Tomorrowz Weaponz – Molested Doves - 1997

12"  -1997 - Eastwind Sect Records 

I remember buying this record by random in a little record store from Paris (based in Les Halles) in 1997, when it came out. I had never heard of about Tomorrowz Weaponz at the time. It was a group from East New York, Brooklyn which was consisted of Psalmz, Ark a.k.a Arkitek and Izreal. 

The 12" consists of the tracks "Molested Doves", "Lost Planet" featuring Wizdom and "City Of The G.O.D.S" featuring Fatal Fountain & Square Truth. "Molested Doves" is the best track of the record and is definitely the reason why to buy this 12". 

In terms of Production, "Molested Doves" was produced by Ayatollah who was based in Queens and totally unknown at the time. He is now known for the production of hits such as Mos Def's "Ms Fat Booty" (1999) and Pharoahe Monch & Styles P 's "My life" (2002). Ayatollah is still in the game nowadays, he is now based on the west coast and drops some records from time to time with my man Drasar Monumental from the Bay Area, under the name of  The Box Cutter Brothers. As for the other tracks of the wax "Lost Planet" and "City Of G.O.D.S", both were produced by the group members.

I don't remember who but one of the members of the group wrote on their blog (when it was still up) a few years ago that "When we released the first single "Molested Doves", we had no idea it would reach the recognition it has received to this day. Molested Dove was a title that fit the track at the time and the feeling was to discuss the relations between the issues of everyday couples. We always strive to reach a much older audience as young teens maybe because the hood expedited our growth. 

Back then 12" wax and cassette tapes ruled heavy and most music was recorded on reels which gave it that gritty clean sound far different from the computer generated garbage of today. I believe 'Tollah used his Roger Lynn Mpc 60 which was one of the first true beat machines. I recall meeting Ayatollah through a mutual artist and visiting his small set up in his grandmothers crib in queens and being boxed in by a dope collection of records. We quickly got inspired by his sound and the whole scene at the time when hip hop was real."

PHrame A Thought - New York State Of Mind - 1994

Here are some dope demos uploaded in 2014 on youtube by Sneak Tipp that I'd like to see coming out one day on vinyl ! The snippets come from a demo tape entitled "New York State of Mind" which was recorded by a Brooklyn-based group called PHrame A Thought (PHAT) in 1994. Those demos were the only tracks recorded by PHrame A Thought unfortunately at the time.

 I don't have any info about those kats from East New York. I've been in contact with Screwface who was one of the core member of the group but it seems that he isn't interested in talking about the story of the group. All I know is that in 2000, Screwface worked for the cover of Prodigy's first solo album "H.N.I.C.". Here is what he wrote about it :

Fatsock Nickels - Died In Vain - 1999

 

Here is a track recently uploaded by Indie Cratez on his youtube Channel. This song was released on 12" with the help of Hed Bangin' Records (not Hed Ballin' as written on Discogs) in 1999. The production of the track is handled by Louie G and the emcee is named Fatsock Nickels from East New York, Brooklyn.

Pete Rock & Fatsock Nickels - Photo courtesy of Fatsock Nickels

Fatsock Nickels dedicated this song to all who returned to the essence, especially Ian "Elo" Moore, 17 and Tyrone "Dizzy" Sinkler, 16 who were shot to death on February 26, 1992 by Khalil Sumpter, 15 in the second-floor hallway of Thomas Jefferson High School, a red-brick fortress in East New York, one of the city's most violent neighborhoods at that time.

About the 12", the other tracks are also from Fatsock Nickels. The second track on the B-side entitled "Young Bukz" is produced by the Heatmakerz, who also produced "What We Call Home" on the A-side. I've never listened to the other tracks but "Died In Vain" is a good reason to buy this 12".