Souls of Mischief’s 1993 debut is one of the most celebrated albums in hip-hop history. Here’s everything you need to know — from its creation to its legacy.

The Album That Defined a Generation

When Souls of Mischief dropped 93 ’til Infinity in September 1993, they were four teenagers from East Oakland with a tape full of beats and a flow so locked it sounded like a live jazz quartet. Tajai Massey, Adam Carter (A-Plus), Opio Lindsey, and Damani Thompson (Phesto) had been rapping together since junior high, and that chemistry poured through every track on the album.

The title track alone secured their legacy. That rolling piano loop, the effortless four-way trading of verses, the sheer confidence of four teenagers rhyming like veterans — “93 ’til Infinity” became an instant anthem. It still opens every Souls of Mischief set today, three decades later.

Track by Track Highlights

• “93 ‘Til Infinity” — The opening statement. Chopped from a Lonnie Liston Smith sample, this is perfect. Five stars, no debate.
• “That’s When Ya Lost” — A-Plus takes the wheel and never gives it back. One of the most technically demanding flows on the album.
• “Anything Can Happen” — Jazz-influenced, unpredictable, showcasing how Opio and Phesto lock into a groove together.
• “Make Your Mind Up” — Produced by Del tha Funkee Homosapien, this track bridges the Hiero sound into the wider collective.
• “Cab Fare” — Storytelling mode. A narrative track showing Tajai’s versatility as a writer.
• “A Name I Call Myself” — Lyrical gymnastics from all four MCs. The kind of track that makes battle rappers nervous.

The Production: Fueling the Fire

The production on 93 ’til Infinity leans heavily on jazz and soul samples — the same raw materials as Pete Rock, DJ Premier, and Large Professor were working with on the East Coast, but filtered through a distinctly Bay Area lens. Chopmaster J, A-Plus, and other Hiero-affiliated producers built an album that felt warm and analog even when nothing was soft about the lyricism.

That contrast — sophisticated, head-nodding production under relentlessly sharp MC work — is exactly why the album has aged so well. It sounds like a Saturday afternoon and a cipher at the same time.

The Legacy: Three Decades of Influence

Rolling Stone lists it among the 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums. It appears on virtually every authoritative “Best Albums of the 1990s” list. DJs still open sets with the title track. Young producers still sample the production approach.

More importantly for Hiero fans: Souls of Mischief are still here, still performing, still releasing music. The group that made 93 ’til Infinity has never broken up, never had a public falling out, never compromised for a major label deal. That kind of unity is as rare in hip-hop as a perfect album.

Hear It Live at Red Rocks 2026

Souls of Mischief will be performing as part of the Hieroglyphics crew at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2026, alongside Cypress Hill, Method Man & Redman, and De La Soul. If you’ve never heard “93 ’til Infinity” performed live — that piano loop bouncing off the rock walls of Red Rocks — this is your moment.

Get Red Rocks 2026 ticket info here →

Where to Stream and Buy

• Spotify: Full album streaming — search “93 ’til Infinity Souls of Mischief”
• Apple Music: Available in full
• Bandcamp: Purchase directly and support the artists — soulofmischief.bandcamp.com
• Vinyl: Seek out the original or reissue pressing — it sounds incredible on wax

If you’re new to Hiero, 93 ’til Infinity is the door. Everything else in the catalog opens up from there.