Released in 1997 on the independent Fuzion Entertainment label, "NYC Shine / Seven" is the sole official release from Queens rapper Mutazz. Like many underground 12-inches, this is one of those records where the real gem can be found on the B-side. In this case, that track is "Seven", a cut that immediately stands out and, for me, is the main reason to seek out this record. The lead single "NYC Shine" on the A-side is less my style.
No information about Mutazz is available online, which makes the story behind the record particularly interesting. Mutazz consisted of producer The Quixotic Child, also known as Quixotic (pronounced “Keyahtic”), from Jamaica, Queens, and rapper Mutazz from St. Albans, Queens.
Mutazz - Photo courtesy of Quixotic
The two met in high school through mutual friends and eventually came together to record what would become their only official release. Fuzion Entertainment was a collaborative label founded by four friends and artists, with Quixotic among its partners. After the Mutazz project, the partners went their separate ways and pursued different musical directions. Quixotic subsequently continued working as a producer, collaborating with artists and groups such as Ques a.k.a. Quesfire, Vision Quest, and The Worderer, although his later releases were not issued through Fuzion Entertainment. Mutazz and Quixotic also continued to release music independently after the label's period of activity.
For me, "Seven" is the standout here and the track that makes this otherwise obscure 12" worth hunting down. If you feel like adding this record to your collection, it is still relatively easy to find and generally available at reasonable prices. Peace
"Another Dead Nigga in The Street / You Can Get The Finger" is a 12" released by the Jamaica Queens-based group Rickochet in 1994. The group was comprised of 5 members : Rick Strickland, F. Robinsons, J. Bryant, D. West and Gold Finger.
The wax came out on Rickochet Records, a record label founded in 1992 by Rick Strickland. This is their second 12" and it features the lead single "Another Dead Nigga in The Street" on the A-side, available in its original, radio edit and instrumental versions, and "You Can Get The Finger" on the B-side, available in its original, Off The Head Flow and instrumental versions. All the productions were handled by Gold Finger.
Regarding "Another Dead Nigga in The Street", you'll notice that the song title for the radio version differs from the original. For the radio version "Another Dead Nigga in the Street" was changed to "Another Dead Brother in the Street".
I don't know why but this record was their last record unfortunately. It's cheap and it remains really easy to find, so don't hesitate to add it for your record collection.
Crooked Ozone was a group from Southside Jamaica Queens, consisted of 7 OD and the Voodoo Priest (RIP), together they formed a duo called Doom Of Darkness along with Chris Lo, and L OD who were a duo called Mass Hysteria, and two other cats from their neighborhood named Smoke Screen and D Lo Peasant Career.
Photos courtesy of 7 OD
Their first and only single "Insane / I Declare War" was released on vinyl and cassette in 1994 on the small indie label Crooked Ozone Records. All the productions were handled by Tony T, who was also known at that time for his productions for the famous Brooklyn Zoo crew.
- 7 OD, How did everything first start for the group ?
7 OD : " Crooked Ozone was formed from a song we made where I called my neighborhood CROOKED LETTER (S) OZONE base off South Ozone Park, NY where I was born and raised.
So since we all represented from the same hood we said we should bring it together under one umbrella individually and collectively and represent as one though we all had different lanes and didn’t sound the same we had a crooked way of thinking so to speak can never get things straight (laugh)
We all went to the same junior high school and high school and hung around each other on the block everyone brought something to the table at the time. I was on two records at the time and was trying to break in the industry, me and the Voodoo Priest did a song in Harlem one night at a producer's home that my god sister connected us with, and the very next day we met up on Sutter ave on the corner of 135 PL in Queens in the back streets of Rockaway blvd, my man Chris Lo heard the song and said Yo! L that part in the hook where you say crooked letter ozone repetitively we should come together and call our selves CROOKED OZONE being that we all was from Southside Queens, South Ozone wasn’t being talked about as much we didn’t see the vision until we saw that that’s the lane we were going to go with and when we were together we were a force to be reckoned with with this rap shit. "
- The productions were managed by Tony T. Could you give me more info about him ?
7 OD : " Tony T was the producer, he hailed from Coney Island and produced on a record for Mack Da Maniak who was signed to Select Records that featured myself, Rog-A-Rab of The Brooklyn Zoo, Mr Cheeks and Freaky Tah of The Lost Boyz who is also from my neighborhood as well as Onyx. "
7 OD : " We are still friends to this day, Tony T had a studio in Coney Island we would all go to and record, he djs now in club New York in Las Vegas. But it was L OD who set up the single with Tony T to do a A side & B side that we would press up ourselves and distribute ourselves with a 1000 vinyl and 500 cassettes at first. "
- Why is there no more single dropped by the group after the 12inch in 1994 ? Does an unreleased album exist ?
7 OD : " So unfortunately we lost a brother out the group the Voodoo Priest who took his life due to suicide and it took a toll on everybody... we all did music individually but couldn’t quite come together. In 2017 we put out another song in commemoration of our falling brother and was once again going the independent route but life and other situations for seen the project. I will send you the last record we did but for the most part we still have hopes of dropping again. "
The 12" remains hard to find in a record store. I think I've never seen a copy for sale from my own eyes. So Discogs will be your last chance in my opinion if you really need it in your record collection.
"Southside" is the name of the 12" released by the emcee called Nitty Gritty from Southside Jamaica Queens. It was released in 1997 on the independent record label Tru-Grain Entertainment, and it contains 2 songs titled "Tru Grain" and "Sandz of Time", both produced by the legendary Brooklyn-based beatmaker Backspin Vibe Chemist.
The executive producers of this record were Shawn Cohen and John "Klass" Hamilton who is known for being an OG member of Wu-Tang management. No more info about the artist unfortunately. I've contacted Klass but no answer ... In March 13, 1997 Nitty Gritty was invited in the Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito Show for the release of his debut 12". It's his only known appearance on a radio show I believe. You can check the freestyle and the short interview here.
I found this wax a few months ago in Paris. I already knew this track entitled "Take Over" released by TRÜ but I realized that I had never bought this 12" when it came out in 1998.
TRÜ was an emcee from Jamaica, Queens but he was also one of the main producers working for the record label named FICO, along with his production partner Tilt. FICO stands for First International Choice Operation, a record label based in Jamaica Ave, Woodhaven NY and managed by Pierre Emmanuel Louis a.k.a Supreme.
The most interesting track of the record is "Take Over" produced by Tilt on the B-Side. TRÜ produced the other track on the A-side titled "New Love" but it's not really my kind of shit to be honest. B-side wins again like we usually say !!
Here is a documentary about the legendary group Onyx written and directed by James" Kraze" Billings (Kraze The King of Content).
"The Untold Story of Onyx, Who Fredro Starr, Sticky Fingaz, Sonny Seeza (Suave'), Big D.S and producer ChySkillz can never be imagined, their unique success story has to be lived out to the fullest. One of Hip Hop's biggest groups spearheaded by the legendary DJ - Jam Master Jay of Run DMC. Onyx defied the odds in 1993 and took an aggressive sound, style and movement Platinum plus. This documentary, written and created by James" Kraze" Billings, highlights their career in music, television and film."
Pop Megga was an emcee from Jamaica Queens, NY. He released his first and only 12" single 'Ghetto News / Raw (Are You Sure?)' on Profile Records in 1996. The tracks were fully produced by Casanova Rud, member of the hip-hop duo Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud.
Casanova Rud : "The connection happened with the help of my childhood friend, dancer T Spunk knew of him from some family and friends connection in Jamaica Queens. He told me to check him out. I invited him to my crib in Astoria PJs to record. He was known in his hood, but didn’t have a lot of stuff recorded... He was a beast freestyling, I encouraged him to write songs. I produced everything, but spunk brought that sample to my attention for the song 'Raw', which it was from Natural Born Killer, so of course I had to give him credit." Pop Megga stopped after that due to law problems. Profile Records gave up on him and released the whole team from the label...
