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Harlem World, T-Connection and other clubs by Dota
Rock and Troy L. Smith
When was the first time you ever went in to Harlem World? Well for one ; the first time I got on the mic people already knew my rhymes. I was like "oh my God!" Then when I spit something new, they would listen. I loved Harlem World for that. The first time I ever did my rhyme “The first time I went to Rome” was right there at Harlem World. They were feeling every verse. See, when m.c.s rhymed people kept dancing, but when I rhymed they stopped and listened just to hear what I had to say. I would have to say Harlem World made me understand what rap was about. I would say it was not exploited yet. They loved Dota Rock up in here.
So what about the T- Connection? It was more like growth. People had to understand me! It was hard up there because it was the Bronx. T- Connection was already established. It was hard core rap they wasn’t really listening. It was more musical. Therefore, I had to work hard. Im not going to front I loved Harlem World but T- Connection was my home.
So you liked T- Connection more then Harlem World? I cannot say I liked any one better then another. I liked Harlem World because they listen. Which meant a lot to me so now I can take time with a rhyme. Just go with the flow. At the T- Connection they wanted to hear and see more action.
So what would you say is the difference between the two boroughs? One was more Hip Hop, the Bronx was more advanced. Harlem was more laid back. They
knew the skills and knew the game, so they are looking at you. Even
Brooklyn was a hell of a place to rock cause they would say stuff like “the hell with all those routines we want to hear Dota Rock.”
Which one was the bigger of the two? There is no comparing between the two of them. They were both history makers. There is no way I can say one was better then the other.
They were the two most popular, what club came next? Celebrity club, Zodiac club, Ecstasy garage, there were many.
What about the Fever? The Fever was never really our spot, we just go in there to hang out. That was a Love Bug Starskis thing. He had that locked down. They didn’t really want Hip Hop in there, they only wanted Flash in there. I was not really a Disco Fever head, we just go up in there, go in the back, do our thing, and keep it moving but not a place I would perform at. They did all that for “Krush Groove” and it shocked me because they never let us up in there. It was like an R&B Disco spot, Love Bug be like “COME ON " That D.J. Hollywood disco style.
What was your relationship with Ritchie Tee of the T-
Connection? That was my man. (R.I.P.) He was like a father to me. He was like everybody father. Let me tell you about Ritchie Tee, if he did not like you, he would tell you. He was straight up thug. “Yo you ain’t coming in here” “I don’t give a ----” “Who you are" ! “Who”? “You better take your funky --- down stairs” He was a real dude! God Bless him. It was a homicide. Me, Caz, Kool Herc all the brothers came out we represented at his funeral. Not only did he rock the T- Connection but he also had a record shop up here in the Bronx on Tremont avenue. He used to make the tapes from the night before at the club and sell them out of the store. Ritch also used to bring his equipment outside into the park and let the brothers get on and rock.
I
am going to switch off the subject for a minute , where did the name Cold
Crush
come from? Cause I remember one day you said you made
that name up. I did. Me, Tony Tone and A.D. sat down and was thinking of a name. It just came to me. So we became the Cold Crush Brothers right up there on 180th St . And we had the Ching A Ling gang backing us. The Ching a Ling gang was notorious up there. They told Charlie Chase we better play that record “Ring my Bell” 5 times or they was going to take our equipment.
Back to the story. What was your relationship with D.J. Randy
of Harlem World? Randy? That was my man. (Hearty laughs) Man I used to come up there and rock the house I used to come in there even if I was not playing, just to chill with my man and the people. They would say my name on the mic “Dota Rock in here” and they would go crazy in there. If you ever see Randy tell him “I love em”, he always kept it real with me.
What was the Best show you did in Harlem World? There was so many but I guess it was the battle with Cold Crush , and I guess cause I Won a thousand dollars.
The best show at T- Connection? Us versus the Furious 5
What? I never heard of that battle. Well it is probably cause not even a flyer was done. Theodore vs. Flash, Fantastic vs. Furious 5. Ritchie Tee put the flyer out 3 days before the show it was jammed pack. The year they did that record Freedom is when we battled. To be honest it was really just a party but he advertised it as if it was a battle. We told him we don’t have any beef. He said he just wanted to pack his joint.Sugar Hill records had them locked and all they could really do is thier record so when it was our turn we killed it with routines and the works. We smoked them. But we really respected them. I had just seen Mr. Ness AKA Scorpio down at Webster hall when they was rockin about a month ago for the Zulu Anniversary. It was very good to see him cause that was my man. Bumped into Mel and Kreole too. Let me tell you we always respected them because they were the fore fathers of this thing. L- Brothers and all those other cats came up in the beginning but we all knew the Furious where the first cats to put the Mac down. I don’t care what anybody say Melle Mel is my mentor. Kreole my mentor. Rahiem I would not say mentor but I have a lot of respect for. Kreole used to say to me “you that nigger”. I used to say “Kreole I learned a lot from you” he says, “yea I hear my shit” (laughter from both of us). I love Cowboy because he is the party man.
So how would you rate or put first between Moe, Caz and Mel? Mel first!
Now Caz is your man but you pick Mel cause you keeping it
real? Caz is my man, but Caz learned from Mel. Caz will tell you Mel first.
Who second? Caz!
Kool Moe Dee third? No no no. Moe came long after. We are talking about Shiolins, Masters.
Alright, who is a Master? Kreole is a Master; he had the echo in check. Cowboy is a Master. Mel is a master. They were the first with a lot of things. Right now Caz is the best but back in those days he was not.
So you really don’t have any love for Moe? No I have respect for his skills but I don’t really know Moe. Caz and me grew up Together. Caz is like my big brother, he taught me how to rhyme. Do you remember the last show you did at Harlem World? Not sure if we were the Fantastic Freaks yet but I believe the last show was around Christmas time cause we did those Christmas rhymes. After that the crew broke up cause Kev left and then Whip went into the army. Did you and Whip, one of your closest friends ever have problems betting bookings
At T- Connection through your careers? No we were already established. Ritchie Tee already knew who were the top performers at that time. Ritchie Tee kept Hip-Hop alive during that time. Cold Crush got on cause they was our peoples, so we put them under us and carried them and people started liking them cause they was running with us. Caz was always an ambitious straight brother. Caz went and blew up now he is number one. How was the money situation at the T? Sometimes Ritchie Tee used to come short, he let many people in free. He tells us we said let this person in free, let this person in free also and we did let our peoples get in free. However, money was taken care of. However, there were times when your money was not guaranteed. Picture this you doing a show with Flash and the Furious 5 and its packed they cannot even let no more people in. When you got in there, it was a sweat box you could not even move so you were guaranteed seven hundred dollars. When ever the flyer said Grand Wizard, Grand Master. Here comes “Tiny” head of the Casanova’s, security for Flash and the Furious 5 and rolls out with all the money.
Nobody wanted to try Tiny? What? Try Tiny? You better be ------- police going up against him. Therefore, we stop doing party’s with Flash and them for awhile.
But hold up. Why would Ritchie Tee allow that? You never heard them say “Casanova all over” ain’t nobody telling Tiny ----. That’s Black Spades the head of the Crips. Some thing like that. You had better watch your mouth or get ---- up! Any party you did they come shut you down, shot it up. They was crazy. He was head of the hottest crew out.
Was there ever any beefs with any crews about who went on
first or who went on last? They hottest crew got on last.
How hot was Funky 4? Ultra hot, Rahiem before he got down with Furious he made the Funky 4 what they were back in them days. Break Out, that’s my man we play pool to this day he straight gully.
Could you say one club is more wild or crazier than another? No they all had some madness one time our another. I be up in the Audubon and somebody bust off and people be running like deer you know ----up as they running. Tearing up the place and you know that place was very big. When they bust thier gun off people was in motion jumping out of windows. Anywhere Audubon, Galaxy 5000, Ecstasy garage etc. Let me have to go to the bathroom or something, the Nine Crew was holding the Fantastic down. They would clear the bathroom out for me.
So would the 9 crew follow yall down to Harlem World? No Harlem World was cool that was not necessary. The Bronx was hard and wild. Let me go to the bathroom at Harlem World the brothers are like “yo Dot rock the house”. But up in the Bronx you would need protection they would try to rob you.
Thank you Dota Rock Don’t worry about it.
This is Troy L. Smith from the Grant projects in HARLEM I hope
this hit the taste buds well, hit
us back let us know how
you like it. Peace, Jayquan thanks for lettin us rock.
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