Freestyle Fellowship are a rap group from Los Angeles consisting of rappers Aceyalone, Myka Nyne, P.E.A.C.E., Self Jupiter and producer J Sumbi. Their vocal techniques focusing on the method of the freestyle, as well as a successful infusion of hip hop and jazz, established the group as forerunners in the sub-genre of jazz rap, and also placed them amongst prominent West Coast underground hip hop acts of the early 1990s like Hieroglyphics, Abstract Rude & Tribe Unique, and The Pharcyde. They are part of a hip hop collective known as Project Blowed.
The group was formed at the Good Life Café in Los Angeles during the early 90s. Myka Nyne stated in an interview that he grew up with Aceyalone and Self Jupiter and knew them since elementary school, and he met P.E.A.C.E. in 10th grade. The original Freestyle Fellowship consisted of over 50 members. The Emcees known as Freestyle Fellowship were the members that consistently came to the most open mic sessions.
Officially forming in 1991 and releasing the album To Whom It May Concern, the Fellowship became known in tape-trading circles, identified by their range in rhyming, at times bordering on scat, and Afrocentric messages over jazz inspired beat production. Their 1993 release Innercity Griots is acknowledged by many to be among the best hip hop albums of the 90s.
In 1993, the group went on hiatus due to the four year incarceration of Self Jupiter. After his release, the Fellowship reunited to record Shockadoom in 1998 (released 2002). Temptations was released in 2001.
Aceyalone, the most prolific artist of the group in terms of solo album releases, is known for such works as All Balls Don't Bounce and Magnificent City, a cooperative album with producer RJD2. The other members of the Fellowship also put out numerous solo albums, such as Myka Nyne's Timetable, P.E.A.C.E.'s Southern Fry'd Chicken, and Self Jupiter's Hard Hat Area. Along with Abstract Rude, Aceyalone and Myka Nyne recorded two albums as Haiku D'Etat.
In 1999, P.E.A.C.E. won second place in the Scribble Jam freestyle battle.
