In honor of H.I.S.D.’s appearance at the November edition of The Standard this Friday, Nov. 13, we’re dedicating the entire week to the collective that is the future of hip hop in Houston. We start it off with Savvi and EQuality, also known as Blak Embassy.

Visuals by Flash Gordon Parks

More after the jump.

I first ran into Savvi a few years ago at what I believe was a Peace Uv Mine show, right around the time that he released his “Hueston Chronicles” CD. I’d heard of him before, but this was the first time that I’d actually seen him in person. What I remember most about that show (with my fading memory) was him being flanked on stage by a legion of singers and musicians, maybe another rapper. Here was this guy that I’d never heard of who seemingly already had a bit of a following, while managing a stable of talent all on his own. Props given.

After his set, I introduced myself to him, and promised that we’d work together someday. That day came a few years later with “Summer So Good” from the Summer Sessions EP.

EQuality was one of those guys that I knew before I knew who he was (if that makes any sense). I’d seen him at all the spots, but didn’t know he was the fabled EQ from HISD until a meeting at a mutual friend’s residence. I thought that he was FWMJ’s distant cousin, because they favor each other so much. Not too long after, I would stumble upon him in his natural element at a spoken word function. Think Gil Scott Heron meets Andre 3000 meets Charles Mingus. That’s EQ.

Check out Savvi and EQ, along with the rest of the HISD collective, at this Friday’s edition of The Standard.

HISD’s website: Peace Uv Mine