From The Deli’s Open Blog: Ground Up Reaches Higher Ground

Featured on G4TV, Ground Up just released their newest mixtape, Higher Ground (DOWNLOAD). Ground Up is a hip-hop trio based out of North Philadelphia. The group is made up of Azar and Malakai, two MC’s and a producer, Bij Lincolns (Alex Azar, Malcolm McDowell and Bijan Houshiarnejad). Azar and Malcolm met in the summer of 2008. They shared a love of rapping and the spoken word as well as a strong desire to change the sad state of the music industry; particularly hip-hop. With the help of Bij Lincolns’ musical prowess, Ground Up was formed. With a host of mixtapes and an exponentially growing fan base, the group took their show on the road; scheduling shows at Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, Rutgers University, and West Chester to name a few. Integrating gritty beats, witty wordplay, and a raucous environment, Ground Up has packed nearly every venue and has turned the heads of even non-hip-hop listeners. (From The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and MP3s here.)