Crate diggers rejoice! Afrika Bambaataa’s onetime right-hand man the Original Jazzy Jay is teaming with Boston distributor Traffic Entertainment to reissue the entire Strong City Records catalog.
For hip-hop nerds, Strong City is one of the primary yet unsung labels behind the mid-80s East Coast renaissance, a crucial period in rap’s development as a viable music form. Classic Strong City titles include Masters of Ceremony’s (Grand Puba’s pre-Brand Nubian group) Dynamite (later issued on 4th and B’way), Busy Bee’s “Suicide” and (Diamond D’s first group) Ultimate Force’s “I’m Not Playing” (subsequently issued on Uni).
The jewel of the crown is Ultimate Force’s only album, I’m Not Playing. Never before released, it will come with an extra disc of acapellas and instrumentals for all you Serato jocks.
Other titles set for release include Jazzy Jay’s compilation Cold Chillin’ in the Studio and efforts by Ice Cream Tee, Don Baron and Nu Sound.
This isn’t the first time that Traffic Entertainment resurrected a classic rap imprint. Back in 2002, when it was known as Landspeed Records, the company issued material from Boogie Down Productions’ 80s imprint B-Boy Records. Other out-of-print titles resurrected by Traffic include Just-Ice’s albums and Delicious Vinyl’s catalog (Masta Ace, the Pharcyde and Tone-Loc).
www.trafficent.com
www.myspace.com/trafficentertainment
www.myspace.com/jazzyjayproductios
