Boston hip-hop fans rejoice. Mr. Lif & Akrobatik have regrouped as Perceptionists in support of their recent album Resolution.
Comprised of rappers Akrobatik and Mr. Lif, The Perceptionists are to the Boston, Massachusetts hip-hop scene as the Justice League of America are to superheroes: the best of the best marshaling their powers for the collective good. The fiercely political Mr. Lif, whose 2002 album, Emergency Rations, was one of the first hip-hop records to overtly question the abuse of civil liberties in post-9/11 America, meshes well with Akrobatik’s equally intelligent, socially conscious vibe first displayed on his 2003 solo debut, Balance. Friends since their early days on the local scene, Lif and Akrobatik first started linking at (now Brick Records Owner) Papa D!’s recording studio. They soon joined forces with turntables and local college radio DJ Fakts One, formally adopting the name the Perceptionists in 2000. A 2004 mixtape called The Razor was the trio’s underground bow, before their official debut, Black Dialogue, was released by Definitive Jux in early 2005. The album went on to make the Top 50 list for Best Hip Hop Album in Rolling Stone Magazine. For the past decade plus, the two have been releasing solo material and collaborating with a host of artists, as well as each other on their respective solo projects. In 2017, Akrobatik and Mr. Lif decided to revive the Perceptionists, as Fakts One had essentially retired from the music business. The end result was a critically acclaimed new album, Resolution. Released on Mello Music Group July 2017, this is truly a timeless record. The first full-length from The Perceptionists in a dozen years reflects the struggles and near-death sagas that struck Mr. Lif and Akrobatik during that span. Lif miraculously survived his tour bus plummeting over a cliff and bursting into flames. Akrobatik weathered a sudden aortic rupture and emergency open-heart surgery. This album was created from deep in the trenches and the songs reflect the profound story of friendship and camaraderie between Lif and Ak. The duo are lifelong friends still trading bars with the chemistry of Tip and Phife, Andre and Big Boi or Erick and Parrish, all the while offering a conscious perspective not commonly found in the modern mainstream. Now, the Perceptionists are thrilled to be touring the east coast in support of Resolution. Joining them on the tour is producer DJ Paten Locke and one of New England’s brightest up and coming rappers, Ben Shorr.
PERCEPTIONIST TOUR (MR LIF & AKROBATIK) w/s/gs Ben Shorr & DJ Paten Locke
April 26 Lizard Lounge Somerville, MA
April 27 Kung Fu Necktie Philadelphia, PA
April 28 3 Stars Brewing Washington, DC
May 1 Grey Eagle Asheville, NC
May 2 Sky City Augusta, GA
May 3 Nighthawks Jacksonville, FL
May 4 Aisle 5 Atlanta, GA
May 5 Live Wire Athens Athens, GA
May 7 Snug Harbor Charlotte, NC
May 8 Pour House Raleigh, NC
May 10 Kingsland Brooklyn, NY
May 11 Opus Salem, MA *w/out Mr Lif
May 12 Oxbow Brewing Portland, ME *w/out Mr Lif