HOTSOUND RECORDS

A common misunderstanding within the media is the one of recordlabel DJAX being called the first Dutch recordlabel to release numerous rap acts on lp/cd. Fact is that four years before DJAX released the 24K album in 1990, another Dutch owned recorldlabel called "Hip Hop Records" already started out releasing rap 12"s. As it seems "Hip Hop Records" was a sublabel of "Hotsound Records", a small indy techno/house label from Rotterdam. Owner of "Hotsound Records" was a guy called Erik van Vliet who also owned one of the most respected recordstores in Rotterdam, located at the Pleinweg.

Hotsound recordshop Rotterdam (1986)

Erik van Vliet was also known for his involvement in the synth/italo group LASER DANCE who's 1984 "Lazer Dance" 12" is highly respected within the genre.

"LASER DANCE" in the studio (Erik van Vliet on the right)

In 1986 Van Vliet decided to start releasing rap music because he knew this new music would eventually blow up in The Netherlands. As far as I can tell the following titles got released from 1986 untill 1990:

Extince - Rap around the clock (1986)

I think this was a 7" release only. The recordlabel says "W.M.R." but I'm pretty sure it was released throughout "Hotsound Records".

Mr. Holiday feat. MC Miker G - L.A. against N.Y. (1986)

The best electrofunk track ever to come out of The Netherlands. I'm guessing "Mr. Holiday" is Michiel van de Kuy (the other half of "LASER DANCE") and the dope vocoder rapping is done by MC MIKER G.

Extince feat. Mr. Donald - The milkshake rap (1987)

A very Mantronix sounding track produced by the infamous Peter Slaghuis a.k.a. HITHOUSE (r.i.p.). The track contained some illegal sampling of a Mc Donalds advertising tune.

Extince - The milkshake rap remix (1987)

Due to the illegal sampling the record got remixed and re-released.

Born Free MC - Struggle for jive (1987)

First time on wax for rapper RUDEBOY REMMINGTON. I don't know if RUDEBOY was already in URBAN DANCE SQUAD at this time. The graffiti lettering on the cover is done by DJ ALIEN of Rotterdam rapgroup MOONRUNNERS.

Extince - The girlie girlie prince (1988)

Another Peter Slaghuis production done for EXTINCE

Greyhouse feat. Mellow MC's - Skip to this (1989)

The "Skip to this" track is a wierd combination of hiphouse and ska (!?) but the real winner imo is the track "Down with it" on the b-side, wich is a straightforward hardcore rap track by the MELLOW MC's (CRUSH MC & MIGHTY B) out of Utrecht.

T-Ram - Jump to it (1990)

A hiphouse production. Rapper T-Ram is a total mystery to me.

Funky Rhythms - Gipsy swing (1991)

A 6 track e.p. with mostly hiphouse productions. Rapping by T-Ram and Funky-J.

A few years ago I tracked down Erik van Vliet in Rotterdam because I was after some records from his old catalogue. He was selling science fiction action figures from some backstreet shop....completely out of the music industry as far as I could tell. Cool stories though....one was about Erik witnessing Man Parrish actually making "Hip hop bee bop" in a studio, during a trip he made to NY in 1983. Daaaaamn....the man saw the birth of electrofunk live! Too good of a story not to believe right?