Messiah / Rubbabandz ‎- Survival Of The Fetus / Purple Rain - 1995

12" - 1995 - Messenger Records 

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."

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.  

Camouflage Large

Photo courtesy of Alex Robles

"C**k back da nine/Push your wig back/All my peoples in the PJs pack gats" 

Do you remember that ? no doubt It should talk to you if you were listening to real Hip-Hop in 1996.

Camouflage Large was a Brooklyn based crew from Breukelen Projects and originally consisted of E-Knight, White-AL, Four-Fif, Black Assassin, Razen Kane and 9 Lives. 

The group was founded and started creating demos circa '96. 
The Assassin : "We all grew up in the same neighborhood and some of us went to the same schools."

White-AL : "We were all friends and had different styles in terms of rapping. We all had separate solos and collabos together that I may still have on cassette and I have a few digital copies somewhere..." 

Photo courtesy of Alex Robles

They dropped their first 12" maxi-single 'Hitmen Holdin' Steel / Cocbacda 9' in 1996 on Close Range Records, a label owned by Kenyatta Bell.

12" - 1996 - Close Range Records 






The tracks were produced by E-knight who was also a member of the excellent indy group N.Y Confidential. Both tracks had good critics from the underground Hip-Hop scene when it came out and were played many times by Stretch & Bobbito on WKCR that year, certainly the only Radio Show which was able to spin this kind of wax. 

Quality guarantee, the tracks were recorded at D&D Studio and all cuts done by Dj Goldfinger. As you can see on the pic above, the first pressing was with artist misspelled as "Camoflauge" on labels but it will be correctly spelled on the second version. 

White-AL : "We never had a budget to record a full album. I started my own label "Camouflage Large Records LLC" with my partner Richard L Williams a.k.a Weev with all of the members minus E-knight and put out the second single entitled 'Regulate' "

12" - 1997 - Camouflage Large Records 

The wax came out in 1997 and was composed of 3 tracks : "Regulate" produced by Jovonn, "Hear Me Out" and "Heavy Heaters" both produced by Latief who is also known for his productions for dope artists like Grand Puba, Mystidious Misfitss, Masta Ace, Onyx, All City and more ... 

Photo courtesy of Richard Williams

The CL Clique used to perform with Killa Army a lot and did a commercial for a local clothing store in Brooklyn way back called S&D Downtown Brooklyn. 
After that the group ended ... but most of the members are still in the game nowadays. White-Al and E-knight are still here under the same monikers. The Assassin is now known as Jus Stacks and Four-Fif is the CEO and founder of MoveOver Magazine. 

White-AL: "All of us are still doing well... A few of us are still underground artist and are still rapping including myself... we’re still all cook with each other til this day. "

Mad Props to Alex Robles a.k.a White-AL