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As we continue to mark our label’s 30th anniversary throughout 2026, we revisit a project whose origins date back to our earliest days in the late 1990’s with this new video release.

Underground Cartel was an international hip hop collaboration spearheaded by Belles in Monica producer Kruze, which initially owed its existence to the relationships built with independent artists from around the world by our then fledgling in house promotional division UrbanElite PR.    

Those connections provided the opportunity to develop a concept where male and female rappers from all over Europe, Canada, Africa and the United States could stand shoulder to shoulder performing in their native languages as a representation of the progression and unifying impact hip hop had made on a global scale.  In essence, a celebration of a shared culture. 

Following the debut taster “Dropzone EP”, released on CD and vinyl in 2004, recording began on “Sapientia” in 2005 with a broader reach of artists and territories.  Various circumstances dictated that completion would be delayed for some considerable time, but was eventually released in digital format in 2019.

Taken from it is this new visual representation of “U Owe It 2 Yourself”, a recently edited version of the original.  It features Boston’s The Yukonn MC who together with Oak Lonetree formed the group My Mans N’ Them.  His appearance is due in no small way to the connection he built with another of the featured artists, Swiss Precise. 

For some time previously, the Long Beach rapper introduced a host of releases from the West Coast underground scene to UEP, familiarising them with names such as Halfway House MCees, 8th & Dawson Records and Blown Celeb with Dizzy Dustin. As a graffiti artist affiliated with the KBH crew, Swiss also designed the Underground Cartel logo.

With both coasts repped, female rapper Marya brings some Italian seasoning to the mix.  Based at the time in Milan, the sister of rap artists Tormento and Esa first gained attention due to her work with Sottotono before embarking on various solo and collaborative projects over the years including the all female group Mascara.

NEW VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

Others who appear on the “Sapientia EP” include the sadly missed Primo Brown (R.I.P.) of Rome’s legendary Cor Veleno crew, El Meswy, originally of Madrid and now based in Brooklyn, Beni Blanco of Montpellier group “Originaire du Sud”, Zimbabwean Dumi Right now based in the DMV, Bleekwonder of Den Haag, Netherlands, Grizu of Augsburg Germany and Croatian Magellano.

Manchester’s Mr CRF and London’s Creamo fly the flag for England, while the States were further represented by Brandon J Atlas of Des Moins, Tone Rome of Baltimore crew Raw Dialect, Sacramento’s Crazy Ballhead aka Mr Hooper, Virginian Black Market and female rapper Lockness from New York City. 

EP ON SPOTIFY

A lil’ taste of hip hop history, but what can we say, we been around, ya heeeeard…..     

Ciao e grazie mille !

TEAM NDR

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With 2026 being our 30th anniversary as a label, we’ve been taking occasional leisurely strolls down memory lane, re-visiting some of our catalogue from more recent years and highlighting them on our social media platforms.

We now go much further back in time, to a track we released exactly 24 years to the day on May 6th 2002. “Meltdown” by hip hop group Belles in Monica was the second lifted from their only album release ‘Resistance is Futile’. The 12″ vinyl and CD formats included remixes by Phi Life Cypher’s DJ Nappa, scratch turntablist and DMC finalist Krash Slaughta (Monkey Mafia / II Tone Committee) and Manchester producer Gripper. Alongside previous single “Y’All Under Surveillance” it became one of the crew’s most recognizable tracks.

It also became one of their most contentious cuts in relation to its actual lyrical meaning, causing some consternation and hand wringing in certain quarters, mainly those of an eternally confused nature…..despite the clue being in the name and self evident to most at the time…..

Nevertheless, with all of the various historic interpretations, we felt the time had come to explain this once and for all through the medium of filmic references which will either finally bring clarity, or confuse further…..and both’s fine by us……

So without further ado, as we help ourselves to another slic of birthday cake – and very tasty it is too – may we present “the Box Office smash of 2026 just waiting to happen“, 24 YEARS LATER – BELLES IN MONICA “MELTDOWN” [Decoded] on Youtube

Formed a long time ago in a land time forgot, Belles in Monica went through many personnel line ups before settling on the trio of Kruze, Red and DJ Dema. Their first airplay came about in appropriately bizarre fashion in the Spring of 1994, when the then presenter of BBC Radio 1’s flagship breakfast show, the late Steve Wright, asked for demos to be sent in for possible broadcast. A demo was duly dispatched, and not thinking it had a hope in Hell of being played, they went on vacation….only to be told on their return by many who had heard the show that it had indeed been selected, played and received props from the presenters. All of which they’d missed…….

Seven years later having signed with New Dawn, they again enjoyed Radio 1 airplay as their aforementioned singles received strong support from Steve Lamacq, host of the renowned Evening Sessions show. Steve had form as a champion of UK hip hop at the time, something that’s not been forgotten. This was just before the BBC decided to launch its 1Xtra station specifically for this genre, the impression given at the time it “wasn’t quite right” for Radio 1 listeners….how times have changed. We remember George Ergatoudis, head of the new channel, contacting us and other labels at the time for vinyl to play and help kick start the new programming…..how times have changed. We also realise that for current generations this news post will have received a TL;DR after the first sentence…..how times have changed…..

All fun in the sun though. We released Belles in Monica’s catalogue in digital format for the first time in 2019, combining their first two singles in the “Y’All in Meltdown EP” It’s on Bandcamp and Spotify among others.

The full version of “Meltdown” is on Youtube

We hope you’ve enjoyed this little journey down Amnesia Alley. Must dash, the nurse says it’s custard and rhubarb on the menu tonight but it’s first come, first served and you know what him two rooms down’s like….

Returning to the original point momentarily though, it’s all in the mind……

Peace in the valley

TEAM NDR

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It will have appeared a little quiet over here at NDR towers recently, mainly because we’ve been busy behind the scenes assisting with the development of brand new projects, news of which will likely be published late 2022 / early 2023.

Meantime, we’ve also been re-connecting and catching up “post Covid” with some of our long time affiliated producer friends, the result being that we now have rare special releases to present, beginning today.

“Bismillah” originally appeared on the album “Lead by Example” we released last year, the phenomenal debut producer album by London’s Ramson Badbonez. This new remix by Qadir featuring Brooklyn’s Justo the MC, San Diego’s Johaz of Dag Savage and Deeprooted, and prolific Nebraskan Sleep Sinatra blends cool groove funk with soulful beats, fused together with a mix of heavy bass, guitar licks, brass and Arabian strings. A perfect joint to add to your heatwave summer 2022 soundtrack.

Available to stream & download on APPLE, AMAZON & TIDAL

SPOTIFY

BANDCAMP

OFFICIAL VISUALS ON YOUTUBE

Thanks also to Sezen of TwoBC for the cover artwork

Enjoy & be on the lookout for more from us in August

Peace

Team NDR

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Just to round off the old year, we put together a special mix with some of the singles we’ve released from 2002 to 2022 by artists from the US & UK, all reppin’ the origins of dope rhymes, bangin’ beats & sick turntablism.

All of our singles, EP and album releases are now available from our official BANDCAMP PAGE and of course you’ll also find them streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Tidal and many other digital platforms. For direct links to each release and digital store, visit our RELEASES PAGE where they are separated per artist.

We also have some very limited stock of vinyl and CD’s available of our original catalogue from back in the day. These are now rare collectors’ items, a couple of which are included in this new mix, and details can be viewed on our Physical Releases page.

A video of the new mix has just been uploaded to our official Youtube channel

The audio only stream is on Soundcloud

Tracks used

1 Belles in Monica – “Meltdown” [Krash Slaughta Remix]
2 Tru Trilla – “God’s Mercy” [produced by DNA Beatz]
3 Ramson Badbonez – “Black Hole Cypher”
ft Kashmere, Truemendous, MysDiggi, Micall Parknsun, Joker Starr, Gee Bag, Confucius, Jehst & Phoenix da Icefire
4 Phoenix da Icefire & Husky Brown – “Dark Rainbow Light”
5 Tru Trilla – “Word of God” [produced by DNA Beatz]
6 Ramson Badbonez – “Lead by Example”
ft Recognize Ali, Skyzoo & Juxx Diamondz [cuts by DJ Jazz T]
7 Belles in Monica – “Y’All Under Surveillance” [G-Sharp Remix. Cuts by DJ Devestator]
8 Tru Trilla – “God’s Sympathy” [produced by DNA Beatz]
ft Fly Kwa & Confucious
9 Phoenix da Icefire & Husky Brown – “Cosmic Soul”
10 Ramson Badbonez – “Rap to the Future”
ft Dizzy Dustin, Mr Hooper & Moka Only [cuts by Kompoze]
11 Ramson Badbonez – “Stay True”
ft Reks, Ruste Juxx & Blacastan
12 Ramson Badbonez – “Lame Duck”
ft Tru Trilla, Fly Kwa & Prince Ak

New releases for 2022 are in the works, currently at the recording stage with some serious heat being cooked up in the kitchen !!

Meantime, we know the past couple of years has been difficult for everyone, so we’d like to thank you all for the continued support, and wish you & yours a healthy and prosperous new year when it comes.

Peace

Team NDR

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We are pleased to announce that, finally, our new Bandcamp page has been launched

Initially we have uploaded our entire digital back catalogue there, with the options of full EP, album and individual track downloads provided. Check full availability HERE

We will broaden out the page to all formats over time, and we’d like to thank Bandcamp’s Head of Label and Artist liaison for the support provided during this process.

In addition, at their request, we were happy to assist several artists in the design and setting up of their own new Artist Pages. Click on the artist names to go directly to their pages – TRU TRILLA, PHOENIX DA ICEFIRE, AZ IZZ

Each allows fans to contact the artists directly and connect with them on social media via the links on the main page and by clicking the icons on their banners.

Look out for all future releases coming to Bandcamp as well of course as continuing to be made available to stream and download at Spotify, Apple, Tidal, Amazon, Deezer, Beatport and many more.

Meanwhile, here’s a little selection of what’s available now

So take a look around and enjoy the sounds !

TEAM NDR