14/10/2007

JVC Force - Strong Island (B Boy)




Apart from the lame name, JVC Force did release a few gems at the back end of the 1980s, most notably Strong Island on the seminal B-Boy Records which was also home to Boogie Down Productions. The name stands for "Justified By Virtue of Creativity For All Reasons Concerning Entertainment". This acronym was devised to reduce the risk of legal action from the mighty Japanese electrical company JVC.

Despite several fairly lame releases on the B Boy imprint, there were a few high points including tracks by Kay Gee The All, The Cold Crush Brothers and of course DJ Scott La Rock and KRS1 AKA BDP - Fresh for 87 you suckers!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Tai Saint-Louis
An’ What?! Marketing
ceo@anwhatmarketing.net


Strong Island Stand Up! Pioneering Hip-Hop Group Reunites for 20th Anniversary
TheBestJams.com Declares December 29 JVC Force Day

ATLANTA, GA – December 7, 2007 – Legendary Hip-Hop group JVC Force will reunite for their first interview in over fifteen years on December 29, 2007 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their radio debut. Rapper B Luv and DJ/Producer Curt Cazal will join JVC’s other emcee, “AJ Rok” Woodson for an exclusive interview on his new Heavy Rotation Magazine Radio, which airs on www.TheBestJams.com (TBJ) Saturdays from 10pm-12am starting December 8, 2007. The last weekend of December marks 20 years since DJ Red Alert premiered JVC Force’s first single, the Long Island anthem “Strong Island,” on his long-running World Famous Radio Mix Show on New York City’s WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM.

Since the group disbanded in 1991, Woodson has cultivated a successful career as a Hip-Hop journalist and “professional Hip-Hop junkie.” With his new show, which Woodson describes as “the magazine you can listen to on Saturday nights,” he saw an opportunity to dedicate the December 29th show to JVC Force and reunite the group in celebration of their many supporters. “I am so humbled by the number of JVC Force fans from around the world I still meet today,” says Woodson. “I still get a lot of interview requests and get asked a lot of questions about the group. This is something the fans have been yearning for. Our success could not possibly have happened without the people who continued to request “Strong Island” well past the night Red Alert showed us love. We’re really going to treat them to something special.”

Upon hearing Woodson’s plans, TBJ founder and CEO Brother John proclaimed December 29, 2007 “JVC Force Day.” Throughout the day, fans will hear from artists and DJs sharing their memories of JVC Force and their thoughts on what the group and their hit “Strong Island” have meant to Hip-Hop. The day will end with a JVC Force Finale on Heavy Rotation Magazine Radio. In addition to the group’s on-air presence, listeners will be hear the group’s entire catalogue: their two commercial releases, Doin’ Damage and Force Field; new remixes of JVC Force’s classic material; as well as material from an unreleased third album which has never been played elsewhere. AJ Rok, B Luv and Curt Cazal will also be taking calls from the Hip-Hop heads, artists, DJs and others who count themselves as fans, as well as those who were instrumental to the group’s success, including former WBAU on-air personality Wild Man Steve.

- more -
“JVC are legends in the game, period,” attests Brother John. The beats to “Strong Island” and ‘Doing Damage’ were crazy dope. But it’s more than just the music. What also had me was the album cover. Back then, I was like “Dude is rocking the fresh Bally shoes, my man had the acid wash jeans.” That’s classic Hip-Hop to me! So I’m honored to celebrate their 20th anniversary on our station.

“JVC Force is just the beginning,” adds Brother John. “The Best Jams wants to go after all the pioneers, all the rappers from that era and let them know that we appreciate and honor them at TheBestJams.com. From Special Ed to EPMD to the Boogie Boys to Steady B: the pioneers are always welcome here.”

For more information about JVC Force Day or Heavy Rotation Magazine Radio, please contact Tai Saint-Louis with An’ What?! Marketing at 678.499.8933 or ceo@anwhatmarketing.net. Note: JVC Force will not be scheduling any interviews prior to December 29.

AJ Woodson is extending an open invitation to all members of the Hip-Hop/Entertainment Community to participate in this celebration. To get involved or for sponsorship/advertising opportunities, please email heavyrotationmag@aol.com.

About JVC Force
In 1986, Bill “B Luv” Taylor and Curtis “Curt Cazal” Smalls were both DJs in Long Island, former rivals who brought their crews together under the name JVC Force. AJ “AJ Rok” Woodson, who had relocated to Mount Vernon from Long Island, would hear about the noise the two were making in his hometown. It wasn’t long before Woodson attended and party the two were djing. History was made that night: AJ Rok and B Luv rocked the party with Curt Cazal on the ones and twos. Their chemistry was undeniable and by the following summer, JVC Force was signed to B Boy Records. Due to the label’s concerns about the legalities of the name, JVC Force became an acronym for Justified by Virtue of Creativity For Obvious Reasons Concerning Entertainment.

About TheBestJams.com
During his travels around the world as a professional basketball player, John Best was surprised to see first hand the impact that American Hip-Hop culture has across the globe. With that realization came the decision to create a forum that would allow true Hip-Hop to heard and celebrated in all of its formats. What started out as one online radio station in Berlin, Germany four years ago, has now become a multi-channel entity, preserving Hip-Hop and breaking new music globally. In addition to the original Hip-Hop and R&B station, TheBestJams.com has since launched channels dedicated to Gospel, Conscious hip-hop, and “Little Jammers,” the station catering to teens and kids. TheBestJams.com broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a combination of live and pre-recorded content. The station, which also broadcasts through wireless phone providers, reaches listeners in all major US markets (New York, Miami, LA, Chicago) and as far across the globe as Malaysia, Croatia, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand.