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On Friday May 15th, we released the album “Beautiful Foundations” by New York State rapper & producer duo Tone Chop and Frost Gamble.

It is in essence a celebration of the pair’s working relationship and friendship which spans back over three decades, and in the same spirit the guest featured artists are those with whom they’ve built during that time including DJ Eclipse, The Bad Seed, Pf Cuttin, Grea8gawd, Decon Blu, Pa Pa Fresh and many more.

To mark the occasion further they have filmed a documentary about their entire time together which has just been published on Youtube today. In a highly impressive presentation, they delve deeper into their earliest days growing up in Binghamton and the impact hip hop culture had on them, and ultimately how they came to meet and work together for the first time.

They describe their initial recording sessions in Frost’s basement, referenced in the album’s title, and chart their subsequent journey including Frost’s move to Canada, reuniting several years later and building once more to become one of the most prolific partnerships in hip hop over recent years.

Industry trials and tribulations along the way are also covered and will resonate with many independent music artists from any genre, making this not only an overall fascinating insight to their own story, but will also likely hold significance for those with a particular interest in hip hop’s own progression over the years.

BEAUTIFUL FOUNDATIONS – OUT NOW

BANDCAMP

SPOTIFY

FULL ALBUM PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE

TEAM NDR

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New Dawn Records are proud to announce the release today of the new album “Beautiful Foundations” by New York State rapper and producer duo Tone Chop & Frost Gamble.

A celebration of the pair’s working relationship and friendship spanning over 30 years, it reflects on the earliest days together in their home city of Binghamton, interrupted only for a time by Frost’s relocation to Canada, before reuniting in 2014 to become one of the most prolific partnerships in hip hop over recent years.

Dedicated to, and active in, the traditional elements of the culture from the very beginning, their music draws from the Golden Era of boom bap, turntablism and lyricism while incorporating contemporary progression. The result ia a highly impressive offering which remains fundamentally tru to its roots, delivered in a showcase of skilled wordplay, gritty rhymes and polished production.

The guest featured artists are those with whom they’ve built as part of their journey including DJ Eclipse, Grea8gawd, Pf Cuttin, The Bad Seed, Decon Blu, Pa Pa Fresh, DJ J Smooth, Fresh I.E. and more.

The album is available to stream and download at multiple digital stores including APPLE MUSIC, TIDAL and below on BANDCAMP & SPOTIFY.

All the tracks appear in the full album’s video playlist on our Youtube Channel

In line with the theme of the album, a superb filmed documentary covering Chop and Frost’s entire story will be premiered to Youtube on May 20th, while their special launch event will take place on the evening of Saturday May 30th. Entry will be free at Binghamton’s Stellar Human vintage clothes store, and will include an album listening session, artist q&a and a screening of the documentary.

It is of course a happy coincidence that we too are in celebratory mode marking our own 30th anniversary as a label, and we would wish to place on record our sincerest appreciation to our in house teams at UrbanElite Productions and UrbanElite Promotions for their incredible work both in preparing and delivering this campaign, without which much would not have been possible.

And as ever, our thanks to the public and media worldwide for the ongoing support. Enjoy this fantastic album.

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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New Dawn Records are pleased to announce the release today of the new single “The Smoothest” by New York State rapper and producer duo Tone Chop and Frost Gamble.

Featuring fellow upstate marksmen Decon Blu and Pa Pa Fresh, the latter also lacing the joint with additional cuts, this is the third single from the Binghamton pair’s album “Beautiful Foundations” out on May 15th.

Following on from the album’s title track released in December, and “Play No Games” featuring DJ Eclipse which dropped last month, the new cut is a tribute to the lyrical golden era of New York in a showcase of wordplay delivering a salvo of old and new school slang.  Chop’s trademark bullish bars and the effortless flows of Decon Blu and Pa Pa Fresh dictate the narrative, the three re-united from their earlier Four Sportsmen project.  

Driven along by Frost’s customary slick productions, it’s a classic recipe of seasoned campaigners shelling rhymes with ease over a luscious beat immersed in soulful flavas and exquisite turntablism. 

Available to download and stream from all digital platforms including Apple Music, Tidal Music and below on Bandcamp and Spotify

Official visuals have also been published on Youtube

 

It was also confirmed recently that Chop & Frost will celebrate the release of the album with a special free vinyl listening event at Binghamton’s Stellar Human store on Saturday May 30th, which will include a public screening of their upcoming biographical documentary and a Question & Answer session. More details to follow in the weeks ahead.

Meantime, all media enquiries about the release can be sent to our in house promotional division UrbanElite PR via the CONTACT PAGE on their site.

Our appreciation as ever to all for your generous support as we continue to celebrate our own 30th anniversay this year.

TEAM NDR

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We are pleased to announce the first release of 2026, our 30th anniversary year.

“Play No Games” is the second single to be taken from the album “Beautiful Foundations” by New York State rapper and producer duo Tone Chop & Frost Gamble” out on May 15th, and follows the single edition of the album’s title track which dropped in December.

With additional cuts by legendary turntablist DJ Eclipse, host of the long running “Rap Is Outta Control Show” on Sirius XM channel Shade 45, this joint has all the trademark qualities displayed by the pair over many years.

Classic grimy boom bap beats the backdrop for the veteran rap battle champion’s hard bars, as Chop goes hunting for would be title contenders. Knockout punchlines, bangin beats and supreme turntablism in a heavyweight bout for the heads. Slick business from the Binghamton boys who will soon announce details of a special launch event due to take place in their home town shortly after the album’s release and the premiere of their filmed autobiographical documentary.

“Play No Games” is available to stream and download from a wide variety of digital stores and platforms including APPLE MUSIC, TIDAL MUSIC and below on Bandcamp and Spotify

The official accompanying music video, filmed by Frost himself, is also now available to watch on Youtube

All international media and DJ enquiries about this, or any of our releases, can be addressed to our in house promotional division UrbanElite PR via their CONTACT PAGE

As ever, we greatly appreciate all the support we’ve had over the years, primarily as a result of the fantastic artists we’ve been fortunate enough to work with – it’s a reflection of their immense talent. The journey continues…..

TEAM NDR

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New Dawn Records are proud to announce the upcoming release of the new album “Beautiful Foundations” by New York State rapper and producer duo Tone Chop and Frost Gamble on May 15th 2026, digitally distributed by Xelon Entertainment.

The release holds special importance for the Binghamton pair, celebrating both their long term friendship and working partnership of 35 years.   We as a label, coincidentally celebrating our own 30th anniversary next year, are thrilled to join them on the latest part of their journey which dates back to their earliest days of recording demo’s and mixtapes in a basement, armed with a Four Track, MPC60 and Gemini DJ Sampler.

Originally part of the crew Binghamton’s Most Wanted, Chop had already built a fearsome reputation in the local rap battle scene prior to the link up with Frost, but from their first meeting, a strong connection was made and a lasting bond built, both musically and personally.

The turning of the page into the 21st Century also marked a temporary pause for this close collaboration as Frost made the move to Canada.  Now permanently relocated, he began production work on projects with artists such as Young Bleed, Sadat X and Fresh I.E.,  while back in New York, Chop remained prolific dropping upwards of 50 mixtapes including the “Chopper City” series.

However some ties can never be broken.  Destiny determined the inevitable, with the pair re-uniting to deliver the “Veteran EP” in 2016, their first official release together. Our in house promotional division UrbanElite PR handled the publicity at the time for both the EP and the album “Respect is Earned Not Given” the following year.  The resulting worldwide media coverage and public response would act as the catalyst for what would become their most prolific period of output, with a quite phenomenal back catalogue of singles and EP’s built up over recent years.

The reflective and celebratory nature of the new album also represents Chop and Frost’s steadfast passion for all aspects of the culture through the years, embracing change while being true to the essence.  This is never more evident than in a new short documentary they have just filmed which will be premiered shortly after the album release.   A fascinating autobiographical account of their story which also provides a historical narrative of hip hop’s own development through the decades.

Heads get ready for this.  Beats, bars, turntablism, the culture….hip hop is something you live

WATCH THE OFFICIAL ALBUM VIDEO TRAILER ON YOUTUBE

Four singles will be released ahead of the album, beginning with the title track on December 9th.  All will be available to download and stream on Bandcamp, Apple / iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon and more. Visuals will appear on our official Youtube channel @newdawnrecords

All press, multimedia and radio DJ inquiries can be addressed to our in-house promotional division UrbanElite PR

You can connect with the artists directly on Social Media. They have a joint Facebook Page @tonechopfrostgamble They also have individual accounts on Twitter / X @tonechop @frostgamble and on Instagram @tonechop @frost.gamble

We would again like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support since we re-launched the label in 2019, the public, the media and of course the artists we’ve worked with as we move forward into the completion of our third decade in existence overall. From the beginning all these years ago to now, it’s been quite a ride, so our appreciation to all.

TEAM NDR

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New Dawn Records are pleased to announce a new partnership with Australian Independent Digital Distribution company Xelon Entertainment.

This marks an exciting new chapter in our journey since re-launching in 2019 after a fifteen year hiatus in which time we’ve had the privilege of working with fantastic hip hop artists from both sides of the Atlantic.   We would also like to place on record our appreciation for all the assistance and logistical support provided by the staff  based at Ingrooves’ London office in helping our development over the past few years which proved to be invaluable on many occasions.

After a chance discussion with a long time industry friend and associate, who also happens to be Xelon’s Global Operations Manager, the decision was taken to progress down this new avenue and we are very much looking forward to working with them in the coming years.

A number of future projects are currently in the works and we will provide further updates shortly, but meantime you can find out more about Xelon at their official website www.xelondigital.com and of course still dig through our digital crates of back catalogue – here’s a little selection to get you started

TRU TRILLA “XVI : RETURN OF THE GODS” ALBUM

RAMSON BADBONEZ “LEAD BY EXAMPLE” ALBUM

JUSTO THE MC & BRELSTAFF “URBAN TESTIMONY” ALBUM

ANTHONY KANNON & FROST GAMBLE “CAUTIONARY TALES” ALBUM

PHOENIX DA ICEFIRE & HUSKY BROWN “PANACEA” ALBUM

You can also check out a selection of videos on our official Youtube Channel HERE

In addition, all of our releases are available from our official Bandcamp Page HERE

We thank everyone for your support over the past 6 years and look forward to connecting again soon….the beat goes on ! 

TEAM NDR

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New Dawn Records are pleased to announce the release today of the new single “Drop Jewels” by New Jersey rapper Tru Trilla.

This is taken from the album “XVI : Return of the Gods” we released on May 31st which was immediately featured on Bandcamp’s front page “New & Notable” spotlight section. Since then, Tru appeared as the special guest of DJ Eclipse and DJ Riz on the Rap Is Outta Control Show alongside Prince Ak, broadcast on Shade 45 / Sirius XM on Sunday June 9th.

The new single featuring fellow Newark native Prince Ak and Brooklyn’s lyrical warrior Juxx Diamondz includes the original album version produced with additional cuts by Tone Spliff, plus a special remix by our long time affiliate Qadir who has delved back into the 1970’s for a filmic themed concoction to add a lil’ different twist.

Available together on APPLE MUSIC, AMAZON MUSIC, TIDAL MUSIC and below on BANDCAMP & SPOTIFY

New visuals have also been published for both versions on our Youtube channel.

Out thanks to Kloser of the TwoBC crew for the artwork and to everyone who has been supporting the album release in the past couple of weeks, it’s greatly appreciated.

All enquiries from media, press and DJ’s about this release should be forwarded to our in house promotional & production representatives UrbanElite PR who can, for example, provide official mp3’s for radio play if required. They can be contacted HERE

Enjoy the new music and look out for more in the months ahead.

TEAM NDR

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New Dawn Records are very proud to announce the release today of the new album “XVI : Return of the Gods” by New Jersey’s Tru Trilla.

This has been a long time in the making. We first discussed the idea behind it with Tru around three years ago, designed as a natural follow up and progression on from his previous album “God of Barz” which we released almost exactly 4 years ago to the day in 2020. It remains an absolute banger which you can hear on Spotify.

In the best traditions, Tru is an artist who crafts his art methodically and we were happy to give him all the time needed to produce this masterpiece, working in conjunction with our affiliates at UrbanElite Productions for logistical support where required.

It’s a magnificent album featuring the highest echelon guest featured artists and producers from all around the United States and beyond. We thank them for their contributions, and also our appreciation goes to Glasgow’s Paul Smith for the album’s front cover design together with UEP’s affiliates the Two BC crew for all the single cover designs and additional support.

TRACKLIST

1 SUN RAYS ft Reks & Lakim Shabazz [produced by LG Roc]

2 END THE DAY ft Ruste Juxx & Julius Luciano of Shoe Gang [produced by Frost Gamble]

3 ONE ANOTHER [produced & cuts by Tone Spliff]

4 RESPECTFULLY ft Justo the MC & NapsNdreds [produced by Frost Gamble]

5 THE ONLY ONE ft Trilly Trills [produced by Four Limbs]

6 NO JOKING AROUND ft N.B.S. & Recognize Ali [produced by Jamal Nueve]

7 GOOD OLE DAYZ [produced by Tru Trilla]

8 WE UP ft Yah Ra [produced by Ramson Badbonez]

9 WINTER HEART [produced by Tone Spliff]

10 TURN THAT DOWN ft Guilty Simpson & Skyzoo [produced by Frost Gamble]

11 GET IT RIGHT BACK ft Trilly Trills & Prince Ak [produced by LG Roc]

12 EXECUTION ft Fly Kwa [produced by Frost Gamble]

13 STAY DANGEROUS [produced & cuts by Tone Spliff]

14 PRINCIPLES [produced by Sumerio Square]

15 TO THE ROOF ft Prince Ak [produced by DNA Beatz]

16 DROP JEWELS ft Prince Ak & Juxx Diamondz [produced & cuts by Tone Spliff]

AVAILABLE TO STREAM & DOWNLOAD AT ALL MAJOR DIGITAL PLATFORMS & STORES INCLUDING APPLE / ITUNES, AMAZON, TIDAL MUSIC AND BELOW ON BANDCAMP & SPOTIFY

THERE IS ALSO A FULL ALBUM PLAYLIST ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Expect to see more releases including new remixes and official visuals from this album in the months ahead. Any press, media or DJ inquiries regarding any of our releases can be sent to our in house promotional division UrbanElite PR HERE

This, along with everything else we’ve released since relaunching in 2019, is the latest example of why we came back after a fifteen year “hiatus”, and we again thank everyone in the media and public for their support. Certainly for ourselves but more importantly for the immensely talented artists we’ve had the opportunity to work with – they more than deserve it.

TEAM NDR

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New Dawn Records are proud to present the new single “Sun Rays” by New Jersey rapper Tru Trilla featuring Reks and Lakim Shabazz, produced by LG Roc.

It’s the first to be taken from the phenomenal new album “XVI : Return of the Gods” which releases on May 31st, and is the follow up to the Brick City veteran’s classic ‘God of Barz’ which we also released back in 2020.

Several years in the making, Tru has gathered together a heavyweight line up of guest featured artists and producers from all around the USA, Canada, Japan, Spain and the UK for a masterpiece of fierce bars, killer beats and turntablism.

This first single sets the agenda, and unsurprisingly has already enjoyed healthy radio support from stations around the world which we appreciate greatly.

Producer LG Roc’s soundtrack is the perfect backdrop for Tru, Reks and Lakim Shabazz to go in all the way, exchanging formidable rhymes and wordplay while channelling the knowledge of the ancients. Seasoned campaigners at the height of their powers, a masterful display.

Available to stream and download at Apple Music/Itunes, Tidal, Amazon and below on Bandcamp and Spotify

The official visuals are also on our Youtube channel

All international media, press and radio station DJ inquiries regarding the single and album, including requests to interview Tru Trilla, can be sent to our in house promotional division UrbanElite PR. Contact them HERE

For more information about Tru Trilla, including all his social media platforms, visit his ARTIST PAGE on this site.

Enjoy the music and thanks to everyone for your continued support.

TEAM NDR