Down Ta Erf - Down Ta Erf - 2021

 

2xLP - 2021 - 90's Tapes / HHV 

"The members of Down Ta Erf consists of a production team of twin brothers Wall & Steel, one emcee Mathematik. The trio would first meet on the football field sharing the back field as running backs for the Eagles in a local (Scarborough, Toronto) youth football league, a few years later into their teens they would link again to form what we now know as Down Ta Erf. During the early developing years the crew would go on to focus on creating the purest most original interpretation of the music and the times that they could, digging both within themselves and the crates as well. What took place was the creation of a special time capsule of music brought to you by a crew that truly live and breathe the culture of music" - courtesy of 90's Tapes

Limited Gatefold 2xLP edition including 5 bonus tracks in addition to the original demo album from 1997. The album is also available on Cassette and CD. 

Order : Vinyl (750 copies) / CD (300 copies) / Cassette (100 copies)

Maestro Fresh Wes - Fine Tune Da Mic - 1993

12" - 1993 - LMR 

"Fine Tune Da Mic" was the first single dropped in 1993 by the Canadian emcee Maestro Fresh-Wes from Scarborough/Toronto off his classic album "Naaah, Dis Kid Can't Be From Canada?!!" which was released one year later. 

This 12" was released on LeFrak-Moelis Records (LMR), a record label based in New York founded by Samuel J. LeFrak (of the LeFrak Organization) and music industry veteran Herb Moelis. 

The wax contains 3 songs, "Fine Tune Da Mic" and "Make It For The Ruff" produced by the legendary Showbiz (of Showbiz & AG), and "Dat's My Nigga" produced by Maestro himself. If you like productions with Jazz flavors, this 12" is for you. 

For those who don't know Maestro Fresh Wes, you need to know that this guy is a legend and is considered as the Godfather of the Canadian Hip-Hop. He was one of the first emcee when there was no hip-hop scene in Canada at that time. His Debut Single "Let Your Backbone Slide" in 1989 was the First Canadian rap song certified gold. 

After the release of his "Maestro Zone" EP in 1991, Maestro Fresh-Wes moved to Brooklyn, NY and hooked up with the D.I.T.C member. That's how the track "Fine Tune Da Mic" was born. 

In July 1993, The 12" was reviewed in the Sure Shot Singles section of The Source Magazine :

From The Source - July 1993 - Original Scans by Frederic Thecle 

Godd Boddies - Ill Visions - 2021

LP - 2021 - Item Records / Taha Records 

Godd Boddies was a Canadian crew composed of Knowledge Power and Igodevine from Scarborough, Eastern part of the city of Toronto (Ontario). The album "Ill Vision" came out in 1997 on Def Beat Records, and was produced by Godd Boddies and K-Cut (Main Source). 2 versions of this album already exist : The original version was released on Def Beat Records with 19 tracks only available on CD format and the second version from Koch International was released on CD & Tape in 1998 with 22 tracks. The album is now available for the first time on vinyl with the help of Taha & Item Records.

Order (First Drop) : Red Vinyl / Black Vinyl 

Citizen Kane - Soul Survivor / Raisin Kane 7" - 2018

7" - 2018 - Treehouse Records 

The Scarborough based trio Citizen Kane is back with 2 brand new  7-Inches : the first 7" (Green vinyl) features the groups first single "Soul Survivor" produced by Down To Erf. The second 7" (Blue vinyl) features "Raisin Kane", a track produced by K-Cut from Main Source and originally released on the rare "The Epic" EP in 1997. Both records will be available for sale soon via Discogs only, ... stay tuned fellas !!

Sic Sense - Positional Bypass / Onemantality - 1995

12" - 1995 - Luge Recordings

Photo courtesy of Dub ILL

This 12" is definitely one of the best wax released by a Canadian group during the 90s. This record isn't really expensive and should be in every Hip-Hop record collection due to the fact that both tracks are mad dope and can be easily compared to the best U.S productions from the East Coast at that time. 

Sic Sense was a group hailing from the suburb of Scarborough Ontario and consisted of Shutgun DubILL D, 6Pak and Boom.

Photo courtesy of Dub ILL

They all grew up in a hood called Malvern a.k.a Da Hilltop and formed the crew in 1994. They met each others in High School, they all had an addiction for Hip-Hop music that pulled them all together like a magnet. In 1995, they released their first single " Positional Bypass / Onemantality" on Luge Recordings, a record label founded by some of their friends who wanted to take a business approach to the game. 

Productions are made by the well-known beatmakers Steel & Wall (Creative Illusions / ERF Productions) also known as Fisherman productions, and both are members of the group Down To Erf with Mathematik. They produced for many local artists in the Toronto area like Citizen Kane or Diemen X and were mentored by K-Cut of the Main Source. 

The original samples used for "Positional Bypass" come from the songs " I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" released in 1971 and performed by Bo Diddley, "Speak Ya Clout" performed by Gang Starr for Guru's voice sample "From the get go / I let go / Shit to make you petro" and "Stress Remix" performed by Organized Konfusion for Pharoahe Monch 's voice sample "Yo it's the verbal assault weapon with words uncanny". Sorry but don't know the samples for the other track "Onemantality"... The wax isn't really hard to find so be sure to cop this Canadian Hip-Hop masterpiece asap !!!  

Mad Props to D. Jerome a.k.a Dub ILL 

Documentary : Raisin' Kane - A Rapumentary

A documentary about the rise of independent / underground Juno-nominated rap group Citizen Kane from the Scarborough projects as they try to release their first feature length album and take the crown of best hip hop group in the Canadian music industry. Awarded HBO Award for Best Documentary at Urbanworld Film Festival 2001, Best Canadian Documentary at Reelworld Film Festival 2001.