In 1993, The Kool Skool's DJ O Double Ess picked up an album, called Lune Tunz by a group called Raw Breed, and also their 12" Open Season. It was one of the many one hit wonders (or almost hitters) that really reflect the early 90's, Onyx inspired Timbo Era (shouty-shouty) Chorus Rap, complete with chunky weeded out beats and "Muggs-style" whiney samples. EPMD, The Soul Assassin associated groups, Lord Of The Underground, Double XX Posse, Das Efx, and even the revamped "thugged out" LL inspired groups like Original Flavor, Brokin English Klik, Top Quality, Rough House Survivors, The Legion, Shades of Culture, and a (4th & Broadway signed) Mobb Deep to name just a few.
The often over looked Teenage 1st Mobb Deep Album (fresh from La Guardia School)
Double XX Posse "Eat em' Up Sugar Ray!"
The point is although some were definately better than others, record labels were literally farming out groups like Raw Breed with no information, after getting New York Hood Mixtapes and College radio shows rotation, would simply disappear. Recently, I was talking to Waxer from Disco Scratch about the many hot underground records from the "Mid-School", that never get play by the many "Old School DJs", who seem to only play all the most played out "This Is Rap" compilation songs of that era. Thanks to the internet and the Hip-Hop story diggers out there, these groups live again.
Raw Breed Inner Sleeve Members of the band
About 4 years ago I got the Raw Breed album on CD for about £1 in a closing down record shop and stuck it in a "to listen pile" and forgot all about it. Obviously the album has dated (especially some of the "Jam-erican chatting"), and although you probably wouldn't want to listen to the whole thing in one sitting, it definately has some decent tracks on it.
Open Season 12' Cover
B side track RAMPAGE OUTTA CONTROL featured fellow Boogie Down Bronxters Melle Mel, Ultra Magnetic MC's Kool Kieth and Godfather Don
As some of you out there might not know, in the old days, people would just study the covers of Hip-Hop records, studying, the clothes, landmarks, Credits, label info and especially the shouts-outs to snoop out more about a group. So here is a very brief (ropey) Inspector Shuckel's geeky audio and visual breakdown of little tadbits of info gleaned from the cover...
1. They are from the Bronx
2. At least one of them is wearing so much Desert Storm 1 camo he had better had been in the Army
3. Collage Fraternity Shouts suggest some of them were in collage when they recorded this (with at least two of them being Mature students)
4. D-Squared from B.D.P Co-Produced some of the tracks
5. Even though it is well produced, more than a few of the drum tracks are straight up Beat Jacks, Ultra, Double XX Posse, and Jungle Brothers amongst others
6. The fact that Kool Keith and Godfather Don from Ultra and Melle Mel are on it meant that they were well connected/respected as Ultra was still at its strength at the time. (One of them related to Kool Kieth?) The only other Ultra collabo I have ever heard of was with Dutch fast rap/Tuff Crew Beat Jacker King Bee
So that's about as much I could work out. Anyone out there know anymore? When I first started interviewing Hip-Hop artists before the internet I used to call on a few people who really new their shit! Calling Dr. Werner Von Wallenrod, Kid Dyno, DJ Aiden "Orange" Leacy & Aroe!!!!
Rabbit Stew video????
Werner Von Wallenrod.blogspot.com IS THE BEST UNDERGROUND RAP INFO BLOG HANDS DOWN!!! He goes into proper detail with interviews with people like The Legend of Newcleus - Cozmo D, Kurupt of the DoggPound, Kwame', even Awesome Dre one of the first Rapping Gangstas, funny reviews and videos. If you haven't seen it yet go there now!
MC Shan Rocking Dapper Dan Puma Suit, "Shirt King" Portrait Sweat Shirt, Gold caps, Fade & shape-up parting. Can you get more fresh in 88'?!
"For those of you who are unfamiliar with my history, I have interviewed over 200 Hip-Hop artists, B-Boys, DJs, MCs, Graffiti Writers, Producers, and Film Makers over the years, for Film, Radio, Magazines and Magazine features. After being told I "knew too much about Hip-Hop to be a writer for Touch Magazine" which described itself as "The Original UK Urban Music Magazine"????!!! In 2005 I was asked by the same Touch Magazine, to interview 3 of really influential Hip-Hop Legends in one afternoon!!! It was one of the highlights of my "Career" as a Hip-Hop Journalist (whatever that means).
I had the chance to meet their manager Grand Imperial Arkim, better known as one of the first rappers from Queensbridge, on Vinyl. Arkim was famous for his songs with Legendary Queens DJ Hot Day, he broke down some Queensbridge Rap history for me. It was a really good day, hearing MC Shan one of the funniest guys in Hip-Hop joking around with and Basketball Legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier Superstartar Pro Baller over lunch, about (his classic signature shoe Puma Clyde's aka States). "Yo how in the hell did you play Ball in them dude. I can't believe you never broke your ankle just walking in them???!" Good times, I will be editing them and many more for broadcast on The UK's Best Hip-Hop Radio station www.Sensei.fm soon!" - The Kool Skool's Shucks One ID UZN
Rare Magazine Interviews with MC Shan, DJ Cash Money & Doug E. Fresh with The Kool Skool's Shucks One + Walt "Clyde" Frazier with Paul McKenzie
Walt "Clyde" Frazier Interview with Paul McKenzie Page 1
Walt "Clyde" Frazier Interview with Paul McKenzie Page 2
DJ Cash Money Interview By Shucks One Cash Money is my favourite DJ, the first Turntablists DJ I ever really saw (yes on Night Network), and I had lots of questions for him. He broke down the Phillie Hip-Hop scene and in particular, the DJ's role in that, influential Radio personality Angie B, his winning of the New Music Semenar, Sleeping Bag Records, and modern DJs. A real honour
The Kool Skool Hip-Hop Legend Interviews - DJ Cash Money (Teaser) (Radio Show Download) Listen
MC Shan Interview By Shucks One MC Shan is one of the funniest don't give a fuck MCs I have ever met, he talked about Beefing with Hill Top Hustlers (Steady B/Cool C etc), LL Cool J, BDP and anyone else, Marley Marl's "lost and found" Bridge is over Reel. The interview was over an hour long so there was A LOT that didn't go in the mag. Watch this space for the entire interviews in audio format!!!
Doug E. Fresh Interview by Shucks One Doug E. Fresh is one of the coolest and positive guys out there, he told me about the history of his "Get Fresh Crew", his many Community works, 1/2 Trini, 1/2 Bajan heritage, again proving the Caribbean elements of Foundation Hip-Hop Culture and more.
The Interviews featured in Touch Magazine November 2005 (practically took me until 2008 to get paid hahaha!)
Going Straight Up - Hot Day ft. Arkim, (MC Cor) Cormega and Shahid (OLD SCHOOL QUEENSBRIDGE) Album cut from DJ Hot Day's 1989 album "It's My Turn" on Tuff City records. This was Cormega's first official song, performing as MC Cor.
X-Clan were the pinnacle of the Conscious Hip-Hop movement with regards to imagery, production and structure. The Brooklyn based group fused Education with Funk, to represent a new Pan-African cultural shift in the Hip-Hop Movement, which also included artists like Jungle Brothers, Brand Nubian, Lakim Shabazz, Public Enemy, BDP King Sun and many others.
Hip-Hop is "a lifestyle, not a Death-style" - Paradise Gray X-Clan/Universal Zulu Nation/Blackwatch Movement activist breaking down the Universal Zulu Nation, the negative aspects of music industry, and the "inclusiveness of Hip-Hop Culture". Must see!!!
Hip-Hop Journalist, Radio DJ and Activist Davey D (not to be confused with Def Jam recording artist of the same name) discussing the lopsided and suspect marketing practices within the music industry,
DaveyD and Paradise "Grey" X are part of a a grass roots group called 1Hood more info can be found here
K.R.S. One, Harmoney, Heather B, Ms. Melodie, Kiiiiiid Capri & Jamalski Live in 1989 Kid Capri Smashes it. He has just released a new single and its noice!!! Download link found on Excellent "Hip-Hop Battlefield" Kenny Parker on the Set...
Solo recording artist and ex-B.D.P member D-Nice a.k.a. "the Human TR808" has been really active, not only is he still a giging DJ, but a photographer and film maker. He has made several short films about Hip-Hop Pioneers like Dana Dane on the making his hit "Nightmares", Blackwatch member/Tuff City recording artist YZ, MC Producer Kwame and Cold Chiller Masta Ace amongst others.
The most recent features Joe Ski Love discussing his career, and how he ended up on Old-school hip-hop label Vintertainment owned by Vincent Davis, and his take on modern Hip Hop. He comes across very positively, and I have to agree with him on the Souljaboy/Ice-T escapade, I'm not a fan of S.Boy, but Hip Hop is a youth movement and they should be given some air too.
The Pee Wee dance was one of many dance based songs of the mid to late 80's, (for example the Fila by a young Steady B), and the video can be seen in my recent "They Made A Video For That" blog. I first heard it again in the mid 90's on a DJ Riz mixtape where he cut it into Steady B "Bring That Beat Back". I managed to hunt the 12" down, where it became a sure fire Kool Skool Radio Show classic.
Vintertainments first release was by The BBoys and their hit Rock The House, one half of the group was the Zulu Nations Donald D, who along with Afrika Islam was one of the first Hip Hop shows on the radio in New York, a member of the Asallam Brothers, and Ice-T's Syndicate member.
The B-Boys Donald D (Right) & Brother B (Left) photo courtesy of Donald D
D-Nice They Call Me D-Nice The first solo D-Nice record I ever heard and it was a mixtape banger back then, check out the Chico piece in the beginning. Also check this for some jokes "I go to work M"*^%$@r".
D-Nice - Glory From the Civil War film Glory (featuring Samuel Jackson & Denzel Washington), about African American soldiers known by the so-called Native Americans as Buffalo Soldiers. Bob Marley wrote a song about them called Buffalo Soldiers . African American's were promised freedom from slavery, 40 Acres of their own land each, and a mule to plough the land if they joined the Union Army. But the promise was never fulfilled, and the voting rights they were given in the 18th Century were revoked until the late 1960's. Edutainment songs like this were very important in engaging young people in history and knowledge of self and others back then.
D-Nice - Crumbs On The Table "Are you a DJ well get on it!" Never saw this video before... Here in the UK I say that in the Hip Hop scene we are all fighting for crumbs under the table. "I hope you're feelin' alright..."
Stop the Violence Movement - Self Destruction Don't really need to say to much about this really, probably the best posse cut ever, KRS One, MC Lyte, Kool Moe Dee, Stetsasonic (or Just Say Stet), Doug E. Fresh(shwing), Just-Ice, Heavy D, P.E. and others.
BBoy Records have recently re-issued these DJ Scott Rock La Rock produced jems if you missed them!
