GP Wu

Sup people? Been very busy the last weeks and also in future will not look that better. This leaves not the time I’d like to rip new stuff and write the respective articles to them so that’s the reason why this board dried out lately! Well, will try to push my homes Mirro & Onur to bring sum from their cratez in here and personally will also try to find some time to contribute more again in here…
Meanwhile I dug in my old rips and found two records I didn’t show so far – hope ya’ll enjoy ‘em!

GP WU is the crew for today. For those that ain’t familiar with those catz here are the basics:
GP WU stands for “Gladiator Posse Wu” what of course refers to their link to the mighty Wu Tang Clan family. The posse consists of Pop da Brown Hornet, Rubbabandz, Down Low Recka & Juna Luva and they’re comin outta Staten Island, NY. They had their peak in the biz in the mid/late 90s when they were dropping most of their stuff (individually or in this group) but they also still active nowadays (check their myspace for that where they promote the latest Rubbabandz LP). So the first of the two wax I’m showin is from 1997, a promo released on MCA records. The titles on it are “hit me with that shit” and “party people”. Forget about the 2nd track already as it ain’t good at all but the main title is the banger!

GP Wu_hit me with that shit-12”

The other record I got from them was released in the same year, on the same label and also as a promo only. Again you got the track “party people” on it and on the flip you find the best track (IMO) they ever dropped – “chamber danger”! man, I just love it how the beat is constructed; startin’ easy n low, then the vocals and after that the bass-construction that builds up until that phat bassline comes in and bangs ya ears!
Awesome!

GP Wu_chamber danger-12”

Besides these twelves they released a bunch of other ones and in 1998 finally dropped their full length “don’t go against the grain” on MCA which I really recommend to y’all!

3rd Degree

Well then – another fine piece of wax to rep in here is comin’ from…

3rd DEGREE. This emcee is also known as SHAYDIE and this name should ring bells to them who listen to BLAK FOREST / URBANITES stuff as he’s part of those crews. Under the name 3rd Degree he released to my knowledge 2 twelves – “hi energy” on Up Above Records in 2000 which is the later one and his quite famous “better days b/w uprising” that I’m showin you here. the track “better days” is a rather popular tune as DJ Premier featured it on his “crooklyn cuts vol.3” and also to me it’s the better of the two songs on this record. Mr.Supreme produced a mad smooth tune over which Shaydie is kickin’ his mellow verses. The b-side brings the track “uprising” that is also quite dope but can’t hold the candle to the main track!
The record was released back in 1997 on the Seattle based label Conception Records (from which we showed you plenty of dope records so far in here) that was founded in 1993 by the two Sharpshooters members Mr. Supreme and DJ Sureshot.

3rd degree_better days-12”

Rugged Brood

Here’s a short review bout a very nice one-tracker from…

RUGGED BROOD. This crew is coming from Spring Valley NY and consists of the members ParaDox, Madmax and Flu.
On the twelve you find the song “dwellin’ in darkness” – a quite sombre tune that I’m really feelin!
The record was released in 1997 on the Raw Track label that also kicked out all the stuff from Shamus, Emar and Crimewave.
Besides this record Rugged Brood had another 2 releases on Raw Track called “what’s the impact” (check here to see our old review to this) and “non fiction b/w look out”. Also you may wanna check their myspace here as there you will find 2 other tracks I didn’t know of before and that weren’t released on Raw Track (even dunno if they exist on vinyl at all!). the titles of them tunes are “the promo” and “what’s going down”…

Rugged Brood_dwellin’ in darkness-12”

Peace y’all

Raphael, Loucha ft. Shyheim

It’s a great pleasure to finally being able to present you this fine piece of work of international cooperation – U.S. meets France. The benefit of this collabo is an awesome track called…

WORLDWIDE. I first heard this banger on some of the crazy mixes by Ron T who used to run a famous and mad sick radio show in the mid-late 90s here in Switzerland where you would hear all the indie-jointz peeps are now looking for… Usually one gets easily French rap here in Switzerland but somehow I never was able to find this record that time here in one of the stores I’m digging…anyway – few weeks ago I finally could lay my hand on it (mad thanx Nail!). so the track “worldwide” brings totally 3 emcees to the mic: RAPHAEL (of the crew LA CLIQUA), LOUCHA (of the crew PETITS BOSS) and some verses of WU-Fam member SHYHEIM you may never have heard of before…
The b-side of this record brings a track of each of the French cats. It starts with Raphael’s “nouvel impact” a solid track but stylewise I ain’t feeling much attracted by it. However Loucha’s “les jeunes de nos quartiers” is a track that I’m feeling again and it generates a magnificent finish on this wax!
The record-data: this jewel on vinyl was pressed in 1996 on the French Arsenal Records label (same that also pressed all the La Cliqua stuff).

Raphael, Loucha ft Shyheim_worldwide-12”

Enjoy n leave a coment if ya feelin’ (or not feelin’) that wax….