Hip Hop 101: The Nas Remixes "Where Are They Now": The 80's Remix (Part Two)

80's Remix Featuring: MC Shan, Rahiem (Furious Five), Doctor Ice (UTFO), Kangol (UTFO), Kool Moe Dee, Sha Rock (Funky Four +1), Tito (Fearless Four), Grandmaster Caz (Cold Crush Brothers), Lin que (Isis of X Clan), Dana Dane, Pebblee Poo & Just-Ice.

My eyes have somewhat went back to normal after yesterday's marathon post. Not used to staring a screen that long, or going that long on a post. It was the most work I've ever put in on one of these bad boys, and despite it being poorly written, it was also probably one of the posts I'm the most proud of along with one of the most enjoyable posts I've ever done. I gained a heap 'o knowledge when I was writing it up.

Anyway, to avoid spending massive amounts of time on part two, I'm diving right into it......

Grandmaster Caz of the Cold Crush Brothers

Cold Crush Brothers Are: DJ's Charlie Chase & Tony Tone, MC's Grandmaster Caz, JDL, Almighty KG, and Easy AD .

Cold Crush Bros. Discography
Troopers (B Boy Records, 1988)
Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold (Ol' Skool Flava, 1995)

Grandmaster Caz Discography
The Grandest of Them All (Tuff City, 1992)
You Need Stitches: The Tuff City Sessions 1982-1988 (Ol' Skool Flava, 2004)

If I had to choose a favorite old school crew, it would probably be Cold Crush. It's not that they had the greatest records, but their routines and live show (that I've heard on old tapes) are by far some of the best that I've heard from the era. Grandmaster Caz was the most recognizable of the group. It would be Caz who wrote the rhymes that Big Bank Hank would use on the first ever Hip Hop single on wax in "Rapper's Delight". They would appear in the B-Boy classic "Wild Style". The single they are best known for is "Fresh, Fly, Wild, & Bold " which dropped on Tuff City in '84 and had distribution from Profile.

Caz would would release some solo stuff in the late 80's along with some 12 inch singles. The group would reform on Terminator X's "The God Fathers of Threat" compilation. There are also a few compilation albums floating around out there of their work. Truly one of the greats that didn't get their props.

Grandmaster Caz Interview

Grandmaster Caz Myspace
Cold Crush @ Harlem World 1981 Christmas Battle
http://www.zshare.net/audio/06-cold-crush-4-mc-battle-mp3.html

Cold Crush @ Harlem World during "New York At Night" 1981
http://www.zshare.net/audio/03-cold-crush-brothers-mp3.html

Cold Crush Vs. Fanastic 5 at Ectasy Garage 1980
http://www.zshare.net/audio/01-cold-crush-fantastic-5-mp3.html : Part One
http://www.zshare.net/audio/02-cold-crush-fantastic-5-mp3.html : Part Two


Lin Que (Formely Isis)

Discography
Rebal Soul (4th & Broadway , 1990)

This will be the toughest for me, because honestly, I know very little about her. She originally used the name Isis as part of the X-Clan and was heavy on the Afrocentric tip. She dropped a solo album in 1990 on 4th & B-Way that I honestly haven't not heard or seen for quite a while. She is heavily involved with the Blackwatch Movement, as was the X-Clan group. If I remember right, she had left X-Clan to work with MC Lyte. It was then she changed her name to Lin Que. She dropped a couple singles that got some shine in "The Source" back in the day.

She would join the all women crew Deadly Venomz that was a Wu affiliate in the late 90's that consisted of Champ MC, N-Tyce, Finesse, J-Boo, and Lin Que herself. The album was shelved and has never seen the light of day as far as I know. Lin Que dropped a single last year that was produced by Ayatollah and is rumored dropping an album in the near future.

Recent Lin Que Interview
Lin Que myspace

Sorry I don't have any of her material

Dana Dane

Discography
Dana Dane With Fame (Select, 1987)
Dane Dane 4 Ever (Select, 1990)
Rollin' Wit Dana Dane (Maverick, 1995)

Dana Dane is from the Fort Greene projects of Brooklyn, New York. He would go to high school with one Rickey Walters, AKA Slick Rick. Together, Rick and Dane would form the Kangol Crew. It was a high school group that would spit rhymes in the lunch room while banging on the tables. As far as I know, there was never any recorded music from the duo. Dane would go on to incorporate some of Rick's styles into his own MC'ing style. He would turn that borrowed styled into gold, as in a gold plaque for his debut album "Dana Dane With Fame".

The debut album would produce such classics as "Nightmares", "Cinderfella Dana Dane", and "This Be The Def Beat". The super producer Hurby Luv Bug did the majority of the album. He was also responsible for Salt N Pepa, Kwame, and Kid N Play along with others in the late 80's. In 1990, he would drop "Dana Dane 4 Ever" which he would continue with the excellent story telling steez. Dane would then drop out of site for awhile, only to resurface using Battlecat and a west coast sounding album in the form of "Rollin' With Dana Dane". The single "Record Jock" generated a little buzz, but hip hop had changed a bit too much. Dane can still be found on satellite radio doing a show on Sirus Radio called "BackSpin43".

Dana Dane Myspace
Video Interview with Dana Dane on D-Nice TV

Dane Dane - Dana Dane With Fame (Profile, 1987)
1 Dedicaton (0:22)
2 Cinderfella Dana Dane (5:24)
3 This Be The Def Beat (3:20)
4 Dana Dane With Fame (4:05)
5 Delancey Street (5:25)
6 We Wanna Party (2:59)
7 Nightmares (5:50)
8 Keep The Groove (3:56)
9 Love At First Sight (6:20)


Pebblee Poo

Part of The Master Don & Death Committee

Alright, I take the Lin Que Thing back, because honestly, I know next to nothing about this crew and Pebblee Poo and unfortunately, there isn't a lot on them or her. Hailing from Bronx right around the corner from "The Fever", she would originally be down with Kool Herc and the Herculoids. The Herculoids at that time consisted of La-Brew, JC, and Clark Kent (not THAT Clark Kent) along with Sondra Dee and Sweet & Sour. In 1980, she would join Master Don & the Death Committee, Don just happened to be her brother.

They would release a NY hit in "Funkbox Party" in '83 on Enjoy. Pebblee Poo would go solo and release "Fly Guy" that was an answer record to the Boogie Boys "Fly Girl". She would be up in the clubs through out all the early 80's. Master Don passed away from a brain tumor in the early 90's...RIP

Speaking on Master Don

Good Interview with Pebblee Poo that shines some light

Master Don & The Death Committee @ Harlem World in 1981
http://www.zshare.net/audio/02-masterdon-the-death-commitee-mp3-vs9.html

Just Ice

Discography
Back To The Old School (Fresh, 1986)
Kool & Deadly (Fresh, 1987)
The Desolate One (Fresh/Sleeping Bag, 1989)
Masterpiece (Fresh, 1990) Gun Talk (Savage, 1993)
Kill The Rhythm (In-A-Minute, 1995)
II (Warlock, 1998)

The original gangster of rap, Just Ice was one of the first MC's to talk about the lifestyle of a gangster along with Philly MC Schoolly D. Just Ice was raised in the Brooklyn during the early years of Hip Hop and come up in the clubs during the 80's. Being fairly stocky, a mouth full of gold teeth, and tat's, Just Ice gained the respect of people as someone you didn't want to fuck with. A death of a D.C. drug dealer in which Ice was questioned by police for will just add to the rep. Forever outspoken, Just Ice would criticize the Go-Go dance movement, take shots and the ruling hip hop group at the time in Run DMC, he was never short for words. One story would have him going to Queens with a shotgun, looking for MC Poet during the height of the Bronx/Queensbridge wars after Poet had taken shots at KRS on wax. This rumor was laid to rest when Just Ice admitted to it in an '05 interview.

His first album, "Back To The Old School" in '86 was produced by legendary producer, Kurtis Mantronik. The album contained the trademark 808 production of Mantronik along with teachings of the Zulu Nation that came from Just Ice's 5% membership. It would also contain a Jamaican flavor that was not found in hip hop at the time. The only other group that time messing with the Dancehall/ragamuffin flavor would be KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions, who Just Ice would hook up for this next two albums, which wouldn't garner as much attention as his first, nor the international acclaim. "Going Way Back" from the second album was a hit though, as he goes through and name drops multiple people from the old school days, some well known, others not so well known. His 1990 album was produced by Grandmaster Flash himself, but Sleeping Bag/Fresh records was starting to fold at this time and the album never did receive proper promotion. During the 90's, Just Ice released a few more albums on small labels. He dropped a 12 inch that was produced by DJ Premier in 2002.

Excellent Two part interview with Just Ice (where he tells the story of looking for Poet)
http://www.jayquan.com/justice.htm
http://www.jayquan.com/justicetoo.htm

Just Ice - Kool & Deadly (Fresh/Sleeping Bag, 1987)
http://sharebee.com/9832f0ce

1. Going Way Back
2. The Original Gangster of Hip Hop
3. Freedom of Speech
4. Moshitup
5. Kool & Deadly
6. On the Strength
7. Lyric Licking
8. Booga Bandit Bitch

So that wraps up the 80's. Tomorrow it's all about the west syyyde!