Connecticut is fertile ground for hip hop, but it can be hard to find. Like many other regional scenes across the country the state hasn't gotten much attention nationally. This compilation will definitely give you a good look into the underground there. You'll hear from a few 'well known' names like Lonnie O, Stezo and Bas Blasta but pay attention to some of the others whose work is really obscure. For example 'The Apacalypse' by 'Seven Angels' is a rare banger with some serious replay value. Track 2 by Lonnie O has me hooked liked crack. His (1st ?) single from 1992 'Dream On' is probably more common, but I dig the '94 flavor better.
If you're a fan of the New Haven crew Hyperdermic Needlz, check out track 13. This is from a cassingle of mine. I believe it's a tape-only track. The vinyl 12" 'Always bw/Word Up' does not feature 'Almost Gone'. The cassette version is also put out by 'Cook Rock Records' but isn't listed on discogs. If anyone out there can provide some background on the tape release it'd be nice to find out more. In the meantime, here's a link and the tracklist to the 1st of several underground compilations representing Ct.
Download
01 (3:45) Spectrum Live - Fifty Grand 1997
02 (5:11) Lonnie O - It's Like That 1994
03 (3:51) Stezo - Tension Off The Chest 1995
04 (4:36) Dahru - My Home 1997
05 (4:27) Connecticut Kartel - C.k. State Of Mind 1997
06 (3:00) Millionz - 97 Mentality
07 (2:00) Mic Profit - Young James Bond 2005
08 (4:15) House of Reps - Grey Skies 2000
09 (5:10) Inna Citi - Project Shit 2000
10 (4:35) The Unit - Life Is Trouble 1998
11 (5:05) Foundation Clique - Things Ain't Easy 1996
12 (4:44) Russ Bee - Flavors From The Hill (Hill Remix) 1994
13 (2:40) Hyperdermic Needlez - Almost Gone (Bonus Jack Kevorkian Solo) 1994
14 (4:24) Chis Lowe - 1 Midnight Blue 1993
15 (3:41) The Ill Pedestrians - All Out Ta Bomb 1992
16 (4:13) Ack The Brother Grimm - Chaotic Dayz 1998
17 (4:09) Bas Blasta - Aint Whatcha Do (Radio) 1994
18 (5:52) Seven Angels - The Apacalypse 1997
19 (3:39) D Vine - Say Hi To The Bad Guy 1994
The 'The Ill Pedestrians' cut is from a compilation called 'The Basement Tapes'. The cd is absolutely worth picking up. Dooley O is a Connecticut producer who put out this collection of unreleased local hip hop circa 1988-1994. It should be on your cd shelf!
On another note, I wish I could detail the tracks down by city for you, but I am not 100% sure on all of them. The artists on tracks 10, 16 and 18 are from Bridgeport. Any Ct natives out there who can break down the local scenes for us by city would be cool to hear from! I hope everyone enjoys this hand-picked slice of the northeast. Leave some comments, drop some science if you've got that uncommon knowledge. Thanks for reading!
--Schenectadyfan
Whoa...this looks like a reallll ill one.
ReplyDeleteI never heard that other Hyperdermic track or a lot of stuff on this. Thanks schenectadyfan.
Props.
A Connecticut comp without Dooley O is like an LA comp without any King Tee or CMW ...
ReplyDeleteBig Props for biggin up the CT.
ReplyDeleteLets see if my memory serves be right.
D-vine is from Hartford he used to DJ at a local college radio station at the time.
Mic Profit and Connecticut kartel are from Brideport.
Bas blasta is from Waterbury I
believe.
This compilation is good but I agree you've gotta include something from both Dooley-O and the skinny boys and it would be complete.
word IM from Pistol Wavin New Haven, CT on Dixwell Ave and Hyperdermic Neelz is a new haven group...listen to the lyrics they mention the Elm al ot and new haven is also the Elm City...didnt thru everythng else yet...but yeah peace...good lookin on showing CT some love 203 kids get rich son...
ReplyDeleteseeing a post on this blog that is unfettered by the egotistical bellyaching of AC the poser is like heaven...
ReplyDeleteAnon, you are a little bitch who cries to yourself when you see any sign of me! How pitiful ... DOOLEY O = The best ever out of CT ... and word to Willie, where is the Skinny Boys' love?
ReplyDeleteAC, you follow the blog, so you should know that schenectadyfan usually does many, many volumes to each series he makes. I'm sure your favorites will be on future comps. Or maybe not.
ReplyDeletedope compilation.. coincidentally, i have that spectrum live single up on ebay for sale right now.. check it out @ http://shop.ebay.com/chcknorris79/m.html .. keep up the great compilations, thanks
ReplyDeleteGreat list---my hometown.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how many hip hop artists were rumored to have relatives or kin from new haven, or in fact the rumor was that they actually lived in New Haven, but for marketing sake said they were from NYC. Case in point: Big Daddy Kane. I can't count how many folks claimed Kane--his grandmom supposedly lived off of Dixwell Avenue up near prospect street.
I bet Billy Bush or DJ Hollywood would be able to help fill out that list..the folks at Cutler's records (if some of the people from back in the day still work there) could help too.
good stuff.
Crazy! My peoples are all over this one. Ack the Brother Grimm (or Ak-Z, the Brother Grimm) was my production partner, he produced Inner City's Track, Seven Angels, and his own track. Our crew's music is missing though (two of those tracks come from the TFR Records Compilation). Function Team had Hartford on lock in the late nineties!!!
ReplyDelete