After his untimely passing in 2019, we are proud to present the first official posthumous album from the catalog of Paten Locke – ‘Americancer’.

Gone but not forgotten, the triple threat, Paten Locke (MC/DJ/Beatmaker) remains highly revered in underground Hip Hop circles as a ‘producer’s favorite producer’. Hailing from Jacksonville, FL by way of Boston & Chicago, Paten was admired for his true school Hip-hop aesthetic and respected by diggers worldwide as a master record collector & musicologist. Whether it was the studio or the stage, Paten’s energy was unmatched and will be forever missed. Find a few clips online of Paten performing one of his legendary live sets with Edan or his former group, Asamov to get a glimpse of the greatness.

On ‘Americancer’, the first of a pair of albums that Paten left behind (along with much more), we find P doing what he does best: chopping up rare & obscure vinyl records, lacing them with chunky, dusty drums and then proceeding to rap & scratch with purpose & precision. The skull-cracking beats range from triumphant to tragic & everything in between. A steadfast cynic, Paten’s rhymes run amok as he bounces between dropping gems of knowledge & philosophy to bullying you with braggadocio – always delivering with his trademark sardonic wit and the utmost of confidence.

It would be remiss of us to not mention that in 2017, this album was mostly complete with plans for it to be released – with the name ‘Americancer’ already intact. This never came to fruition however, as Paten was diagnosed with Stage-4 Cancer in the summer of 2019 and would pass soon after in August of 2019. The irony is not lost on us. A musical prophet to be sure, we are honored to carry out Paten’s legacy and continue to share his gifts and talents with the world, just as P intended.

***About ‘Erudite Eremite’***

er·u·dite (Latin – adjective) – having or showing great knowledge or learning.

er·e·mite (Latin – noun) – a hermit or recluse.

While growing up in Boston, Paten was invited to attend the internationally acclaimed & highly prestigious, Roxbury Latin School. Founded in 1645, Roxbury Latin is the oldest school in continuous existence in North America.

Of course Paten was a star at the school and developed a proficient skillset in the lost language. His love for Latin – the ancient & obscure – was exemplified in his approach to music and an integral part of his identity. The phrase ‘Erudite Eremite’ is Paten’s own Latin rhyme & remains on his Twitter profile as his 2-word autobiography. Not to mention it is now forever immortalized in the Americancer song, ‘Wrong Soup’:

“The Erudite Eremite – every step’s serious”

That’s Paten. An artist & soul who had an incredible knowledge. He was willing to share it if you were worthy and equally as passionate. Otherwise, he mostly kept to himself. Unless Asha was calling…

Logo by: Kenski
Photo: Edan Portnoy