Here is an other classic 12" released on Messenger Records in 1995. The wax consists of the tracks "Survival of The Fetus" performed by Messiah and the excellent "Purple Rain" performed by Rubbabandz. Both tracks are available in their radio versions on the A-side and in their instrumental versions on the B-side.
"Survival of The Fetus" and "Purple Rain" were produced by Kenyatta Bell who was A&R for Mercury Records at that time. He was the owner of Messenger Records and he also managed Close Range Records, the indie imprint label which released the first Camoflage Large 12" in 1996.
Kenyatta Bell : "I was doing A&R for Mercury Records back in the early 90s. I began to produce by doing radio edits and show dats for our artists. From there I started playing around with the Ensonic keyboard sampler and old Jazz records. Just seeing what I could do with my ear. Messenger Records was my indie imprint label. I started the imprint so I could develop all the artists that I couldn't get signed to Mercury. I also executive produced and released the Camoflage Large project with the Brooklyn-based producer named E Knight."
Not a lot of info about the Bronx-based emcee Messiah. I sent him a few messages but he never answered. All I know is Messiah came to Kenyatta through La Kei Herman and E Knight.
About Rubbabandz, if you don't remember him, he was a member of the group GP Wu (Gladiator Posse Wu) with Pop Da Brown Hornet, Down Low Recka and June Luve. He was born and raised in the Stapleton section of Staten Island, NYC and he featured on a lot of tracks dropped by Shyheim The Rugged Child between 1993 and 1995. Rubbabandz was considered as a good MC but it seems he had a very bad luck with the record labels for his solo career...
Rubbabandz : "I was supposed to sign to Mercury Records but it didn't happened... I was supposed to sign to Messenger Records but I didn't... I really just did the song "Purple Rain" for Kenyatta, he was trying to help me get on at the time. After that I got offered a single deal in Japan from a label but I turned it down..."
Kenyatta Bell : "I don't exactly remember how I met Rubbabandz but I think it was through Rza. Bandz was on a Shyheim record that was getting radio mixshow spins. Rza and I were talking and he mentioned Bandz and spoke positively. I forget who brought him to my office but I think that's how we met...
I produced that record "Purple Rain" for Bandz as a demo 'cause he didn't have one. There was another record we did with a crazy guitar lick which I don't remember the name of the song. But anyway I presented those records to my boss who wanted to hear more. I had another artist named Veronica and I was completing her album on Mercury. I asked Diamond D come in to remix Veronica’s first single called "For You" and decided to put Bandz on it for 16 bars. It came out hard as hell so we wanted to drop that as the first single which would have given me leverage to sign Bandz. Long story short, that song was not chosen to be the first single...
I didn't sign Messiah or Rubbabandz on Messenger Records because I didn't have money to sign anyone... I put up my own cash to do those records and got free studio time. It was really for the love and being creative at the time."
I didn't sign Messiah or Rubbabandz on Messenger Records because I didn't have money to sign anyone... I put up my own cash to do those records and got free studio time. It was really for the love and being creative at the time."
This wax is definitely a must have, so if you don't have it in your collection yet, you can easily find a copy for sale online... for a very good price !
Mad Props to Kenyatta Bell & Rubbabandz, thanks for your time.
Great record, and never knew there was a Veronica joint with a Rubbabandz verse, doesn't look like it ever saw the light of day though.
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