Eyedea & Abilities

Along with fellow Rhymesayers artists such as Atmosphere and Brother Ali, the duo of Eyedea (Michael Larsen) and his DJ partner, Abilities (Gregory Keltgen), was once a rising star in Minnesota's hip-hop underground. Highly decorated (Eyedea is a former Blaze Battle champ, while Abilities owns two DMC regional titles) and critically acclaimed (for the 2001 debut, First Born), the duo nonetheless took a long powder after 2004's old-school-style E&A. After regrouping for a tour two years ago and after releasing the brief but hard-hitting By the Throat in 2009, the pair now boasts a rock-rap sound that references Eyedea's side project, the band Carbon Carousel.