Most Wanted Records is back with a nice reissue of the excellent Mr Ruckuz 's The Verdict EP, originally released in 1998 on Madd Versatile Records.
"Originally released in 1998, "The Verdict" stands as one of Baltimore's most overlooked underground rap records. Issued in extremely limited quantities and originally released on vinyl without artwork, the record quickly disappeared into the hands of a small circle of collectors and dedicated underground hip-hop enthusiasts.
More than twenty-five years later, Most Wanted Records is proud to bring this rare underground gem back to wax in a carefully crafted collector's edition.
The audio has been meticulously remastered by Milian Mastering, preserving the raw character and atmosphere of the original release while enhancing the overall listening experience for vinyl enthusiasts.
This edition also includes an exclusive bonus track, unavailable on the original pressing.
For the first time ever, The Verdict is presented with a complete artwork package designed by Prillustrationz, giving this long-overlooked release the presentation it has always deserved.
A highly desirable addition for collectors of rare 90s hip-hop, independent rap, and limited vinyl editions. Pressed on premium 180-gram vinyl!" - courtesy of Most Wanted Records
Available on standard Black vinyl (300 copies), Red/Black vinyl (200 copies), Test Press (5 copies), and also on CD.
Baltimore-based MC Ill Conscious delivers the single "Marginal Gains" produced by French producers Alcynoos and Parental (de Kalhex). The track is taken from their forthcoming collaborative album "The Aggregation of Marginal Gains", a project that fuses masterful lyricism with rich, jazz inspired productions. The album is available to pre-order on double vinyl via HHV Records (limited to 300 copies).
" DJ Grazzhoppa and Smimooz put out the very first Solid vs Green album back in 1998. Their self-titled debut focused strictly on showcasing their dope beatmaking skills and turntablism. They followed it up with the "Operation Molotov" EP in 2001 and then finally "Solid Gold" in 2012 which was a remix album.
Now in 2025 we are very proud to present you a new Solid vs Green project that has been in the making for several years. Solid vs Green teamed up with the Baltimore crew "Animal Gang" and this 7-headed outfit will surely ring bells with many. Members include Jamil Honesty, Don Streat, Cayoz, Unreal, Jigsaw, Mic Handz and last but not least Senica Da Misfit (R.I.P.). HHE followers will remember him from his timeless "The Mayan Script" album we put out back in 2020. Not only was Senica a gifted poet but he was also a great actor that got several supporting roles in Netflix series and was getting increasingly more exposure. He was taken from us unexpectedly in 2021 but here you will find some of the last recordings he did gracing us with his insightful and deep storytelling.
Solid vs Green is exactly what Boom Bap headz want... hardcore production, killer cuts and skilled dope emcees that thrive on it. " - courtesy of Hip Hop Enterprise
Available on Neon Green Vinyl (100 copies), Black Vinyl (150 copies) & CD (100 copies)
"Tuthmosis" is the first single taken from the next collaborative project which will be released in 2024 by the Baltimore-based emcee Ill Conscious and the Toronto-based producer Finn. Stay tuned!
Vital Signs is a Baltimore based group comprised of 3 members, Roland Taylor AKA Redstorm/MC Connoisseur & George Slade AKA MC Law/Lynx, one DJ/Producer, Brandon Ware AKA DJ B-Ware/Arkitek.
In 1992 they release their first 12" which is now became a very hard to find record. Few years later the group splits and Mc Connoisseur and MC Lynx decide to join forces with Juahar (Scientific Labs Studios) in order to bring back the heat. Called NuGen the new group recorded a lot of unreleased materials in the mid and late 90's.
This project here consists of 7 Vital Signs 90's unreleased tracks + 12" (1992) tracks included and 7 NuGen 90's unreleased songs, very DOPE material. If you missed MC Connoisseur's interview, you can check it Here.
My last post about Vital Signs could make you think that this group stopped making good music after that... but here is another chapter to Vital Signs's story : George Slade a.k.a MC Law and Roland Taylor a.k.a MC Connoisseur formed a resurgent group called NuGen, a play on New Genesis as a symbol of their rebirth as artists. They took about a 2 year hiatus after their first DJ/Producer B-Ware decided to do other things. Afterwards, they connected with a producer named Juahar out of Scientific Labs Studios still in Baltimore, MD. There they recorded about 20-25 songs...
Roland Taylor : "NuGen started after a short break once it was realized that Vital Signs was done. We each went on to college after high school where we formed Vital Signs and recorded sporadically throughout our first few years. But life sometimes goes in different directions and our producer was no longer available.
We were a family so it was hard to move forward but we found another local producer through some mutual acquaintances - Juahar from Scientific Sounds productions. Juahar was a friend through our mutual friends and knew about us and our music. So, getting together to start doing music together seemed like a natural fit. Juahar’s sound and ear for music was totally different than what we were used to. It was new, fresh, bold, innovative. Juahar was also a lyricist so I think that added a different nuance to how he made music. He’s worked with some really dope artists in Baltimore and collaborating with him and some of the others made it feel like we had a new family.
We went on to record at least 20-25 songs with Juahar. Our sound, our lyrics, our cadence, our flow and technique had all grown. The beats were so dope!!!! We never put out any other music but that was before the industry changed to where it is today. Artists were still releasing tapes, CD’s and vinyl. So I’m saying myself. It wasn’t as easy as it is today.
Ultimately, we graduated from college and the “real” world started. Jobs, families, etc. So, recording became dew and far between. The same was true for Juahar and he decided not to pursue music anymore.
It was a great era!! This was probably from ‘94-‘98/‘99."
Let's talk about this Baltimore-based group called Vital Signs (VS) who released this 12" entitled "Rockin' Rhythms" in September 1992 on HueMan Records. The crew consists of two MCs, Roland Taylor a.k.a Redstorm/MC Connoisseur and George Slade a.k.a MC Law/Lynx, and one DJ/Producer, Brandon Ware a.k.a DJ B-Ware/Arkitek.
This debut 12" received heavy rotations on college radios from the East Coast at that time, from NY to down South. This wax which is really hard to find nowadays, is composed of 2 tracks entitled "Rockin' Rhythms" on the A-side (Original and Remix versions) and "You in Danger" on the B-side (Original and Edit versions).
Photo courtesy of Roland Taylor
Roland Taylor who is now a famous children's book author (The Hip-Hop Chessmaster / I Know I Can), accepted to answer a few questions to give me more info.
- Roland, which part of Baltimore did you all come from ?
Roland Taylor : "Brandon and I are from West Baltimore and George is from East Baltimore. We all met in High School at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute."
- How did the connection first happen between you, Law and The Arkitek ?
Roland Taylor : "A friend of Brandon’s and another one of our classmates Doug Handy introduced us after hearing us flow. VS formed around 1989. "
1990 - Photo courtesy of Roland Taylor
- Where does the name Vital Signs come from ?
Roland Taylor : "Vital Signs means having a pulse on the culture ! It also symbolizes the equalizer.
- What were the hip-hop influences of the group at that time ?
Roland Taylor : "We had a wide variety of influences from all genres of music. But specifically I would say Native Tongues and then most of the originators like LL Cool J, etc..."
- Could you tell me who managed HueMan Records ?
Roland Taylor : "HueMan Records was managed by us, we were an independent record company."
- Do you remember how many copies of the 12" (Rockin' Rhythms) were pressed in 1992 ?
Roland Taylor : "We dropped Rockin’ Rhythms as a single to promote the group. I don't remember the exact quantity but we pressed enough copies of the 12" for local record stores and a variety of college and other radio stations".
2 years after the release of their debut single, Vital Signs appeared in the Demo section of The Fever Magazine issue of March 1994. A full review of their demo tape was written by Eric Jenkins.
Photo courtesy of Roland Taylor
- Why did the album recorded in the 90s never come out officially ?
Roland Taylor : "We were all still in college at that time and other priorities prevented us from dropping a full length album. Plus, I think we were in the mindset of trying to get signed by a major. Very different from now where you don’t even need a label to release your music..."
By chance, all the tracks from the unreleased debut album are available on youtube via Roland's youtube channel... My favorites are "Nightmare", "Rockin' Rhythms", "Are You Ready", "Eye Of The Storm" and "We On Da Move". I think the album deserves an official release on vinyl... What about you ? ... Good listening fellas !
Mad props to Roland Taylor, thanks for everything.
Visuals for Staxx's second single "Jewels From Kings" featuring ILL Conscious & Jamil Honesty from his debut LP entitled "La llegada". The track is produced by Jamil Honesty.
Visuals for "Funk", the second single dropped by the Baltimore-based emcee Ullnevano & producer God Sense Beats featuring J.Scienide, taken from the album entitled "The Ghost of Reggie Lewis" released in November 2022.
"Keeping the stellar release going Baltimore emcee and producer God Sense Beats, takes viewers on a verbiage journey of lyrics that’ll make them scrunch up their faces like they smelled something unpleasant. FUNK featuring fellow dmv emcee/producer static king representative J. Scienide, the second set of visuals from “The Ghost of Reggie Lewis,” shot at various locations at the Glenstone Museum directed by Skype Williams. Watch the two emcees exchange bars near dope obscure sculptures and Maryland agricultural. The album is available everywhere on streaming platforms as well as physical merch."
Here is the reissue of the second volume of Architects compilation which was originally released in 1998 on Architects Entertainment. Architects was a collective of producers and promoters from Baltimore, MD consisted of Nigel McIntosh a.k.a DJ NIIGE, Mike McIntosh, Lonnie Bass, Big Tank and Dramatic. Don't sleep on this one fellas !!!
1. Architects - Architects Intro
2. Derrick Rebel - Sweat Pants & Timbos
3. S.C.U - Harm City
4. Krewsafyx & Lonnie Bass - I'll Take It
5. Lonnie Bass & Derrick Rebel- The Jungle
6. Derrick Rebel - I In Team
7. Silouette - Zonin'
8. Derrick Rebel-. Run For Your Life
9. L.M.S - Brighter Days
10. S.C.U, Tragedy (The Fire Arm Don), Regi-Ruckus, Verbal, M.I.C, Colossal, Silouette, Derrick Rebel, Phat Kat - It's On Nigger (All Star Cypher)
11. Architects - Pain Intro
12. Derrick Rebel, Phat Kat , Kenny P. , Dionne - Pain (Personal Aggrevation In Niggas)
13. S.C.U - Threshold Of Pain
14. Derrick Rebel - Hit 'Em Hard
15. Derrick Rebel, Silouette , Chaos - Set It Off
16. M.I.C , Steve Colossal, Rome (The Lone One) - Shattered Dreamz
Baltimore-based emcees Raf Almighty & Guy Grams drop the video for their second single "End Part" featuring Ji Sharp (Guitar) & Dcypha (cuts), taken from their collaborative project "The Bag" fully produced by BigBob from Toronto, Canada. The album is available on Vinyl and CD.
"Breakin' Thru 4 Delf " is a dope project released in 1995 by BreakThru Entertainment, Inc on the Baltimore-based label Eye Level Records. Both were managed by Ma'ani "9 Double M" Martin.
The 12" is composed of 4 tracks only, recorded by hip-hop artists named D.O.M.E.S.W.E.L.L.A.S (Shaquan a.k.a Shaquan Don, Infinite & Nic), Nappy Head Guerilla, and the female emcee Kayoz.
The A-side is composed of the tracks "MC's I Destroy" performed by Kayoz and "Phat Enlightenment" performed by Nappy Head Guerrilla. The B-side is composed of the tracks "D.O.M.E.S.W.E.L.L.A.S" performed by D.O.M.E.S.W.E.L.L.A.S and "Breakin' Thru 4 Delf" the posse cut performed by D.O.M.E.S.W.E.L.L.A.S, Nappy Head Guerilla and Kayoz.
Ma'ani, when did you found BreakThru Entertainment, Inc. ?
Ma'ani Martin : " BreakThru Ent, Inc. was founded in 1994. I was an educator and met Nappy Head Guerilla as a student in my English class. He was a middle school student at the time and he expressed an interest in writing and making music. Since I was his teacher and mentor, I created an outlet for young people to explore and enhance their talents in the field of entertainment. After I had observed the passion NHG had garnered for the art of emceeing, I decided to manage him and create BTE Management. NHG was the first artist signed to my management imprint. "
Could you explain how the connection happened with Nappy Head Guerilla, Kayoz and Shaquan Don ?
Ma'ani Martin : "I met Kayoz in my English class as well. She was the first female emcee signed to my management company as well. She was very shy and didn't audition until NHG encouraged her to share her rhymes with the class. When she kicked her first rhyme, it was outstanding and everyone was like "Whoa" she's DOPE. I eventually signed her to my imprint as well. I gave her the emcee name "Kayos da' Mic Wreckor" because every freestyle verse or battle she dropped was straight FIRE. This was the beginning of the two-headed monsta comprised of NHG and Kayoz. They were very talented and extraordinary with the penmanship, lyrical prowess, and performances. They both were celebrated locally within the East Coast (Baltimore, Washington, DC, New York, New Jersey) and the West Coast (Los Angeles) respectively. We were backpackers (including myself--A young English teacher) and were knocking on every door that would hear our sound (college radio, small venues across the nation, and commercial radio plugs to market our brand, etc.). We were relentless, however, we were considered underground and the opportunities today weren't available. The advent of the internet made the game easier when it came to marketing. We were hitting the pavement and trying to literally "Breakthrough"and make some noise coming from a small region in Baltimore. We were small and trying to scream (spit rhymes) with the giants (Big labels and the upstart indie labels). Great times and memories.
I met the DOMESWELLAS and Shaquan Don, a few years later. They were the third group signed to my management imprint. They were a three man group comprised of Shaquan's younger brother and childhood friend. Shaquan Don was a producer/emcee. He was very DOPE on the mic and boards. Additionally, he produced a few tracks for NHG and Kayoz as well. These tracks were singles and demo songs."
D.O.M.E.S.W.E.L.L.A.S. is an acronym that stands for Deleting Obsolete Mind Effects So We Enable Long Lasting Active Swelling. Shaquan Don can be considered as the core member of D.O.M.E.S.W.E.L.L.A.S... Emcee but also producer, he handled the production of all the tracks from the EP. In an interview done by hanDJob in 2001, he declared that around 200 copies of the EP were pressed in '95, so no need to say that the 12" is very hard to find nowadays.
Shaquan Don - Photo courtesy of Shaquan Don
For all the demo tape collectors, you need to know that Kayoz Da' Mic Wreckor released a demo tape in the mid-90s produced by Sean Greene (RIP) but her project never came out officially.
Kayoz - Photo courtesy of Kayoz
Photo courtesy of wdgfprodz
Ma'ani Martin : " Sean Greene was Nappy Head Guerilla's house producer. I met Sean through NHG. Sean produced NHG's first demo track. He was very dope as well. He eventually produced a few demo tracks for Kayoz as well. Sean rocked with BTE Music Group for a couple years until BTE teamed up with Shaquan Don who served as one of many producers for the company and crew."
Last question, could you give me more info about Eye Level Records ?
Ma'ani Martin : " Eye Level Records was founded by me. I started the label to release our music independently. Eye Level records was eventually changed to BTE Music Group. I combined both entities (management and record label). I operated under one umbrella and that's BTE Music Group. The company is an independent label specializing in all genres, primarily Hip Hop Music. "
Mad Props to Ma'ani Martin, founder/CEO of BTE Music Group
Here is the video of the second single "Army Of Two" from the album "BOLO YEUNG" released by Sean Links from North Carolina and fully produced by the Baltimore-based emcee/producer Jamil Honesty.
Here it is the so expected Starvin Art Clique Album after all those years... It definitely deserved a proper re-issue, now it 's done !!! Mad Props to 90's Tapes.
The Starvin Art Clique consisted of Christopher "30 Fingaz" Gittens, Robert "Hawaii" Russell and DJ Joe "Guess Who?" Davidge and "Starving Art" was their only album. The full production was handled by Guess Who? and Shane "The Doctor" Faber, features included artists such as Shawn Smith, Jaie, Mekolicious and others.
Originally released on CD on Joe Davidge's Overkast Records in 1998, the release was accompanied by a then and now hard-to-find 12" EP with 5 tracks of the album plus an instrumental version.
Available on 2xLP (Gatefold, 500 copies), CD (300 copies) and Tape (100 copies).
Architects Entertainment - The Foundation Vol. 1 was originally released in 1997 on tape in a very limited quantity. 24 years later, this classic is now available on CD (Remastered) with the help of Most Wanted Records... Vinyl also coming soon, stay tuned !!
RAF Almighty of Dirt Platoon releases his latest album "Once Upon A Time in Baltimore". It 's a 15-track project fully produced by Big Bob from Toronto Canada, which also features hip-hop artists such like Ruste Juxx, Skanks the Rap Martyr, Guy Grams, Lyfe The Oracle, Gstats, DJ Eclipse and more...
"Once Upon A Time in Baltimore is the sequel to the critically acclaimed album 537 Dolphin Street from visionary producer, BigBob and gifted emcee, RAF Almighty of Dirt Platoon. Once Upon A Time in Baltimore allows for Raf Almighty to develop and influence his stories about his beloved Charm City, becoming the glorious hero his city longs for. He’s a human being through and through traversing the landscape with noble ideals, fired up by courage, wit and plights of adversity. Lyrically he envelopes himself as a forthright energy, creative and radiating with passion. BigBob maintains his positioning as an artful beat smith, creating atmospheres that sonically challenges all listeners and connects deeply." - courtesy of Elite Sound International
"Sup y'all !? As promised CNV are back. This album called Vibrations consists of 9 DOPE mid 90's unreleased tracks (92-97). DOPE Conscious Jazzy Boom Bap, can't go wrong with the Gods. Don't sleep on this B More Gem ! Many DOPE Vibes & Messages for you, as always. Mission is Real !" - Bee Lapointe (B2DS)
