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Black Moon: The Beginnings

Pizzo — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:36:23 +0000

Black Moon, the iconic rap group from Brooklyn, NY comprised of Buckshot, 5FT and DJ Evil Dee, are celebrating the 20-year anniversary of their debut album, Enta Da Stage, on Oct. 19th.

In this mini-doc. the group discusses their early beginnings, exploring topics such as the first time they met; initial studio recordings; mixing Enta Da Stage; the origin of the album title & more.

Black Moon ‘Enta Da Stage’ 20th Anniversary Teaser

Pizzo — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:06:46 +0000

Go behind the scenes with Black Moon, 20 years after they dropped their ground breaking album, ‘Enta Da Stage.’ Get insight from Buckshot, 5ft, DJ Evil Dee and Dru Ha as they discuss the early beginnings of Black Moon and what went behind their debut album.

Stay tuned for the full clip which will be released later this year on RedBull.com

Fans in Austin, TX can celebrate the anniversary with Black Moon as they’ll be performing at Duck Down & Javotti Media’s SXSW official showcase Saturday, March 16th, at Haven (409 Colorado St.) alongside Talib Kweli, Roc Marciano, Statik Selektah and more.

Black Moon Made $0 From "Enta Da Stage"

Pizzo — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:39:32 +0000

…and thus, Duck Down Records was born. Buck’s not nervous….

Black Moon Talks Recording "Enta Da Stage" LP

Pizzo — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:44:05 +0000

DJ Evil Dee gives fans an inside perspective on the unusual recording practices he took while mixing Black Moon’s debut album ‘Enta Da Stage.’ Hear more stories like this from the group tomorrow, Sept 29th, at South Paw as they’re taking part in a Red Bull Music Academy Q&A at 5PM. Following the Q&A is a Big Daddy Kane & Black Moon performance backed by a 6-Piece Live Band.

Black Moon Rehearse w/ Live Band (Video)

The_N — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:37:21 +0000

Buckshot rehearses with the band that backed him at Southpaw in Brooklyn last night as he performed Enta Da Stage in it’s entirety.

"15 Years Of Duck Down" Tracklist Revealed

Matt Conaway — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:09:50 +0000

Duck Down Music is celebrating its 15 Year Anniversary with a commemorative album that pays homage to what the fans voted to be the strongest record from each of the 15 years. There are two bonus tracks from 1993 & 1994 to offer tribute to Black Moon’s hit record “Who Got The Props,” and Smif N Wessun’s classic “Sound Bwoy Burial.” An exclusive track was recorded for the year 2010 called “Better Than You” featuring Buckshot, Skyzoo, Promise & Sean Price, produced by Double-O of Kidz In The Hall.

A timeline poster was created to unveil the official track listing which showcases key imagery associated with each song.

An NYC album release show is scheduled at BB KINGS on July 13th featuring performances by Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, Buckshot, Smif N Wessun, Kidz In The Hall, Skyzoo, Marco Polo, Torae, Ruste Juxx & plenty of special guests. Music by DJ EVIL DEE. Hosted by Angela Yee & Amanda Diva. Tickets can be purchased here.

Official Track Listing:

1993 (BONUS):
Black Moon – Who Got The Props (Enta Da Stage)

1994 (BONUS):
Smif N Wessun – Sound Bwoy Burial (Da Shinin)

1995:
Fab 5 (Heltah Skeltah & O.G.C.) – Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka (Nocturnal)

1996:
O.G.C. – No Fear (Da Storm)

1997:
Boot Camp Clik Headz R Readee Part II (For The People)

1998:
Cocoa Brovaz aka Smif N Wessun – Black Trump feat Raekwon (Rude Awakening)

1999:
Black Moon – 2 Turntables & A Mic (War Zone)

2000:
Smif N Wessun – Super Brooklyn (Single)

2001:
Sean Price – Don’t Say Sh*t To Ruck (Single)

2002:
Boot Camp Clik – And So (Chosen Few)

2003:
Black Moon – Stay Real (Total Eclipse)

2004:
Smif N Wessun – D&D Soundclash (Collect Dis Edition)

2005:
9th Wonder & Buckshot – No Comparison (Chemistry)

2006:
Boot Camp Clik – Here We Come (Last Stand)

2007:
Sean Price – P-Body (Jesus Price Supastar)

2008:
Kidz In The Hall – Drivin Down The Block (The In Crowd)

2009:
KRS-ONE & BUCKSHOT – Robot (Survival Skills)

2010:
I’m Better Than You – Buckshot, Skyzoo, Promise & Sean Price (produced by Double-O of Kidz In The Hall)

It's A Demo: Lost Biggie, Nas, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, Rakim & More Unearthed

Pizzo — Tue, 11 May 2010 09:38:04 +0000

Do you listen to Poetical Prophets, Brick City Kids, Original Flavor, Ricky D, Kid Wizard Rakim, Simply II Positive, or Darkman X? You probably do, but just don’t know it yet.

A blog called Onetwann digs into the archives and unearths a treasure trove of lost pre-major label demos from the likes of Jay-Z, Slick Rick, Nas, Rakim, B.I.G., Big Daddy Kane, Kool G. Rap, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One, O.C., Organized Konfusion, M.O.P., Common, Dead Prez, Black Moon, DMX, Artifacts, Pete Rock, and Mobb Deep. As the author of the original post states, most of this material has been released into the wild before, however many people still haven’t heard it. Check Onetwann out and thank us later.

Lost Boyz Vs. Heltah Skeltah On Tim Westwood 1996 (MP3)

D.T. Swinga — Fri, 07 May 2010 07:57:03 +0000

We had to dig this one up. This disastrous freestyle session isn’t quite a battle, but goes crazily awry when an over-excited Freaky Tah “goes in” live on Tim Westwood’s show. It begins with Spigg Nice doing his thing, only to be over powered by his pal Tah (R.I.P.). Heltah Skeltah try to salvage the thing, but then Tah comes in again spitting on the mic over Ruck and Rock’s rhymes. The thing becomes such a mess, you can envision the program director losing his mind. Suddenly, mics are faded out before the station begins “experiencing technical difficulties”. Check out a bonus Evil Dee freestyle from Buckshot and Rock of Heltah Skeltah as well.

- Lost Boyz vs. Heltah Skeltah On Tim Westwood (1996) + Buckshot and Rock of H.S. with Evil Dee (1996) (.zip)

Duck Down + Pro Keds 15th Anniversary (Video)

Pizzo — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:18:46 +0000

Includes performances and video footage from Black Moon, Pharoahe Monch, Smif-N-Wessun, Sean Price, and Kidz In The Hall.

MICK BOOGIE + nVMe + Duck Down Present SURVIVAL KIT

Pizzo — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:34:07 +0000

Today’s generation of emcees pay homage to Krs-One and Buckshot, whose “Survival Skills” LP is in stores now on Duck Down.

Tracklist:
1) Survival Kit (Intro) by DJ Sherazta
2) Gotcha Opin Original (RMX) – Tanya Morgan (produced by NVME)
3) South Bronx (RMX) – Cause, The Kid Daytona & Chaundon (produced by NVME)
4) Buck Em Down (RMX) – Christian Rich (produced by NVME)
5) Sound Of Da Police (RMX) – Diz Gibran & Shawn Chrystopher (Produced by ILL TAL)
6) Shit Iz Real (RMX) – Ruste Juxx (produced by NVME)
7) Step Into Our World (RMX) – Team Facelift & Jade (produced by ABADDON)
8) Talk Shit (RMX) – Torae & Skyzoo (produced by NVME)
9) MC’s Act Like They Don’t Know – Sha Stimuli, Promise, J.A.M.E.S. Watts, Fashawn (produced by NVME)
10) I Got Cha Opin 09 – Kardinal Offishall & Buckshot (produced by Havoc of Mobb Deep)
11) Past Present Future – KRS-ONE, Buckshot, Melanie Fiona & Naledge of Kidz In The Hall (produced by 9th Wonder)

MICK BOOGIE + nVMe + Duck Down Present SURVIVAL KIT

Black Moon – Total Eclipse

Andreas Hale — Sun, 11 Jan 2004 07:00:00 +0000

Record industry rule #2434: Hip hop has no love for its own veterans. If you check for a list of emcees who have survived for more than a decade, you will probably find a list of rappers who are barely breathing the same venom that made them famous. Either they are existing because of sex appeal or because of acting qualities, not for giving tracks a lyrical lashing. Even shorter is a list of emcees who haven’t released an abundance of original material in over a decade and not only are recognized, but receive love from the short attention span of today’s hip-hop generation. But rules are made to be broken. In the past decade Black Moon has released only two albums, and they are back to attempt to snatch an ear of today’s youth and inform them who really got props. Since the release of their opus, Enta Da Stage, Black Moon, 5 FT, and Evil Dee have gone on somewhat of a hip hop hiatus. While Enta Da Stage was deemed a classic, it seemed as if Black Moon was more concerned with promoting their own fam, the Boot Camp Clik, instead of releasing albums of their own material. However, what really kept them from releasing consectutive albums was a bad contract with Nervous, and even with the War Zone being released below radar, it gave the impression that Boot Camp Click was priority and Black Moon was a thing of the past. Well fear not, because Black Moon is showing fans, new and old, that their swords are still sharp with their third release, Total Eclipse.

Total Eclipse is quite possibly the most solid comeback album of the past decade. With their street bravado in tact, they approach this album with a certain vengeance and hunger not witnessed with today’s hip-hop veterans. As the album jumps off with the ridiculous “Stay Real”, it affirms their position among hip-hops elite. Utilizing the same sample Just Blaze tore to shreds on Jay-Z’s Black Album interlude, the Beatminerz furnish a much darker experience as
Buck lets loose all over the track as the hook states “It’s the key to longetivity, and I’ma show you niggas why they all remember me, stay real, never change, it’s a lot of suckers who running this game and busting them things.” Total Eclipse is littered with the usual gun toting, industry slander, keeping shit as real as possible lingo that they have perfected for the last decade, however the great thing is that when Black Moon does it, the results sound just so refreshing. Check Buckshot’s lyrical prowess on “Confusion”: “Industry rule number ten-thousand-and-eighty/Record company niggaz are sha-deeeeeee, bay-bee/Definitely, never may-be; you’ll have to be/a pain in da ass like – FUCK YOU, PAY ME/Crazy? Picture me slippin, like a broke
transmission/I got both positions, I own both dimensions/I write poems for commissions/I’m the
leader for da squad when da Gods in a hard predicament/Like, got a hot group but need they
contracts right/Or got jerked for your publishin last fight/Now you wanna act tight, let me give you ad-vice/It don’t matter if you that nice/Cause da bottom line is da kind of mind, not da kind of rhyme/Signed and sealed, delivered, delivered and signed/Right now I know you wanna get yours I’m at my prime, so I got to get mine, before I’m out my mind…”

With no disrespect to 5ft, it always has been the drawl of the BDI thug who kept the Black Moon train from derailing. When the two emcees rumble through the gutter production of “That’s How it Iz” offering their own rules of the industry, the listener can’t help but nod their head not only along with the beat but in agreence with the no frills emcees. And don’t think it’s a Black Moon album without the family in tow. Sean Price trades inquisitions with BDI thug on “What Would U Do” and Smif N Wesson lend that Bucktown flavor to the Asian flavored “That’s The Way Shit Iz.” The production alone is worth checking out as the Beatminerz as well as some unfamiliar faces endow Total Eclipse with an incredibly dope, yet evil street grounded production only worthy of that Black Moon trademark. From the mean strings of “Confusion” featuring Sean Price to the thumping finale “Rush”, Black Moon substantiates that gutter resonance.

While not ground breaking or a commercial smash, Black Moon makes its mark with Total Eclipse. Giving fans of both generations strong beats and rough rhymes to keep heads noddin was the ultimate purpose here. And even though they are spotted only once every 4 years, it makes each release the only thing that matters. Black Moon proves that they are more than worth the wait, the only problem is how long will we have to wait for them to make another comeback??

Black Moon – Jump Up / Real Shit – 12Inch

Pizzo — Fri, 01 Jan 1999 07:00:00 +0000

Coming from the Duck Down Presents album are two tracks spotlighting members of the Boot Camp Click. Most notable of this twelve inch is “Jump Up”, which completely brings back the Black Moon we all knew and loved from the early days. I haven’t heard Buckshot this hungry since Enta Da Stage, and he actually pays homage to that album’s title track, using the first lines from that song as the hook on “Jump Up”. With the old school flavored track and a hungry Buckshot, this is one of the first Black Moon songs in a while that really did something for me. “Real Shit” from O.G.C. (Originoo Gunn Clappaz) was a pretty typical b-side. Black Moon wins on this 12″.

Black Moon – War Zone

Dara Cook — Fri, 01 Jan 1999 07:00:00 +0000

Black Moon are hip-hop veterans, despite the fact that this is only their second album. After dropping the essential Enta Da Stage in 1993, which Billboard described as “hardcore jazz,” Black Moon chipped diamond quality remixes off the Enta Da Stage block like “I Got Cha Opin” and “Buck Em Down.” Of their sophomore effort, Warzone, I have some good news, and then I have some good news. The good news is that Black Moon squashed the label beef over the use of the name Black Moon. Thankfully, we no longer have to choke on the mouthful of Buckshot, 5 FT. & Evil Dee when referring to the group formerly known as Black Moon. And the good news is that Warzone is hot ta death.

Buckshot rides beats like a black cowboy. Consider Warzone his rodeo. Buckshot smashes conventional cadences and melds verses to fit them inside groove pockets. On “Two Turntables and a Mic,” Buckshot’s sing-song flow manages to rejuvenate the ubiquitous “Heartbeart;” his ability to locate and exploit the record’s un-mined funk showcases the versatility of Tanya Garner’s classic (yes, even considering that every rapper has sampled it). Buckshot’s lyrical partner, 5 FT., has pretty shitty luck. On Warzone, he finally gets some burn, and gets sent away for an “up north trip” right before it drops. He’ll be back soon, though. In the meantime, the chiseled vehemence he spits on “All Yall Niggaz” with Heather B will hold him down.

Black Moon actually conducts themselves like hip-hop veterans. Though many groups claim that their albums return to the original essence of hip-hop, Warzone actually does. “Evil Dee is on the Mix,” which sizzles with trembling bass, is a throwback to old school hip-hop, when MCs recognized their DJs by giving them entire tracks (remember “Chinese Arithmetic?”) and shared name billing (remember Eric B. AND Rakim?). “Two Turntables and a Mic” is a return to the fundamental primacy of the one DJ/one MC construction. During a recent New York performance, Buckshot yelled, “How many MCs got a DJ?” Well-let’s count ‘em: Guru, Buckshot, . . . and, that’s really about it. Point well taken, Buckshot.

Perhaps money must have been a little tight, as these Bucktown brovas only snagged chorus appearances for Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes. “Onslaught” would have been just fine without Rhymes, though his hyper-kineticisms never hurt. Q-Tip, however, can do to little to save the bottomless “Show Down,” which may be the album’s weakest track.

The album is replete with sonic treats, from the mafia flick score whistle of “WhirlWind” (on which Buckshot rhymes, “Not an alcoholic but I sip liquid lyrics”), the raw lyricism of “Freestyle,” and the subdued bounce of “Shake Your Frame” with Cocoa Brovaz (on which Buckshot rhymes, “Hey, yo, this nigga ain’t worth my worst verse.”). Buckshot and 5 FT. reveal life’s tortures on “Weight of the World,” but Buckshot confess best on the thick-bassed “Duress”. With possessed precision similar to “Slave,” Buckshot asks, “Why the devil keep fuckin’ with me?” Who knows, Buck, but if you and your crew keep coming with the tight beats and lyrics, hip-hop heads will keep fuckin’ with you and the crew.