TWIN EAGLES OF THE DESERT EAGLES
By Esther Sanchez
Over the past couple of decades, those of us who have paid attention have witnessed the music scene in the Coachella Valley break free from its shell of obscurity to spread its wings. For the most part, bands from rock, punk and heavy-metal style genres have been the local artists that have found success beyond the Banning pass. But, lately there have been signs that Coachella Valley has a Hip Hop scene that has been readying itself for the world to stand up and recognize.
Indio natives Phillie Mills and Buck Roogah are Twin Eagles, a hip-hop duo that are an extension of a loosely knit group of rappers, DJs, musicians, B-Boys, and their associates; most of whom have been friends since childhood. Acclaimed, local MCs and CV Music Award nominees such as solo artist J. Patron along with Joshua Fimbres and Josh Hall (Thr3 Strykes) and DJ Smoke1 are all members in good standing with the Desert Eagles.
Roogah: “Phillie and I met in 6th grade. It’s funny because we thought we didn’t like each other at first. I don’t think we had any classes together or anything. We just knew each other from school. In fact we didn’t really start hanging out together like homies until High School.”
At this point Phillie flashes a devilish grin and interjects: “That’s because back then you were all about basketball and I was all about girls.”
It was during their years in High School that necessary bonds were formed, experiences shared, wisdom gained and skills built that would make the current existence of the Desert Eagles Crew a reality.
Roogah: “I didn’t really get into the rapping part of the scene right away. Initially, I found my place in hip hop through break-dancing. I would write a little here and there but that was it. Phillie and J. Patron were the first guys in our crew to start messing around with music. After watching these guys doing it for a couple of years I decided to go for it. I realized I was missing out on the fun.”
It’s clear when you spend a little bit of time with these guys that they truly do have a lot of fun together. I asked the guys why, out of all of the dudes in the Desert Eagles, (with whom they regularly collaborate and share a stage) are they paired up together in an official group.
Mills: “At one point we started recording some stuff with DJ Bass at his pad for a side project that started turning into something bigger. Bass did all of the production and mixing and he came up with some really unique stuff that lead to J. Patron joining in on that project. Eventually we all started working on solo stuff but Buck and I worked together every day laying tile. We would spend hours together every day listening to music so it was only natural that this would end up happening.”
The obvious, brother-like bond and rambunctious energy between Mills and Roogah is somewhat reflective of the interactions between James Franco and Seth Rogen in any of their multiple movie collaborations. It was the relatability of those characters combined with the rappers’ shared affinity for movies that inspired the name of their new project. Franco and Rogen, a mixed-tape, is set to be released in coming months.
I asked the guys what we can expect from this new project.
Philly: “We are no holds barred about saying whatever we want. You will probably laugh most of the time because we are there to entertain you. We aren’t about taking ourselves seriously. If you come to our show and get close enough to the stage we want you make you a part of what is happening. We want to bring you in…….engage.”
Experience Twin Eagles up close and personal with; Pharmtecs, Tip-Toe Stallone and others on May 28th at Plan B in Thousand Palms.
