(Click here for Rhymetorrents.com/Nerdcorehiphop.org)

Who is High-C?

High-C is an enigma wrapped inside a riddle, consequently stuffed inside one of those double decker tacos. For the purposes of this page, we'll look at High-C in the context of Nerdcore Hip-Hop.

High-C began programming at age 10, writing games on the VIC-20 and Commodore 64, and Apple 2e. He was a prolific reader of both sci-fi and comic books, and also studied electrical theory and morse code.

He adopted his rap name when he began writing raps in 1988. Unfortunately for him, he never practiced rapping them, as such, until 2002. Oh, sure, he rapped. But some would maintain he's still never gotten serious about the craft. His raps in '88 were naturally nerdy, but with an objectivist libertarian slant:

"My name is High-C in the rap vernacular
So listen to me, I'm about to rhyme spectacular
Kickin' and hittin', cold throwin' the shit
My brow covered with sweat and my mic with spit
I don't mean to offend but that's real life
Smashin' the state without a gun or a knife
Exposin' all suckers perpetratin' the fraud
And I'm doin' it all with no help fron God
I believe in myself, cuz I'm my own man
I want to help you out and I'll do all I can
I want to get it started but get one thing straight
The government is what I hate
Tax this, tax that
It's makin' me sick
Yo, if you want to tax somethin'
Tax my dick"

A dual-purposed MC, he was a metalhead, primarily, until 1984 or so, when Run-DMC debuted. Propelled by 'Rock Box', from that point on, he had a foot in each camp, both metal and hip-hop.

In 1995, High-C became the full-time drummer for eclectic grind/thrash act Gortician, where he gained his promotion and stage experience. He would drum for Gortician at shows, and then rap as High-C at the end of the set, often doing a cover of the Geto Boys' "Mind of a Lunatic" as well as a few originals such as "Death Trip".

In a move that would prove fateful, he uploaded a bunch of acapella raps to mp3.com in 1997. It was during this time period that High-C did several Usenet Performance Art tracks with The Fucking Pigs and TINC Project, members of Usenet cliques dedicated to online mayhem. He is fond of saying he is the biggest troll since KIBO. He also appeared on Guntgrutcher's debut, "Ghetto Blaster", a 150+ song cybergrindnoisefunk album.

He also used his Internet promotional prowess to make Gortician the biggest unsigned metal band in the world for several years. Gortician disbanded in 1998.

Shortly after September 11, 2001, High-C received two tracks from DJ Manticore of London, Ontario Canada. Made from two mp3.com acapellas, "Eternal Frost" and "Pope on a Rope" were early proof of concept demos that inspired High-C to work on more tracks.

DJ Manticore's work was brilliant, and 2002 saw the birth of probably ten new tracks under the name Meter Versus Yard, with some of the best instrumentals to grace what is now known as nerdcore hip-hop. That began a working relationship that has continued to this day, although work has slowed from that initial flurry of new tracks. In 2004, High-C had also allied with Kid Charlamaign, an Illinois artist who provides tracks consisting of real bass, drums, guitar and keyboards.

In 2005, High-C wrote himself up as a nerdcore hip-hop artist on Wikipedia, and was later deleted for not meeting notability requrements, along with artists such as Beefy and Jesse Dangerously. This led him to register nerdcorehiphop.org and rhymetorrents.com, the two most influential sites in nerdcore hip-hop.

Rhyme Torrents was a compilation disc of unreleased nerdcore that grew into a series, and launched the careers of countless nerdcore artists. These actions, in part, led to High-C opening for MC Frontalot in Baton Rouge, although there are rumors of strong-arm tactics being employed.

High-C's involvement with nerdcore in this manner led to his inclusion in Nerdcore for Life and Nerdcore Rising, two documentaries about nerdcore, although he was later cut from Nerdcore Rising because of time considerations, and the fact that he appeared drunk, cursed the crowd, etc. wearing his trademark "Fuck the Skull of Jesus" t-shirt, winner of the alt.binaries.tasteless competition from years past.

Divx, Inc. gave High-C a fistful of cash and carte blanch to bring a gaggle of NCHH artists to Vegas to perform at the Consumer Electronics Show. He also booked a show the night before at The Beauty Bar, where he proceeded to black out, and in what was to become a pattern, curse everyone present like dogs.

High-C also performed at Nerdpalooza Gainesville in 2007, and although he did get totally drunk again, managed to maintain his composure, more or less, and did what many considered his best performance yet.

In 2008, he was promised a closing slot at Nerdapalooza Orlando in exhange for promotional and organizational work, and was subsequently dropped from the bill by slimeball Rob Tobias after fulfilling his end of the bargain. It was High-C's efforts for Nerdapalooza 2008, working 20 hours a day for a week straight, that led to a teensy weensy nervous breakdown in which he comically cut ties with most of NCHH in a very public manner.

High-C is currently writing the first Nerdcore Hip-Hop movie, "Zombie Killa", for Troma Films, editing his first novel, and completing his third album's lyrics. Contact him here. Download High-C and Meter Versus Yard tracks here.