"The album is basically an audio comic book with scored scenes connecting one song to the next," says Thee Phantom of his debut album, Hero Complex. Combining classical elements—a string section, a concert pianist, even a sitar player—with lyrics and beats, the North Philly MC has been pushing the boundaries of the local underground hip-hop scene. His musical experiment has proven successful so far with an independent single ("Storming the Bastille") that gained some clout internationally and his place in Philly history as the first hip-hop artist to grace the Kimmel Center in 2002. "I'm just trying to add on to the legacy of hip-hop," he says. "And maybe open a few doors to places like Carnegie Hall."