Video : Different Breed 860 - Reflektionz - 2022

 

Different Breed 860 (Da God Wes and GovMag) from Connecticut drop the video of their latest single "Reflektionz" produced by Dead Poetz Society (with Cuts by Tone Spliff).

Mad Vibes - Check Your Team Members / Riches To Rags - 1997

12" - 1997 - B-Side Records 

Here is the debut 12" released in 1997 by the group Mad Vibes a.k.a the Mv's a.k.a MV Gorilla Renegades from the city of Waterbury, CT better known under the name of H2O the Dirty Waters. The Wax came out on B-Side Records, a record label owned and managed by Kevin Johnson, and consists of the tracks "Check Your Team Members" & "Riches To Rags" available in their vocal and instrumental versions and both produced by the Waterbury-based DJ/Producer Mike Force.

  

In a recent interview, Mike Force gave me more info about Mad Vibes... it's time to give a shine to their story and some knowledge for the Hip-Hop record collectors worldwide. 

Mike, who were the members of the group exactly ? 

Mike Force : "The Members were just me and my Brother Tay Woss... but the Mad Vibes was a movement that consist of a few brothas from different Hoods (Corey King, 12, Kevlar, Tommy King, Deshante, Kris Eason, LG, Dj Stacks, L outta Philly, Paul Gatling, Née Nee, Domingo, GF, just to name a few...) so it wasn’t just about the music, we were the Hip-Hop side of the Mad Vibes, as well as the street side too."

KJ, Corey King, Mike Force, Tay Woss & 12 - Photo courtesy of Mike Force 

Mike Force : "The mad vibes was a Hip-Hop crew started in 89. I was producing, the first time people ever heard me rhyme was on those 2 singles. My brotha was known around the tri state New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for being one of the best MCs and was rhyming when Hip-Hop was only on Tapes.

I was a DJ that's how I started. I started out with my own crew the Fresh 3 MC's. We were part of a big crew called the J.N.C (Jam Nation Crew) which was a collective of different crews that did Graffiti, Breakdance, DJ and MC." 

J.N.C (DJ True, Baron Brown a.k.a B.SKI, Tay Woss, Jazzy J, Mike Force, GQ & LG) - 1991 - Photo courtesy of Mike Force 

Mike Force : "Me & Tay Woss lived all over the Tri State but we were originally from Waterbury, Connecticut. At the time we did "Riches To Rags" and "Check Your Team Members", Tay was living between Brooklyn and the Bronx and I was in Connecticut." 

How did the connection happen with the CEO and Executive Producer Kevin Johnson ?

Mike Force : "We're all are from Waterbury and we were friends with Kev's twin sisters Tammy and Tawanna ... Kev and Tay had a good friendship and knew each other a little better than me and Kev ... but in the early 80's Kev had Dj equipment and wanted to start doing parties ... Me my cousin Dj Wiz Moe and Dj Kool Keith were part of the JNC so we were already doin parties and block parties around the tri state so it was inevitable once Tay told us about Kev having equipment that we would all end working together... after that faze of Hip-Hop ended and the Hip-Hop scene started to get commercial, everything changed so around the tri state area the creation of music kind of slowed down cause that's when the west coast made there mark so it changed the landscape of music, I wanna say around 90/91 music started to change again that's when the Native Tongue, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Brand Nubian, Showbiz & A.G, Das EFX, Redman started to emerge and it was back on so Kev decided to start an independent Label. That was B.Side Records... he came to us with the idea and we was like fuck it let's do it!"

Could you tell us why there is no album released after that 12" ?

Mike Force : "Well we had a big disagreement about the business between Mad Vibes and B-Side Records. We have a lot of music and yes we did and do have an album recorded as the Mad Vibes.

When music started to change again and get even more commercial as far as business cause the first commercialization of Hip-Hop was sonically but when it became about endorsements and brands linking up it got really commercial and then the south came and that wave made its mark ... but now in America you have artist like Roc Marciano and crews like the Griselda Movement with Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine & Benny the Butcher bringing the 90's feel back so it's lookin good again."

Well... it's not really easy to find a copy of this rare Mad Vibes 12" from 1997 nowadays, so grab it quickly if you're lucky to find one for sale and I hope the unreleased album will see the light of day soon ...

Mad Props to Mike Force, thanks for your time Bro. 

Demo : BLU SOL - The Atmosphere - 199X

Here is a demo of BLU SOL, group consisted of Goob G, Kenny Linch , Master Doe from Bridgport, Connecticut. the track is produced by Ralow Mont. 

Bās Blasta... A Real Tight Flow !

A lot of unreleased albums saw the light of day last year but there is one I'd like to see coming out ... the full length project "The Mouth That Roared" recorded by Bās Blasta and produced by The Groove Merchantz, The Beatnuts, Victor "Slick Vic" Little and Gerald "Soul Gee" Stevens (of the Riddem and Soul Posse), which was supposed to be released on RCA Records in 1995. 

At the time of the deal with RCA, Bas Blasta was managed by Christopher "Kid" Reid of the famed rap duo Kid 'n Play along with record executive Steve Stoute. DJ and Producer Slick Vic was the main person affiliated with Bas Blasta, he was the official Bas Blasta's DJ. 

For those who aren't familliar with this white rapper (Irish and Indian Decent) with a rugged voice, you need to know that Chet Crofut aka Bās Blasta grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut living in a one-family house on a middle-class block. He spent his teen years hanging on grittier streets, among blacks and hispanics. 

According to a Billboard magazine article written in 1995, hanging in the Hood he was introduced to break dancing and started listening to bootleg rap compilation tapes. He had memorized all the words to all the rap hits and when he recognized he sounded good reciting them, he started writing his own stuff. 

Bas Blasta's previous manager Ray Pouncey was responsible for his first appearance on the Nice & Smooth posse cut "Down The Line" from their 1991 album "Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed". The song also featured the late Guru from Gang Starr. He will obtain a solo deal on RCA after that. 

Bas Blasta's first solo 12″ single "Ain’t Whatcha Do" produced by The Beatnuts came out in 1994, followed right after by "Dangerous" and "The Rhythm" featuring Fat Joe, Godfather Don, Juju and Lord Finesse, and produced by The Groove Merchantz, a production team consisted of Godfather Don and Vic Padilla. All the connections with the different artists and producers were arranged by the Management and the Record Label. 

12" - 1994 - RCA  

The samples used by the Beatnuts for the production of "Ain't Watcha Do" come from "Winter's Child" released in 1971 and performed by Charles Kynard, "Holy Thursday" released in 1968 and performed by David Axelrod and "Zimba Ku" released in 1975 and performed by Black Heat.

12" - 1994 - RCA  

The samples used by the Groove Merchantz for the production of "Dangerous" come from "Mysterious Traveller" released in 1974 and performed by The Weather Report and "Hydra" released in 1975 and performed by Grover Washington Jr. 

On August 25th 1994, Bas Blasta and Godfather Don were invited by Stretch & Bobbito for the promo of the 12" single "Dangerous / the Rhythm". Here is the Interview and the Freestyle aired that night on WKCR. 



In January 1995, Havelock Nelson wrote a review in the Rap Column of the Billboard Magazine about Bās Blasta and his forthcoming album which was supposed to be released in April. 

Tape - 1994 - RCA  

But the album never came out due to Steve Stoute being fired from RCA Records and the record label maintaining the masters... After that... Bas Blasta disappeared from the indie Hip-Hop scene, but he is still around... dropping Christian Rap for God's Glory now...

Mad Props to Dominic Ciarlo 

Dolomight The Lyrical Genius - Keep It Live Remix - 1996

12" - 1996 - Chozen Few Ent. 

This 12" was released by Dolomight The Lyrical Genius aka Dolo (RIP) from Norwalk, CT. It came out in 1996 on Chozen Few Entertainment, a record label managed by Dolo himself. 

Dolomight R.I.P - Photo courtesy of Ralow Mont

The wax is composed of the single "Keep It Live" available in different versions (Radio Edit, Raw Version, Instrumental, Acapella, Remix, Remix Raw, Remix Instrumental & Remix Acapella). Everything is produced by Dolomight except the Remix version which is produced by Rao-Low Montgomery aka Ralow Mont from Bridgeport, CT. 

To me, the remix version on the B-side is the best version of the 12" without a doubt !

Dooley-O ‎- The Bassment Tapes - 2007

12" - 2007 - Sound of Dissent Records

Here is a comp of previously Dooley-O unreleased tracks recorded between 1991 and 1995. The wax came out in 2007 on Sound Of Dissent Records and is composed of 6 tracks performed by Dooley-O, Chris Lowe, Shawn Rhythm, High & Lowe (Dooley-O & Chris Lowe), and the group Meccanizms who consisted of Dooley-O, Doc-Terror, GBO, Extra & Shawn Rhythm. 

 Dooley-O, Xtra, Jim Slice, Chris Lowe and GBO T.C Izlam - Photo courtesy of Dooley-O. 

Da Champ - Treasure Hunt - 1998

EP - 1998 - Top Of The Line Records 

Da Champ dropped a good EP called 'Treasure Hunt' in 1998. It was composed of 6 tracks produced by Mellow. If you've never heard of Da Champ, here is an extract from the original press kit which will give you more info about him :

"Sean DA CHAMP Champion is a rapper from Hartford, CT. DA Champ has been on the forefront of the local hip-hop community since 1983. His signature which is a hard core style, conveys an attitude of street knowledge and realism (conscious-awareness) while never loosing sight of the music.

The 28 year old rapper began his career as a break dancer then beatboxing and rapping. As years went on DA CHAMP, who is the author of the anti drug song, released his first single So-Good. His ability to produce stylized lyrics along with his stage show is guaranteed to make the rap population stand and take notice.
Now, Top of DA Line Records presents: DA CHAMP with its national debut EP, 'Treasure Hunt', 'I Need Money', 'Moke-On'. For more flava check out the rapper/entertainer DA CHAMP For contact information and bookings - 1-800/542-3294 Pin#92292./860-650-0400"

 

 It seems that the 'Treasure Hunt' EP wasn't his first release because according to an article from the Hartford Courant written by Andrea Comer in November 1996, there was an other single released on Tryangle Records in 1996, a record label managed by Garfield S Virgo, but no trace of this vinyl, CD or Tape anywhere... Please let me know if you've got more info about it !  Peace

Tape : D-Law And The Bountyhunters ‎- Touch Bottom - 1994

Tape - 1994 - Mad Man Recordings  

I don't remember precisely where I got this tape rip but I'm pretty sure I heard It for the first time on Boombapboombox Blog a long time ago.

D-Law And The Bountyhunters are from Hartford Connecticut, and their 6-Track EP featuring A.K Serious came out in 1994 on Mad Man Recordings. All tracks were produced by Boileroom Productions composed of Marcus "Direct" Mickens & Arun "AJ" Ranganathan, both from Middletown Connecticut.

A1 - Bounty Season

A2 - Nuff Respect

A3 - Stop Bitch'n

B1 - Touch Bottom

B2 - Pot Hoes

B3 - The Gutta (Remix)

 Download