ARTIST: J-Crush

TITLE: I'm Vex b/w Snafu

FORMAT: 12"

YEAR: 1993

LABEL: Rotten Records

Now here’s a record I’ve been meaning to share with y’all ever since I found it in my favorite record store at the beginning of 2008. That day must have been one of my strangest digging events ever, because after I found this gem in the first or second box I went through I literally found nothing else worth mentioning in the next 25 to 30 boxes. It’s as if shortly after I dug up this 12” the record gods were thinkin’ “That’s it! That Smoov fella has had more than enough luck today already!”. I can’t say I’m mad at them, because even if this would have been the only dope record I found in 2008 I would still be a happy man. Yep, that’s how dope it is!

ARTIST: Sez? Who

TITLE: On Da Dealznicks b/w Owl # One

FORMAT: 12"

YEAR: 199?

LABEL: Ill-Sound Records

I’ve got to admit, I’ve been ignoring those of you who frequent this website on a daily basis and are fiendin’ to hear some new mid 90s indy records for a while now. Not on purpose or anything, it’s just that at some point I got tired of hearin’ the same old shit over and over again. Of course there are a lot of mid to late 90s indy records that are worth searching for, but the majority of the ‘popular’ indy 12’s out there to me sound like blablabla over mediocre beats. To each his own of course, but I would take something from let’s say a Steady B or a Grand Daddy I.U. (two emcees I’ve been listening to a lot over the past few days) over a Brainwash 2000 12” any day, even if someone would give me a stack of $ bills in addition.

The academy of Vinyl Addicts had about a million sessions to bring you guys a whole new kind of interview. Why a 10 page interview, when all you need is 25 26 letters to know  a person from A to Z. Today it's time for the legendary record collector/graff artist/dj/producer Aroe from Great Britain. Check these ones out if you still need an introduction: http://www.heavyartillerycrew.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/soundmakersproduction.

ARTIST: 2 Too Many

TITLE: Where's The Party?

FORMAT: 12"

YEAR: 1993

LABEL: Jive / Zomba

I don’t know what it is with you guys, but once the season changes from Winter to Spring and the sun starts shining more and more often I start listening to a different type of hip-hop. All of a sudden I just have a desperate need for records with a nice Summer vibe, you know, stuff like the first Ill Al Skratch LP, the previously reviewed “Swing Beat” 12” by Rock ‘N Gee & DJ Shawn, “Brown Sugar” off of Maestro Fresh-Wes’ excellent “Naaah, Dis Kid Can’t Be From Canada” LP, Rakim’s “New York To Cali” or the best one of them all, “Summertime” from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Yeah, you’ve read it right. I don’t care how commercial or hip-pop that track is or how much everyone hates the fly Philly duo, “Summertime” in my opinion is the absolute best hip-hop Summer anthem ever, a 5-mic classic!!! There, I’ve said it and I will say it again and again if I have to…

ARTIST: Grand Duke Bo Fresh

TITLE: Everybody Loves A Star

FORMAT: 12"

YEAR: 1992

LABEL: Lyons Gate Alliance

About a year or two ago someone (can’t remember who it was, but thanks if you read this) provided me with a rip of a compilation album titled “Cross Over”, a project released on a small NYC label named Lyons Gate Alliance Records. While not the best compilation in the history of hip-hop the album definitely contains some bangers including two tracks from a guy named Grand Duke Bo Fresh. After doin’ some online research I was under the assumption that the album was a cd-only release, so I was pleasantly surprised when I dug up a minty fresh vinyl copy at the 2008 record fair in Utrecht.

"I'VE ALSO GOT RECORDS AT WORK"

In July, on a digging and cooling trip to Paris, France, I had a rendezvous with Guillaume; better known as GHH1 to the VA-Boards and Discogs spectators. At Châtelet Les Halles we met by Footlocker and from there on started to hang out for a couple of days. He showed me all the spots for records, clothing and last but not least a cheap place to get a Panini chicken and a Coke. Going to his crib, he showed and proved to be one of France greatest Hip Hop collectors to this date.