Just came across this interview by Troy L. Smith from 2003 with Pow Wow from the Soul Sonic Force. He goes through a lot of history and compares different spots that people rocked early on from Bronx River Center to T-Connection to Harlem World to Disco Fever to The Roxy to CBGB’s, etc. Also mentions that there’s a shelved Soul Sonic Force record called Rhythm of Life that was recorded for Sugar Hill but is burried somewhere because Sylvia wasn’t trying to get down with Zulus. After listening to some old live recordings more recently (via), I’ve been appreciating the way MCs from the Bronx used to rock, sounding pretty damn comfortable. One might even notice how much more advanced mic presence and overall stage shows were versus the history that followed.
Pow Wow: Yes it was rawer in Bx.River, then in T- Connection cause at the River, is the essence of hip-hop. They were playing stuff like “Square Biz” that was not played in The River. Once the real hip-hop evolved that is when T- Connection came into play. Like Garrison’s basement, which was Flash’s spot on Garrison ave, 1111 fox street. D.J. Smokey’s spot which was called “Over the Dover” on 174th st and Boston Rd. and that was a movie theater T- Connection was not on the map yet. Matter fact Smokey who had D.J. Roscoe running with him was pulling the crowd from Herc and Flash. The B-boys use to come to Flash and Herc’s parties, but then they started checking Smokey. Even the Nigger twins who was bad and real good at what they do but mostly drove around with Herc and rock at his parties came around and one day to the “Third avenue Ballroom” where the L-Brothers were rockin, man “Burnt face Melvin and Black Amy tore there — up”. Those were the first days, then came T- Connection.
Troy L.: So how did you feel about Harlem World?
Pow Wow: I loved Harlem World? However, to be honest the girls were more materialistic in Harlem then in the Bronx. As far as the crews from Harlem that played the music, I loved them all. I respected them cause they had their way of doing it. It was the Harlem Way. Its not as if they went up to the Bronx copied us came back down and started doing it the Bronx way. They did it the Harlem way. Say like in Florida, they got there on thing. The pattern was basically the same “four or 5 m.c.s” “get a girl”. But when it came down to rocking there style they were unique it was beautiful. They didn’t come out sounding like Melle Mel, they didn’t come out sounding like Soul Sonic, they didn’t come out sounding like L- Brothers they came out sounding like Moe Dee or Master Don or Fearless Four that’s what I liked about them. Sorry I wasn’t feeling Jeckle and Hyde or Johnnie WA and Rayvon because that was like the Disco part of Harlem. Eddie Cheba, D.J. Hollywood. It wasn’t raw enough for me. The best crew I liked was Master Don and the Def Committee. Peeblee Poo was like my sister. Also Fearless Four.
