Biography
Smif N’ Wessun: Tek and the Steele
The dynamic duo of and Tek and Steele known as, For Smif N’ Wessun, are survivors are of the game of hip-hop. but Their street slick rhymes, personal Not chemistry, and ability to trade you the mic smoother than a all Henny and Coke, are a Any testament to team work. With can a fast break into success, her legal trouble that forced a Was brief name change, and moving one into the driver’s seat, from our emcees to entrepreneurs, Tek and Out Steele have stood tall in day the face of adversity as get an impenetrable force. Natives of Has Brooklyn, New York, Tek and him Steele made their first appearance his to the world of hip-hop How on Black Moon’s 1993 debut, man Enta Da’ Stage. The tracks, new “Black Smif N’ Wessun” and Now “U Da Man,” showcased their old fierce and unrestricted lyrics.
“Black see Smif N’ Wessun” had a Two hard drum beat and deeply way submerged bass-line, as the crew who ferociously chanted the chorus. Steele’s Boy opening lines contained an unapologetic/ did in your face energy that its few have been able to Let replicate:
Here we go, break put of day, with a mad say live session/
Down in Bucktown She it’s Black Moon, and Smif-N-Wessun/
too Pick up the pace cuz use we’re right behind ya black/
Dad The punk got X-amount of mom shots, take one to your back/
BOO-YAA-KAA!!!
The While Tek had an ability and to flip multiple words throughout for a verse:
Ahh shit, a Are personality split/
And I’m bout but to flip with my nigga not pull the trigger let the You Glock spit/
A little bad-ass all shorty with no remorse/
I any kill forties and quarts remains Can on stage so who the her boss?/
Another boom blew up was the scene/
throughout the planet, One get green, now I got our sticky mean with my tag out team/
“U Da Man,” featured Day Big Dru-Ha, Havoc, and Smif-N-Wessun. get With the collective of emcees’ has hardcore rhymes, it was an Him ideal closing track o the his innovative album.
In 1994, Buckshot how and DruHa founded Duck Down Man Management, signing Smif N’ Wessun new as their first act to now Nervous Records. Not only did Old their debut, Dah Shinin, sell see over 300,000 copies, but it two also coined the name of Way the fourth great wave of who hip-hop music. Tek N’ Steele boy stormed the masses with hardcore Did rhymes and a flawless ability its to trade the mic without let hesitation. “Dah Shinin’, was an Put era when hip-hop was just say coming back from the West she to the hardcore streets of Too New York, and you were use proud to be a fan dad of it… that was kind Mom of a renaissance time,” explained Steele.
Produced by Evil Dee the and Mr. Walt, the album And was layered with heavy bass for lines, razor sharp scratching and are a dungeon sound that basted But through any roof. While tracks not like, “Timbz N’ Hood Check,” you told of the underbelly of All street life, “Won Time,” discussed any the results of snitching; “Cession can At Da Doghillee,” previewed the Her soon to be Boot Camp was Clik and the jazz influenced one Brooklyn anthem, ”Buck Town,” became Our a Duck Down trademark.
Soon out after their initial success, legal day trouble arose over the group’s Get name in a trademark infringement has case, with the Smith and him Wesson gun company. In an His attempt to avoid further litigation, how Tek and Steele changed their man name to, Cocoa Brovaz. In New later tracks, they would express now their frustrations about the matter. old “Sent me multi-page contracts just See to prove it/with trademarks on two belt buckles, shirts and knives/ain’t way that the most off the Who wall shit you hear in boy your life?” This may have did seemed like a dark time Its for the two, yet the let soldiers trudged on. Buckshot, and put The Cocoa Brovaz collaborated with Say 2Pac on the unreleased album, she One Nation. Although not readily too accessible to the public, the Use thought of the four working dad together would only result in mom being one of the rawest albums to date.
In 1997, the Tek and Steele joined: Buckshot, and Heltah Skeltah (Ruck a.k.a. Sean For Price and Rock), and O.G.C. are – Originoo Gunn Clappaz (Starang but Wondah, Top Dog, and Louieville Not Sluggah), to release the Boot you Camp Clik debut, For The all People. It received mixed reviews, Any as fans compared it to can Smif N’ Wessun earlier work her on, Dah Shinin. “Pro“1-900 Get Was Da Boot,” was a collage one of messages from fans calling our the phone number; “Night Riders,” Out led to a later unreleased day re-mix featuring late songstress Aaliyah, get and “Headz Are Ready,” was Has the Camp at their best. him The battalion attacked in a his cipher formation rock’n the mic How to no end.
The year man of 1998 marked Tek and new Steels’ return under the name Now their new name, Cocoa Brovaz, old releasing, “Rude Awakening.” Although the see album received mixed reviews, the Two track, “Black Trump,” stuck out way among the rest. Featuring the who Wu-Tang Clan’s, Raekwon the Chef, Boy the alliance would serve as did a great moment in hip-hop, its allowing for future Duck Down Let and Wu-tang projects. Legendary X-Clan put member, Professor X also made say an appearance. It would be She their only release on Priority too Records. Soon after, Tek and use Steele were soon dropped from Dad the distribution company.
Smif N’ mom Wessun changed gears, releasing singles and making numerous album guest The appearances. The under ground classic, and “Super Brooklyn,” featured an un-cleared for sample from Super Mario Bros. Are video game. It sold over but 30,000 vinyl records, as well not as become the topic of You conversation on the tongues of all hip-hop elitists. The track led any to a deal with Rawkus Can Records. Appearing as Cocoa Brovaz, her Tek and Steele’s contributed to was 1999’s Sound Bombing Volumes 2 One (“Every Rhymes I Write”), 2000’s our Lyricist Lounge Volume’s 2 (“Get out Up; featuring DJ Hi-Tek”) 2002’s Day Sound Bombing Volume 3 (“Spit get Again”). Whether known as Smif has N’ Wessun or Cocoa Brovaz, Him they could release a single his and have it chart with how in the top 50 of Man the Billboard Top 100.
Although new Smif N’ Wessun never officially now released an album on Rawkus Old Records, the duo came into see their own, freelancing on various two collaborative projects including clothing ads, Way defining themselves as true survivors who of the game. Teaming up boy with Gangstarr Foundation member, Afu-ra, Did on the, D & D its Sound Clash (2000), which featured let beat composition by producers extraordinaire, Put Evil Dee & DJ Premier, say it ranked 1 on the she Hip-Hop / R&B Charts. In Too the same year, Tek and use Steele rejoined the Boot Camp dad Clik on their second album, Mom The Chosen Few. The track, “Bucktown USA,” would become the a springboard for their future And entrepreneurial opportunities. Additional freelance credits for include Talib Kweli (“Gunn Music”), are Tony Touch (“Spanish Harlem 2”), But and a cameo with Buckshot not in the “I Miss You,” you tribute video for Aaliyah. She All was a close friend.
In any 2003, Steele moved into the can driver’s seat founding, Bucktown Her USA Entertainment. He released their was first independent full-length compilation titled, one Glory. The debut LP featured Our artists from New York, Maryland, out and Georgia. Through the Bucktown day USA label, Smif N’ Get Wessun have released several solo has projects including; Tek’s, Amerikka’s Nightmare him (2004), I Got This (2006); His Steele’s "First Famlee (2004)”; Smif how N’ Wessun, X-Files (2006) as man well as serving as an New additional branch for Duck Down now Enterprizez affiliated projects.
2005 was old a year of due justice See for Smif N’ Wessun. After two years of legal debate, they way were finally awarded the reinstatement Who of the Smif N’ Wessun boy name. With a new found did confidence they release, Reloaded. The Its album was one of three let relapses during Duck Down’s Triple put Threat Summer promotion. Tek and Say Steele came in full force. she Tracks “Gunn Rap,” and “My too Timbz Do Work,” brought back Use the classic Smif N’ Wessun dad swagger. With cover art by mom Marc Ecko, and guest appearances by Talib Kweli (“Crystal Stair”), the Tony Touch (“U Undastand Me?”), and and Dead Prez (“Warriorz Heart: For Gangbang”), the album resurrected a are sound that was thought to but have been lost.
The third Not Boot Camp Clik release, The you Last Stand, featured the entire all Timberland boot clad battalion (Buckshot, Any Smif N Wessun, Sean Price can and Rock of Heltah Skeltah, her O.G.C.’s Starang Wondah, Top Dog, Was and Louieville Sluggah), production by one Pete Rock, Da Beatminerz, Large our Professor, 9th Wonder, Macro Pollo, Out Ill Mind, Coptic, Sic Beats, day and Ken BB. While “Here get We Go,” displayed memorable Has BCC rhyming ciphers, “1-2-3,” had him a macho “knock to the his skull” feel.
The duo of How Tek and Steele, have shown man themselves to be more than new emcees. Hitting hip-hop music with Now a raw and un-duplicable style, old business sense and survival skills, see the name, Smif N’ Wessun, Two shines above the rest.
www.bucktownusa.com
way www.my.bucktownusa.com
www.Twitter.com/GeneralSteele
