The Creators of Rhyme Calisthenics
Special Ops
Dr. Strange K
Dr. Strange K is an artist, bandleader and leader of our special ops team. And by special ops we mean that the good doctor dabbles in everything from flyer design to door sales. Beyond being an essential part of the Rhyme Cal team Dr. Strange K is the bandleader of the cosmic trip-hop funk band People in the Red Ballon. The doc is also a graphic designer and visual artist with an honorary degree in the Dark Arts.
Special Ops
Co-Founder, Creative Director
Thelonious Stretch
Thelonious Stretch is a freestyle extraordinaire, director, and master cook. Originally from Pittsburgh, Stretch spent 6 years in New York City honing his craft at the EOW (End of the Weak) open mic at Pyramid in the East Village while fronting hip-hop bands Natural Selection and Closer to Mars. He won several EOW Mic Challenges and was a finalist in the EOW Challenge of Champions. He wrote and directed an interactive urban musical called AudioSuite before returning to Pittsburgh where he co-created Rhyme Calisthenics.
Co-Founder, Creative Director
Co-Founder, Event Manager
Armstead Brown
Armstead Brown is a producer, beatmaker, keyboardist and music educator. Originally from Long Island he spent a few years living and performing in New York City before moving to Pittsburgh to pursue a Masters in musicology. In 2005 Brown co-founded the genre-bending hip-hop medley band Eviction Notice. As a producer Brown has worked with numerous independent artists including The Dugout, Queen GodIs, Subcon, and Gene Stovall. In 2007 he self-released his debut album Fieldwork. When he’s not producing beats or managing Rhyme Calisthenics, Brown teaches keyboard and music production to high school students in Pittsburgh.
Co-Founder, Event Manager
Sound Designer
Shade Cobain
Shade Cobain is a producer and lab rat who only leaves the crib on Tuesday nights where he rocks the SP-505 as part of the house band Hambone Jenkins at the Shadow Lounge’s open mic night. Shade’s minimalist yet sample-heavy production style picks up where Donuts left off and has just recently been generating attention among MC’s in Pittsburgh and along the East Coast.
Sound Designer
Web / Graphic Designer
Shane Pilster
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, is a graphic designer and photographer with a background in graffiti art and urban style design work. He has been committed to freelance design and photography for the past 8 years with clients from the Bay Area, New York City, Montreal, and Pittsburgh.
Recently employed by Giant Ideas, one of the top agencies in Pittsburgh and Western PA, as a web and Flash developer.
Web / Graphic Designer
DJ / Sound Designer
DJ Huggy
DJ Huggy, as his name suggests is a DJ, but he’s also a master beatsmith, bassist and recording engineer. As a DJ and producer Huggy is one half of the rap group Hands Down along with rapper Charon Don. Hands Down is currently signed to Good Hands Records out of Philadelphia and last year released their first national release The Art of Life. Huggy’s epic production style can also be heard complimenting the rhymes of breakout artist Wiz Khalifa as well as a number of veterans such as Killah Priest, Boaz, The Govament and Chief Kamachi. His skills as a hip-hop bassist keep him in constant demand among live bands including Pittsburgh acts Eviction Notice and rock band Kid Durango.
DJ / Sound Designer
