 Wise Intelligent
Location: New Jersey
Genre(s): Rap
Booking: Click Here
At age 14 Wise wrote his first complete song, it was entitled "Shakiyla" a tribute to black women, monogamist relationships and an oath to love,
protect, and respect black women. This song ended up being published on his first full length recording "Holy Intellect" just three years later. By
the age of fifteen he had formed a group with a childhood friend and fellow resident of the Donnelly Page housing projects in North Trenton,
NJ. The group became known as the "Poor Righteous Teachers" the name was a reflection of the socially conscious, message driven music
that the group produced. Two years after its formation the group released its first 12" single (Time to Say Peace) on an independent label
that they formed with another childhood friend and resident of the same housing projects, the label was called "Northside Records."
With Wise (Timothy) as the bands front man and lead vocal, the group became a local success and
shortly after the record was released was receiving radio airplay from 98.7 Kiss's "Kool DJ Red Alert"
who was the hottest DJ on NYC radio at the time. In 1989 the group signed a seven album-recording
contract with Profile Records Inc, the label that housed such high profile rap groups as Run-DMC, Rob Base & EZ Rock, DJ Quick and Special ED.
In 1990 Poor Righteous Teachers released their debut album "Holy Intellect" selling over 500,000 records
worldwide. The release debuted at NO. # 12 on the Billboard R&B chart and moved into the top ten in less
than two weeks. The first video "Rock Dis Funky Joint" (which was shot in the Donnelly Page housing
projects with scenes on the Trenton Makes, World Takes bridge) was such a success that the group
toured the entire country twice staying on the road for nearly two years with the likes of Ice Cube, Kid Rock, KRS-ONE, Public Enemy, and Too Short to name a few.
HOLY INTELLECT
AMG Review
"Holy Intellect is a sharp session, squarely in an Afrocentric groove, featuring dozens of intelligent lyrics
on tracks like "Time to Say Peace," "Holy Intellect," and "Word From the Wise." Poor Righteous
Teachers also illustrated they were capable of moving a party as well with "Rock Dis Funky Joint." - AMG Review
On the road Wise honed his writing skills in tour buses and hotel rooms while preparing Poor Righteous
Teacher's 1992 sophomore effort "Pure Poverty" the record sold some 395k units and made PRT one of
the most respected hip-hop groups in the country. The first video, "Shakiyla (JRH)" a sequel to Holy
Intellects "Shakiyla" propelled the group to the forefront of hip-hops growing faction of conscious rap ambassadors.
PURE POVERTY
AMG Review
"Rappers who take a strong moral stance were beginning to proliferate when the second Poor Righteous
Teachers album came out, but this young trio had been "teaching the righteous way" since the
beginning, combining hard, funky beats with culture-conscious didacticism. Their stated goal was to
teach the poor to be emotionally, domestically and economically self-sufficient Wise Intelligent's
lilting, reggae-influenced speed rap is especially fine, especially on the dancehall-inflected "Easy Star" and "I'm Comin' Again," an a cappella rap.
There are occasional moments of self-contradiction, maybe even hypocrisy: though they solemnly preach respect for "the Black woman," they
apparently see nothing wrong with using her orgasmic moans and groans to spice up a track or two. But the album's still a winner overall." ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
1993 with wise still writing profusely the group embarked on their 3rd LP' "Black Business" an ode to
black businesses, and first European tour. The first single "Nobody Move" took PRT and Wise as a writer
to another level in creativity and originality. The reggae influenced hip-hop track and song lyrics became
the identifying mark of the Trenton trio. This originality and skill took this young songwriter from the low
income housing projects in Trenton, NJ to the UK/Europe including London and Harlem, England, Frankfurt,
Hamburg, Berlin, Wuppertal and Fribourg, Germany, Zurich, Switzerland and Holland, Amsterdam.
BLACK BUSINESS
Billboard Review
"The strength of the album Black Business is the way that positive philosophy is poetically delivered
over bold, intense music. Rap has always been about lyrical skills. Over the years many different styles
have developed but probably none as impressive or distinctive as the lyrical wizardry of Wise Intelligent.
Blending a unique style of Jamaican chatting and rapid-fire poetry Wise delivers an unparalleled vocal assault." – Billboard
After touring Europe for two months Wise Intelligent and the group returned to Trenton for a much
-deserved break. Yet, Wise being the committed songwriter and student of the business that he is,
decided not to take the time off and launched an independent album on his own label "Slangspit Records."
The solo effort was Wises' way of learning more about the inner-workings of the music industry. The solo
debut "Killing U for Fun" was produced, written and arranged by Wise Intelligent and distributed by Ruff
Nation/Columbia Records. This is where "the Teacher" became "a student" to become a greater teacher.
KILLING U (for fun) Harry Allen (hip-hop journalist)
"From the title one may be lead to believe that the album is a violent contradiction to the values PRT's
lead man had made them famous for but "never judge a book by its cover." The title "Killing U, says
Wise Intelligent is an effort to make poor people, namely poor blacks aware of the racial profiling,
Rockefeller Drug laws and other official or unofficial policies that facilitate their self-destruction." It's
very rare in rap music when you find a songwriter who could be just as effective as a schoolteacher,
lecturer or book writer as he is an MC." Harry Allen – hip hop journalist/activist
Following the release of his solo debut Wise Intelligent and the critically acclaimed Poor Righteous
Teachers were back in the studio working on their fourth and Wises' fifth LP'. Armed with what Wise
considered some of his best writing/production to date and some recently educed music business savvy
Wise lead the Poor Righteous Teachers back to the negotiating table to refine their seven album deal with
Profile which was in Wises' opinion "extremely one-sided" the group received more creative control on the
fourth LP and decided three more recordings on the Profile label was too much. Reducing the total time to
four albums in 1996 Poor Righteous Teachers released one of the most sought after records in the hip
hop community, "The New World Order." This album featured collaborations with Grammy award winning songstress Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and KRS ONE amongst others.
THE NEW WORLD ORDER
An Amazon.com Customer
"I think that wise is one of the best artist ever. His style is like no other. The way he fuses his pure
poverty style is truly holy intellect. The way his lyrics just pour out flawlessly, is a true sign that he is all
about black business. I hope that P.R.T. will release another compact disc."So the blind man sees and deaf man speaks, cause Wise civilized them."
Today with over one hundred fifty titles registered with the Library of Congress's Copyright Office and
some 100 titles published through his Divineland Music Publishing Company, Wise Intelligent is
commandeering his own independent record label "INTELLIGENT MUZIK" The first release is the highly
anticipated Wise Intelligent Is "the Talented timothy Taylor" scheduled for a 2006 release. Apart from music
and lecturing, Wise Intelligent has been working on his first literary work, an urban-fiction entitled "CREAM."
Discography
Albums:
Holy Intellect (1990), Pure Poverty (1992), Black Business (1993), Killing U for Fun (1995), The New World Order (1996), the Talented timothy Taylor (2004-05)
MTV/BET Music Videos:
Rock Dis Funky Joint, Holy Intellect, Shakiyla, Easy Star, Nobody Move, Steady Slangin', Word Iz Life
Studios:
Epsilon NJ, Battery NY, Hit Factory NY, Interlude NY, Platinum Island NY, Chung King NY, Sigma PA, and others
Lectures:
University of California @ Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Brown
University, Temple University, NYU, Carrera Young Executives Baltimore, Baltimore Youth Explosion, and others
Poor Righteous Teachers
Part of the growing contingent of socially conscious message rappers, Poor Righteous Teachers formed
in Trenton, NJ, when teenage friends Culture Freedom and Wise Intelligent (songwriting credits are
listed as T. Grimes) decided to form a more positive rap group as an alternative to the gangsta style
(which they vehemently defend). Joined by DJ and producer Father Shaheed, the group recorded two
albums (1990's Holy Intellect and 1991's Pure Poverty) stressing their cultural beliefs and philosophy; in
spite of sometimes neglecting their music for their message, the albums sold exceptionally well. 1993's
Black Business proved to be their most musically satisfying outing, drawing praise for Wise's ability to
use the style and intonation of a reggae/dancehall toaster. New World Order followed in 1996. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
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