Breakin Bread 10 Years still Rockin

ockin s still r 10 year

We kicked off Breakin Bread in May 1998 thanks to a mate of mine, Pik, who was promoting clubs for Kiss FM. He didn’t know much about Hip Hop but had seen resurgence of Hip Hop at clubs like Scratch and Funkin Pussy where for the first time, hardcore hip hop heads like me started noticing girls coming to hip hop events. We were used to hip hop nights being sweaty dark affairs in empty clubs with almost 100% of the audience being male.

Pik wanted to start a night with breakdancing which was also coming to the fore at the time. The UK B-boy championships had started a few years earlier and was now big enough to be held in Brixton Academy. I linked Pik’s b-boy idea with playing more funk, soul and breaks alongside hip hop. This music was missing at other hip hop nights and I knew from running previous events that b-boys preferred rockin to funk and disco than straight hip hop. An added bonus was that girls were more likely to dance to soul music if they weren’t already hip hop chicks.

I called in Rob Life and Tufkut to DJ at our first night. They were both serious record collectors that I’d known for years and had been my guiding lights into the world of soul, funk and disco that gave birth to hip hop.

The first night was at The Brix (now Mass) and we were genuinely surprised with the turn out and the number of people getting off on the music. We invited some B-boys down, commissioned some graffiti wall hangings and finally all elements of hip hop were united in one night with the funk to the fore!

After some venue problems we moved to Pacific Bar in Camberwell and then The Plug in Stockwell. This is where it really started taking off and we knew we were onto something when after running the night for less than 6 months we started getting queues round the block.

The nights were so successful, we thought maybe people wanted to hear the music that some of our DJ’s were making themselves . Rob Life and Tufkut had been making their own music since their teens (go and search out the DJ Life/LTK white label they released in 1991) and it seemed right to release some of their new material on Breakin Bread.

DJ SKEG, JAZZ CAFÉ, 2008

S A G U L W PL E BE E TH LA T TH ND AS 7” E F TH IC, RD A A ” W O S M NT O D 9 C HE 99 RIE RUN RO UA 1 E F RE C S Y A N S E ,Q TH LAU MA ENS ITH GLE LIFE ND A W IN B IN EV X “S RN M S RO A ESS BO RP OF LIM GR 45 ES R C RO LIK LO IN P O C TS A BE

st DJ’s and we started booking Gue Around the same time oy Crews. We were one of the first B-b ays tried most importantly come down and we alw clubs that paid B-boys tocoming crews as well as booking and up is so to book new on a strict rotational bas all the established crews got the chance for a payday. everybody

This gave us a great relationship with all the ed B-boys most of whom endnge up staying in my lou after the night!

We also always had MC’s hosting the night. Not hogging the night just letting people know what was going on and adding to the atmosphere.

Our first host was TMO and we soon discovered Kashmere at one of our open mic sessions and he took over hosting.

The Plug closed and we moved Northdown in June 2001 venue, underneath to Jax, an amazing made up part of Lon a huge arch which don Bridge Station.

I gave up I realised I was far frodoing the flyers as designer. Tufkut too m the worlds best legendary flyers withk over and did a few cha put into some comicsracters he also Then a friend of a frie we produced. nd Amy began doing some flyers.

oved to e Things mlevel at this venu wds, more and the next racted bigger crom of the MC’s as we att oys and the crea ow booming UK more b-b from London’s n e people that and DJ’s cene. Some of th came without hip hop s as punters who an, Jehst, Lewis Skinnym Mike Skinner came thru n, oked were being bo ystro, Mr. Hudso y more. The Parker, M Streets and manr Kope took from The drunken maste ndoubtedly legendaryur host and he u nd a lot over as o me excitement a. added somness to the mix of rando

GHOST 2007, TUESDAY CLUB, SHEFFIELD, 2007

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kin rea ling t. B e pul n n i r e po so ver Fu w ter ts st e Kung p pun artis up e g n ew ing ho d stro d an 0 hip and n popp our in d a e e e Br er 50 basis wer nest h unch adly v ly ls ur fi e la De o e h n b “ t i on w e 2 h d la e. O en a m recor plac s wh bel. T h 200 its. a r la n e c d u w r h n t a 0 a ver dge ou n ri in M ,00 o all on B um o ased st 10 d o lb e Lon first a s rel ll alm a se w e h � t ins n to o S 7� went and

ULT ATT IMAT BO RAC ELY W T WA OKED ED A E W WI S TH . WH THR ERE T E CL TH 30 WR ILST T ONG O OO S UB O U + NE DAN NG S HIS W F B-B CCE S VE AS R G CERS HAPE AS W OYS A SFU A L IC OT S F 20 RE GO PRAC OR E KED WEL AT JA 0 S 3 U WI .H ING TIS NT LT, FO L A X. W T E E I R W H R N R A RO S E G A TAI THE S THE E RE 2R EW EM N VE CO OM W OOM E PU OVE RY LL NIG MEN DAN CRO GULA U D ON C W BO NTR HICH S. TH T TO TO E W HT A T AN ERS DS RLY G O T Y I DJ KIN . RO WE S AL ETH HE R ATC ND D W THE WE T G F L E E B L H H H E I R O DE AC SPE LIF LLE YTH ED E R END VEN W A U TH ES BE K 1 A Y (RIP CIAL E FOC D WI ED US NEW M FA E B T O ED UP E T TW ND I F ) S H C -BO F T EE DJ , CRE T B-B USED ALL TO HA ORM TOR H Y E N S .

IN 2 C WOO DIT OY ON THE VE ULA Y IN FE RE DO ONE DJ’S THI F B A RE THE M WS TO , JU TO S RO EST BDEDIC OR TH BRU A A L A EV KA LY IN ER ALL P ST 1, TAKE OM A -BOY ATED E NIG RY Y M AS ALS REN J GOT T ROOM T H D T N ON SED HE P HING D W J’S I B-BOY T RO O HA ANE HE P , I FO N TH TH BRO S A E ST .

RU AS OM. W D SO DESIG ARTY CUS A THE B AS THER IT DE RTED SO ALL T E TO ME L NED ROC ED ON S W K E H , RE EPER DA UL/F HE B OK T EGEN SOM ING! THE OS NEG .

DD UN ES HIN DA E O A D TED AD A W YS KD TH R OU J’S IP GS DE Y OP F OUR ICKE NCEF BA E, H TTL ND L SYS LIKE OP D EPER EN M BES D DES OOR ES T J I J TEM AZZ ’S W IN C S IGN AND E V AN MAN E S THIS ESSI ER F ER C WE D M G TAR RO ON LYE AL OR ERA TED OM S IN RS LED A E..

T LD , KE BOO OO W THIS ND W B D KIN E H GR AR G PU EN A EAT SW GE , TH RE ELL EB IG

Some of the nights we held here were just amazing. Pure nights of mayhem!

Our best ever New Years Eve party took place in December 03. This one’s particularly hazy but we have great memories of the P Brothers killing it and Kope rolling around on the floor in a pile of beer bottles.

Quality!

As a label we were now starting to release artist albums. Both Ghost and Natural Self dropped their debut albums and they sold well and are still selling despite the impact of the digital music age.

We also took our artwork up another level at this time. Ghosts album artwork was put together by Will Barras and Darren Groucutt who are well known in the street art scene. Ben Swift was working with Rob Life on his mix CD artwork and Mimic had also taken over our flyer artwork duties and come up with some dope concepts and a fresh look

Unfortunately the UK hip hop scene started to implode on itself as labels and artists realised the market wasn’t as big as it seemed. The legendary hip hop emporium Mr. Bongo closed its doors and the scene no longer had a central focal point. At Breakin Bread we were also busy with other things and we didn’t have the ideas, time or energy to re-invent ourselves as a night once again. We staggered to 8th birthday some nights making money, some nights losing it.

I thought that might be all over at this point but during the summer of 2006 we got a call from the Jazz CafĂŠ asking us to fill some of their late night sessions.

We took the opportunity to keep our nights going and we were forced to make changes as we supported other artists playing live from 7pm and kicked in with our entertainment from 11pm. Luckily this format worked well and we launched a rotating line up of B-boy battles, live hip hop and live soul/funk.

s e hook a was off ththe old school y a d th ir f ir B Our 9th d two legends ohipper Whip. Thes to we hostee and Prince W d rhymes took u le to an has n ab Charlie Cous mix of beatsouldn’t have bee us venues. vio re infecti vel that we w p in n le put o another

Now we are London’s longest running soul, funk and hip hop club. When we started nobody else was playing funk alongside hip hop. Now loads of clubs up and down the country are doing it. We’re being flown around Europe most months spreading the vibe and we’re bucking the trend of falling music sales.

D-BO, LA FAMILIA, JAZZ CAFE, 2008

To celebrate the 10th birthday we put on an exhibition celebrating 10 years of Breakin Bread artwork and memories with artists, photographers and designers we have worked with in the past and are currently putting together new projects with. Featured artists were: Will Barras, Darren Groucutt, mimic, Sri, Skyhigh, Deft One, Michael Antoniou, Spillage and Ben Swift.

WE’VE GOT RESID ENCIES AT THE JAZ Z CAFÉ MONTHLY (CHECK WWW.JAZ ZCAFELIVE.COM AND THE SOCIAL FOR DETAILS) THE FIRST FRIDA Y OF EVERY MONT H. KEEP UP TO DATE WI TH AL L OU R RUNNINGS AND CHECK OUR CATA LOGUE OF CDS, LP ’S, MP3’S AT BREAKIN 12”S, 7”S AND BREAD.ORG AND MYSPACE/BREA KINBREADLONDO N

10 years

...still rockin...

Breakin Bread Discograpy: BNB001

Rob Life

OK We’re Rollin/Style Applications 7”

BNB002

Quantic

We Got Soul/Fresh Rhythm 7”

BNB003

Rob Life

Here’s One I Made Earlier/ The Great Rhythm Caper 7”

BNB004

Color Climax

Plug It In/ Power Pac 7”

BNB005

Beats In Progress

Crumpet Chase/ Death of 1000 cuts 7”

BNB006

The Limp Twins

Living well pts 1&2 7”

BNB007

Color Climax

She Took My Love/ Swings And Roundabouts 7”

BNB008

The Deadly 7” Sins LP/CD

Various

BNB009

Rob Life/ Focus On The Main Features/ Iguana Verses 12” Cappo/DPF/Kashmere

BNB010

Color Climax

BNB011

Keno 1 & The Hermit Heavy Heavy/The Hardest Rain 7”

BNB012

Ghost/Kashmere/ Flip It/ Exactly/42/ Dedication 12” DPF/Verb T/Tommy Evans

BNB014

Tom Caruana / Archco/DPF/DJ IQ

Splice of Life EP

BNB015

Natural Self

The Sound/Foundation 7”

BNB016

Cappo/Zero Theory

The Get Out EP

BNB017

Ghost

Let Em Know 12”

Batidas Latinas/Crabwalk 7”

BNB018

Natural Self

The Ritual Mix CD

BNB019

Natural Self ft Alice Russell

I Don’t Need This Trouble 12”

And loads of forthcoming TOM CARUANA/DR SYNTAX/DPF/ARCH CO/DJ IQ

BNB014

TOM CARUANA/DR SYNTAX/DPF/ARCH CO/DJ IQ

THE SPLICE OF LIFE

SIDE B/ 1/CHOOSING THE RIGHT BIRD 2/IT'S ARCH/FEAT. ARCH CO (DIRTY) 3/IT'S ARCH (INST.) 4/I CREATED THIS STYLE (INST.) 5/STRAIGHT UP (INST.)

TOM CARUANA/DR SYNTAX/DPF/ARCH CO/DJ IQ

SIDE A/ 1/MAGNUS INTRODUCES US 2/IT'S ARCH/FEAT. ARCH CO (RADIO) 3/I CREATED THIS STYLE/FEAT. DPF & DJ IQ (RADIO) 4/STRAIGHT UP/FEAT. DR SYNTAX (RADIO) 5/THE KRAKEN

THE SPLICE OF LIFE BNB014

Cover © Shadric Toop www.sphereuk.com

NOTES/ALL TRACKS PRODUCED BY TOM CARUANA/ALL TRACKS MIXED BY TOM GREENWOOD/VOCALS: A2 RECORDED BY TOM CARUANA, A3 RECORDED BY TOM GREENWOOD AND A4 RECORDED BY IDO/A2) CUTS BY DJ CHORUS & A.S.P./A3) CUTS BY DJ IQ SHOUTS/BREAKIN BREAD STAFF (ROB LIFE, SKEG, TUFKUT AND RACHEL)/BOOMBOX DISTRIBUTION NETWORK/SUSPECT-PACKAGES.COM/DR SYNTAX/DPF/ARCH CO/DJ IQ/TOM GREENWOOD/SHADRIC/SON OF SAM (JOHN, JOE & DUTCH)/ELEMENTAL/NICK MAXWELL/LONGUSTO/ROBIN/TEEJ/WORDSMITH/GENESIS/SABRINA ROBERTS/RED MASTER/DRAMA/DEMARVELEST/ALEX BANKS/OLLY IDO/LEON DE BRETAGNE/TOM HINES/CLEV CLEVERLY/ENLISH/DOM & BRENDAN/ALISTAIR @ SON/CHRIS & NEIL @ FLUID OUNCE/ TOM WELLER/HANNA THOMAS/ROSE VILLOSO/PREM/PAUL & TIM HORAN/COLIN THE PHOTOMAN/KIRSTY & JAMES GRANT/ALEX C/ALL MY FAMILY - MUM, DAD, JOSIE, LAURA, SARAH, ROBERT & EDWARD/TO THOSE CREATING ANY FORM OF ART KEEP DOING IT AND GROWING © 2004 Breakin Bread Records Ltd /

P

Breakin Bread Publishing Ltd / All Rights Reserved / Unauthorised duplication is a violation of applicable laws / Contact and Booking: skeg@breakinbread.org ; 00 44 (0) 20 7703 9944 / For more info visit www.breakinbread.org

THE SPLICE OF LIFE

BNB020

Color Climax

Jigsaw/Crossfire 7”

BNB021

Ill Boogs

Gypsy Rock/The Grump 7”

BNB022

Ghost

The Payoff

BNB023/ BNB024

Natural Self

Let Peace Be The Ruler CD/EP

BNB025

Ghost

Seldom Seen Often Heard CD/LP

BNB026

Rob Life

Catchin Grooves Mix CD

BNB027

Ghost

Basic Instinct 12”

BNB028

Natural Self

The Love Theme 12”

BNB029

Various

Dirtybeatbreakinfunkandhiphop Vol 1 EP

BNB030

Various

Dirtybeatbreakinfunkandhiphop CD

BNB031

Various

Dirtybeatbreakinfunkandhiphop Vol 2 EP

BNB032

Ill Boogs

King Conga/ Funky Ghost Town 7”

BNB033

Color Climax

Disque O Heights/ Pa Coco Solo 12”

BNB034

Timber

Super Bad Mix CD

BNB035

Color Climax

Plug It In CD

BNB036

Para

You Never Change/ For Dance 7”

BNB037

Ghost

It’s all love/ Ying Yang 7”

BNB038

Ghost

My Soul Looks Like This Mix CD

BNB039

Color Climax

You Got What You Wanted/Jellyfish Popcorn 7”

BNB040

Para

It’s The Hornet/The Hideaway 7”

BNB041

Lingua Franca

The EP

BNB042

Florian Keller

Party Keller Mix CD

stuff from Ghost, The Killer Meters, Para, Ill Boogs and more