SLD a.k.a Sick Lyrical Damager

It was a real pleasure in 2020 to listen to an unreleased track from Sick Lyrical Damager dropped by Chopped Herring Records. I've been a true fan of this MC since day one and I would have liked there was more SLD tracks on this "Shazam X – The Producer Project EP", but it was better than nothing.

EP - 2022 - Chopped Herring Records 

For those who don't know this excellent Bronx-based emcee and to make a quick recap about how everything started for Rodney Summers a.k.a Sick Lyrical Damager, you need to know that SLD and the legendary Andre the Giant a.k.a A.G. from Showbiz & AG grew up together in the same neighborhood in the South Bronx, Patterson Projects precisely. SLD and Showbiz also went to school together. 

Everything began in the mid 80s when A.G. wrote a song called "A Bomb In My Pocket". Rodney heard the verse and he told him that he'd write a verse for that song and that's what he did. A.G. heard the verse and then they became rap partners. The duo was called Rod Swift and Dre Smooth. For the info, an unfinished album was recorded with A.G. at that time, with productions handled by a kat named Double DEE a.k.a Devious Devastator. Rod has also recorded a full solo album with this producer, but everything still remains unreleased. After A.G. appeared on Lord Finesse first album in 1990, him and Showbiz became a group and Rod became Sick Lyrical Damager and went solo. 

The legendary Rhyme Inspector Percee-P who is also from Patterson Projects, grew up with Sick Lyrical Damager... they went to kindergarten together. Percee P introduced him to DJ/Producer Shazam X at the record shop Shazam worked at. After hearing him rapped, Shazam X took him under his wings and became his producer. He put him on his EP released on TNT Records (sub-label to Freeze records) around 1993-1994 with the single "Scary Thoughts".

EP - 1994 - TNT Records

In the mid 90s, SLD and Percee-P performed in LeFrak City in Queens and Vance Reid saw their performance. After that he signed them to his record label called Vmax Records. Percee-P's 12" (Nowhere Near Simple/ Don't Cum Strapped) and SLD's first 12" (Scary Thoughts / It's Over) will be released by this label in 1996.

12" - 1996 - Vmax Records 

A third 12" entitled "Respect Costs More Than Money" was released the same year, still produced by Shazam X. It came out after the other 12-Inches but the single was originally recorded prior the other tracks. In February 22nd 1996, SLD and Percee P were lived on the Stretch & Bobbito Show on WKCR for the Promo of this 12". Here is the freestyle aired that night :

After his deal ended with Vmax Records, SLD started his own label called Makin Millz Records and put his second single out "Makin Millz / Everybody" in 1998. Another wax to grab if you're enough lucky to find one for sale. 

12" - 1998 - Makin Millz Records  

For the info, in 2007 SLD added another name to his rap name... Lazy I... and put out a full album called "The Focus". 

And if like me, you're looking for more unreleased material recorded during the 90s, you need to know that a demo tape exists and was sold on ebay a few years ago. 2 demos from that tape are still unreleased... 

Mad Props to Rodney Summers 

Shazam X - The Producer Project EP - 2020

EP - 2020 - Chopped Herring Records

A1 - Pos-Neg - South Bronx

A2 - Sistar Act - Death List ft Waltbaby

A3 - Sistar Act - I Want The Riches ft Waltbaby

A4 - Sistar Act - Lyrical Massacre ft Waltbaby

B1 - Sick Lyrical Damager - Getting Sick

B2 - Sick Lyrical Damager - Makin Millz

B3 - TDK - Streetlife (A World Of Crime)

B4 - TDK - Streetlife (A World Of Crime) [Unreleased Remix]

350 Copies (120 copies on Black/Silver Vinyl

& 230 copies on Traditional black Wax)

Pre-Order  

PosNeg

PosNeg was a group from the South Bronx, NY created in 1995 and consisted of Walter Velasquez a.k.a Waltbaby, Lorenzo Lewis a.k.a Solex (RIP), Kema a.k.a Americanboi/Meko and Lakenya a.k.a Sniper.

I don't like everything from their discography but I have to admit that their first three releases, recorded between 1996 and 1997 and produced by Shazam X, James Barkley, Barry Storm and Lord Finesse are pretty good. 

12" - 1996 - Vmax Records  

EP - 1996 - Baby Entertainment 

12" - 1997 - Vmax Records 




I don't really remember where I got this...but here is a short interview of Kema where she explained what happened to the group. I think it was on Kema's blog when it was still online...

"Waltbaby, the brains behind the idea, created waltbaby entertainment Inc. and soon began to scout for talent, eventually he came across aspiring artists; Solex, Kema and Lakenya and together they formed the independent record label of the 90's known as waltbaby entertainment. Posneg performed in some of the most prestigious arenas and opened for acts such as Lord Finesse and even Kathy Lee Gifford. This group embodied evolution and hope for the youth, in fact, one of posneg's very publicized songs was called "this is for the youth". Many of PosNeg's fan's were dispappointed when they broke apart and even today, fans and supporters ask where are they now? Posneg's disbandment was a direct result of tragedy, disaggrement and unharmonious growth sprouting. Sadly, Solex encountered an early demise, after being murdered. Kema chose to study the bible and become a Jehovah's Witness, Lakenya obtained a scholarship to college and graduated with a bachelors degree and Walter continued to try to make the dream a reality, however, without the substance of the group, the dream could not materialize." 

 A movie exists about the story of the group members and starring Walter Velasquez himself. It's titled "Off The Hook" and came out in 1999. To be honest I've never seen it and I've never had a feedback about it, so I don't really know if it's a good movie... 

Shazam X ‎- Down For My Crown - 1994

"Shazam X started his musical career pursuits back in 1984 as a DJ who did house parties in his neighborhood. He soon after got offers from club promoters and began DJing in clubs. Later he became interested in mixtapes and began doing a mixtape series labeled "The X-Files" and he also did a "Best Of" series. Soon after that he took an intrest in making beats and studio engineering. He began to hang around Calliope studios with the rap group "Ultramagnetic" where he began to find his love for music production. Later down the line he began to hang out with his friend Raheim, who later introduced him to Salaam Remi. He learned alot from Raheim and Salaam and he took what he learned and used the knowledge wisely. With the help of his long time friend Kenny Dope, Kenny helped Shazam get his chance to make his first record back in 1994 which was titled "Down For My Crown"."

EP - 1994 - TNT Records

The EP came out on TNT Records (sub-label to Freeze records). All tracks are written and produced by Shazam X except "Down for my Crown" which is also co-produced by Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez. This wax is not really hard to find and you can easily cop it for a good price. The most interesting tracks of the EP are certainly "Scary Thoughts" featuring S.L.D a.k.a Sick Lyrical Damager from the Bronx, and "Stick Up" featuring Kaotic Style.