In 1992, Tuff City Records signed Ghetto Philharmonic, the premier jazz-meets-rap crew, the true innovators of the whole soon to be jazz/rap movement eventually associated with A Tribe Called Quest, US2, Digable Planets, and Brand New Heavies. However GP had a difference in that the emcees and producers were not only B-Boys who stayed true to the art, but accomplished jazz musicians as well. After performing at the 1993 New Music Seminar, just about every major label got a taste of the future, and soon scrambled to develop "similar" acts. By the time their album, "Hip-Hop Be-Bop" was finally released in 1994 after considerable delay, Tuff City had missed the boat. Here now, for the first time since 1994, are the alternate masters, digital remasterings, and shelved songs: the definitive recordings of Ghetto Philharmonic.
G-Clef has finally released the final installment from the "Soul Kid Vault"; the music of Infamous Mr. Savage aka Doc Dave Banner. The battle-styled emcee was first heard on Mortal Combat, the SKK's first commercially released 12 single. He was the first emcee on the record who set it off with "Who be dat ill nigga creeping thru the jungle?" This EP's contents include various demos and songs recorded while the Klik was involved with GZA Entertainment, in the Golden Era of the Wu-Tang Clan circa 1996. Several of these beats were solicited for GZA's Liquid Swords LP, but were replaced by beats by the RZA, forming the classic album that the world now remembers as history. Perhaps history worked out for the best, as these songs are blessed by Infamous' incredible lyrical stylings throughout this EP, perhaps to show and prove G-Clef had not lost any ground giving these beats to Infamous instead! Infamous told G-Clef in 1996, "Fuck it, I will tear them shits apart!" And so, now, after all these years, we can finally hear him do it with the "Pressure". Included on this record is the "Desperate Times" B-Side tribute to Notorious B.I.G. by Infamous called "Ten Mack Commandments".
Joey "G-Clef" Cavaseno, alto, provides some Grooving Bebop with the last of the great organists, the now Late Bobby Forester, recorded live in 1996 at Harlem's classic jazz spot, Showman's Cafe. He is one of the top straight ahead, hard-swinging saxophonists.
Legendary Producer, Emcee, and general musical innovator G-Clef da Mad Komposa (Soul Kid Klik / Ghetto Philharmonic), brings forth his first self-produced Hip-Hop project in years. This time is no exception to innovation, as G-Clef, who ushered in both the "jazz" and "Italiano" movements in Hip-Hop, brings a new concept album, and a new group. Lost Secret features his young protege/collaborator, Archangel Metatron, and this young-meets-veteran duo drop their own groundbreaking blend of knowledge mixed with ironic hilarity. Tapping into the mind of the conspiracy theorist, as well as the "Da Vinci Code" reader, Lost Secret explore the mysterious world of Masonic Hip-Hop with some very special guests, including Buddha Monk (O.D.B. - Return to the 36 Chambers), Allah Real (RZA - Birth of a Prince), Ced-Gee (Ultramagnetic MC's - Critical Beatdown), Christbearer (Northstar - Bobby Digital presents), as well as members of G-Clef's Wu-Affiliated crew Soul Kid Klik (Soul Kid Klik - Invisible Army).Italiano
Skinslay aka Joey Lee's long awaited album has finally been released on Soul Kid Records. This is the smooth voice of South Jamaica Queens, don't sleep on the "King of Ghetto Love"
Due to popular demand, we present the underground hip-hop of the Soul Kid Klik. SKK was a group that was formed by G-Clef da Mad Komposa of Ghetto Philharmonic, a band formerly signed to Tuff City Records. When Jay "Wax" Garfield of the Garfield Brothers met G-Clef while doing some radio shows, G-Clef became managed by what was then known as GZA Entertainment, which was co-owned by Genius from the Wu-Tang Clan. The crew of artists that G-Clef was then producing were known as the Soul Kid Klik, and were soon annexed under the Wu-Tang banner, as a GZA Entertainment act. ....
