Mantronik & Mc Tee was a part of one of the most inovative hip hop groups in the 80's combining Rap, Funk, Reggae, Pop & Electronics...Mantronix still make many of todays hip hop artists look like their making elevator music!! In my opinion Mantronix is the way hip hop was supposed to be in the 90's...Raw, Cool, Independent & Hardcore!! Mantronik's real name is Kurtis Khaleel (born September 4, 1965) & Mc Tee's real name is Tooure Embden. Mantronix was formed in New York in 1984. William Socolov, the head of the independent record label "Sleeping bag Records" heard a Mantronix demo tape and a few months later "Fresh is the Word" hit the streets in 1985 with a blast!! Their second single was "Bassline" from their debut "The album" in 1986 which probably is one of the coolest and rawest hip hop albums ever made. Bassline was the first single to hit the charts outside america..well that's when i heard them for the first time and since then i've been captivated by their unique sound. Later the same year they released "Music madness", also a great album, though some people think they was in a holding pattern, i disagree. In 1988 they released "In full effect" which also was a fine piece of work, but you could hear the comercialised sound beginning to grow. After that record, the cool Mantronix sound they had made since "The album" in 1986 was gone.Mantronik was unfortunaly aiming his music in a more commercial way. A more soul/dance kind of shit. MC Tee left the group in 1988, i don't know the reason but i've heard reports that they didn't get along well. At the same time Mantronix left Sleeping Bag Records for Capitol. The group was joined by rapper Bryce Wilson and was touring with Mantronix when they promote the album "In Full Effect". Bryce is now with the group "Groove Theory" which has been rather succesful. The single "Tell me" hit the Top 3 on the R&B charts in america and Top 10 in the pop chart in Canada. Click here to listen to a 15 sec. excerpt of "Tell me". He has also worked with Toni Braxton, En Vogue, Mary J.Blige to name a few. In a interview Bryce said about working with Mantronik : "I learned alot from watching Kurtis in the studio, he was the best producer i've ever met, and his attitude reflected that. I had to quit though, cause he had me thinking - black piece of shit - was my new name!!". whatever that means......There was a gap between MC Tee & Bryce joining when Mantronix was making the video for "Join Me Please". In the video Mantronik is pretending to rap and believe me it looks awful, but who can blame him...someone had to do it :-). In the early 90's after making moderate success with his dance / club tracks "Step to Me" & "Take your Time" sung by Jade Trini, Mantronik dissapeared. He made some remixes & he did work on new tracks, but it was very underground and i did never hear much about him in that period. It was first when i got the internet that i discovered that he was still active. He made some really cool Techno / breakbeat tracks on some very hard to get EP's . Bassmachine re-tuned which is a remix of T.LA. Rock's old classic hip hop track & Music for the dusted, both 1997. And he had taken the name Kurtis Mantronik instead of Mantronix. He has recently released a new album called "I Sing the Body Electro"(september 1, 1998).. It's a blend of alot of things but i just like to put the cute name Electronica to it. Mantronik has been joined by female rapper Traylude, a girl i don't know anything about yet. Carlos Alomar whos guitar can be heard on many of the tracks on the album including Mad, push yer hands up & one time feel fine are a very experienced musician. Carlos Alomar is best known as the guitarist for David Bowie on such albums as Young Americans and Station to Station. He was Bowie's musical director on the Glass Spider Tour in 1987. He has worked with such artists as : Iggy Pop, Yoko Ono, Simple Minds, Paul McCartney, Pretenders & Cyndi Lauper. Mr. Bush who did the vocals on the album is a member of the group "D-Note". Kurtis Mantronik has said that he won't make hip hop anymore, that don't bother me as long as the sutff he makes now is good material. But the incredible and inovative "The Album" & "Music Madness" will always be in a league of their own!!! Unfortunaly they are almost completely impossible to get since they are out of print!!! I will do my best to find Mantronix related stuff to buy even if that is an almost impossible task! watch my Buyer's Guide section for information!
http://www.cheebadesign.com/legends/intro.htm
TRIBAL MEMORIES Part 3 - Compilation Unmixed Out Today In BEATPORT Exclusive
Click on pic to listen to samples or buy music Thanks for listening & support Enjoy your time !!!!!!!!!! and have a nice summer !!!!!!!!!!! Rpo Records Team
JUST WANTED 2 SWANG THROUGH & SAY THANX 4 THE ADD... SHOOT ME AN EMAIL OR A MAILING ADRESS & I'LL SEND YOU A FREE COPY OF MY NEW C.D.: "X'd OUT vol.1". 20 TRACKS OF FIYA, 4 FREE. FUCK WIT ME.
JUST WANTED 2 SWANG THROUGH & SAY THANX 4 THE ADD... SHOOT ME AN EMAIL OR A MAILING ADRESS & I'LL SEND YOU A FREE COPY OF MY NEW C.D.: "X'd OUT vol.1". 20 TRACKS OF FIYA, 4 FREE. FUCK WIT ME.
Mantronik, Rodd has been a fan from day one and I still listen to the following, Do You Like Mantronix... Hell Ya! and Put the record back on/w Just-Ice.
I had 2 check out on some cat on "Youtube",this fool said "only hit they had 2 me was "fresh is the word",needless 2 say I let him have it,nobody compares,nobody....
dear sir, the masterful MANTRONIX; thank you for the music and the addition. my brother i still hanen't heard anything that captures Hip Hop of the 80's better than Music Madness. i became a bad man at school when i beat boxed the mega mix. you are indeed a master; and i keep my needle to the groove!!!!PEACE.
Hey All - check out the new releases on ADR Thump and the coming relases on ADR Pump. Andromeda Recordings has branched off into the world of Rock so make sure to add us to your list of Labels to watch for new releases!
Man bro... I got promo's of your stuff on Sleeping Bag records from back in the days! You are the one that made want to own a TR-909 and 808. I miss them days of Hip-hop. Thanks for the add Kurtis. Stay up Bro! Keep baning out them tracks!
One of the biggest releases from Slavic this year. This collaborative work consists of 10 remixes on original "New High" (Nikolai Stepan). Styles vary from house / electro / tech / electronica / breaks / minimal ... Enjoy this collection of very talanted artists.
First exclusive from 99ers studios in Moscow. The history of this project is short but very sweet and full of solid and slamming club tracks. CLICK TO LISTEN
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