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> Artist: Khaos and DBA
> Title: 'Honey-Glazed Skins E.P.'
> Label: Stay Tuned Records
> Year: 1992
There's a lot of good under-appreciated records out there, especially when you start going through the late 80's and early 90's era of independent hip-hop releases. Sample-driven music was in full effect, and it was clear that there were a lot of people out there who had talent. Poor distribution, lack of funds to get quantities pressed, everyday life getting in the way... there are a million and one reasons why some of this music didn't get out there as intended.
Case in point today is the unbelievably consistent EP from Khaos and DBA. When I was in Tokyo back in 2000 on a business trip, I remember being in one of the stores flicking through records and enjoying the sounds that were playing on the in-store hi-fi. The record wasn't for sale at the time (the ever-frustrating "We still gotta price this collection, I'm afraid..." response, albeit in broken English, as my Japanese game is weak), so I made a mental note to keep an eye out for it. Shit happens and my memory tends to get hazy when trying to recall records sometimes, and I couldn't remember the artists' names when I got back to London. Dammit.
Fast forward to 2004/2005 and I got to hear DJ Sunao and DJ Komuro's joint mix, 'Cross Collector'. Track 12 on Sunao's side had me going, 'Oh shit!' as he cut his way into 'Honey-Glazed Skins': this was the shit I'd heard in Japan! Trying to find out much wasn't easy, but gradually over time a couple of copies appeared on eBay and it turned out one of the artists was very much around, running a successful record store based in Baltimore.
Soon enough, I managed to get a copy and it's something that I pull out and spin with fair regularity. Through the magic of the internet, I was able to ask Dave (DBA) a bunch of questions to get a little background on the group and this record.
It turns out that MC Khaos was originally from Florida, moving to Baltimore and then New York, before 'officially' moving to the Bronx to work on the record deal for the duo. DBA, the DJ and producer, was from Baltimore, working his skills on a loaned SP1200 and creating the beats that still stand the test of time over 15 years later.
Previous to working on the duo's E.P., DBA had produced for another project (Blakswing's 'Pickem Stickem' E.P.) alongside Studio Moe from the Numarx crew. The label, Stay Tuned, was a 'short-lived, one release label' started by the group's lawyer at the time, Stanley Fidel (credited on the label as Sta-Fi).
OK, so what's on the record?
Kicking off side 1 is the aforementioned 'Honey-Glazed Skins'. An ode to the ladies, Khaos busts his 'honey on the brain' themed rhymes ("I got more honeys than a damn bee swarm - and I hit more skins than toilet paper inna girl's dorm..."), while DBA provides a really dope track, utilising the same horns that K-Def later used on Tragedy's 'Funk Mode'. Straight from that killer opener, track two packs the same qualities. 'Filthy Cute' mixes a much-loved aggressive guitar loop with a cheerful piano loop, while Khaos continues his declaration of female worship to good effect, but it's the next cut, 'Funky Sensation' that really grabbed my attention. Another cut as dope as the first one? You'd better believe it.
A dope rumbling bassline, some smooth drums and competent MCing (I'll give you one guess of the choice of topic... Anyone?) before the Gwen McCrae-sampling chorus kicks in. At the end, there's a little bonus beat section, which is a nice reprise from the vocals for a minute.
Flipping over brings in the first part of the two similarly-titled posse cuts, 'Analyze The Style (I)' which featuring Khaos and Baby Kodad on microphone duties.
Kicking off the cypher is Kodad with a decent verse, before the nicely cut-up chorus - "There ain't nothing like hip-hop music..." (taken from Stetsasonic's 'Go Stetsa') - comes in... At the end, Khaos lets you know "This is for all the suckas in the summertime of '92! Analyze the style and be done - and this is to be continued...". DBA's hard-hitting beat (with its cheeky horn sample tooting along in the background) is a definite winner.
DBA lets you know what his initials stand for on 'Dope Beat Always Time', giving you a minute and a half to catch your breath before 'Analyze The Style (II)' unites the entire posse (Khaos, Baby Kodad, Blakswing's Krash Nice, Bamboo and Amp, who was in a crew called Circle of Native Vibes) for a storming closure to the E.P.
Each MC goes pound for pound throughout, with the invited guests, such as Amp, each holding it down:
"Yo, comin' from the Valley, yo, I gotta flaunt my style
My life is that of Riley, 'cause the hoods are livin' foul.
Cherokee is part of me, but I am still Nubian,
Set a smooth verse, keep the party people movin' and...
When I'm in the Valley, I walk with the Natives,
Gotta find the jazz beats, they let me be creative."
Things come to an abrupt end, with Khaos's aggressive freestyle-like rhymes closing with "... the rhymes like these I'll attack, never ever lack, the money comes in stacks, pump my fist 'cause, yes, I'm pro-Black!". And then the silence hits you and you find yourself putting the needle back on the start again. That's how it usually goes over here anyway...
After this E.P. came out, Khaos had to take care of some 'legal obligations', which killed the promotion for the record despite several labels being interested. The well-known Stepsun label was interested in releasing another E.P. consisting of demo material that they'd heard... but, to date, it hasn't surfaced yet.
After hitting this setback, DBA went on to work on other projects before focusing on his vinyl digging and setting up his online store - www.baghatvinyl.com - and new record label, Official Crate Music. There are big plans for the label in 2007, as there are a bunch of different projects coming (including 'lost' reels of more Khaos and DBA tracks): keep an eye out.
This record was pressed in a run of approximately 500-1000 copies, some with stickered sleeves, some without, and most of the few copies I've ever spotted have been from DBA himself via eBay or his website. It's certainly not something that crops up very often, but it's definitely one of the better-value records of the category: no filler tracks and plenty of quality music.
Thanks to Dave at Baghat Vinyl/Official Crate Music for his assistance on this review!
> Reviewed by: Chr!s
> Title: 'Honey-Glazed Skins E.P.'
> Label: Stay Tuned Records
> Year: 1992
There's a lot of good under-appreciated records out there, especially when you start going through the late 80's and early 90's era of independent hip-hop releases. Sample-driven music was in full effect, and it was clear that there were a lot of people out there who had talent. Poor distribution, lack of funds to get quantities pressed, everyday life getting in the way... there are a million and one reasons why some of this music didn't get out there as intended.
Case in point today is the unbelievably consistent EP from Khaos and DBA. When I was in Tokyo back in 2000 on a business trip, I remember being in one of the stores flicking through records and enjoying the sounds that were playing on the in-store hi-fi. The record wasn't for sale at the time (the ever-frustrating "We still gotta price this collection, I'm afraid..." response, albeit in broken English, as my Japanese game is weak), so I made a mental note to keep an eye out for it. Shit happens and my memory tends to get hazy when trying to recall records sometimes, and I couldn't remember the artists' names when I got back to London. Dammit.
Fast forward to 2004/2005 and I got to hear DJ Sunao and DJ Komuro's joint mix, 'Cross Collector'. Track 12 on Sunao's side had me going, 'Oh shit!' as he cut his way into 'Honey-Glazed Skins': this was the shit I'd heard in Japan! Trying to find out much wasn't easy, but gradually over time a couple of copies appeared on eBay and it turned out one of the artists was very much around, running a successful record store based in Baltimore.
Soon enough, I managed to get a copy and it's something that I pull out and spin with fair regularity. Through the magic of the internet, I was able to ask Dave (DBA) a bunch of questions to get a little background on the group and this record.
It turns out that MC Khaos was originally from Florida, moving to Baltimore and then New York, before 'officially' moving to the Bronx to work on the record deal for the duo. DBA, the DJ and producer, was from Baltimore, working his skills on a loaned SP1200 and creating the beats that still stand the test of time over 15 years later.
Previous to working on the duo's E.P., DBA had produced for another project (Blakswing's 'Pickem Stickem' E.P.) alongside Studio Moe from the Numarx crew. The label, Stay Tuned, was a 'short-lived, one release label' started by the group's lawyer at the time, Stanley Fidel (credited on the label as Sta-Fi).
OK, so what's on the record?
Kicking off side 1 is the aforementioned 'Honey-Glazed Skins'. An ode to the ladies, Khaos busts his 'honey on the brain' themed rhymes ("I got more honeys than a damn bee swarm - and I hit more skins than toilet paper inna girl's dorm..."), while DBA provides a really dope track, utilising the same horns that K-Def later used on Tragedy's 'Funk Mode'. Straight from that killer opener, track two packs the same qualities. 'Filthy Cute' mixes a much-loved aggressive guitar loop with a cheerful piano loop, while Khaos continues his declaration of female worship to good effect, but it's the next cut, 'Funky Sensation' that really grabbed my attention. Another cut as dope as the first one? You'd better believe it.
A dope rumbling bassline, some smooth drums and competent MCing (I'll give you one guess of the choice of topic... Anyone?) before the Gwen McCrae-sampling chorus kicks in. At the end, there's a little bonus beat section, which is a nice reprise from the vocals for a minute.
Flipping over brings in the first part of the two similarly-titled posse cuts, 'Analyze The Style (I)' which featuring Khaos and Baby Kodad on microphone duties.
Kicking off the cypher is Kodad with a decent verse, before the nicely cut-up chorus - "There ain't nothing like hip-hop music..." (taken from Stetsasonic's 'Go Stetsa') - comes in... At the end, Khaos lets you know "This is for all the suckas in the summertime of '92! Analyze the style and be done - and this is to be continued...". DBA's hard-hitting beat (with its cheeky horn sample tooting along in the background) is a definite winner.
DBA lets you know what his initials stand for on 'Dope Beat Always Time', giving you a minute and a half to catch your breath before 'Analyze The Style (II)' unites the entire posse (Khaos, Baby Kodad, Blakswing's Krash Nice, Bamboo and Amp, who was in a crew called Circle of Native Vibes) for a storming closure to the E.P.
Each MC goes pound for pound throughout, with the invited guests, such as Amp, each holding it down:
"Yo, comin' from the Valley, yo, I gotta flaunt my style
My life is that of Riley, 'cause the hoods are livin' foul.
Cherokee is part of me, but I am still Nubian,
Set a smooth verse, keep the party people movin' and...
When I'm in the Valley, I walk with the Natives,
Gotta find the jazz beats, they let me be creative."
Things come to an abrupt end, with Khaos's aggressive freestyle-like rhymes closing with "... the rhymes like these I'll attack, never ever lack, the money comes in stacks, pump my fist 'cause, yes, I'm pro-Black!". And then the silence hits you and you find yourself putting the needle back on the start again. That's how it usually goes over here anyway...
After this E.P. came out, Khaos had to take care of some 'legal obligations', which killed the promotion for the record despite several labels being interested. The well-known Stepsun label was interested in releasing another E.P. consisting of demo material that they'd heard... but, to date, it hasn't surfaced yet.
After hitting this setback, DBA went on to work on other projects before focusing on his vinyl digging and setting up his online store - www.baghatvinyl.com - and new record label, Official Crate Music. There are big plans for the label in 2007, as there are a bunch of different projects coming (including 'lost' reels of more Khaos and DBA tracks): keep an eye out.
This record was pressed in a run of approximately 500-1000 copies, some with stickered sleeves, some without, and most of the few copies I've ever spotted have been from DBA himself via eBay or his website. It's certainly not something that crops up very often, but it's definitely one of the better-value records of the category: no filler tracks and plenty of quality music.
Thanks to Dave at Baghat Vinyl/Official Crate Music for his assistance on this review!
> Reviewed by: Chr!s
