If Prof had things his way, people would think he was nothing more than a heavy-boozing, free-wheeling playboy. His lyrics are sometimes rude and usually downright crude. He boasts in his rhymes about how he’s pretty much the shit at everything. He’s even performed shows where he makes himself get so drunk he throws up before going on stage. Unfortunately for Prof, there’s an underlying seriousness to his lyrics that he tries his hardest to cover with layer upon layer of party-perfect beats and rhymes. Growing up on the South Side of Minneapolis, Prof matured in step with the local hip-hop scene. In his 24 years, he’s seen some shit that can’t help but escape from his memory and into his songs, lending his lines the kind of wisdom that can only be born on hard city streets. He started free styling in eighth grade and, although he likes to have fun with his music, the swiftness of his rise to local fame shows how seriously he regards his rap career. A rowdy young buck who loves a good time, Prof wants his music to inspire others to party it up with him. In a world where credibility is currency, Prof sticks a middle finger to those who feel hip-hop should be straight-faced and serious. “Everyone’s trying to be a preacher or a politician— telling you how to live your life,” he says. “I’m not running for Senate. I’m doing this for fun and I don’t watch my mouth.” Prof’s debut solo album, Project Gampo, definitely made a lasting impression on local music critics and hip-hop heads. “Prof is wall-to-wall here in all his glory, with clever one-liners out the a**, hyperactive and delicious vocab spills popped like collars- picture a supreme smarta** with gorilla swagger and a mouth as fast as his mind… Point blank, this kid’s got more flavor and flow than all five of your favorite MCs combined.” (City Pages, May 12, 2008)