12" - 1997 - Diehard Records
I don't really remember but I believe that the first time I've listened to this classic indie joint "Genovesee's Thesis" was with the help of Jr Ewing and his famous first official mixtape titled "Pour Tes Oreilles" dropped in 1997. The mixtape tape was dedicated to underground and indie 12" and the tracklisting was dope.
Born and raised in Yonkers, NY... Joseph Genovese a.k.a Genovese released "Genovesee's Thesis" in 1997 when he was 18 years old. It came out on Diehard Records and features his Friend Styles P on the hook. This is the only joint pressed on this 12". It was produced by I a.k.a I-Witness and the track is available in its Radio Edit, Main and Instrumental versions.
Genovese : "I met Diehard Records through Richie Thumbs who was dealing with them first. I was running with the LoX at that time, living with Styles P in Yonkers. We were with him (me and Kasino) everyday going to Daddy's house to hang while they recorded. Then chilling in Ruff Ryders studio trying to work. At that time I was hangin with Swizz Beats a lot. But never got any Rec to record or work. So Diehard really gave me the opportunity to work in studio consistently and threw us bread and mad gear.
I-Witness was with Diehard. He made that beat for me. Funny thing about "Thesis" beat, is I didn’t write the song to that beat. I wrote it to a Lox beat and Styles P had that hook in the stash so I really dope song that the lyrics and hook weren’t even written to the beat. Couldn’t ever tell tho lol"
Everyone knows that Genovese was a member of The Lox but nobody knows that Genovese started in the early 90s as a member of the Yonkers-based duo named Unknown Soldiers. Genovese's first official appearance was on the various compilation entitled "10 Deep" released on Ready Or Not Records in 1994.
We recorded the song for the album called "10 Deep" that featured different artists that were pressed up on vinyl by Ready Or Not Records. They had an ill studio in Harlem. "Out Da Gutta" was really my first song that was released to the masses. It was mad grimy with that Onyx early 90s sound.
Unkown Soldiers stopped after that because Stiffy got in trouble with the law. I went on to work with my beat partner / friend J-Blend (RIP) and I recorded a demo with him and then "Thesis" came years later and that was that."
Genovese : "We sent demos to labels back then, to certain people but once Stiffy got into trouble the demos became not important any more... Needed to focus on me.
Yonkers was a twisted place growing up. Amazed me I made it out. I put so much blood sweat and tears into the music biz. This generation has no idea what it was like. You couldn't say you were an MC. You had to get accepted into the culture. You had to be nice. They wouldn't take your money to pay them off to play your music. They would slap you and take your money and tell you to beat it. You earned stripes you didn't paint them on yourself. You worked your way up. It was called artist development. It was the 90s..."
To finish, if you're looking for an explanation about the extra E (Genovesee) written on the label, according to Genovese "People started to write that on mixtapes for song listings at the time. Diehard actually spelled it that way on some releases and also on our wrapped promo van. Why? I don't know lol. But that's the only reason..."
"Genovesee's Thesis" is a classic 12" still really easy to find nowadays. Besides some copies are available online for a very good price (less than 10$). 2022 will be the year of the 25th anniversary of "Thesis", so Genovese is working on a documentary and a release of his early solo Demos... stay tuned...
Mad Props to Joseph Genovese, Thanks for your time Bro.
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