Peach Tha 5ft Trooper - MC's Step Up! - 1994

12" - 1994 - Ballyhoo Recordings  

I bet you know nothing about this Canadian emcee called Peach Da Five Foot Troopa except He released his first and only 12" single featuring Trigger Man and Bad Nuze on Ballyhoo Recordings in 1994... well I was recently lucky to talk to Peach's ex-partners Trx, Chief Rock, Bubba Sean & Trigga Man and they told me the story about this 12"... here is a slice of Canadian Hip-Hop history !

Peach was a Oakville kid, he appeared on "Just Like Mom" a TV show back in the day with his mom. They use the ring people's doorbells in Oakville and break dance for them. In 1991 he started rapping, his first song recorded was "Children of the funk" with his friend from Meadowvale 'Little Twist'.

Peach met Bubba Sean (beatboxer at the time) in 1992 through his DJ Subliminal then later on Peach met Trx and Chief Rock a.k.a Sino at Rollergardens in Burlington, Ontario. 

They in turn came up with the idea to link him up with Trigga Man. During those years in Hamilton, Trx and Chief were clicking with Trigga who was in Legal Eye rap group. In about 1993, Ballyhoo Crew was formed with the following members : Peach (leader / rapper), Little Twist (rapper), Triggaman (rapper / producer), Bubba Sean (hype man / beatboxer), DJ Subliminal (DJ), Bad Nuze (rapper / Break dancer / producer), Trix (Break dancer / producer), KiX (Break dancer), Sino (Break dancer), Kaz (Break dancer) and J Stone (manager / producer / engineer).

Peach's parents began to pay for studio time at Chester a.k.a J Stone Studio who is partners with Larry Uptown Smooth. Peach had a very cocky and aggressive rap style and J Stone wanted to introduce that to the world.

But because he was a white kid from Oakville, J Stone thought it would be more appealing if he had some guys featured on his first single that were more Street than him because at this time there were no real white rappers. So although Peach had a full album recorded they begin to make the lead singers for the album which was "(Do You Like) My Flow Yo!" featuring Triggerman and "MC's Step Up!" featuring Triggerman and Bad Nuze.

The single was doing very well, was selling in record stores in Canada and the US.. the press release, the pressing of the records, the distribution of the records was all funded by J Stone. Because members of the group did not understand the music business part of things that much they thought they were owed money. but Jay Stone and Uptown Larry smooth had to make their money back first before the artist to start seeing money this caused a misunderstanding and a difference of opinion which caused the end of the Ballyhoo crew. Which is why only one 12 inch was released. Peach after then formed a group called Northside Sound.

Triggerman was a part of a group called FNS a.k.a Fist of the North Star for a bit then afterwards began his solo artist career and so did Bad Nuze, that is when Rakunz started with the remaining members in 1995.


Mad Props to Trx, Chief Rock, Bubba Sean & Trigga Man for all the info.