The Artifacts were a throwback hip hop duo from Newark, NJ. Their music reflected and emphasized three of the four elements of true hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, and their specialty, graffiti writing or “bombing”; both Tame One and El Da Sensei are proficient at all three. With unique styles that play off each other well, Tame and El’s graff-rap was well received by underground audiences and continued in the Jersey rap tradition of Redman and Lords of the Underground.