People Under the Stairs

Los Angeles rap duo People Under the Stairs were Golden Age purists who emerged in 1998 to carry on the tradition of crate-dug beats and slick rhymes. Double K and Thes One, both born in 1977, met in high school and started recording together soon after, sharing production and emcee duties. Their first single, “The Next Step II”, caught the ear of San Francisco’s Om Records label, through which they released an enduring four-album run of prime backpack rap, stuffed with savvy sampling, hyperlocal references and jazzy flows. Across underground hits like “San Francisco Knights” from their 1998 debut or “Acid Raindrops” from their 2002 album, O.S.T., the duo were down to earth, reveling in the simple pleasures of blunts, beers and beats. Like-minded L.A. peers Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples made more noise on major labels, but People Under the Stairs’ indie output earned a loyal audience, and they continued touring and releasing albums for two decades. Double K died in 2021, prompting tributes from legends like Chuck D and Questlove.