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New Dawn Records are pleased to announce the release today of “Don’t Need Gimmicks” by New York State rapper and producer duo Tone Chop & Frost Gamble. This is a special single edition of the original track which appears on their album ‘Beautiful Foundations’, released on May 15th.

Subsequently the pair premiered a new filmed documentary about their three decades working together, very much in keeping with the celebratory theme of the album itself, and held a launch event in their home town Binghamton at the end of May.

For this latest soundclash of bangin’ grimy beats and turntablism, Frost lets Pa Pa Fresh loose on the cuts, while Chop loads the verbal chambers alongside Brooklyn’s The Bad Seed . In with both barrels, an onslaught of punchline bars and precision flows land heavily on their targets with no quarter given. With the swagger of seasoned vets, an uncompromising display of robust rhymes hit hard in a barrage of blows. Smoke cleared and cartridges spent, they leave the scene with all the bragging rights.

Available on all digital platforms including APPLE MUSIC, TIDAL and below on BANDCAMP & SPOTIFY

OFFICIAL VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

We would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the press, radio & mixshow DJ’s and the public for the fantastic support received since this particular album campaign began back in December, and to our in house promotional division UrbanElite PR and their affiliated production team for the phenomenal work they delivered before, during and after the release. We count ourselves extremely fortunate and it is all very much appreciated.

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 present the new single “Gawdbrovas Connect” by NY State rapper and producer duo Tone Chop & Frost Gamble. Featuring fellow New York native Grea8gawd, this is the fourth from their upcoming album ‘Beautiful Foundations’ out on May 15th.

A celebration of their own partnership stretching over three decades, the album includes those with whom they’ve built over the years by way of the specially invited guest featured artists, all of whom add to a showcase of the highest caliber rhymes skills, beats and turntablism.    

In line with previous singles ‘Beautiful Foundations [Single Edition]’, ‘Play No Games’ with cuts by DJ Eclipse and ‘The Smoothest’ ft Decon Blu & Pa Pa Fresh, the new cut being the latest case in point. Frost’s grimy bass laden production fuels the intensity from the outset. Gauntlet laid down, Chop and Gawd step up to the plate with the full artillery, detonating bars straight from the cerebral chamber in a fierce exchange. With targets demolished in a relentless volley of take downs, spent verbal cartridges litter the battle zone as the prize fighters leave with the spoils of war.

Available now to stream and download on all major digital platforms including APPLE / iTUNES, TIDAL MUSIC and below on BANDCAMP & SPOTIFY

Official visuals for the single have also just been published on our Youtube channel

Following the release of the album in a few weeks, the pair will be premiering a filmed documentary on Youtube which covers their entire careers from the early beginnings to the present day, much in line with the themes of the album, and will then celebrate the release at a listening party in their home city of Binghamton.

It takes place on the evening of Saturday May 30th at Stellar Human, 159 Washington Street. Entry is completely free with doors opening at 6pm EST, so get along and meet the artists who will also be discussing the making the of the album and showing the documentary in full.

All media, press an DJ enquiries about this or any of our releases can be directed to our official in house promotional division UrbanElite PR. Their contact details are HERE

Our appreciation as always for the support this project has received to date by the media and public worldwide. Chop and Frost spent three years putting their heart and soul into what of course is a perticularly meaningful release for them, so it means a lot to all concerned. Thank you.

TEAM NDR

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Binghamton duo Tone Chop & Frost Gamble release their new album “Beautiful Foundations” through ourselves on May 15th this year.

The title track was released as a single in December complete with the accompanying official video, and is available on all streaming and download digital platforms including Apple Music, Bandcamp and Spotify

They have also just recorded a special freestyle specifically linked to the album where Chop includes all of the track names in his bars. He had the opportunity recently to hook up with local video producer Lil Kurby of New Wave Vizions, who also filmed the official video of the single, and they have just released the visuals of the “Beautiful Foundations Freestyle” on to Youtube

Look out for a further series of singles from the album in the coming months, beginning with “Play No Games” on February 10th which includes cuts by Sirius XM’s “Rap Is Outta Control Show” presenter DJ Eclipse who broadcasts every Sunday night on the station’s Shade 45 channel.

A film documentary about Chop & Frost’s careers together will also be released shortly after the album in May, and plans are also underway for a special launch event to take place in Binghamton around that time.

Meantime, as 2026 represents our own 30th anniversary, we’ll be taking a little trip down memory lane over the next 12 months, dust off a few crates and highlight some choice gems by the brilliant artists we’ve been fortunate enough to work with over the decades.

All involved with New Dawn Records would like to take the opportunity to wish you and yours the very best for the new year ahead, and again thank everyone for the support we’ve had from the very beginning. It’s very much appreciated.

TEAM NDR

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We are pleased to announce the release today of the new single “Beautiful Foundations” by New York State rapper and producer duo Tone Chop and Frost Gamble.

Featuring fellow Binghamton native Will K, this is the single edition of the title track from the forthcoming album which releases on May 15th 2026, and the first to be taken from it with more to follow in the months ahead.

The album “Beautiful Foundations” itself took several years in the making, masterfully crafted as a celebration of the pair’s friendship and working relationship spreading back over 30 years.

From the early days of recording demos in their Binghamton basement to becoming one of the most prolific partnerships in recent years with a quite phenomenal back catalogue of singles and EP’s in their armoury, the landmark release documents their journey and pays homage to the close bond built between the pair.

Immersed in hip hop culture from their teenage years, the album reflects their dedication to the true essence while embracing evolution.  Chop’s trademark hard bars, a legacy of his rap battle days, and Frost’s dynamic range of beats are bolstered throughout by a generous helping of turntablism courtesy of DJ Eclipse, Pa Pa Fresh and  DJ J Smooth.  Space is reserved for friends and allies by way of the special guest featured artists including The Bad Seed, Pf Cuttin, Decon Blu, Grea8gawd and Fresh I.E.

In this first offering, Chop sets the agenda reflecting on those first times working together as young and passionate kids still learning the ropes, sowing seeds for the future set to a potent soundtrack marinated with soul. It’s something you live…

Available to stream and download on a wide range of digital platforms including APPLE / iTUNES, AMAZON, TIDAL and below on Bandcamp and Spotify

The official video, filmed around Binghamton, is also playing on our Youtube channel

All media, press & radio Dj enquiries regarding this, or any of our releases, can be sent to our in house promotional division UrbanElite PR HERE

We very much look forward to bringing you more from this fantastic album as we head towards 2026, which itself is our own 30th anniversary as a label.

Meantime we thank everyone for the continued support and wish you all the very best for the new year.

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 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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We are very grateful to the Bandcamp editorial team who have just featured our most recent album release on their front page “New and Notable” Spotlight section.

“XVI : Return of the Gods” by Newark rapper Tru Trilla has only been available since Friday last week, so its immediate inclusion for special focus by the online store is tremendous news indeed.

It is just reward for the hard work put in by all involved over the past few years in making this album possible, primarily by all of the artists but also due to the various forms of logistical support provided by our in house affiliates UrbanElite Productions.

There will be more coming from this album in the months ahead, beginning on June 18th with the release of the single “Drop Jewels” featuring Prince Ak & Juxx Diamondz, produced by Tone Spliff which will also include a special remix not previously available.

For now though, with production by Tone, Jamal Nueve, Frost Gamble, LG Roc, DNA Beatz, Sumerio Square, Ramson Badbonez and Four Limbs, plus guest featured artists including Reks, Lakim Shabazz, Ruste Juxx, Julius Luciano of Shoe Gang, N.B.S., Recognize Ali, Guilty Simpson, Skyzoo, NapsNdreds, Justo the MC, Yah Ra and more, download “XVI : Return of the Gods” below on Bandcamp.

All media, press and DJ inquiries (radio, club, mixshow, mixtape) regarding this album or any of the tracks from it should be sent to our in house promotional division UEP, their contact details are HERE

We thank everyone again for the fantastic support received

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