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A.G. & Stu Bangas - Selfy - 2026

LP - 2026 - Lastop Racords  

"A.G. aka Andre the Giant is a Bronx emcee who got his start as ½ of Showbiz & A.G. (Show & AG) and is part of the legendary D.I.T.C. crew. His first release "Soul Clap" is a classic. Show & AG has released at least four albums and three EP’s that spawned hits like Party Groove, Next Level, Spit, Dignified Soldiers, You Know Now and many more. While still part of D.I.T.C., AG released at least six solo LP’s and has collaborated with various D.I.T.C. members and is featured on dozens of tracks. 

Stu Bangas is a Hip-hop producer from Boston, Mass and has produced for Sean Price, Heltah Skeltah, Apathy, Chino XL, Vinnie Paz, ILL BILL, Dres, Cappadonna as well as a slew of other emcees. He has released over a dozen collaboration projects and continues to be a staple in raw Hip Hop production. Together with A.G. they have produced a solid boom bap project 'Selfy'. 

This ten-track LP has features from Diamond (D.I.T.C.), Cory Gunz, A-Bless, Sadat X & Prince Julius. A.G. spits raw unadulterated verses over smooth boom-bap fire from Stu Bangas." - courtesy of Fat Beats

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Video : Diamond D - Hyenas - 2025

Diamond D is back with the video of his latest single "Hyenas" featuring Tek (of Smif-N-Wessun), Reef Hustle & Shortee Sha, taken from the album The Diam Piece 3: "DUO" which is still available on vinyl format via all good record stores.

Video : Diamond D - T.S.N.Y. ft. NEMS, SAIGON, PRAYAH, TONS - 2025

Visuals for "T.S.N.Y.", taken from DITC member Diamond D's latest album "The Diam Piece 3: DUO".

New Joint : Diamond D x KRS One - The Kings - 2024

 

Here is the first single released by Diamond D and KRS One, taken from Diamond D's upcoming project titled "The Diam Piece 3: Initium", which will be available on vinyl on August 9th via Dymond Mine Records.

Big C - Look Alive - 1995

Everyone should remember this dope female emcee named Big C who featured on the D&D Project released in 1995 on Arista. This great various compilation features her debut single entitled "Look Alive", first track of the B-side which was produced by the legendary Diamond D.

I was curious, so I've decided to contact Camari Tomlin a.k.a Big C to get more info about how she fell into hip-hop, how everything first started for her and how she was introduced to the D&D AllStars Project LP. Here is what she told me :

Big C :  " I grew up in Montclair NJ. I first heard of a thing called Hip Hop when I was 11. There used to be an underground radio station coming out of NY, WHBI that you could barely get reception for in Jersey. I used to listen to the music through the static of the radio. I was in love T La Rock "It’s Yours" was mind blowing to me. But then I heard a song named "Marley’s Scratch" and it featured a female mc Dimples D. Once I heard that it was official I wanted to be an MC. My first rhyme was super corny but I managed to write an entire song from the perspective of Charlie Starkist the Tuna of the Sea if your old enough to remember that. As I practice and started writing my stuff down in composition notebooks  I took note of the other mc’s that were around. There were quite a few mc’s that were local and around making names for themselves so I knew I had to be tight before I started to debut my little raps in the street. I have an older brother who was into graffiti and popping so thankfully he didn’t mind his little sister tagging along when he went to various parties. I watched the other mcs battle started understanding different flows and different approaches and by the time I was 12, I was ready to get into the cypher. With my brother I had a home made crew. So I battled one night cleaned the whole spot out and at that point I wasn’t the little Tomlin that was playing around I was an official MC. After that I joined a couple different rap crews, I was always the youngest and always the only female. And then came Roxanne Shante. She was the closest thing to me although I think she was a little bit older but not much. I would hear her scratchy ass voice on the Mister Magic Show and she became my target. Every rhyme I wrote every punch line I thought of was to prepare for the day I would come across Shante to battle. I would sneak into local clubs when she came to town to try to step to her, I was pretty much like a Shante super fan but if I was lucky enough to ever catch her I was ready to put up or shut up. I continued writing and performing in local talent shows but by the time I was 15, we moved from Montclair down to Princeton NJ. An ultra white area hip hop became the thing that grounded me and really helped me survive coming from a very diverse area to the extreme of predominantly white. I was a good student so I would use Krs One lyrics in my European history class challenging the curriculum. Being in the boonies in South Jersey it was getting difficult to get the new York radio stations on Friday’s and Saturdays so I would have to listen to Philly radio. Philly was putting out some hip hop at that time but it wasn’t resonating with me like the boom bap from the South Bronx. So I continued to scroll up and down the radio dial hopping to find something that was more my speed. During the summer of 1987, I stumbled across the local university radio station WPRB. One night me and my best friend listening to the radio this station was rocking but something was missing. They played more familiar music but just the general banter of the show was kind of corny. We were used to the word play of Mister Magic, Red Alert playing drops done by his young son so the guys on this station just didn’t have the same swag. So we called the station started critiquing them and they were pretty much like if you think you can do a better job come through so we did. I started with answering the phones getting on the air to do the shouts and now I have an outlet to drop freestyles once a week. Not too long after that I was introduced to Tony D who was the producer for Poor Righteous Teachers who were down in Trenton. Tony became my first official producer and he gave me my first shot in the recording studio. Father Shaheed who was the DJ for Poor Righteous Teachers was also around, he used to come over to my house and just kick it and listen to me rap. DJ Juice who ultimately became a big mix tape DJ from Trenton used be around as well. He and I would work on performing, he would DJ for me and we did a couple local shows. But you know at this time although some of us are getting deals now I was still young and in high school. By the time I graduated, I went to St. John’s University in Queens and had one foot in trying to be a rapper and one foot in trying to be a college student. By my second year so now it’s 91-92, I had befriended another girl from Jersey. She and I became thick as thieves and one night hanging out on 125th street, we run into a Tribe Called Quest in front of the Apollo theatre. Ali the DJ started talking to my friend and from that point on I got a front row seat to everything ATCQ. Because my friend started dating Ali I was able to now have access to some of the biggest names in hip hop. I learned from watching "The Low End Theory" be made. I was in the studio sessions I was soaking up the experience but I never told any of them I rapped. I never wanted them to think I was hanging around trying to get on. Because of my friends relationship I shared a lot of intimate spaces with them so I never wanted them to question who I was so I kept my lyrics to myself but enjoyed the experience. At the album release party for "The Low End Theory" I met Diamond D. Diamond was also getting ready to release "Stunts Blunts and Hip Hop". He had a guest appearance on Low End Theory, was one of the producers for DITC and was on his own trajectory. He and I became cool but I made sure to let him know I was an MC. I really don’t remember the first time he heard me rap but I do know the end result was Diamond was co-signing me and wants to work with me. At that point Tip and Ali are like holly shit you rap? All this time you knew how to rap? So it became a running joke but now that I was working with Diamond I was official on my own merit."

Big C & Diamond D - Photo courtesy of Big C

Big C : "So Doug and Dave or D&D pulled in the various producers who were fixtures in the studio at that time and Diamond was one of them. I was probably the last artist that D was focusing on at that time because I was one foot in the studio one foot in the regular world of the 9-5 hustle. I didn’t need hip hop to rescue me from life so it was kind of hard for me to do the starving artist thing when I could use my education to make money. So Diamond submitted tracks from most of the other acts he was working with but Arista passed on them for one reason or another. So the last one up to bat as usual the female MC I got the call to come to the studio..."

Unfortunately, Big C didn't released a solo album after the D&D project. Kamari became her new moniker and she formed the group called The OMEN with Diamond D and Sadat X in the early '00s.

Mad props to Camari Tomlin, thanks for your time.

Boogie Down's Underground - The Source, December 1992

 

From The Source, December 1992 - Scans courtesy of Fred Thecle 

Dillon & Diamond D - Uncut Gems - 2023

LP - 2023 - Full Plate

Atlanta-based MC/DJ Dillon teams up with the legendary MC/producer Diamond D to drop the full-length album entitled "Uncut Gems", fully produced by Diamond D. The Guest list features Elzhi, Planet Asia, Ras Kass, Stacy Epps & Slimkid3.

Available on Vinyl (500 copies) & Cassette (100 copies)

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The Wicked Takeover Ep#37 - Diamond D 90s Production Tribute

 

Here is the latest episode of the The Wicked Takeover aired on October 7th 2022 and dedicated to Diamond D 90s Production. 

"The Wicked Takeover brings you deep into the Vinyl crates of Wicked. Expect to hear everything from album cuts to b-sides, remixes, white labels, bootlegs, etc. You'll also hear Hip-Hop from the Golden Era of 1988 to the Mid-90's all the way to current times. A large focus will be on 2k Hip-Hop, especially 2010 to current. Fridays 9pm EST | 6pm PST www.wrap.fm"

01. Class A Felony (feat. Diamond D & Lakim Shabazz) – I Can’t Take No More

02. Big Red – Created A Monster

03. Intro with Wicked

04. Diamond And The Psychotic Neurotics – A Day In The Life (Instrumental)

05. Mos Def – Hip Hop

06. Ras Kass – Soul On Ice Remix

07. Xzibit (feat. Tash & J-Ro of Tha Alkaholiks) – Birds Eye View

08. Diamond D – Gather Round

09. Broadway – Enjoy Yourself

10. Big C – Look Alive

11. Scientifik (feat. Diamond D & DJ Nestle Quick) – I Got Planz

12. Diamond D (feat. Sadat X & Grand Puba of Brand Nubian) – I Flip Styles

13. Fat Joe – I’m Tryin’ To Tell ‘Em

14. Illegal (feat. Diamond D) – CrumbSnatcher

15. Leaders Of The New School – Classic Material (Remix

16. House Of Pain (feat. Diamond D) – Word Is Bond (Remix)

17. Tha Alkaholiks – Let It Out

18. Diamond D (feat. Phife Dawg & Pete Rock) – Painz & Strife

19. Diamond D (feat. Busta Rhymes) – This One

20. D.I.T.C. (Diamond D, Big L, A.G., Lord Finesse, O.C.) – Day One

21. Organized Konfusion – Questions

22. The Pharcyde – Groupie Therapy

23. Showbiz & A.G. (feat. Diamond D) – Hard To Kill

24. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth – Funky Technician

25. Ultimate Force – One Of The All Time Greats

26. Fat Joe Da Gangsta (feat. Grand Puba & Diamond D) – Watch The Sound

27. Justice System – Dedication To Bambaataa (Diamond D Reminisce Mix)

28. Brand Nubian (feat. Diamond D) – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Remix)

29. Raazda Rukkuz – Da Chronic Asthmatics

30. Sadat X (feat. Shawn Black) – Petty People

31. A.D.O.R. – The Kid Is Crazy

32. Apache (feat. Nikki D) – Who Freaked Who

33. Shadz Of Lingo – Ill & Get Clowned

34. Ed O.G & Da Bulldogs – Streets Of The Ghetto

35. Diamond And The Psychotic Neurotics – What You Seek

36. Ultimate Force (feat. Fat Joe) – C’mon

37. Fu-Schnickens – Sneakin’ Up On Ya

38. Urban Thermo Dynamics – Manifest Destiny

39. Diamond And The Psychotic Neurotics (feat. Showbiz) – Feel The Vibe

40. Showbiz & A.G. – I’m Convinced

Microphone Check - The Source, July 1997

 

From The Source - July 1997 - Scans courtesy of Fred Thecle 

DJ 2-TONE JONES - Contraband from India - 2021

LP - 2021 - The Jones Collection 

DJ 2-TONE JONES from Washington D.C drops his latest project entitled "Contraband from India". The album features a nice batch of MCs like Prince Po, Asheru, YU, John Robinson, Hassaan Mackey, Supastition ... just to nem a few ... and features production by Diamond D, Kev Brown, Waajeed, Praise, DJ Roddy Rod ... and many more.

For over 10 years 2-Tone has worked in education in DC; both as an instructor for a Hip-Hop, non-profit organization called Words Beats & Life, Inc. (WBL), and as a teacher at Ballou Senior High School.  He graduated from Morehouse College and went on to receive a Masters degree from the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University.

In 2016 DJ 2-Tone was selected to the Next Level program; an initiative of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and the US State Department.  He was sent to India during the Spring of that year serving as a cultural ambassador on behalf of the US and Hip-Hop. After nearly a month in the land of Gandhi, he returned home with a stack of rare traditional and jazz-fusion records from Calcutta, and hand-selected tracks to send out to a range of legendary, heavy-hitting Hip-Hop producers to sample from. The result of this cultural experiment is "Contraband from India". 

The Vinyl is available exclusively through Get On Down but Limited copies (Collector's Combo (Limited Black Vinyl + Mixtape) & Limited Black edition vinyl (50 copies)) are available Here.

Interview : Diamond D in Elemental Magazine

From Elemental Magazine - Issue #27 - Scans courtesy of Tim Burton 

Record Report - The Source November 1992

 

From The Source - November 1992 

Southpaw Chop - Far East Quality EP - 2020

EP - 2020 - RedLine Music Distribution, Inc  

 

"Based in Tokyo, Southpaw Chop has been active as a producer and DJ for years, independently releasing vinyl featuring MCs from Hip Hop’s golden era, such as Tragedy Khadafi, Kool G Rap, Craig G, Diamond D, AG, and Large Professor. This EP brings together five of these releases, previously available only in limited seven inch vinyl pressings, plus a bonus remix of “Laced With Tragedy feat. Tragedy Khadafi [Funky Soul Brother Remix]" by the unit Funky Soul Brother, comprised of Southpaw Chop and DJ Koco aka Shimokita. This Special Limited Edition Vinyl is exclusively Manufactured and Distributed by Red Line Music Distribution, Inc." - Redline Music distribution Inc.

 

350 copies only ...

Shipping Date : December 4, 2020

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The Eaze Up Show Presents - A Tribute To DITC Pt.1 - Diamond D

"If you are a true head then you shouldn’t even have to ask who DITC and Diamond D are but if you need a quick history lesson, here we go…

Diamond D (born Joseph Kirkland) is one of Hip-Hop’s greatest triple threats, this Bronx legend can rip mics & has a distinctive voice and flow, D Squizzy makes truly fat and head nodding beats (often with famous breaks used before other beat makers), rumbling bass lines, dusty Jazz & Soul etc loops and ill horns and he can cut up a storm too, DD was the one that actually coined the term “best Producer on the mic”

Diamond got his first break (pun intended lol) carrying record crates for the legendary DJ Jazzy Jay and DJing in local spots but first came to prominence as a producer with Ultimate Force’s classic “I’m Not Playing” single way back in 1989.

This 3 ½ hour tribute mix (over 50 tracks deep) showcases his production, microphone techniques & remix steez. Massive salutes to Diamond-D & The DITC crew." - Dj Jazzywhut!

0 Phyl.Pro – The Eaze Up Show Theme 1 (2019)

1 Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics – Best Kept Secret (1992)

2 Ultimate Force – I Gotta Go (1988)

3 Red Hot Lover Tone – Give It Up (Diamond D Remix) (1992)

4 Sir Menelik – S.I.R. (Prod. Diamond D) (1998)

5 KRS One Feat. Busta Rhymes – Build Ya Skillz (Prod. Diamond D) (1995)

6 Fat Joe Feat. Big Pun, Armageddon & Keith Nut – Watch Out (Prod. Diamond D) (1995)

7 Freestyle Professors – Think About It (Prod. Diamond D) (2009)

8 Diamond D Feat. Pete Rock – Only Way to Go (2019)

9 Diamond D & The Psychotic Neurotics – Sally Got A One Track Mind (1992)

10 Total Devastation – Wonderful World of Skins (Remix)(1993)

11 Mondo Grosso - Do You See What I See (Diamond D Remix)(1996)

12 The Pharcyde – Groupie Therapy (Prod. Diamond D)(1995)

13 Ultimate Force – Girlz (1988)

14 Neferititi – Family Tree (Prod. Diamond D) (1993)

15 Apache Feat. Nikki-D – Who Freaked Who? (Prod. Diamond D) (1993)

16 Lord Finesse – Funky Technician (Prod. Diamond D) (1990)

17 House of Pain Feat. Diamond D – Word Is Bond (Remix) (1994)

18 Justice System – Dedication To Bambaata (Diamond D Remix) (1994) 

19 A.D.O.R. – The Kid Is Crazy (Prod. Diamond D) (1994)

20 Diamond District – Erything (Remix) (2014)

21 Diamond-D Feat. Pete Rock & Phife Dawg – Painz & Strife (1997)

22 Terror Tongue – lyrical Threat (Prod. Diamond-D) (Unreleased) (1994)

23 The Funk League- The Boogie Down Bombers (Feat. Diamond D & Sadat X) (2012)

24 Southpaw Chop Feat. Diamond-D – No Love Lost (2017)

25 Diamond-D – No Wonduh (1997)

26 Illegal Feat. Diamond-D – Crumbsnatchers (1993)

27 Scientifik Feat. Diamond D – I Got Planz (1992)

28 Brand Nubian – Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Prod. Diamond D) (1992)

29 Lord Finesse & Diamond D – Do Your Thing Kid (1995)

30 Beneficence – Heavy Hitters (Prod. Diamond D) (2010)

31 Ras Kass – Soul On Ice (Diamond D Remix) (1996)

32 Sadat-X- Head Shot (Prod. Diamond D) (2016) 

33 Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics – Step To Me (1992)

34 J-Rawls Feat. Diamond D, Oh, No, Kev Brown & Best Producer On The Mic (2014)

35 Tha Alkaholiks Feat. Diamond D – The Next Level (1995)

36 EDO.G & Da Bulldogs – I Thought You Knew (Prod. Diamond D) (1993)

37 Leaders Of The New School – Classic Material (Remix) (1993)

38 Percee P Feat. Diamond-D – 2 Brothers From The Gutter (Madlib Remix) (2008)

39 Shadz of Lingo- Think I Give A F About That! (Prod. Diamond D) (1993)

40 Dilated Peoples – Let Your Thoughts Fly Away (Prod. Diamond D) (2014)

41 Bumpy Knuckles Feat. M.O.P. – Bumpy Bring it Home (Prod. Diamond D) (2000)

42 Dana Barros & Cedric Ceballos Feat. Sadat-X, Grand Puba & AG - You Don’t Stop (Prod. Diamond D) (1994)

43 UTD – Manifest Destiny (Diamond’s Dirty Version)(1995)

44 DITC – Put In Your System (Prod. Showbiz) (1998)

45 The Fantastic 4 – You’re In The Wrong Place (Prod. Diamond D) (1998)

46 Fu-Schnickens – Ahhh Ohhh (Prod. Diamond D) (1994)

47 D.I.T.C. – Time To Get This Money (1999)

48 DITC – Day One (Prod. Diamond D) (1997)

49 A Tribe Called Quest feat. Diamond D & Lord Jamar – Show Business (1991)

50 Diamond D Feat. Cru – Hiatus (Remix) (1998)

51 Ronnie Foster - Summer Song (Remix) (1996)

52 Celph Titled x Buckwild Feat. Diamond D, Sadat-X, AG, OC & Grand Puba – There Will Be Blood (Remix) (2011)

53 Cannonball Adderley – Bohemia After Dark (Diamond D Remix) (2006)

54 EDO.G & Da Bulldogs – Love Comes and Goes (Prod. Diamond D) (1994)

D.I.T.C. - Day One / Day One Remix 7" - 2020

7" - 2019 - D.I.T.C Studios 

"Day One is the debut track from DITC. Originally released in 1997 and produced by Diamond D, the track features verses by Diamond D, Big L, A.G, Lord Finesse and O.C. Originally taken from Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s “Tell Me”, the track looped Oliver Sain, “On The Hill” The remix by Showbiz was never released as a single and for the first time is available." - D.I.T.C

Pre-Orders : HHV / Fat Beats 
Release Date : January 31st 2020

X-Files - Sadat X in HHC - 1996

From Hip-Hop Connection - October 1996 

MANCHILD - Diamond D in Rap Pages - 1997

From Rap Pages - August 1997 

Showbiz & A.G. - LIVE TV Interview SF, CA. - 1992

Here is an old interview of Showbiz & A.G. from New World Music Videos TV show (San Francisco, CA) which was aired in 1992 and hosted by Gary Baca aka "G-Spot" & Barry Dow. Very rare video footage here ... Big thanks to Gary Baca !!