There is so much more to Brooklyn, New York than meets the front page of the news. Long considered a breeding ground for crime, corruption, and untamed youth, the borough's contributions to the world of music and culture have traditionally gone without notice-- but they are there. Just think hip hop, and the names will begin rush into consciousness like a brain-freeze on a balmy summer afternoon: Special Ed, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, M.O.P., DJ Premier, Mos Def, and of course, that army battalion-load of emcees known as the Boot Camp Clik. The Cocoa Brovaz,Tek and Steele, are more than just survivors of this diverse and musically prolific environment; they are survivors of an industry that values the fattening of pockets above all else. Despite an early career rooted in critical and commercial success, the duo's future would forever be altered by one key axiom: in the business of music, don't nothing move but the money. Appearing under the name, Smif-N-Wessun, Tek and Steele's first-ever recorded experience dates back to fellow 'Bucktown' representatives and Boot Camp members, Black Moon's stellar LP, 1993's Enta da Stage. Textured with the murky, dungeon-core production of Da Beatminerz, and crackling with the flavor of areggae vocal long-forgotten, the collaboration would set the stage for the unique blend of sound clash street-speak which was to follow. And follow it did-- nearly 2 years later, when the fast-rising pair dropped their groundbreaking Dah Shinin' debut on Nervous Records. Acclaimed by both hip-hop and pop press alike, the record would feature an abundance of single-worthy cuts, including the now-classics, "Sound Bwoy Buriel", "Stand Strong", and "Bucktown."And the fans liked it too, copping enough copies during its opening week to ensure both a #1 slot on Billboard's Rap Album chart and #3 debut on its R&B measure-- impressive stats for a new artist release in any genre. SOURCE: http://www.duckdown.com Rude Awakening Cocoa Brovaz $16.98 Dah Shinin' Smif N' Wessun $14.99