Big thanks to 12manrambo for sharing this exclusive archive from his vault featuring LA-based emcee Erule. Originally aired on The Joint in 1996, the show was broadcast on KKBT 92.3 FM The Beat (Los Angeles) and hosted by Mike Nardone & King Emz.
The recording includes an interview, a freestyle and a spin of the track "Forever Living", which wasn't intended to be Erule's official single from his forthcoming album, but rather a DJ-exclusive sneak preview. Only a few vinyl copies were pressed on a white label.
In the interview, he explains his relationship with Pallas Records and why he and King Born decided to launch their own record label, Relentless Recordings. Enjoy!
Once again, there's no info on Discogs about this very hard to find 12" released by this group called METROPOLUS in 1994 on Sublevel Hoods Record Works, so here's what I've got...
METROPOLUS was a group from Los Angeles, comprised of 3 members (2 rappers and 1 DJ from Compton and Inglewood). One of the rapper went by "Mug Push" but the names of the leader/DJ and the other rapper remain unknown.
Their 12" is composed of 2 tracks titled "Frequently Freakin Frequencies" and "The Onslaught". The production was handled by the group members.
The tracks were mixed & arranged by LT at Groove City Studios. In fact, LT is sound engineer Lou "WytKat" Thomas. He explains that all of this took place in the early 90s in Los Angeles, where most of his musical journey unfolded. He recalls it as a golden era for early sampling, rap and raw creativity. Back then, everything was hands-on : real vinyl scratching and recordings made on 8-track reel to reel machines, which he describes as the good old days.
WytKat doesn't recall much about the members of the group but he told me that they recorded more than 10 tracks at the time. A little gift for you... he shared them on his Soundcloud especially for the blog. Mad Props to him !
Discogs is a reference website, but the information published there is sometimes incorrect. This is the case for the group Diffarent Kombonation, which is listed as a group from Washington, DC, but that is actually not correct. Diffarent Kombonation was a hip-hop duo formed in the early-mid 90s by MCs Diffa Alo and Kombo MC, who were from Los Angeles, California.
Diffa & Kombo - Photo courtesy of Kombo
This group dropped their first and only physical release "Diffarent Kombonation" on vinyl and cassette tapein 1996 on Infini-T.. Entertainment, a record label based in Washington, DC. This musical project consists of the tracks "International" and "Stereotypes".
According to Kombo, the origins of the duo trace back to a spontaneous rap battle in Moreno Valley, California. As he recalls : "Both of us are from L.A., and we linked up in Moreno Valley, CA. I was kinda known on the underground scene out there already and this young punk tried to battle me in the mall, lol. So we ended up hooking up and forming the group. It was like ’93-’94. His nickname was Diffa, mine was Kombo so we made it Diffarent Kombonation".
Diffa & Kombo - Photo courtesy of Kombo
About the connection with Infini-T.. Entertainment, the owners of this record label were cats from L.A. who went to Howard University in Washington, DC. They met in a club in Hollywood and they heard them flow and offered them a deal. The Diffarent Kombonation tape was the only project they did. After that, Diffa & Kombo decided to break up the group, then Kombo went solo. He later released a few 12-inch records, the best of them, in my opinion, being "I Don't Stop" produced by A.D.L.I.B. and released on the same label Infini-T Ent. in 1999. He also appeared on several projects dropped by Self Scientific, Amad Jamal and S.O.L.A.R. Panel.
Extra Bonus, for your personal knowledge... Kombo & Diffa were also part of another group called Suns Of the V.I. (Suns Of the Village Idiots), with Kombo's older brother Amad Jamal. They formed the group in 1994, and they dropped a track titled "Vocal Instrument" on the compilation album "The Next Chapter", released on vinyl in 1995 on Immortal Records.
Diffa - Amad Jamal & Kombo @The Next Chapter Party - Photo courtesy of Kombo
All the records mentioned above are good and easy to find, and I definitely recommend them for your collection. Mad Props to Kombo.
" Los Angeles 1994... Ice Cube is trying to kick it between scenes on the set of the film "Higher Learning". A brother runs up on him with a cassette in his hand "Yo Cube, Check It Out. This is my brother's group, KAUSION". DEEZAMM! these fools gots skills. "
According to the official Press sheet, that's how the connection happened with Ice Cube's Label Lench Mob Records who signed KAUSION and dropped their two debut 12-inches in 1995 : "Land Of The Skanless" produced by Budda, and "What You Wanna Do? / Bounce, Rock, Skate" produced by Ice Cube and Kausion.
The group was comprised of 3 members : CEL, KAYDO and GONZOE (RIP). They were all under 21 at that time. They grew up together in South Central, Los Angeles and have been working as a rap group since 1989.
I'm not usually a huge fan of gangsta rap but I think those 12"s are pretty good. As written on their press sheet "Kausion comes off like a breath of fresh air. They're moving the Westcoast Hip-Hop out of the slow flow, back into the hectic hardcore style it's known for."
Both records are really cheap and are really easy to catch, not like their debut album "South Central Los Skanless" produced by Ice Cube, Kausion, Laylaw, D.Maq and Budda, which was released on CD & Cassette in September 1995 and which is really hard to find for a good price. An official limited edition vinyl reissue (100 copies only) came out in 2019 on Blocwize Ent. with the help of GONZOE before he was murdered... but it was sold out very quickly.
Here are some 90s exclusive Promos, Interviews and Freestyles dropped by 12manrambo. All this material come from the Baka Boyz 'Friday Nite Flavas' show on Power 106 (KPWR) in Los Angeles.
"Brainwash Projects is a duo comprised of legendary L.A. Symphony members Pigeon John and bTwice. Their one and only album "The Rise And Fall Of Brainwash Projects" was originally released on cassette and CD in 1998 and immediately created a certain buzz amongst Westcoast Underground diggers worldwide. The diverse production paired with hungry MC'ing make the album a timeless piece of music." - courtesy of 90's Tapes
Available in a limited run on 2LP (Gatefold Sleeve - 500 copies), CD (Jewel Case - 300 copies) & cassette (100 copies).
Here is a 6-track EP entitled "On The Run" coming straight from California, released by the young Kail Problems from Los Angeles, Ca and Body Bag Ben from Oxnard,Ca who handled all the productions. Enjoy !
Here is a book dedicated to the Golden Era of Los Angeles Street Gangs, with photos shot by British photographer Robert Yager in the neighborhoods of central LA between 1992 and the early 2000s. This hard cover book includes artwork by members and is 144 images on 260 pages (Limited Edition of 550 Hardcover with foil stamped / Dimensions: 32 x 22 cm). Order your copy at 550BC.com
CYPRESS HILL : INSANE IN THE BRAIN tells the story of a brotherhood that has withstood the test of time to create a truly original, everlasting legacy. Watch the premiere on Wednesday, April 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
CYPRESS HILL : INSANE IN THE BRAIN is a smoke-filled journey across the lives and careers of the groundbreaking, Hip Hop group, Cypress Hill. Their unique sound, influenced by their Latin roots and West Coast upbringing, was built on a movement rooted in true authenticity: From cultivating the flower, to smoking it, to rapping about it, their influence is forever burned into the musical landscape of Hip Hop as they continue to stay relevant after 30 years. Using a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival footage captured by Oriol himself, as well as images of band members B Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog and Eric "Bobo" Correa.
Let's talk about that demo tape recorded by the MC named FEAR in 1994. No info about him available online unfortunately after all these years and that's a shame because his three demos were really dope at that time and deserve some more shine.
After a short interview I did with Fear recently, I'm glad to give you some info about this MC... Big surprise first, even if his demos sound like some East Coast material, Fear was a West Coast emcee from Los Angeles,Ca.
Fear :" Fear is short for Fearless a name I got from being unafraid to do anything on a dare when I was a kid. I grew up in Los Angeles, Ca. From 6 to 12 years old I lived in Birmingham, Alabama and before that I was born in San Diego, Ca. The tracks sound like east coast hip-hop because thats all I grew up listening to when I was younger. I loved east coast hip-hop, that was my main influence...Krs One, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap and Lord Finesse... I fall into hip-hop when I first heard Rappers Delight. I memorized it and was rapping ever since then, writing raps for my brother and friends so we could battle other little kids...lol.. "
All the tracks of the demo tape "The Evil That Pens Do", "Hate" and "Freakee Flow" were produced by Kevin Sakoda a.k.a K-Von a.k.a DJ Kev.
Fear : "K-Von was a college DJ in Claremont, Ca. He hosted The Downlow Radio Show on KSPC, 88.7FM at Pomona College. He lived in NYC for a while. He helped me with my demo and helped me to get a lot of opportunities. I first met him at the station, he invited me to come on air and rhyme and we hit it off from there ! "
Fear : "After that I had a few options but nothing panned out, I signed with a few indies and did an album but it wasn't pushed. My album was called "The Moment You Fear". I was in the Unsigned Hype section of the Source magazine (July 2005).I still record now with a group called the Punishers and Con-Verse Allstars."
LA-based MCs Funk Logik & Poetik Force drop the video of "Trynna Do". The single is produced by Poetik Force and the video is directed by Lyvell Gipson.
Rhode Island emcee Freddie Black teams up with LA-based DJ/Producer Tone Spliff and drop the 5-Track EP "Written Dialect", featuring King Magnetic, Skanks the Rap Martyr and Bliz Balboa.
A limited CD version (Jewel Case w/ Bonus Instrumentals) is available for order on Tone Spliff's Bandcamp, 100 copies only...
The LA-based MC Ethemadassassin is back with the video of the second single from his upcoming "Bear Handz 4: Dark Side Of The Mountain" fully produced by Twelvebit. Available Sept 3rd, 2020.
The formerly member of The GhosTown Clik Freddie Black and the Los Angeles based DJ and Producer Tone Spliff drop a new single titled "Luxury Poems". Here is the video of the single directed by Base Matic of 20/20 Sound.
