DJ PRZM presents ... LLABTIPS

DJ PRZM feat. BRU LEI and BUM SHELTER

Long Range Distribution/ Philly Phil Entertainment

Published 2.06.08

DJ Przm, better known to many as Christopher Sheffield, was the complete hip-hop artist who, along with his passion for music, bravely battled a rare heart condition.

His final project “DJ Przm presents … Llabtips” is a timeless collection of tracks recorded over a three-year period following his second, Detroit-based Silent Records release with Spitball’s “Welcome to Spitsville.”

He writes, spits, produces, scratches and beat-boxes on the first of four albums to be released on Philly Phill Entertainment. On his earlier albums, Przm experimented with eclectic new sounds infusing them into his grimy beat mastering style.

“Llabtips” features premiere MCs Przm, Bru Lei and Eclypse the Preternatural of Spitball, Copyright, Metro of S. A. Smash, Zero Star of Weightless Recordings, Seel Fresh and Ravage of Chicago, and Var of Field Squad.

All of the tracks were produced by Przm and capture the pure essence of beats and rhymes.

The hard-hittin’ track “Lo’ed Out,” is one of the last completed tracks that Przm produced and spit on before his untimely passing June 10, 2007.

This jewel, in which his manager Philly Phill had to overnight him the sample track from Ohio to Sacramento due to his illness, is his pledge of allegiance as a Lo-Life and to the Lo-Life Founders, the Brooklyn, New York-based group which fashions their lives around Ralph Lauren/POLO clothing.

Other tracks find inspiration from ’50s and ’60s soundtracks, rock guitars and eerie soundscapes that could be mistaken for the opening of a horror flick.

Przm’s command of production brings out the grimiest rhymes from each artist. Sharp-witted storytelling accompanies a touch of humor, if you can catch it between head nods. This album showcases what can happen when the artist and producer have the freedom to express themselves without restriction.

It’s another underground classic produced by the Detroit native and Columbus, Ohio, local hip-hop hero.

Looking back, in several of his home studios known as the Fonoslut Mansion aka the Bum Shelter, MCs attended Hip Hop 101 classes as Przm recorded track after track of rap heat.

The doors were rarely locked; MCs would come and go as Przm held ciphers with the best of Columbus and Midwest rap talent.

He’s credited also with holding down the most historic hip-hop night in the underground scene at Bernie’s.

For five years, DJ Przm, a member of the DJ group Fonosluts, arguably made Bernie’s Sunday Hip-Hop Night the most successful hip-hop hot spot in the Midwest.

The night attracted heads from all over to the infamous High Street near Ohio State University’s campus, and Bernie’s became the place to be if you were serious about hip-hop.

It was a night where no radio or popular music was heard unless it was a played as a bad joke. Only underground hip-hop, funk, breakbeats and old-school rap music oozed out of the monster sound system.

Students, backpackers, bums, punk rockers, b-boys, b-girls, graffiti artists, DJs, MCs and all races, ages and colors came together to be a part of the underground rap scene.

It was a common place to see Mixmaster Ice, Phife Dog, Thirstin’ Howl the III and others performing, hanging out or freestyling on the mic or turntables.

Up-and-coming and well-known MCs like Blueprint, Copyright, Artful Dodgers, Bru Lei and DJs RJD2, DJ Bombay, DJ Manwell and others paid their dues in live shows, open mic freestyles and MC battles.

Drug use was enjoyed openly, and the alcohol flowed freely.

On any given night, the mood would build as the Fonoslut DJs rotated and rocked underground music, as host MC Damon Dodson aka !So What! kept the crowd jumpin.

Then Przm would take the turntables and drop jewels until the crowd had their heads nodding, hands up and were breakdancing on the floor.

He would drop an instrumental, grab the mic, walk to the front of the stage and spit freestyles and beat box while hypin’ up the crowd with call and response encouraging them to drink, smoke, break something and wild out.

He fired up the MPC, bangin’ fresh beats that sometimes would be less than a day old and rocked beats with his group Spitball and other MCs he recorded.

At its best, Bernie’s was a grimy and sweaty hip-hop dance party.

With sexy women, MC battles, breakdancing and a smoke session, the live shows were so intense people would yell lyrics, crowd surf, throw beer, break chairs and tear down pipes.

MC ciphers driven by beatboxers poured out into the streets to see who got the props for the night.

It was pure, raw, youthful energy where surprisingly few got hurt.

For those who experienced it, the stories will live on to the next generation.

Przm was always one to bring out the rawest in fans at Bernie’s.

"DJ PRZM presents … LLABTIPS" can be purchased on line at www.undergroundhiphop.com and www.longrangedistrubution.com

Coming in 2008 on PHILLY PHILL ENTERTAINMENT and FONOSLUTS RECORDS available on www.undergroundhiphop.com