A shop specialising in all aspects of Hip Hop culture. Based in Brixton, South London, UK. Watch on youtube here
Huge selection of UK Hip-Hop CDs
Specialists in the UK Hip Hop music scene - stocking one of the widest ranges of UK HIP HOP MUSIC, both CD & VINYL........... We are also the main outlet for GRAFFITI ART SUPPLIES in London.
Products stocked include - The full range of MOLOTOW PREMIUM, SPANISH MONTANA & ALIEN ART SPRAYPAINT COLOURS
Complemented by - 16 different types of caps/nozzles for accurate control & effects. The full ON THE RUN Paint & Ink marker range. Empty markers. TOUCHMARKER double ended graphic pens - individually & box sets. Various makes of Ink including INFERNO, CORIO, GROG.
A huge selection of BOOKS, MAGAZINES & DVD..S relating to all aspects of Graffiti, Stencil & Street Art around the world.
Exclusive CLOTHING from around the world designed by Graffiti Artists, small independent labels and people involved in the worldwide Hip Hop scene.
We are not just about business.
We involve ourselves in the local & worldwide Hip Hop community, being involved in YOUTH WORKSHOPS, FREE MUSIC EVENTS, RADIO SHOWS & anything that promotes positivity amongst people young & old. We like to bring people together which is what Hip Hop has always been about.
Sensei.fm LONDON'S ALL ELEMENT HIP-HOP RADIO SHOW LIVE BROADCASTS IN-STORE EVERY SATURDAY 12PM - 6PM (GMT)
We are in contact with Graffiti Artists, Producers, Rappers, Distributers, Manufacturers, Ravers, BBoys, shops, promoters, radio stations, dj..s.......across the UK and slowly the world. We try to act as our name would suggest - a HQ for all things Hip Hop.
Not Another Drop is an annual Peace March that is held in The London Borough of Brent, UK. it is organised by the Not Another Drop community Group and the Gun, Gang & Knife Coordinator for Brent. It is a joint Community & local Government group. Please come an support this Saturday.
Ghost Writer –noun a person who writes one or numerous speeches, books, articles, etc., for another person who is named as or presumed to be the author. Also, ghostwriter. Origin: 1895–1900, Americanism Mad Skills- Ghost Writer Came up with Timberland, VA native, smashed NY MCs at Open Mic battles, produced by the best of the era, think Large Professor. Wrote lyrics for alot of BIG rappers and called them out on this live version!!!!! Come!
The Game - Ghost Writer
Ghost Writer Rapper - Sauce Money Sauce Money is an MC who for the late Versace era was getting alot of Magazine coverage. He released a few independant underground 12"s on rare labels, but got a name Ghost Writing, or writing lyrics for other "Made" Rappers. It was a while ago but I remember him saying he wrote for Mase, Lil Cease and no doubt several Rocafella Records affilliates, Jay-Z?
Sauce Money - Last Real N**** Alive Freestyle Kay Slay Drama King Freestyle "It was my man Jay(-Z) who discovered me, I remembered the Rock(afella) used to cover me..." Sauce exclaiming the lack of support from Rocafella records that he claims he helped write hits for, "without clearance (credit)". Perhaps hinting that he ghost wrote for Beanie Seigal, amonst others??
Big Jaz/Jaz-O Marcy Projects old School MC guests on Sauces 1999 album he also claims Jay-Z didn't support his career once he blew, allegedly... Read more here
Sauce Money (DJ Premier) - Against The Grain
Sauce Money VS. Nature (The Firm) OOOH No! Nature (The Firm) calls Sauce one of the Fat Boys... "You're claim to fame is that you call me fat?!!! Well anyone who can see n***** can call me that! Well heres the thing Purse Snatcher...." - Sauce Wins! Hilarious! Purse Snatcher.... Pwaaaaaahhahahaha!
For 11 years Sierra Leone was embroiled in one of the most brutal conflicts ever reported. It left the country classified as the second poorest in the world, with unemployment amongst young people estimated at 70%.
Republic of Sierra Leone
After the war, music played its part in rebuilding the country giving a voice to the disenfranchised and, in the 2007 Government elections, a group of musicians called Artists for Peace toured the country promoting peace not violence.
Way Out's flagship project is working in Sierra Leone to enable young people to express themselves and in expressing themselves by producing music, accessing equipment and gain opportunities through their creativity. The young people will benefit from the project creatively, socially and economically; creatively, providing an opportunity to produce music and explore their talents; socially, providing an opportunity to voice their opinions and feelings; and economically, providing them with job opportunities and security for their future.
Sierra Leone musicians talking with Mike Chandler/DJ Furious of Way Out & Sensei.fm
Music has the potential to provide a means of expression for young people and many jobs but; Music is not taught in schools.
There are very few live instruments.
There is only one music school in the country, and it charges fees.
There are few studios and costs are high.
And yet, it is said, that 70% of all young people want to make music.
In October 2007, Way Out Arts went on a fact-finding mission to Sierra Leone, where we spoke to some of the leading artists, record labels, DJs, musicians, music schools and youth organisations. They found out what they thought was needed to support young people into music-based opportunities and to support them for the future.
The Way Out Sierra Leone Project is a result of what was fed back through that consultation.
Fundraiser: Music Is Life will be supporting WAYout as their main charity at their next Spotlight Sessions event, down at MotherBar (above the 333 club, Old Street) on Thursday 8th October - please come down and support!
To donate to the Way Out Project please click here!
Mike Chandler aka The Furious is a DJ Film Maker and Youth Worker based in the UK. As a long running DJ on London'ds Hip-Hop station he produced the ITCH FM - Lost City Part3 and his podcast site is here. He is now a DJ on London's all Element Hip-Hop Internet station Sensei.fm. Check his profile on Sensei.fm here, and a free download of ITCH FM - Lost City Part3 and more mitapes available on Sensei.fm. He has made many documentary films with his Production Company Wilderness Pictures including the "Stay Sailing: The Future of Pirate Radio", and works with young people to help transform their ideas into short films.
Interesting clip from MTV documentary about Hip-Hop's obsession with Diamonds and Jewellery
All photos, video & content property of Way Out Charity.
This is the second installment of the Kool Skool's documentation of the disappearing independant Hip-Hop shop community. In UK HIP-HOP IS DEAD? Part 1 the UK's first Hip-Hop only club Spats was looked at, but aside from that the others featured were the Soho shops from mid 90's and over. This time we're digging deep and exploring some of the legendary places where scene and the many friendships were solidified.
"Maaan , that place was the mecca in the early eighties. We were down most Sat's" - Grrurge Agent
"You are such a 100% hip hop geek !! I have a shot of the piece that Fade 2 did on the outside of Groove records if you need it. Other than that stop being such a hip hop Inspector Clusoe hip hip geek!!!" - Steam156 (hahaha!)
Steam156 is a legendary UK based International Graffiti Documenting GEEK! Info about his refurbished Graffiti website www.aerosolplanet.com can be found here
"What a dilemma......only having enough cash for 1 12, do I get 'victory' by caveman whitelabel or 'Divine Styler' Ain't saying nothing?......UK hip hop won that day. Great shop with Aunty Jean and with her son being great mates with Mike Allen....you can see why he had so many 'exclusives' on his friday night show. Saturday mornings......flicks, buntlack then you went and got your record....so much stuff came back from that shop to Essex...." - E.R.Z - THE ESSEX ROCKERZ
Top shop, didnt they have a Pride peice behind the counter with a fresh pride tag with sort of a spaced out background with those lovely old school shines." - Ronny Bloody Oner
"Spent way too much money in, Groove records, BlueBird records and City Sounds shops during the early 80s when I was a DJ. I know BlueBird dissapeared a good while back, Sad to see Groove records gone as well, anyone know when they closed up?, no idea if City Sounds are still going." - Silver Music
"Managed to make a few trips down there in the mid 80s. vinyl hip hop mecca. got a pic of the piece on the boards too. seem to remember the quality of the music going down hill around 90ish?" - Van Go TFB
Groove records is now a clothes store.
Liberty Grooves R.I.P. South London Hip Hop shop and record label, released very sought after (and very Bootleg) Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito show freestyles with Biggie Smalls and others and released UK classic 12" by the Guttasnypes with MC Cel One and DJ Prime Cuts (Scratch Perverts). It is now a Nail and Beauty Salon
"Liberty Grooves...South london record shop mecca... R.I.P I've got their second vinyl release somewhere in my collection." - ZEEROCK
"On the subject of old school shops, the daddy of them all was Groove Records.... I have some pictures somewhere... All good history...." - Skore TRC
4Star 1 R.I.P. This was the legendary 4 Star General, it was downstairs in one of the many tacky tourist shops selling mad stuff like bootleg Metal shirts and "The Pope Smokes Dope" and highly offensive "Hitler World Tour "Shirts. The downstairs was packed full of Army surplus stuff and Kung Fu weapons. Under the stairs tucked away was the legand that is G and Troop Sneakers, Dapper Dan Suits, Fake Cazals and Public Enemy T-shirts. London Graffiti legend Crymein cutomised t-shirts and other clothes here when pretty much only Brooklyn's Shirt Kings were doing it.
"It looks so posh nowadays. I got my first belt buckle from here...I wrote Devast:8 but i could only afford a 3 letter one so i got a DEV... Proud as fuck walking around with it on though! In fact i got a pair of those Troop boots from there some time later. The guy who worked there always seemed moody, guess he had his fair share of writers passing through tryin to rack shit. This place seemed to be one of the only places dedicated to the Hip Hop movement and fashions of those times. Fair enough there were other places but none of them captured the vibe of this place. The Crymien airbrush stuff was dope and i still have a flyer that he did to promote the store somewhere. Things just were'nt the same when it moved to Camden. Also the whole of the west end was bombed to fuck and it was great to see who had passed through and was up." - ZEEROCK
"My mate Care/AE used to airbrush teeshirts for him back in 1987/1988. All I remember was he was a rip off all the way or so it seemd back then. The guys selling teeshirts got a pittance really and he pocketed the majority of the cash." - b0bby
"I used to do the t-shirts there in 88 along with Rixs and Crymein. general used to pay me a tenner per shirt, and if i remember rightly, charge £25 a pop. One of his staff back then was a guy called Vassan. George would always have a fat bumbag stuffed with moneey and enjoy flashing it. I too bought a pair of troops for £100 (when the dearest nikes at the time were about £65), also georgio brutini's and travel fox trainers before any where else got them. I remember going to the ice t gig in tonbridge and seeing someone with one of my shirts, and i pulled them up on haveing put their tag on top of mine, trying to pass it off as one of their own!" - Rob Euroh
"A Few of us used to go 4* in the late 80s Loved that store. They had just a few tins of 400ml Buntlack behind the glass counter on the left had side, dont know if anyone evey bought it though because it never moved, probably racking it at the London art store Top flicks. PEICE (of cake)" - Ronny Bloody Oner
I started going here about 1987 or early 88' with Tizer One ID and DJ ODoubleEss (The Kool Skool Radio Show), I remember it smelling like mothballs and old clothes because most of the shop had old army stuff in there. Back then I was really short and young. I went to buy what was obviously now a crazy bootleg P.E. corduroy Baseball cap. As I was paying for it, a boy in there asked me "if I was a boy or a girl!!!" I was really gutted. Not my favorite Hip-Hop memory! Hahahaha... - Shucks One ID/UZN/SDM
When I was 15, I got me name belt there and met MC Duke at the shop." - rs_the_rs
MC Duke - "I'm Riffin"
"Yes mate very good idea you have in the pipeline i had some mad times in this shop. George was a right character! I also have some flyers from this shop. I'll sort them out." - Boast One
"I got my first name belt from this shop also. I got two crymein tee's and a sweat from here, i think i may have them somewhere. I remember hanging out here and listening to bootleg Red Alert mix tapes from the US and George wanting £5 a pop. which in them days.... As for the flyers, I stiil have the second one but it was the first one that killed it for me... Crymein's charater in the middle with the troops on and the googles on its head. Ahh, memorys...." - Bonzai ID
I remember my first outing to 4* in 1989 to choose my 15th birthday present - a pair of Troops. They were dope. That's when 4* was up Inverness Street. After being there he moved down the high road, just after the bridge over the canal, on the right, down in someone's basement. I got some very fresh Filas there in about '91. After being there he moved to the plot just over the road from Camden tube station." - End Level Boss
4 Star General 2 R.I.P. This was the second one, it had graffiti supplies, Con Art Shirts, 90's 3/4 length Triple Fat Gooses (as worn by Flava Flav on one of the P.E. liner sleeves), and the same stuff as the other store but really old and dusty! hahaha! It was the original UK Hip-Hop museum, like a time capsule. Everyone liked G!
"I remember going in there for my 15th or 16th birthday and being blown away by the airbrushed clothes!!!! blew my mind! paint was quite pricey but i didnt care at all then! went in with my older sister who just told me i had 50 quid to spend! the guy i spoke to there was very cool too, real nice. rip!!!!" - HERAS RTC
"I was working and living in North London for a little while so I used to go there quite a lot, I remember them having a lot of weird Euro graff mags, and old musty clothes. Me and Tizer tried to get name buckles for ages but he never had any letters, we eventually got them in the end though. I thought G was cool, I remember him drinking those little airplane bottles of liquor. The last time I saw him was at Scratch club in about 2003. Someone saw him driving the 109 bus in Streatham or something. I wish I'd had enough money to buy up some of that stock." - Shucks One ID/UZN/SDM
"I remember getting the odd belton 'RAL spray' from here and early Graphotisms... also an Inner Circle jumper - think by Etch? I remember the Tower Records in the High St. down the road being all bombed in the mag section too. a 15 year old bumpkin's dream haha!" - Alope 372
2AD R.I.P. This shop was here for about "5-6 months", it sold Dappa Dan suits, 4-Finger rings and other 80's "Trooper" wear. I thought it was the second 4 Star General, but was corrected by the guy in the Camden Graff shop. I spent about an Hour trying to work out where it was. Asking market stall owners, random sales assistants, but I tracked it down. Its now "Nasty Vinyl" it sells Vinyl colletibles, an the nice lady who works there confirmed that this was the place, so great thanks to her! If you like collectibles this is the spot: www.nastyvinyl.com
Cowling Wilcox - "The Art Shop" R.I.P. Original rack spot, Buntlack & Edding 850's!!!! They don't stock either now.
"For some reason, we always preferred this to the London Graphic Centre for Buntlack and piecebooks and a saturday visit to the smoke wouldn't be complete without this shop, then onto Hitman records. Many a time we'd get there too early and have to wait outside with our rucksacks ready for those cans...by this time they were already wise to racking and the buntlack was put up on high shelves like some unobtainable prize. Nowadays I still check for it.....one of my favourite london boozers is over the road.....The John Snow. - E.R.Z - THE ESSEX ROCKERZ
"I rekt that shop..they got Montanas now." - Ledge Leaper
We at the Kool Skool have been doing more than most over the years to document UK Hip-Hop and Graffiti history, and it is really positive to see the recent release of books like London Handstyles, Crack & Shine and the Old School Covent Garden Reunions...
Many thanks to HurtYouBad, Skire Sin Cru, Masika RCS, Able BNB, The HQ Store and the many others who have supported this little excercise and for helping us spread the word. It is appreciated. Part 3 starting soon.... Peace from the Kool Skool
