Leeds Hip Hop Scene

There are a few independent and DIY hip hop labels eminating from West Yorkshire and I thought it was about time I drew your attention to some you may or may not have heard about. I’m going to start you off with Crack House Recordings… the home of many of Leeds’ underground artists.

Are you tired of your humdrum existence?

Sick of being stuck in the same rut, working a crappy nine to five and listening to weak bands who take themselves too seriously but ultimately fail to deliver?

Maybe it’s time you took a hit of the Crack.

Crackhouse Recordings cater to all varieties and degrees of addiction, from metal to ska, indie to dubstep, grime to hip-hop… if it’s raw dope and smoking, we’ve got it on lock.

Danny Pig - No-Change - Tha PCP - Fulibulbus - Instance - The Crackhouse Allstarz  - The Argonauts - Mr Brown - Nobby and Chicane

THE CRACKHOUSE RECORDINGS STORY

Crackhouse Recordings was established in 2000 by The SmackDaddy MC’z - Ill Phil and Tha PCP - to release their first E.P “Born With AIDS”.  The EP gained notoriety throughout the Burnley area and nationwide, with a review featuring in Hip Hop Connection.

The pair moved to Leeds in 2003 to work on their first full length album “Back To Crack”, gigging the local circuit with DJ DarkStar.  Various releases followed - solo, as a duo and in collaboration with artists such as DarkStar, No-Change, HeartAttack and The Brain.

Ill Phil then decided to move overseas and represent Crackhouse in Japan, while PCP stayed to hold things down in the UK.  Around this time Badger Zero and DJ Darkstar came together to form production team The Argonauts, developing their style producing beats for PCP and No-Change.

Instance met PCP in 2004.  Whilst his background was primarily in Drum & Bass, he immediately aligned himself with the Crackhouse ethos and soon found himself collaborating with PCP on the now-infamous track “Kansas 2 LA”.

PCP continued to look beyond the limits of the Hip-Hop scene in 2005, joining seminal dub-rock-ska group Fulibulbus - an act who would prove to be a big underground success and attain an intensely loyal cult following.

Instance commenced work on his debut LP and it was agreed that the album would be released on Crackhouse Recordings.  This marked a new chapter in the label’s history, with PCP for the first time releasing another artist’s solo material on the label.  The two MCs took this opportunity to expand and re-establish Crackhouse as a force to be reckoned with.

Over the last 2 years, Crackhouse Recordings has grown strongly and steadily, signing and establishing acts such as Fulibulbus, The Argonauts, Instance, Mr Brown, Nobby and Chicane, Danny Pig and No-Change and the Crackhouse Allstarz.

Artist Biographies  

Danny Pig

Danny Pig, a new addition to Crackhouse Recordings stable, has already established himself within the Leeds scene due to his impressive production, singing, artwork and instrumental skills. However, it is his regular collaborations with MC No-Change that have propelled him toward the top of the Crackhouse Recordings line up.

Their work together transcends genre, bringing together Danny’s skills on the guitar with less traditional electronic elements and contrasting his sung vocals with No-Change’s rapping.  The duo have graced many nights across the region and always bring a unique style which defies the conventions of live performance.

No-Change

It’s hard to convey in words the sheer quality of No-Change’s flow and his immense talent as an MC.  Introduced to Hip-Hop at an early age by the sounds  of the Notorious BIG, No Change has been rapping longer than most and it shows in the easy and confident way he delivers even the most technically complex rhymes.

Beyond this though, No Change draws on years of life experience, including time spent living on the streets, family crises and all the highs and lows of a life lived to the full to create tales full with genuine emotion and hard-won wisdom.

Always thought-provoking, passionate and up for a laugh, there are few MCs on the scene who can match him.

Tha PCP

Tha PCP aka InDebt, Jimmy The Sperm Whale, MC Max Steiner and Mr. Orange, is a man of many faces.  A founder member of Crackhouse Recordings all the way back in 2000, his roots in death metal and old-skool hip-hop are reflected in his beats and lyrics.

PCP started rapping alongside Crackhouse co-founder Ill Phil as the SmackDaddy MC’z and is currently a member of Fulibulbus and the Crackhouse Allstarz.   Instantly comfortable in front of a crowd, PCP is a showman like no other with an unorthodox style that represents Crackhouse to the fullest.

A controversial figure, past albums including the infamous ‘Gimpstyle’ have  seen him deliver a perverse, darkly humorous sound and style which appeal to hip-hop heads and metal fans alike.

Fulibulbus

Fulibulbus emerged in the summer of 2004 at an earthly and hazy festival in England’s Lake District, its core objective being to provoke dancing and partying.

Fulibulbus began to write its first batch of tunes in the autumn of that year, at which time it consisted of a bassist called The Camel, a guitarist and singer described as The Creature and a drummer known only as The Revlord.  More members joined as time passed - Crackhouse head honcho PCP, a horn section known as Glyn and Nobby and sax player called Fish Pie.

Influenced by King Tubby, The Prodigy, Jimi Hendrix, Asian Dub Foundation, Kyuss, some home-horticulture and plenty of jamming, it wasn’t long before several new songs where ready to be shown to the world.

In 2007 - something like 250 hazy gigs later - the band went into the studio to record their first single “B Triple O M” (also featuring the tracks “Badassassassassin” and “Another Dirty Horse On Parade”).  It became single of the week across Manchester and is in all fairness… dead good!

Fulibulbus are one of the most recognisable and best loved bands in Leeds and constantly gig to promote a mash-up wherever they go.

Instance

Instance started out as a Drum & Bass MC on the Leeds house party circuit,  performing at live venues and debuting on record with Tha PCP in early 2006 on the underground classic “Kansas 2 LA”.  Since then he has become a core member of the Crackhouse family and featured on various tracks and mixtapes across the scene.

Instance’s background in D&B is evident in the speed and intricacy of his flows and he is also known to manifest a notably dark lyrical style.  His live sets showcase an eclectic variety of beats, including bass-line orientated hip-hop, grime and dubstep sounds.

Instance is a member of the Crackhouse Allstars (with PCP and No-Change) and represents Crackhouse as a member of Leeds based hip-hop collective Northern Hostility.

He is currently working on his much-anticipated debut album “Demographic”, which will feature production by Mike D (Subterrania Studios) and The Argonauts.

The Crackhouse Allstarz

The Crackhouse Allstarz is a hip-hop crew bringing together Tha PCP, Instance and No-Change.  The Allstarz take delight in wrecking stages across Leeds with a perfect combination of different skills, flows and personalities.

A definite highlight of the Allstarz’ first year together remains their legendary collaboration with Fulibulbus on the main stage of Hyde Park Unity Day 2007.  However, the coming year can only bring more big things for these three MCs, including the Allstarz EP release in the summer of 2008.

The Argonauts

The Argonauts - Crackhouse Recordings’ in-house production team - were formed in a rented Kirkstall slum in 2005 by Badger-Zero aka Buzz Crandall and DJ Darkstar (formerly of the SmackDaddy MCs).

With the addition of some top-class rapping by No-Change and Magnum Opus (vocal alias of the mentally fractured DJ Darkstar), the Argonauts were ready to set sail on a quest for the Golden Fleece of musical excellence.

Current Argonauts projects include:

PCP: ‘Gimpstyle 2′ - Crackhouse Allstars EP - No Change: ‘Songs Of Innocence & Experience’ - Magnum Opus: ‘Enter The Opus’

Past production credits also include work for Instance, Filthy Rich and Bulletface.

2008 will also see the Argonauts venture into electronica under the names Pathetic Trampoline Effort and Cubic Truth.

Mr Brown

DJ Mr Brown brings a wealth of musical knowledge and experience to Crackhouse Recordings. He is a twelve-year veteran of the Leeds DJ scene and no event or party in the city is truly complete without a Mr Brown set.

Whilst many DJ’s are happy in the background, Mr Brown always makes an impression as a highlight of the night, spinning an eclectic mix of Dubstep, BreakBeat and Hip-hop. He is currently working on a number of projects forthcoming on Crackhouse, including collaborations with Mr Orange, The Argonauts and No-Change.

You can also find Mr Brown working in the legendary Crash Records, bringing Leeds heads the freshest and most up-to-date vinyl. This direct link to the very best new music means that the sounds featuring in his sets are often months ahead of other underground DJs.

Nobby and Chicane

Nobby and Chicane first met in Kendal but soon found themselves in Leeds.  The beer was cheap and the women were filthy - Nobby and Chicane were  in their element!

The duo joined hardcore punk band “A.D.D. and The Distractions” and then decided to write and perform their own songs at A.D.D. Gigs.  These proved hugely popular and with more and more promoters asking for the Nobby and Chicane act, the pair decided to go it alone.
Their maiden appearance went off with a bang and so the next chapter in Nobby and Chicane’s now legendary friendship continues, bringing their comedy/offensive folk sound to the masses under the Crackhouse banner.
Be sure to check some of the Crack House acts at the Primrose 12th March!!