T.D.S. MOB Dope For The Folks Race Records BOSTON TDS
$
306
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Description
This is it! A holy grail of hip hop, incredibly sought out. Boston group T.D.S. Mob’s “Dope For The Folks” / “Crushin’ Em” on Race Records. This is the hardest 12” to find by the group, and this particular copy is in incredible condition for its age.
A1. Dope For The Folks (Vocal)
A2. Crushin ‘Em (Vocal)
B1. Dope For The Folks (Inst.)
B2. Crushin ‘Em (Inst)
Here’s a great review of the record from diggerswithgratitude.com:
Kool Gee, Devon B (AKA DJ Devastator) and DJ Michael K created a legacy that far exceeds their two-single output. Ask any fan of the late 80's era if they've ever heard of T.D.S. Mob and you'll most likely be greeted with, 'Yo - you got a spare copy of their first 12"?'. Before Boston-mania hit the 'random rap' fans - partiallly attributed to the Top Choice Clique's 'Peace Of Mind' 12" - this trio lurked in the undiscovered depths of dusty basements. Not to say that they didn't make any mark when they released this debut single... Indeed, a chart appearance in an early edition of The Source listed them up there with their contemporaries, such as De La Soul and The Juice Crew.
Whilst their second 12" (the also-essential 'What's This World Coming To/T.D.S. Scratch Reaction') is the one that you're most likely to find, the first 12" is the pinnacle of the T.D.S. catalogue for me. The dark burgundy label of the Race Records' roster doesn't give much of an indication of what you're going to find when the needle hits the grooves at all - if you weren't keeping an eye out, it's easy to imagine this one slipping past you. But under the lacklustre label artwork (even the sticker on the cover doesn't enhance things quite enough) there is musical mastery, trust us.
'Dope For The Folks' stops you dead in your tracks with the "two DJs: Devastatin' Devastator and DJ Michael K" cutting up some intense drums, before unleashing bassline. "Pull up a chair, shut up and just listen to a rhyme that I built", informs Kool Gee, as the tempo holds steady and the loop cuts in and out. Powerful? Yes, most definitely: it's a head-turner. And I like to think that if I'd have been fortunate enough to hear it back in '88, I'd have loved it just as much as I do nearly 20 years on.
"All Americans, sing the 'Star Spangled Banner' - while I rock in an ill manner
You wanna hear it, again and again
And for the folks, it's dope - addictive like heroin
When I write a masterpiece, I must be isolated
And when I narrate it, MCs get annihilated
In the future, I like to foresee, a facsimile
Of the Kool G-double-E"
Well, since then MC's have come and gone, but I'm not sure if too many would have been able to step up to the hungry teenage mic-wielder at the time.
So, what else is on here? A lot of you will know that 'Crushin 'Em' was the closing cut on DJ Ivory's 'Hear No Evil', so it's more than likely that you'll have heard it before. Another belter of a track, I'm hard pushed to decide which of the two is my favourite cuts: both are worthy of their place on the a-side of this 12".
"To make a short story long", Gee advises you to all 'listen up close' - and with the fuzz on the sample making the hairs on your neck spring to attention, you can't help but get drawn in. Clever and inspired edits and cuts keep the sparse beat interesting.
But, on this cut, it's Gee's rhymes that give it the edge. "Now I cold crush ya with the rhyme that I wrote
Made for sucka MCs and it's all cut-throat
With computerised sound from the legions of doom
And if you want it up louder, turn up the volume"
While Gee states that he might not be "the greatest MC, but I'm on the chart", you can't help but think he was underplaying himself. With sure-fire delivery, solid beats and more than a touch of inventive structure, T.D.S. deserved more kudos than they got. A fantastic 12".
To hear mp3 samples of this 12”, follow the links below
http://www.zshare.net/audio/4576019f442d66/
http://www.zshare.net/audio/45760377d852fe/
100% Guaranteed original pressing.
As a result of non paying bidders, payment is due via paypal within 10 days of the auction's ending. Shipping and Handling is $4.99 within the USA and varies outside of the country. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Check my feedback, it's flawless!
