If you're looking for some dope 90's Philly Hip-Hop flavor, the group Divine Beings is definitely for you. Here is the previously unreleased and shelved LP recorded by Divine Beings in 1993 and released on Dope Folks Records in 2014. This 6-track EP came out with the help of the legendary Kenny White (Underground North / Da Philly Street Buzz Magazine) who was their group manager.
From Left to Right : Da Gr8 - Kenny White & Air Smooth - Photo courtesy of Kenny White
Divine Beings consisted of Shawn White (RIP) a.k.a Air Smooth and Andrea Aston a.k.a Da Gr8, but Andrea Da Gr8 wasn't part of the group at the beginning... She was a solo artist. The Divine Beings was originally a trio formed in 1991 comprised of Air Smooth, Wise Truth a.k.a Kool Est and Saladean a.k.a The Dean.
The Dean : "The group's name started at Central State in Ohio... by a group of Gods that Air Smooth was apart of. He brought the name back home to Philly. Air Smooth was a MC and also did the production. I was a MC and hype man, Wise Truth was the DJ."
From Left to Right : Air Smooth - The Dean & Wise Truth - Photo courtesy of The Dean
When did Andrea Da Gr8 join the group exactly ?
The Dean : "Drea joined in 93, we were all apart of a theater group called YOACAP (Youth Outreach Adolescent Community Awareness Program). We did hip-hop plays then we wrote and produced ourselves based around anti violence and HIV prevention... Drea was a solo artist apart of the Rap Underground North as we all were... our musical collaborations started as we started to travel the country with Woody Wood (of 3 Times Dope) doing our play. We did celebrity basketball games and performed at halftime. Black Thought was also apart of YOACAP."
1992 - On tour with 3 Times Dope, Kwame & Tat Money - Photo courtesy of The Dean
From Left to Right : Da Gr8 - Air Smooth & The Dean - Photo courtesy of The Dean
Divine Beings became a duo after that, consisted of Air Smooth and Da Gr8. Why did you stop?
The Dean : "Zukhanbeats... he produced "Fly High" for Jim jones, was also apart of YOACAP... We got close and formed a group called Barca Brothers. And DJ Woody Wood was our Manager... we remained family just went in different directions musically.
We still performed together... we did a song called "Revolution". With myself, Zukhan and Air Smooth. Drea did spoken word. The song was crazy hot, but it was more along the lines of what me and Zu were doing and not what the Beings were doing !"
If you're looking for more info about their previous releases, the group dropped their debut single on Master Jam Records in 1992. It was composed of the lead single "Wreckyard" available in its original, remix and instrumental versions and the track "Loyal Land Lovers", fully produced by Air Smooth except the remix version of "Wreckyard" produced by Robert "Speedy" Johnson.
Do you remember how the connection happened with Master Jam Records for the release of the first single in 1992 ?
The Dean : "Kenny White.. he was our Manager...Kenny was major . He was a big reason the Underground North and the groups from Philly were heard and had a platform... and also Tab Edwards... Kenny made that single deal, Master Jam records was Kenny White ! "
From Left to Right : Air Smooth - Kenny White - Wise Truth & The Dean - Photo courtesy of The Dean
It was followed by the single "Funky Ultimatum" originally released on 4x4 Records in 1993 and on Reprise Records in 1994, with Air Smooth still on the production. It was their last release.
Lyrical Terrorists was a group from Nicetown, a neighborhood that borders North Philadelphia. The group was formed in the early 90s, and in 1995 the crew consisted of DRK aka drkmn aka Dark Man X, Zammy, Rizz aka Riz Ruckus and Spade-O who was the last member to enter the group.
A physical copy of their debut 12" is really hard to find nowadays... the wax came out in 1995 on Cornerboy Prod and both tracks "Payback" and "Don't Worry" were produced by Melvin "Ruggedness" Carter (of Ruggedness Madd Drama)
I would have liked to give you more info about the Lyrical Terrorists... I was in contact with DRK and he was down to answer all my questions but it seems he changed his mind and decided not to do it ...
Here are some pics of the crew published in the Philly Street Buzz Magazine (May 1993) and shot at the Rap Underground North Hip-Hop Showcase.
Big Up to Kenny White ! Props to Digital Stimulation for the tracks.
It's been a long time I want to blog something about Ruggedness Madddrama. I've contacted Rugg to ask him a real biography of the group, but it seems he doesn't have time to answer me ... so here is what I know :
This Philadelphia based group was composed of 3 members : Melvin Carter (RuggedNess a.k.a Rugg) who is consider as the main leader of the group, Eddie Hurk & Chink (Madd Drama).
Their first release 'Big Boyz / Comin' At 'Cha' came out in 1993 on Kixx Records, produced by RuggedNess & The Super T.
"Rugg started out DJing at the age of 12 with his older friend Ernest who was a local DJ in Mount Airy. He started to build his name around the city when he moved to Logan and started to do house parties. And it was there that he meet Mad Drama and started to work on his music."SONGBIRD
In 1994 came out certainly the best release of their discography, the 12 Inches 'Forreal', entirely produced by Ruggedness on a small indie label 'EMAY records', created by Rugg's friend Emay, a local graffiti artist.
Exept the official 'forreal' video, there aren't lots of archives available on the web. Maybe the most interesting videos we can find online are some archives from the DVD 'Rap Underground North', a documentary directed by Kenny White and featuring artists like Sha' Dasious, Rukus, 100x, Tribe ov Bedrock, Da Bum Rush, 3 nations in 1, Phull Scale, Ital tha Ruffian, Ghetto Poet, Poetic Deity... and more. These stuff has been uploaded a while back by Alkuttraz, but the sound quality of the live performances isn't really good.
The next 12" 'Hustlers' High / Huntin' Park Hustlers' released in 1997 was a little bit disappointing compared to the others. I don't have more info about the 2 Madddrama members after that ...
In terms of Productions, Rugg worked on lots of projects : In 1994 , he produced 2 tracks on the very good Three Times Dope's EP 'Da Sequel' on Acknickulous Records : Da Sequel & Kick Dat Style.
The same year, he also produced Redd Bull's 12" single 'Rude Girl / Bring On Da Bull / Ghetto Illusion' released on Kixx Records. The Female MC will drop her 'Raindrops' EP in 1996.
In 1996, he produced 2 tracks for the philly hip-hop crew Da Fat Cat Clique : 'Live From Fox Valley' and the excellent 'Da flow' featuring Rugg, E.S.T, Ital Tha Ruffian, The Man They Call Lux & Lavee. The single peaked at #1 regularly from May to August on WUSL's Power 99 FM.
"From the jazzy beat and piano riff to the reference of former Philadelphia Flyer Eric Lindros, Da Fat Cat Clique's "Da Flow" is so adored because it's so unapologetic in its mid-90s charm. The single caught the attention of Power 99 personality Colby Colb back in '96, and after it blew up on his late night show, it crossed over to the station's main show. It's the type of track that young hip-hop fans would stay up late on Friday nights to tape off of the radio, loving every minute of it."Complex UK
From Da Buzz! The Philly Issue - October 1998 - Scan courtesy of Rapzines
"Rugg started to make some real noise! Coming up and out with some pretty dope artist such as R.A.M Squad, I Ty Ruffian, The Roots, Shock Nation, and Bum Rush.... Rugg stood out and ventuerd off into other parts of music.
As one of the owners of "Platinum Bound Records" Rugg was the man behind the music of a majority of Philly artist such as Major Figgas, Freeway, Peedi Crack, RAM Squad, and etc! Promoting that Philly sound was embedded into him! But it was with Philly Native Eve that put Rugg into a nother line of work. After years of working with Eve before she became that person in the spot light.... After she blew up she did not forget what he had done for her! So when she started her sitcom "Eve" she called Rugg and offered him a job as her sound man, so he picked his family and moved to California leaving behind Platinum Bound to persue another part of his musical career.
After the show was canceled, Rugg return to the place that he had started, but starting a New life which lead to the opening of "Batcave Studio". And for everyone who has been in the dark for the past 10 years..... BatCave Studios is one of the most know studios in Philadelphia! The Home to damn near anybody thats doing something with music in the city. Rugg, P Funk, and Biz Porter are the names behind Meek Mills, Ape Gang, Black Dinero, Mont Brown, and others! Now a radio station, Record Company, and Studio... BatCave definatley is a name that rings bells!"SONGBIRD
Biz Porter & Rugg - Batcave Studio - Photo courtesy of Jarrid A. Barringer / Tribune Photographer
