Mixed Elements - FX / Northern Exposure - 1996

Mixed Elements was a crew from the North East Bronx. The members were Shobaz, Dramah, Cee Lord and Lon Major. They were part of the North Pole Unit that was also comprised of The Bredrens, Da Hoodz Uv Mizbhavya (Nasty Noah, Lil Brad, Bubz & Robbie Rob), and a group called Indego (that features on the track "F@#% What Ya Heard" released by Trends Of Culture in 1993)

In 1996, Mixed Elements released two interesting 12"s on Madd Mooves Records (Blue & White Label) which were both repressed one year later on the same label but with a different label color. If you like indie hip-hop joints, those records need to be in your collection in my opinion. 

The first 12" consists of the tracks "FX" (Radio Mix, Unedited Mix & Instrumental) featuring Gina Love on the A-side and "Divine Style" (Radio, Unedited & Instrumental) on the B-side, everything produced by Shobaz. My favorite track on this one is "Divine Style" which uses the sample of the song "The Final Hour" performed by Wanda Robinson.

12" - 1997 - Madd Mooves Records 

The second 12" consists of the track "Northern Exposure" (Raw Mix & Instrumental) featuring the Bredrens & Nasty Noah, produced by Shobaz, and the track "Life's Dangerous" (Radio Mix, Unedited Mix & Instrumental) produced by Shobaz & Garth Mitchell (RIP) a.k.a G-Max. Both tracks are dope ! A previous 12" was released by the group in 1995 but it was another version of "Life's Dangerous", the track was titled "Yah Yah".

12" - 1997 - Madd Mooves Records 

Non Phixion - Strange Universe Feat MF Doom - Remixes

 Non Phixion drop the remix versions (The CZAR-KEYS Remix & Marco Polo Remix) of "Strange Universe" featuring MF Doom. Both versions feature on the 7-inch released on Uncle Howie Records last year. 

Napoleon Da Legend & JR Swiftz - Great Minds - 2025

 

Napoleon Da Legend & JR Swiftz deliver a  9-Track EP entitled "Great Minds", featuring Reks, Awon, Nejma Nefertiti, D-Styles and DJ Grazzhoppa. The album is available to pre-order on CD format (50 copies only) on Bandcamp. 

Tha Force - Smooth Reality - 1996

12" - 1996 - Ronin Records 

Here is the 12" released by Tha Force a.k.a Tha 4orce a.k.a F.O.R.C.E on Ronin Records in 1996. After a few years away concentrating on being a musical engineer and producer, this was F.O.R.C.E's debut solo release after he parted ways with K.Zee and N.U.R Management in 1993.

F.O.R.C.E & K.Zee - Ronin Inc

The 12" contains the lead single "Smooth & Reality" (Original, Remix, Remix Instrumental and Smoothapella) which is the only track taken from Tha Force's unreleased album entitled "Mad Inspirations" recorded for GRP Records in 1994. The dope Remix version is produced by Agzilla the Deckwrecka who is a member of the North London crew Ronin Inc. This crew was founded around 1987 and the original members were Fritz, Normski, K.Zee, Alex, Sketch, JT, Tha Force and Agzilla.

Ronin Inc - Photo courtesy of Normski.

The B-Side also contains another song entitled "Plain & Simple" produced by Tha Force. If you're looking for a good wax from the 90's UK hip-hop scene for your collection, I think it could be this one. Peace