Chopped Herring HHV Records 211 Items

A sick 10 track EP of material from Zimbabwe Legit's 2007 album House of Stone including a few instrumentals and extras, handpicked by myself for the heads. Cats will know ZL from their 1996 DJ Shadow mixed Mo Wax release 'Doin' Damage In My Native Language'. The original release dropped in 1991 on Hollywood Basic [Organized Konfusion!] and ZL are often touted as the first African hip hop act to get a US release.



This slept on project from 2007 only had a CD release and was fairly low key at the time. It is mostly produced by Raw Produce's Cadence [R.I.P.]. Little story for you. I was in Beat Street [Fulton Mall, BK] at the time of one of their massive sales. I found one of the Raw Produce EPs there for 10c a pop. I copped about 30 or 40 [!!!]. Flipped em on the bay and a few years later I was digitally accosted by Seth [Cadence] on the DWG Forum. He was like "Did you bootleg my record!!" etc etc. I explained where I got them and after a little back n forth we squashed the beef and agreed to work on something in the future. Shortly after he passed and shortly after that I hooked up with producer DJ Quazar from New England Hip Hop Massive and released the grail which included Seth's first ever recording from 1992. And here we are now...



The features on this one are massive: Mike G from the Jungle Brothers, Mad Skillz, stic.man from Dead Prez, YZ, Prince Po, Breeze Evahflowin, Apani, Emskee and Cadence himself. Beautiful, conscious, jazz infused vibes from the motherland. Stupendous stuff!!!



Big shout out to my man in Canada Gee Roc for putting Dumi [from ZL] onto Herring to make this one happen. Props to all involved!!

Limited CD edition!

Chopped Herring presents this bomb out of Boston, that was set to drop on Def Jam/Surrender in 1996. These, previously unreleased tracks, featured on the promotional tape version of the 1996 "In The Company Of Killaz" album.
Wiseguys were a group made up of members of legendary Boston Gangsta Rap crew The Almighty RSO, Made Men and TDS Mob . The group's formation is perfectly in line with the purest form of Hip Hop - that is, music that brought gang members together, off the street, to squash beefs and create something positive to inspire others to do the same.
One of their first breakthroughs was winning the ICA B-Town Rap Battle in 1986. Following that, in 1989 they went to NY to work with Paul C and recorded a whole album that was never released [!]. They were signed to Tommy Boy in 1992 but were dropped due to the controversial single "One in the Chamba" which prompted The Boston Police Patrolman's Association (BPPA) pressing charges against the group under a state law that prohibits inciting assaults against public figures.
They were again picked up by another label, Flavor Unit and following Flava Unit's demise they were picked up by RCA. RSO & Made Men morphed into Wiseguys and released their debut album "In The Company Of Killaz" in 1996 on The Source's co-founder David Mays' label Surrender Recs in conjunction with Def Jam. The tracks we have for you here are perhaps the nicest from that set of material, and never featured on the original, released version of the album. All tracks were transfered from the original studio master DATS by producer Twice Thou. Chopped Herring would like to thank E-Vicious aka Twice Thou for making this project happen along with Boston Hip Hop afficiando Gage-One who made the connect and Simon Pehlgrim for all his help.
Wiseguys cast included Ray Dog (aka Benzino of RSO/Made Men), E-Devious (aka Twice Thou of RSO/Made Men), Cool Gzus (aka Mr. Gzus of TDS Mob/Made Men), Tangg the Juice, Masta Criminal Mann Terror, Mike McNeil (aka M3/Mass Murderin' Mike), Tony Rhome (of RSO), Big Roscoe and (Masta Criminal) Main T. Blazertown, Im, J-Hops, Moty, J-Stone, Hardcore, Belnel Mike, Stets, One Man Gang, Mag Steel, DB-11, Hostile & G-Pack.

Oh shhhhi – the third Veks release of the cycle is “Anthology” a 14 track compilation of early Veks joints previously only available on small run cdrs. This is the first time that Herring has dedicated a whole month to a single artist – following on from theLast Jazz ClubLP and theDa Neighborhood Kidz7″. Enjoy!!!

So Joe City aka Third Eye Ent hits me up and says B, hook up with my man Strez, he might have some ish you are looking for. So outta Norfolk, Virginia, this is the Foundation Entertainment EP. Most of these tracks appeared on an extremely rare couple of cds from 97 & 99 as well as one off a demo tape and one unreleased from the House of Reps unreleased stash!!! Peep this short interview with DJ Strez for some background info:



Where did you grow up? “I grew up in the Park Place/Villa Heights section of Norfolk Virginia born & raised.”

What are your earliest memories of the culture? “My earliest moments of the culture are begging my mom to go to the record store to buy The Fatboys first album, LL Cool J “Radio”, Run-D.M.C. “Raising Hell” & Beastie Boys “Licensed To Ill” albums. When I got home that day I played these albums non stop. That’s when I knew I was in love with Hip Hop.”

Who were your fav beatmakers coming up? “My Favorite Beat Makers/Producers coming up was Marley Marl, Pete Rock, The Bomb Squad, DJ Premier, Large Professor, Diamond D & Joe City (VA Native)”

What was the VA scene like? “The VA Scene Between 1991-2001 was a great time to be involved with music.A lot of local artists that were coming out started making tapes and selling them at shows or in the clubs.We had so many outlets back then and the major artists were also coming down checking the scene out as well. We definitely had hidden gems as far as talent.”

When did you start making beats? “I started making beats when I was around 16 years old. I was always fascinated with making music and always wanted to learn. The music that was made between “87-99″ was always mind blowing to me. Once i realized that they were taking loops from old records,sampling and making beats out of them i knew that that is what i wanted to do”

What were your first bits of gear? “My first bits of gear was a Casio Sk-1, a Gemini Sampler Ds-1224, a Korg M1, a Boss Dr-5 & a Pair of technics belt drive turntables.”

When did you set up Foundation Ent? “Foundation Ent was formed around 93-95 through my partner Carlton Barnard and he was also my manager. We met at a mall out here in VA called Military Circle in 1996 and we chopped it up and immediately clicked. It all started and developed when he said he had equipment that wasn’t really being used and i asked him if i could use it and eventually it led to us getting a building for a studio and signing artists.”

How did you hook up with all the mcs? “Before Foundation Ent, I was in a group with a friend of mine named Stratagee Real which later became an artist on Foundation Ent so we were already connected. Carlton did beats and had the group Coalition & a female artist named Bad News already so we started teaming up and recording music together in the studio. The other artists that were on the roster were mostly people that we came across that rap and sing.”

So Joe City aka Third Eye Ent hits me up and says B, hook up with my man Strez, he might have some ish you are looking for. So outta Norfolk, Virginia, this is the Foundation Entertainment EP. Most of these tracks appeared on an extremely rare couple of cds from 97 & 99 as well as one off a demo tape and one unreleased from the House of Reps unreleased stash!!! Peep this short interview with DJ Strez for some background info:



Where did you grow up? “I grew up in the Park Place/Villa Heights section of Norfolk Virginia born & raised.”

What are your earliest memories of the culture? “My earliest moments of the culture are begging my mom to go to the record store to buy The Fatboys first album, LL Cool J “Radio”, Run-D.M.C. “Raising Hell” & Beastie Boys “Licensed To Ill” albums. When I got home that day I played these albums non stop. That’s when I knew I was in love with Hip Hop.”

Who were your fav beatmakers coming up? “My Favorite Beat Makers/Producers coming up was Marley Marl, Pete Rock, The Bomb Squad, DJ Premier, Large Professor, Diamond D & Joe City (VA Native)”

What was the VA scene like? “The VA Scene Between 1991-2001 was a great time to be involved with music.A lot of local artists that were coming out started making tapes and selling them at shows or in the clubs.We had so many outlets back then and the major artists were also coming down checking the scene out as well. We definitely had hidden gems as far as talent.”

When did you start making beats? “I started making beats when I was around 16 years old. I was always fascinated with making music and always wanted to learn. The music that was made between “87-99″ was always mind blowing to me. Once i realized that they were taking loops from old records,sampling and making beats out of them i knew that that is what i wanted to do”

What were your first bits of gear? “My first bits of gear was a Casio Sk-1, a Gemini Sampler Ds-1224, a Korg M1, a Boss Dr-5 & a Pair of technics belt drive turntables.”

When did you set up Foundation Ent? “Foundation Ent was formed around 93-95 through my partner Carlton Barnard and he was also my manager. We met at a mall out here in VA called Military Circle in 1996 and we chopped it up and immediately clicked. It all started and developed when he said he had equipment that wasn’t really being used and i asked him if i could use it and eventually it led to us getting a building for a studio and signing artists.”

How did you hook up with all the mcs? “Before Foundation Ent, I was in a group with a friend of mine named Stratagee Real which later became an artist on Foundation Ent so we were already connected. Carlton did beats and had the group Coalition & a female artist named Bad News already so we started teaming up and recording music together in the studio. The other artists that were on the roster were mostly people that we came across that rap and sing.”

And here we have it people – the previously CD-only-released 1992-1993 demos on vinyl for the very first time. Classic unreleased Tuff Crew business from back in the archives of legendary DJ Too Tuff. All these joints were recorded on a Tascam 488 8-track cassette with the beats created on an Akai MPC 60. Some killers on here for fans of the group as well as the golden era heads out there. Here are 6 crazy nice joints from the project, all transferred from original tapes, reels and DATs. If you don’t know, now you know. BAM!!!!

The incredible Trevor J & Loop.Holes album gets a limited cd release!!!

Wow, another banging new album!! This time our good friend Trevor J aka Veks from Last Jazz Club & Apes of Graf teams up with Norwegian production crew Loop.Holes, to give us some beautiful jazz-flavoured hip hop on a seriously positive tip. Every track is a buttery biscuit. Loop.Holes absolutely smashed the production. Been chillin with this project since the summer, and now that it’s freezing cold outside, these summery jawns will warm your souls right up. Peep the snippets – if you dig the Last Jazz Clun material, you’re in for a treat!!

MC's Chem and Jah, from Washington Heights (ny) formed Trauma Squad when they were hooked up with a young producer named Om'Mas Keith by Raw Breed's business manager and co-producer Ariel Caban. Caban was in high school with the rappers and later went on to work in the A&R department of RCA Records at the same time as the 16 year old Keith was interning there. Caban told me "I introduced them to Om'Mas because both had unique styles. Trauma with their off the wall eclectic style and Om' Mas with his musical genius who can play every instrument. They hit it off well right from the jump and created the demo tape."



There was some interest prior to making their demo, from Profile and Sleeping Bag Records but nothing firm. Most of the demos weren't in great condition but 2 have been resurrected from the old demo tape for a little taster 7" of what this crew might've become. Recorded in 95, Herring presents 2 ill tracks from this unknown group's unknown catalogue. Enjoy yo!!

Classic new boom bap banger featuring Sean Price, Your Old Droog & Ill Bill. Production from Large Professor, El RTNC, Arch Druids, DJ Skizz, Roc Marciano, Marco Polo and DJ Woof. Must have!

And we're back in Tacoma, WA for more unreleased and unheard 1994-1995 bangers from the Thunder Jam Alliance crew. All tracks produced by Shaggy C. Such a shame a lot of this material didnt drop at the time of recording, but Herring, like Mighty Mouse, has come to save the day!!



Make sure you peep those snippets - some killer material right here for the heads!!!







Big shout out to my man Hakan Dougpark for the original connect and Unikone for his posts on the excellent Hip Hop The Golden Era Blog - 1L

Wow - here we have a Stunning 10 tracker from Tacoma-based producer DJ Shaggy C & his extended crew of different acts collectively known as Thunder Jam Alliance. There is loads of info in the biography/interview Here but what you really need to hear are the snippets.



A small number of the TJA demos are floating around on the net courtesy of a variety of demo tape collectors but nothing has been formally released, so here is an introduction to this mid-90s Tacoma crew's output. And hot damn, is this stuff special...



Big shout out to my man Hakan Dougpark for the connect and Unikone for his posts on the excellent Hip Hop The Golden Era Blog - 1L

Wow - here we have a Stunning 10 tracker from Tacoma-based producer DJ Shaggy C & his extended crew of different acts collectively known as Thunder Jam Alliance. There is loads of info in the biography/interview Here but what you really need to hear are the snippets.



A small number of the TJA demos are floating around on the net courtesy of a variety of demo tape collectors but nothing has been formally released, so here is an introduction to this mid-90s Tacoma crew's output. And hot damn, is this stuff special...



Big shout out to my man Hakan Dougpark for the connect and Unikone for his posts on the excellent Hip Hop The Golden Era Blog - 1L

One of the nicest beatmakers and diggers in the game blesses Herring [or Hearing] with a collection of 24 killer instrumentals for your head nodding pleasure. Included are all the tracks from the Chipped Hearing Collection Plate Vol 1 7″ EP from 2019. Slam it on and hit a 20 sack yo!!!!

Stupid dope debut album from Last Jazz Club’s Mike B along with San Jose MC Tha Anthom. If you dug Mike’s last release on Herring [LJC’s – ‘Jazz Is..”] you will flip out for this one. Every joint is a killer and every joint is on a jazz tip. Double bass lines galore!! Amazing full colour artwork from Rockin Roger aka AzhqOne [who did the Interviews Vol 3 art]. An absolute sureshot!





Tracks:

A1 Intro A2 Neva Sellin Out A3 Diggin This Right Here A4 Mic In My Hand A5 Likwits ft Mikey PG A6 Like Dat Interlude

B1 If The Beats Fat B2 Check It B3 Murderous Status ft Iron Slaughter B4 Get Drunk B5 Timeless

All tracks produced by Mike (Last Jazz Club) B

Stupid dope debut album from Last Jazz Club’s Mike B along with San Jose MC Tha Anthom. If you dug Mike’s last release on Herring [LJC’s – ‘Jazz Is..”] you will flip out for this one. Every joint is a killer and every joint is on a jazz tip. Double bass lines galore!! Amazing full colour artwork from Rockin Roger aka AzhqOne [who did the Interviews Vol 3 art]. An absolute sureshot!

Tracks:

1 Intro 2 Neva Sellin Out 3 Diggin This Right Here 4 Mic In My Hand 5 Likwits ft Mikey PG 6 Like Dat Interlude 7 If The Beats Fat 8 Check It 9 Murderous Status ft Iron Slaughter 10 Get Drunk 11 Timeless

All tracks produced by Mike (Last Jazz Club) B

And we're back on the West Coast again with our man The Architect [Homeliss Derilex] and Tajai from Souls of Mischief. This one follows on from the A-Plus album we dropped in 2020.



This heater of an album features the likes of Kool G Rap, Casual, Sa-Roc and more. Beats are top notch and you know what kind of quality to expect from founding Souls of Mischief MC Tajai. Fresh off the back of a Huge worldwide tour celebrating 30 years since the release of the classic 93 Til Infinity, Tajai and their tour DJ The Architect bless the heads with progressive yet traditional hip hop flavas for ya noggins. Another Chopped Herring sure shot....

Another crazy dope 90’s joint, this time out of Alabama, written and produced by multi-talented, mc and producer Supreme The Rude Boy. Supreme only released a limited run cassette single for “Friday Nite Live” back in 1996 as well an even rarer tape version of the album [still not on Discogs]. See below a short interview with the man himself where he discusses among other things his job at Motown and his father who penned tracks and recorded with The Blackbyrds, Taste of Honey and the Mizell Brothers who incidentally are his godfathers – wow. Just peep this project – we are starting off 2019 with a BANG!!! Produced and mixed by Supreme The Rude Boy for Soul Child Music/Unlimited Images
Entertainment 1996/7.
Remastered by Jee Van Cleef.

Limited CD edition!

Check out this dope LA material!
Stranger Danger from North East LA hit Chopped Herring up with a project and it completely blew them away. Ridiculous break selection from and drug-fueled, hedonistic comedy from MC's Denzer, X-press & Stranger. What a treat this one is. There is definitely more to come from Mr Danger in 2018, no doubt!!
Stranger Danger started producing in the year 2000 and his first beat machine was a Boss SP 505, but he always collected vinyl since as early as the age of five when his parents bought him the first Fisher Price, Toys R Us record player.
Danger started freestyling and writing rhymes in 1995, but didn't actually start recording or mixing until 2001. He formed tha Roach Killaz in 2016 after his younger cousin X-Press told him that he and his homie Denzer wrote and spit ill rhymes as well.
During this time Danger was recording at a friend’s studio called The Halfway House where he met a 20-year old MC and producer named Saker, who he took under his wing as his protege to help him with production on the album.
In another studio session shortly after meeting, Saker brought his homie named Duer, and that’s when the puzzle pieces aligned perfectly and they knew they had something special. All of their influences are very similar. If it sounds dope, then it is! Greatest influences growing up were MF Doom, Kool Keith, DJ Premier, Kutmasta Kurt, RZA, Apakalypse, Necro, and DJ's like DJ Shi'iteand DJ Rob One.
The recording process is simple, let Mc's go at it until you hear something that you feel can help them sound better, whether it be vocal fluctuation, vocal tone, cadence, or energy.
Too much pride is a “no no”, it's all about doing whatever it takes to make the illest records possible. Stranger Danger digs or listens to music from all era's and over the world and studies music for at least six to eight hours a day, so what keeps him inspired daily is the opportunity to find incredible samples to flip.
It's an obsessive disposer but therapeutic at the same time. He used to have small intense spurts of creating, but now it's an all the time thing as he works on three to four albums at the same time constantly and always tries to top the album he did last.
X-Press, Denzer, and Stranger Danger are all Highland Park natives, (North East Los Angeles). Duer and Saker are originally from the San Gabriel Valley, which is in Los Angeles county as well! - Tha Roach Killaz, Killin Roaches.

Limited edition vinyl!
Check out this dope LA material!

Stranger Danger from North East LA hit Chopped Herring up with a project and it completely blew them away. Ridiculous break selection from and drug-fueled, hedonistic comedy from MC's Denzer, X-press & Stranger. What a treat this one is. There is definitely more to come from Mr Danger in 2018, no doubt!!
Stranger Danger started producing in the year 2000 and his first beat machine was a Boss SP 505, but he always collected vinyl since as early as the age of five when his parents bought him the first Fisher Price, Toys R Us record player.
Danger started freestyling and writing rhymes in 1995, but didn't actually start recording or mixing until 2001. He formed tha Roach Killaz in 2016 after his younger cousin X-Press told him that he and his homie Denzer wrote and spit ill rhymes as well.
During this time Danger was recording at a friend’s studio called The Halfway House where he met a 20-year old MC and producer named Saker, who he took under his wing as his protege to help him with production on the album.
In another studio session shortly after meeting, Saker brought his homie named Duer, and that’s when the puzzle pieces aligned perfectly and they knew they had something special. All of their influences are very similar. If it sounds dope, then it is! Greatest influences growing up were MF Doom, Kool Keith, DJ Premier, Kutmasta Kurt, RZA, Apakalypse, Necro, and DJ's like DJ Shi'iteand DJ Rob One.
The recording process is simple, let Mc's go at it until you hear something that you feel can help them sound better, whether it be vocal fluctuation, vocal tone, cadence, or energy.
Too much pride is a “no no”, it's all about doing whatever it takes to make the illest records possible. Stranger Danger digs or listens to music from all era's and over the world and studies music for at least six to eight hours a day, so what keeps him inspired daily is the opportunity to find incredible samples to flip.
It's an obsessive disposer but therapeutic at the same time. He used to have small intense spurts of creating, but now it's an all the time thing as he works on three to four albums at the same time constantly and always tries to top the album he did last.
X-Press, Denzer, and Stranger Danger are all Highland Park natives, (North East Los Angeles). Duer and Saker are originally from the San Gabriel Valley, which is in Los Angeles county as well! - Tha Roach Killaz, Killin Roaches.

Limited edition vinyl!
Chopped Herring presents the CD version of Stranger Danger’s debut project “How to Lose Friends and Alienating People”. If you expect nothing but grimy underground hip hop from LA on this one, you got it all right!
From the producer of the amazing “Tha Roach Killaz LP” from last year on Herring comes Stranger Danger's debut solo album produced entirely by the LA native himself. Incredible sample choices mixed up with drug laced experimentalism makes this, along with his previous production outing, one of the nicest debuts in a minute. Also included among the variety of guest MC's is the kid A.F.R.O.
The CD title pays obviously contribution to the 2001 book by Toby Young. In 1995 high-flying British journalist Toby Young left London for New York to become a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. But things didn't quite go according to plan. “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” is Toby Young's hilarious account of the five years he spent looking for love in all the wrong places and steadily working his way down the New York food chain, from glossy magazine editor to crash-test dummy for interactive sex toys.

Limited edition CD!
Chopped Herring presents the CD version of Stranger Danger’s debut project “How to Lose Friends and Alienating People”. If you expect nothing but grimy underground hip hop from LA on this one, you got it all right!
From the producer of the amazing “Tha Roach Killaz LP” from last year on Herring comes Stranger Danger's debut solo album produced entirely by the LA native himself. Incredible sample choices mixed up with drug laced experimentalism makes this, along with his previous production outing, one of the nicest debuts in a minute. Also included among the variety of guest MC's is the kid A.F.R.O.
The CD title pays obviously contribution to the 2001 book by Toby Young. In 1995 high-flying British journalist Toby Young left London for New York to become a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. But things didn't quite go according to plan. “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” is Toby Young's hilarious account of the five years he spent looking for love in all the wrong places and steadily working his way down the New York food chain, from glossy magazine editor to crash-test dummy for interactive sex toys.

Here's the good word from the fellas:



"Stereotype came together as a group in 2008. Made up of Producer/Emcee Frank John James, Mas1 and Braiiinstorm. Sophomore project, "Through the Speaker", is being presented over a decade later from their initial group LP "Instincts of Organisms" released on Echoes Of Oratory in 2013. After many solo and side projects amongst the 3 of them, they've come together with the help of co-producer Stranger Danger and completed another boom bap classic for the heads to bump. Woven together with samples and cuts from Roach the DJ, each member delivers original lyrics and critical views. Enjoy."



And here's the good word from Herring:



"Stunning album with breaks and drums for miles. Real bboy flava on the production, reminiscent of Strng3r Dang3r's earlier materual on the Herring-released "Tha Roach Killaz" record, but with an extra scoop of the jazz. All round a killer record and perfect for a drop on Herring. Had this on constant rotation in the Herring-mobile., now pleased I can share with the fisherfolk."

Here's the good word from the fellas:



"Stereotype came together as a group in 2008. Made up of Producer/Emcee Frank John James, Mas1 and Braiiinstorm. Sophomore project, "Through the Speaker", is being presented over a decade later from their initial group LP "Instincts of Organisms" released on Echoes Of Oratory in 2013. After many solo and side projects amongst the 3 of them, they've come together with the help of co-producer Stranger Danger and completed another boom bap classic for the heads to bump. Woven together with samples and cuts from Roach the DJ, each member delivers original lyrics and critical views. Enjoy."



And here's the good word from Herring:



"Stunning album with breaks and drums for miles. Real bboy flava on the production, reminiscent of Strng3r Dang3r's earlier materual on the Herring-released "Tha Roach Killaz" record, but with an extra scoop of the jazz. All round a killer record and perfect for a drop on Herring. Had this on constant rotation in the Herring-mobile., now pleased I can share with the fisherfolk."

The NEW Starvin B project gets a limited CD only release on the Herring.

"Transmissions is the new album from SQ, the in-house producer for Penpals. A producer-driven record, it features verses from rappers including old friends (Rapswell, Bobby Noble, junclassic, Lars Viola, Jerré, K-Cromozone) and newer collaborators (PremRock, Defcee, Fatboi Sharif, Cavalier, Baje One, Nappy Nina, Teller Bank$, Moses Rockwell, Plain Old Mike). Marcus Pinn and DJ Steve Bills provide the cuts. Created over the course of 2022, Transmissions is a culmination of the connections made with all of the artists involved, tied together by the sonic palate laid down by SQ. Tune in."

"Transmissions is the new album from SQ, the in-house producer for Penpals. A producer-driven record, it features verses from rappers including old friends (Rapswell, Bobby Noble, junclassic, Lars Viola, Jerré, K-Cromozone) and newer collaborators (PremRock, Defcee, Fatboi Sharif, Cavalier, Baje One, Nappy Nina, Teller Bank$, Moses Rockwell, Plain Old Mike). Marcus Pinn and DJ Steve Bills provide the cuts. Created over the course of 2022, Transmissions is a culmination of the connections made with all of the artists involved, tied together by the sonic palate laid down by SQ. Tune in."