Album Notes

"4 STARS!" - URB Magazine, September '05

"Hired Gun, Rabbi Darkside and Farbeon - the rhymesayers reppin' this burgeoning NYC outfit - each flex distinctive and dexterous styles, and fused they mold a fresh sound that's concurrently introspective and high-spirited... it doesn't take them long to prove a much-needed alternative for the Hip Hop electorate." - URB Magazine, September '05

3rd Party has captured the ears and eyes of the NYC music scene by performing prolifically over the last two years while releasing serial volumes of live material. Their hugely successful monthly event "Fourth Fridays," held at the Bowery Poetry Club, has secured a fan base that is eagerly anticipating their debut studio release. The group has built a reputation as show-stealing crowd favorites while gracing some of the most revered stages in New York, including the Bowery Poetry Club, Hammerstein Ballroom, the Nuyorican Poet's Café, Knitting Factory, Mercury Lounge, Apollo Theater, Southpaw, Webster Hall and the Lion's Den, not to mention appearances at many regional universities. On this path they have shared the stage with some of the most respected acts in Hip Hop, including Slick Rick, Kanye West, Common, Wordsworth and the X-Ecutioners, as well as headlined The Howl Festival, a Lower East Side poetry celebration.

On Pressed For Time, 3rd Party's versatility and musicality are paramount. From the party rocking "Hustle" to the narrative "Resignation," Hired Gun, Farbeon and Rabbi Darkside exhibit chemistry and maturity seldom seen in contemporary rap. Whether flexing poetic on "Discretion" or crafting old school borough pride on "New York City," the skilled emcees are clearly at home over And I's compositions. The raw energy of their live performance is captured on "I, II & III," bringing the improvised highs of the stage show to home speakers. This release welcomes the newcomer onto 3rd Party's platform and surpasses the expectations of those familiar with their work. Pressed For Time genuinely establishes 3rd Party as the viable alternative. Say Word!


Farbeon released his solo album Collective Memory in 2002. He is a member of the Blow Up Co-Op out of Arizona and has been living and teaching in NYC for 4 years.

Hired Gun has a catalog of material as a member of the ESP Collective. He is an accomplished dancer and drum-n-bass emcee, as well as a published music journalist.

Rabbi D released a 12" single and full-length album on Sit-n-Spin records in 2002 with the group "Speakeasy." A champion battle emcee, he has been living and teaching in Brooklyn since 2000.

And I is a multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer and producer. In addition to producing for 3rd Party, he has appeared as a guitarist with "Johnny Hi-Fi."

DJ Watts is one of the most decorated DJ's in New Jersey, appearing in the finals of both the Guitar Center and DMC battles. He is a turntablism instructor at Backspin Studios in his homeland of New Jersey.