Proov, The

Dutch hip-hop outfit, from Leeuwarden (Holland), founded in 1996. The Proov are built around the rhyming and reading skills of MC Cee Major (Cor Giesing, born in 1975). Blown away by the genre-defining records of Public Enemy and Eric B. & Rakim at the tender age of 12, he started what was to become the foundation for the Proov with a number of school friends in the late '80s.

In 1997, their nine-song demo cassette, entitled "Speakerroom", attracted the attention of the Dutchmasters, and their popular radio show "Villa 65", which played a couple of tracks on the air. This led to a collaboration with CMC Records, which gave the Proov an opportunity to release their debut EP, "Traditions", issued in 1999.

A year later the band enjoyed its first big break when asked to write an official theme song for the European Soccer Championship. The resulting single, "Feel the Heat," was accompanied by the most expensive Dutch music video ever made, sponsored by Nike. The same year "Traditions" was re-released as a full-length CD, with a number of additional tracks. An extensive performing schedule took a serious toll on the band, and by the end of 2001 the Proov quietly disbanded. However, two years later the Proov returned, now as a trio with MC Gumshoe (Sven Willimsen) and DJ S-Dub, and with a new single, "Nebula," in tow. The sophomore full-length "Battle Mode" followed in 2005.