Weekly Feature: CaseTheJoint

CaseTheJoint might be the most prominent figure in the Dubuque hip-hop scene. To many, he's a rapper. To some, he's an avid poet. To a select few, he's a father of two.

One of the first bars I went to in Dubuque when I moved here in 2005 was Jumper's for a rap battle that featured a guy I had recently met. I was there to support him (he won) and also get acquainted with the nightlife.

I came away from that experience with two impressions: The guy who won the battle - who was a political science major at Wisconsin - had a career in hip-hop if the school thing didn't work out (he's doing well in the corporate world these days) AND that the guy hosting the rap battle was a damn good lyricist. I'd soon find out his name was CaseTheJoint.

CaseTheJoint, or Casey, is a lifelong Dubuquer who went to Hempstead High School and has spent years putting pen to paper. Along with writing songs, Casey is an avid poet - appearing at slam poetry events and has spent three years teaching poetry. "It's a way to understand what I'm saying without the beats banging in the back" said Casey.

The political rappers are what inspired me: The Public Enemy's and the KRS-1's. I was always a good student and thought they were good students because they were dropping knowledge. I was always into the words and what they were saying.

CaseTheJoint is a wordsmith with a purpose. The first thing you'll notice when listening to one of his albums (The Illegal Iowan, Internet Corn, Stalking to Myself) is his witty wordplay-style and smooth yet assertive delivery which has been honed over years of finding himself behind the mic.

I don't know if CaseTheJoint will get signed, make a ton of money for himself and his family and get heard all over the country. Maybe that will happen. Probably not. What I do know is that no one has done more for the hip-hop scene in Dubuque than CaseTheJoint.