careers in adolescence, Al started out with poetry. Usually found scavenging books at the used-book store, he’s the kind of guy to spark up a conversation about politics, 20th century American Modernist Poetry, or love. Al began crafting his art by blending his love of poetry and Hip-Hop into what became his recognizable slow-cadence profound lyricism. Al studied at The University of Arizona, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing. Upon graduating Al decided to stay in Tucson and make the most out of his new South Western home. With a couple of non-fiction publications and poetry awards, all has already begun his career as a writer. His sound has been compared to the likes of Sage Francis, Eyedea, Cecil Otter, and Slug (Atmosphere). Al continues to push his poetics by balancing both socially conscious themes and personal subject matter. Currently, he is working on his sophomore album which is expected to be released in early 2012, and he  plans on taking his art on the road as well.

Recently Al has been causing a buzz in Tucson with Emcees Talk-Sik and Pablo S. Cobars as part of Trio-Emcee Hip-Hop group KAMERATA. The group has been mentioned by many as being the “most-likely to make it” because of the deep lyrics and extremely live performances with a band.