Show : " I've been an Emcee since I was 11 years old. I was a kid DJ and one of the best Human Beat Boxers in NY. I was the beat box for AZ (The Firm) and his old partner named Pop. After I saw the movie 'Krush Groove' I knew I wanted to be come a Rapper. I got very good very quickly. By the time I reached High School I was one of the best Emcees in all of Bklyn. There was only 1 Emcee that stood in my way and that was my class mate Ed (Special ED). "
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Show : " We had the same producer at the time (Backspin) and we would clash often in class and at Backspins studio. I was looking for a DJ to back me. My last DJ wasn't loyal he would leave me to go to whoever was getting hot at the time or coming up so our relationship dwindled and I needed someone else. My name was Showbiz before the famed group (Showbiz & AG) but they got signed and released. They were making real noise with their song 'Soul Clap' and I was frustrated still in High School and my name was being used and I could do nothing. Finally someone said to me There's a kid in school that could be your twin. I said really?? I waited outside school everyday to see him but never did. I was finally told he leaves two periods earlier because he had advance classes and git out early. I cut my last two classes and stood outside and I finally saw him. I was in shock!!!! He looked so simular to me but was shorter. I asked if he wanted to be a group. He had no knowledge of Djing and little knowledge of rap except whatever was the biggest hit at the time. After a year I had him on board with full DJ equipment and practicing and becoming very very good. We needed a name... Showbiz had been taken and coming out with my original name wasn't gonna make sence. My friend Oggie suggested I shorten my name to Show, which a lot of people called me anyway and he thought of the name Celebrity to match Show. Show and the Celebrity ! We were already hood famous and famous in Flatbush, Brooklyn especially.
We got signed to a friend's up and coming Label Dead Serious Recordings (title influenced by Das EFX at the time) and he released the EP. It only played on the radio a few times. Others heard it I didn't. It was placed in Mom and Pop record stores but wasn't promoted. "
The 12" is composed of the tracks "Things That I Remember (Live)", "Mama Taught Me Better" (Original Street Version) and "Radio Active" (Bonus Track) on the A-side, and the tracks "Things That I Remember" (Label Made Me... Version) and "Mama Taught Me Better" (Mama Made... Version) on the B-side. The productions were managed by Show except both versions of "Mama Taught Me Better" which were produced by Joe Matias a.k.a B. Blunt who also worked with Da Bush Babies at that time.
About the production part, how did the connection happen between you and Joe Matias a.k.a B. Blunt ?
Show : " I was very popular in Flatbush as the Emcee to work with. Joe was working with The Bush Babies and saw me perform at a show and wanted to do production for me as soon as he heard me Rock. "
I know that you were part of a group called 2 Dangerous in the late 80s, did you drop an official release at that time ?
Show : " How did you know about 2 Dangerous ?? Wow... We recorded with Backspin but we never released a song."
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What were your hip-hop influences as a producer / MC ?
Show : " Rakim, Kool G Rap, KRS One and Run from Run Dmc. "
Could you give me more info about the other emcees (Axesgent, E.G., King Lywan) featuring on the track "Radio Active" ?
Show : " They were all my friends in High School, all from Brooklyn and lived close by.
E.G very smart kid in school. Excellent drawing skills and loved the Ladies. E.G. was his initials Eric Green.
Lywan was a Gangster in High School. He was selling guns in 11 grade and had a gangster rap style we wanted to hear on music. He was originally from Farragette Projects downtown Brooklyn.
Axesgent was brought on last. His real name is Tito and he was a great street ball player and slap boxer on Linden rd. in Flatbush. He was the least accomplished Emcee but he killed it the hardest on the track. He wrote his verse the day before we went in the studio but we were all in shock how hard he came off. "
Funny fact, I've discovered during this interview that E.G (Eric Green) and the MC named E.DOT who released a very good debut single entitled "Look Out" in 1996 on the same record label, were the same person.
It's not too late to grab E.DOT's 12" too if you haven't had it in your record collection yet. You can find it easily for a good price.
Both 12" are the only records released by Dead Serious Recordings, a record label owned and managed by Jason A. Ellis from Flatbush Brooklyn.
Show : "Jason Ellis was the president of the record label. We used to call Jason The Black Jew because he was very smart and strategic with his own personal money. Jason could sell water to a well. I never met anyone with his drive in my life. He reminded me of a young Puff Daddy trying to get on. "
According to Show, there were no more records dropped by Dead Serious Records because the money man backing Jason Ellis didn't want to invest anymore money in the record label.
From what I know, there is also an awful story about Jason Ellis's best friend Trinity a.k.a Trini... he was killed and chopped-up in pieces by drug dealers. Trinity was a great guy, very funny and peaceable. They sent pieces of his body to his mom and to others... that made Jason very humble and stay off the radar moving forward. He was never the same. After Trini died he kept his head low... moving more in silence.
Show : " Celebrity and I ended up going separate ways and I changed my name to OFF BROADWAY. I got signed to Def Jam but I gave my life to Christ before it was released and left music for good. I re emerged as a spoken word Artist two decades later and now I am the best spoken Word Artist in Orlando, FL. They call me John Study now, The Poetry Rockstar. "
Massive props to Show a.k.a John Study, thanks for your time bro.
I dedicate this article to Patrick Charles a.k.a The Celebrity who passed away in 2020 from covid complications... R.I.P.
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