5E - Paradox RMX - 1998

Northwest hip-hop had a very good indie scene during the 90s so I think it could be a good idea to give some shine to this group called 5E who was definitely part of it. This group was comprised of K-DUE a.k.a K-Dueski, GDe (pronounced Jeed), Juice, and Bitzo One a.k.a DJ Bitz N' Pieces.

If you don't know them, you need to know that they dropped their debut single "Paradox RMX" on wax in 1998. The single is taken from the excellent compilation album entitled "Classic Elements" released on CD format the same year on K Records, which is an underground record label located in Olympia, Washington. It also features groups or emcees like Ghetto Children, Jaleel, Black Anger, Jace or the female MC Soulstice... just to name a few. 

As there is no info on the internet about 5E, K-Due agreed to answer some of my questions to give us some. Here is the interview !

K-Due, where did you all come from ?

K-Due : " We all met in Des Moines, Washington which is a smaller city just south of Seattle Washington. "

When did you form the crew ?

K-Due : " We actually formed sometime in 1990/1991 and originally were a dance crew. At that time there was no crew name and the members were a little different. It was still myself, GDe, Juice. But we had two other dancers. Maurice and Brian. The real formulation of 5E happened in 1992 I would say. "

How did the connection happen between all the members ?

K-Due : " So really it started as dancing. Early 90s. Dancing was a huge part of hip hop. My brother and I used to make dance routines. Somehow in our apartment complex word got around that we could dance so we got a visit from another kid named Maurice. He came over and said "hey, I head y'all can dance". So we said yeah and he asked us to show him our moves. We did and he was impressed enough to invite us to join him and two others, (Brian and Steve) to start a dance crew and try to make it on to Showtime at the Apollo and Star Search. That was the plan. So we worked on a routine all summer long, until one day my brother says he doesn't want to dance anymore and we should just be a rap group. At that point we made the change and we all started rappin and stopped dancing. The Group would first be called "The Foundation". Shortly after, Juice decided we should change the name to "5 x Raw". (5 times raw since there were 5 members). "

How were you signed by K Records ?

K-Due : " We were doing lots of shows in the Seattle area and we're making some connections. We also had appearances on two popular hip hop radio shows. KGRG "ear to the street" with DJ Crush  was one of them. So we would eventually be on the show to perform live and do an interview. But DJ Crush would play our unreleased songs as well. "

K-Due : " From that exposure we met Jay (can't remember his last name) but he had a company called Impact Entertainment. He was promoting shows in the Seattle and Tacoma areas and wanted to do a compilation that bridges the gap between Washingtons two big cities, Seattle and Tacoma. So Jay saw us perform and approached us to see if we were interested in having a song in the compilation "Classic Elements". "

There is no other official release after the single "Paradox RMX", what happened to the group ?

K-Due : " We unfortunately started to grow up shortly after that and life kind of took over. My older brother GDe had two kids already at that point and stopped making music. Juice would move on to make solo music as the name J.U.I. 

I ended up getting together with two other friends and friends a different group called Organik Produce. We did put out more music but mostly just hard copies sold locally. Since then multiple releases online from myself and other members. But yeah I would say by 1999 5E was officially disbanded. "

Mad props to K-Due, thanks for your time Bro. 

Thunder Jam Alliance - Underground Hip-Hop Power Move Demo Vol 2

 

EP - 2024 - Chopped Herring Records 

Available to Pre-Order on Black Wax in trad Herring sticker jacket (300 copies) & on White Label in the spectacular season-only jackets designed by Cisar outta Santiago, Chile (50 copies)

 

Thunder Jam Alliance - Underground Hip Hop Power Move 1

EP - 2024 - Chopped Herring Records 

3 years ago, I had the chance to talk with Tacoma-based producer DJ Shaggy C and I brought some details/infos about the Thunder Jam Alliance crew. Today, their unreleased material is seeing the light of day with the help of my man Bob Lipitch and Chopped Herring Records. Here is the Volume 1, Enjoy Fellas !

"Here we have  a STUNNING 10 tracker from Tacoma-based producer DJ Shaggy C & his extended crew of different acts collectively known as Thunder Jam Alliance. There is loads of info in the biography/interview but what you really need to hear are the snippets.

A small number of the TJA demos are floating around on the net courtesy of a variety of demo tape collectors but nothing has been formally released, so here is an introduction to this mid-90s Tacoma crew's output. And hot damn, is this stuff special...

 

Big shout out to my man Hakan Dougpark for the connect and Unikone for his posts on the excellent Hip Hop The Golden Era Blog - 1L " - courtesy of Chopped Herring Records

Available on Black vinyl in trad Herring sticker jacket (300 copies) & on White Label in the spectacular season-only jackets designed by Swerve-One (50 copies)

Pre-Order  

Thunder Jam Alliance

First time I've heard about Thunder Jam was when the snippets of the Demo tape were uploaded by Sneak Tipp on his youtube channel in 2015. All the artists featuring on that compilation album were totally unknown to me... but all the tracks were dope so I was curious to get more info about the various MCs featuring on that tape.

After a long investigation and no need to say that it was a little bit difficult, I can tell you that Thunder Jam a.k.a Thunder Jam Alliance was a collective of DJs, Rappers, Singers, Dancers, Musicians, Engineers, Producers and Promoters from all over the U.S.

T.J.A. was separated in 2 different sections, a R'n'B section and a Hip-Hop section. The Hip-Hop section was managed by Producer/DJ Shaggy C who was originally from New Jersey. He was the core member of the collective. He put together a coalition of artists from all over the US due to a lot of them met while they were stationed at the Air Force and Army base in Tacoma Washington near Seattle.

"The Thunder Jam Alliance is an appropriate name for this coalition of talent from various cities ranging from Los Angeles to New York currently making the Earth shudder with it’s thunderous beats and lightning rhymes.

Thunderjam prevail. The best of the best young and new talent uncreasingly rise up to join forces with them, eager to be affiliated with this faction that is currently storming the country. Thunderjam Alliance is unquestionably one of the best new acts to emerge on the scene, and will undoubtedly continue to prevail and dominate their ever increasing hip-hop arena.

Thunderjam, founded, fronted, and led by producer/DJ Shaggy C, for when it comes to making people move to slammin groove he is no new jack. With 15 years of experience as a hip-hop and club DJ, he has come to represent a new precedent of rap music in the Pacific Northwest. TJA (The Thunderjam Alliance) is curently heading the most elite clubs in Seattle, and together with the momentum gained by the rising allegiance of their new found following, it won’t be long before their tempestuous energies come to bear-dominating the rap scene. Shaggy is an accomplished writer, producer, performer, and publisher (BMI) having established his own publishing company -Thunderjam Publishing which is also prospering, Shag has written songs for television as well as for many artists, performers, television and commercials.

The Thunderjam Alliance is currently back in the studios working on new tracks for the six Rap groups and three R'n'B groups of which it consists. With slammin’ tracks from DJ Shaggy C, and his hand picked production staff including Terrance Crutch spearheading the R'n'B side of the house, the Thuderjam Alliance is currently soliciting interests from selected agencies for world wide conquest. The most intriguing thing about Shaggy C, and his formidable army of talent is the infectious nature of his funky grooves which seem to drive all who hear them into a feverish pitch. Have no doubts, Shaggy C, and the Thunderjam Alliance will achieve the success and longevity of heavyweight R'n'B and Rap acts of this decade." - T.J.A. Press Kit 

Many Rap groups and solo artists were incorporated in Thunder Jam Alliance, around 30 members according to Shaggy C. The names of the artists or groups featuring on this demo tape are Brothas Of The Lost Tribe, Dem Kidz, S.K.I (The Street Kid Intellect), Red Dawn, Bionic, & Magnum Black. 

Brothas of the Lost Tribe consisted of The Lyrical Wajid, Qaadir & Majid. All I know from this group is Wajid's interest in rap began at the age of thirteen, when a friend and himself began writing poetry and songs to impress young women in school. The duo later went on to form a group known as MEGAFORCE, which disbanded after his parents decided to relocate.

Finding that there were young men who shared his same interests in his new school, Wajid joined other groups, who appeared in and won high school as well as local talent shows.

His rap career was momentarily placed on hold when he enlisted in the Army. During his tour in the Army he met Qaadir and Majid forming The Brothas of the Lost Tribe. 

S.K.I. a.k.a the Street Kid Intellect isn't an unsung artist, first time I've listened to one of his song was on the excellent Pacific Northwest compilation named Classic Elements. The name of the song  is "From Bullets To Poetics" and is produced by Shaggy C. DJ Shaggy C was also known at that time for his work with the Tacoma-based group Black Anger.  

That's all the info I can give you about the Thunder Jam Alliance... I wish I could give you more but it seems all the artists involved in this collective have got another life now and everything is behind them... but at least I can give you some Thunder Jam Alliance's unreleased material, courtesy of DJ Shaggy C especially for the blog ... Enjoy ! 

Mad Props to DJ Shaggy C and Big Up to my man Madhuman.

Jake One presents Townbizness Mix - 2008

Unofficial Tacoma/Seattle Hip-Hop Compilation produced by Jake One circa 2008.

Tracklist : 

Vitamin D - No Good

Jake One & Kutfather - No Introdeezy

Boom Bap Project - Welcome To Seattle

DMS - Back Up Off My Tip

Samson & Swift - Watch Your Words

Source Of Labor - Wetlands

Sinsemilla - Kaboom

Foul Play - Nightfall Round The Way

Blind Council - Only When I'm High

Ghetto Chilldren - Questions

Jace and the 4th Party feat. B-Mello & Specs One - Shit Hits The Fan
Black Tek - Sic Ill Shorty

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