The BNVz (opening for Kid Cudi)

Fitzgerald Field House

Saturday March 27 at 7… The BNVz (opening for Kid Cudi)

Fitzgerald Field House

Saturday March 27 at 7 p.m.

$5

(412) 648-7814 (William Pitt Union Ticket Office)

On Saturday, a certain “Kid From Cleveland” will drop by Pittsburgh. But before he moves into the spotlight at the Fitzgerald Field House, a slew of the Pittsburgh hip-hop overachievers will take the stage.

The BNVz (formerly known as the Beats N Verbz) won the Pitt Program Council and WPTS’ Hip-Hop Battle that was held at Nordy’s Place in the William Pitt Union Monday night.

It beat nine other emcees, turntablists and other hip-hop based groups to get the only opening slot for this Saturday’s Kid Cudi show.

The group’s emcee, producer and creative director, Marcus Harris (known as MH the Verbz), isn’t new to Pitt’s campus or the local music scene. The super-senior, urban studies major has been exploring Pittsburgh’s musical landscape since 2004.

“A lot of people on campus tend to stay on campus, but me and friends would venture off to different places like Shadow Lounge,” Harris said.

After one performance at the music venue by St. Paul-based hip-hop group Heiruspecs, Harris met fellow hip-hop devotee and Pitt alumnus Paul Eppes.

“We just linked up. We started going to shows, hanging out and writing music in his basement,” Harris said.

The idea to form their own version of a hip-hop band in the same vein as The Roots and Heiruspecs wasn’t far behind.

The group quickly took form and by 2007 released its debut album, We Blowin Up.

In that same year, however, it decided on a change in music directions. Several members parted ways while Harris and keyboard player Ben Bromfield continued on, collaborating with a multitude of Pittsburgh’s musical talent.

“A lot of artists work with us, and I feel like if you have that talent then you should showcase it,” Harris said.

Several of BNVz’s members come from jazz and other backgrounds. This diversity contributes, rather than hinders though.

“What we’re trying to do is bring a lot of things together,” Harris said. “I don’t classify our band as a hip-hop band anymore.”

The group’s musical direction moved more towards what Harris describes as “urban pop.”

“It has hip-hop influences but it’s not straight hip-hop … We have reggae and Latin groves, rock, hard bass stuff, dance and we even host a weekly jazz jam session Genres are so 1990s.”

The emcee’s personal style also factors into the group’s approach.

“I’m interested in telling stories with my songs,” he said. That lyrical storytelling is part of one of the group’s next projects, a new album called Narcissism that will tackle the cultural “obsession with your own being.”

The group is hopeful that it will be the first in a series examining differences and their associated woes.

Before any album can be released though, the BNVz has several performances around Pittsburgh opening for hip-hop legends and heavy-hitters alike.

Saturday with Cleveland’s Kid Cudi, next Wednesday with Cleveland’s Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and April 9 with Philadelphia’s Jedi Mind Tricks. Even with these commitments, the group members continue to make music at a staccato pace (even if it isn’t particularly hip-hop).

“Everything moves in a circle,” Harris said. “Before the DJ, there was the band.”