B-Boy Records
Encyclopedia
B-Boy Records was an important independent hip hop
record label formed by Jack Allen and Bill Kamarra in 1986, and situated at 132nd Street and Cypress Avenue in the Bronx, New York City. Its most notable signing was Boogie Down Productions
. B-Boy released Boogie Down Productions' first singles, "South Bronx" (1986) and "The Bridge is Over
" (1987), and their landmark debut album, Criminal Minded
(1987). Other acts released by the label include JVC Force, Cold Crush Brothers, Levi 167 and Jewel T.
The label's output is a mix of new names and old pioneers, and documents a period in which self-assertive lyrics begin to detail street life even as the music moves from hardcore drum-machine-based tracks to the horns and drum sounds of sampler-based hip hop. B-Boy Records folded in 1988, though Nate Patrin of Pitchfork Media
reports that "both Allen and Kamarra have set about reviving the B-Boy Records name independently of each other, and there seems to have been a number of bridges burned between the two men."
, now most famous of the acts that were to be associated with the label. On request, the group recorded an anti-drug song, "Crack Attack", and were signed to the newly-formed B-Boy Records. The label's graffiti-style logo was by the group's lead rapper, KRS-One
.
's "The Bridge", it generated considerable New York interest and has itself become part of hip hop history (see The Bridge Wars
). Technically homeless, KRS-One was living in a meat freezer below the B-Boy Records offices during this period. "South Bronx" was characteristic of much of B-Boy's releases: noisy, minimalist hip hop driven by the drum machine rather than the sampler
. The Brothers' "I Got Rhythm", Wax Master Torey's "Duck Season", Jewel T's "I Like It Loud" and Levi 167's "Something Fresh to Swing To" (all 1987) are further examples. By contrast, the same year's "Just Saying Fresh Rhymes" by Castle D relies on a relatively quiet percussive accompaniment based around the hi-hat
, and a disorienting synth melody reminiscent today of G-funk
. Other notable, but more sampler-influenced, 1987 releases include The Busy Boys' "Classical", "Feel The Horns" by old school pioneers Cold Crush Brothers, and Sparky D's "Throwdown".
After their first album, the landmark Criminal Minded
(1987), Boogie Down Productions left for Warner Brothers and the label folded soon after. According to writer Peter Shapiro, B-Boy's best release besides those by Boogie Down was Levi 167's aforementioned 1987 single. They did however have late success with "Strong Island" (1988) by JVC Force, which Shapiro calls "one of the most kinetic records in hip-hop history".
, on the same label). In 2007 the two-disc B-Boy Records: The Archives Rare & Unreleased was released through Traffic Entertainment. In 2008, again through Traffic, came a four-disc MP3 collection of the label's complete official output, B-Boy Records: The Masterworks, featuring short-lived B-Boy Records acts such as Soul Dimension, Incredible Two, Crazy 8 Posse and Wacky Rapper, as well as a late release from Spyder-D
(of "Big Apple Rappin'" fame), and a collection from 1987 of B-Boy's female MCs (Sparky D, Five Star Moet, Baby Doll, and L.A. Star) entitled B Girls Live and Kicking.
Nate Patrin, writing for Pitchfork
, observes that in B-Boy's recordings "you can divine the beginnings of independent, street-level hardcore rap lyricism during the key transitional point that shifted the dominant production style from the 808
drum machine to the SP1200
sampler". He describes the label's roster as "a dizzying array of past icons, future legends, coulda-beens, never-weres and more than a few acts you probably haven't heard of that caught lightning in a bottle for one 12" record".
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
record label formed by Jack Allen and Bill Kamarra in 1986, and situated at 132nd Street and Cypress Avenue in the Bronx, New York City. Its most notable signing was Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
. B-Boy released Boogie Down Productions' first singles, "South Bronx" (1986) and "The Bridge is Over
The Bridge Is Over
"The Bridge Is Over" is a 1987 song by Boogie Down Productions from their debut album Criminal Minded, performed by rapper KRS-One and produced by DJ Scott LaRock and KRS-One.-History:...
" (1987), and their landmark debut album, Criminal Minded
Criminal Minded
Criminal Minded by Boogie Down Productions is a highly influential hip hop album. Production on the LP is credited to 'Blastmaster' KRS-One and DJ Scott La Rock , but in interviews it has been revealed that an uncredited Ced-Gee of The Ultramagnetic MCs had a key role in crafting the sound of the...
(1987). Other acts released by the label include JVC Force, Cold Crush Brothers, Levi 167 and Jewel T.
The label's output is a mix of new names and old pioneers, and documents a period in which self-assertive lyrics begin to detail street life even as the music moves from hardcore drum-machine-based tracks to the horns and drum sounds of sampler-based hip hop. B-Boy Records folded in 1988, though Nate Patrin of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
reports that "both Allen and Kamarra have set about reviving the B-Boy Records name independently of each other, and there seems to have been a number of bridges burned between the two men."
Foundation
B-Boy Records was founded by Jack Allen and Bill Kamarra in 1986, with one act on their roster. Allen, Kamarra, and Ray Wilson, calling themselves Rock Candy Records And Filmworks, advertised that they were seeking new musical talent in a newspaper. (Steve Huey of Allmusic reports rumors that they were seeking to establish a front for a pornography business.) The ad was answered by the then-unrecorded Boogie Down ProductionsBoogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
, now most famous of the acts that were to be associated with the label. On request, the group recorded an anti-drug song, "Crack Attack", and were signed to the newly-formed B-Boy Records. The label's graffiti-style logo was by the group's lead rapper, KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
.
Notable releases
The first official B-Boy release was Boogie Down Productions' "South Bronx" (1986). A forcefully delivered oral history of hip hop written in response to MC ShanMC Shan
MC Shan is an American rapper. He is perhaps best known for collaborating with Snow in "Informer", an international number one hit single.-Biography:...
's "The Bridge", it generated considerable New York interest and has itself become part of hip hop history (see The Bridge Wars
The Bridge Wars
The Bridge Wars was a hip hop rivalry during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, that arose from a dispute over the true birthplace of hip hop music and retaliation over the rejecting of a record for airplay. The Bridge Wars originally involved The South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, led by...
). Technically homeless, KRS-One was living in a meat freezer below the B-Boy Records offices during this period. "South Bronx" was characteristic of much of B-Boy's releases: noisy, minimalist hip hop driven by the drum machine rather than the sampler
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
. The Brothers' "I Got Rhythm", Wax Master Torey's "Duck Season", Jewel T's "I Like It Loud" and Levi 167's "Something Fresh to Swing To" (all 1987) are further examples. By contrast, the same year's "Just Saying Fresh Rhymes" by Castle D relies on a relatively quiet percussive accompaniment based around the hi-hat
Hi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
, and a disorienting synth melody reminiscent today of G-funk
G-funk
G-funk, or Gangsta-funk, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that emerged from Westcoast gangsta rap in the early 1990s. G-funk incorporates multi-layered and melodic synthesizers, slow hypnotic grooves, a deep bass, background female vocals, the extensive sampling of P-funk tunes, and a high-pitched...
. Other notable, but more sampler-influenced, 1987 releases include The Busy Boys' "Classical", "Feel The Horns" by old school pioneers Cold Crush Brothers, and Sparky D's "Throwdown".
After their first album, the landmark Criminal Minded
Criminal Minded
Criminal Minded by Boogie Down Productions is a highly influential hip hop album. Production on the LP is credited to 'Blastmaster' KRS-One and DJ Scott La Rock , but in interviews it has been revealed that an uncredited Ced-Gee of The Ultramagnetic MCs had a key role in crafting the sound of the...
(1987), Boogie Down Productions left for Warner Brothers and the label folded soon after. According to writer Peter Shapiro, B-Boy's best release besides those by Boogie Down was Levi 167's aforementioned 1987 single. They did however have late success with "Strong Island" (1988) by JVC Force, which Shapiro calls "one of the most kinetic records in hip-hop history".
Retrospectives
A 2002 retrospective of the label, The Best of B-Boy Records, is available on Landspeed Records (not to be confused with Boogie Down Productions' 2001 compilation, Best of B-Boy RecordsBest of B-Boy Records
Best of B-Boy Records is a compilation album by Boogie Down Productions consisting of recordings for their first label, B-Boy Records. It is the final release to date by KRS-One under the Boogie Down Productions name...
, on the same label). In 2007 the two-disc B-Boy Records: The Archives Rare & Unreleased was released through Traffic Entertainment. In 2008, again through Traffic, came a four-disc MP3 collection of the label's complete official output, B-Boy Records: The Masterworks, featuring short-lived B-Boy Records acts such as Soul Dimension, Incredible Two, Crazy 8 Posse and Wacky Rapper, as well as a late release from Spyder-D
Spyder-D
Duane Hughes, better known by his stage name Spyder D, is a former professional old-school rapper and producer from New York City.- 1980s :...
(of "Big Apple Rappin'" fame), and a collection from 1987 of B-Boy's female MCs (Sparky D, Five Star Moet, Baby Doll, and L.A. Star) entitled B Girls Live and Kicking.
Nate Patrin, writing for Pitchfork
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
, observes that in B-Boy's recordings "you can divine the beginnings of independent, street-level hardcore rap lyricism during the key transitional point that shifted the dominant production style from the 808
Roland TR-808
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer was one of the first programmable drum machines . Introduced by the Roland Corporation in early 1980, it was originally manufactured for use as a tool for studio musicians to create demos. Like earlier Roland drum machines, it does not sound very much like a real...
drum machine to the SP1200
E-mu SP-1200
E-mu SP-1200 is a classic drum machine and sampler released in August 1987 by E-mu Systems, Inc. as an update of the SP-12, which was originally created for dance music producers...
sampler". He describes the label's roster as "a dizzying array of past icons, future legends, coulda-beens, never-weres and more than a few acts you probably haven't heard of that caught lightning in a bottle for one 12" record".