Tha Force - Smooth Reality - 1996

12" - 1996 - Ronin Records 

Here is the 12" released by Tha Force a.k.a Tha 4orce a.k.a F.O.R.C.E on Ronin Records in 1996. After a few years away concentrating on being a musical engineer and producer, this was F.O.R.C.E's debut solo release after he parted ways with K.Zee and N.U.R Management in 1993.

F.O.R.C.E & K.Zee - Ronin Inc

The 12" contains the lead single "Smooth & Reality" (Original, Remix, Remix Instrumental and Smoothapella) which is the only track taken from Tha Force's unreleased album entitled "Mad Inspirations" recorded for GRP Records in 1994. The dope Remix version is produced by Agzilla the Deckwrecka who is a member of the North London crew Ronin Inc. This crew was founded around 1987 and the original members were Fritz, Normski, K.Zee, Alex, Sketch, JT, Tha Force and Agzilla.

Ronin Inc - Photo courtesy of Normski.

The B-Side also contains another song entitled "Plain & Simple" produced by Tha Force. If you're looking for a good wax from the 90's UK hip-hop scene for your collection, I think it could be this one. Peace

Book : Normski: Man with the Golden Shutter

 

Normski was a vital witness to the period known as the Golden Age of Rap, when big US artists like Run DMC, LL Cool J and Public Enemy started to play in the UK. At the same time, a British music scene born of Black music and myriad multicultural influence was developing, giving birth to Jungle, Garage and Techno.

The author, who describes himself as having been a “young Black British homeboy photographer”, was in the right place at the right time to document the emergent music, community and social movements of hip hop and rap in the UK. Normski: Man with the Golden Shutter presents Normski’s personal journey through that world from the mid-1980s to early 1990s.

The book includes Normski’s often previously unseen photographs of Public Enemy, N.W.A., Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Goldie, Ice-T, Run DMC, Wu-Tang Clan and many others, alongside the photographer’s stories and anecdotes from the centre of what would become a hugely influential cultural movement.

Release Date : September 2023

Pre-Order : Amazon / Acc Art Books  

Professor Griff in HHC - May 1990

 

From HHC - May 1990 - Scans courtesy of Repo136 (Ageing B-Boys Unite)