Stefan Grossman (born April 16, 1945) is an American acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and singer, music producer and educator, and co-founder of Kicking Mule records. He is known for his instructional videos and Vestapol line of videos and DVDs.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Herbert and Ruth Grossman. Grossman described his upbringing, in Queens, New York, as "lower middle-class", and his parents as "very leftist", valuing education and the arts. He began playing guitar at the age of nine, when his father bought him a Harmony f-hole acoustic guitar. Later he moved on to an archtop Gibson guitar which he played between the ages of nine and eleven, taking lessons and learning to read music. For a few years, he gave up playing but resumed again at the age of 15.
Grossman's interest in the Folk revival was sparked by attending the Washington Square Park "Hoots", and he started listening to old recordings of artists such as Elizabeth Cotten, Big Bill Broonzy, Lead Belly, Josh White, Lightnin' Hopkins, Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller, Son House, Charlie Patton, Skip James, Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Woody Guthrie.
* originally appeared on the "New York State of Rhyme" compilation
[Mr. Eon]
I encompass, a circumfrence, of your compass
Smokey the Bear's opponent, face atonement
The kama sutra tutor, the Mets rooter
Shorties like my slick finger like ?Bruce Sooter?
You caught in this web of the spider
The High and the Mighty, might be, slightly, violent
It's High-ly the one to leave the sun rayless
Now your style's cheaply made like a pair of Payless
Pick apart your secondary, like Jim Plunkett
Who woulda thunk it? Titanic-ally, I fuckin sunk it
Hope to have a spot like George and Wheezy
Chocolate peanut butter shit, like Reese's and feces
We sees, the observable, absurdable
My elements enough to make a kid take a pull
No preservatives, but I'm still edible
I need my shit green to remain incredible
Chorus: Mr. Eon (repeat 2X)
You don't know the half
Half of me want it all, the other half-assed
I'm halfway there
I be, death-defyin, within def rhymin
Periphery, I can see the whole vicinity
[Mr. Eon]
I be a misfit of science, like Andre the Giant
You need to SHUT UP, givin divine solids
Amongst two million, I still be the ill one
Multiply two zillion, I'ma still come
with stupidity, turnin Santa to Satan
Rantin and ravin, while you cave in
See I love the sugar walls, get with my hand though
And waxin off will be the death of me like Rambo
Calisthetics, on any premise, yo well it's
the Gleam Hornet, Eon, uncommon
like Brian Piccolo's piccolo
Mr. Verbal still remain, like Vinny DelNegro
I shine golden when you see me, like C-3-P-O
I'm PO'd, by a microphone B-O
But me though, need the weed green like ?Grit-o?
Keep that shit tight like Grandpa's Speedos
Chorus
[Mr. Eon]
Your pitiful spittle, pales to the hale
In full scale, you're straight monorail
My impact is Amtrak, you toy Lionel
You're Slinkies and Weebles fail to prevail
You couldn't even fuck with my echo
You better let go, desperad', face the barrage
You can't mess with Eric the Derelict
Cherish it, while we smoke on this green relish it
cause I, huff on Dutches, Felipe couldn't spark
Step into a spot, thinkin I'm a NARC
It's pathetic, my lifestyle is energetic
When I wreck the set, even Leon couldn't Lett it happen
The High induce the hand-clappin
Hallucinations, that you seen from the rappin
My hands stink, from the snatch I be slappin
Step into the Coliseum, what the fuck happened?
Chorus
{"You don't even know the half.." -> cut by Mighty Mi}