In 1993, a teenage MC from Oakland stepped on a record and casually rearranged the possibilities of West Coast hip-hop. His name was A-Plus. The record was 93 ’til Infinity. And three decades later, heads still bring it up when they talk about the greatest MCs who never got their full mainstream recognition.
Who Is A-Plus?
A-Plus grew up in Oakland alongside Tajai, Opio, and Phesto — the four MCs who would form Souls of Mischief. As a member of both Souls of Mischief and the wider Hieroglyphics collective, A-Plus has been one of the most technically gifted lyricists in underground hip-hop since the early 1990s.
His style is immediately identifiable: sharp internal rhymes, unconventional cadences, a relaxed-but-precise delivery that makes complex rhyme schemes sound effortless. No shouting, no performance — just confidence so deep it reads as calm.
93 ’til Infinity
The title track of Souls of Mischief’s 1993 debut is the record A-Plus is most associated with — and for good reason. His verse is a masterclass in flow and internal rhyme. Sample lines have been dissected by rap nerds for thirty years and still hold up under analysis.
But the full album tells a fuller story. 93 ’til Infinity is an 18-track document of what young Oakland MCs were capable of when left to their own devices — relaxed, smart, and completely its own thing. Explore the album
Part of Something Bigger
A-Plus’s work has always existed within the Hieroglyphics collective context. The full crew — Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Tajai, Opio, Phesto, Casual, Pep Love, Domino — operated as a genuine artistic collective, not just a label roster. Every member maintained their solo identity while contributing to group projects like 3rd Eye Vision and Full Circle.
That collective structure is part of what makes Hiero’s discography so deep. You can spend weeks exploring solo albums, group records, and collaborations — and every thread leads back to the same artistic DNA.
Catch A-Plus Live in 2026
The full Hieroglyphics collective — including A-Plus with Souls of Mischief — performs at two major 2026 shows:
- Red Rocks 2026 — October 29, 2026, Morrison, CO — with Cypress Hill, Method Man and Redman, De La Soul
- Hiero Day 2026 — Oakland, CA — the annual homecoming festival
These are the shows where 30 years of catalog come to life. Don’t miss it.
Rep the crew: shophiero.com