The Austerity Program To Quit the Rap Game *
Sales War with Coalesce Results in Hanging Up the Mic

Astoria, NY - One week after issuing a challenge to labelmates Coalesce, the Austerity Program is making good on their commitment to stop making rap records for good.

"We threw down the gauntlet and we take challenges like this very seriously. And, damn, we lost," said Austerity Program lyricist Justin Foley at the Tuesday press conference held on the corner of his block. "While we will continue to develop other rap artists, produce rap records and possibly even perform rap shows, there will be no new Austerity Program Hip Hop releases, ever. A public that does not reward us with the sales our music merits does not deserve to spin the AP flow. You chuckleheads."

The emotional announcement was just the latest chapter in an ongoing music world feud. On the August 21 dual release of Coalesce's There is Nothing New Under the Sun and the Austerity Program's Black Madonna, Foley fired an e-mail to Coalesce singer Sean Ingram that read, in part:

"I'm calling you out - HERE IT IS, COALESCE: If your record sells more than our record in the first week, we will QUIT THE RAP GAME - How 'bout it? You scrubs street enough to ball?"

One week later, the results were in and the Austerity Program had lost. Foley's belligerent tone was gone in his second message to Ingram.

"Shit."

Hydra Head label manager Mark "Marky" Thompson responded to Foley through e-mail and two phone calls. "jf - even if we did send out promo CDs to the extensive and inaccurate media list you provided (AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO), those are not ­ repeat NOT ­ logged as sales."

Ingram's response to the results was dismissive, saying in part "Haha! Coalesce is just getting started with rap."

Tuesday's announcement could be the final stage in this saga, although Foley did hint at a live TV debate with Ingram. "Even though it's over, it isn't over," said the disheveled singer. "And I want to tell the people at SoundScan and their legal team that we did not try to hack their computers, which are obviously protected by very impenetrable and confusing security. Stop trying to subpoena me while I'm walking my dog. And no, we did not hide Coalesce CDs in the Ne-Yo section at Best Buy. Now, since we're all here, there's a couple of things I want to get off my chest."

This type of thing went on for a while.

See the Austerity Program while you can:
September 20th @ Europa in Brooklyn w/ Ulver

www.myspace.com/theausterityprogram