This Summer has been CRAZY for events and concerts in the Midwest and August 5th is no exception.  Come and see some of the originators in this hip-hop game this Saturday at the Covelli Centre.  We're talking about Doug E. Fresh, Shock G aka Humpty Hump, Das Efx, Lords of the Underground, Nice & Smooth and Rufus Blaq. 

Cop your tickets HERE

Doug E. Fresh

Doug E. Fresh also known as The Human Beatbox is famously known for his singles The Show and La-Di-Da-Di.  More recently, kids have been doing his signature dances and didn't know where it came from.  The group, Cali Swag District saw some kids in Dallas, TX doing a dance called the D-Town Boogie and they saw that it was pretty much a modified version of Doug E. Fresh's signature moves.  Well, Cali Swag District created a song entitled Teach Me How to Dougie and incorporated Fresh's move to allow him the credit of his trademark dance.  Teach Me How To Dougie has since then gone 2x platinum.

Shock G

Shock G also known by his alter ego, Humpty Hump was the lead vocals for the group, Digital Underground.  Digital Underground is also credited with jump starting Tupac's career as he was also a member of Digital Underground.  The group signed with Tommy Boy Records and dropped the single Doowutchyalike.  Afterwards they released their debut album Sex Packets and their lead single and highest charting song of their career The Humpty Dance. Both single and album went on to go platinum.  Shock G has done alot of work in music (production/artist) and film and has worked from a number of artists including Tupac, Luniz, Prince, Bobby Brown, KRS-One, George Clinton, Murs and many others.

Das Efx

Das Efx is a duo from New York/New Jersey (respectively) who was most commonly known for their unique lyrical ability and creative wordplay.  Their name "Das" meaning Dray and Scoob and "Efx" meaning Effects.  They were signed by EPDM and dropped their debut album Dead Serious (received 4 out of 5 mics The Source) in 1992.  The lead single, They Want Efx went number 1 as well as their second single, Mic Checka.  You can pretty much talk to any hip-hop head and they'll tell you how influential and innovative Dead Serious was/is.

Lords of the Underground

Lords of the Underground is a hip-hop trio out of Newark. Mr. Funke and DoitAll Dupré met DJ Lord Jazz is actually a native of Cleveland, OH (see Ohio, we're everywhere) when they went to Shaw University. They dropped their debut album, Here Come the Lords in 1993 and the 3rd single Chief Rocka ended up being their signature and highest peaking song.

Nice & Smooth

Nice & Smooth is a hip-hop duo from NYC consisting of Greg Nice and Smooth B.  They dropped their debut album Nice & Smooth in 1989.  In 1991, they released their second album, Ain't A Damn Thing Changed.  Their biggest radio fame came from their single, Sometimes I Rhyme Slow.  They released 2 more albums: Jewel of the Nile (1994 on RAL Records) and IV:Blazing Hot (1997 on Scotti Brothers Records) and even though they fared well on the Hip-Hop/R&B Charts there weren't about to reach the same radio success as Sometimes I Rhyme Slow.

Rufus Blaq

So although Rufus Blaq is from Youngstown, OH and he's a 90's artist I can't seem to find too much written about him.  I do see production and/or songwriting credits for people like Marques Houston, Angie Stone, Olivia, Omarion, Mila J and more.  I even see photos of him and established musicians in the industry.  I know plenty of people that know him but I can't even seem to find a bio for him.  My apologies on that.  So if Rufus or his people see this, please have him contact me and I'd love to do an interview on him and get more information on an Ohio resident in the music game.