The Honor Roll Crew's Top Dancers, Players & Pleasures

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Headed up by Trackademicks, The Honor Roll Crew is a creative collective of eight Bay Area-based MCs, singers, producers and DJs. They bring a fresh approach to hip-hop, as exemplified by critically acclaimed late-'09 releases by Track ("Enjoy What You Do") and Spank Pops (Beautiful Noise). 

As 2010 unravels, you'll hear more from the rest of their roster--Mike Baker The Bike Maker, Josie Stingray, 1-O.A.K, DJ TAP-10, Whiz Kid and Mox Moore. Read our full profile on the Honor Roll Crew--the West Coast's version of Wu-Tang Clan--here. 

But what you really want to know is which of the talented troop is most likely to rock Ace Of Bass on their iPod, who's the ladies man of the group, and who you might catch asleep at their Stock Exchange day job desk, right? Handily, that's exactly what we asked the clique...

Guiltiest iPod Pleasures...

Whiz Kid: "You know, I don't know if anyone [has one]. I'll give you a perfect example of what I mean. Trackademicks loves sophisti-pop, like British groups that emerged later in the '80s, like a Swing Out Sister or a Basia. To him, that's great. I love that kind of music too. There's a group I like called Haircut 100..."

DJ TAP-10: "I'm usually the one who's pushing something that might be a guilty pleasure. Some songs might be good for the time. So everybody might be talking shit about Waka Flocka Flame or OJ da Juiceman, but I get a kick out of it for what it is. If I were DJing a party in Castlemont High School in East Oakland I would have to have those songs - that's what the kids like! But I would have to see if anyone in the crew has Ace Of bass or something like that, there's probably a few of them... Maybe Josie will have some off-taste once in a while, ha ha!"

Josie Stingray: "That would be tough to say! That might be me! You might catch something you wouldn't expect on my iPod, like some Britney Spears... But that's Neptunes-produced Britney Spears, definitely!"

The 'Frisco Giant...

Trackademicks: "Spank Pops is definitely the people's rapper. He's just like a raw, solid dude. He really embodies San Francisco."

Mike Baker: "Spanks is all about San Francisco. In three words, I'd say he's dedicated, funky, and unadulterated."

DJ TAP-10: "Spanks is just 'Frisco, man. He's so connected with so many people. Spanks is a few years older than us and is just connected with old school 'Frisco. He has stories for days..."

If The Honor Roll Had A TV Show...

Spank Pops: "It would be like Adult Swim with that crazy Flying Lotus music in between the segments, just crazy beats behind everything. It would be like a Living Color show."

Mike Baker: "I want to say it would be like Animal House but it would probably just be like Masterpiece Theatre - you know, us just sitting around taking about music all the time."

Bust A Move...

Trackademicks: Who has the best dance moves? Man, at one point in time it was me. I don't know if anyone said me, but it was. Man, I'm known for music, shit, but I'm just saying no one can really fade me - though they might beg to differ."