Recently I was listening in my car to that track entitled "Don't Try" from the female emcee Quannie and off of the Nick Wiz's Cellar Extras (Part One) CD.
I didn't make the connection before that, but I realized that I was listening to Quannie Quan that day !! Does that name speak to you ?
If you're fond of New Jersey hip-hop, that name should remind you something... Quannie Quan a.k.a Quannue Quan is a female emcee from East Orange New Jersey who is an original member of Gee Rock's crew... Tha CND Coalition with N.I.G Dee, Skee Love, Skully, Sarge Roc, Da Mad Artist & Punkincee. She featured on some tracks released by Gee Rock & Tha CND Coalition in the mid/late 90s. Some of them were also re-issued on the famous "Tha Untouchable" album in 2019 on Heavy Jewelz Records.
She also features on 2 other joints produced by Nick Wiz, from the Cellar Selections compilation series. The tracks were recorded in 1994 and one of them features the group Lyrical Strong Demonstrators (Asiatic Dramatic RIP & Buddha Black) who were also from East Orange, NJ.
Gee Rock & Quannie Quan - Photo courtesy of Gee Rock
Gee Rock : " In 1994, I met Quannie at her job one day by a friend of mine who knew I was looking for a female who could spit and said he met a female who could rap, so we went to the Diner where she worked and she dropped a little something on the spot, and I told her to come to my house later that week for an audition, she came and ripped it… Long story short she became my first female MC and First Lady of Force One Networkz. "
The Force One Networkz Family - Photo courtesy of Quannie Quan
In 1994, Gee Rock produced her debut EP titled "Every Which Way But Soft", but unfortunately it never came out. The last track "Straight Off Da Dome" from Gee Rock & Tha CND Coalition's "Tha Untouchable" album is off of this unreleased project.
Gee Rock : " The EP was not meant to be released because of the timing…we did those songs to get to know each other better, when we first met she didn’t have any material… So 'Every Which Way But Soft' was born… after that project we got serious about her career and the rest was history. "
Her Rap name at the time was Quannie Quan, She later became TreAzure. In 2001, she dropped her debut 12" (What's My Name? / Playin' With Me) on Echo International. I don't know if the tracks are dope because I've never had the chance to listen to them.
Quannie a.k.a TreAzure - Photo courtesy of Quannie Quan
Quannie a.k.a TreAzure & Percee P - Photo courtesy of Quannie Quan
Quannie a.k.a TreAzure & Big Daddy Kane - Photo courtesy of Quannie Quan
I've seen this wax floating around a few times on social media, and one of the tracks entitled "Gas Ya Head Up" appeared in a few mixes recently. This song is the first track of the B-side of this 12" released in 1999 by the New Jersey-based emcee/producer Stress.
The track is produced by Stress, and engineered, mixed & recorded at the Safe House by Madman G a.k.a Gee The Madman, who is a member of the group Massive Staff and who also produced the legendary joint "Crab" released by Fierce in 1996. Safe House was a home studio owned by Kyle Knordle a.k.a Knowledge (of Massive Staff) which was based in East Orange, NJ. It was a creative center for numerous underground new jersey artists at that time. If you're looking for more info about Stress, I asked him a few questions in a short interview ...
Stress, where are you from exactly ?
Stress : " I grew up in East Orange, New Jersey. These days I live in Newark, New Jersey, but I'm from East Orange."
Could you tell me how everything first started for you as emcee and producer ?
Stress : " When I was younger, I played the upright bass and also the trumpet. I was in the school band, the orchestra and the jazz band. I was in all city bands throughout the school district. I also was in the church choir. So I had a pretty solid music foundation. My uncle had his own band and used to do shows and back up artists like Stephanie Mills. He played keyboard and used to take me to his rehearsals. At the same time my other uncle was getting into rapping and breakdancing Not to mention, my mother wrote poetry....This is where it starts for me... When I first heard my uncle rap, I knew that's how I wanted to express myself. The production just went with it. I never saw myself not doing both. I started off making pause tapes to make instrumentals. Then my mom bought me a gemini sampler and a karaoke machine and I just went from there. I was making tapes in my attic and giving them out at school."
What were your hip-hop influences at the time ?
Stress : " I was influenced by everything. But as far as hip hop, The Beatminerz, Dj Premier, Rza, Pete Rock, Prince, Larry Smith, Quincy Jones and so on.. There's so many to name. "
"Gas Ya Head Up" is co-produced by Madman G . How did the connection happen with him ?
Stress : " As far as "Gas Ya Head Up", that song is the first song I ever recorded in a studio! I had a skeleton of the track done on a tape, and I wanted to do a song to it.
I wanted better quality than my karaoke tapes so I started looking for a place to record. I went to school with Madman Gee's younger brother. He told me his brother had a place, so I just went there. He charged me 25/hr and we laid the song. He added the sample that's running over the main part of the beat and did all the drops. We did the song in 45 mins. I thought to myself, I'm gonna keep coming back here. "
Were you affiliated with a crew at that time ?
Stress : " I was affiliated with a crew from High School called B.U.K. - BUNCH UV KILLAZ... Broke Unfortunate Kids ... We had a lot of acronyms !
The hook itself from "Gas Ya Head" is a nod to my man Great Dane (RIP) from our crew. He said that line in a song. I used it for a hook."
Do you remember how many copies of the 12" were pressed in 1999 ?
Stress : " I believe I pressed 300 promo copies of that record. Funny thing is, the single we were promoting was the song "Impact". "Gas Ya Head Up" was a B-side. We pressed it in 1999 but "Gas Ya head" was recorded in 1996 as part of my original demo tape.
What amazes me is that all these years later, people from overseas and other place are seeking out that song !"
