Solesides
Encyclopedia
Solesides was an underground hip hop
label based in Northern California
, founded in 1991. It comprised various DJs and MCs, the most notable being DJ Shadow
, MC–producer Lyrics Born
, and the duo, Blackalicious
. The members of Solesides all met via the radio station, KDVS, the 5000-watt community radio station of the University of California at Davis. Journalist and then-grad student Jeff Chang
(aka DJ Zen), broadcast a weekly hip-hop radio show that attracted Davis-native, DJ Shadow
(aka Josh Davis) and freshmen Xavier Mosely (Chief Xcel), Tom Shimura (Lyrics Born
) and Joseph Patel (aka Jazzbo). They all shared a like-minded passion for hip-hop that pushed beyond the sounds of mainstream commercial music.
In 1991, the five came together to form a collective of artists and hip-hop lovers, naming the label SoleSides. The first release, was a 12" single, numbered "SS001," featuring DJ Shadow's instrumental odyssey, "Entropy" on one side and Lyrics Born (then known as Asia Born) on the other side with the song, "Send Them." The white-label 12" was preceded by a cassette single version of the release and both have fetched high dollars in the re-sale market. Only 400 cassettes and 200 12" vinyl singles were originally pressed up and sold on consignment in record stores in the Bay Area.
In 1996 the label won a "Goldie
" award from the San Francisco Bay Guardian
, being described as "Both a progressive crew of deejays and rappers and a fiercely independent artist-owned label...".
The label produced some of the most notable and memorable hip-hop music of the early 1990s including Blackalicious
's "Melodica", Latyrx
's "The Album" and DJ Shadow's "Entropy".
Solesides disbanded in the winter of 1996, and was reborn as Quannum Projects
in spring of 1997.
Underground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
label based in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
, founded in 1991. It comprised various DJs and MCs, the most notable being DJ Shadow
DJ Shadow
Joshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
, MC–producer Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born , is a Japanese American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and voice over announcer. He is also one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.-History:...
, and the duo, Blackalicious
Blackalicious
Blackalicious is an American hip hop duo from Sacramento, California made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel . They are noted for Gift of Gab's often "tongue-twisting", multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's "classic" beats...
. The members of Solesides all met via the radio station, KDVS, the 5000-watt community radio station of the University of California at Davis. Journalist and then-grad student Jeff Chang
Jeff Chang
Jeff Chang is a Taiwanese male singer, who performs sentimental Mandarin pop ballads.Chang was born in Yunlin, Taiwan. He started off his showbiz career by winning a singing competition while in college...
(aka DJ Zen), broadcast a weekly hip-hop radio show that attracted Davis-native, DJ Shadow
DJ Shadow
Joshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
(aka Josh Davis) and freshmen Xavier Mosely (Chief Xcel), Tom Shimura (Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born
Lyrics Born , is a Japanese American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and voice over announcer. He is also one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.-History:...
) and Joseph Patel (aka Jazzbo). They all shared a like-minded passion for hip-hop that pushed beyond the sounds of mainstream commercial music.
In 1991, the five came together to form a collective of artists and hip-hop lovers, naming the label SoleSides. The first release, was a 12" single, numbered "SS001," featuring DJ Shadow's instrumental odyssey, "Entropy" on one side and Lyrics Born (then known as Asia Born) on the other side with the song, "Send Them." The white-label 12" was preceded by a cassette single version of the release and both have fetched high dollars in the re-sale market. Only 400 cassettes and 200 12" vinyl singles were originally pressed up and sold on consignment in record stores in the Bay Area.
In 1996 the label won a "Goldie
Goldie
Clifford Joseph Price, better known as Goldie is an English electronic music artist, disc jockey, visual artist and actor. He is well known for his innovations in the jungle and drum and bass music genres, having previously gained exposure for his work as a graffiti artist...
" award from the San Francisco Bay Guardian
San Francisco Bay Guardian
The San Francisco Bay Guardian is a free alternative newspaper published weekly in San Francisco, California. The paper is owned mostly by its publisher, Bruce B...
, being described as "Both a progressive crew of deejays and rappers and a fiercely independent artist-owned label...".
The label produced some of the most notable and memorable hip-hop music of the early 1990s including Blackalicious
Blackalicious
Blackalicious is an American hip hop duo from Sacramento, California made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel . They are noted for Gift of Gab's often "tongue-twisting", multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's "classic" beats...
's "Melodica", Latyrx
Latyrx
Latyrx is a hip hop music group consisting of Lateef the Truth Speaker and Lyrics Born. The roots of their partnership lay in the formation of the Solesides collective at the University of California, Davis.-History:...
's "The Album" and DJ Shadow's "Entropy".
Solesides disbanded in the winter of 1996, and was reborn as Quannum Projects
Quannum Projects
Quannum Projects is a hip hop collective based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has been active since 1992, when it was formed at UC Davis under the moniker Solesides Records. It is also the name of the independent record label that releases their records, as well as those of a number of other...
in spring of 1997.
Members
- DJ ShadowDJ ShadowJoshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
- BlackaliciousBlackaliciousBlackalicious is an American hip hop duo from Sacramento, California made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel . They are noted for Gift of Gab's often "tongue-twisting", multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's "classic" beats...
- Lateef the Truth SpeakerLateefLateef the Truthspeaker also known as The Truthspeaker or simply Lateef, is an American hip-hop artist who is part of the groups Latyrx and The Maroons AKA Lateef and the Chief...
- Lyrics BornLyrics BornLyrics Born , is a Japanese American rapper, record producer, songwriter, and voice over announcer. He is also one half of the group Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.-History:...
- Jeff ChangJeff Chang (journalist)Jeff Chang is an American journalist and music critic on hip hop music and culture. His 2005 book, Can't Stop Won't Stop, which chronicles the early hip hop scene, won an American Book Award in 2005...
(DJ Zen) - Joseph Patel
- Mac B. Dog