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Cold Crush Brothers

Members: (Real names removed as requested by DJ Easy AD)

Grandmaster Caz
Almighty kayGee
DJ Easy AD
JDL
Original DJ Tony Tone
DJ Charlie Chase

The Cold Crush Brothers had joined together in 1978 during a time of discombobulated relations between performers alternating between groups in a circuit leaving very few established crews to form any ground work. However 1978 became the era of the MC and Cold Crush formed the most definitive rapping group alongside Flash's Furious Five, Theo's Fantasic Five, Bam's Soulsonic Force and The Funky Four plus One paving the way for the next generation of devastating mic controllers.

The original Cold Crush line-up consisted of founder, Original DJ Tony Tone who was affiliated with the Funky Four, Easy A.D. From the salaam Brothers, DJ Charlie Chase with the latin group Tom & Jerry, Mr. Tee, Whipper Whip and Dot-A-Rock. Later after Whipper Whip and Dot-A-Rock moved away from the group joining the Fantastic Five with the Livingstone Brothers, Charlie Chase brought onside Grandmaster Caz from the Mighty Force who is today credited with being The first prominent MC in the book of hiphop and Almighty KayGee from the Jamaican Cheeba Crew and JDL. In the '80's Money Ray would join. Known memorably for their stage performances including the harmonic and melodic routines setting them apart from the other groups, the Cold Crush set the standards for the current trend in emceeing. Their notoriety was so spoken of other crews gained strength and credibility from having the courage to battle against them for supremacy. This would lead to the infamous war with the Fantastic Five. On July 3rd, 1981 the first battle took place with $1000 prize money at stake. The Fantastic Five won on the day but the rivalry was cast in stone.

Cold Crush toured the five boroughs of New York City and up as far as Boston to perform their legendary prowess before going commercial. Their reputation was strengthened by the recordings of their live events on cassettes by Tape Master Elvis Moreno. They were released worldwide promoted via word of mouth. As well the Cold Crush Brothers were featured in the groundbreaking seminal hiphop movie 'Wild Style' in '82 with every member battling their arch rivals The Fantastic Five in a basketball and emceeing match simultaneously. A year after the movie's release the Cold Crush toured Europe and Japan with the Roxy Tour.

The first commercial release of the Cold Crush came by way of joining Elite Records. Their first single was 'Weekends' a dance record describing ways to enjoy the weekend. The second single was 'Punk Rock Rap' on Tuff City Records distributed by CBS. This was the first time an independent hiphop label did business with a major record company with the second single being the first fused hiphop and rock track ever constructed. But their most successful single to date is 'Fresh, Wild, Fly and Bold' released in 1984 selling in excess of 16,000 units it's first week. The limit of this single was capped when a rift came between Tuff City Records and Profile Records hindering the sale potential of reaching gold status.

The Cold Crush Brothers played a significant contributing part in hiphop's most celebrated classic single, 'Rapper's Delight' performed by the Sugar Hill Gang. After hearing a live tape recording of the Cold Crush sound, Joey Robinson, (son of Sugar Hill Records founder Sylvia Robinson) and with Sylvia overhearing Grandmaster Caz's manager Big Bank Hank rapping along to the verse of Caz while working at a local New Jersey pizzeria. Robinson invited Hank to join her new venture of forming a Sugar Hill rap group. Hank accepted and openly requested help from Caz with some rhymes. Caz was willing to get any of his work put through the channels. As Hank was not an accomplished MC Caz gave up his rhyme book for Hank's disposal with an agreement of an appropriate payout for his contribution. His lyrics found their way into the classic hit 'Rapper's Delight' that was met with huge acclaim in 1979 becoming the first rap single to land on the Top 40 charts with over two million sales. Caz however never received any credit nor compensation for this. The Obvious mark left by Caz on the song was through the lyrics sung by Hank, “Well I'm the C-A-S-A-N-O-V-A and the rest is F-L-Y”

Much like the Funky Four they never released an entire album but live through many battle tapes and underground live hiphop recordings like “Live in 82” where the members asked the crowd to forgive them as they can't jump the way they used to because the record will jump. The journals of original hiphop are not complete without the recognition of The Cold Crush Brothers.

In October 2002, member Money Ray passed away. The group still performs across the United States.

Discography:

  • 1988 Troopers(B-Boy)
  • 1994 Live in '82 (Tuff City)
  • 1996 Fresh, Wild, Fly and Bold (Tuff City)