Example - Impulses - 1997

 

EP  - 1997 - Beat Fam Recordings 

Let's get back in 1997 with "Impulses", a 6-Track EP released by Example from Houston,Tx , a hip-hop duo consisted of Otha C Baker a.k.a DJ Cipher and Kevin Jackson a.k.a Kay. I tend to say that this little project is one of the best thing released by a group from Houston during the 90s, with K-Otix material of course. 

North Side

1. I.E. Intro (00:00)

2. 7*26*96 (1:18)

3. The Strive (4:31)

4. Slow Motion (8:21)

  South Side

5. Endless (12:43)

6. Recollect (18:34)

7. E.T.A. (22:24)

8. I.E. Outro (26:06)

According to a write-up about the group written by Gracie Chavez in 1997, Cipher began DJ-ing around 1986-87 when rap music was evolving. He showed up for an Open Turntable night at Reprogram, a hip-hop format originally held at Deep Phat, later based at Fitzgerald's.

Cipher, a Texas Southern University telecommunications major, was producing beats for different groups when he decided to do his own thing and arrange a production company, Beat Farm Fresh Produce. Cipher said that the name basically came from people thinking that Houston and Texas is "so country" the stereotype and production of beats lead to the earmarked name Beat Farm Recordings, his independent record label followed suit in 1996.

Cipher was also an indie label promoter and Hip-Hop DJ on KTSU 90.9 FM Radio's underground Flava, part of Kid's Jam show.

Cipher and Kay, a 24 year-old former Missouri Western Football player and hip-hop producer / rapper since 1991, met around 1994. They began producing together and in 1995 they formed Example. On May 31, 1997 they dropped "Impulses", their self-produced six-song debut EP which was really different from the typical Houston sound at the time.

Cipher (Example) - Photo courtesy of Cipher

Kay (Example) - Photo courtesy of Angela Tellez

Maybe some of you are curious and want more details about the cover of the EP. Well the original drawing used for the cover comes from an artist from H-town named Andre King better known as Dre at the time.

Cipher & Dre - Gavin Convention, New Orleans around 1995-1996

Original Drawing - Photo courtesy of Andre King

In a recent chat I had with him, Dre talked about the cover story and explained how his drawing became the official cover of the first Example's project. 

Andre King : "Cipher reached out and asked me if I had a concept for a title and cover for the project. I had been listening to a lot of Jazz at the time. I had noticed that quite a few of the albums had one word titles like Karma by Pharoah Sanders, Compulsion!!! by Andrew Hill just to name a few. Aja by Steely Dan was also in heavy rotation. So I knew the title had to be one word. I am a life long comic book reader. At the time I was heavy into the Flash, It was being written by Mark Waid and drawn by Humberto Ramos. They had introduced a character named Impulse. Impulse (Bartholomew Henry “Bart” Allen II) is the Flash’s grandson from the 30th century (it’s comics don’t think to hard). As his name states he was impulsive.  Sometimes decisions you make impulsively can have great outcomes, because you don’t hesitate.  Also you get the purest instinctual responses in the moment. I figured that would be a good a title for the first project. That’s where the title came from, Jazz records + Aja + Comic book = Impulses.  The picture that became the cover began as a simple crayon drawing of a black silhouette of person with red and yellow waves emanating from them. The red and yellow was for the Flash.  I gave it to Cipher as a super rough draft that he could get one of our real artist friends to redo much better,  Surprisingly he and Kay were cool with my drawing. He took it to Nick Cooper at the Sprawl House ( those that know… know).  Nick manipulated it on the computer and came up with the final Image.  My idea was always for it not to look like a rap record, but for it to have the feel of an old jazz record."

500 copies of this wax were pressed in 1997, it was also released on tape (around 50 copies). No need to say that an original vinyl copy is really hard to find nowadays... Hopefully Dope Folks Records did a repress in 2013... but to be honest, I'm not sure you'll find one for a good price ... good luck !

Misphitz ‎- Comin With Da Flow - 1994

12" - 1994 - Topp-Choice Wreckords 

There are a lot of 12" that we don't see often for sale online and this 12" is one of them. Recently it was sold on ebay for 461,99 $ ... crazy isn't it ? 

What a Pity that this Philly-based group named Misphitz released only one 12" in the mid-90s. It came out in 1994 on Topp-Choice Wreckords, a record label mostly managed by Lil' Troy a.k.a Troy Carter (from 2 Too Many) who was also the group manager. The 12" consists of the tracks "Comin' With Da' Flow" produced by Willie Gunz, "Get On Up" available in its Radio version produced by Mac G and in its Mizery Mix version produced by the legendary DJ Miz, and the track "Unh Ahh" produced by Black.

Dre : "It was a 4 member (3 male & 1 female) group consisting of Tahir, Orock, myself and originally T Spoon, but she was replaced by Steph Pockets... it's funny because T Spoon is on "Comin' with Da' Flow" but Steph is on "Get On Up".

Dre : "Troy Carter formed the group, he was the mastermind. He was introduced to Tahir, he was my brother from another, so he invited me in... I initially declined but decided to take a chance as we were all emcees actively individually doing our thing. Tahir knew T Spoon from school and Orock was my cousin... it kinda all naturally and organically happened after that. Tahir and I were from Germantown, Orock was from Chester, T Spoon was from North Philly and Steph was from West."

Steph Pockets : "I was from West Philly 5 houses from Will's house.

Around 1984, I first started writing short verses. My sister and the other older kids in the neighborhood would be outside rapping and I would always try to tag along and do what they were doing. In 1985 I said I wanted to be a rapper when I grew up so I took Will Smith (The Fresh Prince) to school with me for career day. We had to bring someone to class that was in a career we thought we wanted to be in. 

I went to middle school with Dre and Tahir, the same school I brought Will to."

From Left to Right : O, Tahir and Dre with manager Troy Carter - Photo courtesy of Dre

Dre : "The producers DJ Miz, Black & Mac G were all links set up by Troy Carter...with the exception of Willie Gunz. We were signed to Untouchables Ent. and he was a producer Eddie F thought would be a good fit for our project. The record was supposed to be released as a white label. We were bootlegging our own material due to conflicts with the label at the time, which ended up being the reason for the groups demise. Honestly... I squarely take responsibility for walking away from the entire situation. I was too smart but young and not wise...but yeah...those were some really dope producers for their time. I was humbled to work with each of them...and speaking of the producers we worked with, much love to DJ Miz...I know he doesn't know and probably doesn't remember but he is the reason I produce and engineer to this day. The session with him mixing that record was a paradigm shift in my life..."

Misphitz recorded other songs but the tracks on the 12" are the only ones that ever saw light of day. After that, the group broke up and all the members went separate ways. 

Photo courtesy of Dre'

Dre : "From a business perspective being an artist on a label owned by your manager is a pretty shaky situation.

Tahir became one of the biggest Islamic scholars in the world. Orock hasn't made a project but is under the name Ali The Hypeman on social media...I've been searching for T Spoon...one of my cousins told me she's in a salon somewhere I dunno how true that is...Steph Pockets has an incredible catalog. She's putting in work globally primarily in Japan. I'm always in the studio working on something either for an artist or myself. I recently have been recording after a long hiatus since releasing 'culture of kings' a few years back. I've also produced and executive produced many projects. Troy Carter later on went and discovered Lady Gaga... small world."

Steph Pockets : "The group broke up, I was the only one that wanted to keep rapping... I was originally solo but after that I started going extra hard !! "

Photo courtesy of Steph Pockets

Mad Props to Dre & Steph, thanks for your time.

R.I.P. - Player Til I Die / NYC, The Money And The Murder - 1995

12" - 1995 - Life Or Death Records 

First and only 12" vinyl released by R.I.P. (Rest In Peace) in 1995 on his own label Life Or Death Records. This Artist comes from Southside Jamaica Queens, same place as Onyx, Lost Boyz or RUN DMC. The wax is composed of 2 tracks "Player Til I Die" and "N.Y.C., The Money And The Murder"which is the most interesting track on It. 

It features the groups Poorboyz from Hell and SNM (Stick N Move) Lifestyle Livers.

"Dre, Great, Omega Master and Rondu the God, were on the song and Tempest from the group "The Flatliners" was on the hook. I started Life Or Death Records with Mook Diamond and Juan Clarke of "The Flatliners" who is Russell Simmons 's Nephew. We were the first Rap label to push the skull face. 

They moved on and I started Life Or Death Entertainment with Carlton "LORD Puzzle" Preston in 1993. I was 25 years old when I pressed up my first vinyl with Discmakers, I was independent and couldn't get the proper distribution support. I was out of pocket doing it myself." courtesy of Dwayne Smith a.k.a R.I.P.

Me : "Does unreleased stuff exist?"

Dwayne : "Yes plenty of unreleased stuff..." 

Mad Props to Dwayne Smith 

Sparrow The Movement - The Jacob Theology - Streaming NOW !!

Digital / CD (Digipack) - Six2Six Records 

If you haven't already copped the new Sparrow The Movement album, 
you can listen to the full version on their new Website : www.sparrowthemovement.com

Amazing ! 

Pre-Order Here

Sparrow The Movement - The Jacob Theology (Book 1) - 2015

Digital / CD (Digipack) - Six2Six Records 

1- Amazing (Chapter 1)
2- I Got More Rhymes Intro (Chapter 2)
3- God Sound (Chapter 3)
4- Love In War (Chapter 4)
5- Frienemies (Chapter 5)
6- Latitude (Chapter 6)
7- All Is Well (Chapter 7)
8- On & On & On (Chapter 8)
9- Hold My Own (Chapter 9)
10- Scream (Chapter 10)
11- Kryptonite (Chapter 11)
12- Brianna (Chapter 12)
13- Like That (Chapter 13)
14- Doe See Doe (Chapter 14)

  
Produced by The Custodian Of Records , SWC , DJ Cutt & M.I.  
Mixed Arranged and All Scratches performed by DJ Cutt

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Sparrow the Movement Live at the SWC Night 2013 - Full Show - Part. 2

Sparrow The Movement - Love & Violence

From "Physics" LP - 2013 - Six2Six Records


Sparrow The Movement - Love & Violence

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